New-York tribune., 1920-12-13

! in August, 1914.
OF ocean-going vessels of above L..
ooo gross tons each now documented
IN TINS country, l 929 of a total ton
mage OF 4,625,324 are the property of
private ship owners, and 1898 of a
total tonnage of 7 .2S8 ,208 are possessed
by the United States Shipping Board,
which is by far the worlds largest
ship owner at the present time. Near
~ all of this Shipping Board tonnage.
however, is operated by private con
Germs under a system Of ALLEGATION.
Garry Under Half Our Trade
American registered ocean-goine YES
sels now suffice to carry somewhat less
than 80 per cent of the imports and ex-
ports OF the United States. There is
aoundant room, therefore, in the carry
ing OF our trade for all the present
american merchant marine. Verv ew
american vessels. certainly not more
thah lew score, are exclusively en-
gagged IN commerce between one foreign
country and another.
Inns demonstrates that our Ameri-
can shipping, greatly increased, or vir-
UUaly doubled as it has been, is by no
means too large for the requirement.
o. our country, of whose overseas com
merce we should rightfully carry some
Wnat more than one-half, instead Of
Iess than one-haf This is not an ex-
travagart ambition for our people and
their government. We are reasonably
emitted to such feet for the promo
ton OF our own commercial interests.
ana, as the late war proved. we need
" lmperatlvely for the national de-
/ tense,
For one, / believe that with prudent
legislation we shall retain the bulk of
our present merchant marine and re-
main foremost shlpbuilding and ship
owning nation. Remember that l say
with prudent Legislation" The pros
perlty, IN fact the very existence. Of
our valuable merchant shipping de-
pends on what may be done by our
lawmakers and executives in the next
few years in Washington. We have in
abundance all the material and equip
ment for shipbuilding and navigation.
Snip steel is substantially cheaper here
than IN the competing countries of
| Europe.
Seafarers by Nature
AS our history Proves, we are natural
! iy seafaring and trading race-or
TINS is true OF the older communities
along the shores OF the ocean, where
so many Of our greatest cities are
established. Even before 1914 we had
in our ocean and lake coastwise feet a
tonnage greater by 100000 than the
entire shipping Of the German Empire.
Our coastwlse service on the Atlantic
and Pacific seaboards employed many
OF the finest vessels in the world AMI
we possessed six or seven Of the
worlds principal shipyards.
I We have much TO learn, doubtless
about the ways and means Of distant
/ so much TO learn as may be imagine d
about the design, construction and
/ handing Of ships. These things, thanks
to our wise coasIwise laws, have never
become lost arts in our country. Our
coastwise shlpyards and our seagoing
coastwise vessels proved of inestinabie ie
value to the Allied cause in the crisis
o. the great war. Without them the
new emergency feet Of transports and
supply ships never could have been
created, ohicered and manned.
In entering anew upon the routes
OF overseas trading we are, therefore
possessed Of considerable maritime e
experience which is going to be very
helpful to US. What we ask to-day
Is reasonably fair chance with our
foreign compctitors, whose wages and
standards of living are net yet equal to
our own We do not require as much ma
tlonal encouragement as has been gen
eTously bestowed in the past on the
manufacturing industries Of the coun-
try, for in the shipping industries we
are nearer an equality with our rivals
than manufacturing was in 1865 TO
after the Civil War.
Aid Given to Shipping
What form this national encourage
ment should take in all of it's details
ri
mine. When she committee Of the
American Steamship Owners Associa-
ton appeared last February before the
senate Committee on Commerce in
Washington. we recommended the adop-
tion Of certain policies, some Of which
were embodied in the new merchant
marine act, approved on June 5 last
b. President Wilson.
As one expedient, we asked that Amer
.can ships engaged in foreign trade
be exempted from excess profits taxes
on condition that the amount of the
exemption be devoted "to the building
of new ships in American yards OF
the purchase Of ships built in Ameri.
can yards" The Jones law provides
such an exemption, with the stipulation
that two-thiros Of the money put into
new ships shall represent the private
capital Of the investor. Already this
;eature of the law is proving success
Vi. 1t has been applied to thirty OF
uore new ships under construction fol
me merchant marine. Incidentally this
'xemption serves also as compensation
or the higher wage costs Of operation
o. American shipping.
Moreover, the new merchant marin,
act authorizes The Shipping Board tt
support the extension Of steamship
services on new routes. particularly OF
poatal routes, and gets aside $25 900,
900 year for the building of suci
vessels a. may be necessary This il
sound, effective legislation 1t is
welcome token Of the purpose of th'
American people. without distinction o
party or section, 10 sustain the new
merchant marine SO far as it goes i
gives confidence to shipowners, t
builders and 10 those who wish TO in
yest IN shipping property.
Speedy Sale Essential
All practical men Of the shipping in
! dustfy believe that il is essential t.
the enduring prosperity Of that busi
ness that the Shipping Board feet b.
sold to competent private ownership a.
soon AS possible. This is also th'
opinion Of the Slipping Board, as ex
pressed by it's dissirQnished chairman
Admiral Benson. Without doubt thi
will he the active ruling policy Of th'
ss.t. D.. ~