Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-15
TAFT FAvORS
SHIP SUBSIDY
REPRESENTATIVE HUMPH
so STATES AT BANQUET
DECLARES TRUSTS EXIST ON
TWO OCEANS
Henry CIeWs Is Kissed When He
Urges That Cheapest Ships
and Sailors Be
Sought

NEW YORK, March 14.-"President
Taft told me just before came here,
said Representative Humphrey of Sc
attic, Wash, tonight, Ito tell you
he is heart and soul with the National
Manufacturers association in their
fight to establish an American mer-
chant marine"
Mr.. Humphrey was speaking as the
guest of honor at a dinner of the as
sociation.
"Our mails" he said, "our diplomatic
corps, our ammunition and our guns
are sent to the Philippines in Japanese
vessels. We are spending S50,000,000 a
year to improve our rivers and harbors,
largely for the benefit of foreign sub
sidized ships. We are spending hun
dreds of millions TO build the Panama
canal, AMI when it is finished 1t will
be almost wholly for the benefit of
foreign nations.
Both upon the Atlantic and Pacific
combinations of foreign capital are
preying upon American commerce.
| Upon the Pacific is a trust called the
Ship owners International union, rep
| resenting more than 100000 tons
Practically all the foreign sail tonnage
of the Pacific ocean. Composed of
English, German and French ships it
makes no attempt to conceal its OBJ
jects. Its declared purpose is to raise
| freight rates from American ports.
Immediately after its formation freight
rates on the Pacific were advanced
more than 400 per cent.
There is not more exacting and
cold blooded trust on land or sea. 1t
raises and lowers freights at will. 1t
promises rebates to those who patron
ize it for year or more, but it de-
mands full payment first. Then if the
simmer ngfrnniVpG another
rebate is withheld. 1t so controls the
situation that it has actually COM
PEELED American ships to return from
South America to this country in
ballast.
Conditions on Atlantic
con the Atlantic ocean the manage
ment of this trust is dictated by the
great English firm OF Lamport & Holt
In sympathy with them works Herr
Balm of Germany. 1t might be well
to remember that this same Balm
came to this country a few years ago
when legislation was pending to assist
our merchant marine and gave out an
elaborate statement advising the peo-
pie against such action.
when that legislation was defeated
the representatives Of these combina-
lions met in Europe with Herr Balm
as their guiding genius and celebrated
tween American ports and Europe 80
per cent.
This is the same Herr BALM whose
company when war was declared with
Spain voluntarily withdrew two of its
fastest vessels and sent them to Spain
| to sink burn or destroy American
commerce. If these corporations were
within our jurisdiction We would have
| their representatives on their way to
! jail within ninety days, but they are
! beyond our laws. We have no ships
to compete with them and the tribute
we must pay to them is measured only
| by their greed"
Henry Clews, the banker, was Kissed
when he proposed that America go
| into the cheapest market for her ships
and her sailors
At the close of the speech making
the following resolution was adopted:
| Resolved, That this association rec
| ommends to congress the passage of a
! bill similar to the ocean mail intdo-
/ duced in the last congress, and advo-
| Gated by President Taft, providing for
! a sufficient postal compensation TO
| establish a swift and regular service
| in American built steamships to the
trade countries OF South America and
| to the ports of Australia, Japan, China
and the Philippines"