Evening journal., 1915-10-19
TUESDAY OCT. 10. 1915
THAT sHIP PURCHASE RESURRECTION.

THAT NHiI IlhiHANE RESlhhEtIlONs
THE NORFOLK VIRGINIAN-PuoT is one Of the
leading Democratic newspapers in the South 1t
is cleanly and ably edited. Whenever it can do so
without doing violence its convictions 1t supports
President Wilson, ardently and decenty. Il is clear
ly apparent however, that this Southern Democratic
newspaper cannot and will not support the President
his son-in-law Secretary the Treasury McAdoo
in their substitute for the ship Purchase scheme
Commenting upon it, the yirginan-Pilot says:
Though referred to as new plan" the scheme for
providing transportation facilities under the
American flag which Mr.. AcAdoo proposed at Indian
apos the other night and which the Secretary of the
Treasury has been advocating in different parts OF
the West, is nothing more than resurrection Of the
ship Purchase bill defeated at the last session OF Con-
gress and which has since been condemned by the
great bulk of the business and commercial Organza-
tiOns in all sections of the country 1t contemplaes
the creation OF a shipping Board TO consist OF the
Secretary of the Treasury the Secretary OF Commerce
and three other members to be named by the President
and confirmed by the Senate and this board which IS
to have an appropriation OF fifty million dollars placed
its disposal is TO be empowered to organize shipping
corporations the controlling stock in which would be
owned by the government and voted by the board to
"establish steamship lines to countries where American
trade needs such accommodations" and either "oper
The ships TO lease them to other parties
The Inherent weakness and unsoundness OF any
scheme looking TO government ownership and operation
merchant bottoms brought out too clearly and
too concusvey during discussion OF the IMP Purchase
bin which was before the last Congress, to need re-
iteration here Nor does Mr.. McAdoo in his advocacy
OF a policy which would be az once undemoerauc IN
principle and utterly vicious in practice attempt to
objections
which are Recognised by the nard-hefdeu pracucai
of aifairs who compose the business and CONNER
cal organizations in the different sections of the coun
try ~1e deals in lot of glitterng generalities and
sNng predictions, but absolutely ignores the pract-
cal phases of the question He tells MS that an ade-
uuate merchant marine would make tire united states
the dominant financial and industrial power OF the
World but he altogether neglects to make II plain
how government ownership and operation would avail
give us such merchant marine. He voices the con-
dcnt belief that adoption of the scheme proposed by
himself "would disproye that tme-worn theory that
-f. k, II nrRf nh
American registry, nut orges TO point out now IL Is
proposed TO effect consummation so devouty to be
wished The general impression is and has long been
that the chief reason why American bottoms can not
be prohtaby operated I'm the trade is TO be
found in the restrictions and requirements OF our naV
cation laws. Is it contemplated by Mr.. McAdoo TO
exempt government owned and operated ships from
suoh restrictions and requirements and so make pos
sole their operation at proht! II so, why not open
the way profitable operation Of privately owned
sells by doing away with the restrictions and require
menis and any and all occasion for resort
to government ownership and operatons2 The
considerations which would Justify exemption in the
one case would also and no justify il in the other
while, on the other hand the same considerations
which should demand the application Of the existing
regulations to privatelyoperated ships would also
mand that they be applied to vessels operated by the
government. And If government owned and operated
bottoms not to be favored in the matter OF regua-
tons how does Mr. McAdoo propose to enable the gov
einment TO make success where private enterprise
has ailed Certainly there is nothing in the history
OF government ownership in this country whether Fed
era local indicate it does things more
efficiently than the private corporation
The whole truth le matter 10 that il is inte~for-
the part Of the government in the shape
z etrictye and compulsory shipping legislation whcl
&is chiefly responsible lack OF mer
#eantile marine II the American merchant flag evei
10 assume anything approximating its one-tim'
Supremacy the high seas rot only must this inter
ence but private enterprise be given freedom
tHcompce for The trars-oceanc carrying trade Of th
wohld something approaching terms OF equality witt
rul0pean rivals To put into force and effect s1c
schehes as that advocated by Mr. McAdoo and othe
eupporters of government ownership and operation
would be put the finishing touch TO the work of de
struction-to drive American shipping completely on
Of the overseas trade and keep il for a long time Il
come, II not forever.
When the temper Of the American people toward th
ship Purchase scheme taken into consideration tn
Republicans feel themselves fortunate indeed tina
Secretary McAdoo doubtless at the instigaton OF hi
distinguished faher-in-aw, has revived the obnoxious
issue and is Haunting it in the of the public.