The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-08
LEADERS REALIZE THE NECESSITY FOR MERCHANT MARINE Underwood Has Been Work ing for Its Encourage ment for Many Years PARTIES EXPECTED
 TO SPLIT ON ISSUE Democrats Have Always Preferred Preferential Duties Rather Than
 Direct Subsidies to ves-
 sells
By c. F. STEWART

Washington August l.)-Lead- CTS of all three parties in Congress agree that the tremendous losses that threaten American commerce as a result of the prospect of withdrawal of foreign ships from the ocean trade as an incident to the European war will force the enactment of laws for the upbuilding of an Amer ican merchant marine adequate to meet just such an emergency as is now pre- sented.
 The question of a great American mer- chant marine is destined to be one of the big issues in the next national campaign, The politicians are alive to it, and the people will demand it. Renorts received at Washington indicate that the farmers of the west and the cotton planters of the south are panic stricken over the thought that bottoms may not be pro- vided to transfer their harvested crops to foreign markets. The absence of ships t. carry foodstuffs and other exports across the seas al time when there is an overwhelming demand for them puts the United States in the most humiliating position, according to leaders of Con gress, of having lacked the foresight to provide means of taking care of this trade in the event of failure at any time of for eien merchantmen to respond to it's needs. The stupendous folly of permitting the : great commerce of the greatest trading nation in the world to be entirely depend- ent upon smaller nations for their ship ping has been brought home to Congress in a startling manner.
 Parties Will Divide
 On this question it is quite probable that the two great parties will divide as they he S a a fu- mitted to the principle of discriminating or preferential duties, and are bitterly opposed to the payment of subsidies as is done abroad. On the other hand the republicans are committed to the policy of paying subsidies, and on at least three occasions in the past 10 years attempted to pass bills providing for subsidies for cargo carriers. Pointing to the prac- tlce Of big maritime nations of Europe the republicans contend that only through subsidy can the country gain an ade- quate merchant marine. They argue that the granting of discriminating duties to American ships carrying foreign com merce will fail of result To this the democrats point to the great merchant marine built up by "the fathers which never received subsidies, but was fos- tered and created by discrimination in the tariff laws. merchant marine greater than any other patton, and which car ried over 90 per cent of American com rierce was the result of this policy inau- gurated by Thomas Jefferson. Through treaties made by the republican party this practice was discontinued, and it was the beginning of the end of the American flag on the seas.
 There seems no disposition in any quar- ter, however, to play politics at this junc- ture keen disappointment is expressed that the upbuilding of the merchant ma rine should have been prevented in the past as a result of differences between the parties as to the methods to be ap- pld.
 UndcrwOod's Activity
 It is highly probable that steps will be taken at once Joking to the enactment of laws dealing with the shipping question in permanent way. Representative Under wood has introduced measure designed to offer relief which removes num- bef of obstacles now imposed by law to the admission of foreign built ships to American registry. The time has come to act, according to the leaders. And it is quite probable that this session will see activity in Congress to create laws for the upbuilding of the merchant marine, question heretofore only mentioned in the platforms of the two big parties.
 It is argued that with d condition in the foreign trade unparalleled in the his- tory of the government confronting the people the nation would rally quickly to the support of such legislation.
 For years Representative Underwood has advocated shipping legislation. 1t was on his motion that the committee on ways and means incorporated a provision in the tariff bill granting preferential duties of per cent to American vessels engaged in foreign trade. This provision became law, but was held to be inoper- ative because of existing treaties. MT. Underwood had his first and only differ ence with the administration because of his belief that American ships were en- titled to free tolls through the Panama csral He took this position on the ground that 1t was the duty of the government tn encourage the building of ships, and that the industry would be given an inn petus If American vessels were given free access to the canal. just as American sbip- building was encouraged in the old days by the preferential duties in our tariff laws