The Washington herald., 1920-12-29

DrOaQ
powers 1t has delegated to these executive,
semilegislative and inqusitorial authority.
Everyone OF them has been the product Of
legislative action, presumably simplify and faeiIi-
{ tate the government process and by coordination
OF effort or team-play, to assure wise conclusions
useful effort and minimum of waste in admins
: trative and executive action
: One OF the latest OF these agencies is the Ship
ping Board as the executive control of great mer-
chant feet created for the development of foreign
! trade 1t allocates these ships 1t fixes their trade
routes It determines where they shall 60 I,
directs through them the out-and-in flow Of foreign
trade
1t would be interesting to know il in all this
the Shipping Board uses its independent judgment,
or II IN ITS decisions it co-operates with others of
these agencies created by Congress whose activities
lie much in the same direction; that cross recro.s
and overlap this great field of foreign trade which
is the chief concern of the Shipping Board.
Has the board made any attempt to receive
Tor Its guidance, the judgment experience and opin-
ION OF other departments of the government? Has
It co-ordinated its effort with theirs or gone it
alone?"
The Department of Commerce should know
and doubtless does know the direction and charac-
ter OF our overseas trade most possible of develop
nent; where there is most need, most demand or
least resistance
The Treasury Department could certainly in
form the board as to the currents of overseas ex-
change and finance which could be protected or
used by the intelligent encouragement of trade in
certain directions. On this information might be
based the safety of our exporters and importers in
engaging in such ventures.
The Department of Labor could give most
valuable advice TO the industries in which stag
nation and unemployment most acute and so
most IN need of foreign outlets for their products
The Department Of Agriculture has Bureau of
Markets that knows the agricultural products most
difficult of domestic absorption and that should
have relief through export. 1t knows the grade and
character OF these products and doubtless the mar
Nets ready to accept them.
The Tariff and Federal Trade commissions also
have much available information of great usefulness
IN the final determination of the trade routes and
rates most helpful to American producers, industry
and labor These are all elements that should enter
into determining the ALLEGATION OF this now really
great merchant feet.
Any great business organization with like
new problem to solve, would call together in fire.
quent meetings for consultation, its vice presidents
IN charge OF the different but related operations TO
get coordinate plan 1t would make certain that
the activities of the department supplemented
and htted with those of the other departments and
have all the advantage OF their experience informa-
ton and known needs
Has this been done by the Shipping Board in
complete, or in any measure? Has the board been
instructed ordered to coordinate its program
by whoever is authorized to do this, or to whom
1t IS responsible? If this has not been done GER
tainly it should be, and that at once
If it had been done, it would seem impossible
there could have been many mistakes as have
been made, or that the board would be subject to
the serious criticism that is its lot and the revela
tons from Congressional Investigations