New-York tribune., 1920-11-09
Aliens Oppose
us. Ships for
Philippines
y;ce.President Of Steamship
Owners Association Saws
Foreigners Are Back Of
Attack on the Jones By
To Extend Coastwise Law
precedents Set i'm Cases OF
Alaska, Porto Rico and
Hawaii Will Be Followed

nnpositlon 70 the extension Of the
,osstwise laws to the Philippines under
,s merchant marine act come, not
rom thu flipinos, but from foreign
interests desirous OF monopolizing the
carving trade between the United
sts.,s and the islands. says Winthrop
/. Marvin, vice president OF the Stcam-
.blo Owners Association, in the cur
rent issue OF The Marine Journal.
When Alaska was annexed, Mr.. Mar
v,n noints out, the law reservinc the
light 70 carry passengers and freight
between Alaska and the main United
States was promptly applied. Similar
steps were taken with iassrd to Porto
Lico and Hawaii.
In 1903 aw was enacted reservinE
the Philippine commerce to vessels Of
TIE United States, but at that time the
perchant marine was small in tom
rsge suitable for this service and the
JfY was therefore repealed. There is
ample t09Nsge available now. however.
A sinister propaganda against the
merchant marine act provisions re
gaTding the Philippine trade has been
carried on for some time in the Phil
ippineS and in this country by an or
ganization with Philippine title"
says Mr. Marvin. "Mater,al has been
distributed TO commercial houses and
% chambers of commerce throughout
the United States. demanding the re-
peal Of Section Il on the ground. first,
that the extension OF The coastwisc
laws to the Philippine Islands is un-
necessary; second. that such extension
. INJURIOUS 20 Philippine trade; third.
t,'. It is an attack on Philippine au-
,onomy and, fourth, that it may reacl
igainst America.
[. $. Shipping Men Attacked
"rhe real character and motives Of
the propaganda are quite clearly dis
closed IN tho final paragraph which
orocaims that the interests Of Amer
cas- protdees should be placed above
hose OF the rocaetbooks of these ship
9rg adventures, by 'thesn shipping
adgen.urers' obviously beinr meant the
owners ana operators Of the American
merchant marine. the United States
Shipping Board included.
~. j. the belief Of Americans famil-
Jar with the ocean shipping business
that behind the Philippine mask Of
th'' propaganda may be found tie
coun,eHarce Of The Japanese. with per
.7s some European assistance for
'-ch an unmarnerly attack as that
ust clotod on American shipping men
'oa.d scarcely proceed from the cour-
,eous Fllq.uos.
As natter Of fact, ii can be stated
VIE absolute authority that the Ameri-
can - .amsni0 Owners Association dld
10 recommend the adoption Of Sect N
u ty Congress, but that it was en-
BOD LED in the law on the initiative and
by '.e .nsistence Of the public men
Yho framed Che merchants marine act
T eg took The step them selves. i'm
plci'ly believing that Il was absolutely
essential ~ the safeguard ing Of our
mail. passenger and freight communi-
eaton with the Phiiippine islands,
Status of Philippine Trade
laaiag ug the present status Of com
Hsic.a relations between the Philip
pnes and the United States. Mr.. Mar
YIN n0'n's out that the islands arc
.NAeficaH dependencies and that their
-a'ger affairs are administered by
American officials Eventually. Ac
SAYS nc islands arc 20 he independent.
nGi for the 'ime holng tnev are con
Sdefed commercially a. American ter
rIiioty 10 almost tho same sense a
for'o Rico and Hawaii. and the tariff
olriers are entirely thrown down for
.ee benefit Of the Philippine producers,
.hose goods enter our ports absolutely
rec OF duty, while on the other hand
me Philippine government has tariff
,-a' Grants reciprocal benefits to many
american products.
Ohdcr TINS arrangement, il is stated.
exports from the Philippines to this
country nave increased steadily from
s, va. .le of $4,000 900 in 1910 to $50
'po'0V in 1919, and in the same period
Npor's INTO the Philippines from this
.oun.fy have crown from sl9ooo 600
% S'V'Vou,oO0. "This Is q c~c -
"s, valuable cofir.lroe. viewed with
.sa'ous ewes h' j.panese and Euro
"a" Sh' oowners. Who hitherto, with
.ne" SUBSIDIZED shipping and cheap
aees' have mononolized The lions
.s .aafe OF the ocean carriage Of what in
l'''0 Is purely domestic commerce
Tween ., the American mainland and
''A 'pplnes,' says Mr. Marvin.
Trading Privileges Equal
q" flhpnos, 1t is added, realize
nat they cannot be expected to be re
sa'qed As Americans for purpose Of
%Sue and as foreigners for purposes
- navigation. If their products are
p.n,e en,ef as freely rs Porto Rican or
!, ;n'~"ian products into American ports
eon.H mqs' be expected that they viii
Hl@',y be brought in American yes
"s' Nr Marvin states.
3. "oe. the new merchant marine act
S'"'e>' "our government has power to
lure 'nr Philippine people OF fire ent
e' as favorable under the coastwisc
rn'.,, a. lney haze ever enjoyed OF
anS YI'Q a. enjoy from foreign compet'' on
Gss .he ships wodid fly the Amer Il
nss'.l s' Vh'F guaranteeing that our j
Is"o'e wIo COMMUNICATIONS with Il 9
I.iO represent us in the Philippine
seSs'a, ,'"iqs Viii remain in the loyal. de-