The Washington herald., 1914-08-25
j. S. OWNED SHIPS
PUT UP TO HOUSE.
Bill Used to Induce Private
Capital to Recruit the
Merchant Marine.
GOES TO SENATE TODAY
Measure Create. $I0OOO.OOO Board
to Buy Vessels for Coast and
Foreign Trade.

The administration bill proposing .he
creation OF q corporation to purchase and
operate ships in the foreign service. with
the United States holding 81 per cent OF
the stock. was introduced In the House
yesterday by Representative Alexander,
of Missouri, chairman Of the COMMITTEES
on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
While the administration does not really
expect the bill to be enacted into law,
IL will be pushed in the hope that soon
private capital will recruit the merchant
marine to a degree OF eficiency that will
enable II to take care Of Americas over
sea trade.
officials believe that the law removing
the old restrictions on the admission of
foreign-built ships to American registry
and the passage Of the wRr-risk bill are
the only emergency measures that are
really need to induce private capital to
go into the shipping business on a COM
paratively large scale.
Creates a shipping Board.
The bill introduced yesterday author
ICES the creation Of a |l0.Ooo.0OO corpora
tion, that is to be organized by a ship
ping board. TO be composed Of the Presi-
dent, the Secretary OF the Treasury, the
Postmaster General, and the Secretary
Of Commerce. The stock Is to be issued
in shares OF the par value Of S1Oo and
the bill provides that the United States
shall subscribe for 81 per cent OF the
total issue
II money is needed to buy ships be-
yond the capital Of SO 900. It Is to be
obtained by the issuance Of Panama
Canal bonds up to S3O,Ooo.ooo The YES
sells will be maintained in trade between
Atlantic. Gulf, or Pacific ports OF the
United States and the ports OF Central
and South America and to foreign ports
whenever needed. In case Of emergency
the United States will have the right to
take possession OF the vessels at a rea-
sonable price or rental
The bill will be introduced in the Senate
today by Senator Clarke Of Arkansas
The House Rules Committee will meet
today or Wednesday to report a special
rule for the consideration Of the bill
passed by the Senate last week provid-
ing that the government shall assume all
marine war risks during the trouble in
Europe. Opposition to the bill voiced by
Representative Mann, of Illinois, and
other Republican leaders forces the
Democrats to resort to a rule to put the
bill through. The Indications are that
the debate on the measure will be a
lively one.
President Denies Report.
President Wilson took occasion yester-
day at his semi-wsekly interview TO
newspaper correspondents to deny a
statement which he said had been clrcu-
lated. to the effect that the administ-a-
ton intends to abandon the bill for a
government-owned merchant marine.
The President did not commit himself.
however. to continuing his support to the
measure in the event that private capt.
tai comes forward TO supply enough
ships for the transoceanic trade before
Congress passes the bill.
The President said that In the even
that sufficient ships were found to meet
the needs Of the country's commerce
without using the proposed government
marine, the government ships already
purchased might be diverted 10 undevel-
oped lines OF trade. The administration
bill, he believed. would be passed by
Congress In a few weeks.