The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-03
SHIPPING LEC|SLATI0NIS
 DEMOCRATIC ACHIEVEMENT. By Hon. Joshua A. Alexander, of Missouri Chairman
 of House Merchant Marine Committee)

The Shipping Act is one of the yreat achievements of the present Ad- ssIasss-ation and of the Sixtyfourth Congress.
 The effort to enact legislation to s-ovide larger facilities for our rapid s~ growing foreign commerce began rSan after the beginning of the war In Europe. If the Administration Ship Purchase Bill had been enacted into law in September or October, 1914, 1t would have been possible to add 100 vessels of 100000 gross tons to our American merchant marine for the ovfrscas trade, Those vessels would have cost then not more than forty to fifty million of dollars; now they would be worth more than one hun dred millions of dollars, and the bene- fits to our foreign commerce would have been incalculable in the immense saving in foreign rates on wheat, cot ton, and all other commodities enter ing into our export trade and upon which the ocean freight rates have advanced from 500 to 1000 per cent, in the last two years. That bill was filibustered to death in the United
 
 the aid of few Democrats,
 The Shipping Act is. framed along much broader lines, The Ship Pur- chase bill was an emergency measure; the Shipping Act is intended to be- come a. permanent measure, and while many of it's provisions may be amended from time to time, as ex- perience may prove wise it lays the foundations Nbread and deep for an American mercantile marine
 It will be the first time in our his- tory that a governmental agency has been created whose business 1t will be to supervise and care for our water borne commerce.
 Shipping Board of five members is created, not more than three of whom shall belong to the same poli- tical party, to be appointed by the President and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The first commissioners shall continue in office for terms of two, three, four, five, and six years. Their successors shall con- itinue in office for terms of six years No member of the board shall be in the employ of, or hold any official 3elation to any common carrier by water, or be pecuniar1ly interested therein.
 The board, with the approval of the President is authorized to have con- structed and equipped in American $hipyards and navy yards elsewhere, \ giving preference, other things being equal, to domestic shipyards, or to purchase, lease. or charter vessels suitable as far as the commercial re- quirements of the marine trade of the United States may permit, for use as naval auxiliaries or army transports, or for other naval or military pur- poses. Limitations are placed on the vessels that may be purchased. For instance, vessels engaged in the for eign or domestic trade of the United States; and vessels under the flag of foreign countries engaged in war may not be purchased, leased or charter ed. The President may transfer to the board such vessels belonging to the War or Navy Departments as are suit able for commercial use, also the ves- sels belonging to the Panama Rail- road Company.
 When the United States is at war, or during a national emergency, no ves- sel under American registry or en- rollment may be transferred to for !eign flag, and in no event may trans- fer be made, without first rendering such vessel to the board on terms set out in the Act 5 The President Is given power to take possession, absolutely, pr tempor- arily. of any such vessels for naval { or military purposes. %
 One of the most important provi- sions in the Act and one thatthas been the subject of the greatest controversy ] l- rix-iv, %f~- organize a corporation, or corpora tionss which the United States shall control through majority stockowner- ship, to carry out the purposes of the Act; that is to establish ocean services to those ports and countries not ade- quately served by ocean transporta- ton and where it is desirable to de- velop and extend our foreign com- fnerce.
 The payment of deferred rebates. and the use of fighting ships to stifle competition are expressly prohibited; i; also determinations against a shipper for patronizing a competing carrier; also unfair contracts with shippers based on volume of freight offered, cargo space, loading and handling of freight, and the adjustment of claims. A common carrier by water is requir- ed to file with the board all agree ments with other carriers, to which it may be a party, fixing or regulating transportation rates, giving or receiv- ing special rates. accomodations or other advantages: controlling, regula- ting. preventing or destroying compe- tition, pooling or apportioning losses, losses. br traffic, alloting ports, or re- stricting or otherwise regulating sail- ings between ports; limiting or regu- lating in any way the character of freight or passenger traffic to be car- 2 .ried.
 The board is given full p"wer to approve. disapprove, modify or can eel any such agreements that it finds to be unjustIy discrimatory or unfair as between carriers, shippers, export CTS, importers. or ports, or between exporters from the United States and their foreign competitors. or to oper- ete to the detriment of the commerce sofA Athe United States.
 qe 1t is made unlawful for common carriers by water to give any undue or unreasonable preference or advan- fooe fr any particI11ar parsor 1oool;+ Vi,