Evening journal., 1919-10-14
FIGURES THAT TELL THE STORY.

~ HROIGH the Republican publicity Association facts
and figures bearing upon tie merchant marine OF ihs
world have been compiled in form that shouiu insAe
them attractive and enlghiening to all who desire hat
the merchant marine shall be bui up TO pro-
portions which viii make it power in the world
Vessels engaged in foreign trade which entered and
cleared American ports during the fiscal year ended June
80 1919 aggregated nearly 93oOOO net tons according to
Official figures recently published Let us anayze those
figures.
OF this tonnage nearly 100000 was foreign ana
100000 was American either temporarily op-
Grating under our flag. or the American tonnage over
335oOOo Piled between the United states and North
American ports principally those Of Canada Mexico and
Cubaeasy distance thus leaving less than 100000 net
tons to handle our import and export trade with the rest
Of the world.
The total Of That trade for rhe nsca year 1919 was
valued siOi79OOOO0 imports amounting TO S5O96VvNO
and exports TO s7O7lO0OOOO total trade with North
America came to s23iiOOOO0, Of which Si3ilO0@O was
hauled by "cars and other land vehicles, leaving some
thing like one billion dollars worth Of our trade to be
moved by 335OOOoO net tons Of American vessels
While this was going on the remainder Of our trade
with the world amounting TO sls50O0OOO in value was
being carried by something under GOOOOO Of net tom
mage Of which nearly 20 per cent was foreign or at
rough calculation, foreign vessels carried about S'V"~
ooo o0o ar 20 per cent OF our entire trade last year
To nut A. in another light: While 3350OOOO net tons
OF American vessels were handling billion dollars
worth OF our foreign trade within the confines Of The
North American division 52OO00OO net tons Of foregn
vessels were getting paid for handling seven billion dol
lars worth OF our foreign trade TO and from the utter
most confines Of the earth and in between
To tie American who has relied implicitly on the rosy
vision OF America triumphant as a maritime nation as
pictured by the press agents Of this Administration us
analysis will give quite jolt Expressed m ratio u Wouu
read something like this: 3351OOO 50 1900
Ton for ton foreign tonnage showed an efficiency
nearly four and onealf times greater than our own ID
getting cargoes.
For example the net tonnage Of British England
ireland and scotland vessels entering and cearps our
norris in 1919 loaled i5 10000 and il handled s3O6iOOWO
worth of our trade-nearly one-thrd OF it, in fact THIS
was less than oneJalf the tonnage deyoed to the
North American division handled over three times
,e trade by value Japan with entrance and clear
apce in American ports Of 5ssOOO tons handled nearly
one billion dollars worth Of foreign trade or win
less than twentieth Of the tonnage we devoted to
North American trade the aps handled equal value Of
our foreign trade The Danish Dutch and Norwegian
vessels entered and cleared ports in aggregae OF
nearly 27OOOOO tons handling Si72O00OO worth OF our
trade
These are the great maritime nations with whch we
must compete in the future and never forget that Ter
many is coming back within ten years, the association
asserts our merchant marine must have the full support
and cooperation the and The people If II IS
TO succeed and this will necessate government aid and
ultimately private operation and ownership TO insure
business efficiency and fair returns.
What we give in aid will return an hundred-fold IN
trade for ship is the salesman in the world anC
the people must support the program Tor perpeuats
the American nag the high seas