SHIPBUILDING FIRMS

Southland Times, Issue 20886, 23 September 1929, Page 7

SHIPBUILDING FIRMS

INQUIRY INTO ACTIVITIES,

1927 GENEVA CONFERENCE.

Washington, September 20,

Giving evidence before the Senate Committee investigating the activities of the shipbuilding firms at the 1927 Geneva Naval Conference, Mr Clinton L. Barbo, president, of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, said American shipbuilders had spent 143,000 dollars in seeking the passing of the Jones-White Merchant Marine Act of 1928.

Mr Barbo stated that Schearer was paid about 46,750 dollars in all by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, the Newport News Shipbuilding Corporation and the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. He stated that Schearer had not been authorized to get into the cruiser fight at Geneva. He asserted that the shipbuilding companies now employ Mr Frank Lord as their representative at Washington to keep them informed, run errands, and get the facts not carried by the Press, but he insisted that Lord had no authority to interfere with the legislation.—Australian Press AssociationUnited Service. FURTHER EVIDENCE MR 0. M. SCHWAB QUESTIONED. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Washington, September 21. The employment of William B. Schearer, naval propagandist, by United States’ shipbuilders as an observer at the Geneva Conference, was described as most unwise today to the Senate Committee by Mr Charles M. Schwab, chairman of directors of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. He said that he knew nothing about the Schearer deal until many months later.

Asked who was responsible for the employment of Schearer by his company, Mr Schwab hesitantly named Mr S. W. Wakeman, the vice-president.—Australian Press Association.