The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-04-23
An American Merchant Marine.
(Greenville Daily News.)

(Greenville Daily News.)
1t is very much to the dlscredlt Oh
our nation that for long time we
have had to depend upon foreign shlps
RI carry ou. marvellous commerce.
i ..is situation is in a fair way TO pc
effectively remedied. That is one Oh
the best of the many good tn'nSs
which have fallen as rewards TO
America for her commendable at
titude and achievements in the war.
Seeking nothing but the welfare OF
the world, she has in many respects
found herself 10 her own great ad-
vantage.
We have had q very able man as
chairman Of the Cnited States Ship
ping Board. in Edward y. Hurley.
II /, recent monograph Mr.. Hurley
H.. reviewed the marvellous ,:achieVe-
rnents wrought by American SNIP
builders under the direction OF the
Shipping Board and proposed plan
for the operation OF an American
Merchant Marine.
Some of his statements may inter-
Fest YOU. On March l of this year the
shipping board completed year ana
a-half of its operation. During ina.
time it had turned out 619 Wood ana
steel ships aggregating 3,64O,306 TONS
It had 341 shipyards practically COM
nleted with 1,2S4 launching ways.
In nine months il increased the en-
nlovees in shipyards from 43,oo' 10
$50 900 and in one day, July t. iauiich-
ed 96 new ships With what has neen
done and plans 10 be executed there
will he 10000 900 tons OF shipping
20 ner cent of which ia owned by the
government. 1t now owns 33o stee!
+; cargo ships aSeregatlnS $685.
IONS and has under contract 1885
| similar vessels of 9,215.0O6 tons.
the present program is carried ou'
there will be under the United States
flag within a year 16,132,1OO tons OF
steel cargo and passenger ships, equl'
valen, 70 almost half the merchan1
tonnage which plies the sea under the
| flags of all nations combined. Ihi
j is an amazing showing.
The question is what 10 do with II
| to make it serve the nation IN the
| best way.
Mr.. Hurley, after careful consider
alton, recommends the following:
The ships should be sold to and
| operated by American citizens under
no restrictions except those in the
bill Of sale and the fixing Of maximum
freight rates by the government. The
price of the ships should be the cur
rent world market rates for similar
tonnage. twenty-five per cent of the
purchase price should be paid down,
and the remainder distributed over a
period not exceeding ten years, the
government holding 4 mortgage with
interest rate of five per cent, the
government getting four per cent and
one per cent going to a Marine De-
velopment fund. The buyer is to
! keep the ships insured. When oper-
ating he is to incorporate under a
federal charter sproviding that no
stock shall be sold in excess of the
actual cash value paid in on the yes
sci and no stock shall be sold to an
alien Other recommendations deal
with the provision Of the merchant
marine development fund to care for
all deficiencies. All ships unsold are
to remain the property Of the gov
crnlncnt and be operated by it.
Under present conditions Mr.. Hur-
ley's plan seems 10 be the best. And
the plan has a man behind it who
has proved himself nothing less than
q miracle worker.