New-York tribune., 1920-08-23

Travel Booked
Months Ahead
Although U. S. Merchant
Marine Has Trebled Since
1914, Passenger Accom-
modationsAre Inadequate
Red Tape Hurts Business
Heavy Second and Third
Class Passage for Next S
Years, Despite High Cost


creased from 5,36s, 900 to 16,o49,o00
since 1914, there is still dearth of
ships which has sent passenger rates
skyward and caused a scarcity of ac-
commodations. Much Inconvenience
has been caused business men desir-
ing TO 90 abroad with the idea of re-
establishing pre-war trade conditions.
with limited passenger carrying
facilities, many lines operating over
Transatlantic routes are booked solid
for several months in advance in west
bound traffic alone, while the demand
for eastbound accommoda has
been even greater.
Lines operating between the Medi-
rerranean and American North Allan
tic ports say that they will carry
class passengers eastbound for the
next five years and that the number
of persons being ferried across the
Atlantic from European ports is linn
tied only by the number Of available
vessels.
Need Passenger Ships
The cry for more passenger ships is
almost as great and as insstent as
was the cry for freight carriers during
the war. The conversion of hundreds
OF passenger liners into freighters
during the war and the concentration
of shipbuilders on vessels designed
dearth of transatlantic passenger ac-
commodations, according to leading
shipping men of this port.
The American business man who is
suddenly called upon to make trip
abroad finds himself up against
transportation problem probably far
more difficult than the business he has
in view. After he has untangled all
the red tape connected with obtaining
q passport and sailing permit, which
includes furnishing birth certificate.
sworn statement as to the nature of
the business taking him abroad, to-
gether with supporting affdavits of
other witnesses, few photographs of
the prospective traveller and a GER
tihcate from the internal Revenue col
ieotor indicating that he has paid his
income tax, he can begin to wreste
with the problem of crossing the At
Iantlc without swimming.
Passage Price Increased
Here he Will find situation more
dlscouraging than that involved in the
passport restrictions. If the success
OF his business affairs depencs upo,.
his immediate departure for Europe he
probably Will consider them doomed
after making round of the steamship
ofhces He also will discover that he /
could nave made trip half way round |.
the world in 1914 for what it now
costs him TO make q transatlantic vow
age of 5000 miles.
II the business man is in luck. he
might obtain accomm odations left open
through the cancellation Of the pas
sage OF some person who at the last
minute had been prevented from sail /
ing. Bur the 81 Of
such cancellations is large and he |
would have to take his turn, unless ne
happened to have some weightv in
nuence with the steamship company
hlle he may be we'll able to afford
to travel first class, the business man
probably would consider himself for
tunate to be able to book second class. |
lie may even then find himself sharing
caDln with an humble alien returning |
TO ms native land to spend his war
earnings.
Half Traffic of 1914
While the demand for transatlantic
passage apparently has overwhelmed
the available accommodations, the rec
ord of arrivals and departures kept
mere by the Steamship Mems Associa I
tlon shows that traffic is only about half
what 1t was in 1914. In May and June
or that year there sailed from Amer
lcan north Atlantic ports 164. 800 trans
atlantic passengers. OF this number
approximately 100000 were third class.
or steerage passengers.
In May and June of 1920 the out
gong total was 1928, of which so 600
passengers travelled third class. Fig
ures for incoming passengers for one
month IN 1914 show a total of 105,100
arrivals. The corresponding month for
1870 showed 45,120 arrivals.
AVailable tonnage of the passenger
carrying variety Is greatly depleted.
owing to war losses and the conversion
Oh OF many liners into freight transports.
Inc North German Lloyd and the Ham
Durg- -Amercan Line, which carried
4aree percentage of the passenger
trade, are practically non-ex;stent at
present, and with their fleets also have
disappeared many great floating no.
IeiS that flew British, French and
Italian flags.
Long Time for Repairs
Many large passenger carriers we're
hastlIy converted into troop transports
during the war, and in many cases their
interior fittings were wrecked bevond
repair, The length Of time necessary
TO restore to her former condition a
snip that has been "trooping" for four
Years is indicated in the case of the
Mnlte Star liner Olympic. vessel of
$4,000 tons, whose interior fitt;nps
probably are the most luxurious and
costly OF any ship now ahoat
III required a year to retit this vessel
Tor the passenger trade.
according to estimates made bv
various shipyards, it would take more
IMAM year to recoadition some of the
othcr great liners that went through
strenuous years as troop carriers.
comparatively few of the former
German passenger liners have vet been
restored to the service, although it is
probable that many of them will soon
De seen lying the house flags of trans
atlantc steamship companies which.
nave been organized recently. One of
these Is the American Ship and Com
mercc corporation, which, in coniunc-
tlon win the revived Hamburg -Ameri
ci'A Line, has announceG a forthcom-
ing service TO Germany and other
European countries This concern is
planning to operate eighty-six ships.
.aGgreSatlng more than half a million
gross tons.
Gets Fifteen German Ships
Another new line is the United
States Mail Steamship Company. to
which has been allocated fifteen of
the largest German passenger carriers.
among them being the George Wash
ington, America, Mount Vernon and
President Grant. Several new pas
SpDCar lipo~s upjar copotr,,o+;o,