The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-12-17
ENGLAND MoNopoLIzEs SHIPPING.

The apparent ease and rapidity with which England
Is taking unto herself the commerce OF South america
strongly emphasizes the Immediate needs Of some com.
prehensve policy for the peacetlme employment Of our
huge merchant marine fleet, and its further develop
meat. We have the ships now and We have the goods 70
sell. The financial side % the problem has been taken
care Of. Congress passed an act authorizing manufac
turers to combine in order to develop foreign markets,
and amended the Federal Reserve Act so as TO permit
national banks to own stock in foreign trade banks.
But what is lacking is the incentive to profit that
would come If our ships were privately owned and oper
ated. Until the government divests itself of its vessels
and puts them in the hands Of private corporations that
will operate them on time schedules over designated
routes. there will be little effective competition with for
eigners. 1t is said that the Americans in the Canal Zone
arc bitter over the complacent way in which England is
permitted to monopolize South and Central American
trade. Ships of the Royal Mail Packet Company and the
Pacific Steam Navigation Company are reported TO have
been put on routes to South America as far back as july
1917. Al that time we were busy in transporting our
troops overseas, and in carrying supplies and foodstufs
to them and to our allies
Since the pressure of that work has subsidized Mr.
Hurley has promised ships for our South American trade,
but they have not been forthcoming. Il IS said that not
an American vessel has been in the harbor OF Buenos
Aires for five months. although there are almost daily
arrivals of European ships. AT Panama one is impressed
with the insignifcance of our showing of tonnage as
compared with that of England and the other nations Of
Europe. Congressman Reavis. who recently returned
from a trip to Panama. says that England is perform
ing a Caesarian operation on whatever southern com
MERGE we enjoyed in the past. Congressman viii Wood,
it will be remembered, said the same thing.
The country is now experiencing the disastrous re
suits Of the utter neglect OF our maritime interests by
the Democratic leaders of the last Congress, and the
stubborn refusal OF the President TO call the new Con
gress together TO deal with the pressing problems that
confront the nations. The months that are slipping by
are vital to the United States if We entertain any notion
of maintaining our present high place among the mari
time nations. Already the persistent refusal Of the party
that has been in power OF the legislative branch OF the
government. and that now controls the executive. TO per.
nit the adoption of a comprehensive merchant marine
policy, has lost to us much Of the foreign trade that
should have come our way. If the division Of our mer.
chant fleet among private owners and the establishment
of dependable lines of steamers 10 South American and
other foreign ports is much longer delayed stagnation
will result. our ships will either be sold or look in vain
for cargoes, and we will revert TO the disgraceful condi
tons that characterized our merchant marine before the
war.