New-York tribune., 1919-03-23

final peace terms before entering upon
a programme for overseas shipping.
"The study of the Shipping Board
experts revealed teeming ambition
among other powers to achieve a
higher standing" said the report. In
almost every country the desire exists
not only to replace war losses, but
to add new totals to be used in the
work of reconstruction and in devel-
opng new foreign trade.
Swiss Want a Navy
even Switzerland has not ESCAPED
this desire to acquire a merchant ma
rine. Ships will be acquired as soon
as canal improvements are made on
the Rhine.
"The chief interest now centres on
the question of whether the United
States can henceforth maintain her
new place upon the seas, or whether
she must now disband the energies that
brought her merchant fleet into be-
ing"
There is every reason" Mr.. Hurley
continued, "for believing that America
has come back upon the ocean-to stay.
My observations compel optimism.
1.-The war has brought us into a
high place as a maritime power. | find
the peoples Of the world aroused to an
intense interest and concern as to the
use we are to make Of this power
'In America you have heard much of
British competition. In Great Britain
l heard great deal more about Amer
lean competition. The truth is that
our friends across the water are for
the first time entering upon a period
of actual competition. In our praise
of British seamanship and British op-
Grating ability we have been prone to
ignore the advantages which lay on
the side of the ships which flew the
Union Jack.
Era of Competition
81 have no misgivings about the era
of competition which is coming. The
obstacles of inexperience will quickly
give way before American industrial
strength and energy. 1t is a new age
OF ocean transportation as we'll as of
public policy. 1t is an age in which
new conditions will rule and old ad-
vantages will become imperative. 1t
is an age of promise for those who
would participate in Americas high
destiny upon the seas"
Mr.. Hurley said prior to August,
1914, both the foreign trade and the
shipping of the United States were
dominated to great extent by British
because American traders and ship op-
orators who wished to do business
could do so most conveniently through
British agencies. In 1915. he recalled,
only one-seventh of the foreign trade
of the United States was carried in
American bottoms.
THE total exports and imports of
the United States for the year 1915
were approximately 50O000OO long
TONS" said the report "With average
shipping efficiency the movement of
these goods would have required about
100000 gross tons of ships.
"Assuming an annual increase in the
+ foreign trade of the United States
equal to the average increase for. the
five wears preceding August 1914, our
foreign trade in 1890 would require
greatly increased merchant tonnage
= if it all were to be carried in Amcr-
T can bottoms"
Mr.. Hurley declared it was an ac-
cepted principle that strong mari
time power should carry in its own
ships at least SO per cent of the ag-
gregate of its exports and imports
anu III 0uQlliOl SOlHC Oi viz VI duC OC-
= tween countries not yet IN the ship
ping business.
S "Assuming a total export and import
4 business in 1920 of 70,0OO,0O0 long
/ TONS" he added, at would require a
+ fleet Of about 100000 gross tons to
G transport 60 per cent in our own
e ships"
: Wants More Big Ships
c One Of the types of ships most dcsir
: able for the new merchant marine, ac
cording to Mr.. Hurley is speedy, ef
h fcctive combination cargo and passen
ger liner Of from $1,000 to $4,000 dead
f weight tons, which could be operated
t efficiently in the transportation of high
r class merchandise, passengers an(
mail.
v "Shipping men generally agree" he
said, chat it is not the total tonnage
but the character of the vessels that
y, makes a successful feet. The country
might have 100000 tons Of shipping
y which if not of the right sort coulc
not be operated profitably in competi-
tion with ships of better type be
longing to another nation.
81 have heard great deal Of talk
O about the construction of Junk ships
y in America, emphasis thus being laic
:, on the number of small ships we had
!, " under construction. 1t was sought tc
convey the impression that our new
: ships would suffer by comparison with
those laid down by our friends and as
e sociates overseas.
c at may surprise those critics to
= hear as | have heard, that British
s yards had under construction on Oc-
: tober 81, &c ships Of 5000 gross tons
Y or over. Our programme for that date
n called for JOG ships of 5000 gross tons
4 or over"
Mr.. Hurley said three factors mill
tated most strongly against the nat
ural and desirable expansion of the
foreign trade of the United States:
First, the necessity for developing
men, thoroughly American in every
way, to handle foreign trade; second
the recruiting of an American per-
sonnel for the operation of the ships
and the handling Of the work at the
ports; and, third, the extension of
banking facilities.
Favors High Wages
The idea that too high wages are be-
ing paid American seamen for this
country to compete with other coun-
tries successfully was ridiculed by Mr.
Hurley.
at is time for the public mind to be
disabused of this conception" he
~ xx,;1