The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-23
URGES U. S. PIONEER
MERCHANT MARINE
cambridge Colby Says Open.
ing Must BE Found for
American Products.
GREAT FLEET READY NUON
Opposes Operation as Fixed
Policy, but Only for Develop.
ment of Sea Trade.
Specih Despdtch 70 I'm 81

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 80. -Bal1~,t-,
Colby, member OF the uitpd S3.o,
Shipping Board, discussed ii. futur
shipping policy of the country in 81,
address delivered last evening lcfors
the Academy of Political Science II.
upheld the idea of limited Governmer.
operation Of a merchant marine and
pioneering for new trade opportuni.
ties and said the problem was one for
Congress to decide.
"Only when the nations sh!ppir.
Is recognized as a national asset" said
Mr.. Colby, land not the exclusive con.
Germ OF any one section ~ the cog,
try, not a source OF enrichment 90 an,
special class, will we approach u,s
problem with enlightenment The
I test of any policy j. not H." proat,.,
ness Of the immediate operator. ,.,
tho benefit to the, nations tra.e a..
commerce as a whole. The mercAa
marine is the delivery system ~ d.
nations business. and or Sn.ppn.
policy must seek its vindication In Ii,
widening Of our commercial field. ~
the multiplication and diversity OF our
| undertakings and IN the deepening o.
| the foundations OF our national pro.
perity."
Mr.. Colby pointed out that TIE tot,
| number OF vessels constructed equipped
and put into service under the Ship
ping Boards direction from August
1917, until. November 20, 1915, was 81
vessels OF total tonnage ot 2.y67oQn
The additional vessels since deliyere.
will bring the total OF new cors'ru,.
ton up 10 approximately 3,5QooQy ,on,
/ by January l. 1919.
! "Our ships are OF good desi-r" "a
Mr.. Colby, the greater number O
them Of sufficient carrying c,pac.;
and speed TO make them highly e.
| fcient instruments Of commerce. J,
addition to the ships completed 'r
ward OF 100000 tons os Slipping
| are either on the ways. far advance.
| toward completion. Or urdr- con.
| tracts which cannot he cancelled *.
| cept at a great sacrifice q VI Ics,
| What shall be done with this feet"
| "lIy personal view Is a-airS' Glv.
eminent operation. Tho business :
ship management, the export grasp q
domestic and overseas market comb
tons. the shrewd sense of trace. irc-
suppose personal initiative AMI 70
quire individual enterprise p"5.
| lie administrative body hardly colh
meet such requirements u,l g. sNa
scale, much less on the unprecedented
scale that operation would 1ss.me .
i applied to our large and growing !a'
tional marine.
''But there is still an importaH. Gov
eminent function which nothing cen
: supplant. We should both build AID
operate, but not as genera, 1'ac'
merely, IN my opinion, rs 4 s'a..l.z."s
and contributory function IN tie n.y.
building Of our merchant marine, We
should build n substantial nam - ~
ships with the view OF sra..!Za:
work In our shipyards, ari bringing
about that sustained and steady o'.
| mand for tonnage ~ STANDARD '}ir
that would enable our slIPgt.a'tS -
reach the low costs without WI 10 80
industry cannot be kept alive. Us .
operation, the ,Governmcn; ut@ 80.
undertake the pioneering IT, '"F
trades, and by its own Operations, BE-.
sued judiciously and not III aat 81 e
eompetitiveiy with or ,7' 80.
owners, establish regular Ines
freight. with fixed schedules ( 80.
ings. This work. in fact, n" - ."''.
ment must undertake, e. largo ~
tent absorbing the initial co-,.