The Washington times., 1919-04-23
5DIXIE PORTSASK
14SHIPSALLOCATED

Accepting the prediction of the Uni
ted States Shipping Board that a re-
juvenated merchant marine will soon
send American ships upon the seven
seas, delegations representing five
Southern ports will march upon the
Shipping Board tomorrow and ask the
ALLEGATION of fourteen ships for their
Latin-American trade.
Wilmington. Charleston. Brunswick,
Savannah, and Jacksonville will have
spokesmen at the special hearing ac-
corded by the board. Senators Sim.
mons of North Carolina. and Tram
nell, of Florida, are here to partici-
pate in the shipping conference, and
Senators Smith, Georgia, and Smith,
South Carolina, possibly will attend.
The governors of the four States in
terested will send personal represen-
tatives.
Matthew Hale, formerly of Boston.
now located at Wilmington, president
OF the South Atlantic Maritime Asso-
ciatiCn, will head the delegations OF
business men. James H. Cowan, sec
retary OF the Wilmington chamber
Of commerce, is here to file kilograms
from officials, rotary clubs, and civic
organizations OF the four States sup
porting the plea of the five Southern
ports and promising cooperation Of
the interior cities in upbuilding the
merchant marine.
Movement Is National.
To the extent that greater utiliza-
tion of the South Atlantic ports will
relieve congestion at ocean terminals,
eliminate long railroad hauls and de-
velop trade with Latin-America and
the West Indies. the movement is ma
tionaI rather than sectional.
The maritime organization Is
Ananced and sustained by the business
interests and citizens of the FIVE
Southern ports which are now insist
ing that a proportionate share of the
nations ocean commerce be handled
through the ports of the productive
region along the lower Atlantic sea-
! board. and the contributing interio.
cities.
! The commerce program contem-
| plates that the ALLEGATION of the
requisite number of ships shall be fol.
lowed by organization of a quasi
public league Of cities" company tC
further the export interests Of the
South Plans for a $10,000,O0O export
ing concern were recently made at a
mass meeting in Atlanta, where fif
teen cities were represented.
Request Is Modest.
A program calling for fourteen
ships out of a total Of several hun
dred Government-owned vessels now
in the American trade is re-
rarded by the maritime association as
a modest request on the part Of the
South Atlantic States. It will be ar
gued that congestion at north.Atlantic
ports but recently threatened to break
down the entire transportation system
by rail and water. and the proper de-
velopment and use of the south At
Iantic ports as shipping points for
foreign trade will render such 6
breakdown hereafter impossible.
The Shipping Boards statement OF
last week forecast that the forthcom-
ing commerce of America would make
| necessary the use of numerous ports
now not fully utilized, including "tht
half-forgotten ones" While not ir
| the half-forgotten class. Wilmington
| Charleston, Brunswick, Savannah anc
| Jacksonville are early upon th5
Washington scene seeking ships AND
a chance to make good.
The hearing before the Shipping
Board tomorrow will present a situa-
tion wherein five competing ports
have pooled their interests and Joined
7 in a general movement to support the
merchant marine policies Of the Ship
| ping Board, at the same time estab
fishing closer trade relations with
| Latin-America and a proper use q
South Atlantic ports for the natural
traffic" which should flow through
them.