New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-09
lime to Quit.

Mr. Oswald G.. Willard stands very close
70 the Wilson Observation-Disclosures, Of
course. on some days than on other days.
In one of his recent Washington dispatches
he suggested that the President was going
to trade of the shipping bill for Republi-
can support for the administration army
reorganization scheme. To save Secretary
Garrison. Secretary McAdoo is TO be
thrown TO the Republican whale.
1t is cynical programme Yet, If car
ried through, II would enable the Presi-
dent 10 retreat from an impossible situa-
ton. The shipping bill is becoming more
and more of an sbsurdity. 1t may have
had some justification as an emergency
measure in the first months of the war
from August 70 December 1914. Then no
submarine warfare complications were
foreseen. and it might have been considered
good policy TO try to enlarge our merchant
marine by purchasing the German fleet
;nterned in our harbors. The purchase OF
that feet-the only supply Of unused ship
ping in Sights now precluded not only
bv the action Of the German government
but by our own decision not 10 risk the
diplomatic entanglements which would
certainly result from our taking title
% informed vessels in time Of war.
I'm October and November, 1914, it
looked as if we should not be able 20 OBJ
tain transportation for the products which
we were prepared 20 sell 20 Europe. Yet,
without government aid Of any sort we
.l'd more goods % Europe in 1915 than
we had ever sold before. A violent in
crease in ocean freight rates put new
energy into the shipping business. In re-
spoase to q purely economic demand our
merchant marine increased by leaps and
bounds. Our shipyards are now loaded up
with orders q year ahead. Private capital
is DOING all that can be done 70 force TO
the limit the output Of our shpbuilding
rIarts There is no room for the gov
eminent to become shipbuilder or
shiDowner unless II crowds out private
competitors. Its aid is not needed, and
viii not be needed so long as ocean freight
rates continue 10 be abnormally high.
Even inside Mr. Wilson's Cabinet this
fact Is beginning 10 be recognized. In
his latest bulletin on trade conditions
q bulletin which must somehow have es-
capped the Tumulty- censorship
y Secretary Redfeld said: "Our merchant
marine is larger than It mas ever been
and is growing. Our commerce, there
fore is increasingly under our own con-
trol and we may hope will soon be free
from the restrictions which the necessi-
ties Of those upon whom we have had 70
depend for carriage Of our goods have
imposed upon it."
Why. under these circumstances, should
tho government persist in trying to blum
der into the shipping business? If it
contracts for ships deliverable next year
it will hugely over-capitalize its enter
prise. Il could hardly get its vessels into
commission before the end Of the war and
would have 10 face at once the sharp drop
in freight rates which will come when the
shipping Of the whole world Is again lib
Grated. It could make a show Of earning
anything only by writing off from the
start q large percentage Of its capital.
That would be wretched business for the
government Much money would be lost
and no aid would be given 70 the Ameri-
can merchant marine The time when aid
will be most needed will be at the end
Of the war, when our merchant marine
will have 70 face normal competition
again. Our cost Of construction and
operation being higher than that Of our
rivals. we shall have 70 sustain the private
capital put into our merchant marine
lust as other maritime nations DO. When
that time comes we shall need real ship
ping BILL But we shall never need the
monstrosity which Mr.. Wilson and Mr..
McAdoo tried TO force through the last
Congress, failing because even a Demo
cratic Senate rebeled at such folly.