Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-03-02
Dry Ships ON a Vet Ocean.

The war made the United States almost the
leading shipping nation of the world-sas0as
only to Great Britain. We CUt only acquired
some of the finest German passenger liners,
but our shipyards turned out a vast tonnage
Now comes the question of a peace-tlme snip
ping policy. Shall the government own ana
operate our merchant marine, and IL not, can
we be sure that private American interests
will do it?
$50 far as passenger traffic Is concerned"
says the JOHNSTOWN DEMOCRAT (Dem),
prohibition has legislated a government
owned and operated merchant marine off the
ocean. Congress has not yet acquired
the power to make the dry, and people
who travel to and from EuroDe are eeTfo~"
to select ships that suit them and provide the
kind of accommodations they prefer" The
German ships, especially, are passenger car
riers, and as the INDIANAPOLIS NEWS (lnd
Rep0 points out the Shipping Board, has
found it to be practically impossible to oper-
ate passenger liners under prohibition and in
competition with ships that cater to thirsty
passengers.'
Yet many believe that the government
should retain these vessels and operate them,
some fearing that otherwise they will pass
to foreign registry president Wilson on
many occasions advocated a government
owned merchant marine the SACRAMENTO
BEE (Ind) reminds u.s. land today the presF"
dent has the chance to bring such fleet lntU
existence With those thirty (German)
fleet of merchant steamers second to none,
with which she might bring into being the
long cherished dream OF a increment marlne
capable. of competing for world trale. ms
PITTSBURG PRESS Ind.) notes that 'touf
English-owned liners are now being used 10
carry United States mails to Europe unus>
contract that costs the American taxpayer
large sum every year." and asks why doesn't
the United States hold on to these big, fast
and magnificent German liners and carry its
own mail with them, instead of paying letter
carrying charges to a British corporation?
The PORTLAND OREGONlAN (lnd Rep.)
favOrs retaining the vessels for period OF
years ''to be operated on defined trade routes
by operating companies on commission, anu
as these routes become profitable, sell them
to companies which would continue the lines
But others oppose any continuance of gov
eminent ownership or Naturalization"
THE seas are free says the NEW YORK
WORLD (Dem.) and mo government would
hope to succeed industrially under such con-
ditions of wide open competition. IL
would be throwing away public money in
great volume from the start" The mind
quails,' adds the NEW YORK MAIL (Tnd)
before the orgy of extravaganza, wasteful-
ness and incompetence that direct govern
ment operation would involve" and the NEW
PORT NEWS RECORD Ind.) thinks 1.-The
American people are anxious to see the gov
eminent get out of the shipping business as
soon possible"
| 1t is insisted, however that the vessels
must remain under the American flag, and
| we have the assurance of the shipping board
! that they will not be sold to foreign inter-
| ests Furthermore, says the BROOKLYN
EAGLE 0nd DEM they must be allocat-
ed to routes determined by the shipping
| board" and thus presumably private buyers
| would not be permitted to "strip southern
ports of the vessels which the U. S. Ship
| ping Board has allocated for the develop
| ment of new and fertile trade routes to
/ quote THE ATLANTA JOURNAL (Dem)
But are there any purchasers among
American shipping interest? 1t developed
| that at the recent proposed auction Of the
German liners the chief bidder was the
International Marine, which the Hearst pa
| perS denounced as a "BritiSh-Wall Street
syndicate" declaring that such sale would
amount to a transfer to British control, and
that furthermore the bid was far below the
actual value of the ships. "These 80 YES
sells" declares the WORCESTER GAZETTE
| (Ind.) "are said to have had q pre-war
value of $154,O0O,O0O, and to be worth
| $500, 100000 on present shipping valua-
tons" Yet the best offer obtainable, it APP
pears, is $28,000,000 under the restrictions
laid down by the shipping board. Still, as
the SALT LAKE TRIBUNE (Rep.), points
| out, extensive repairs are said to be need
ed" and the NEW YORK TIMES Qnd.
Dem.) adds that we should hope to spend
| $75,0O0,000 in putting the German ships
!
eminent goes into the shipping business cit
is only to very limited extent, il at all,
that private owners will operate ships I'M
der the American flag so long as they have
to meet the competition of ships which
have hack of them the United States treas
ury to make good losses,'' reasons the SAN
FRANCISCO CHRONICLE Cnd.)
The NEW YORK JOURNAL OF COM
MERGE Cnd), however, has studied the
situation and believes that the restrictions
of the shipping board, that the vessels must
fly the American flag, ETC., are OF doubtful
wisdom" For no American corporation,
this authority believes, "would pay more
than fraction of the cost" of the ships, and
| it goes to say.
"The most profitable thing to be done,
| and the most satisfactory in final effect, will
be to dispose of these German vessels at the
best price obtainabe in the world market,
and be rid of that factor in puzzling prob
| lem"