The Washington times., 1915-11-29

For this reason advocates Of a middle A.,
course believe they are going to win.
These want:
!. Establishment OF a shipping board
Of experts to study the whole question
and report a plan.
2. Attention to the subject OF modify
Ing speed requirements under the pres
ent ocean mail laws. so that II shall be
more feasible to establish American
lines to Africa. South America. and the
Far East.
.. Legislative measures to make In
vestment In shipping more safe. profit
able. and better understood.
4. Suspension or modification Of par
ticuiarIy onerous provisions OF the new
seamen.s act.
The foregoing are. in brief. the pro-
posals OF the merchant marine commit
tee Of the National Foreign Trade
Council. At the time the committee re.
ported. its recommendation got smai!
political attention. They are getting
more now. because they seem to of1er
a way out OF a bad tangle.
Conditions Altered.
Last session the Democratic House
majority was so big that the Admins
tration plan was found certain to win,
and some Democrats who didn't like u
supported II rather than become in
surgents on hopeless proposition. The
Senate flibuster killed the bill. Now
conditions seem likely to be reversed:
the Democrats have been more conn.,
dent of Senate than of House: and the
report OF n vote or two lost IN the upper
chamber Is giving concern.
Almost all Democrats and some Re-
publicans are determined In opposition
TO a general subsidy policy Almost All
as earnestly object to Government own.
ership, There is increasing feeling that
middle course must be found on Hnich
majority can travel. or else the pres
ent epoch OF interest in behalf OF mer-
chant marine will pass with nothing
done Here comes In the opening Tor
the commission plan. which will keep
interest alive and insure detailed STUDY
Of the subject by authorities.
Want Permanent Policy.
Shipping interests, and business inter-
ests concerned to extend the merchant
marine. consider that the subsidy plan
In hopeless; and they oppose Govern
ment ownership on many grounds. The
latter they esteem temporary eSpeu
ent, whereas they want a permanent
policy adopted that will put the mer-
chant marine on a solid basis as
lasting industry. They are more con-
Cerned ABOUT COnultlOns hitSi WIG "o'
than about those during the war.
At present, II is argued. no emergency
policy would help much. All the ships
In the world are doing all the WORK
the Government bought n lot OF them
now It would have to pay excessive
prices after the war " would nave 'he
expensive bottoms on Its hands ana DC
just now, II is calculated. from 20 to 20
per cent OF the worlds normal tonnage
is unavailable because of destruction.
interment or impressment, i9r nsva, or
national trade shipping business has
fallen OF because Of the reduced con.
suming power OF countries financed
from Europe. a good many more neu-
ed it but the immense increase IN the
North Atlantic tonnage movement mas
dema nded every available vessel Tor
traffic that Is largely temporary.
Ocean Rates High.
! Rates on ocean cargoes are now very
high: two, three. four. and even hve
times normal. Nevertheless. II Is be-
Iieved that after the war there will DC
a great slump and for time likely a
serious scarcity Of cargoes. There is
increasing desire to have the merchant
marine problem handled with we"
TO all these conditions, and with con.
sideration of establishing permanen' en,
emergency will have passed betore q
policy merely adapted to II could &c,
into operation: the long future. fof
which Il 10 desired to create marine ,,La. as
a permanent national INDUSTRY reouret
different treatment.
/, Business wants an American mer.
: chant, not for sentimental reasons re-
lated to putting the flag back on tht
, seas" and not because 1t would neces
sariIy cheapcn ocean freigh.s and IN
crease foreign trade, but. In the opinion
Of the foreign trade council committee
because II would be great Industry
bringing earnings here rom abroad
keeping American money from goint
abroad, and helping powerfully to Keel
the balance 0: trede on car side.
Business Basis Wanted.
A Government owEs! marias wouit
not serve this purpose y it we're oper
ated Mt n loss; neither ~cuId n sab
sidized marine. IL ths s"nsidies meas
ured tho profits. 'rhc thing must b'
on a business basis. earning real profits
In the past American capital has
found more proit in other fields THAI
foreign shppins. This does not Prov
water; for In the coastwise shipping I
great fleet has been developed 1t wa
possible because coastw!se shipping wa
carefully protected as an American
ali who could get into It. To get lik'
development OF overseas shipping. I
like equality Of opportunity. In the com
petition with all the world. is needed
That is what the foreign trade council
committee thinks.
Under the old navigation laws. onl!
American-built ships could have Ameri
can registry, and American iron shipi
cost SO much more than foreign Dull