Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-08-24

PROTESTED BY
Ali. COMPANY
Believes American Merchant
Marine viii Be Injured by
Jones' Amendment
BY C. S. ALBERT

GSpc cial Star Bulletin Correspondence
WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. ID
The following protest against the
Jones amendment to the bill admitting
foreign ships to American registry,
which would permit foreign ships to
enter the coast to coast trade, was re-
ceived by Senator O'GOrman. chairman
of the Senate InterOceanic Canals com
mittee: 49,.
Hon. James A. O'G0rman: AS the
demand for the Jones amendment t.
the shipping bill comes solely from
some Puget Sound lumber people. the
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce,
representing the largest body Of ship
pers, having resolved against it, we
beg TO say that while it is impossible
for situot ton to exist in the require
mCnts for transportation in the coast
to coast trade to warrant the president
in exercising his power the menace of
such a contingency would depreCiIte
materially the value of all American
built ships and make it impossible to
finance the building of any more, thus
depriying the American ship yards Of
any more orders for the canal trade
In the interest of the American
built merchant marine which the pros
pective canal trade has developed so
largely, the Jones amendment should
be eliminated from the shipping bill
and bill should be introduced in Con- )
gress appointing committee To inves-
tigate our navigation laws 81 that all
interests may have hearing and. thus
giving this very large subject the de- 1,
lihnrafn tbof
There is MO justification for the de- ,
mand of some of the Puget Sound lum !
Der shippers for the Jones amendment +
as instanced by the fact that forty mil !
lion feet of Washington lumber has al.
ready been booked for shipment to At
lantic coast points.
There are four concerns and as
many Independent steamship lines "l-i
ready in the lumber business. and this
company alone can transport one hun.
dred million feet annually at a rate Of
freight that will make market for it.
American-HaWaiian Steamship Co"
The Measure Passes.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17.-Con gress
today passed the emergency shipping
bill, which will authorize the President
to admit foreign-built ships 70 Amsri-
can registry, so that commercial fleets
may ply the seas under protection OF
the American flag while the helIIger.
ents of Europe are at war and seour.
ing the ocean for prizes. President
Wilson will sign the bill tomorrow.
elimination of the effort to enact
his legislation followed reputation by
he Sengte of Ithe conference report
IN the measure. which previously had
been radically amended in the Senate.
As it goes to the president the bill was
he same as it passed the house more
han week ago.
The conference report met defeat in
he senate by q vote of 40 to 20 be-
,ause of determined opposition to the
provision which would have admitted
@ the American coastWise trade all
oreign-built vessels taking American
egister within two years. ri. +
Twenty Democrats ard twenty Re-
Dublicans voted to reject the report,
which was submitted and championed
w Senator O'Gorman, chairman OF the
nteroceanic Canals Committee. Seven
Democrats, Senators Borah and Jones,
and Senator Poindexter,
voted for it. Senator
)'Gorman arraigned the opposing
Democrats, declaring they were cham
lioning an offensive monopoly and
,orrowing Republican arguments in
avor of the 'un-American principle OF
">.z
IAN Suspend Provisions.
As finally agreed to, the bill, besides
roviding for the registry of foreign-
uilt ships, authorized the president in
is discretion to suspend provisions OF
be law requiring all watch officers OF
american vessels in the foreign trade
0 be citizens of the United States, and
the survey, inspection, and
of vessels admitted to
egistry by officers of the United
tates." =.=.<....