The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-11-25
DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIPS

when the war of 1914 burst forth there WERE unde
the American flag. in overseas shipping in foreig
trade 100000 tons less than we had in 1864
/ Our foreign trade had been growing steadily, Blu
under an enormous handicap. 1t could have bee
many times greater. Our producers and manufac
turers beginning to realize the force of compe
Itition we had been meeting but there seemed to b
difficulties which holding back extensions an
which threatened to unloose the grip then hae
according to Senator Duncan u. Fletcher, who in
lengthy article appearing in the November number
Sea Power urges upon the American people the i'm
portance of keeping control of every vessel nov
owned by the United States Shipping Board
Senator Fletcher says:
| THE Shipping Board ships were built with tn
money of the people-the proceeds of Liberty Bonds
They the pror erty of the people of the United
States. Officers and numbering 81 500 have beer
trained to them. They protect com
MERGE against unreasonable exactons and agans
discrimination.
If we but guard these means of distribution, these
facilities for transportation, there is limit to
trade. and we need never again be fettered and
embargoed trafficker' the seas.
THE American flag will become truly the talisman
of world commercel
1.-The problem today domestic and foreign, of chief
iconcern to us is the problem of distribution. We
|requre facilities at home developed and en-
larged We cannot expect to supply the waiting mar
kets of the world. any material portion thereof,
with ships, American owned and operated.
with adequate tonnage. the markets of the world
are open to us.
1--WE need some of the products of other countries
and they need many of ours. Having the ships, our
flag and products will be welcome. steady IA
vorites in every port.
Il have desire to become the greatest mil
tary power. the greatest naval power. but I
gould like to the United States the greatest
nercia nation the earth, and with adequate ship
ping facilities there is nothing to prevent that.
"That Eation which produce surplus OF the
prime necessities of life which other nations must
have go hungry and uncothed is In a position
of supreme power. America is that nation
Leave off the question of national defense, simply
saying that navy, however, large. is not complete
without complement of merchant ships; that a
navy otherwise. is simply IAN aggregation Of float
ing batteries" and merchant ships are as necessary
to establish sea power as dreadnaughts, torpedo
boats, GOLFERS and the like.
Combining ourselves to commerce. the very life
of our foreign trade depends owning and operat-
ing our own carriers. 1t is, therefore, most crafty
ing to know that while we had at the outbreak of
the only is vessels of 1000 tons and over en-
gagged in trade there have been built by the
United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Cor
poration vessels 53i37so gross TONS 400
lightweight tons. This does not include t22 steel
ships of 465 745 lightweight tons and 63 wooden ships
of 2i6sS2 deadweigh TONS which have recently been
sold to private owners. Nor does 1t include seized
foreign vessels which sunk.
1.-The total gross tonnage under the American flag
including coastse shipping and the fleet operating
the Great Lakes, in June, 1914 42S7000 tons.
The worlds steam tonnage of 100 gross tons and
at that time 1886 vessels Of 4s9I000 gross
or II, S40,5O0 lightweight tons.
THE United Kingdom had about one-haf of that.
ION June 80 i9i9 American steam tonnage of 100
tons and over, including tonnage of the Great
Lakes 36S7 vessels of ii.9s300O gross or 1874
500 lightweight tons. Now we have 24.S per cent Of
the worlds steam tonnage.
"Our program is not complete We ought to COM
plete it fully We ought to have 100000 tons of
ocean shipping for overseas trade. Just why 1t
is considered wise to sell of our cargo vessels
to foreign interests is beyond my comprehension:
II would not sell rowboat. There is call from
every island of the seas for ships The opportunities
for development of trade unlimited. The growth
of every country waits on transportation. Every
country is shouting for ships. We have many and
are getting more We should hold them. and use
them. Don't give the ships should be sounded
in the of the Shipping Board increasingly. Keep
them and operate them. Send them out over new
routes. There is abundant without interfering
with established private lines Trade is waiting for
us, but it is small. indeed. compared to what we
can make it If we command our own carriers and
employ them wisely"
Foreman George Wagner of the fabricating shop
is in receipt of the following letter from one of
his colored helpers:
Mr. George will you please sir have my aptson
card lcmkens about more dairy don't get muth
beatr."
If anyone can tell us lust what the writer meant,