Omaha daily bee., 1920-07-02
Outside interests Are Warned
By Admiral Benson to Keep
Hands Off American Mer-
chant Marine Program.
u. S. WILL HAVE SHARE
IN TRAFFIC, HE SAYS
"Other Carriers Will Do Well
To Let Sleeping Dogs Lie,'
Chairman of Board Tells
Trade Organizations.

Washington, July 1.--Warning
foreign interests not to attempt to
interfere with the development OF
the American merchant marine
Chairman Benson Of the shipping
board, declared today that the board
was deterNhed to build up an
American merchant marine as con-
templated by the Jones shipping
act, despite threats and propaganda
by such interests to defeat the law
The United States" said Admiral
Benson. "is in earnest in its efforts
to place within the ownership by
United States citizens the control
Of at least a part of its traffic in
imports and exports. If is should
by any possible means be held that
the departments of the government
lack such authority as will insure
their being able to protect American
interests in such control, additional
authority will be asked by the ad-
ministration and will undoubtedly
be granted by congress.
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Foreign carriers and those in the
United States interested more in
foreign than American institutions
will do we'll to let sleeping dogs
lie
Admiral Benson's warning was
sounded in talk to representatives
OF Pacific coast chambers of COM
merce and trade bodies and Ameri-
can railway representatives which
have been disturbed by threats to
divert trade from points on the
Pacific coast because of the section
OF the merchant marine act permit
ting preferential rate over foreign
carriers within the United States ON
merchandise moving in export and
import in American vessels.
Such threat the chairman said,
is futile and idle"
IF such a threat is sincere and
the attempt is made to so divert
the business" Admiral Benson con-
tinued the shipping board will allo-
cate American ships to move the
business. The shipping board and
the Interstate Commerce commits
SION will follow this action by other
steps which would further protect
the interests OF the United States
against such foreign efforts to de-
feat the purpose of the merchant
marine act.
Nothing could more surely
bring about the enforcement of this
section of the law than adoption by
foreign carriers of their threat to
divert business from American
ports.
Protect All Interests.
As this section is to be used only
where there is an ample American
tonnage to handle the export and
import commerce to any particular
port in a foreign country or a pos
session of the United States, we
cannot conceive how anyone who
has studied this law can assume that
the shipping board would make any
general application of this section.
There will certainly be no enforce
ment of the provision without con-
current action which will fully pro-
tect all American interests.
The transportation act has given
to the Interstate Commerce commits
sion authority in emergencies to
direct traffic or establish embargoes
against movements of freight. 1t also
has authority to establish minimum
rates on any commodity moving
subject to the interstate commerce
act within the United States.
Discriminate Against U. S.
The commission is aware OF the
necessity for prevention of congested
traffic upon the railroads of the
United States such as would be &C
complished by an effort by foreign
carriers to divert the export and i'm
port traffic now moving between
Pacific coast ports OF the United
States and the orient either to Brit,
ish Columbia or to ports of the At
lantic."
Admiral Benson said that in the
transpacific trade at this time there
seemed to have been specific anc
successful efforts to prevent Amer
can vessels from securing return
cargoes at certain points while ship:
of other nations have come witt
full loads. Application OF the sec
ton of the merchant marine act pre-
scribing preferential rates might b'
invoked, he said, to require eqia
consideration in cargoes from suci
discriminating ports for Un'te!t
States vessels, owned either by pri
vate citizens or by the shipping
hoard