The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-02
THE MERCHANT MARINE.
Americans Advised to Study Mr.. Mar.
wins Book on the Subject

To THE EDrroR OF THE suN-Sir. II
view OF the cruel manner In which thu
scanty remains of our once proud mer
chant marine are being haggled off thu
seas and Of this critical time with Con
gress SO soon to convene. I would lik'
to call public attention TO q book ant
urge Its Immediate reading.
The title Of this book Is 1.-THE Ameri
can Merchant Marine. It's History ant
Romance from 1920 to 1902" The
writer was winthrop Lippitt Marvin
who says In closing his preface "a wore
personal. This work Is the outcome o.
twenty years of such study as this
student gives to the theme nearest nj.
heart As to the causes thai
have destroyed all but a fragment Of oui
ocean feet. II IL impossible for any
American that knows them to speak OF
write without deep feeling. impossible,
certainly. to the first Of his race in a
long New England line who has not
been either ship owner or m
There you get the fine Inspiration OF
his book. He inherited 1t with sea salt
In his veins. a seasoning that never
cramped the outlook nor dulled the In
tellcct.
The book was published by Scribners
In 1902. and I wonder why such an ex-
~perienced concern did not edit the
manuscript, conine the different groups
each TO its W chapter in chronology
cal order and cut out practically all OF
tho intolerable repetitions. We would
then have had a compact volume which
a business man would read at one sitting
and. perhaps, put in his pocket for
further thought and reference. II is TOO
late In this emergency to walt for such
a book. The book we have should be
read now by every intelligent American
that loves his country, without regard to
race. color or previous condition Of
servitude.
Dur inland landlubbers and the mari
ners OF our great inland seas and rivers
should read with a purpose to learn thu
real truth. so carefully CLEANED from our
experiences of nearly three hundred
years. that by the Inevitable interlac!ng
OF interests the merchant marine Is not
solely an affair OF the seaboard. Le,
every man and woman In our broad land
learn that not only every city but every
hamlet Is concerned.
II IL not difficult to delve through the
mess OF the immaterial to the real val
ues in every chapter. When the reader
has read and learned. let him consult
his nedghbors and Jointly go for their
Congressman and ask him II he doesn't
hear the thunders OF the breakers on a
lee shore.
II seems unnecessary to appeal to
the voters OF the Pacific coast. The
business men OF San Francisco and
Seattle have received a severe lesson by
Pacific Mail. 1t Is the voters east OF
the Rockies that need to rouse them
selves our friends OF tho referendum
and recall, II they will bend their ener-
g'es toward a recall of our merchant
marine. will do well. The iron and steel
interests and their employees have an
Interest that they should be looking
after. Also the coal miners and, very
emphatically. the cotton men.
To parody an old singing school''
song:
Let this mighty Yankee nation from the
east unto the west
Get together with a hunch on ana tell
Congress what, Is best.
WILLIAM r. MArrEs.
SCRANTON, Pa, July 81.