New-York tribune., 1920-09-14
|U.S. Ship Men
Deal
AidingC
f,.uers' Association Says
0 proDosal That Americans
Help Restore the World
Routes of Teutons Unjust
Export Trade Loss Seen
Government Board Urged
m Refuse to Sanction
Alleged Plan of Hartman


u..tility o. American shipping in
.,...s 20 any contract with the Ham
,n,e.Amsrican Line whereby Ameri-
..,.avued ships could be used to aid
: ,hs restoration of German trade
S,eaehous the world was emphasized
,oselutions made public yesterday
:. ,ha American Steamship Owners
/ Association.
! The association. 1t was announced,
:. materially opposed to any action
!, the United States Shipping Board
,s.h would place American-owned
AIMS as the disposal of the Hamburg
,.sr;ean Line to restore the German
,,e-war trade routes.
The association attitude was quoted
:. being pertinent to the controversy
h..xsea the American Ship and Com
,.re. Corporation. owned by the Har-
,msn Interests ard Alfred E. Clegg,
] Sss.uresident of the Kerr Steamship
csmasny. The latter on Sunday
,h,rged that the contract entered into
he tSe Harcima0 !i-m tvltn the Ham
isav.American Line constituted
:s.rtnership" with the Germans which
va detrimental to American shipping.
Urges Agreement Be Cancelled
Mr.. Clegg alleged that if the Ship
s;ns Board made public the full text
] =. the agreement with the Germans a
1 s,seral protest would arise. He as
s,rted that the board ought to cancel
the agreement
Neither W. Averell Hartman, presi-
isat Of the American Ship Corporation.
/ ,or julius P. Meyer, American agent
Il the Hamburg American Line, would
eminent on Mr. Clegg's charges. How
eser, it was iptimated at Mr.. Harri-
mans ofFice. at l20 Broadway. that a
~ .er,ert ~ y. 10 forthcoming to-
Ay Mr. Hartman had previously
l. .. cen approved by
ADMIRAL Benson, chairman of the Ship
ping Board.
4 las american Steamship Owners AS
4 seiasion is composed of the largest
Shipping corporations in the country,
iaeIaaing the Hartman firm. At its
sfise. II Battery place, it was said
yesterday that the resolutions bearing
% the Hamburg-American contract
fhsi been adopted on March "a, and
aAss athe position of the association
remained Unchanged" No comment
vas made by Winthrop L. Marvin,
uee-president and general manager. on
he Clegg charges.
4 Position of Shippers
The position Of shippers, as stated
ID the resolutions, follows:
SIN view of the unfriendly record
q the Hamburg Steamship
Company toward the development Of
. american merchant marine prior
!s the war, and of the hostile acts
u its agents and employees against
DE United States during the war, the
American Steamship Owners Associ-
4 sisn is earnestly opposed to the plac-
4 isg Of steamers built and owned by our
gsernment at the disposal of the Ham-
lug-American Line as agents, for the
IMMEDIATE restoration Of its CONNER
cal services from Hamburg to the for
ign markets of the world.
Even though our government-owned
Eipa were operated under the Amer
4 Kan Tag, their transfer from our ports
Hamburg, by the direction of our
@ifping Board, to be handled by the
Eamburg-American Line, as agents in
IL foreign trades, would be regarded
quasi-partne with an enemv
eafporasion that has no right to such
9hsideraSion from the American peo-
Such 8 transfer Of American ma
4 ,lshai tonnage, including, as report
has i, part of our meager feet of
4 msular mail steamers, would be par
ssulssly unjust to American manufac-
sfets, merchants and ship owners in
ae face Of the fact that no adequate
n.i. passenger and fast freight service
] T. sxisss from the United States to
'sasa America and the Orient.
U. 8. Under No Obligation
4 Lhs United States government is
%s Isss 10 obligation to supply feet
sas o.n ships TO place German manu-
,ssfsa goods in foreign competitive
s.a.ss ss.ss in advance Of American goods,
10y dealing our own export trade
:. lloes injury, while there would be
40 ssssahg profit to our government
= -, rs tnese Am erican ships, as soon
sasy had served their temporary
ssse, would be supplanted by tom
SECURED by the Ham mburg-Amer-
"a sune Lne as owner or charterer.
Isyk these reasons stated and in the
"a 'as interest Of American commerce
a ae American merchant marine,
~ sAmefiean Steamship Owners Asso-
asssgh most earnestly recommends to
sCnited States Shipping Board that
.ssfuse 10 sanction anv nlan the re-
~ ~ o. o. which would be to place Amer
ssa rag ships in the former Hambure-
d .ssa Lane trades directly or under
49, OF that line. and that the
49, 49, ieavs the restoration of German
4 d Il ane industry to be worked out
att.t.'.n 10 process Of being, by private
\ ses,ds ss.e y. and capital, and that the
sns.sss sssain the best ships Of our gov
& ag n sSsSaiIt meet in the complete con-
ssssS ssSs sh,pp'ng Board is respectfully
4 issa sss. support and encourage Amer.
4 hha.hsass and conpanies that have es.
kkirss or are desirious of estab-
M. services TO and from German
Nysnss Fsfating IN the German ports
a tksms eneies owned or controlled
ashi..,s ,sissg said yesterday he had
i rsss.t % add TO his charges, excep,
~ 90 s's assertion that the Ship.
M ~ ts1a ought 70 make public the
Assrisss " "fhe Hartman Hamburg
o. msS. agreement" Admiral Ben.
Nj sn Public synopsis of the con.
Asas 20 aaTakt IL. He later declared
saole-hsartedly" in favor Of IL