The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-10-22
SCORE Marine POLICY
COOLIDGE POINTED OUT
MANY GREAT FAULTS
Merchant Fleet and Navy Held
AS Examples of Democratic
lnefficiency

49,
Asheville, N. c., October 90
Correspondence Of The Associated
Pressl-The upbuilding of the Amer
ican mechant marine and .an Amer
navy for our needs" were urged by
Governor Calvin Coolidge of Mas
sachusetts, republican candidate for
vice president, In an address here to-
night. He attacked the building and
sales methods of the shipping board
and the democratic administration of
the navy department, although add
ing that he was inclined to believe
that Secretary Daniels was 1.-The vic
tim of an unavoidable system which
he did not originate"
"We have no desire for special
privilege" said Governor Coolidge.
Freedom to sail the seas, freedom
In trade, like treatment, these are
the things for which we stand, these
are the thing we shall have. We es-
tablished in 1872, when we were
weak. equality Of right In the use of
the seas. We reserted that right
In 1917 only however, after repeated
Commerce is the blood of modern
existence. 1t Is of prime Importance
to us that there shall be prosperous
markets in which we may trade freely
and on equal terms: that our produc-
ton and transportation shall be de-
yeloped with due regard to our own
necessities and those Of others, and
economically handled and distributed;
that there shall be adequate prOtec-
ton for our business activities abroad
and that every governmental func-
ton properly available in the pro-
motion of our trade shall be so en-
ployed.
Praise Merchant Marine
We have merchant marine, the
second in point of tonnage in the
world. 1t was built by lavish expen-
diture Of public funds and in a he'll
ter SHELTER fashion foreign to Amer
lean system. OF the 13,500,000 odd
dead weight tons in the final build
ing program of the United States
shipping board, approximately 2,000,-
900 tons consist of wooden vessels
and hulls which are useless for salts
factory ocean service. We do not
at a heavy discount.
sells are unsuited for any class of
trade and must be discarded. The
American fleet has too large a pro-
portion Of small size vessels and too
small proportion of large size YES
sells. There was no proper ratio
adopted when the Program was draft
ed. We are safe at a. disadvantage
with respect to the British merchant
marine In size, in kind of fuel
and In speed. Our commerce and
our feet itself will suffer from these
handicaps.
"At time when constructive poll
cies should have been carefully for
mulated and efficiently executed, the
Shipping Board were overcome by
doubt and haste. One constructive
recommendation was made, months
after the armistice was signed, that
the fleet should be transferred to pri-
vate ownership. 1t nullified this
sound recommendation by enforcing
a sales policy which worked to pre-
serve government ownership. SINH y
lar delay attended adoption of an eff
f1cient constructive program of oper-
alton.
"A republican congress interviewed
to repair these gross failures of ad-
ministration. 1t enacted law which
is in fact charter for this new and
important industry. That law de-
clares 1t to be necessary for the ma
tional defense and for the proper
growth of its foreign and domestic
commerce that the United States
shall have q merchant marine of the
best equipped and most suitable types
OF vessels, sufficient to carry the
greater part of its commerce and
serve as naval or military auxili-
airy In time Of war or national emer-
gency. 1t reasserts the fundamental
and traditional principle of private
ownership and operation.
Protect All Citizens
"The state of civilization in which
we are today compels unhappily the
existence of force for the protection
OF our citizens and their rights, Upon
an adquatea nd efficient navy we
place our chief reliance 1t has serv-
ed us CALAMITY In the past, it will
serve us CALAMITY in the future. Pro-
perly administered, 1t Is a guarantee
of freedom. We have no desire to
build great ornaments. Rather do we
with to limit them, to relieve all ma
tons of the staggering costs they re-
quire.
DlSdTIudn6uC mas D66u preached
but 1t has not been practiced by the
representatives of the democratic
party. That is evident from the
course Of the present navy depart
ment Against the judgment Of its
own naval advisers, 1t proposed last
year to build two additional dread
noughts to cost the enormous sum of
$4,000, 900 each. A patriotic repub-y
lican majority In congress stopped
this unnecessary construction and
further raid upon the public funds.
1.-THE design of this building pro-,
gram was to make the American
fleet the most powerful in the world
We are, in fact. as result of the &C.
ton Of the present administration,
embarked upon race Of ornaments
which is in striking constrast with
administration promise An ample
navy for our needs is all we require
and that the republican party, as its
record of the past shows, will pro-
vide. It will be the purpose of the
incoming republican administration
to make and keep that most impor-
tant arm Of the service one hundred
percent effective
1T will attempt to avoid some err
rors whic have lately worked to the
detrfment of the department. / shall
point out some Of them, not for the
purpose of imputing aIy personal