The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-08-20
A DAY OF RETRIBUTION.

DAY OF RETRIBUTlON.
What the Marine Journal has long
foretold, as the inevitable consequence
of great foreign war, has now come 10
mass The American people, Depending
nnon foreign ships for the transporta.
tion of nine-tenths of their import ana
export commerce, see that commerce
naralyzed hy the withdrawal OF foreign
ships whose owners and whose govern
ments think first of themselves, and last
and least of " a
other European liners, that in time OF
neace DIV to and fro between this port
and foreign countries, are a part OF the
military or naval strength OF their re-
snective nations. Their officers and men
are reckoned part of the naval reserve.
When war comes they are recalled, 10
fight for their own flag and their own
neople. and they and their rulers 40 not
care a cent, and need not be expected 10
care cent, for what happens to Amerl-
can trade as result.
The destruction of American com
merce, due to this European war. VIII De
sufficient in amount to have palo large
subsidies to American ships for many
wears. We did not pay the supslo1es,
and now we do not have the shlps. we
have goods and we cannot sell tnem.
What notifying condition tor the
United States of America this ls-a NOR
tifying condition which the Marine jour.
nal has consistently predicted, II Is not
altogether pleasant to say, we toio you
so'' But we have told the truth, ana
the lawmakers who would not hsteh
must now see It,.
has done nothing to help, but everything
to harm, American shipping. Inc OH
which it has introduced In Congress 10
give freer registry to foreign shlPs u,i-
der the American flag is wretched SUP
terfnoe a miserable scheme of bun
combe legislation. Very few, if any,
foreign ships will be brought under the
American flag because of it, for men
will not dare to buy and register foreign
shins under its provisions. Such "whlte-
washed" craft, American in name only.
would be regarded only as outlaws OF
the seas. The provision authorizing the
President to suspend the requirement
that the officers of such ships shall be
American citizens is an outrage-a das-
tardlv blow at the real Americans VINO
are following our flag all over the world
and there can be no doubt that these
men and their friends will know how to
resent it. ,--.-
A British, or French, or German
steamer, with her real port name paint
ed out. and New York, or Boston, or
Philadelphia hastily substituted, flying
a newly bought American flag, without
an American citizen on board, would De
condemned as fraud by any prize court
in Christendom. The Marine Journal.
BEWARE OF "wHITEWAsHED SHIPS.
President Wilson means well; so do
his lieutenants who hurriedly framed the
emergency shipping measure Whlcn mas
passed the House in Washington. Ihey
mean we'll, but they have Numbered, as
they blundered in Mexico, from inexperl-
ence and msinformation. The solemn
protests of the Republican leaders OF the
House, from great commercial States,
who described the bill as "subterfuge'
and peril, are abundantly justified. I'm
less the bill is radically amended or re-
jected by the Senate there is danger that
within a month the United States Will
become involved in Europe's conflict.
International law and practice abso-
lutely forbid the evasive transfer OF for
eign merchant ships to another national
flag after the actual outbreak OF hostil-
tiles. The American delegates advocated
and accepted such an agreement In the
London conference of 1909. A law has
been upon the nations statute books for
nearly two wears allowing American reg
istry for the overseas trade to all efficient,
seaworthy foreign built ships less than
five years old, owned and controlled by
American citizens. Not one ship of any
kind has hoisted the American flag under
the terms of this free ship policy which,
under normal trade conditions, has been
proved to be wholly Ineffective. If any
foreign vessels are now admitted to
American registry under such plan as
the President proposes, the very act Will
of itself be an Acknowledgement that the
motive OF the transfer is a desire to es-
cape capture, and a ship thus white
Washed will be held an outlaw all over
the world, 1t will be particularly liable
to attack and confiscation, and If our
Government endeavors to defend 1T IN
defiance of the soundest principles of IN
terpational law and morality we shall
find the whole world arrayed against us.
But what, then, shall be done? The
United States is by no means so helpless
as the Washington authorities apparently
imagine. There are excellent American
coastwise steamships, many OF them
with passenger accommodations, IN our
Atlantic ports, which can be employed in
an emergency to bring American refu-
gees from Europe. The resources of the
six American liners already in that serv-
ice can be utilized to their utmost ca
pacity by quickly succeeding voyages.
Certain swift cruisers and transports can
be temporarily secured from the Navy
Department under the timely bill OF Sen
ator Weeks which the Senate yesterday
passed without opposition. For the car
rying of grain and cotton larger fleet
Of American cargo steamers is available
than persons unfamiliar with actual mar
thine trade have known-and all these
American ships should be utilized first.
They have right to the opportunity,
and their employment will be both hon.
est and sagacious.
Not until it is absolutely demonstrated
that all our own real American ships are
insufficient should the first step be taken