Republican farmer., 1919-11-28
PAYNE WOULD
 END THE OIL. SHIP DISPUTE

Washington, Nov. 26. = Plans for the construction of 100000 dead weight tons of shipping to balance the Government merchant marine, as suggested some time ago by John H. Rosseter, are now being drawn up-by the Shipping Board and will be pre- sented to the next Congress.
 This new shipbuilding programme is distinct from the emergency war programme and will not be entered upon by the Shipping Board unless specifically authorized by Congress according to authoritative informa-
 ton.
 As the situation now stands the
 Shipping Board is endeavoring to bring all present building to an end
 during 1920. With this purpose in view all contracts are being cancelled
 which would run over into 1921
 An illustration of this policy occur
 red several days ago when a delega- ton of North Carolina men, headed by Senators Overnan and Simmons,
 went to the Shipping Board to pro test against the cancellation of con tracts for four vessels at Wilmington, i N. c. They pointed out that the Government had spent money for the erection of the yards and that the 1iIS 1tSSl1 4idQ Id1SGu IuIu5 1OT lI1e
 purchase of land.
 ts No Discrimination.
 | Shipping Board officials then called attention to the fact that the four l keels could not be laid before next summer, and that the actual con | struction would continue we'll into the ] summer of 1921. It was shown that i the cancellation of the Wilmington l contract was no discrimination l against that city. but was only the i general policy of the Shipping Board. Both Shipping Board and Govern ment officials hold the view that the
 war programme should be terminal 1 ed definitely, and the end of, 1920 i has been selected as the date If l Congress and shipping interests feel I that further shipbuilding is neces- ] sary, it is held that this should be l authorized by new legislation on the | part of the government
 i Some confusion as to the building ! of the 100000 additional tons has been caused by an imperfect under standing of the situation. It has
 been announced that no new con l tracts would be let. and this is cor i rect so far as the Shipping Board l policy is affected by existing legisla- i ton. Present indications point to thes adoption of the new programme. The Shipping Board is in favor of the project, and it is known that the testimony of former Director of Op- erations Rosseter before the House committee produced a favorable inn pression.
 Great Need for Oil Tankers
 Among the ships included in the 1 contemplated tonnage are a number of oil tankers. Lack of vessels of | thiS ali Ia 1,- ! by private interests as well as the
 Shipping Board Other ships to be l recommended are medium sized car
 go carriers. It is pointed out that
 the smaller ships cannot .beg operated with as large percentage of profit
 as those from 5000 to 10000 tons. 1 Prospects for the establishment of
 new shipping line to Australia do
 not appear favorable at present, ae-
 cording to intimations from shipping
 Board officials. While some of the
 members of the Board are understood
 to be in favor of closer connections
 with that country, the ruling opin-
 ion just now seems to be against fur
 ther allocations to that route. A representative of Australian farmers was in Washington recently
 seeking to convince officials here that government vessels could be run profitably in that Tafftc and offer- ing to guarantee adequate return. car goes. It was said that a co-opera- tive organization of Australian farm CTS could furnish 100000 tons an nualIy. It was understood from this representative that if efforts to in terest the Shipping Board failed, he would confer with private lines in New York, including some of those , recently formed with strong capital behind them. Dissatisfaction with
 the service of British conference lines } was said to be the reason for the , attempts of the Australians in seek s ing American connections.