Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-12
Representative Edmonds
Proposes New Coastwise
Maritime Service
LIKE RAILROAD SYSTEM
Plan Ships to South America.
Transfer to West Coast at
Panama
The first effort in Congress looking to


ports and the acquisition OF foreign trade
was made in the House of Representa-
z tives in Washington yesterday by Rep5
George W. Edmonds, OF
Philadelphia. member of the House
Committee on the Merchant Marine.
Mr. Edmonds introduced n bill provd- |
ing for establishment by the shipping |
board of four new shipping lines. con- |
iecting Boston. New York. Philadelphia |
and Charleston. with ports on both !
coasts of South Americt, and further d,
linking the Pacific ports the Gulf ports
. and the Atlantic ports by system OF
interchange of freight at Panama and
the Virgin Islands.
4 Although the Edmonds bill follows
in some ways the proposal of Edward
NJ Hurley, chairman of the shipping
board. fer development of new ship lines.
II goes much farther than anything pro-
posed by any member of the shipping
board. and offers brand-new idea with
respect to development of trade routes
with South America.
Mr.. Edmonds's bill applies. to ocean
shipping the same principle which
governs the development of railroad
lines. He departs from the idea that
ship line should be developed between
two important ports and holds there
should be trunk lines and functions. just
as In the case of the railroads. with
branches bringing other points into easy
contact. Mr.. Edmonds says i&is just
as uneconomic to develop shipping lines
between two ports as 1t would be to have
railroad rur. from Philadelphia to
Chicago without touching any other
cities.
Two Ships q Month
The Edmonds bill would give each OF
the Atlantic ports named two ships a
month to South American ports. with
such a system of interchange CT freight
as to link the ports not only with all
the ports in South America. but to pro-
vide ready connection with the Gulf
ports of the United States ard the
Pacific ports.
The bill provides that the lines shall
be operated by the shipping board. az an
experiment by the government to de-
velop trade routes for American-owned
and operated bottoms. 1t would follow
in some respects the British system OF
developing shipping lines for British in
terests. Mr. Fdm0ndss bill carries his
conviction that regularity of schedule.
the German system. has greater merit
than the British system Of tramp steam
ships, following cargoes instead of regu-
lar schedules.
Mr.. Edmonds said he believed the new
lines would be on paying basis In from
three to five years, and he proposes two
ways of aiding them. He would direct
the Postmaster General to pay the mail
subvention to them on all mail to ports
touched by the new lines. and he would
have the governments Panama steam
ship line abolished and the business di
verted to the new lines. The bill pro-
vides further that the State Depart
ment and Department of Commerce shall
endeayor to obtain from the countries
touched by the proposed lines, suitable
mail subvention covering term of years
the sum to be credited to the particular
line earning 1t. and all books and ac'
counts of each line to be kept separate
The Edmonds bill outlines the estab
llshment of the new lines in the follow
ing terms:
The shipping board Is authorized ant
- directed to establish and place In serv
ice the following passenger and freigh
lines of steamships composed of ship
st of suitable size, and equal to or superio
in equipment to the ships used by com
peting lines In similar service.
Line No.
"a monthly service starting at Bos
ton, and, stopping at New York. to tn
principal ports on the east coast o
South America as far south as Bueno
Aires, and a monthly service starting a
Philadelphia, and. stopping at Charles
ton, s. c., to the same ports In Soutl
America the sailing dates to be so ar
ranged as to make the service every fif
teen days from the Atlantic seaboar
and stopping both on northern and south
ern voyages at the Virgin Islands.
Line No. 2
"A monthly service from Boston, stop
Uxrtr tIrNx .1h ha po ovnax
Canal to Coronel, Chile, stopping at tn
principal ports on the west coast o
south America, and monthly servic
starting at Philadelphia, and, stoppin
~ at Charleston, s. c.. to the same port
- In South America, sailing dates to b
~ arranged SO as to make~the service eveS
dfteen days from the Atlantic seaboar(
Line No. s
n "a service every fifteen days. cor
Meeting the Gulf ports of the Unite
states with the Virgin Islands and Color
Panama
Line No.
"A service every fifteen days. cor
meeting the principal ports of the Unite
states on the Pacific coast with Balboi
\ Panama.
N'srhe establishment Of depots for ii
W interchange of freight ana passenger
Is at junction points of the lines is covere
In the following provisions:
"The Shipping board and all of the II
terested departments of the goyernmei
are directed to prepare at Colon and Ba
boa on the Isthmus Of Panama ar
upon the Virgin Islands such faciliti'
As will preserve and rapidly transit
the Interchange of freight between the
lines, whose movements shall be so re
~ ulated as to make as little delay as po
sIble."
" Provision for the gradual withdraw
of the government from the operate
g of the steamship lines and their ope
''f alton by private American capital Il
lows:
One provision is SO worded to pr
vent overcap capitalization and absorpti
of profits by sbig salaries under p
vate operation. Mr.. Edmonds beliey
the government would soon obtain pa
ment for it's ships. and that as
'<A vessels grew old the private operat
realizing on his investment, would
place them with his own ships.
. I<44