The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-28
OPPOSES
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
OF TRADE MARINE
Shipping Board Chairman Is
in Favor of Private Parties
Owning Fleet Under Safe
Government Regulations.

NEW YORK, March 2s.-Privatk
ownership Of the great merchant ma.
rine which has been built by America
under the stimulus OF war, with such
governmental regulation as would pre-
vent watered stack and assure the use
OF the vessels on trade routes promott
ing the general welfare Of the nation,
was put forward here tonight by ChairA
man Hurley of the shipping board as
his plan for the peace time operation
Of the government. built fleet, He was
speaking before the National Marine
league.
Enunciating the most important re.
construction decision SO far reached by
any government department, Mr.. Hur-
ley said he would have the government
sell the new ships at market prices,
so the operators could compete with
foreign tonnage and would have the
bottoms Insured Jointly by the govern
mont and American companies until
the latter developed sufficiently to car
ry alone the enormous risk on more
than $1,000, 000, 900 worth Of property.
No alien would be permitted to own
any stock In any American vessel, and
the transfer OF vessels to foreign flags
would be permitted only by express
consent Of the government. American
ships for American trade" IA the cen
hAal hAANh6Hh VI ANlu HiAliN NAAtNAH win
be submitted to congress as a basis
for legislation.
Mr.. Hurley declared the muohseriti-
clEed wooden ships had been Of great
service In the emergency, and II the
wal had continued might have been the
deciding factor in achieving victory.
Vice Admiral Albert uleaves, com
manding the cruiser and transport fleet,
another speaker, said he was Impressed
by the possibility OF establishing "a
common plane upon which the navy
and the merchant marine can work.
Asserting that for the time being
at least" tho merchant marine should
not he "placed exclusively under either
the government OIL private control"
Admiral Gleaves urged that '"in franz
ing a policy we watch closely the meth
DDS of foreign governments"
ut Is manifest that our shipping In
dustry must be backed by bur gov
eminent and that our navigation laws
must be changed to the extent neces-
sary TO assure competition with for
eign shipping on a basis OF parity"
he said. "At the same time, In order
TO hasten the stablliEatlon OF trade con-
ditions, private enterprise should be en-
couraged to enter the shipping business
az once, and as things settle down
take over step by step a larger share
OF the management,
I'VE must adopt a point Of view
that a large and sufficient merchant
is an absolute necessity for our
national prosperity. and possibly for
our national existence,
THE operation Of merchant shipping
by the navy Is not exactly professional
and from the military point Of view
might be entered upon with some anx-
iety. but in this, as In n other emet-
gency, there could be no question as
to the spirit in which the navy would
SNnnYar,. np.p l.gA - nh.IwAA4
~ bright future is before US, and
II Ia up to us TO make 1t good, out
OF this war our merchant marine, like
the Phoenix, has after a hundred years
risen from it's ashes, And, as IN the
past our famous clipper ships with their
seven seas and the Yankee whalefs car
ried our flag from pole to pole, so nov
the smoke of u steamers may be seen
In every trade route"