The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-09-15
KAHN TALKS
Continued from page one)

Nut INSTRUCTION VI Il sup duu llOlh
forty to five per cent to the initial cost
of the vessel. Then the wages paid
to the officers and men in the crew of
the American ships is very much
higher than those paid in the foreign
service
Our American navigation laws re-
quire certain rOains for the men. AS
a matter of fact our rations are even
better than the rations furnished by
Uncle Sam for the boys Of his navy.
All these items OF expense add consid-
cradle to the cost of the maintenance.
Most foreign governments also sub
sidize their ships. Up to recently
when the larger Japanese ships were
put on the run between the ports of
China and Japan and San Francisco,
the three vessels were getting $780,
600 from the Japanese government as
a ships subsidy. l understand that
this has been increased to $1,2OO,OOO
since the larger vessels have been put
on this run.
Germany gives its steamship lines
special privileges, which enable them
to compete successfully with the lines
of other European powers. England
and Italy and France, all substitute in
one form or another, and in conse-
uuence the ships of those nations
have increased in number from year
to year.
Subsidy Opponents Don't Know.
1.-The opposition to subsidy in the
United States comes largely from
those sections of the country that are
removed from the seaboard, and there
is a strong sentiment in the Southern
states against the subsidizing of
steamship lines.
up to the present only two men,
bers from the South have declared
themselves in favor of that form of
protection for American ships, but
the demand for legislation is growing
throughout the country. The time
must come when something will be
done to rehabilitate. the American
, merchant marine. The law of March
8. 1891, allows ocean mail pay at the
rate of 50 per mile, on the outward
voyage. This has been found entirely
inadequate, and well-organized
movement is already under way de
handing legislation that will increase
this amount to 81 at least, per mile
so that American ships may be able
to compete with vessels of foreign
countries to the ports of South
America, Australia and the Orient.
, Kahn's Reply to HonoIuIans.
"There are many people in Homo
: lulu who want the coastwise trade
: laws abrogated between these islands
= and the mainland, so far as passenger
traffic is concerned. I have constantly
L opposed such legislation. I feel thai
J. it will drive the few passenger ships
y that you have that ply between the
mainland and Honolulu out OF the
!, passenger trade entirely. It has beeI
J. commended that freight pays the run
4 ming of ships and that the passenge
business is only an incident in thu
!, service. If that were a fact and !
8 the accommodations for passenger
=, in the American ships were entirel
d unnecessary. ii would require vessel
of seventeen or eighteen knots f
!. make the running; freight ships q
= ten knots would handle your fregh
), business quite adequately. But I h'
8. lieve that we ought to be patriot
enough to want to travel in America
= ships. even if they are not quite 8
large and so cOmmodiOus as, for il
= stance, the japanese ships that com
@ to this port.
o Passengers to Be Educated.
o. Complaint is made that passel
9 gers cannot get accommodations O
@ the vessels that are now in the ser
o ice, and at times it is necessary
q wait for a ship in order to secul
@ such accommodations This eXDe'
8 ence is not unlike the experience thi
% hundreds of Americans undergo ever
g year in their efforts to travel
@ Europe. Indeed, in recent years.
8 has been necessary to book mont
q in advance if one hopes to secu
@ adequate accommodation. We hH'
8 learned to accommodate ourselves
o these conditions.
@ Patience the Thing.
@ The people who reside in small
8 communities often complain becau
% express trains pass right throui
@ their towns without stopping to tai
9 on or let off passengers. Perha
3 there is some merit in their COZ
q plants, but at any rate they, to
o. ought IN learn IN accommodate thpl