The Alaska daily empire., 1917-10-29

The effort of Judge Wickersham and of his fellow malcontents Juneau deceive the people of Southeastern Alaska into believing that Delegate Sulzer recreant to his trust because the bill passed by Congress authorizing the Shipping Board to permit under certain circumstances foreign built vessels to engage in American coastwse trade, excud ed Alaska from its operations would be infamous if it not contempble.
 The statements of the Shipping Board, through Alfred Huger it's general counsel, through Eugene Tyler Chamberlain, for "A years Commissioner of Navigation and through it's vice-Charman B Stevens the speeches in Congress and the reading of the act itself conclusive evidence that the sit uaon in Alaska is that the Shipping Board had in mind when it asked for the law which reads:
 Be it enacted, etc, That during the pres
 ent and for period of 120 days there
 after the United States Shipping Board may,
 if in it's judgment the interests of the United
 States require suspend the present provisions
 of law and permit vessels of foreign registry,
 and foreignbuilt vessels admitted to Ameri-
 registry under the act of August IS, 1914,
 to engage in coastwise trade of the United
 States: Provided that such vessel shall
 engage in the coastwise trade except upon
 permit issued by the United States Shipping
 Board. which permit shall limit define the
 scope of the trade and the time of such em-
 ployment Provided further, That in issuing
 permits the board shall give preference to
 seis oI ioreign registry owned leased, or
 corporations thereof And provided further.
 That the provisions of this act shall not apply
 to the coastwise trade with Alaska between
 Alaskan ports.
 In fact, the bill does not the marked in novation that some people to believe The gov ernment has been doing indirectly technically in violation of the law just what this bill makes law. full The law has heretofore prohibited foreign yes. sells from engaging in traffic between American ports under any circumstance However, the cases are numerous where there was of freight that ought to be shipped and American vessel avail able to carry it that available foreign vessel was loaded, with permission of the government and the cd hv the Secretary of the Treasury. This practice was be gun by President Roosevelt in 1907 when he became indignant because he said that American ship owners sought to muct the government in fixing rates to carry coal for Fighting Bob" Evans which made the famous trip around the world He caused the coal and other supplies be loaded on foreign yes. sels with the understanding that all fines would be remitted and they were. Similar acts have since that time characterized the Taft and Wilson admin isratons. The Shipping Board the authority of law for doing that thing The United States has many foreign vessels under charter. and many yes sells have been admitted to American registry for the foreign trade but excluded from the coastwise trade because of their foreign construction, which are be ing used to carry freight soldiers in Europe but which now and again have to wait for a cargo It was desired to these vessels during the waits Foreign vessels frequently arrive New York with cargo discharge and then proceed down the coast for cotton. It was the custom for such vessel to stop at Norfolk to secure a coal supply It was de slred that She mlgnt nave permission to take cargo of coal at the time she taking a supply for herself and carry it South. Special permission for this sort of thing has been given in the past though it contrary to law.
 Americas entrance to the and the decision to draft about 100000 of American coastwse shipping for traffic emphasized the need to make these foreign vessels work all the time pos sibe and it desired to avoid delay and technical violation of law in order to work them
 There only two places in the United States where regular lines of foreign ships schedule