Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-08-26
A Dangerous short Cut.

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There is an old saying to the effect that
.'short cuts'' are liable to land way
farers in boys. The United States win
be fortunate If it escapes this experience
as a consequence of hasty attempt to in
crease our ocean-going merchant marine
by purchasing foreign steamers laid up in
its ports by the war.
The so-cailed shipping bill-ha been
passed on the glib assumption that we
had but to purchase a vessel OF one of the
belligerent nations to give her the unim-
peached status that belongs to a vessel
built and registered in this country.
There are grave doubts as to our ability
to obtain good title to vessel 80 ac-
quired since the war began, doubts based
partially on our scquiescence in the sion
don agreement, and partially on decis-
ions OF our own courts to the effect that a
beIiigerent could not give an invulnerable
bill OF sale to a vessel transferred during
the continuance OF hostiiities.
The tenor of the "London agreement
is that transfer made after the begin
ming of the war is exposed to many hostile
prescriptions. For instance, one article
of the agreement, which Great Britain
has not accepted but the United States
has ratified, reads:
The transfer Of an enemy vessel to q neutral
flag, effected after the outbreak of hostilities,
is void unless it is proved that such transfer
was not made in order to evade the conse-
quences to which an enemy vessel is ex-
posed
There are some qualifications annexed,
but there is in the very substance of this
article the material for legal contentious,
in the course OF wnich~the United States
might find itself in the awkward position
Of endeavoring to secure a reversal Of
decision which it struggled long and
hard to obtain. Fifty years ago the SUI
preme court gave the ruling, at the
solicitation of our government, that
steamer flying the British flag and en-
gagged in mercantile traffic, which had
been purchased of the confederates who
had employed her. as a cruiser, was
lawful prize Of war.
Foreign-b built vessels are not TO be adj
mitted to our coastwise trade. That is so
much saved from the enemy. Had not
this barrier been maintained, we should
have seen every shipyard in the United
States closed. As it is, there is no en-
couragement in the new legislation for
our shipbuilders to construct large vessels
for foreign trade. While American built
vessels must come under severe inspec-
tion, the President is given power to
waive the inspection OF foreign built ves-
sells purchased by Americans.
The free ship provision of the existing
law is broadened by the elimination of
the requirement that foreign built vessels
shall not be more than five years old to
be eligible to American registry. II is
boardened to such an extent as to let in
old ''crocks" worn out under their
original flag and for sale cheap.
Apart from the doubts as to the success
of the expedients which turn on interpre-
tations of the law of nations, there are
others that should check exultation of the
friends OF the bill. II is one thing to buy
a foreign built steamer at a bargain, and
quite another to operate her cheaply
under the American flag. Pay, treat
ment, food and quarters are better and
more expensive in the American merchant
service than in the carrying feet OF our
rivals. There are scores OF American
owned vessels now registered abroad
simply because it costs their owners less
to operate them as foreign vessels than as
American vessels.