The Washington herald., 1918-12-04
SOLVES PEACE
SHIP PROBLEM
Captain Dollar Answers
After-War Marine Ques-
ton, Says Holland.

~ AdsA NneTe comes from NJ gu
authority. none higher. a statement
based upon the question: What is
to become of the American merchant
marine after the war: Many have
been the private comments OF ship
ping men who have expressed theif
apprehension lest we be dissppoint-
ed IN the value OF after peace work
of our merchant marine. as far as
maintaining and Increasing our for
etgn commerce are concerned. But
none has spoken for publication.
Now Capt Robert Dollar has so
spoken Is surely to command the
attention Of thinking men. Capt
Dollar is the foremost authority
and Influence upon the Pacific coast
in the shipping and commercial ac-
tivitiss which originate there. He
has Developed n very great trade
with China His shtp5 sail the
seven seas. 1t is his corporation
which without exacting a cent in
the way OF commissions and bon
uses, is acting as the intermediary
between Efficiency Fleet CorpoT-
alton and China in the building by
China Of ships which the United
States hos agreed to puehase for
sS8.Abb. 0O0. twelve ships in all:
Capt Dollar was IN New York for
few DAYS last week and he seemed
to ha greatly concerned over the
question which ne says is troubling
all thinking men today; the aues-
Juu being, How are we to operate
cur ships after the war? Charles
NJ Schwab has said that we shall
have constructed $4,000. 600 tons Of
ships. approximately. within the all
lottHd time and when that is done
I've VIII return to private life.
II we shah have built so many
ships there is no doubt about their
sufficiency as commerce bearers. al
though there are serious doubts
about their availability.
Must Consider Boom.
Capt Dollar in an article to which
h has given much thought and which
he offered to those who are inter-
ested In the subject on the eve of
his departure FOR San Francisco a
day or two ago. stated in the first
paraEraph thar in normal times our
present laws and regulation make it
a financial impracticability to utilize
the American merchant marine. II
Is essential in order that there be
good understanding of the subject
that the public must not be carried
away with present abnormal condi-
tors and rates charged for freight.
although these now make it rossi-
bic to gain a gratifying profit.
Capt Dollar has taken pains to
secure figures which reveal the Amer
lean merchant marine when at the
peak OF its prosperity and then its
gradual decline As, for instance, in
1870 American ships carried 81 $40 per
cent Of American goods aCross the
seas In 1850 the falling of had been
so great that only 66 2-lO per cent
Of these goods were carried by Amer
iCqn ships, and in the year 1914 only
y7-'00 per cent. Again in the year
beEore the war began and before
the seaRIen's hill had got in what
Dollar calls its deadly work. Jap
a"ese vessels on the Pacific Were
slightly over - per cent ard the
American vessels were almost ex-
ac.ly that pTopOTtionate part in the
entire PacifC trade. Suddenly there
came a staggering drop for Amer
lean vessels, .or in 1917 Japanese
vessels were carrying more than 81
Der cent OF the Pacific trade whereas
American vessels carried only a lit
tie under per cent. The American
s0amon received in the aggregate
= 10 a month. British seamen 81 .3Os a
month. and Japanese seamen S7.7C0 a
month.
on the Pacific. Capt Dollar SAYS
the Americans are already trying to
meet keen competition from the jap
anese, and when peace comes Japan
csc competition will also be felt o.
the Atlantic. The Japanese ship
owners are shaking hands with them
selves. for their profits have been
enormous. They have plenty Of
money with which to maintain their
commerce and in addi-
i lon to that have subsidies on their
shipbuilding ard the carrying OF
mails None ut these advantages do
the American shipowners possess.
Proposition of President.
With respect to the proposition
which. il is understood, came from
the President. that if American ship
owners cannot operate the ships the
government will operate them Capt
Dollar says this statement is on a
par with tying our hands against an
opponent who has both ha>Is free
and is backed up by his government
Before the war began American citl-
zens werr operating : -" 40 tons OF
shipping. but they we're doing this
ltndsr foreign flags
When William z. Gracc established
iarge shipping line between the
United States and South America he
spoke with keen regret OF the fact
hat he was obliged to san these YES
Seis under foreign flags. because II
nc sailed them under the American
aay the regulations were SO severe
tha; 1t would De impossible to make
sny profit Capt Dollar says there
IS not shipOwner who would not he
slad to operate his ships under tho
stars ard Stripes u our laws ard
regulations would permit this to be
done
More foreign trade Is conceded to
be an absolute necessity after the war.
For that reason Capt. Dollar asserts
that "our foreign trade is so linked
Sith tho merchant marine that the
.wo cannot be separated This is also
l-ile of our manufacturing plants
aaniSs. merchants and farmers. The
ramihCatiJ5as og the subiec: are so
.-eat that they directly or indirectly
,lect every Rn-cricah citizen. There
ore tire time has come 20 demand the
1ecesSary legislation and regulation TO
out the operation OF our ships on
.xart equality with competitors.
-Spt Dollar asserts that hhs views
lave bccn approved bv end represent
he opinion Of all The irAuential ship
pwEcrs o. The United states.
HOLLAND.