New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-30
Acting Head of Shipping
Board Says Individual
Interest Il Necessary
laNors Government Aid
Continuation of Federal
Building 10 Stabilize the
Industry Held Desirable
Bv Theodore M. Knappen

"a most OF Its pubic relations ne Is
sevoting all the time he can spare from
current duties to a study and consider
alton Of the momentous question OF the
determination of the future of the
American merchant marine, both gov
Commercially and privately owned Mr..
Colby is deeply impressed by the far
rcach:0g import oc the matter and feels
nat w stand en- The Threshold OF q
decision that Will be either monument
TO craftsmanship or 10 miserable ma
;ional failure,
Even il part Of the already inaug-
urated programme be cancelled, Mr..
colby thinks that the progress on com
ailments hitherto made leaves no
choice but to build altogether about
100000 tons. of which at least $500
0oo Will be in commission by New
Years Eve. The great question before
;he nation then is what TO do with
rhose 10000 600 tons, al of which will
be completed by the end Of 1920. and
also how to conserve the 100000 tons
100000 # vessels down TO 500 tons
he included of privately owned ocen-
going ships under the American flag.
Altogether it will likely be the greatest
effective feet Of merchant ships in the
world
Colby for Private Operation
In an interview given to me Mr.. Colby
declares for:
First Private operation in the
main
Second Continuation of govern
ment building in erdci TO give stabl-
ity TO the American shlpbuildlng in
dustry.
Third A limited degree Of govern
ment operation. chiefly III pioneering
m trades where private capital might
not care to venture "a first, and IN
establishing certain regular lines Of
steamships.
The question OF the nations policy
with regard to shipping said Mr..
Colby. as not for the Shipping Board
o decide The board may make sug-
gestions and Il may state opinions de-
duced from its studies or from It's ex-
perience But the formulation Of q
policy rests with Congress, and 1t is Tor
Congress TO say whether the large and
growing merchant feet shall be op-
Grated by the government, or by lndl-
ylduais as agents or lesSees or or as
purchasers from the governments
Whatever Congress may do, II IS un-
thinkablo that we shall repeat the nus
takes Of the course Of legislation IN
this country for sixty years that re
Guced Americas share OF her own ior-
cign commerce carried IN her own ships
from a percentage IN excess OF 90 to
less than 3 % per cent just before the
outbreak OF the European war.
Government Operation Impracticable
Il have personal OPINION on the
great question that presses TOR De
sicion. 1t is the reflection Of opinions
entertained by many men who have
given their lives TO the study Of ship
ping problems, and who have achieved
large success in shipping operation
do not, however offer il as an official
expression, but it is high time that
sober thought IS directed to the sub
lect. aud what ! say may AID IN crystal
liziur suen opinion
M personal view is against gov
eluuuat operation oil our merchan
feet. The business Of ship manage
ment. the expert grasp OF domestic anC
overseas market conditions, the shrewC
sense of trade, presuppose persona
initiative and require individual enter
rise A public administrative bod.
could hardly meet such requirement
on small scale, much less on thu
unprecedented scale that operation
would assume If applied TO our larg'
and growing national marine
ut has been suggested that the gov
ornment operate it's merchant marin
for a limited period, aVailing itself o
the high freights which the ha
established and which Viii not in
stanuy decline to normal levels nov
that active military operations haV