Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-08-12


ion the demand is becoming
insistent that our commerce
shall be free. Speaker Champ Clark
says:
The expectation even before the
war broke out was that 10O, 900, 600
bushels of the wheat crop would be
shipped to Europe. The war will
increase the expectation of wheat
provided there is shipping enough
to carry 1t.
Big corn and cotton crops are in
sight. A failure to provide or Sc
cure sufhclent shipping facilities to
move these crops of the three great
American staples will paralyze
American agricultural activities
and incidentally all other activi-
ties
Speaker Clark, out of a long expe.
rience in Congress, realizes that fur.
ther opposition to a real merchant
marine for Uncle Sam will be bucking
strong public sentiment. He has al.
ready expressed the hope in the in
terview from which we quote that
the Senate may speedily pass the bill
which the House sent over to the
Senate, amended or unamended, look
ing to an increase of American shin
ping.
"Freightage from America is the
richest in the world" says the Phila-
delphia Ledger.
1t amounts to hundreds of millions
of dollars annually. 1t is not reason
able to suppose that with such a prize
available American capital will
neglect its opportunity provided there
is nothing in our own law to prevent
the acquisition of ships that are Of
fered for sale. There are many neu-
trail vessels that can be got There
are many more, registered under bel
ligerent flags. which will be purchas.
able.
1t was agreed at a conference in
New York of the National Foreign
Trades Council, which consists OF
thirty-fve national representative
manufacturers, bankers, merchants
railroad and steamship men, that
that body collectively standing for
the general interest of all ele-
ments engaged in or affected
by foreign trade, should work for
national unity of action in setting
American export and import trade
free from the paralysis of transpor-
tation.
The council decided to maintain
daily touch with all it's members in
all parts of the United States and with
the numerous commercial and indus
trial organizations which have tele.
graphed to it for information regard.
ing shipping. It's object is to co.
operate with every effective agency
for the extension of American com.
merce.
Resolutions were adopted at the
New York conference urging the
prompt passage of the bill now pend
ing in Congress which would provide
immediate means to increase the
American merchant marine. 1t was
also recommended that the govern.
ment at once provide war risk insur-
ance at reasonable rates on both the
hulls and cargoes of American yes.
sells engaged in over sea trade.
AS further showing the changed
attitude of the Democratic leaders or
the question of a merchant marine
William F. McCombs, chairman OF
the Democratic national committee
returning to New York from scout.
ing expedition after a conference with
the President said he found every.
body more interested in the war and
in protecting himself against financial
loss on account of the war than he
is in politics.
Everywhere the interest is all.
| absorbing on the proposition of eff
fective legislation looking to the crea.
ton of merchant marine that will
still further increase American com,
merce and keep open the lanes of the
sea to American industry. On thi.
paramount issue a writer in the New
York Sun says:
| Never before has a great nation
been afforded such an opportunity
as is now offered the United States
| to secure and maintain merchant
| marine commensurate with her size
and rank in the commercial world
| The opportunity has been created
almost over night and must be
grasped almost as quickly
merchant ships are needed at once,
! and as they cannot be built in
time, they must be bought, and
bought Immediately. If the oppor-
tunity is to be grasped-grasped it
| should be at once, for the financial
situation in this country makes the
securing of the necessary capital
| comparatively easy and there will
| shortly be hundreds of foreign
| vessels for sale-this country will
enter upon an era of prosperous
foreign trade that even the most
optimistic did not dream of but a
few weeks ago Already South
America, the Orient and the neutral
countries of the world are CRYING
for American foodstuffs farm