Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-31
Board Makes il Plain That Ex-
ceptions viii Be Made Only
When War Needs Warrant

"nen war NeeoS warrant
IN the first annual report OF the ship
ring board II 10 made plain that the
manifest purpose OF Congress IL not
20 oyerturn the policy OF our eoastvise
shipping laws, but rather TO make
: temporary exceptions TO that policy
where war needs neeesSitate such ex'
captions"
This 70 directly in opposition to the
campaign which Is being carried on
by Honolulu interests and foreign ship
ping companies which Wish 10 secure
the granting OF permits 20 foreign YES
sells 20 enter the coastwise trade under
six months licenses.
The following comment 10 made in
the shipping boards report regarding
the admission 10 the coastWise trade
of vessels OF foreign registry and for
eign-built vessels under American reg
i1try:
"0n October s, 1917, an act OF Con-
gress was approved authorizing the
board TO suspend the provisions OF law
excluding from coastwise trade for
eign-buii vessels and vessels Of for
eign construction. This was q war
measure designed TO make possible a
more economical use Of tonnage and
the replacement OF coast"ise tonnage
which II had been necessary 70 Divert
TO fnilitaE~ ,seryice. The act author.
Tres the 4 Ard to issue permits which
ntukt lint and define the scope Of the
trade and the time Of employment,
and the powers granted Hereunder
expire automatically 100 days after
the close Of the war.
This act has not been in force for
sufficient length OF time to permit
Of any extended discussion Of its ef'
feet and administration. During the
month OF October nine coastYise per.
Tnits we're granted for single trips. In
administering the act the board has
borne IN mind the manifest purpose
OF congress not to oyerturn the policy
Of our co6stwise shipping laws but
rather 70 make temporary exceptions
to that policy where war needs necss.
state such action"
Beeuisltien Program
Interesting comment IL also made
Ia the report on the reouisitional pro-
gram 81 the government, and, In part,
Il e follows: ~
~Exfraordinary war demands on
merchant tonnage Of the world have
neeetbitated . severe temporary dis.
location OF existing shipping; and the
task OF procuring the requisite tonnage
for military purposes, with the least
possible disturbance OF commercial
and Industrial enterprises, has dc.
volred upon the board.
For obvious reasons the details Of
thi1 work cannot now be published:
nor ,an statistics be given showing
what tonnafe has been taken out Of
existing routes, or to what service 1t
has been diverted. The general pur-
poses which have guided the board,
however. may be stated.
~The first consideration has per-
f6rce been the military necessities Of
the Eolernmente united In the war
arainet Germany. as presented by the
military authorities. To supply these
leeds, Il often has been necessary to
take vessels out Of trades which In
normal times would have been regard
edls Of great importance. The board
IN this connection IL pleased TO testify
70 TIE patriotic spirit in which ship.
ping tlnterests have met the situation,
even II has entailtd serious In.
diridn ,6se
'Ihe board has continually borne m
mind. however that too drastic cur
tailmtnt Of commercial transportation
would defeat its own ends. Raw ma
t1riaib essential TO the production Of
military supplies and nitrates vitality
needed 70 sustain the output Of farms
could not be neglected. With the
acute congestion Of rail traffic. coal
1tuff be TRANSFERRED by water, 50 that
the ttr industries 81 the Atlantic
coltt shall not be deprived Of sus-
t1nhnct.
In the emergency shipping fund
section OF the urgent deficiencies act
OF June IS. 1917. the president was
given power to reqplsiticn ships, on
payment Of just compensation: and
( this power. BY executive order Of July
II. 1917. wat delegated to the board.
That this power was essential to q
nr0per performances by the board OF
ite vast service will be vividly realized
from an examination Of charter and
! freight rattt at the time OF Americas
entrance into the war A few concrete
instances will suffice 20 illustrate:
Charter Rates.
eTime charter rates on cargo steam.
ers IN the spring o. 1914 were ct 4
rrerkiline rate Of about 81 per dad
weight ton per month. An average
of.six time charters Of American ves-
stie. ranging from three to six months.
made IN July 70 September. 1917, for
trades not m the war rome. gave q
figure 81 t13tt per deadxeieht ton
Per month. Tor steamers on voyages
- the war rome, during the summer
Of 1917. charters were made at rates
a. hirh sssta1 per ton per month for
New fork-Genoa trade, and $40 per
ton per month for New YorkFrance
lrkd6. the ycharteref bearing war risk.
Time charter rates on tankers ID 1914
we're I'll approximately $40 Per dead.
weight ton per month for long periods
and ta.1o for short periods In the
tummtr Of 1917 the prevailing rates
we're n excess OF 3l1.S0.
sIreight rates have shown an even
Krl1lef advance, largely because
lfINSx rates include war risk on yes.
sells. while under time charter war