The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-08-13
THE DEMAND FOR SHIPS.

49, SOsASseS0(So 0ss0 tA10tby
members as well as cabinet Off
cials. have expressed their views
on the subject and call for an
other vote Of the shipping bill
that failed at last session or for
some measure similar to it. There
is no doubt as to Secretary Nc
Adoo's position: he would like to
see the whole question brought
up anew in much the shape that
left it and still cher
ishes hope Of success. Nor does
there seem any difference IT opin-
ion on the part of the President
himself. He holds that the best
plan for the country is the acqui-
sition of a merchant marine, as he
originally suggested, although he
is not speaking out on the SUBJ
ject just now, says the New Or.
leans Times Picayune.
On the other hand, disinter-
ested observers see no chance of
success with the old shipping bill
and hold that it would be useless
to waste time on it. II was not
strong enough to pass at the last
session; and the measure, as our
Washington correspondent de-
clares; is far weaker than it was
a year ago. The overwhelming
vote against it Of the National
Chamber of Commerce, which in
cludes all the commercial bodies
of the country. and the strong OPP
position displayed by the COM
mercial interests of the country
would alone defeat the PROPOSE
ton almost beyond recovery; and
the general sentiment is that it
would be foolish to waste the
time of Congress at the coming
session in discussing so hopeless
a measure.
On the other hand, it is sug-
gested that the discussion of the
matter at this time may accom-
plish good; that is, it may develop
some line upon which an agree
ment can be reached. The neces-
sity of a merchant marine is uni
versally recognized. Never has
the need seemed greater; and no
, section suffers more than the
South from our lack Of vessels for
shipping its produce abroad.
Whereas, under the rule the
world was doubling its tonnage
every twenty years, ship con-
struction is at a stand-still today,
or rather it is going backward for
the ship yards are not turning out
enough vessels to make good the
losses from storm, rot. torpedo
and mine. A large part of the
worlds ocean tonnage is now
tied up and rotting away in Ger
man, Austrian and various neutral
ports while the activities in the
European ship yards r SO con-
fined to the building of men-of-
war. that the merchant marine is
suffering and freight rates are
advancing.
With the need for American
vessels SO great, it will be strange
indeed If we cannot hit upon
some plan that will provide them,
if Americans cannot find some
common line of action in a matter
that so greatly affects the pros
perity of the country. if we a
not utilize the opportunity that
now presents itself. 1t seems in
conceivable folly to be quarreling
over old differences and Selling
this time of all others for the pas
sage of radical. revolutionary and
restrictive shipping laws when we
are offered a chance to secure at
least a limited control of the sea
if we 60 about the matter rightly.
While it seems extremely i'm
probable that the reintroduction
of the old shipping bill in the Sem
ate will accomplish any practical
result, the free discussion of the
subject of an American merchant
marine may and probably will
excite a good influence and tend
to develop some plan upon which
all can unite. The discussion now
under way has been instructive.
Let us hear everything that can
be said on all sides of this ques-