Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-24
Admiral Benson's Policy Of
Fair Play for Ports
HAT Is capitally important policy
| important to the country as

/ important to the country as d
l. whole, and particularly to the South
which Admiral Benson announced Wnen ne
declared, in an address at washington TINS
week. that the Shipping Board, in order
ing steamship service under the new Trans
portation act proposes to break up the
monopoly held by a few Atlantic ports.
Instead of the arbitrary diversions or snip
ping which have prevailed all too frequent
" in the past, to the detriment OF COM
merce and industry, there will be "serV-
ice maintained at American ports with a
view to relieving congestion OF railroads
and bringing goods to the seaports nearest
the point Of consumption" Further,
Monopoly of shipping heretofore
held. by large seaports has retarded the
development of the merchant marine.
The bad facilities for the loading and
discharging of vessels, and the spirit
of Indifference of many commercial
interests have done much to curb the
proper growth of the shipping inter
ests of this country. By logically
spreading shipping, the spirit of COM
petition will be aroused among the
various seaports OF this land to the
advantage Of ALL"
It is for precisely this principle that the
ports Of Georgia, Florida and the Caro-
linas have so earnestly commended, often in
the face of hard encouragement but now,
lit seems, with promise of their reward.
They have insisted that where distance, des-
tination and other essentials are such as
to make them the natural outlet for export
shipments, they are entitled to all the bust
ness which their superior advantages can
attract and to equitable treatment in the
matter of freight rates and tonnage.
So reasonable and just a claim, it would
seem, would never have been gainsaid. The
fact is, however, that certain railway and
shipping monopolists of the North Allan
tic fought this appeal for fair play to the
limit of their influence and resources They
fought the rate readjustment, put into eff
feet under the Federal Railroad Admins
tration, whereby manufacturers and mer-
chants Of the Middle West were enabled
to route their foreign-bound cargoes along
Southern lines and through Southern ports
instead of being compelled to take the long
er and more expensive way which led over
Northeastern roads to Northeastern ports.
Those same monopolists, moreover, were
churlishly opposed to allowing Southern
ports a rightful quota Of the merchant ma
rine, either before or after the Govern
ment took that interest in charge.
This ungenerous and short-sighted policy
was the more reprehensible because of the
harm 1t did the common country. The at
tempt to cram the greater part of the con-
tinent's outgoing commerce through one or
two North Atlantic ports resulted in con-
gest1on, delay and loss which, in the war
period, grew to proportions so alarming
that the Government was constrained to in
tervene. Then it was that the availability
and usefulness of Southern ports with their
spacious, ice-free harbors and facilities fol-
prompt service, became generally apparent
A new era in American shipping thus be-
gan. Gateways like Wilmington, Charleston
savannah, Brunswick and Jacksonville have
been gaining more and more of natioa
business recognition. Given fair deal, they
will wax continually in SERVICE not only tc
the Southeast, but to the common country
Adr~dral Benson voices the judgment Of
broad-visioned business observers every
where when he declares that the spread
ing" Of shipping amongst the various ports
instead Of congesting it into one or two
will work to the advantage of ALL