The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1920-07-09
BENSON WARNS FOREIGNERS NOT
TO NEEDLE WITH AMERi-
CAN MERCHANT MARINE
RAILROADS NOT SATISFIED
Chairman Of Board Cites Instances
Where American Vessels Returned
Empty From Certain U. S. Ports
Where Foreigners Got Cargoes

washington, ~. u, July o-VdrniNS
foreign interests not to attempt to in
terfere with the development of the
American merchant marine. Chairman
Benson of the shipping board yester-
day declared that the board was de-
termined to build up merchant ma
rine as contemplated by the Jones'
shipping act. despite threats and propa-
ganda by such interests to defeat the
law.
1.-THE United States" said Admiral
Benson. "is in earnest in it's efforts to
place within the ownership of United
States citizens the control of vast
part of it's traffic in imports and ex-
ports"
Admiral Benson's warning was
sounded in talk to representatives Of
Pacific coast chambers Of commerce
and trade bodies and American rail-
way representatives which have been
disturbed by threats to divert trade
from points on the Pacific coast be-
cause of the action of the merchant
marine act permitting a preferential
rate over foreign carriers within the
United States on merchandise moving
in export and import in American yes
sells.
IF such threat is sincere and the
attempt is made to so divert the busi-
ness" Admiral Benson continued. "the
shipping board will allocate American
ships to move the business. The ship
ping board and the interstate COM
merce commission will follow this ac-
ton by other steps which would fur
Their protect the interests of the United
States.
Nothing could more surely bring
about the enforcement of this section
OF the law than adoption by foreign
carriers of their threat to divert bust
ness from American ports.
"As this section is to be used ONLY
where there is an ample American ton
mage to handle the export and import
commerce to any particular port in n
foreign country or possession of the
United States. we cannot conceive how
anyone who has studied this law can
assume that the shipping board would
make any general application of this
section. There will certainly be no en-
forcement of the provision without
concurrent action which will fully pro-
tect all American interests.
The transportation act has given to
the interstate commerce commission
authority in emergencies to divert
traffic or establish embargoes against
movement Of freight. 1t also has au-
thority to establish minimum rates on
any commodity moving subject to the
Interstate commerce act within the
United States.
The commission is aware of the
necessity for preventing the distorting
of traffic upon the railroads of the
United States such as would he oc-
romplished by an effort by foreign car
rlerS TO divert the export and import
tfafflc now moving between Pacific
coast ports of the United States and
the orient either to British Columbia
Or to ports of the Atlantic"
Admiral Benson said that in the
[ranspaeific trade at this time there
seemed to have been specific and sue
ressful efforts to prevent American
vessels from securing return cargoes at
certain points while ships of other
nations have come with full loads. An
of the section of the merchant
marine act prescribing preferential
rates might be invoked. he said. to re-
lu're equal consideration in cargoes
from such discriminating ports for
United States vessels. owned either by
private citizens or by the shipping
board.