Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1920-02-26
SENATE SEEKS uen
ON snIPPING PROBLEM

ON SnlPpIN6 PROBLEM.
How Can Vast Merchant Fleet
6s Operated Without Loss
to treasury
FUTURE OF FLAG ON SEA
m HANDS OF SENATORS
Washinston, D. C.-The couatry has
Invested between three and four billion
dollars In merchant shipa. which 4
now has on Ito hands. Nvery taxpay.
or, whether farmer. worker or mer.
chant business man or manufactures,
at present 10 Z stockh0lder In these
ships. How can they be run 1t prof
L In competition with other nationsi
n other words. how II our nag 70 b
kept on the seasf
These ARE the questions with which
the members Of the Senate Committee
On Commerce are wrestling II Z nota.
BILE sefies Of Asarinss - the merchant
marine which are new n progress
at the Capltel. Il 10 likely that
these hearings may last several weeks
moro. and the legislation on which he
committee 10 seeking light 10 expected
to sAeass the attention Of Congress
for several months to cona. The cues
lions involved u the hearings consti-
tutA n fact the gravest single eco
aomic problem that has been imposed
on the country % result q the war.
osMateso - the JeA.
The respeaslollity for prs0arins .
solution Of this problem tArsagh thsss
hearings falls On 10 ssaatora iaclu1-
Ing the following freo Middle Weol
States:
nlinols-Lawrsace Y. 0herman.
Ainneoota-Knute Nelooa.
Aissouri-yaDes A. neol
Ohie-Warren @. Har6ing.
Wloconsln-lrvine l. Lenroee.
New Nsarimos A. csM1wsasd.
TAsss hearings are held II the large
committee roe0 Of the Ce0mittee -
Commerce. In the Senate wing sf tAs
Capitol. In which heartngs % the uer-
chant marine have been held In maay
past sessions Of Congrsss. Pictures
Of the new merchant feet lock Down
from the walls The Seaators ~ 81
q long table with Chairman Weoley l.
Jones Of the state q Washiagtoa at tAe
head. Around Il are grouped each day
Representatives Of the country manu-
fscturers. nerchants, farmers, banker.
exporters, shipbuildes and ship op-
orators. Ofncials Of the U. 3. Shipplag
Board. which now controls . majority
Of the ships. are alwaycs near at hand.
The daily sessions begin at 2 .. y.
and last usually until toward 9 o'clock.
or after the adjournment Of the Sen.
ate for the day. The daily attendance
Of the committee 10 good. and the In
terest shown BY the Senators ID keen
and sustained. They, - we'll % the
witnesses, realize that on the result q
the committees deliberations hangs the
fate Of the new merchant marine, with
Ito 100000 officers and men and its
1900 seagoing ships, each worth more
than Z million dollars on an average.
A majority Of the men attending
these sessions feel that there hes new.
er before been . series Of COMPRESSION.
al hearings at which 20 much money
and such grave possibilities for eco
n0mic food or evil have been 1t stake.
Preblsms 70 % Solved.
II substance the problems to be solv-
ed in these hearings are ~ follows:
How can oil these ships Of the coun-
try's new merchant marine, built 1T
high war costs. for the emergency Of
getting men and supplies to the Eu-
ropean battle front. be operated In the
fierce competition Of peace times
against ships under other lags which
have been made available 10 their
owners at . price which permits their
operation at profit?
Should = certain percentage OF the
cost of our merchant ships be charged
OF ~ war expense In the same way
that the navy 10 charging OF the cost
Of it, war emergency feet, and the
army the cost Of itS campo and other
surplus war materialf
This point having been settled. how
can the ships be most economically Op-
Grated In accordance With Americas
standards Of upkeep and wagesi
The latter question involves that Of
ownership. At present . majority Of
the new ships are owned BY the gev-
eminent. Should they Be turned over
to private citizens. and. II 20. ct what
price. a. compared with their cost and
the present cost Of building ships In
the open MARKET
Responsibility ~ Senate.
The House Of Representatives a.
ready has taken action on measures IL
volving the same questions. voting o.
most unanimously--24O to Sin favor
Of the bill introduced BY Chairman
WiIIiam g. Greene Of the Committee on
Merchant Marine. which directs the
Shipping Board to sell the government
owned ships In its control to private
buyers at the world market price 'as
soon a. practicable.