The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1914-08-28
BY HERMAN RIDER.

AsAASoA "a A~S" 1 YIN OIootS AcltuNsS.
NEW YORK.: Aug. 27.-We do not
wish to build upon the adversely of
others. We. do not need to; but if, in
the present self wrought chaos of
European trade, we do not take ad-
vantage of the present opportunity
OF rehabilitating our merchant mar
inc, we shll fail in great econor:jc
duty which we owe not only to our
selves, but to those other peaceful
nations that, like ourselves, are SUI
ferlng from the war and which depend
to daily increasing extent upon
America to feed and clothe them.
10 avail ourselves of this oppor-
tunity we must act swiftly. Unless
all estimates of the tremendous sac
rifices inseparable from modern war
fare are in error, the very magnitude
OF the present struggle must be the
cause OF an early peace. With a cessa-
ton of hostilities will come renewed
competition from Europe on a scale
Ind with ruthlessness never known
before. The nations will have to re-
coup what they have lost and they
will strive to do so with the sharp
ened enterprise which inevitably fol-
lows war. Opportunity is knocking at
our door today. 1t will be long time
before it does so again.
Registry Bill Good Move.
Great Britain is jealous of her in
terests. The able pen of H. G.. Wells
makes an appeal which Englishmen
believe will touch the "sportsmanship"
of Americans. However, we are a
competitor of Great Britain for the
markets of the world. Are we to
allow that empire to dominate our
shipping policies? The ship registry
bill which was rushed through con-
gress and signed by the president last
week is welcome as first step in tho
right direction. 1t is not, however, a
complete nor to any considerable ex-
.ent from partial panecea for thu
ills from which our merchants ship
ping is suffering.
We have spent years attempting to
aid the shipbuilders of this country
and failed because we did nothing for
The shipowners, and we have allows!
the fetch of industrial paternalism to
blind us to what now appears a very
simple proposition that the shipowner
cannot be manacled without the ship
/ builder finding his own hands tied
The interests of the owners demand
'ur first attention if we wish to se@
the American flag restored to the high
place it once held on the seas. Those
of the builders will follow as mat
ter of natural economic law.
American Shipping Burdened.
The great handicap under which
American owners compete with those
of Europe is that of excessive over
head expenses. While some of these
are inherent in and inseparable from
our advanced standards of wages and
living, others are in imposition of the
navigation laws. American vessels
are, for example, required to carry
larger crews than foreign owned
ships; are submitted to much stricte1
tonnage, compelled to pay more fire.
quent consular charges, and are ham
3cred in many other ways.
There was day when the Ameri.
can flag in certain parts of the worlc
outnumbered all others. Now many
of the house flags of private trading
concerns are seen more frequently
Unless we take advantage of the D. es.
ent opportunity to secure the mag.
nificent fleet of German ships at pres.
ent tied up in our ports and arrange
eur navigation laws to suit the need.
of great mercantile industry, w
may as we'll resign ourselves to {
"Swiss navy" for commerce.
Against Government Fleet.
The necessity for the government tx
enter the field at the present time az
the majority owner of a fleet of cro1
carriers is not clearly patent. Apar'
from all questions of internationa
complications which might arise dur
ing the continuance of hostilities ir
Europe, such step taken at the pres
ent time, could not but give rise tx
a lasting feeling of unpleasantness
among certain Of the people now al
war. The entran ace, on the other hand
of the government into competition
with private American capital, il
more likely than not to leave it tt
bear the whole burden of whatever
merchant marine may be developed
out of the present chaos.
That it is not the intention of the
government to assume this burden is
evident from the characterization Of
the measure by administration off.
Gals as temporary only" What good
am compelled to ask, can come from