New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-04

different trades and marine conditions.
It is remarked that the Shipping Board
has at the head of its division of opera
tons about as practical shipping man
as there is in Americ-. in the person
of j. II. Rossetcr, who is associated
with the shipping interests of the
american international Corporation
and was loaned to the Shipping Board
expressly because it required the most
practical sort of man to direct the
manifold problems and transactions re-
lating to an owned or controlled fleet
OF more than 5000 900 tons.
Mr.. Rosseter is a dynamic. two-tsted
sort of person, who has dealt with ship
ping problems, big and little, all
around the world, and has proved ny
his personal experience that when
America goes into the shipping bust
ness, as it has always done in other
forms Of business, it can give any other
country in the world a lively dose OF
competition.
He Whipped the Germans
1t was Rosseter who, as manager of
the Pacific Mail and the Grace Line
ships. fought the German Cosmos line
to complete standstill and abject
commercial surrender on the Pacific.
He is all practical and then some, but
that doesn't mean that he is without
vision and imagination. He is an en-
thusiastic believer in America as a
great sea power.
The moment the armistice was
signed Rosseter was concentrating on
adapting ships building and ordered
to the requirements of trade, instead
Of those of war supply. The Decem-
Der deliveries of ships were about cut
in two in order to dctaln practically
completed ships so that they could be
altered to suit them for commercial
uses.
Mr.. Rosseter has considered every
sort of service that the ships may be
turned to, has in mind the types OF
ships suited to the different trades
and services and the probable number
that each can utilize.
Since the signing of the armlstlce
Mr.. Rosseter has, so TO speak, ordered
the sort of ships he wanted, to cor
respond to the commercial demand,
and the Emergency Fleet Corporation
has undertaken to deliver them. die
has been the buyer and the corpora
ton has been the vendor.
Awaits Peace Treaty
In the matter of determining the fut-
ure of the American merCHaNl Hdliue
very little progress will be made, how
ever, until after the peace conference
is over. Almost every aspect OF the
merchant marine question faces toward
Versailles now, and there is little
chance that either the President or the
Shipping Board will have any policy to
recommend to Congress until 1T is de-
termined what are to be the future
relations of America to the other pow
ers
On these relations our merchant ma
rine policy Will be based in large meas
ure. so far as it is possible for the
President and the Shipping Board to
shape it. Henry NJ. Robinson, assistant
to Chairman Hurley. recently has been
called to Paris by Mr.. Hurley, and he
has taken with him the results OF the
studies Shipping Board committee has
been making of the multitude OF mat
tiers that have a bearing on the future
of sea trade. not only Of America but
of the world.
While the big game is being played
in Europe officials on this side are in
clined to lie low, but they are all hop
ing that the outcome will be such
that. Internationally America Will have
a free hand in following up the de-
velopment that is now pointing toward
maritime supremacy of the republic.