The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-03-30
Frederic Haskin's Letter
IS THE FLAG ON THE SEA TO STAY?

New York, March 2s.-Is our war
born merchant fleet mushroom
growth that will perish with the hot
atmosphere OF excitement and nee
essity that created it, or is the
United States to take a permanent
place among the great shipping ma
tons, and to become independent of
hired carriers in its export trade?
This important question is being
theoretically put to the American
people by the National Marine
league, which plans to hold great
exposition in Grand Central Palace
here during the week beginning
April IL, for the purpose Of arous-
ing popular interest in our mer-
chant shipping. The navy, the de-
partment Of commerce, and the
shipping board will all take part.
There will be great display of
marine paraphernalia in brilliant
setting Of color and music. The ef-
fort will be to make the American
conscious of the fact that he be-
longs to great maritime nation.
As the league states its own pur-
pose, it desires to awaken in the
American people q voting and an
investing interest in the American
merchant marine.
The league sets forth two major
assumptions, both Of which seem
sound. The first is that we cannot
have a merchant marine unless the
people are really interested in one
and want it. The second is that
we now need a merchant marine
more than ever before.
Undoubtedly the big problem is
to arouse the sea-going spirit. to
make the nation ship conscious, so
to speak. In the days before the
Civil war, when Yankee clipper
ships sailed every sea, We were a
ship conscious people. We took
pride in the fact that our clippers
would crowd on more canvas, take
bigger chances, and win bigger re-
wards than any other ships in the
world. We lived. mostly around
the edge Of our continent then, and
a larger percentage Of our young
men looked frward to going to sea.
Furthermore, that was before
the days Of great corporations, and
q man had = better chance to get
share Of the control and Of the
profits than he has now. A ship
then was not the enormous invest
ment that it is now, either.
Well, one thing and another hap
pened, as every schoolboy knows
and the American merchant marine
disappeared OF the face Of the
ocean. The American people had
lost all interest in the matter and
all knowledge Of it. Tho American
i boy NO more thought Of going to sea
for q career than he thought Of 60
ing to the moon.
The war, the shipping board and
the Emergency Fleet corporation
finally created an American mer-
chant marine because it had to be
done. We have . merchant marine
now. which is owned and operated
by the United States government
The life of this emergency heet IL
limited. The shipping board asks
that it be given at least two years
more Of life, 90 that the ships be-
| longing to the American people car
be sold to private capital without
| too heavy . loss.
When the Emergency, Fleet cor
poration has died or been killed
then what? That il the question
which the marine league 10 asking
Unless American capital will invest
| in ships. unless American boys viii
work on ships, unless American
voters will take an interest in and
gain . knowledge Of shippinE. &c
that necessary legislation Will oe
passed BY congress-. nothing car
stop our merchant marine from a.
| Ginning again and ultimately dis
appearing.
OF course, one solution OF the
problem would b 70 keep thu
emergency Flsst corporation in e.
istence, and to continue our 1eE-