The sun., 1918-12-02
Ship OWNERS
SHOW PERIL IN
MARINE LAWS
proposed Government Own
crship of Vessels Pointed
TO as Ruinous Policy.
L. S. AID THE SOLUTION
Robert Dollar Says All That
Is Asked Is Equal Chance
With Foreigners.

AT the big ship owners Of the United
States approved a statement on THE
American Merchant Marine After the
War" which was put forth yesterday
by Robert Dollar. president OF the
Dollar Steamship Companies.
risa warning to America that the
stars and Stripes will again disap-
pear from the seas, as it did in the
years before the war, IL some ordI-
nary common sense rs not injected into
uur laws, If useless oppressive laws
and regulations" are not changed.
Mr. Dollar says that the proposed
Government ownership and operation
Of all American ships engaged in for
ejgn trade would he ruinous, and that
"it lie the opinion of our bankers, mer-
chants and people generally that the
Administration has another guess
coming before It Is permitted to carry
ont such a destructive and disastrous
policy"
Nor is he more favorably disposed
toward the idea of the Government
chartering its ships to individuals
after the war instead of selling or
operating them Itself. He says this
would be a fatal mistake.
He suggests that the Government
sell the ships at prices to meet COM
petition and on reasonable terms OF
payment that the Government pay the
difference between the full American
crew wages and the wages paid by
japanese competitors, and that several
clauses of the La Toilette seaman's
law be Immediately repealed in the
interest OF American commerce.
Eject of seamen's Bill.
Mr.. Dollar gives a diagram showing
that the percentage of American goods
carried in American ships gradually
Gwndled from 90 per cent. in the year
l1S5 to 81 per cent. in 1914. He also
points out that before the war and
before the seamens bill had got in
JUS deadly work. 26.o5 per cent. OF ves-
sells in the American trade on the
Pacific were japanese, and 26.10 per
cent we're American. After May 1,
III 50 per cent. OF the vessels. were
japanese and 1877 per cent. American.
This says Mr.. Dollar. SIS the effect
o. the La Toilette law"
Mr.. Dollars statement continues:
"The question that is troubling all
thinking men to-day is: How are we
going 10 operate our ships after the
war? Seeing that in normal times our
present laws and regulations make 1t q
financial impracticability, We must not
get carried away with the present
ABNORMAL conditions and rates OF
freight, which make II quite possible
for any one to make a profit, no mat
ter how inexperienced. So all the
figures and considerations in this
article are based on normal conditions.
which are sure to come after the war.
Difference In Wages Paid.
The following shows where crews
wages cut some figure. This is taken
from our books on three steamers
Which we were operating in 1914.
Their indicated horsepower was
exactly the same and the tonnage was
nearly the same
Am:riosn steamer ......tI $4,000
'-'ish steamer. 1905 90
'ananese steamer T77.0o
"On the Pacific the keen competi-
lion that Americans have to meet is
rom the japanese, and after the war
his competition will also be felt on
he Atlantic. The foregoing figures
give a good idea Of what It is. The
Japanese ship owners have made
'normous profits during the war,
therefore, that competition will in
'lture be backed up by plenty of
money, by having subsidies for ship
nilding and for carrying the mails
ana other advantages that the
American ship owner must combat.
There Is some talk OF our Govern
meht chartering its ships to indi-
Nduas after the war and not selling
mem This will be a fatal mistake.
Inc men who In the past developed
american and British foreign trade
we're the ship owners. Ship charterers
'aVlhs no money invested will operate
me ships only as long as they can
make profit, Responsible ship owners
VIII keep up the business even at n
.oss and stay with It until times get
letter thereby keeping up the foreign
trade Of our country.
AZ a banquet in Philadelphia the
secretary OF the Navy announced the
contemplated extension of Govern
".eht ownership, TO own and operate
III American ships and to engage in
'0re'Sn trade. thereby destroying the
private ownership of ships and going
"o competition against our mer-
,hahts In the foreign trade. (Our
government has already started to
raoe commercially. I understand, in
"oerlaD The result OF this policy
would be 10 destroy the initiative,
pep and getup' OF our merchants in
"e foreign trade and the few ship
owners We have left, and this while we
are on the eve Of the keenest competi<
uoh the world has ever seen. Then.
~ ADDITION to all this, we were told
'al the rates of freight would be
l'"eT than those OF our foreign COM
peu'orS (They will have something
70 say about this.)
INasmuch as we are in direct COM
peIN"n In the foreign trade, and as
cur country is going TO require this
'.ad' as never before, 1t is the opinion
" our bankers, merchants and the
iT'I" generally that the Administra-
won has another guess coming before
:. 's permitted to carry out such a de-
STu' i've and disastrous policy.
] suggest that. instead OF Gov
"HiH'nt ownership, the ships should
I" ''.d at prices to meet competition
anu on reasonable terms of payment