The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-13
OUR MERCHANT MARINE.

National Marine Week" in conjunc-
ton with the great National Marine
Exposition at the Grand Central Pal
ace, New York City, under the aus
pices of the National Marine League,
did a great missionary work in bring
ing home the importance Of an Amer
lean merchant marine adequate to the
country's needs. 1t viSualiZed to the
TO- 900 visitors at the exposition the
economic value to a nation of re-
sources that have produced as fine a
fleet as can be found under any flag.
It enabled them to understand Jeffer-
sons apothegm TN shipping all indus
tries meet" Keep the Flag Flying
is the slogan of the league and to fur
Their this idea a series of marine ex-
positions have been planned.
With both the great parties, Repub-
lican and Democratic, pledged to wat
erway development and to the extern
sion of an American merchant marine,
lit seems the psychological moment to
call public attention to these great
questions and to help in calculating
them.
The Republican platform declares it
to be our policy to encourage and de-
veiop water transportation, service and
facilities in connection with the COM
merce of the United States. The Demo-
cratic platform, in different words, re-
peats this declaration and further rec
ognizes "the importance of connecting
the Great Lakes with the sea by way
of the Mississippi river and its tribu-
taries, as well as by the st. Lawrence
river"
| OF the observance, the Marine Reg
lister says:
! National Marine week, October
| Is to %, therefore, will have great
educational value by. focusing public
attention on and visualizing vital ques-
tons that have most important bearing
upon the present and future develop
ment OF our country.
by helping to revive the fine petrt-
otto spirit that carried us to victory in
! the World~War and placing this spirit
behind the movements it will exempli-
fy, National Marine Week will perform
the greatest possible service to the
country"
On the marine act, recently passed,
the Marine Register says:
sHThe marchant marine act of 1920
which became a law on June 5th,- is
a strong American measure, designed
/
American merchant marine which was
created through the necessities of the
| war.
To accomplish the purpose of re-es-
tablishing the American merchant ma
rine on the seas to its former high po-
sition and rank. held in the early half
of the last century, it was necessary to
give preferential rates on export and
| "a
! lean ships.
This provision of the new marine
act is the only way to preserve the
shipping industry, and the end JUS
titles the means.
Moreover all commercial nations
use the same method of protecting
their marine industry, to certain de-
gree, against the Entertainments and
competition of foreign shipping.
This is a fine thing and big thing,
this increasing the foreign trade of the
| United States. The new marine act
literally means the adding of billions
of dollars to the commerce of the coun-
| try annually. This added commerce
will touch every line of business, and
every industry in the country, and of
one affiliated industry we wish to
speak at this time.
This is the shipbuiiding industry
of this country, which just now is
needing preferred treatment of Amer
lean shipping. Some such. provision for
the protection of American labor is
absolutely necessary, for American la
Dor cannot and will not compete un-
der the low standards of foreign la
Dor.
America labor is not content to
shorten its years, like foreign labor; it
must have recreation and time for
family association; must be lodged in
comfortable quarters, wear better
clothing; eat better food and work
shorter hours. To all of which we
make no objection, for American labor
should have the best that money can
buy.
But, on the other hand, foreign la
Dor is content to forego pleasure, va
cation, family association; and to work
longer hours at less pay than Ameri-
can labor.
So it is necessary that preferred
treatment be given American shipping
somewhere along the line, and we be-
lieve the new merchant marine act
provides the means to place the
American shipbpiAing industry on a
firm basis. through more than one
provision in the measure.
Then let us hope that the great,
revived sea industry of America as
assured through the merchant marine
act of 1920 will automatically create
correspondingly great shipbuilding
industry Which is necessary to sue
cess in commerce IN time of peace
and absolutely necessary to our safety
during time of war"
AS TO TAXES.