New-York tribune., 1920-09-25
Nations Ship
Policy Held
Up by Politics
administration Said TO Fear
Eject of Appointment of
Shipping Board Pending
.he Presidential Election
Revelations Not Relished
New Body Expected to Give
Full Particulars of Cost
Since Operation Began


h With determinations being brought
..,ive,y into play against American
I ,ss,ping by foreign nations, and with
& 10 government blocking efforts to en-
saree the legislation framed to aid the
\ ,.v merchant marine, shipping men are
/ ..,ieusly concerned over the outlook.
! paesns adyices from the Philippines
4 ;sSeats that methods prejudicial to
Amer;ean shipping have been prac-
iiesd there. In Manila, it is stated, for
h a,sanee. an agreement existed as to
,hs prices to be fixed on transpacitic
;,,irhts. One of the foreign lines,
vbich was party to this agreement,
s reported to have secretly cut rates
u, some time before it's action was
4 discovered.
AIN other words" says Manila pub
Hestiop, "ap English concern was at
snpting to underbid the United States
shipping Board boats, and thus secure
larger share of the freight offered
,han would come to them in the ordi-
! uary course of trade"
\ The charge is also made that a pc
vo!eum company has refused to sell
4 oil to American oil burning merchant
,hips and that the explanation is that
sAis is done on "orders from London"
/! Commercial Warfare Waged
"These are in themselves petty mat
tsrs,n says the Manila paper. "but they
show very clearly the manner in which
he commercial warfare is now being
.onducted and presumably will be con-
dusted in the future"
& Failure of the government to take
stsps to effect the changes in treaties
3 v!th other nations directed by the
3 aerchant marine act, shipping men
4 eaint out, is leaving other countries
q ires to discriminate against American
h shipping without fear of retaliation.
4 Extension Of Great Britain's policy of
\ imperial preference is looked for, and
The effect Of this is expected to fall
Il uost heavily upon the American mer-
B chant marine. This is especially true
N the case of the agreement between
! Canada and the British West Indies
There is much comment over the
sHitude of the government in regard
10 the treaty clauses of the merchant
4 marine act in contrast to the
stand taken on the provisions of
the La Toilette seamen's law of
b 1sl5, which also directed treaty
s.haages. The State Department, fol-
4 owing the passage of the scamen's
set promptly served notice of the
proposed treaty changes on the various
soyernments affected. No question
vas made at that time as TO the right
u Congress to direct the President to
ahnal treaty provisions, ncr was any
saestion raised as to the right to can
eel part of treaty and let the re-
rainder stand What President Will
pon sanctioned FIVE years ago. it is
pointed out, he now opposes, although
tae procedure required in the two
ases is identical.
Appointment Delay Serious
Equal interest is taken by shipping
men in the Presidents failure to ap-
Ydint the new Shipping Board, which
he was required to do as soon IS practic-
I sale after the passage of the merchant
nasine act. Pending the appointments,
4 the whole marine policy of the coun-
~ is held up and shipping conditions
I are becoming more and more unsettled.
According to reports in shipping
circles there are about sixty applicants
A iol places on the new board, and the
4 psitlcial aspect of the situation is
q largely responsible for the delay in
i making the appointments. AS only
j seven places are TO be filled, it is
siged, there will be more than fifty
disappointed candidates. Pending the
appointments, al can be looked to to
work hard for the Administration
usEet in the hope that by showing re-
sats they Will increase the likelihood
securing the place coveted. If the
appointments were made now. it is
canned, the political enthusiasm Of
ne disappointed ffty-odd would wane
.sa the campaign would lose number
q workers for the ticket Therefore, it
argued, the places on the board will
aot De filled until after Election Day.
another theory advanced, which is
4 aere generally accepted in shipping
Circles, is tha. If the new board should
" appointed now il might take things
~ ITS own hands with results embar-
sssihg to the situation. At no time
nnee us formation has the board given
sa a statement showing exactly how
- nnances stood in relation to the
ssses incurred il operation. With the
q .1sas'eht changes that have occurred in
membership Of che board, the
my mas been for each successive
soup OF members to pass on TO it's
,aSas Sassors 'he task of enlightening the
ssosis as to the actual conditions sur
sIhalhg government ownership and
4 sseration Of ships.
Million Day Loss Reported
According to reports. the losa in
sassed by the board in its operation
esseis sor some time past has ex-
ssssose $1,000 900 a day. To Offset this
4 pne extent the board has recently
9, .a Lay'ng up ships for which little
~ 40 cargo vas In sight. With mount
4 al pesatlng expenses, however, it is
4 ;ra shat this will have little effect
ssencing expenses.
W.. believed that the new board
u s appointed, will take early action
s,,t on the slate by issuing a state
Sss,d ssho"ing exactly how much the
,Sst .hs mas spent and received and lust
Il , 'ne legitimate overhead has been
xAss operation Of the ships. This il
" % cur predecessors have done and
ses,,. NOT responsible for it; Whist
viii T. hereafter Is chargeable to ug.n
pa. tne attitude, IL is said.
u +. ssiations Of the sort indicated
aai s. nsaae in the midst Of a presiden-
k kssspaign, it is pointed out. would
Ven sy injurious to the Administra-
pess,.t. ,nsaet. and for this reason no an
Mter ast are likely to be made until
"' election is over. "'''
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