The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-31
Ship Purchase Bill Favorably
Reported to Senate With
Strong Appeal for Passage
HELPLESS in Face
Of Opportunity
With Greatest Demand in This
Counry's History American
Commerce b Dependent
Upon Belligerent Ships

Washington. Dec. 30.-With q
statement that the ship purchase
bill. fatfscred by the administra-
tion, would be urged upon Con-
gross until passed, Senator Fetch
or today reported the bin from
the Senate Committee on COM
mcrcc. The report was strong
appeal for the passage OF tho bill
at this session
G6cnator Fletcher claimed the
bill would enable the United
States 10 control It's commerce,
and thus free itself from foreign
interest and risk.
In the report was letter from Sec
rotary Redfield, of the Department OF
Commerce, stating the conditions sur
rounding commerce of the United
States, and advocating the speedy en-
actment OF the bill. Secretary Redfield
predicted that at the end Of December
the balance OF trade in favor of the
United States would have reached
800, Beo. 900
1--WE have" said Secretary Redneld.
like an ostrich with It's head in tho
sand, put our money and our merchan-
disc at the risk Of European war and
quite outside of our control. while un-
der such#risk. To ILLUSTRATED Amerf-
can capital invested In ships under
European faEs can be, and has been
DESTROYED nv the nets Of hostile cruia-
ers. American goods transported IN
vessels under foreign fiags which were
not owned by American capital have
been lost or injured, when such vessels
have been sunk or held up. and Amer
lean goods are lying idle in foreign
q a
ships under the flag of belligerent-
Our merchandise being carried chief
~ IN English ships and ships of other
beljigercnt nations is today dependent
for it's security on the navies OF the
powers whose merchant vessels carry
our goods: humliating and expen-
sire situation for Americans"
Balance of Trade Hundred Mii1oDs-
Mr.. Reddeld referred 70 the reduc-
ton OF American debt abroad by
American exports. He said the bal
States would reach 500 600, 600 by the
end OF the month. The transition
from debtor to a creditor nation made
the present time very important.
But one thing. more than all 9TH
ers" said the Secretary. which ham,
pers this evolution now is the absence
Of ships in which to transport the
goods we have to sell. and which 9TH
ers want to buy. to the markets that
eagerly wait for them"
The report OF Senator Fletcher
said:
The annual toll paid by the
United States to vessels flying foreign
fiags is variously stated at from 5000
600, coo to sS00,o00.000. This seri-
ously affects adversely the balance OF
international trade and by itself Is a
matter calling for legislation to work
a change.
Dcpends~on Foreign Ships.
Not only is this SO. but recent
events have made clear to the entirs
country certain facts which It Is the
purpose of this legislation. to alter.
Our great and growing foreign com
merce. aggregating over $3.50. 000, 0O0
yearly, Of which our exports form
much the larer part, depends for its
ocean transportation chiefly upon the
merchant marine of the nations,
which are our own commercial COM
petitors In the markets to which we
all sell. BY reason OF this control by
others OF our needed transit facilities