The Alaska daily empire., 1916-03-28
(Cincinnati EnQuirer. ]

The farmers the manufacturers. the merchants, the worxngmen of this country constitute the great major
 y of the people of the United States and i5 to their interests that the surplus outputs and products of this country go to foreign markets in the greatest posst ble and with tho greatest facility and 1t is equally o their interests that foreign products and out puts which they require for their come to our ports under the same conditions.
 The foreign shipping combines controlled largely by commercial competitors Great Britain. France and Germany. naturally desire to control Che ocean transportation lines, the delivery wagons of the sea.
 With control of these they limit our commerce by failure to establish lines from ports by shortage Of vessels on lines they do establish by excessive rate charges from ports and by many other means at their command
 Through profitable cooperation with the merchants and manufacturing interests Of their own country they can give these interests the worlds markets against our people.
 Take for case in point the application last week Of the manufacturers of cast iron pipe to the United States government for the of transports to carry pipe to South America and their statement that foreign vessel owners charging double the rates from our ports to South America that they charging from Europe to South America.
 Foreign shipping combines have their allies in this country representatives, agents and capitalists who prefer to reap the great profits from shipping monopoly rather than lose these profits through the establish nent of a merchant marine flying own flag, with routes determined by our government and rates con- troed by t These know well that if this control routes ana rates lS not uelQ Dy they can cobine ally merger arrange and cooperate with the foreign combines and the great majority Of the people of tho United States be made to contribute heavily for all ocean frelghts
 Private capital cannot compete with the govern ment subsidized fleets of Europe and Japan
 Our lamentable lack of a merchant marine proves this to be true and government aid in money and egs aton, is requisite to establish merchant marine for thls country.
 But merchant marines subsidized by this govern ment and the rates and routes of which would be der private control of the who pocketed the gov ernment funds and who still in position Go com blne. ally. merge. arrange and cooperate for great profits with foreign combines, would of no bene n to the farmers. the merchants, the manufacturers the workingmen of the United States.
 There are practical honest and good business men acting as Senators and Representatives in the United States Congress and they know this full well and they also know that while the shipping interests of our country should be fairly treated. well treated encour aged and promoted that the interests of the great ority of the people, the very classes we have enum erated above paramount and those interests should control
 The merchant marine that should be established and will be established will not be established simply to enrich subsidies vessel owners but to serve the shippers of the United States the great masses Of the people
 To do this. the government of the United States must have control of rates and routes, and if 1t fur nlshes the financial aid to promote the marine and carry It's business to success private capitalists who invest and vessel owners who invest and vessel owners who cooperate should be entirely willing to agree to such control