Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-06-30
SUBSIDY IS HOPE
OF AMERICAN
SHIPPING

A very graphic and disinterested
analysis OF the merchant marine out
look OF the United States following
the war has been written by Winthrop
l.. Marvin Of Boston. former secretary
OF the congressional merchant marine
comrnissioh and appears in the Pacific
Marine Review Marvin says:
''it would be a grave error to as
sumo that the present extraordinary
activity in American shipyards and
a sudden Increase OF a few hundred
thousand in our registered tonnage
means a solution of the long-standing
problem Of the American merchant
marine IN overseas trade. ALI this Is
q war baby and nothing else, and
though the ending of the conflict win
leave a few really concrete advantag-
es. like the experience gained by our
yards in stahdardiziIig and working up
to full volume Of production, most of
the factors which have stubbornly
kept the Stars and Stripes of. the
ocean will inevitably reassert them
selves as soon as peace Is declared.
First Of these adverse factors is
the difference In the cost Of operation
between American. and foreign ves-
sells. II our laws and regulations
we're repealed and the British laws
and regulations adopted wholesale 1t
would still cost more to operate an
American than British ocean vessel.
Full proof Of this significant fact has
been recently afforded in actual ex-
perience under the Emergency Free
Ship Act Of August is, 1914.
The United States Steel Products
Company transferred nine steamers
from the British to the American flag.
Immediately The American rate OF
wages was demanded by the British
officers and crews and as q result the
cost Of operation rose from s12.47s 4
month TO $17.537. This was early In
the war before the ship wages had
begun to soar the world over. Again,
w. r. Grace e Co. found that wages.
and food under the American flag ann
onnted TO $2773 q month as against
1891 under the British for the same
vessel.
When the great war has ended and
freight rates have sunk to their nor
NAL level this difference In the cost
Of operation, Of small importance now,
win become substantially the same as
ever, and VIII again discourage the
Of ocean vessels beneath
he American flag. The new La Fol-
Iette seamen's act will also make its
burden felt as there can be no pos
5ible going back to Asiatfc labor.
The question win, therefore, be an
argent one at the wars close OF how
best to equalize conditions so that
american ocean ships may be enabled
% retain the American flag and reg
ster.
THE sYiftest and most direct meth
ID Of achieving this is By subsidy
rhe word subsidy has lost most of
Is terror to inland agricultural Amer
cans who In this wal have seen the
freight rates On their crops go up
put of sight because Of lack of bot.
.oms Strange to say, the organized
union seamen of this country have
,een recorded In opposition to subsi-
iy-that is, to projections On land It
4 very different as skilled labor as 4
-ule is in favor Of tariff hrotection.
The International Seamene Enion Is
he only free trade organizatien in
America, and this is probably due to
he fact that very few native or nat
Iralized Americans are members,
Higher wages on shipboard, which,
rave come IN with the war, win I'M
increase the number OF
americans following the ocean for a i
ivelmood and those Americans will
Ultimately control the seamen's union.