New President

The Shipping Board (created in 1916), intended to serve only as a regulative and semi-judicial body, was supplemented in wartime by the Emergency Fleet Corporation, which theoretically performs necessary actual business administration. For many years the Chairman of the Shipping Board was President of the Emergency Fleet Corporation.

The separation of the two organizations with different men at the helm of each, in January, 1924, was widely hailed as conducive to increased efficiency because of the detailed functions assigned to the Emergency Fleet Corporation. As a matter of fact, the Shipping Board retains absolute control by the simple, yet efficacious, method of demanding a blanket resignation from each Emergency Fleet Corporation President before he takes office. To date Lasker, Farley, Palmer, Crowley have "resigned." Brigadier General A. C. Dalton was handed the shaky sceptre last week. He has already "handed in his resignation" to the Shipping Board, although the latter graciously will not "accept" during General Dalton's good behavior in its eyes. The Shipping Board, naturally smug, last week tilted its nose still higher, neglected to seek President Coolidge's approval before making the new appointment.

General Dalton is doubtless in accord with the proposed governmental action likewise announced last week: to offer for sale $27,000,000 worth of liners, including the entire United States and American Merchant lines. Excepting the Leviathan, these ships are, for the most part, of the "President" class formerly sold to the Munson and Dollar interests for little more than $1,000,000 each, with the stipulation, however, that the buyers would continue the service for a minimum of five years.

Brigadier General A. C. Dalton is 60 years old. Square-jawed and weather-beaten by many years of gallant army service (D. S. M.), his frame illy accords with an alpaca suit. He received what shipping experience he possesses during 1917-18 in the Transport Service.

Army-Man Dalton is not to be confused with able Cleveland Businessman H. G. Dalton, President of the Interstate Steamship Co., who was appointed by President Coolidge last October to make a factual report on the then inextricable Shipping Board tangle. What sagacious Shipper Dalton's report was, if any; when it was published, if ever; what action based upon it was subsequently taken, if any--who can say?