The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-11-23
NATIONAL MARATIME POLICY.

II A declaration against an economic warfare
after the war, and strong pronouncement in
favor of the adoption of national maritime
policy which will permit the permanent retention
and operation of the newly constructed American
merchant fleet under the American flag were the
distinguishing features of the Fifth Annual
Meeting of the National Trade Council which has
| Just been held at the Biltmore Hotel in New
York City. The National Foreign Trade Council
is made up of representatives of every factor of
foreign trade, industrial, agricultural CONNER
Il ial, fiancial and transportation. It represents
every section of the country and among those
present at the annual meeting were men from the
Pacific Coast, the South, the Middle West and
New England as well from New York City.
The chairman of the council is James A. Far
rell, President of the United States Steel Corpor-
alton. In his opening remarks Mr.. Farrell dis
cussed some of the problems facing this country
as result of the and of the restoration of
peace.
"The progress of the war; he said, "has been
marked by much discussion of proposals for and
conditions of continuation of the contest by
economic forces after the military struggle is
ended. Our supreme duty is to see to it that the
peace terms render impossible the continuance of
conditions sought to be corrected prevented by
economic warfare. If the peace is satisfactory
there will bc no need for economic warfare. If
the peace is not satisfactory, economic warfare
will be impossible. 1t is for then rather to
Idevote our fullest effort to insuring the en-
forcement of an adequate, just and final peace
With such peace we can go forward in conf
dence to meet and solve the numerous and intri-
cate problems certain to arise from the complex
and novel conditions naturally flowing from the
cataclysm that has overwhelmed the world dur
ing these last four years."
Mr.. Farrell referred to the Importance of the
negotiation of new commercial treaties which
will be necessary promptly after the conclusion of
peace, and declared that the first problem of re-
construction will be that of the merchant marine
He emphasized the Importance of arriving
promptly at an effective solution of this prom
lem.
"Just as ships constituted the first problem of
our participation in the war;" says the commit |
tees report, $50 will ships constitute the first
factor in our great task of reconstruction and in
the development of our foreign commerce after |
the restoration of peace, our own American ships |
will be the essential agency through which we
shall be able to maintain that just and beneficial
with the rest of the world to which
our participation in the war and it's prosecution
to successful close will entite us and the rest of
the world.
cit is fortunate for us that one of our greatest |
to war work will also render most |
valuable service after peace has been restored
We are building the ships which will be the most
effective agency in the permanent solution of the
great after-war problems. Always provided,
however, that our nation adopts definite mari
time policy which will permit the permanent re-
tention and operation of these vessels under the I
American flag.