The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-01-13
WOULD BUY Ships
SHIP PURCHASE Bill IS TAKEN
Up BY TIE SENATE
TRADE WATTS ON BOATS
New Measure Would Provide for
Purchase or Charter Of Ships In
Which American Commerce Could
be Carried to Worlds Ports Under
An Amtrican Flag.

Government purchase of ships, as
proposed in the administration bill to
create a shipping board, finance a
100000 shipping corporation.
and expend a sum not to exceed 80
million dollars for the purchase O.
chartering Of ocean carriers Monday
became the foremost issue before
congress.
By vote of 46 to 29 the Senate
made the ship purchase bill the un-
finished business, to be supplanted
only by appropriation bills. This &C
ton, on motion Of Senator Fletcher.
acting chairman of the commerce
committee, precipitated showing Oh
the part of the opposition senators,
which gave certain indication that
there were breakers ahead for the
proposed legislation.
Charging that an effort was being
made to rush the bill with undue
haste. Republican members, among
them Senators Gallingcr, Lodge and
Root, served notice that the measure
would be fought to the last ditch.
Minority members Of the commerce
committee filed report, written by
Senator Burton and endorsed by Sen
ators Nelson. Perkins, Smith Of
Michigan, and Oliver, asserting that
the plain proposed would not relieve
shipping conditions because it would
be impossible for the government tc
get enough ships. 1t pointed also to
dangers of international complica-
tions, declaring that "every craft set
afoat by the government would add
! one more risk Of our being drawn
| into the present war"
Senator Fletcher, who has charge
of the bill and who recently confer
fed with President Wilson concern
ing it, urged the measure-in lengthy
speech after Republican senators had
| issued their pronunciamento Of oppo-
sition. He declared the war has pro-
| duced a "ship famine" and the inter
ests OF all people in the United States
demanded that the government ta.ae
immediate action tc supply ships tc
carry American products demanded
in the markets of Europe and South
America.
He instanced the fact that cotton
sold at 19c pound in Germany wher
it was bringing 7c in the United
States. Germany would consume
500,o00,0o0 pounds Of cotton if she
could get it, he said, and the South
had fifteen times that much to sell.
| Wlen the war began, Senate,
Fletcher declared, England had 5000
and Germany 1000 vessels in the
over.seas trade, while the United
States had only six. He said thai
American merchants gave annually t
foreign ship owner .s300,000,000 il
ocean freights. Charter rates here
had increased, in some cases 400 pei
cent, since the war began, he added
and ships under the American fas
were not obtainable at any price.
| The emergency bill opening Ameri
can registry to foreign-built craft
lSenator Fletcher said, had not me-
he needs of American manufa cturers
He read lists Of the 106 ships which
transferred their flags to show tha
none was a first class cargo boat anc
that over so per cent. Of them were
ships Of companies which needed
them for their own business.
| eve must see to it, he said, "tha
a war between other countries shall
never again cripple our industries fol
lack of ships"
| An amendment to the bill submit
lted by Senator Stone designed to pre-
vent secret shipment Of contrabant
would authorize the president to des
Iignate fcm time to time ports where
customs collectors would be required
to inspect all csrgoes before loading
Heavy penalties would be imposed
upon shippers and vessel masters fol
violations of the provisions.
I Discussion of the bill was deferred
late in the day to make way for the
urgent deficiency appropriation bill
and other appropriation measures
probably will be taken up as they
come from the House. Republican
leaders insist that many weeks vii
be consumed in debate on the meas
ure.