Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-20
KEEP HOG ISLAND !
AS SHIP TERMINAL
This Is Advice of Head of
Senate Commerce Com
mittee
INVESTIGATED BIG YARD
Fletcher Says Plant is Worth
Every Dollar 1t Cost
Government
INVESTIGATED BIG YARD

Senator Duncan L. Fletcher. chair
man of the Senate Commerce Com
nittee which Investigated Hog Island.
declared. in an interview in Washing
ton. that the worlds greatest ship
yard" should be retained by the govern
ment and developed with a great freight
shipping terminal.
THE Hog Island shipyard Is worth
every dollar that It cost" said Senator
Fletcher. We have the greatest
shipyard in the world at Hog Island
and am an favor Of keeping 1t and
Keeping II in operation.
The full value of the yard is not to
be obtained. although it is turning out
ship a week. II should be developed
into great shipping terminal, for
which it is especially equipped. Freight
terminals should be established there
and it should be used as point for the
shipment of freight"
In Continued Operation
Senator Fletcher declared that he ia
Nors continued government operation cf
the merchant marine that he is on
posed to the repeal .of the seamen's act,
ard that he is not in favor of having
the government write off the war cost of
the ships in favor of private purchasers
III the government must own and
operate these ships in order to enable
the country to have great merchant
marine, then the government must do
it, said Senator Fletcher.
Senator Fletcher said he did not know
what Chairman Hurley, of the United
States shipping board, would advocate
in the report he will make on March
21, but he said he was convinced the
country is not in favor of the plan 10
have the government cell the ships to
private purchasers at less than their
cost. which some shipping interests
propose.
They want the government to write
off the additional cost of construction
due to the fact that the ships were
| built during the war period and sell
them the ships at what they call stand
ard prices said Senator Fletcher 81
am opposed to that. do not believe
the country would stand for it,
IF we lose this opportunity to have
and maintain a great merchant marin,
we will never get it back again" h,
| said.
Opposed 10 Subsidies
Il am opposed to subsidies and an
against the repeal Of the Seamans act
| To write off the war cost Of these ship.
in favor Of private purchasers woult
be one of the greatest subsidies we coult
grant
Senator Fletcher said while he woul,
like to see private enterprise own ant
operate the merchant fleet, he did no
believe private enterprise could NEE
conditions that would be required Of il
The government is not only maxim,
money in operating the ships now, h
safl. but he is convinced that 1t coul,
continue to operate them at a profit.
The United States can build ships a
cheaply as England, and can build then
just as rapidly. he said. British labor
he said, is demanding the same wage
American shipworkers receive and. tn
United States has the advantage ofhav
ing a great supply of raw materials
said Senator Fletcher. Moreover. h
said, ''the time Is past when, this coun
try cannot compete with othef nation
in shipbuilding and in operation of til
ships"