Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-07-25

while It costs substantially more 49, ]
mean, Of course. in normal times-to
build ships in this country than it
costs TO build than in other coun-
tries. now is the appointed time to
admit to our coastwise carrying for
eign built ships owned by American
citizens or corporations. AZ TO Ameri-
can corporate ownership of foreign
built ships, IL can be accomplished in
this easy way without disturbing in
the least real foreign ownership: A
foreign steamship line may be sold
10 an American corporation, the for
eign owners receiving as pay the
stock of the American corporation
beyond the few ndlninal shares need
ed for the Few American directors
Cdummies) required to conform to
the requirements Of law. An Amer
lean corporation then owns the ships,
which are entitled TO employment in
our d4mestic carrying, but actual
ownership still remains abroad
OF course the moment that foreign
built ships are admitted to our coast
wise carrying no one will order ships
az substantially higher cost from
American builders. If our builders
should first succeed in reducing cost
of shipbuilding to the foreign level
such an enactment would be less OF
menace, but menace enough, never
theless.
One word more on this point: OF
course no one now alive is RESPONSE
faW Of
| domestic carrying for American built
vessels. President Wilson would UNI
doubtedly find, If he should investi-
gate the antecedents of that act
that it was then regarded and accept
cd cas- good Democratic doctrine.
that is TO say the monopoly" he has
4 discovered in our coastwise carrying
Is of Democratic creation II it is Z
monopoly" when participation in II
is open to 100,00O00O american cfti
zeng. II is a law created monopoly
and no one is permitted to participate
in our coastwise carrying who does
not have his vessel built in Ameri
can shipyards Vice versa, any Amer
lean citizen who has a vessel bull
in an American shipyard may run he
!
States. But for the purposes Of GU
foreign maritime rivals and to satisf,
the econCSnic fanaticism OF American
free traders II is dedreed that Ameri
can maritime interests must be stran
gled aborning.
As to putting the Government int
the merchant shipping business. I
may build, buy and charter merchan
vessels and such vessels may engag
in any American trade. This bill wa
decreed because Of the failure OF tn
free ship legislation of August Is
I 1914 Out OF a carefully estimate
American ownership Of $4,000
! gross tons of vessels under foreig
q flags but slightly more than 600 90
o tons have come under American rel
s istry, although the free ship law n,
y only admitted foreign built vesse
q owned by American citizens and Co
a porations TO American registry Il
Il foreign carrying. but every law, ru
= and regulation growing out Of OF
n steamboat inspection service. design
I ed only TO safeguard life and prol
erty under the American flag. Ia
, been suspended in respect to thes
, naturalized foreign built ships, an
their alien masters and officers ar
permitted to cCNnmand and office
them. Besides. these vessels an
their cargoes are insurable under on
, Federal war risk insurance act. Whe
the war ends. it has been the es
pressed view OF representatives Of tn
. Administration. many of these nat
uralized foreign built ships will rC
vert to foreign registries, fore-seein
, which the Administration Govern
ment ownership bill has been foiste
, upon an unsuspecting and indifferer
people. the political purpose of whic
Is TO throw dust in the eyes Of tn
American people by making thei
see" and therefore believe that tn
Democratic Administration has sol,
ed a problem that has vexed I'll
souls OF American legislators fo
over half a century.
In the ten years preceding DemC
cratic control OF Congress every m
! nority report made Democratic men
/ bers Of Congressional committed
dealing with bills designed to bull
up American shipping in foreig
, trade favored the old policy OF dir
eliminating duties-every report. O
February 90, 1910, when the Demo