New-York tribune., 1920-09-14
Steamship Men
Oppose Foreign
Shipping Attacks
H. I'll. Raymond Declares
Propaganda Is Directed
Against Senator Jones to
Discredit the Marine Act

Foreign attempts to undermine
the merchant marine act through po.
litical attacks upon Senator Jones
must be discredited, said H. H. Ray
mond, president Of the American
Steamship Ownery Association, in a
issued by him yesterday.
THE rumor current in shipping
circles here that foreign interests have
raised fund which is being devoted to
the spreading OF propaganda against
Senator Wesley L. Jones and to an at
tempt to undermine him with the
people is no surprise to me-" Mr.. Ray
mond stated
The accomplishment Of Senator
Jones in securing the enactment of the
merchant marine act of 1920 is the
greatest legislative step in behalf of
an American merchant marine that
has been taken in the past century.
This legislation enables US to meet, if
We wish, the handicaps which have
been imposed upon us by similar legis-
lation or by orders in council in other
countries.
NATURALLY marine shipping is mat
Ter of international competition, and
some of our foreign competitors are
going to leave no stone unturned to
defeat the objects of measure SO
purely American. To seek to discredlt
a man who wields the influence of Sem
ator Jones in shipping affairs would be
q logical step in such program.
Some foreign governments do not
want to see US have mercantile
marine. So far as foreign trade is
concerned they have had their wish in
this respect for more than fifty years
past. The American flag has been
rare sight in foreign ports. We have
depended almost solely upon the ves
sells of other nations for the carrying
of our shipping in foreign trade. When
the war started in 1914 the United
States was carrying but 10 per cent of
its own foreign commerce.
"Countries upon which this country
had depended for transoceanic trans
'7nts in the World War. Their We sells
limited their cargoes to commodities
essential to the prosecution Of the war.
There was an unusual demand for the
products of all character of our manu-
factories, but our people could not
avail them selves of this business be-
cause we had not the vessels in which
to transport merchandise other than
that specified zy the governments Of
the belligerent countries. The period I
refer to is previous to our own en-
When in 1917 we did enter the war
it became necessary for US to construct
scedily a merchant marine. Without
one we were almost helpless. Then we
paid directly in dollars q part of the
penalty for our having depended there
tefore upon the merchant vessels of
Germany, England, Japan and other
countries.
"The United States has the vessels
now and has an opportunity to develop
and maintain an efficient American
merchant marine. sufficient to handle
our fair share of the worlds carrying
trade in foreign commerce and ade-
ouate for our needs as naval aux
ilary in time of emergency. The most
far-reaching step in behalf of the per-
manency of such a fleet is the act for
which Senator Jones is so largely re-
sponsible. We should see to it that
foreign interests are prevented from
discrediting this great piece of legis-
lation and undermining Senator Jones,
who stands out boldly for American
shipping"