New-York tribune., 1920-12-15


Jones law In respect to commercial
treaties and conventions should be put
into effect; second, the strongest pos
sible Shipping Board should be or
ganized; third, Panama Canal tolls for
American ships should be discontinued
IN hne with recent utterances of the
fresldent-elect. And, most important
OF all constructive steps. the Jones
act should be amended so that the man
at the head of the Shipping Board
shall be made member of the Cabinet.
President Blocks Action
When the merchant marine act Of
1920 was enacted last June it was felt
very generally that the immediate needs
OF American shipping had been pro-
vlded for and that our maritime COM
merce would regain the prosperity it
nae nsd Known before the Civil WARM
the days before the United States reck-
iessly sacrificed the right to impose
disseminating duties of impost and ton
mage on foreign vessels. Five months
have elapsed since the Jones bill was
signed, and not only has no step been
taken toward removing the treaty bar
rler that must be eliminated before
we can impose discriminating duties,
Dut President Wilson has announced
ms lntentlon to ignore this provision
of the merchant marine act.
The Presidents refusal to carry out
the provisions of Section 81. which re-
quires the modifying or annullihg of
commercial treaties that restrict Amer
icas right to impose discriminating
duties, hes provoked serious contro-
versy, but without progress toward a
settlement of the dispute between Con-
gress and the President.
Section 81 will probably remain in
allegiance until next March, and ship
ping people will have to view the pres
ent sorry situation with what patience
they can command.
Tariff Act Effect in Doubt
The straightening out of this tangle
IS not the only step to be taken, for
there seems to be some doubt about
the operation OF Subsection J of Sec
ton Of the tariff act of 1913. The
duties imposed by this subsection are
practically identical in form with those
that proved effective in the building
up of the early merchant marine Of
America, and Congress has inserted
them in every tariff BILL but always
with the added restriction that they
were not to operate in eases where
foreign treaties provided otherwise.
Most OF the students of the merchant
marine act believe that the abrogation
or modification of the treaties would
remove the obstacle TO the operation
OF subsection J, but the best informed
among them recognize the necessity of
modification OF these discriminating
duties, which, as written, might go too
far in barring foreign ships to our
ports. The prompt imposition of suit
able discriminating duties. however, is
quite as important as the changing OF
existing treaties, and such changes
must be made to Subsection as will
give our merchant marine, at the earli-
est moment, suitable but not undue
protection.
Section "a and it's defects ought to
be attended to before the Wilson Ad-
ministration retires, but there is an
other matter pressing for attention
that now bids fair to await the IN
coming Administration final or
ganization of the new United States
Shipping Board.
Task Ahead for New Board
The magnitude Of our merchant ma
rine makes it imperative that its al
fairs be conducted and its policies lad
out along broad, permanent lines. Inc
probable delay in this regard Is, there
fore, much to be regretted
It is necessary that tns members OF
the board should do mo-- than fulfill
the laws requirements as to political
faith and regional representation. They
should, for the most part, be practical
marine men who have proved their IT.
ness for the work, and who have the
confidence of the shipping and ship
building industries. There are able
men available for these places, but
since the war, in the face of the cer-
+ainty os investigation and acrimonl-
ons criticism. they have been hard to
oct and harder to keep. Now that the