Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-03
NEW RULES FOR
COASTWISE TRADE
Old Traditions Go by the Board
With Admission Of For
eign Ships
Special Correspondence Of Evening Ledger
n.a %

construction and operation, have been made
from time to time TO break through the pro- !
tected barriers that have been reared, with |
out avail The admission Of foreign vessels
into the port-to-port trade Of this country
has been restricted, FIRST, because Of the
desire to encourage shipbulldng in the
United States, and second TO prevent dis
astrous competition with foreign ship own
ers, who had decided advantage over Amer
lean ship owners in the matter of wages and
overhead charges.
1t has always been the American conten-
tlon that ships could DO built cheaper
abroad than at home and that efforts to
induce American officers and seamen TO
work upon terms competitive with foreign
ers have failed. To these unfair competitive
condition has been attributed the gradual
disappearance of tho American merchant
marine from the high seas. The coastwse
trade, as distinguished from the foreign
trade, has been the one. stronghold Of Amer
lean shipping 1t has prevented Canadians
from entering into the coastwsc trade as
between American ports on the Great Lakes,
and 1t has prevented similar competition on
tho Atlantic, the Pacific and the Gulf.
Foreign vessels have had the privilege
OF entering our ports to discharge or to take
on cargo, just as the same privilege has
been extended to American vessels In for
elgn ports; but the right of a foreign vessel
to trade between American ports like New
York, Philadelphia and Savannah or Seattle
and San Francisco has been denied Aneri-
| can ships, therefore, for upward of a hun
dred years have had n substantial monopoly
OF coastwiso trade in America. In other
times than these the two political parties
have differed somewhat as to- the wisdom Of
this American moponoly
Republicans have generally supported IT,
| but old-line Democrats believing I'm free
| trade have sought to break down the sys-
| TEN. AS one OF them said in the House last
| week Our laws now give monopoly to
| american ships. do not favor that and
| nave never favored that. do not think II
| Is justified. 1t Is system of protection and
| upDullding at the expense of others that /
| 10 not believe in" 1t is fair, however to
| say that all Democrats do not hold to this
| view. But they joined in it. to all intents
| and purposes, when the Administration in
| sisted upon the passage of the law breaking
| down. as it will, temporarily at least the
century-old protective system, and opening
up our ports to foreign ships for whit, It
is contended, will be only the period Of the
| war with Germany.
Breaking Down the Barriers
Most everything President Wilson has
asked for during this extraordinary war
| session he has received at the hands of
| Congress. When, therefore, 1t was made
known that the President wanted foreign
ships admitted to the coastwise trade, partly
to relieve American ships taken from that
trade and put into the foreign service It
was foregone conclusion that the bill
would pass the House. The Committee on
Merchant Marine and Fisheries gave hear
ings, to be sure, but the American ship
builder was too busy on war orders to put
| In protest The New England shipping
interests were represented and told of the
danger of the temper lry repeal of the coast
wise laws, likening 1t to the nose OF the
foreign camel pushed under the wing of the
tent.
You may do this as a measure Of war;"
they said, 'but you may have great dihl-
Guilty in putting up the bars again when
this war is over and the ships of the world
are re lching out for American trade in COM
petition with our own ships"
The committee was admonished by repre-
sentatives of the Administration that the
introduction of foreign ships at this time
was necessary for the removal from port to
port Of cargoes that could not be carried
by rail or by such coastwlse shipping facili-
| ties as now exist. It was declared that the
on the Great Lakes or on the Atlantic coast
/! need not give alarm and that the depart
ments had no fear of japanese or Chinese
invasion on the Pacific coast There was
some inquiry as to why American ships
} were being taken away in the foreign trade.
, particularly the seized German ships that
were supposed to have been taken for our
domestic purposes, but department officials
, contended that the foreign nations were
, playing fair and that American rights would
, not be prejudiced by the opening Of Ameri-
can ports to foreign ships during the prog
ress of the war.
The Commissioner of Navigation. for in
| stance, in answer TO O suggestion that the
attractlveness of the American coastwise
trade might induce foreign ships to leave
| the dangers of the submarine zone, declared
I that there had been no indication "of any
disposition on the part of the Allies to keep
| away from the scene of action" Il do not
a | think anybody can have any question about
that" he said Certainly England, France
and Ita.y have thrown all of their men
| money and shipping right into the breacl
o and kept it there for three years. And
| cannot for one moment believe there is any
| possibility of anybody trying to go in th'
coasting trade to avoid the dangers of the
. war, certainly not on the part of the ma
tions have indicated that are fighting tht
war with us"
Backed by Business Men
Before the bill was brought up in thu
House, Congress was advised that fol
the present. at least, it had the 1ndorse
ment of certain large commercial bodies
Among these were most OF the trade or
ganizations Of Philadelphia. which hav
hitherto stood like stone wal. against an!
b interference with the navigation laws tina
ID have hitherto confined our coastwise shir
ping to our own ships. They took tn
ground that the Administration took tina
q. the war emergency justified the repeal o
the protective shield that has so long safe
re guarded American interests along ou
coasts.
As the bill passed the House 1t authorize
ne the suspension of the present provisions O
". | law so as TO permit vessels of forelg
registry and foreign-built vessels admitte
to American registry 20 engage in tn
I.coastwise trade OF the United States II
Is stead OF granting authority TO the Pres
ar dent. as was at first contemplated. III
~ United States Shipping Board is given III
power in the premises. 1t may issue a pc
ca nit to such vessels as desire TO engage 1
the coastwise trade, with the understands
IS that the permit shall limit or define II
IN. scope OF the trade and the time OF sue
employment"
In the issuance of such permits prefe
- | aaca "a IN he rixen to vaaaaIa- of forag.