Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-03
5 OF OUR SHIPPING IN
DuSTRY

For reasons which 1 prefer not to
| discuss at present certain Republican
Senators and Representatives from
| the Middle West and Northwest have
| joined with the Solid South against
the majority Of their own party, and
| have been able year after year to pre-.
vent the extension of the protective
policy to the American merchant ma
| rine in overseas trade. That is to say.
the same elements from the same Sec
lions that brought about a gradual
withdrawal Of the preferential policy
of 1889 and destroyed the mail subsidy
policy that followed, have defeated
persistent efforts to put American
ocean shipping on the same plane with
manufacturing and agriculture. When
an attempt was made to re-establish
the preferential duty policy in the tar
if law of 1913 foreign governments pro-
tested, and the provision was nullified
by the Administration on the ground
that treaties forbade us to grant such
favored treatment to our own ships.
American shipowners, builders, mer-
chants and sailors-the real American
sailors who never asked for the La
| Toilette law-have new'r reason to recog-
nize their enemy. l regard the Ad-
ninistration scheme for government
| ownership and operation of ocean ships
as fagrantly unsound as an economic
| policy, and a grave menace to what
| remains Of our ocean shipping indus
try. ! shall oppose it to the utmost,
| and 1 am sure that most of my fellow
| Senators will do the same. What is
more, l shall offer what regard as
sound and practical alternative.
FAVORS A SUBSIDY
| There will be no need of and no JUS
| LITIGATION for government ownership if
the United States government will do
for private-ewned ships what it is
proposed that it shall do for govern
ment-owned ships, and that is to make
it possible for American ships to meet
in fair and equal competition the
wages and subsidies of foreign lands.
l believe that subvention, subsidy or
compensation should be granted from
the Federal Treasury to every Amer
lean shipowner who operates vessel
in overseas trade, so that he can pay
American wages, furnish proper Amer
| lean food, meet foreign subsidies, and
bounties where such exist, and have
an even chance with his European or
Japanese competitors. 80
|. AS a return for such a subvention.
the American shipowner should pro-
vide a vessel capable Of rendering aux
iliary service in war, and should be
willing to place his ship, when needed,
I NJ f1n.t Nf I,o
a policy as this, of reasonable aid to
American skill and enterprise, will
create ten, twenty or thirty ships
where inexperienced government. own
ership would provide one. 1t will be
in accord with the tried and approved
practice Of the maritime world, and,
if properly explained and understood,
I believe it will be upheld by a decis-
i've majority Of my fellow countrymen
| (Note.-EXpert advice on the ship
ping problem continues to come in,
all pointing to the necessity of repeal
| ing or amending the La Toilette Act
| as soon as Congress convenes. A
question which so vitality affects the
countrys shipping interests should
| not be kept open for future campaign
| pa PoSSS' NJ IhO l1AII0 Iilc light
! Congress over the Administration
| ship purchase bill was at it's height,
the United States Chamber Of Com
merce ordered a referendum on the
| whole subject of the merchant marine
Being practically the vote of experts
| representing 2S2 organizations in 80
\ states and territories the result is sig
| nificant. The vote was overwhelming
| against government ownership and
| operation-S2 for and 69s against, while
| upon government ownership and pri-
waite operation the vote was even
| stronger-54 for and I'll against. On
| the question of direct subsidies from
| the government sufficient to offset the
difference in cost between the oper-
alton Of vessels under the American
| and under the foreign flags, the vote
stood 55S for and 1856 against. AS to
| a postal subvention, the referendum
| was 71S for and 4S against. In limit
ed way the United States already fol-
| lows this plan, so there would be no
radical change of policy if the govern
| ment should pay large sums to mail
steamers, which are also freight car
| riers, to American dependencies and to
| countries in which our commercial IN
! terests are mportant-Editor.)