Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-10-21
UNCLE SAM FACING COMMERCIAL.
WAR,


With tho transfer Of the last Of the
Pacific Mail lines steamships to !he
Japanese line. the Togo Kisin Kaisha
company. the American company has
ceased to be d factor in transportation
on the Pacific ocean. That statement
would seem to have little significance
1t appears that as a result Of this move
Japan succeeds to the entire control OF
freight rates between this country and
the Asiatic coast then the situation
takes on an entirely different aspect
In view of the present widespread de-
mand for the expansion Of Americas
that the last American line operating
between the United States and the
coast Of Asia has been practically wiped
out This loss where there should have
been q gain in American shipping calls
for an explanation from the Wilson adj
ministration, and for the adoption of
American shipping on the Pacific
In the meantime we must become
aroused to the true significance OF
| Japanese control OF our means Of send
| ing American goods to Asiatic ports.
Consul General Anderson at Hong Kong
has notified the state department at
| I, two hat no II
ment has ordered a general advance in
freight rates on the Pacific ocean, and
especially on all shipments from Puget
sound to the East. Rates from Japan
to the United States. on the other hand,
are not disturbed
| Consul-G General Anderson declares that
the Japanese lines are to control rates
for the benefit Of Japanese trade with
"a steady discrimination against AIner1-
can commerce. The situation Is regarded
las a crisis in transportation to tho
Orient, sure to be dealt with radically
by this government in the near future.
1.-THE control Of rates is to the advan.
tage Of Japanese trade" says the report.
| for Japanese lines dominate the situa
ton in the Pacific absolutely. OF the
400 900 tons of available tonnage In all
trans-Pacific service available after the
withdrawal of the American line. prob
ably $4,000 tons are Japanese. all con-
trolled wholly. through subsidies. by the
Japanese government. 1t Is becoming
quite evident that all other trade In and
with the Far East Is to be under Japa-
nese control.
mo Chinese cargo or through cargo.
trans-s shipped at Hong Kong for the
United States by way OF the Pacific.
can be expected from Honk Kong until
all cargo has been carried from Japanese
ports. Naturally, the rate OF freight to
be charged on all such cargoes will be
all the traffic will bear. while at the
Same time freight from Japan will be
carried at present rates or at COM
paratvely slight advance
"a factor in the. situation which Is
likely to be OF great importance In that
1t will prevent the transfer Of Japanese
or other ships to the Pacific trade Is the
increasing demand for tonnage from the
Far East to Europe. so far as present
indications lie no relief for the trans
Pacific situation Is In sight in the transfer
world"
This discrimination against American
goods in the markets Of the East. Il
permanently carried out with reference
to all our trade in Asia, would eftectually
wipe out the open door" for which
We have been clamoring and which has
moved us to protest against the Jnpa'
rese demands on China. II Japan is te
control ou- transportation on the
Pacific, It will make little difference
what the internal conditions are ir
China or elsewhere, or whether there
is any open door. The Japs can raise
the freight rates to a prohibitory degree
We have already found in connection
without efforts to build up a race with
South America that steamship lines are
ono OF the prime necessities OF success
in that direction. so long as American
goods had to go first TO Liverpool ant
thence back across tho Atlantic to Ric
Janeiro and other South American ports
our trade was practically in the hands
OF our British competitors.
We are facing commercial war in an
other direction also II Is announces
that the Germans are already takint
steps to push their trade In soutl
America as soon as peace Is re-estab
lished, An organization has been formed
by the German Trade League. headed o!
DR.. Dernburg. whose name is not un
known this side of the water. DR.. Dern
burg Is quoted as saying that German!
must look to South America for com
pensation for trade losses that ma!
follow the war. Addressing the hrs
meeting Of the new league in Berlin. h
said:
: South America. as foreign trad
s. territory. is OF special value to us' he
l. cause we do not know how relations 4
A. our enemies of to-day Will shape them
r, selves after the war, and for this reason