Evening journal., 1919-04-03
TRADE SHIP Plan
UP TO CONGRESS
Jones Tells Hurley Next
Session Must Act on
Merchant Fleet
WANTS COURSE
MAPPE } OUT NOW

WASHINGTON. April IA request
that the United States Shipping Board
ccnfer with the shipping interests OF
the United States and then formulate
a plan to dispose Of Americas mer-
chant leet built and acquired by the
federal government during the war
was made yesterday 70 Edward n.
Hurley, chairman Of the board, by Sena-
tor Jones o. Washington, who viii be
the next chairman Of the COmmerce
Committee Of the Senate.
Senator Jones asked Mr.. Hurley
whether the plan recently outlined by
Mr. Hu.ley for the sale Of the ships
70 private interests at a fair market
price. was Mr. Hurleys own plan or
whether it had received the sanction
OF the shipping board.
The next Congress must enact legis-
lation before any plan for the disposal
OF the merchant marine could be car
ried out, Senator Jones said. and he
called Mr.. Hurley's attention 10 the
law creating the United States ship
ping board. In which the shipping
board was specifically required to rec
ommend to Congress legislation for the
development OF the merchant marine.
Senator Jones promised speedy action
by the next Congress toward final de-
termination OF the disposal OF the mer-
chant leet. He did not comment upon
Mr. Hurley's plan. but called upon the
chairman Of the sh piping boa-d 10
have the board present a plan which
would have The official sanction OF the
board The letter follows:
"No more important question de-
mands prompt solution than the prob
lem OF the American merchant marine
u should be met promptly 50 that the
ships We have and those we expect to
have in the near future may be put to
use in the wisest way Partisan as
and partisan advantage should have no
place in It's consideration. It should
be met by legislative and admlnlstra-
tive officers In a purely patr otic way
and in full cooperation with the busi-
ness and experienced thought OF the
country. / want 10 act upon It in this
way, and feel that you and your
board desire p do the same
Il have reid with much interest
your speech b fore the National Ma
ne League Thursday evening, March
q. In which you outline a plan for
dealing with this question. Il is not
entirely clear whether the plan you
suggest Is simply your own or wheth-
er It is -One that has been worked out
and approved by the United states
Shipp ng Board. OF which you are the
hOno-ed chairman. II It Is your own
individual plant, ! want to urge most
respectfully and most earnestly that it
deal with a matter that should have
the earnest, thoughtful and prompt
consideration OF the shipping board.
He Quotes Law.
81 need not remind you that the law
creating the shipping board directs that
&" 1t shall examine the navigation laws
Of the United States and the rules aud
regulations Hereunder and make such
recommendations to the Congress as it
deems proper for the amendment I'M
provement and revision Of such laws
and for the development Of the Ameri-
can merchant marine
Congress will meet before. long. It
should proceed promptly to the consid-
Grafton OF this important matter. II
am chairman Of the Commerce Commit
fee Of the Senate, as now seems prob
able. shall ask the committee to pro-
ceed at once to consider and determine
upon a plan for handling our shipping
and its future development. The recon-
mendatlon Of the shipping board OF
plan well considered and carefully ma
tured by it will aid the committee very
greatly in this work.
/ mistakes no doubt have been made;
but they are Of the past. only so iar
as it may help in the future am ! dis
posed to criticize or investigate things
already done Hearty cooperation OF
the members OF the shipping board with
each other, and their unified effort as
board, in cooperation with the COM
mlttee. are imperatively necessary II
the best results are 10 be secured
"Therefore, / hope it will not be
thought amiss In me II urge the SNIP
ping board, as a board, 70 take up this
problem before Congress Is called To-
gether Experienced shipping men,
business men and others that may be
interested, whether ORGANIZATIONS,
should be invited to confer with the
board in a friendly and frank way
about the boards consultation table.
Every ANGLE OF the problem should be
fully and freely discussed. Their
opinions and suggestions should be
freely and fully sought. and have no
doubt they will be frankly given. Your
plan and any Others that may be pro
posed should be laid before them and
fully discussed. My idea is that this
should not be done in a conventional or
specially public way, but that 1t should
be done, Just as the regular business
meetings Of the board are carried on.
Your board should then devote all the
time necessary to weigh the suggestions
made, and in the light Of the facts pre-
sented and those peculiarly in the
knowledses Of the board. it should
form a conclusion as to the course 10
be taken and the LEGISLATION necessary.
A plan so determined upon would. am
sure, appeal very strongly 10 the COM
mittee. ] know 1t would 10 me.
In common counsel In hearty CO.
operation here is much wisdom. The
problem before us demands both. We
want your unified advice and wisdom
in order that this great thing may be
done wisely. You and your board may
have already done OF contemplated do
ing what ! suggest II not. trust YOU
will act upon my suggestion and be
ready to submit TO us a well-matlred
plan soon after Congress Is organized" 3"
ENGINEERS TO TALK COMMISSIONS
Professor Walter Edge. OF Philadel-
ph'a. will lecture on Combustion"