Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-22
Why Shouldn't Uncle Sam Make Money?

Why Shouldn't Uncle Sam Make Money?
Railroad and steamship transportation, the
mail and telegraph service, are natural mo-
nopolles, and such they should be owned
and operated by the public-municipalt
State nation. 1t is strange that no one
ever objects to the public engaging in the
operation of necessary utilities where there
are no profits involved For instance there
Is no voice of protest against a city main
tanning and operating the sewers which
service occasions a very large outlay, but
brings no revenue to help defray the eX-
pense. 1t is only when profits are involved
that a cry Is raised against public ownership
and operation
Now, in regard to the shipping industry,
let US examine for a moment the enormous
outlay that the United States Government,
through the taxpayers, makes each year to
benefit American shipping of all kinds The
only protest we hear is about the expendi-
lures for rivers and harbors. Nothwithstand-
ing this, know that by far the greater
part of this sum for rivers and harbors is
necessary, and is properly expended; how
ever, for the sake of the argument, we will
assume that S25,OO00 900 is expended for rivers
and the balance for improvements to salt
water harbors. Then the annual expend-
account of the American merchant marine
benefit fund stands as follows
Harbor improvements ..................S26 .S26 12OO47
Lighthouse service OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 6199.29S
Coast guard service neutrality-suspicious.. 5,OOO.OOO
Coast survey 9st22O
Ocean surveys. photographic Ohice.... 10000
~ ~-.
Total S3S 4O6. .065
Hence It surely does appear to the casual
observer that when we consider the size of
our merchant marine under private capital,
the Government Is certainly put to an enor-
nous expense. Why not let II go step
further and invest sufficient working capi-
tai in ships to get some return for its money
in the shape of an efficient mail and passen-
ger service over the principal trade routes
of the world? Even If this business was not
run at a "proht." the additional cost COM
pared with the present expenditures and the
service rendered would amount TO an exceed
ing small percentage.
One More Chance for Private Capital
To do this. however. there should be no
partnership between the United States Gov
ernment and private capital Nor should
any old ships be purchased by the Govern
ment. Some might be leased for the pres
ent. but il the Government goes to buying
up these old ships IT will be very apt to get
some scrap iron in some OF them. Let tho
Government build It's own ships or have
them built. BY working night and day
these could be turned out rapidly There Is
no logical reason why Government should
not operate a merchant marine as we'll as a
navy and in this way a naval reserve could
be established that would be valuable both In
ships and men, which would earn Its living
in time OF peace and be Immediately avail
able for service in time of war
Now. If this proposition onends the dem
ocratic ideas Of governmental functions, and
1t is thought best TO give private capital one
more chance. let the Government establish a
first-class mercantile shipyard and build
ships at cost for the foreign trade, sell them
to parties IN that trade revise our navlga-
tion laws and steamship inspection regula-
tions and service. bring them up 10 date by
removing all useless restrictions on shipping
and allow the nationality OF the owner 70 de-
teFmine the nationality Of the ship and not
the country In which she was built: In other
words allow Americans to buy ships where
they please without any restriction, It is
time the American shlpbuiIder ceased to play
the part OF the dog IN the mangeF. As he has
done for the last so years 10 no purpose.
when. as a matter OF fact. the stimulation
given 70 trade by the plan outlined above
would greatly beneht bis business