Evening star., 1915-01-25

bill, in which the Senate is reminded
that such unusual freight charges, If
continued, may result in creating big
balance of trade against this nation.
1t points out that of American ships
in all trade worth about s600.000,600
the bureau of navigation says that
only ships valued at s69,000.G00 are in
the foreign trade. BY some the argu
ment is made, the report says. that the
government should not do anything to
cause competition with this s69.00o.oo0
of private capital invested in ships.
although foreign trade is left thereby
"eptirely at the mercy of foreign ship
ping interests and the relatively small
amount of American capital invested
in ships engaged in the foreign trade" "
The nations combined exports and
imports for the fiscal year ended June
go. 1914. the report says. totaled
s3.7s5.464.525.
1T man well be asked it continues.
which of these interests is entitled to
the superior consideration of the gov
ernment, the farmers and producers of
the great grain states of the west and
the farmers and producers of the great
cotton and tobacco states of the south,
the merchants. manufacturers and
business men throughout the entire
country whose combined activities
represent our vast trade. or the owners
of the comparatively few American
steamships engaged in the foreign
trade. whose aggregate investment is
approximately s69.0OO.0 900?
There would seem to be but one
answer. and that is that it would pay
us many times over to invest the S40.
oU0.ooO as provided in the shipping bill
IN an American merchant marine and
BRING about as quickly as possible a
restoration of normal ocean freight
rates with saving to American busi
ness of more than $2O0.000.00O annually.
Statement Declared Incorrect.
1T has been stated that if the ship
ping bill is passed additional tonnage
for our foreign trade cannot be quickly
obtained. This is incorrect While we
have made no effort to test the market
for ship offerings, we have been as
sured by no less authority than Ber-
nard N. Baker of Baltimore, a man of
the best character and standing, who
developed to a high degree of pros
perity the American transport line, of
which he was for many years presi-
dent. and who is thoroughly familiar
with the shipping trade, that many
suitable and admirable ships for the
purpose can be promptly secured.
Some of these ships are already
completed and can be had Immediately,
some are partially built and can be
finished in few months. and others
can be bought and transferred from
steamship lanes or routes. where the
demand for accommodations is not so
great. to the service of American COM
reasonable time from American ship
yards which are we'll equipped to fill
orders promptly. 1t is not true, as al
legged in some quarters, that only ships
We do not know whether any of the
German vessels interned In our ports
can be secured, or would be desirable.
but we are convinced that suitable
ships of various foreign registry are
available if the means for purchasing
them are provided. There is attached
to this report list of ships offered
by the Merchant Marine Agency. Bos-
tton, Mass, from which it will be seen
that there. are fifteen ships of English
registry and seven of German registry
which it proposes to sell. Other snips
are obtainable.
I'VE are satisfied that the removal of
the oppressive restraints now exer-
upon our export trade will give it an
extraordinary impetus and bring to
our country a period of enlarged and
unexampled prosperity.
The fact that our expanding trade
shows, at the moment, favorable bal
ances is no argument that our COM
merce moves freely and without in
jury or undue burdens. We believe that
the favorable trade balance in Decem
Der of over s100.o00,000 might have
ships had been available at reason
able rates so that the orders which are
pouring in upon us from every source
could have been promptly filed
Cited as Conspicuous Incidents"
Citing the Panama railroad and
steamship line as "a conspicuous in
stance of successful conduct under the
supervision of the government of so
called private busisness,' the report
says:
"The operations of the ships of this
company offer no justification for the
charge of administrative and execu-
tive inefficiency,' any more than the
construction of the Panamt canal
itself.
I'm the fiscal year ended June 80.
1914, there was a net revenue from the
steamship line alone of s314,296.36, and
in the four months ended October 81,
1914, there was net revenue from the
steamship line alone of $S4,294.
These net revenues are truly net;
that is to say, they are net after main
tenance and depreciation, including ex-
traordinary repairs, are charged
against the property. This depreciation
on the ships owned by the company is
s per cent per annum, which is the
ractice of the best private lines. and
is in excess of the depreciation
charged by many privately owned
lines"