Evening journal., 1919-01-14
REpFIELD AND AMERICAN COMMERCE.

c ECRETARY or COMMERCE REDFIELDS recent recon-
- mendations that The United states lie low and permit
the nations Of Europe to have first chance at the world
export trade in order that they may rehabiate them
selves to be bearing fruit according TO protests
which are being made by the American Exporters and
Importers Association This association declares that
governmental red tape and official incompetency are
robbng American manufacturers shippers and much
talked-of merchant marine Of the opportunity OF life
time" Promises made to exporters a month or so ago
by the Washington bureaucras not being kept they
declare and passing the buck" has become popular
in Official circles that relief whatever has been a
forded.
The president of the association. George F. Trow-
bridge declares that the situation is growing desperate
and we are entirely out Of patience. What makes us
hottest the fact that 1t seems TO be wholly un-
necessary and due TO ridiculous red tape He refers TO
promises Of the Secretary Of War to give up ships to
meet the emergency and assurances Of the Shipping
Board for the immediate release Of 100000 tons OF ship
ping The War Trade Board promised the prompt
lease Of licenses and the charter committee promised TO
reduce rates TO compete with British rates
Everyone was with us" says Mr. Trowbridge "and
things looked bright for immediate relief" But moth
Ing has been done despite their repeated appeals Every
one passes the buck" The acting chairman Of the
Shipping Board cannot take action while Mr. Hurley is
galliyanng around Europe trying to effect nterna-
onal scale OF pay and dayng with other chmeras
and cabegrams to Hurley receive response Meantime,
rates and getting the business. while held up to
absurdy high rates. almost double those Of British ships
We've got lot Of lovely correspondence back and FORTH
but no ships while British merchants are making de-
livery prices all the world that getting them the
business and giving cancellations by millions. We
strong for building up American Merchant Marine,
but II we don't get the business there won't be any need
for one" Mr. Trowbrldge denounces this surrender
policy Of the administration as "the most disgraceful
instance Of governmental incompetency we have ever
seen Everyone at Washington has cold feet for fear
OF his official head while Hurley doesn't 20 care
rap about anything but his own little schemes"
The association has written to the Shipping Board
calling attention to the fact that tonnage has been al
otted from the Pacific Coast rate OF $50 to compete
with the Japanese but nothing has been done to reduce
the rate here New York; steamship companies sti de-
mandng $50 to the Far East. "Our business is rapidly
being absorbed by our competitors abroad who in
position TO figure landed costs based onehaf the
rate of freight we are compelled to charge"
II is recalled that when Secretary Redheld made the
suggestion that do nothing to embarrass European
countries in their export trade and he included Germany
In his ridiculous "paama interview no reference was
made to Japan, and the fact that action has
been taken to meet japanese competition leads many to
believe that the Shipping Board the War Trade Board
and other bureaus have determined to adopt Redelds
suggestions and permit European competitors friend
enemy thoroughly to entrench themselves regardless of
the present and ultimate effect American export trade
Mr. Redded has become notorious since his elevation
TO the cabinet, and before member Of Congress-
the ardent champion Of foreign against American ex
port trade and practically every policy which he has
naugurated has been hurtful TO the American trade.
With the iron clutch Of the Government on all cargo
carriers and commodities for export he is in a
position 20 enforce absolute surrender American in
erests to European industries the plea that we cap
tured our new markets as result of the war although
in the campaign Of 1916 he Boosting Of this very
thing.