The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-04-28
CO4STWISE SHIPPING
4WERIC4N-OWNED
While rs Per Cent of Stock of Corpora
tions Engaged in Foreign Trade
Must Be Held by American
Citizens, Provided
in New Bill.

Washington, d. G., April 2S. Estab
lishment Of an America first policy fol
the development Of the American mer
chant marine is provided in a bill
drafted as substitute for the House
merchant marine bill by the Senate
commerce subcommittee, and made
public to-day by Chairman Jones, who
plans to report it to the full commit
gtee to- morrow.
Coastwise shipping, the bill provides
must be entirely American owned
while rs per cent of the stock Of cor
poration engaged in foreign trade must
be held by American citizens Sale nf
American ships to foreign interests
would be prohibited by the bill with
out the approval of the shipping board,
which the act creates.
The bill also would prohibit the in
terstate commerce commission from ex-
ercising authority already existing to
grant preferential rail and wafer
freight rates on exports or imports as
well as passenger rates unless Ameri-
can-owned vessels were used. Upon
the boards. recommendations, where
Ameriean-owned ocean transportation
facilities are Inadequate the commits
sion would be authorized by the bill,
however, to suspend this section. In
order to permit this discrimination the
bill directs the president Eithin 30
days from its passage 10 terminate
treaties restricting the right OF the
[ nited States ''to impose discriminat-
ing duties or tonnage duties on for
eign imports or foreign vessels"
This simply unshackles the United
States commercially so far as its mer-
chant marine is concerned, and will en-
able it to pass such laws as il may de-
sire to pass for the encouragement Of
the merchant marine Senator Jones
said to-day, In providing for the pref
erential rates. he declared the bill only
policy similar to that under
which Germany. Japan and other eoun
tries have built up their export trade
and maintained their shipping.
As already announced, the bill viii
place the present government owned
merchant fleet under the direction Of a
shipping board composed OF seven
which would be authorized
o operate the ships under charter or
otherwise and develop the foreign trade
# this country through trade routes |
~ means Of private enterprise If POS
ible or through government operation |
{ necessary,
The bill defines The policy 10 be fol- |
owed by the board and directs atten-
ion 70 the fact that the national de-
euse and the proper growth OF Amer |
can commerce require n merchant ma
inc of the best type of ship. 7uiii.
lent for the greater portion OF com
nefce ultimately to be owned and Op-
rated BY private American citizens.
I specifies that the board must do
that is necessary 70 accomplish this
urposc.
The House bill directed the board to
Ell the government owned merchant
hips as soon a. practicable. but he
enate bill provides that they shall be
ispOsed OF "as soon as practicable,
Dusistent with good business meth.
d. and the objects and purposes to be
ttaineh BY this act. Il
ships OF foreign owners who are I
uiEy Of giving preference Of rebates
t discriminating against Americans in
collation. OF existing statutes, wodld {
2 barred from American ports. Il
Amendments 10 the la Toilette sea- .
en's act also. are appended to the
easurs, designed 10 carry out recent I
Ipreme court decisions and bring for u
gn seamen up TO American standards.