Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-03-04


was cogently presented last week by
Senator RansdeIl, of Louisiana, in his IL
Eliminating speech on the United States mer-
chant marine. Six months after the proc
lamation Of peace, he pointed out (and that
means probably by the end of the current
year,, the Shipping Board will have on It's
hands a merchant fleet of some fourteen
and d half million tons, with power to
operate it and no power to dispose OF 1t, un'
less Congress has by that time adopted fur
ther legislation, the ships have been sold
The complications thus threatened are OF so
vital concern to the nations commerce and
to it's every material interest that public
opinion should array itself in behalf or
prompt and expedient action
AS result of Government construction
designed to meet the needs Of our war trans
portation, the Shipping Board, to quote
the Louisiana Senator, "now owns forty -four
per cent of the ocean-going merchant marine
of the United States. In a few months 1t
will own half. When the ships ALREADY
launched and now being completed in the wet
basins have been delivered it will own nifty
four per cent. When the ships now on the
ways lave 0een launched and delivered II
will own sixty-seven per cent. When all
the ships now under contract by tn Board
have been delivered, more. than seventy per,
cent of the ocean-going tonnage under the
American flag will be owned by the Gov
eminent" 1t should be noted, moreover,
that this tonnage will be sufficient to car
~ sixty per cent of our water-borne COM
merce and together with privately owned
American tonnage, will be capable Of TAX
ing care CT Our entire foreign trade.
These figures indicate the proportions
of the problem in hand Think what it
would mean for seventy per cent OF the
country's ocean-going tonnage to be reduced
to inaction or to be disposed of in way
contrary to public interests, because OF Con-
gress' failure to provide an adequate policy!
1t would be a tragic piece of folly were we
to revert to the shipping impotence into
which the nation sank upon the outbreak of
the European war. At that time we were
dependent upon foreign bottoms Tor more
than ninety per cent of our overseas com
merce-a condition which the entire country
felt to it's detriment, particularly the South,
where cotton, largely because OF a lack Of
transport facilities, lost a market and drop
ped to six cents a pound. The millions OF
tons of American ships built, and now build
ing, under Government direction were au-
thorized primarily to meet military urgen-
cies-the transportation of supplies for our
expeditionary forces and for our allies. But
surely the manifold advantage which the
nation still can derive from the possession
and use of these vessels will not be ignored
simply because the immediate needs for
which they were constructed have ceased
Surely, the vast opportunities they afford for
the promotion of our prosperity in peace will
not be lightly flung away!
Whatever policy Congress may see fit to
adopt should be devised betimes and should
provide that this newly built merchant ma
rine shall not pass from under the Stars and
Stripes. AS the law now stands, the Gov
erGment-built ships must be sold six months
after peace is formally proclaimed Divers
suggestions concerning the future of the
ships have been made. Senator Ransdel
summarized them in this wise:
l. Complete Government ownership
and operation
2. Ownership and operation through
a public corporation controlled by the
Government.
8. Vessels owned, manned and equip
ped by the Government, but operated
by private shipping agencies a COM
mission basis.
4. Vessels owned by the Government,
but operated, manned and victualed by
the private companies.
5. Vessels owned, manned and vict-
ualed by the Government, but leased to
private companies under time charters.
6. Vessels owned by the Government,
but chartered to private companies,
which would pay all expenses of opera
ton and maintenance.
Z. Title to vessels placed in a large
corporation, which would issue stock to
private individuals, the Government par
ticipating in the profits.
8. Selling the vessels to private pur-
chasers.
g. Combination of any of the forego-
ing plans.
of them, matured judgment may approve
it should be stipulated that the fleet shall
remain under American control, for other
Wyn we shall be in peril of losing the price
,