Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-11-24
THE UNREcONcLED SHIPPING Trade

How sharper than the serpent's tooth
are the resolutions Of the shipping trade
repudiating the benevolence of the Sec
rotary of the Treasury Even while he
was celebrating in San Francisco on his
swing round the circle, the benefits to
be derived from freghters as naval aux
iliaries the National Association OF
Manufacturers was denouncing the leg
islation causing the trouble which the
secretary seeks TO remedy without re-
moving the cause. In San Francisco
the secretary argued that if the sea-
mems bill made shipping on the Pacific
Improbable it was all the more neces-
sary that the government should re-
place the vessels withdrawn for that
reason. In his own words,
such service should be provided
under our flag, and if private CAPT
tai cannot afford to provide il be-
ceuse IL involves loss, the govern
ment should provide the service and
take the loss for the general wei
fare of all the people and for the
protection OF our trade and pros
perity, especially when the vessels
for such service become a part Of
the naval auyiliarics essential TO
the national defense.
The secretary was not ashamed TO re-
peat that the Pacific Mail sold It's ships
TO make a profit, and added that if the
government shipping proposal had only
been enacted the shipping board UNI
doubtedly would have bought and kept
them in the Pacific trade In that case
the Atlantic trade, which is the most
urnouf flapn IA ttrotlI Iu.s, ,,,teaoI fhatr
transfer, and general trade would have
suffered more by their loss on the At
lantic than it does by their disappear
ance from the Pacific II is regretted
that Japanese steamships are carrying
the trade which used to be carried by
american vessels, nut IL is being carried,
and conditions on the Pacific are better
than on the Atlantic. If the shipping
board had meddled in the secretary's
manner IL would have done more harm
than good to trade.
Along with the secretary's speech on
the Pacific coast, where il is not thought
persuasive, appear the resolutions of the
Manufacturers Association adopted on
the Atlantic coast. and denouncing as
pernicious the law which the secretary
defended 50 curiouslv by arguing that
the government should make good the
damage IL does. The resolutions are as
Tong as an indictment, and bring TO-
gether the criticisms with which the
country is too familiar to Justify their
repetition. The sum and substance of
the matter is that the National Asso-
citation Of Manufacturers, speaking for
many thousands of members en-
gagged in foreign commerce and peculiar
~ dependent for its success upon the
existence and successful operation of
American-owned ships, respectfully
urges upon Congress the careful recon
sidcration. with a view to substantial
amendment or repeal, Of the act which
the secretary seeks to keep alive by cor
recting its effects by the use Of tax
money.
Washington believes that Congress at
present is disposed to be more respon-
sive TO the secretary than to the ship
ping trade II is declared by the proph-
cts that instead of amending or repeal
ing the seamen's bill the government
shipping bill will be revived in form
adapted to meet the objections previous
ly fatal II is proposed TO limit it to
Latin American trade, or, perhaps, also
the Oriental trade. to silence objections
that government shipping is destructive
to private competition. If the objection
is nc all serious it is as serious for the
Latin-American trade as for any other.
II is q curious argument that proposals
which blight other trades would benefit