Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-03-28
Chairman Hurley Sounds Out
Public Opinion On Mer-
chant Marine.
HE THINKS IT SHOULD
BE PRIVATELY OWNED
His Solution Should Appeal To
Both Parties, He Firmly
Believes.
By Robert ] Bender

UNITED Press staff correspondent
Washington, Mar. es. The govern
ment has launched its feelerr to the
country on the question Of the private
ownership, with limited federal super
vision. Of maior utilities.
Chairman llurley's recommends
tions in New York last night along
this line, as applied to The var-born
merchant marine. were regarded here
today as move TO sound out public
opinion. 1t may be stated that Hur-
ley's views are personal, however, not
the announcement Of a fixed govern
ment policy.
To Determine Prices
3 He belieYes the merchant marine
built up by the government should be
turned over to private concerns at
prices determined by the world ton
mage market, with part Of the payment
deferred and with half of the ships
earnings in excess Of six per cent to
go into a public fund.
Ship purchasers would give a mort
gage for the unpaid balance, the mort
gage to pay five per cent, one per cent
of which would be turned by the gov
crnmcnt into merchant marine de-
velopmcut fund.
Governmental regulation would be
designed to prevent watered stock and
assure the use of vessels on trade
routes designed TO promote the welfare
Of tho United states
Believes This Is Answer
al believe this is the answer to tho
governments owncrship-private owner
ship discussion Hurley said recent
ly while discussing the plan. 81 be-
leve it win appeal both to democrRts
and republicans. The time has come
when such questions as this must be
decided from the viewpoint Of tho
greatest number This plan rebounds to
The benefit OF the American people. at
the same time it leaves It's develop
ments to tho initiative and skin OF
American ship operators and still abso-
lutey prevents the wate.,ag Of stocks
Despite some evidence that there
may be strong opposition in congress
to selling the merchant marine, Hurley
is planning to 20 ahead with his work
of preparing the vessels for sale along
the line he has suggested.
experts at Work
Experts are now at work in'the ship
ping board compiling da,a on tonnage
costs All over the world TO determine
what would be a fair sale price for tho
American vessels. simultaneously 9th
or experts are at work developing tho
most advantageous trade routes for
ships when they are turned over to prl-
vate concerns.
aTho idea, Hurley says, sis to get
all Of these matters in completed form
so that when the project of turning
the vessels over to private concerns
we can put the ships on
the WAYS as it were, and let them side
easily into the channels Of foreign
trade.
In connection with Hurley Is plan, a
strong sentiment has developed both
within and outside congress recently
for handling the railroads as private
undertakings under moderate tedoraI
Hence the reaction OF
Hnrley's plans is expected to have an
important bearing on the ultimate disi
position og the railroads and perhaps
even the wire communicating system
OF the country, now being operated ny
the government.
Has some Opponents
Hurley a plan is moi without ifs op-
ponents. however Senator Fletcher,
ranking democratic member Of the sea-
ate commerce committee and late char
man of that committee, is opposed to
selling the ships now, expressing tho
belief that they would eventually gee
into the possession Of few OF the
shippina interests which are already
waiting to take them over. "