The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-12-31
Will PUSH Ship
PURCHASE BILL
Senator Fletcher Would Have
United States Control Her
Own Commerce.
TRADE BALANCE SWINGS
Secretary Red6eld Says County Will
Have $100.000.000 to Her Credit
at End of Month.

With a statement that the ship pur'
chase bill fathered by the administration
would be urged upon Congress until
passed, Senator Fletcher yesterday re-
ported the bill from the Senate Commit
tee on Commerce. The report was a
strong appeal kor the passage Of the bill
at this session.
Senator Fletcher claimed that the bill
would enable the United States to con-
troll its commerce and thus FREQ itself
from foreign interest and risk.
In the report was letter from Secretary
Redheld, of the Department OF Com
merce. stating conditions surrounding
commerce of the United States. and ad-
vocating speedy enactment Of the bill.
Incidentally. Secretary Redfeld predicted
that at the end of the present month the
balance Of trade In favor OF the United
States will have reached 100000.
Money ut Risk of War.
I'VE have" said Secretary Redfield.
like an ostrich with its head in the
sand, put our money and our merchan-
disc at the risk OF European war and
quite outside Of our own control while
under such risks. To illustrate, Amer
lean capital invested in ships under Euro
psan flags can be and has been destroyed
by the acts Of hostile cruisers American
goods transported in vessels under foreign
nags which were not owned by Ameri-
can capital has been lost or injured,
when such vessels have been sunk or
held up, and American goods for which
Americans long since paid today are ly-
ing in foreign harbors merely because
they are in ships under the flag of a
belligsrent. Our merchandise being car
ried chiefly in English ships and in ships
~ ka1I -, l. a
pendent for its security upon the nayies
of the powers whose merchant vessels
carry our goods: a humiliating and ex-
pensive situation for Americans
Mr.. Redfeld referred 10 the reduction
OF the American debt abroad by Ameri-
can exports. He said the balance of
trade in favor OF the United States would
reach 800. 900 by the end of the month.
and declared that the transition from
debtor to a creditor nation made the pres
ent time very important.
Lack of ships Serious.
But one thing more than all others"
said the Secretary. which hampers this
evolution now Is the absence OF ships in
which to transport the goods we have 10
Sell, and which others want to buy. 20
markets that eagerly wait for them"
TIE report of Senator Fletcher said:
The annual toll paid by the United
States to vessels flying foreign flags is
stated at from $2OOOOO 90 10
500. 10000. This seriously affects ad-
the balance of international trade,
and by itself is a matter calling for lecis-
.ation to work a change.
Not only II this SO. but recent events
have made cleaI TO the entire country
certain facts which il is the purpose of this
legislation to alter. Our great and growing
foreign commerce aggregatinG more than
"a, -. 10000 yearly, of which our eK-
ports form much the larger part, depends
for Its ocean transportation chiefly upon
the merchant marine of the nations
which are our own commercial c0mpeti-
tors in the markets to which We all sell.
BY reason Of this control by others q
oar needed transit facilities, We are sub
jet alike to their primary interests and
&c their risks"