Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-27

/ maps one may get at IL In this way: Two
things are necessary II we are to be able to
compete fairly with the sea trading nations.
In some way or other our merchants must
have ships that cost them no more than the
rivals pay for their ships and the second
point is that they must be able to man them
at no greater cost than the rivals pay TO man
their ships.
Government Must Face It
Now at some point or other and in some
definite way the Government has got to NEE,
those two grave issues-the Government Or
the ship owners And the merchants are
pretty well Of one mind that It is a matter
as in Germany-for the Government
You build a ship here in any home ship
| yard you please; the additional cost of con-
struction Is estimated to be from % per cent.
! 10 80 per cent. over tonnage constructed in
! Great Britain. Then Ohe second point
again) the cost Of sailing that ship under
our admirable navigation laws is from rs
per cent or 30 per cent. higher than IL II
were British ship. And there, as the Scot
would say, bang goes so per cent. at least
In some way these two things have to be
made up. There must be some method de-
vlsed of offsettlng the greater cost of build
ing and operating American ships
The merchants with whom | have had
word believe that the higher cost of ship
building could be got over in time. 1t is
only a temporary inequality which the Gov
ernment need make good. Once shpbuildlnF
plants and organizations were established
and set going American industry and in
genuity should be able to hold their own
1t Is only that initial cost that would weigh
too heavily upon them. Were It removed
were the building of ships an established and
going industry, there would he nothing to
fear from the men Of Belfast Hamburg or
the Clyde.
How could the Government step in and do
this work?
The brain Of the business world is busy
with the problem. One plan which has met
with favor is that the Government should
form a corporation TO manage this part of
the maritime work; that the Government
should retain 81 per cent. of the stock and
let 40 per cent. go to the public: that the
management should be in the hands of a
directorate, conjunctly appointed by the two |
houses OF Congress and by the stockholders, |
and that the executive head should be elected |
by this directorate
One plan among many
The working out OF some practical scheme
will be easy enough, once the great principle
of Government aid for building ships for the
nag has been accepted; and It should be
borne In mind that the expert shipbuiIders
aver that this aid need be only temporary
need last only until the great plants
are in operation and the organization has
been perfected. 1t is only matter of giving
the boy good start in the world Father
will get it back when Willie grows up. At
least so the ship men say
Watch Officers, Americans
There remains always that difficult second
part-the operating cost under the American
flag. Wages are higher, you know The
chief feature in the additional cost is the law
which DEGREES that all watch officers shall be
American citizens And they demand Amerl-
can pay. l do not think any one wants this
provision of the navigation laws changed
These officers should be American citizens
If the merchant marine is to form-as un-
questonably it should-a training school for
our naval reserve At present It costs more
to get American salormen and officers
American crews-because there is so small
contingent to draw from; but 1t Is evident
that as our merchant marine grew II would
more and more attract the right kind of
men. 1t seems little possible though. that
the operating expenses of marine under
the fiag can be greatly lessened. One Of the
things that makes for cost is the ample
space given to the crew, under the law; and
ihother Is the good grade, abundant food
which must be provided No one l think,
has any thought of changing these good
provisions of a good law. And 1t is to the
Government the ship owners look to make
Up this handicap laid upon them by the laws
he Government has enacted
These are the things the business brain Of
America is thinking about.
We need ships to carry goods to the war
stricken neutrals that touch the seven sess.
md, OF equal Importance, our own foreign
commerce is paralyzed by the war and only
national merchant marine can set 1t right
30 that is the problem; and IT is up to
Washington