The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-02-17

carry cargoes, and that is terminal
facilities. Terminals are as necessary
to ships as to railways. Steamships
can not pull up at any landing and I'M
load its cargo on the bank. Deep har-
bors, especially constructed piers and
docking facilities, and huge ware
houses must all be provided before
hand. These abnormal world condi-
tons have congested and overtaxed all
the harbors of Europe almost beyond
Imagination. The war drain upon men
has depleted the ranks of stevedores
and dock hands. On account of these
delays it Is said that it requires II
vessels now to do the work of under
normal conditions. The English ports
are congested largely because of the
scarcity of labor; and in France they
have been compelled to use the Ger
man prisoners to unload the ships and
clear the quays and docks. 1t is not
clear, as a business proposition, how
few more Government-owned YES
sells can relieve this situation or emer-
gency. The Government would first
be compelled to purchase, construct,
or lease more terminal facilities be-
fore it can relieve existing conditions,
and thus divert a large part of the
capital of this corporation from the
purchase of ships.
A recent editorial in the New York
position. 1t says:
at is especially fatuous to provide
Government shipping or private ship
ping with Government aid when the
necessity OF the case is not so much
shipping as facilities for loading and
unloading. To the facts on this fact
as given by carriers spokesman on
this side of the ocean may now be
added incontestable evidence from the
other side. Twenty-one vessels ar
rived in Liverpool last Thursday and
not one of them was able to get a
berth to discharge its cargo.
''It would be idle to add to such con-
| gestion by providing more ships. The
trouble is not one of trade, but of war
Some ports are closed, throwing more
business upon others than they could
do in favorable times. Many dock Ia
borers have enlisted and others are
earning such high wages that they are
Independent. Commerce is not run.
ming in accustomed lines. Strange
boats are on unfamiliar routes and re-
quire more attention than liners run
ming on routine. If any Government
should intervene, it is not ours. We
are shipping full volumes of goods al
our own prices, and the freight is paid
by the buyer. They should worry, not
we. We should worry only if those
who are more eager than wise should
thrust US into an experiment which is
not only unnecessary in commercial
sense, but is obnoxious politically"
Not only would this bill, in my judg
meLt, fail to relieve the situation fol
which It's promoters claim that it il
designed. but it would have a tendency
to paralyze personal initiative and pre-
vent private capital from entering the
field and investing In a merchant ma
rine in competition with the Govern
ment-owned corporation, which is ex
empt from taxation and insurance ant
where all losses are recouped from tn,
Public Treasury.
Investigation has shown that /
costs so to 100 per cent more to bull
ships in this country than it doe
abroad, and that it costs about SIT %
more a year to operate a ship of 800
tons under the American than unde
the British flag. These disabilitie
under which our foreign trade now Ia
bors must be removed before one ca
hope to establish a merchant marin
that will thrive and grow and hold it
own with that OF the other nations @
the world Mr.. President, l shall vot
to have this bill recommitted, becaus
In hope and believe that there /
, enough patriotism and statesmanshi
. In this august body to handle this vita
? question in the wise and right way an
not from the viewpoint of petty an
partisan politics. Ny suggestion t
the Commerce Committee, which wi
,, have the redrafting Of this bill, If +,
!. committed. is to revise our foreign ma
, igation laws as to place our merchar
, marine on an exact equality with th
merchant marine OF Great Britain
|. France. Germany. Holland. Italy, an
|. other countries. This will not be in tn
form Of q protection or subsidy, but wi
appeal to the best efforts of America
ability which has never yet failed. an
thus enable American shipowners [
|, meet the competition OF the other n
ttions Of the world and actually fosts
and encourage real American me
chant marine.
am opposed to giving up all OF Il
present session of Congress to II
!. consideration OF this shipping bill
! which, in my judgment, is so unwil
Z and will become so obnoxious to Il
ol