The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-24
MERCHANTS OPPOSE
SHIP PURCHASE PLAN
Trade Bodies Of Country Al
most Unanimous Against 1t
Favor Subsidy.
McADOO DENIES TT Is BLOW

WASHINGTON. Juno 2S.-An over
whelming majority Of the chambers OF
commerce and trade bodies Of the coun-
try have gone on record as opposed TO
the principles OF the Administration ship
purchase bill. which failed in the las:
session Of Congress. This expression
was obtained In q referendum taken by
the Chamber OF Commerce of the United
states, the result Of which was an
nounceh to-day.
The $50 organizations which were
asked to express their views were not
sounded out directly on the pending Ad-
ministration measure. but the definite
questions on which they were asked TO
vote involved the principles OF this bill
sufficiently to bring forth an author!-
tative Indication OF their attitude coward
Il.
The ballot produced a landslide agains;
the proposal thai the Government under
tahe the purchase or chartering or mer-
chant vessels. as well as against the
ownership OF such vessels TO be operated
under leases to private parties.
An almost equally heavy vote was
registered in favor OF a subsidy sufti-
cient to offset the advantages now held
by foreign owned ships.
NcAdOO Denies slap.
Secretary OF the Treasury McAdoo. the
chief propaganda of the Administration
shipping plan, issued a statement, after
tho result OF the referendum was an
nounced this afternoon, denying that
this should be construed as a direct slap
at rhe ship purchase bill. He said that
the referendum did not take into con-
sideration the fact that the Administra-
ton measure provided merely that the
Government should own stock In n cor.
poration which was to operate ships.
Persons who had followed the develop
ment OF the Administration measure,
however. took little stock In Mr.. Me-
Adoo's statement. for II was pointed out
that the Government would own the ma
jor'ty Of stock in such a corporation.
and serious cub have been expressed
whether private capital would take any
Of the minority stock In such an or
ganizatlon as Mr.. McAdoo's bill pro-
posed.
Questions submitted to the organiza-
lions n their follow
DO you favor the Government IN
dertaking the purchase. construction or
charter of vessels for mercantile our
poses. together with the operation OF
such vessels ?'-69s against. So favor
able.
DO you favor ownership OF mer-
chant vessels by the Government, but
with operation by private parties under
leases Ill against, 81 favorable.
Favor ship Subsidy.
DO you favor subsidies from the
Government sufficient to offset the dif-
ference In cost between operation of
vessels under the American flag and
operation In the same deep sea trades
under foreign flags Y'-55S favorable. 1876
against.
do you favor s~uhventions from the
Government to establish regular mail
and freight lines under the American
fiaR to countries In which the commer-
cial interests of tho United States are
important and to American dependen-
cies Ills favorable, IS against.
In a second ballot recommendations
by the national chambers special COM
mittee on merchant marine. OF which
William II. Douglas OF New York IL the
chairman. we're voted upon as follows:
The committee recommends the ere
alton OF a Federal shipping board to
investigate and report to Congress re-
garding the navigation laws and to have
full Jurisdiction under the law in all
matters pertaining TO oversee transpor-
tation."-s45 favorable. l16 against.
1.-The committee recommends that the
Government subscribe to the entire
stock OF a marine development company
with a capital of $50. 900. 900. this COM
pany to have authority for seven years
TO lend, under supervision OF the Federal
shipping board, upon the security Of first
mortgages on merchant vessels. taking
as evidence OF this indebtedness bonds
which bear n fair rate OF interest and
contain provisions for amortization, the
development company to guarantee the
bonds as to principal and interest and
sell them 10 tho public."--422 favora-
BILE. 3l4 against.
Ocea Mail Law Amendment.
The committee recommends that the
ocean mail law of 1891 be amended by
lowering the speed for first class steam
ers from 20 to 16 knots and for second
class steamers from 16 to ~ knots and
by making the compensation adequate
to permit the establishment OF a line of
steamships carrying both mail and
freight.'--690 favorable. &c against.
The committee recommends that
there should be legislation abolishing de-
ferred rebates and providing for super
vision of rates by the Federal shipping
board with requirements for filing with
the board schedules of rates and all
agreements among oversee lines."--607
favorable. 131 against.
The committee recommends that
Federal licenses should be taken out by
lines, domestic and foreign. engaged in
shipping between ports Of the United
states and other countries."-6l6 IA