Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1919-12-04
FARMERS EXPOSE
BIG SHIP STEAL
Vicious Bill Of Interests Aims
at Grab Of All United
States Vessels.

A most vicious and dangerous bill
emanating from the dig shipping in
terests and having for its aim the
aucuoning off of all government
owned ships to the big shipping COM
bine and to friendly aliens'' has been
exposed by the Farmers National
Council with headquarters in Wash
ington. The council asks the people
everywhere to deluge their congress-
men and senators with letters protest
ing against this steal, and advocates
that the government keep its ships
built during the war as q protection
for the people against the shipping
Il st.
The statement of the Farmers Ma
tional Council follows:
Ever since the armistice the inan-
cial interests have demanded that the
government sell the ships constructed
during the war at big reduction from
the cost Of construction, keep hands
off ocean freight rates, and give the
private companies purchasing the
ships very easy credit terms. Practic-
ally all Of the financial interests de-
mands have been Incorporated in the
bill introduced by Chairman Greene
of the House Committee on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries.
A Vicious Bill
This bill provides that the United
States Shipping Board is not only
authorized but directed" to 'sell as
promptly as circumstances permit" all
the vessels which the Shipping Board
has constructed during the war thru
any agency except those required in
the military and naval reserves Of the
United States. The Board is to sell
these ships at such prices and on such
terms and conditions as it shall deter
mine, with the condition that steel
vessels may be sold upon part pay
ment Of the purchase price in cash ut
the time Of delivery and the balance
paid in installments over period of
ten years. The Board is authorized
to sell ships to aliens, other than
enemy aliens. and allies or associates
Of enemy aliens, at any price the
Board may agree upon, and on "such
terms and conditions as the Board
may determine" If they are upneces-
sary to the maintenance of an efficient
merchant marine.
Auction Peoples Property
There is a provision that sales, char
ters or leases of vessels may be made
by private bids" at the discretion of
the Board. This bill instructs the
United States Shipping Board to aban-
don the policy of a aforementioned
merchant marine; which tile farmers
demand, and puts the farmers at the
mercy of the financial interests. Four
or five shipping rings now control all
the worlds chief shipping except that
owned in America. Congressional in
vestigatiOns proved that American
shipping before the war was dominant
ed by few big companies, that there
were pools or gentlemen's agreements
between all the chief shipping lines.
and that many shipping companies
made over 40 per cent net profits.
The farmers only hope of securing
lower ocean freight rates and fair SER
vice, his only hope to escape the heavy
tolls Of shipping ring, lie in a gov
ernment-Owned merchant marine, even
though operated under lease. Under
the Greene bill there will be no gov
eminent control over ocean freight
rates to foreign ports. The farmers
will be at the mercy Of the shipping
ring,-part of the financial ring, which
has fixed the prices Of his wheat and
other farm production.
U. s. Big Ship Owner
During 1918 we completed shipping
Of dead weight tonnage Of 3,1O3, 593
tons, and started 2,54O,896 more tons,
making total tonnage of nearly s.
845,O tons. The government now
has under contract steel cargo vessels
with dead weight tonnage of $685.
600 tons. The carrying capacity of
the merchant marine Of the world is
at least 100000 tons less than in
July, IDA.
To protect the farmers our ships
must remain in government owner
ship.
We urge farmers and farm Organlza-
tiOns to write at once to their United
States Senator's and Congressman op-
posing the plans to turn over the rail
and ocean transportation Of America
to private spectators.