Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1920-02-27
GOVERNMENT. OWNERSHIP OF
SHIPS CALLS FOR SIMILAR
~, OWNERSHIP OF RAIL.
ROADS

Much is being said for and against
the sale of the former German liners
to private companies. Sometimes we
are told it is all consequence of
prohibition if the U. s. Government
finds it improbable to go into the
shipping business. American Govern
ment ships will be dry they say, but
tourists insist on having a drink.
Others tell us that the Government,
easier than private owners can be
forced by the labor unions to adopt
rules for labor on ship which would
revolutionize rates, hours of work,
conditions of contract to such de-
gree that there would be trouble and
disorder throughout the shipping
world. Others, again, claim that
Government ownership of shipping
will be the first step in an endless
series of industrial changes made in
evitable by the first.
Many arguments are brought forth
in favor of keeping the ships, anti
British arguments, prohibition argu-
ments, naval and military arguments,
etc. Senator Ashurst, from Arizona,
points out relation between shipping
and railroads which most people fail
to notice. He said in the Senate:
"We talk of small leaks and we
talk of ineffciency here and speak of
heavy expenditures;' but here is a
great fleet which American genius
and American rourage and the fort
unes of war put in our hands-350,-
900 tons-about to be sold at a gross
ly inadequate value. The great
statesman, the senior senator from
Florida (Mr. Fletcher) stood for
months trying to get few ships for
the United States. He was trying to
build up a merchant marine. His
speeches were published throughout
the United States, showing the ne
cessity for a second line Of the Navy,
to wit, carriers of all kinds. His
speeches convinced ME. The states
manship Of his remarks and the re-
marks Of other Senators, showing the
need of feet to carry the commerce
Of our country, seemed to be con-
vincing to all Now, since the fort
unes of war and American money and
American genius have put this fleet
of 350,000 tons into our hands, we are
proposing to dispose Of it for S28,-
900, 900, forsooth, because we can not
get higher bid
II will guarantee to the Shipping
Board that if they will announce that
on the first day of March an ocean
liner will dip her prov into the water
and will start for San Francisco,
passing the placid blue of the Car
ribean, passing through the Panama
Canal, and over the Pacific for $500
miles as he goes northward, every
berth will be occupied. | will guaran-
tee that American citizens in New
York and throughout the whole east
ern country win flock to the steam
ship offices by the thousand TO go
through the canal on that American
ship to the California coast Why,
they can carry 100000 passengers
month if they will only establish a
line of ships between San Francisco
and New York. But hold! Sucn
steamers plying between the East and
West might reduce freight rates and
passenger rates; Therefore we must
have no line Of ships plying between
San Francisco and New York, because
the eight transcontinental railroad
lines are going to see to it, if they
can, that there is no competition by
water between the Atlantic and the
Pacific coasts. wonder if that be
the reason why we are TO have no
steamers carrying passengers and
freight between our two shores?