Evening star., 1914-08-16
FIGHT ALIEN SHIPS
FOR COAST TRADE
Vessel Owners Object to For
eign-BuiIt Boats Engaging
in U. S. Traffic.
FAVOR THEIR REGISTRY IN
INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE

Submit Protest to Congress and
President Against Competition in
American-Carrying Business.
In view of the unexpected proposal
in the emergency shipping measure to
admit foreign built vessels to the entire
coastwise trade Of the United States.
American coastwise steamship COM
panies have sent representatives to
Washington to submit protests to
President Wilson and to Congress
against this feature of the confer ence
report now pending in the Senate.
The executive committee of the
American Steamship Association was in
session in this city yesterday and was
busy all day with the fight now going
on. They comment on the fact tha-. II
such foreign built and manned vessels
are permitted to enter the coastwise
trade they will not be subject to the
same restrictions as to quarters for
the crew, food and sanitation, which
govern American vessels. and their
officers and crews are paid on lower
scale, to the consequent disadvantage
of the latter.
The steamship companies in a public
statement explain that they do not op-
pose the original bill as framed by
Chairman Alexander of the merchant
marine committee and passed by the
House, which admitted foreign-built
ships to American registry for the for
eign trade only, where an actual emer-
gency exists. But they contend that
tiere is no emergency In coastwise
commerce. including the newly opened
coastwise trade through the Panama
steamships of regularly scheduled
freight lines are available. sufficient to
provide a sailing from the Atlantic OF
the Pacific coast every business day
throughout the year.
Panama Ships Sailed.
Some of these Panama ships have ali
ready sailed and others are loading
Many of these large steamers, they poin'
out, will soon be in Puget sound. whence
a telegram to the Senate the other day
alleged that there were only two vessels
suitable for lumber carrying. majority
Of these coast-to-coast steamers, the
shipowners' statement declares. were par
ticularly built and adapted for the carry
ing of lumber.
cific coast, the statement asserts. many
efficient steamers have been lying Idle
because, in the general depression o.
business, no cargoes are TO be nad. VI
these coastwise routes. the snipowners
declare, it has not at any time been pre-.
tended, in Congress or elsewhere, tha'
there was any lack of ships. Yet, &c
their surprise, they say, mas come tne
conference report admitting indiscrimi-
nately to all branches OF the eoastwise ss
-h,yilf
the proposal of the conference committee
NAV be foreign owned and foreign oi-
ficered.
steamship companies oner vigorous
remonstrance to the President. to Con-
gress and to the American people.
Cheap Ships and Crews.
There is nothing in the BILL" the
American shipowners' statement con-
cludes. which would prevent the sub
sidized steamship companies of Europe
and japan from transferring certain
number of their vessels to the Ameri-
can flag, under the guise of dummy
corporation, and operating them with
the cheap crews, not only in the for
eign commerce. but in the coastwfse
commerce of this country.
result, for these foreign ships would
do in the coastwise trade ex-
actly what they have done in
the overseas trade, where they
have driven all but a few American
ships and American seamen out OF busi-
ness and have established an alien
monopoly of our ocean-carrying. which
Yields a revenue of two or three num-
dred million dollars a year. We protest
that Congress should not permit this
war emergency, so vividly emphasizing
the need of real American ships In
overseas carrying, thus to accrue to the
ayers.
the country not only of American built
ships but of American shipyards and
of American officers and sailors, and
thus to cripple the right arm of the
national defense"
Capt. Dollars Statement.
An example of the advantages in in
itial cost held by the owners OF FOR
eisn vessels over American craft In the
Carving of certain commodities was
Yesterday pointed out by Capt. Robert
Dollar of San Francisco to the confer
ence committee. Capt Dollar. who is an
owner of ships plying to Asiatic ports
in the lumber trade. said thaht in 1912
he had built in Glasgow lumber boat
with carrying capacity OF 5000. .oo0
square feet which cost him $24S,O00
complete. Less than year later he had
a similar boat built at Long Beach.
Cal. capable of carrying only 1,100.0OO
square feet of lumber. and 1t cost MIN
100000, or four-fifths the cost OF the
.,-o~ rp., ninth of the carving CAPACITY.