The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-04-17

to point where the American fleet is balancing
the American factory and agricultural resources.
Plan Fleet Of 100000 Tons.
Briefly. the American policy Is to create fleet
Of something like 15OOO,OOO tons by 1921 and 2O.-
OOO,OOO eventually. This will help replace the
ships lost In war and needed by the world at large
and will put the American merchant marine on Its
feet.
Eventually we will try to operate feet of Just
bit more than our rightful 50 per cent. since We
expect to have constantly growing South Amer
lean trade that should be handled In American
boats much possible.
While America is looking at the ship business
sort of $3.50 plan, the British view the whole
situation from entirely different point of view.
They could not possibly operate on policy that
would fit American ideals and plans for the future.
The British, industrialy and geographically, diner
too much from America to permit them to follow
n program similar to
Here the main points where the policies OF
the two countries differ the authority of the
best-informed American ship men here In Paris:
America Will operate her ships on n nonproft
basis. The fleet will be considered. during the
next few years. nm adjunct to Americas re-
sources. servant of our farms and factories.
The British, in the meantime, will continue their
policy of operating ships for profit. Shipping
with them is'n business in Itself, business that
is supposed to pay, and does pay. satisfactory
dividends.
While the Americans consider ships as
toward an end-that is the building up of for
trn0e, the BrltSn VIII opeTate tnelr SHIPS
the profit that is made by ships. They are in the
game to make money out of carrying tonnage
across the seven seas-they have acquired the
heritage of Tyre. and they intend holding their
heritage
We will Both be great sea powers. Britain will
endeayor to have all the tonnage she can; Amer
ica will strive to keep up u frst-class fleet that
can transport overseas 80 per cent of our imports
and exports, which is our just share Of deep-sea
trnffic And we will also take on, as the months
pass and as the world gradually returns to the
ways of peace, goOdly proportion of the South
American trade. providing plans of the American
officials do not go awry.
How will America and Britain achieve the aims
of their big shipping men? What is the job ahead
for American ship yards? What will the entry of
America mean In the world business of shipping?
These questions represent some Of the out
standing points Of the whole situation.
British shpbuilders and owners, who
protesting against continuation of governmental
control will build something like 30OOOOO tons of
ships in the next two years. possibly more. in
der to bring the British mercantile marine up to
1aOOO 600 tons, according to the British chamber
OF shipping In London.
1t is expected that the American shipyards will
be CAPABLE of turning out 100000 tons in the
world will have returned to better than prewar
conference started there was a world shortage OF
something like 6.OOO,OOO tons. Some experts esti-
mated the deficit at 9,OOO.OOO.
One Of the things we can expect from the Amer
lean shpyu-ds rs = better lot of ships than the