The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-28

sci property sailing under any other nag
on earth.
The demand for tonnage at the pres
cnt time is 30 great that every available
ship. including our wooden ships, In In
! service. The feeling among shipping men
Is that this great demand will continue
for at least two or three years. On ac-
count Of the different variety OF service
| for which wood ships and steel ships are
| especially suitable I have not included
i the wood ships in my plan for the dis
! position OF the steel ships
In conclusion, have only to say that
this plan Is based upon profound convic-
lions formed after close personal study
| of conditions at home and in Europe.
| and after careful consideration of the
best information / could obtain about
| what is going on in other quarters OF the
globe. I have not permitted myself to
| be guided by the example or methods
OF other nations. except in so far as It has
seemed necessary to take cognizance of
the results Of their acts and methods as
| conditions which the American merchant
| marine will have to face upon the waters
OF the five oceans and seven seas. My
one thought has been to work out n plan
which would be American in conception
and adapted to the ideals, genius, tenn
permanent and business methods OF the
|
| elastic to serve the enormous extension
OF overseas trade we have in prospect
without having to undergo disorganizing
changes. l have just laid the product of
my labor before you"
| At the eighth anniversary dinner of
the National Marine League. held at
the Hotel Commodore, with Major Au-
gust Belmont presiding. Vice-Admiral
Albert Gleaves. who directs the United
States transport service. suggested that
Government owned ships be operated by
the navy until private operators are
ready to take them over.
| The Navy Department machinery" he
said. rs probably better adapted for
this purpose than any the Shipping
Board might be able to improvise. The
/ operation Of merchant shipping by the
| navy IL not exactly professional and
from the military point of view might
| be entered upon with some anxiety. but
| in this as in any other emergency there
could be no question as to the spirit in
which the navy would perform any duty
| assigned.
| Perhaps 1t Is not generally appre-
| clated that the navy Is now successfully
| operating 3s7 deep sea merchant ships.
OF these. ninety-four of the largest are
In the force under my command. carry
| ing troops. The navy Is now success
fully operating a grand total OF ship
ping OF about 2,25o.ooo gross tons.
Not Enough Sailors for ships.
| AT the present time 1t Is not believed
that there are sufficient merchant sailors
in the United States to man all the YES
| sells owned by the Government. There
fore naval operation il a necessity. GER
| tainly for the present and possibly for
| some time to come, and II is believed
that this should not in any way be detri-
mental to or unfairly competitive with
the privately owned and privately OPP
Grated ships"
The Admiral suggested that it might
be well. as a connecting link between
the merchant marine and the navy. "a
| retain a few lines of fast mail steam
ships manned by regularly enlisted
| auxiliary naval personnel. In an emer-
gercy they would be Immediately avail
able for war service as scout cruisers.
Whatever the details Of policy finally
decided upon" he added, ''in any event
1T is certain that the navy and the ner-
/ chant marine must remain closely re-