The San Francisco call., 1904-11-26
INVITES VIEWS
OF NAVAL MEN
Merchant Marine Commission
About to Close Inquiry
Into Shipping Interests

WASHINGTON, Nov 25.-The Mer-
chant Marine Commission resumed its
session to-day Senator Gallinger. the
chairman, announced that the hear
lngs were about concluded, but that
the commission had thought it proper
at this time to invite naval and Post
office Department officials to be pres
ent to-day. the former to submit their
opinion of the desirabiIity of a mer-
chant marine as auxiliary to the navy
and the latter to speak for the benefits
to accrue to the postal service as a
result of an improved merchant ma
rine. Secretary Metcalf of the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor also was
invited to attend the hearing.
Secretary Morton's view of the rela-
ton of the Government to the mer-
chant marine in the foreign trade was
that it was simply question of COM
petition. He said that in order to build
up a large shipping interest in this
country it will be necessary to meet
the competition of other nations 1t
will further be necessary he declared,
TO in some way recognize the mail con-
tracts, the subsidies, the bonuses and
the premiums of Germany, England
and other countries. The American
owner of sea-gOing craft and the
American sailor, he said. must be given
equality in all respects if they are not
to be handicapped by foreign compe-
tition. 1t was his idea that all ships
built in this country should be con-
structed in accordance with plans ap-
proved by the Navy Department, so
that in case of war the department
could make good and efficient use of
them. He added that he was not sure
but that the seamen also should have
naval training
Rear Admiral Luce read a letter re-
Gently submitted to him by Secretary
Morton to be laid before the commits
sicn, in which he referred to the mu-
tuaI independence of the merchant ma
rine and the navy. He asserted that
the money paid to foreign carriers of
products of this country went to enrich
countries with which the United States
might some day be at war. thereby in
directly aiding the navies of those
countries and their naval reserves at
the expense of our own. He favored
subsidies as a means of building up the
merchant marine.
Rear Admiral Harrington favored
the building of steel ships, and said
that the laws of the United States
should be changed so as to permit the
merchants of this country to run
American ships as cheaply as foreign
owners can run them.
Captain Usher, speaking for the bu-
reau of navigation of the navy, said
that the Navy Department was not
disposed to suggest any plan which
looked to the encouragement of the
merchant marine through subsidies for
speed. mileage or mail-carrying YES
sells, but was disposed to favor naval
premiums on ships to be built and
which fulfilled certain naval require
ments.
Eugene Chamberlain, commissioner
of navigation, Treasury Department,
submitted series of tables bearing
on the commerce of the world. From
these he showed that the exports of
the United States largely exceeded the
imports, and said that the imposition
of discriminating duties would be like
" to result disastrously to the trade
of this country through retaliatory ac-
ton by the countries affected
Replying to Senator Gallinger,
Chamberlain said he favored the
granting of subsidies as a means of
national defense.
The commission went into executive
session. No further witnesses will be
heard.