Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-01-29
BRITISH WILL COMBAT
AMERICANS FOR TRADE.
Friendly, but Strenuous, Contest for
Shipping Business Predicted
FOR Future.
DISCUSS QUESTION OF WAGES
International Commerce Will he
More Necessary Than Ever. and
Spirit OF Good Will Is Advocated
by Committee.
Hi ". e.. FEItItA
(Englisf Nnrrl Dxprrt.j

Hr ". &. FsRItABY.
tEnElish Nnrnl Expert
! LONDON. January 2S.-Navits exist
III Inc FIRST place 10 protect scaborne
commerce: tina, is the basis OF al
sea warfare. Any nation therefore that
carrying trade Will find Itself con-
frontcd with tho necessity for main
tanning big protective lighting fleet.
These are elementary statements.
some may say. but in tho high-broH
atmosphere OF modern life we tend TO
overlook the elemental in our discovery
Of tho complex, and then VIC pile the
ship on the rocks.
In order to assist the allied cause
The United States entered upon "a gil
Eantic program of merchant shin con-
struction during the war. and when
the world has settled down to normal
ways again the United States govern
ment vii find itself confronted with
tho problem OF tho control OF a very
large Shipping industry. For even the
most tndividualiatic opponents OF ma
iona iZo zion have always admitted that
tho mercantile marine of a nation must
always be subject to certain meas
ure or state control
UNITED STATES CONFROSTS
RIVALRY OF NATIONS
Ana al tho same time the United
states EoNernmr will find itself con-
'rontch with tina; most potent EXETER
vf tnierna,iona! Jealousy rivalry
May !. as Brion. be perfectly frank
ter? The next few years arc going
TO see Britain and America in tho
thFocs OF very stiff fight, nor for
supremacy, but for an equal chance 10
eAtst as maritime trading nations We
in England see that quite clearly and
VIC arc preparing for 1t in the same
spirit that We prepared for tho A!nci-
iran CUP competitions and for the O!ym-
pc games ~ is gointS TO be "a sports
innI'i'"a contest. but IL Is going TO
10 contest and do not think all the
- n n I'm lnt
EenuiiN OF man could devise could
avert tina; rontest.
SHOULD BEUIS FRIENDLY
RATTLE AMONG TRADERS
IL Is well, therefore. tina, We should
begin In friendly atmosphere. and
clear away any misconceptions there
dards OF fair play.
ThsrG Is one great hindrance TO
as always. tho human element We
in England have no doubt OF our
ability to build plenty of ships at
ships. so TAR as the mechanical side
goes, at profit What we cannot
control is the price which viii be paid
To the men who run the ships. whose !
labor is Indispensable TO the running
Of the ships. We have in tho past
ored labor. and we want TO abolish
that feature of our mercantile ma
rine.
The American ~mcrcantiie marine
has reached MIA; goal already under
the clause in the seamens &C; which
requires the language Of officers and
crews TO be approximately the same,
but that clause does not de- British
sSamcn from employment ia he Amer
or rates of pay in tho American ships
! Is an attraction that will fitch from
us the plek OF our officers apd great
FIGHTiNG INrEi.NXTIoNAI
, whGE RATE Fok W'.,.k MEN
h,En
birds Of the British officers in some
shins that were transferred TO Amer
za,ion papers since that time. IL ia
true the British National Maritime
Board has brought about consider
rccrs and mon OF tho merchant scr
Vice. bu: those rates arc still below
sighted students fotescc grave dim
cul,ics in the future from this diff
Tho president Of the Seamen's Union
Of America is lighting hard against an
International standard OF wages for
ws Wsgd A ssnd to labor s
leader, that is partly his duty. but he
IS also citizen Of the country tina.
rsi openly ss, en nd re league OF
that he has also a duty 10 humanity,
and tina: duty Is by all possible means
30 reduce causes OF international jeal-
ArrER-wAR POSITION
OF SHIPPING UNCERTAIN
very uncertain. y grca, boom is OK
pected but In peace "a in war II Is
the unexpected that must be guarded
shipping as in every other business
must tend to cramp trade, If not indeed
20 Stne II altogether.
!. There is again the very veIed and
difficult question Of free trade by sea.
The navigation laws OF the United
o ro no takf 2ny InT shut
trade all ships, but those Of American
registry. The danger of this sort of
ton BY other countries has been very
clearly impressed on the British pub
lie by the government committee under
'he. Craftsmanship of Sir Alfred Booth
which has been considering maritime
reconstruction after the war. The COM
mittee reported that 1t would be un-
mcnt TO British shipping over that of
INTER- NATioNAL COMMERCE.
NECESSARY AFTER WAR
international commerce will be
more. than ever necessary after war.
on n course which would hamper the
natural flow of trade and lead TO end
less less qnarr rel SmH1ng the maritime ma
That is the British point Of view.
and o venture to say that 1t Is based
hopes TO carry on tho inevitable com
petition for sea-borne commerce and
to hold her head high among the com
petitors.
It is the spirit in which most Eng
lishmcn believe the. United States
with that mutual good will Il should
be possible to arrive at working
definition OF freedom of the seas' in
peace time which will meet tho re-
duiremcnts of the world and not Of a
section. The freedom of the seas in
war time is another matter altogether,
and to II ] must return in n si1bsc,
duent tribution.-Copyright 1919.