The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1915-05-05
Our Merchant
Marine
A Feature in Seventy-Eight
High Schools in Virginia.

essay VII t'lt AiiitTlcdu MGR
chant Marine; It's Decadencc
and Restoration" the paper
written by Miss Miriam Taylor
was decided by the judges to
he the best, and it was sent to
Newport News to take part in
the State contest for gold
medal being offered by the
Chamber of Commerce of that
city. Seventy-eight high schools
in the State entered the contest.
In speaking OF the contest the
Newport News Daily Press, in
a recent issue, says:
Officials of the Chamber state
that the object of the contest is
to encourage the boys and girls
of Virginia TO study the ques-
ton of the American merchant
marine and work out a solution
to the problem of restoring the
nations insignificant overseas
trade to its former prestige,
when American-built, Ameri-
manned nd American
owned ships sailed the seas of
the world, and America not on.
ly supplied the greater share of
the worlds foodstuffs, but also
carried in her own ships.
Statesmen, economists and
the mass of the people admit
that the question is one of the
nations greatest problems. For
fifty years or more the congress
of the United States has failed
to solve it. However, the men
who so futilely sought a solu-
ton to the great problem are
not to be blamed, as they were
almost unfamiliar with the
matter until reaching their ma
jority. Some of them knew
nothing of it until reaching the
mature years of life and the re-
naming years of their useful
ness had to be devoted to study
ing the question. 1t is to RENE.
dy that that the Newport News
Chamber of Commerce has in
auguratcd the merchant marine
essay contest In England, for
instance, every man is a sailor
Realizing I h a { something
must be dnoe, and done i'm
mediately, as the Stars and
Stripes has almost entirely dis
appeared from the overseas
carrying trade, as has been
more fully realized with a deep
ing sensation of shame by
Americans since the outbreak
of the European War, John b.
Locke, secretary of the Newport
News Chamber of Commerce,
conceived the idea of educating
the nations youth TO the ques-
ton and succeeded in interest
ing the majority of the leading
high schools of the State in the
matter.
Today the United States are
without overseas delivery way
ons The land of the free, the
home of the brave and the ref.
uge of the oppressed is con
fronted with the dire situation
foretold by Thomas Jefferson
more than a century ago, when,
as secretary of the state, IN
1898, he said, with the farsight-
edness of II prophet:
But should any nation, con
trary to our wishes, suppose it,
may better find its advantage
by continuing its system of
prohibitions, duties and regula
lions, it behooves us to protect
our citizens, their commerce
and navigation, by counter
prohibitions, duties and regula-
lions also. Free commerce and
navigation are not To be given
in exchange for restrictions
and vexations; nor are they
likely to produce a relaxation
of them.
"Our navigation involves
still higher considerations. AS
a branch OF industry it is yalu.
able, but as rcsourse of def.
ance, essential.
cts value as branch of in,
dustry is always enhanced by
the dependence of so many 9TH