The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-06
POLITICS SEEN IN
NEW SHIP BILL TALK
Owners Resent McAdoo's A.
tempt to Revive Purchase
Measure.
SAY COUNTRY OPPOSES Tn

Steamship owners asserted yos'craav
In reply to Secretary McAdoo's rronls.
to the cotton men of North Carou,,
that the Washington Admin strata,
would revive the Government sb,
purchase bill Mt the next session n,
now for the bill than when the war
started a yea ago. They cannot ac.
count for the Secretary's now ag,a.
ton for the scheme, they say, eSccp,
politics in connection with tho Sea.
mems law.
THE situation il unchanged" sad
George S. Dearborn. president of III,
American-IIawailan Steamship Com.
pany. There is even loss reason now.
II that is possible, than there was las,
year for the passage of this bill. Ths
enate turned 1t down cold, and I under.
stand the new leader of the House A
opposed to the measure. why MIR. Nc.
Adoo is engaging in all this talk | 10
not understand. The sentiment of the
country is against the bill.
There are more ships under Tho
American flag now than "A year ago.
one hundred and nifty or thereabou,s
were admitted before the scameu law
stiiied entrance from that quarter.
There is no scarcity of service, 80 far
as l know. OF course. freight rates are
higher, but o must remember these
are war times. The passage Of TIA
bill would not add another ship to the
American merchant marine, unless We
want to get into "A controversy hy buy.
ing some of the intcrncd ships IN oar
ports. All our ship yards are illcd VITA
orders.
"Of course, we shall oppose the hll I.
II ever comes up again. Tn cotton m,n
say they need ships. what ate tuey
going TO do with them when they re;
them? The only place they could s,hl
their cotton would be to Germany. and
England won't allow that. II sc mus,
have an American merchant marine. and
the country seems TO van 1t. Govern.
Inent ownership is not the way go a..
quire 1t. Let the Government elIa, 70
the conditions OF competition, not diBs
private capital out Of the shipping ~.
dustry altogether by Cu.up,t.iL It 10
compete against the Government"
Franklin -. Mooney, Vec-lIccl dent (
the New York and Porto Rico St,,m-. D
Company and president OF th, American
steamship Association, said
Il can't see why tins agitation is con-.
t;nued. There are mole sl.ps building
here. more &-.ps. - . American
trade a.-d more under the American ilg
han ever before. TIE s,tmtus Bal.
however. Will probably s;.tle r,ss;.y
transfelence. But private capita. IS
ready and willing TO develop a mer-
chant marine for a permanent plac, "a
the ocean If II can compete with toy
elgneIs on the same plane, and i Wl 40
doubt loosen up IN b a direction ~..a
the fear OF tie passage of THIS bI.. is lie.
moved. While Il remains a menace ir.-
Ndtc capital refuses TO invest, aut SIT.
can't b,tiue u. The bill is a sof IS
danger To the shipping industry More
ships are being bu.lt by American .al..
tallsts now for the coastwIsc trsu,,. aud
II Is reasonable 10 suppose the capitalists
are ready TO invest TOO IN forc-a 'g4.s
II the conditions are REASONABLE, L.s.
land and Germany developed a mel. l.t
marine not by Government owners ,
but by encouraging private capita! ~ ~.
vest in the industry"