Evening star., 1915-02-04

.airman. and LUDWIG NIssEN.
thing to stir up strife or arouse par
tiality at this time"' he continued.
Il am tired Of reading in one column
5000 men have been killed in the
trenches and in another the fact that
5000 more tons of shrapnel have been
shipped from tho United States for use
in those trenches! We should not al
low our fondness for trade to erase
from our minds the realization Of what
this war means and the duty Of the
American people,"
Senator Burton entered upon an an
alysts of the reasons for the great in
crease In ocean freight rates which
had been detailed by Secretary McAdoo.
ing the destruction of ships, the risk
ing of not only capital. but life itself.
, 1t was evident. he said. that this risk
should be paid for. and the only way
freight rates. He described delays to
ships in foreign ports of some times as
much as sixty days. calling attention
to the fact that they are frequently
| seized.
Congestion in Port.
At Genoa. Senator Burton said. there
are now thirty ships waiting to be un-
loaded for want of labor and for want
of space at the quays. Government
ships, naturally. he said, demand the
first right to the use Of the quays. He
read from a report by Sir Norman Hill,
British authority on shipping. in sup
port of the statements he presented.
Continuing. Senator Burton said. In
part:
This body represents the United
States. In the ramifications of your
work you seek to put Paris and Berlin
and London and Honekong on the map
alongside of New York and Chicago.
, l trust that you may succeed in en-
larging the trade of the United States,
| mercially and industrially. may also
| join with civic activities. in which you
| will give a wholesome stimulus to our
| political life.
Secretary Of the Treasury came nearer
| and nearer to this vital question rs IL
intended to buy the ships of helliger-
entsT
OF Vital Importance.
That Is Of the most vital impor .ance
IN this regard. First Of all, IL this pol
Icy to be permanent or Is 1t to be tenn
| ,orary? If 1t is to be temporary. one
set of reasons would apply. II 1t Is to
be permanent. another line of policy
should be adopted.
There has not only been a change
| ruary. but apparently change be-
tween Monday and Wednesday. or
rather between Tuesday and Wednes-
day. for up on the hill coterie Of
ing to conciliate seven proponents by
| promising them the minimum Of gov
ernment ownership. Tuesday IL was
not to last more than year or two
and the property was to be leased.
consultation with one or two in which
lit was promised that 1t should be per-
M nent. and that some steps might be
taken toward what Is apparently a
very socialistic organization. Is this
| for profit or not for profit?
Sees Generalization.
| us it intended to run at loss and
| then turn It over to private enterprise
| What would be the result IL such is to
| be the case? It would be demoraliza-
| tion: the withdrawal from business Of
ell private companies. You cannot. after
| the season in which this measure would
be operated SO boats would be run at a
loss, then encourage, after the discour-
agements which would ensue. private
capital to engage in this business.
again there is a difference. When
this measure was brought forward in
| August, and when it was advocated in
December, it seemed that all that was
under confederation was South and Cen
! trail America: new avenues OF trade !;
| empty markets." to use the expression
of the President: nothing was said about
| the settled countries of Europe.
South American Trade.
Now there is an entire change. and
the advocacy Of the bill is based upon
/! the necessity of sending freight to
Europe My friends. the idea that we
| need more shipping for South America
at this time. although it was the first
reason for the pass ge Of this bill: al
| though for months that was exploited
| as a reason why the government should
ngage in the business. Is q chimera.
! Ten boa's leave every month on the
| aver ge from New York for Rio jan
| iero on the east coast of South Amer
! lea What are the facts? Before and
! ', ith a surplus of cargo space, some
| times only If filed.
"A few eeks ago a passenger boat
At to engage In the transatlant C
class passengers and seventeen third
class o ssengers, and that was the
whole passenger list.
"on the west coast OF South America.
|
| by the opening of the Panama canal.
one OF the two lines. the Peruvian and
! the Chilean Navigation companies, or
| rather the two which ran boats
weekly. withdrew the weekly service
, and made it fortnightly.
! Increase in rates.
while there may be sporadic in
stances Of high rates to those por-
tions Of the world that are at peace,
there has not been a rise in the charges
so great as that which has frequently
happened in the times of profound
peace. Generally speaking, the rates
to South America. to South Africa, to
. India and to Hongkong have been
| raised about Is per cent, while there
have been sporadic Instances where
the rates in the war zone have been
raised eight or nine times. That is
the substance of the whole matter, that
this raise In freight rates has been
caused by conditions Of war"
Notes Of the Convention.
James A. Farrell, head of the United
States Steel Corporation, arrived in
washington this afternoon, with other
prominent business men of the coun-
;ry, to be present tonight-at the an