The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-27
ASKS SUSPENSION
OF SEAMAN'S ACT
Foreign Trade Council Also
Against Government Owner
ship Of Vessels.
SHIPPING BOARD URGED

Government ownership of merchant
vessels and the provisions of the sea.
mans act are condemned In a report ~
the National Foreign Trade Council.
made public yesterday. In which it 10
recommended that Congress authorize
the President to suspend such parts u
the seaman's act as he may consider
detrimental TO American shipping until
u Governmen shipping board is created
to develop the overseas trade of the
United States.
The report says foreign competition
will become keener han ever after the
war. when foreign exporters Will turn
to the development of their trade with
renewed vigor In order to pay off the
enormous cost of war. and hat II the
United States is not prepared 10 CON.
pete with them its will suffer.
The report was prepa red by = ron.
mittee composed OF James a. Farrell,
president OF the United States Steel
Corporation L. A. =. Franklin. vice.
president of the International Myrcan.
tile Marine. and Capt. Robert Dollar. the
San Francisco steamship man. and was
adopted at n recent meeting Of the
council. which IL composed Of men in
tcrested in foreign trade. It attributes
the decline Of United States shipping
TO early European advantages I'm ron
steamship construction. heavy rivil
war taxation. the American wage scale
and the investment OF capital In Internal
development.
Forced to Buy Abroad.
The American industry engaged n
export did invest in ocean
shipping. but was obliged becau- 81
these handicaps to purchase yesseis
abroad and operate them under foreign
fiage.' says the report. Tile total for
eiLn shipping thus owned by American
interests prior to the war we find 10
hav been between 1900. 900 and 1000
900 gross tons. Under foreign flags Il
was not subject to the handicars re-.
ferred to and under American manage
nent efficiently served It's purpose IN
world commerce and materially con.
tributed to extension of American for.
eisn trade. American capital has been
freely invested In the c~oastwlse. lake
and river trade. where all competitors
are on the same basis"
The European war brought the coun-
try face TO face with the peril % de-
pending on foreign ships. says the e.
port. After 10 gress passed the amend.
ing law permitting foreign bull; 81 "a
TO be admitted to United States regist'y
and suspending other oner9us rules, md
created the Bureau of War Insurance.
there was a strong feeling of optimism
a. 10 the prospects of America ship
ping. This. however. vas suddenly
dashed by the Government ownership
proposal. The report continues:
ANY policy that. regardless % re
normal operation OF the law OF supply
and demand places at the disposal =
any single class Of producers a fleet
o. Government is bound 'o pro-
duce privileged classes. fer the ,iu,"-n-
ment. presumably. will not provide -Ii-
ficient tornage 10 carry all our .Np.rs
and imports. but will operate wiz sI.h
ships as IT may supply at lower tH.a
the market rates wherever that c.II-.
may be deemed necessary FOR the sup
p eed advantage OF the United states
eNpor trade. How. under ,h,- % &c..
will 1t be determined In who's. int. 81;
this necessity is most prcssinG w. q
be for the North. South. East a. Veg"
VIII Il favor manufactures OF raw ms.
terialc"