The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-08
SHIPS NOT ENOUGH
FOR USEFUL FLEETS
Cables, Fast Mail, Dry Docks
and Terminals Needed, ID.
P. Kingsley Says.
INSURANCE AND FEEDERS
Chamber of Commerce Opposes
st. Lawrence Canal
Project.

Darwin L. Kingsley, president OF the
New York Life Insurance Company, in
his maiden address yesterday as presi-
dent of the Chamber of Commerce OF
the State of New York at its monthly
United States possesses at the present
time Is the raw material of a merchant
marine and a great opportunity, and
that all of the discriminatory rate and
shipping legislation in the world will
not give this country an effective mer-
chant marine. Mr.. Kingsley said:
That we have at the present time
in the hands of the Shipping Board the
second largest merchant feet in the
world. measured in tonnage, doesn't give
us as matter of fact going merchant
marine. Assuming that we have ready
for these ships adequate crews and
trained officers-and both matters /
imagine are subject to debate--before
we are in a position to utilize that fleet
In the trade of~the Orient particularly.
there are other things we must have.
Here are few Of them:
Adequate cable service, radio fast
mall insurance in all it's intimate and
almost vital relations to commerce. dry
docks and a ship repairing base at
Manila, terminals and dry docks at
Shanghai. which would have to be pri-
vately sowned feeder lines covering
China, the Philippine Islands and trop-
ical Asia generally. proper banking
facilities.
Even so brief a sketch as this shows
think. that any comprehensive attempt
to meet this opportunity calls for
great plan. a definite policy and partic-
ulaNy consistent policy In Washing
ton. Just at present 1t Is difficult to
tell what our national policy is. Further
consideration of how we are to achieve
really effective merchant marine
brings us directly to the port Of New
York, where port facilities. l am told,
are inadequate and inefficient. Given
adequate and modern port facilities, ca
pable crews and trained officers suit
able dry docks and repair stations
strategica}ly placed. a feeder fleet and
banking facilities If 1t then appears
because Of our standards Of living that
our shipping cannot compete. / would
favor any rational legislation necessary
to keep our flag flying"
Mr.. Kingsley named the following
other problems that should. he thought
be constantly before the committees OF
the chamber: Taxation and Its pres
ent crushing effect on industry, inflated
and feverish conditions which exist In
certain major industries. and some new
and to the old fashioned members of
the Chamber very Observation-Disclosures
of morals in business. From the SUBJ
ject of the Wall street explosion he
drew this problem: THAT maudlin sem
timentality encourages disorder and
revolution through a singular confusion
of mind over what the right OF free
speech is or Is not. The bomb reminds
us that parlor Bolshevism, yellow Jour-
nalism and yellow politics may no
longer be just smiled Mt and ignored; II
suggests that perhaps society should
have the same right of self-defence that
the individual has,
After the unanimous adoption OF min
utes to the memory of Frank Trumpuil
and Jacob II. Schiff. the Chamber
elected Cornelius n. Bliss, Jr., a wee
president to succeed the former. and
otto III. Kahn vice-president to sue
coed the latter, and It chose Alfred h.
Narling as a member of the board OF
trustees having charge OF the Cham
ber's real estate to succeed MI. Schifr.
Irving T. Bush, chairman of the execu-
tive committee, presented the COM
memoratory minutes.
The Chamber adopted a resolution
calling attention to the chaliense OF the
Wall street explosion to the existence
of the Federal Government itself and
another resolution urging upon the next
Congress the passage OF appropriate
legislation as soon as possible, proVld-
ing for the incorporation under Federal
laws of companies organized for the
purpose of employing their capital In
foreign countries, so that American con-
Germs may develop our foreign trade
abroad on equal terms with the cor
pora tons of other countries. Another
resolution read as follows:
Resolved, That in the light OF the
report and recommendation made by the
committee on internal trade and inn
provements as the result of Its study
of the proposed st. Lawrence water
way project, involving the canalization
of the ST. Lawrence River between
Montreal and Lake Ontario, the Cham
Der cannot, on the facts so far re-
vealed. favor this project and Is opposed
to any participation in the expense
thereof by the United States Govern
ment: and that the committee on inter-
nal trade and Improvements is hereby
| authorized to so represent the Cham
| Der as It may deem advisable at the
hearing In New York before the Inter-
| national Joint Commission and If need
| be before Congress. and also to cooper
ate with other organizations"