New-York tribune., 1920-10-16
American Marine
Menaces No Nation.
Benson Declares
Regards Charges That 1t Is a
Peril as Being Inspired
by Foreign Interests; u. S.
Making Up World Slack

CHICAGO, Oct. discharges that
the American merchant marina is q
peru TO ary nation come from sources
connected with foreign interests. Ad-
mirai Benson, chairman of the United
states Shipping Board, declares in an
address delivered at the dinner of the
american Association Of Advertising
Agencies here tonight.
" hat American worth his salt will
stand up in public and say our mer-
chant marine is a menace to this ma
1lon or any other?" Admiral Benson
SAID. "Yet we find men hid behind
corporate names and organizations who
have the audacity to create such an i'm
preston. But when you tear off the
mask you find that these same men are
basking in the favor of foreign ship
ping interests or have hopes in that
direction. Now and then their efforts
to muddy the waters succeed to the
extent of influencing honest opinion
against the Shipping Boards policies
which aim TO upbuild a permanent
merchant marine.
The United States Shipping Board
came into existence several months be-
fore we entered the World War. Its
real purpose was to be regulatory
body of Chipping, with. vast powers that
could be utilized to build up our mer-
chant shipping. The Shipping Board
had hardly assumed an organization
form when the United States was drawn
INTO the war. Then we plunged into a
record breaking ship construction pro-
gram, which is now near completion.
The ships which We built during the
war played a winning part, carrying
our products to the men at the fighting
front.
ut should not be forgotten that as
q result of our merchant marine and
what we were able to whip into shape
between the declaration Of war and the
time when our men were ready for
hostilities 95 per cent of their supplies,
including munitions, were carried over
seas in American bottoms. Approx
mately as per cent of our fighting men
went over in American bottoms. That
is, about a million men sailed overseas
in our ships.
81 came of seafaring stock, was born
bred and educated sailor in the navy
II is my study of the navy which makes
my appreciation of our merchant
marine so strong.
"Those who worry most about our
entrance into ocean commerce must be
our cousins overseas-the British
For many centuries the mistress of
the seas, she has carried the message
O. commercial advancement. But it is
essential that the worl6 should under
stand that we, who fully appreciate the
service rendered by other nations, are
now ship Independent in the develop
ment of our ocean, carrying trade. We
mean to play our part in manly Ameri-
can fashion, and have done so from
the start.
"Gladly l would and do pledge my
self to help see that not only my own
hut other governments be brought to a
point where they fully agree to retire
absolutely from ocean carriage, which
could only mean uneven competition
with the private owner. We ara en-
deavoring to do this as quickly as pos
sible and the law demands it.
"The magnitude of our efforts in
world shipping may seem to spell dis
aster to other nations. But it should
not. We arc only making up for the
world slack in shipping brought on by
the deadly work. of the submarine. By
force of world emergencies we have
had to replace the enemy whose proud
position in maritime fields was wrested
from her by the splendid work of our
allies with whom we fought during
the most deadly part of the war;