Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-07-08
WARN FOREIGNERS
NOT TO INTERFERE
WILL NOT TOLERATE INTERFER.
ENcE WITH MERCHANT
MARINE
WESTERNERS HEAR ADDRESS
Foreign Interests Told Not To At
tempt To sidetraek American
Shipping

MISUNDERSTANDING foreign in
terests not TO attempt to interfere
with the development of the American
merchant marine, Chairman Benson OF
the shipping board declares that the
board is determined to build up an
American merchant marine as contem-
plated by the Jones shipping act, des-
pite threats and propaganda by such
interests to defeat the law.
THE United States" says 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 i'm
ports and exports. If it should by
any possible means be held that the
departments of the government lack
such authority as will insure their be-
ing able to protect American interests
in such control, additional authority
will be asked by the administration,
and will undoubtedly be granted by
congress.
Foreign carriers and those in the
United States interested more in for
eign than American institutions will
do well to let sleeping dogs lie.'"
Admiral Benson's warning was
sounded in a talk to representatives
of Pacific coast chambers of com
merce and trade bodies and American
railroads who have been disturbed by
threats of foreign carriers to divert |
business from American ports on the |
Pacific coast because of the section |
of the merchant marine act permitting |
a preferential rate over carriers with
in the United States on merchandise
moving in export and import in Amer
ican vessels.
Such a threat, the admiral says, is
futile and idle"
"If such a threat is sincere and the
attempt is made to so divert the bust
ness" Admiral Benson goes on to say,
"the shipping board will allocate
American ships to move the business.
The shipping board and the inter-
state commerce commission will fol-
low this action by other action which
will further protect the interests of {
the United States against such for /
eign efforts to defeat the purposes of
the merchant marine act"
Nothing could more surely bring (
about the enforcement of this section s
Of the law than adoption BIZ foreign {
carriers OF their threat to divert bust
ness from American ports. II
"As this section is to be used only t
where there is an ample American ton f
Rage to handle the export business
n a foreign country or possession a
If the United States, we cannot con- o
eive how any one who has studied
his law can assume that the shipping j
,Oard would make any general appli "
alton of this section. There will GER &
ainlv be no enforcement of the pro- D
ision without concurrent action which ii
yill fully protect all American inter ir
SITS. tt
1.-THE transportation act has Civ h.
n the interstate commerce commits
ion authority in emergency to direct
raffic or establish embargoes against S,
lovement of freights. 1t also has au- al
nority to establish minimum rates b
n any commodity moving subject to pr
lie interstate commerce act within ad
lie United States.
THE commission is aware Of the to
ecessity for preventing the distorting pa
traffic upon the railroads of the I'M
nited States such as would be &C
,mplished by an effort by foreign I'M
lrriers to divert the export and inn ur
,rt traffic now moving between Pa re.
fic coast ports of the United States
I'd the Orient either to British Co me
mbia or to ports of the Atlantic" de
tn;