The Monticellonian., 1919-10-31
eY -JA.lEs- ?. HoENApAY

By JAMES P. HoENAORY.
 Washington - The Jujted States may Est beeaHe a maritime nation. II is aoW making long strides in thu. direction. 4 meHber=of the consular service who came iH the other das from h.s post on tle other side of the raefB remarked that tEe American Eas may TOW be seen regularly where fl was Seiiam. f ever seeH prior 70 fhe war. American freight carrying se>- Sefs are HoH entering most pf the im- partaut ports of the world. saja thHs consular officer elt=is q npw e&Reri- ence f9r those of us who are repre- sentins our government in far away places 70 see American built ships sailing under the American aag and i earr3.ns products taking their place i alongside the ships If the etfer great maritime countries.
 Now that the men WHo fought ih l France have nearly ali heef 4fought home fhe shipping board VII be able to piaHe great maHy mose shiqs in he eight-earryiHs trade During the last few days several additional as- eisnmeufs have been aia1e to South American routes aHl tHe number q 4aass earfE .R1 freight ii European n9rfS fS beiH5 Increased almost daily.
 War Made the Merchant tiarine.
 HeHeieHma ln shiphui.dns in tk4S eauanF has already progressed enough 10 safTant tHe stataIuauz thdf foreign rafr i- he laHseF q qdasziaa at SHf# ls-. When he United SzaseS eHtered th# 5ar .a April 1ala lie eaeatrg. f5s d. uozt erersbe}y EHo8s. 0aS 0.thanl q merchant marine worth mentioning. SHee he VT began fhe government has launched Lies >h#pS ef a.t4e=0aS eHo<S tonnage. Reels fae 2sa aHa5- fi5aal slffs Ha#e beeH laid and maaE # fhaSe vessels are almost ready h aa launched. af He government StiHS launched 1.aa4 Aare= halfI af s.eel 44S af wood ard It. were of ea@ua> le aglia Every one .s large modern freight eaHHef.
 Ii4a government szuee 8he hes5uaaa2 . fhe var las aHsa came infe posses >3aa af q large number of slips. some freight and some passenger. through purchase. T is al<e tlle poSses>er et he German owned ships tHat were Hternea in hafhers ia th.s country when We entered The war. A few ot 'beSe German ships may eo to other countries fn the final distribution. but most of them will continue to sail un- fer the American flag. The govern ment fs not operating all the ships it las built or has bought since the war heean. A cend many have passed 10 prIva.e ownership. r has been the 1offcy. however. to insist that all yes Sels disposed of by sale shall remain under the American flag.
 All to Be Privately Owned
 Congress- il is assumed will in Gae time authorize the shipping bourd to sell all eovernment-owned ships. The board some time ago recommended private ownership and operation as q fundamental policy for commercial shipping h ifs report to congress il advocated legislation which would au- fhorlze .he government to retire from commercial shipHuidine. shp owning aud ship operating activities "af the earliest date which may he convenient and practical" Thus far congress has not taken up the subject buf | plans to do so at the next session New companies for the operation nf ships are heinz organized nearly every week The ships fhat are now being sold hg the shipping board are as q rule passing into the hands of these companies
 I'm problem Of obtaining men fo op. crate American bHjlt ships ls beng solved. Some months ago the govern taent through tie shipping board of. fered some unusual inducements in or- der to interest young men in the sea fife. For one thiHc if established here d Supercargo school in which large number of young men were trained in The business of taking charge of the cargo of an ocean freight carrier The young men tifined in tbiS school and who had never had any particular ex- perieucc at sea. are now making rega- tar trips to foreign ports and The testimony fs that invariably fhey Ike lt. Of the 2o0o01n youBs men who crossed 70 France nj wars call thon- sands acquired a taste for sea life and are faHIng mo The new maritime organization.
 h nearly every port along tHe At- antic and gulf coasts operator, of pr yafe1y owned ships have opened schools for the trainia2 ef ordinary >eantu
 Two Problems for Congress.
 While lhe senate trying to dispose of the treaty of peace with Germany. congress as whole is finding time 10 give some thought to se7 =ukieet< in particular. railroad les >atieH and hnd2ei system for the l government Ia committee iB both senate and house s0me real progress K now beng made with the framing of legislation under which the railroads win be returned to their owners. Bul