Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-08-23
NEED ! Assem-
GER VESSELS
Steamship Accommodations
for all Lands at Pre-
MUM Despite Re-
strictiOns.
FARES INCREASED
Storage Rates as Much as
Former Second Class
Rates.

New York, Aug. 23-Thc slogan OF
s'ships! ships and still more ships y
so effectively used during the war to
speed up Americas ship building pro-
gram as defiance OF the submarine
campaign still is heard in American
seaports. 1t comes, however, not so
much from those having freight for
transit as it does from those who desire
to make trips to foreign shores on
business or pleasure.
steamship accommodations for all
lands, despite more than doubling
of pre-war time tariffs, and rigid re-
strictiOns as to passports are at Il
premium. Representatives i'll New
York and other terminals Of passenger
carrying lines say that all available ac-
commodations are booked us far as
three months head. The unfortunate
business man faced with the need OF
making an unexpected trip abroad.
is forced to depend on possible cancel
Id VI uCNlouSiS NhSuSSN pe'S's,>
on the part of someone who at the
last moment is prevented from sailing.
On many ships third class accOmmOda-
lions hold men and women who are
financially able to travel i'll the best
that the ship affords. 1t is no infre-
quent occurrence for staid banker,
or a wealthy head of large business
house to be found booked with the
humble alien laborcr returning to the
land of his birth for Il visit.
Fares Increase.
1t was recently said by the head of "A
in 1914 man could purchase a tour
list ticket including rail fares and hotel
accommodations for Il trip half way
around the world for the same sum
that he is now compelled to pay for Il
One-way ticket from New York to
Mediterranean port. "a.
Records of departures and arrivals
as kept here by the Steamship Mems
AssOciatiO show that despite the very
apparent rush, travel is only about
half, as to number of passengers, what
it was in 1914. In May and June of
that year there sailed from American
transatlantic ports 10000 persons of
whom more than 100000 were classed
as third-class. In the same months of
1920 the outgoing total was SO,323 of
whom $4,000 were third class.
or incoming passengers in one month
of 1914 there were 1O51OO persons.
The corresponding month this year
showed 1920 persons arrivals.
Need Passenger Ships.
The rush this year and the diff
Guilty in getting accommodations is ac-
counted for by the fact that there is
needed ''Ships, ships, and more Ships"
of the passWger-carrying class. Avail
able tonnage, due to the ravages of the
war, is greatly depleted. The North
German Lloyd and the Hamburg
American lines, which prior to the war
carried large percentage of the trans
Atlantic travel, do not exist. In addi-
ton, many of the big liners of allied
flags are gone, as for example the
Lusitania. Almost the entire pre-war
fleet of another large British line were
submarine victims. Other ships were
Of a necessity laid up for periods of
more than year for reconditioninS
due to their accommodations having
been ripped out with axes to make
them into troop carriers. An example
of this is the huge Olympic, which but
recently was returned to her passeng
er-carrying trade.
OF the former German liners, al
though taken over by the United States
and other countries, but comparative
few are yet in operation. One of these
is the Lcviathan, the largest ship
afloat which is lying idle at her dock
in HOboken-a ship which could carry
from 5000 to 5000 passengers were
she in operation Leviathan could go
to sea now, insofar as her engines and
boilers are concerned, but alterations
Of her cabins by which she was able to
take on board 1000 troops have I'M
fitted her for passengcr-carrying trade.
The Rates.
Prevailing rates recently quoted
show that first-class ticket can be ,
purchased from New York to a Brit
sh port at prices ranging from $500 ,
M to SJ.00O--the latter for the
choice suites. To France the tariff
ranges from 5000 to $1,40O depending ,
IN the ship and the berth. Italy as II |,
destination requires an expenditure of I
from $500 up, and to Scandinavian q
from 5000 to $500. In addi-
ion a war tax of So is collected on
Zach ticket. d
Storage, or third-class rates. are 4