Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-08-17
EDITOR
DANGEROUS GROUND.

sides and cheap labor, have tremendous ad
vantage over the American shipowner in over
seas competition. He pointed out how the
coastwise trade has been given legitimate pro-
lection and the immense development under
that protection. He said:
The American protective tariff equalizes
conditions and gives fair play to American manu-
facturers and their employees. There Is no such
COMPENSATION TO the American shpowner, who Is
compelled to carry on his business, il II is
business, conditions of free trade, or OF worse
than free If his British other foreign COM
petitor is in receipt Of subsidy from his govern
ment.
And again he obseryed:
The magnificent development of American coast
wise shipping, which is five times the coastwise
shipping Of any other nation and larger than the
whole merchant feet of Germany any other nation
except Great Britain, shows Of what American ship
owners. builders and seamen capable when given
fair and equal opportunity. There have been fair
and equal conditions this coastwse trade. Amerf-
shipowners have been able to construct their
ships and employ their crews even basis, with
out the handicap of competition with the low wage
scale and meaner living conditions of Europe and
Japan. And there has been further and over
wheming handicap from European and Japanese
subsidies and bounties. 70 g48s
Throughout his speech, which occupied sew
eral hours, Senator Gallinger's remarks were
frequently approved by leading Republicans.
a congressional debate for one single purpose
to show how any attempt to amend the coast
wise law in the interests of foreign competition
is going to be looked upon by the stanch friends
of protection in Congress land the stanch
friends of Hawaii in the sugar tariff fight OF
course the argument will be made that what is
now proposed in Honolulu is merely an amend
ment to the coastwise law regarding passengers
and does not affect the freighting business,
which is by far the larger factor. But this dis
tinction will not be given much consideration
in Congress. The attitude of leading Republi-
cans there, as Senator Gallinger pointed out, is
overwhelmingly against any entering wedge :,
which void open the coastwise trade to for
eign competition.
Senator Gallinger also brings clearly to the
surface the analogy between protection on
shipping and protection on industry tariff.
That analogy is bound to be brought upif Has
wall asks for suspension of the coastwise Law,
on modification Of the lawand pointed out to
Hawaii's disadvantage. 81
The Star Bulletin has already said that the
plan offers certain beneficial pos
sibilities, but that it should be the last and not
the first resort for Hawaii. There are other
possibilities which involve no doubtful, danger
GUS, inconsistent fight in favor of foreign COM
petition. Our first resort should be to the
American companies What will they do for
Hawaii Is this passenger congestion so seri-
Gus that they cannot overcome it,
"A suggestion has been made that the Ameri-
can Hawaiian company be approached and
asked to establish some passenger accommoda-
tions on their ships for a triangular coast-Ha-
waii run. If the sugar men Of Hawaii would
join in proposing such an arrangement pro-
viding the Matson or the Oceanic companies
do not feel able to expand their passenger
facilities-the American Hawaiian company
would have to listen, for its prosperity is large
~ built up on Hawaiian sugar freightage.
Honolulu businessmen should pause ere talk
ing suspension of the coastwise law, or decid-
ing upon a compromise which necessitates
of that law. 1t is trenching upon
dangerous ground
, Mr. McCarn's friends insist that he will re-