The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-07
Washington TO
CONSIDER POLICY
Of U. 5. SHIPPING
Would Bring Trade From
South America to | his
Country.
USE GERMAN SHIPS.
ToEstab lis h Definite
Routes For the Promo
ton and Interchange OF
Business.
USE GERMAN SHIPS.


May "a man from
rfo Ianeiro. who had business "ith
the state department, arrived Al
Washington today via Londoh-
The visit of this gentleman ana wy
round-anotlt way he travelled 10 reach
washtnrton led officials Of the state
fenartment to consider seriously the
.hinpinr Motley OF the United states
and the special uses this government
IL 10 make of the seized German
merchant ships now permanently a.
onired under an agreement reacnc"
In Paris.
A.. .sxy,,;se Senators are. ,eiamortng Tor
an rvsn more specific recognition es
the Monroe Doctrine than that wnien
has appeared in the revised covenant
of the league of nations. state ae
partrnent officials are inclined 10 thtnA
that mere declaration In words
= would be -unavaiftnE- atttess IA = "a "a
States shall cement the friendship be
tween the two continents OF America
and promote the interchange OF trade
nv the establishment OF definite trade
Of such excellent accommodations
that the people of South America
viii prefer to some TO tho Unated
rather than go to Europe, or at least
they will be enabled to come here
other than by the way OF Europe
Shipping board officials today admit
ted that the only practical way 70
travel between the East coast OF
South America and the United states
Ii by the way OF Europe
GET SUITABLE SHIPS
1nA larger vessels obtained by the
Tinted aRKres unrer the Paris agree
nent- Chairman Hurley. of the ship
ping Board. said today are suitable
only for the trans Atlantic trade
Those suitable for other trade will be
put into service along routes which
win bring the greatest benefit to
American commerce
CONGRESS must decide on tho ultf-
: mate disposition OF The German
ships Mr.. Hurley said He 10 now
working on his report which will con-
tain recommendations for balanced
feet. These recon me ndations viii In
cIudc the established route over which
each ship In the American merchant
marine should ply and the new types
of vessels to he constructed in order
70 round out the feet
Mr. Hurley contemplates complete
peace time program to present for the
consideration of congress. In passing
or this program congress must de-
eide whether the merchant feet Is TO
be operated by the government or
turned over to private intetests.
u. s. AHEAD OF GAME
Acquisition OF the German ships
puts the United States from three 10
FIVE years ahead of the game" Nj
Hurley said 1t would have taken this
length of time to have constructed an
equal amount OF tonnage In the UnGted
States
II Is weli known that there is In
Washington an interdepartmental
board which was appointed. with the
state department in the lead. to con-
slider the rehabilitation of American
trade with the world Immediately fol-
lowing nc armistice One of the
special functions of this board was 10
consider the restoration of this
country's trade with Latin American
countries. which Great Britain start
81 efforts TO acquire the moment she
withdrew her ships from service as
transports bringing American soldiers
home from Europe Members OF that
hoard now considering what can be
done to regain this trade.
n the United States permit. Great
Britain. France and other European
countries to monopoiixe the trade Of
South America by failure to AFFORD
shipping facilities. the result. state
department officials say will be that
South American countries may be-
come 80 involved in trade relations
with Europe that they might be In
clined to view invocation of tho
Monroe Doctrine by the United
states as an interference rather than
protection.