Bisbee daily review., 1919-03-25
U. s. Worlds Most
 Potential Seq POWev
Chairman Hurley of Shipping Board Gives Figures Showing
 Americas Maritime Progress


 pei optimism.
 Real Competition.
 The war has brought us into high place as a maritime power find the peoples Of the world aroused to an intense interest and concern as to the use we are to make of this power.
 ''In America, you have heard much of British competition. In Great Bri- tain I heard a great. deal more about American competition. The truth is that our friends across the water are for the first time entering upon a period of actual competition. In our praise of British seamanship and Brit ish operating ability we have been prone to gnore the advantages which lay on the side of the ships which flew the Union Jack.
 T have no misgivings about the era of competition which is coming. The obstacles of inexperience will quickly give way before American in dustrial strength and energy. It is a ne wage of ocean transportation as well as of public policy. It is an age in which new conditions will rule and old advantages will become inopera- tive. It is an agre of promise for those who would participate in Amer ica's high destiny upon the seas"
 MT. Hurley said prior to August, 1914, both the foreign trade and the shipping of the United States were dominated to a great extent by Brit ish because American traders and ship operators who wished to do business could do so most conveniently through British agencies. In 1915, he recalled, only one-seventh of the foreign trade of the United States was carried in American bottoms.
 ''The total exports and imports of the United States for the year 1915 were approximately 5O,0O0,O0O long tons," said the report With aver age shipping efficiency the movement of these goods would have required about 9,0OO. 900 gross tons of ships.
 Assuming an annual increase in the foreign trade of the United States equal to the average increase for the five years preceding August, 1914, our foreign trade in 1920 would require a greatly increased merchant tonnage if it all were to be carried in American bottoms"
 Mir. Hurley declared it was an ac- cepted principle that a strong. mari time power should carry in it's own ships at least 50 per cent of the az gregate of its exports and imports and in addition some of the trade between countries not yet in the shipping business.
 Assuming a total export and i'm port business in 1920 of 10000. 900 long tons,'' he added, 'It would require fleet of about 7,5OO,OOO gross tons t otranspOrt 60 per cent in our own ships"
 One of the types of ships most de sirable for the new merchant marine. according to MT Hurley, is a speedy, effective combination cargo and pas senger liner of from 15,OOO to 25.OOO deadweight tons which could be op- erated efficiently in the transporta- tiOn of high-class merchandise, pas Nsengers and mail
 Shipping men generally agree" he said, that 1t is not the total tonnage. but the character of the vessels that makes a successful fleet. The country might have 1O,0OO,OOO tons of shipping which if not the right sort could not be operated profitably in competition with ships of a better type belonging to another nation.
 I have heard great deal of talk about the construction of funk ships Tn America, emphasis thus being laid on the number of small ships we had under construction. IL was sought to convey the impression that our new ships would suffer by comparison with those laid down by our. friends and associates overseas.
 Tt may surprise these critics to hear, as l have heard, that British yards had under construction on October 31, 66 ships of 5000 gross tons and over. Our program for that date called for 1O6 ships of 5000 gross tons or over."
 MT Hurley said three factors mili- tated most strongly against the nat ural and desirable expansion of the foreign trade of the United States; first, the necessity flor developing men, thoroughly American in every way. to handle foreign trade; second. the recruiting of an American person. nel for the operation of the ships and the handling of the work at the ports: and, third, the extension of banking facilities
 The idea that too high wages are being paid American seamen for this country to compete with other coun- tries successfully was ridiculed by MT Hurley.