Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-16

SUUUOOsUa - Usss4s fs,ll ~ lll n 49, An
TRAFFIC CHARGED
That the ocean carrying business q
the greatest existing monopoly, that II
IN controlled by Great Britain ana Ger
many and that tho monopoly u aimed
directly against American commerce
and American shippers were dsclafa-
tons made before tho house commit
tee Of congress on merchant marine
and fisheries, which. Is investigating
the shipping trust, BY William n.
Douglas, president Of Arkel = Doug
las, exporters, Of New York city.
Mr.. Douglas declared that this ship.
ping combine has been guilty OF swing
preferential rates to the Standard OH
company. the harvester trust and tho
United States Steel corporation.
The witness, himself former mem-
Der Of the house. stated that the ocean
trade was blocked out in zonesl BY the
ship combine. just al the land trade
was divided by the railroads, and that
these conditions existed In al parts Of
the world.
''rhe idea that the ocean y free."
said Mr.. Douglas, els fallacy. The
control of the ocean II more OF . mo
nopoly than any combination Of trade
which exists today on land"
Aimed at Americana.
Mr.. Douglas stated that. 80 far 40 no
knew. the shipping combine never paid
any rebates to exporters. He COM
planned that the rates are extremely
high and were so fixed by the combine
to deprive. American merchants and
manufacturers Of the foreign trade.
1.-THE foreign owned steamship lines
declared the witness. want to get all
Of the American business they can to
carry. but they will not give rs the
benefits of the rates which obtain from
other countries to European centefs.
II know from my own investigations
that this shipping combine gives spe-
cial rates to the harvester trust tho
Standard Oil company and tho steel
trust. They give 40 an excuse the
threat Of these companies to form COM
peting ship lines Of their own In case
they are not given lower rates.
The witness declared that AZ . result
Of the combination the United States
is losing from Is to 30 per cent Of the
export trade to foreign nations to
which it is entitled and which II could
possess If an American line Of steam
ers were started and given encourage
ment by this government In tho shape
Of subsidies or otherwise.
1--WE are simply paying tribute to
European capital" he declared mo
other nation on the face Of the earth
but the United States would stand for
such treatment"
The witness declared that this same
combine is making arrangements to
control all Of the ocean business that
win develop az a result Of the open
ing of the Panama canal.
THE Panama canal viii be . benefit
only 70 English commerce." he de-
clared. unless We can develop our
merchant marine in some way
Government Built linss.
In response to suggestion for, come
remedy to do away with this COM
bine Mr.. Douglas said he would have
the United States government build
several steamship lines running to va
rious parts of the world and pay them
subsidy for carrying the mails. In
this way, he asserted, American ocean
going trade would be developed, and
gradually the commerce Of this nation
would be carried in ships flying tho
American dag.
William Lowry Of New Orleans, who
organized the Pan-American Mail
Steamship company, which went oue
of existence only a short time ago be-
cause Of its inability to compete with
the conference lines" running between
this country and South America. told
the committee that the shipping COM
bine now controlled the commerce Of
the world and that It had succeeded
in driving out Of business any competi-
tor who sought to get foothold IN our
ocean carrying trade.
Allerton D. Hitch, secretary and
treasurer of the Hagenmeyer Trading
company Of New York, trading with
Brazil. declared that the only indie.
pendent line to South America was thu
Lloyd Brazileiro line, and that, while
his firm used it to an extant, its steam
ers were slow, and that IT'D officers, gov
eminent appointees, were not trained
kos Tho HAs1no ~ Tho <r0An e- .