Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-11
\ Merchant Marine Policy

! CONGRESS is still houndcring in effort
~ TO arrive at new merchant marine pol
icy. That body cannot decide whether or
| not il would be wiser for the government
to withdraw bodily from the shipping bust
ness. to remain partially in the business, or
to go into it permanently as fixed govern
mental function. There arc powerful argu-
ments in behalf of each OF these Propositions
and the House and Senate need not incur
Impotence on the part OF the country by
going slowly iii the matter.
Meantime. the Shipping Board is moving
toward Il solution of the problem under an
thority already granted to it, 1t is selling
OFF practically all of its passenger ships, in
Guiding those acquired from Germany. rhc
government therefore, is retiring definitely
from the ocean passenger traffic and is in
wiling powerful financial interests in THIS
country to bid for the liners that have been
offered for sale. But the freight lines arc
giving cause for concern Most of those
which the Shipping Board has established arc
pioneer enterprises. They were projected in
an effort to develop American trade in mar
kets which hitherto the indust ries of the
country have been unable success fully to in
wade. Many OF these new trade routes are
not yet OH profitable basis. They will not
become profitable for years. perhaps and
will not become profitable at all unless a
regular dispatch service is maintained and IL
habit formed Of shipping by American bot
toms.
1t is pointed ont, however that private
interests are not in position TO suffer con-
tinued losses on pioneer trade routes; that
such interests must begin making money
within reasonable time or else go out of
business. and, therefore, if the government
leaves this service solely 10 private parties
or 10 unsubsidizcd lines. the trade routes now
established in many instances will soon be
abandoned.
1t is because Of this situation that Senator
Jones. of Washington chairman OF the Sen
ate Committee on Commerce, has offered his
bill. providing in general terms that the gov
eminent may continue to own and to oper-
ate large part or its fleet of freighters:
may engage for few more years in trade
expansion and may, of course, use profits
made i'll one direction TO make up losses sus-
tanned i'll another.
This legislation makes a strong appcal 70
the average business man. II does not com
mt the government to permanent ownership
or merchant ships in fact, it provides that
gradually the Shipping Board is to withdraw
from the operation Of shipping i'm compc-
titlon with private enterprise. But it oper-
atcs 10 safeguard the trade routes which have
been established, and to establish others
which might not be possible without direct
government assistance Tie American peo-
pie are proud OF their merchant feet and
will be prouder OF it still when it begins to
pour vast sums Of money into their pockets.
but Mt that, they have taste for a sub
SidiZcd merchant marine. They have given
Congress to understand this more than once
II there are to he no subsidies TO keen
open promising trade routes during the nm
certain period just ahead of us, then it is
the business OF the government TO retain so
much of its fleet as may be necessary to that
end