The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-10-26
FUTURE OF
us. MARINE
in DOUBT
Plan OF Hartman to Make
Nation Supreme in World
Shipping Hits Bumps

The whole futurc OF the American
merchant marine and o. this nations
maritime relationship with the rest
Of the world may b bound up in con
tracts between the American ship 8
Commerce corporation. % New York.
headed BY young W. Avcrin Harri'
man, son OF the railroad wizard. r.
II. Hartman. and the liamhurE
American line.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT that this merger
would result in Hamburg American
ships again making seattle a port OF
call was made several weeks ago.
Whether these contracts and tho
plans they involve TO develop Amsri
can ocean commerce. not as a purely
American undertaking. but simuita
neousiy with and as a part of the re
Mobilization OF Germany's merchant
marine. win be permitted to stand
depends upon five members OF the
Cnited States shipping board, as yet
unnamed
A n result. appointment 10 the
vacancies existing on the board viii
be scrutlnixed with extra vigilance
by both the public and the senate.
The whole question OF our shipping
policy. supposed 10 have been settled
b. the passage OF the marine act OF
1870. viii be rcopcned with the com
ing short session Of congress-
4. & PROBES
AGREEMENT DETAILS
Alsho the shipping board. as cur
rsitutrd by the merchant marine act.
passed June 5. should consist % sew
IN members. the actual board. as 4
exists today. consists Of four men.
Pending tho appointment u the
board OF seven these men act
with full authority. Both. apparent
~. approve OF the alliance between
the ship and commerce corporation
and the Hamburg American line. IL
Vas generally understood that they
had Officially sanctioned the arrange
ments entered into.
Following tho seizure by United
States treasury authorities. however.
q the ss.s0o. 900 paid by the HART
man company 20 the Kerr Ciegg Deer
shipping Interests for vessels taken
over by the Hartman line. on the
ground Of alleged evasion OF income
tax returns. the whole scope Of the
Hartman program became suhiec,
20 Investigation and the details OF the
nrxeencnt with the German com
pAny iasd bare.
A. a result. Admiral Benson. while
sfou&ly defending the agreement and
maintaining that u has his full per.
eonaI Endorsement. says that no fed.
ernl sanction ever has been given II
b. tho board. and that not action viii
b< taken until the full board Of seven
can pass upon Il.
! 50 strongly does Admiral benson
feel concerning the proposed Amers-
csn.German shipping alliance that
h. says.
OVERS WONDERFUL
IMPORTANTLY
Il look upon the opportunity which
waa given us (the American people,
and which the enterprise Of Mr. Har-
rtn2n and his associates enabled us
10 grasp. as nothing short o. heaven.
sent"
A. indication OF the globe girdilng
fnmifirnsions OF the Hartman Ham.
usK-American alliance. II Is shown
that no fewer than so Individual serv.
ices. IN maintenance Of which both
companies were 10 cooperate in sup.
plying vessels. deciding rates and d.
viding tonnage, were provided.
These services Included:
f---Ianrs between American and Ger.
man ports, and Including intermediate
ports ~ call
e--Lins. between German ana other
Uprid ports exclusive q United States
s~-Lsnsa to Mediterranean Isvant and
Black Sea ports
t--rAnss 20 ihs west eoAst Of south
Amer1ce.
S--fndfan lines.
f--4tffican lines
7--I.lnss 20 East Asia siberia. Philip
pines. Japan. CHINA and the straits ST.
ftemenfsl
So PERSIAN OUR ships. having liberty Of
cnl at Baltic. Engilsh. Dateh Belgium,
French. PortuEnese spanish. italian and
cthsr Epropean ports
Opposition 20 the agreement has
Developed since the details became
known. II Is founded chiefly on the
ground that before we are officially
at peace with Germany. before taxes
70 pay the billions spent in building
an American merchant marine are
paid by the people. Il II proposed
that shipping alliance be entered
into not 10 develop our merchant
shipping az a distInctively American
enterprise. but TO promote IL hand
~ hand with German capital.
SEES GERMAN SCHEME
IN TRANSACTION
No less an authority than the coun
sci Of the shipping board Robert
Dean. has stated that II IL a promo
tion OF German interests to the dis
elimination Of our own.
II will take an investigation and
shifting TO satisfy the public and
the senate that the proposed con
tract IL wise one. There will b.
much Investigation OF the influences
and interests Of the new member
Of the board TO be named before
their selection Is made or confirmed
There IL no suggestion Of un
patriotic motives on the part o
the men sponsoring American ca
operation with Germany in this shil
enterprise Associated with Harri
man is Kermit Roosevelt. son o
Theodore Roosevelt lie Is secretar!
Of the corporation. while Genera
CoethaIs was one Of the original or
cs1nizers. altho no longer connecte,
with the company. ~ Is on tn
patriotism and family traditions o
these men that Admiral Benson II
said to base much Of his support.
But. against the patriotism and