Evening star., 1921-10-16

followed. until the hands Of the
United States were tied with the
cords Of Commercial reciprocity"
In 1928 the early policy of discrim-
altogether by act of Congress.
Whatever may be said as to the
wisdom of this program. the fact re-
mains that the period between 1912
peril for the American merchant ma
rine. The decline was steady and hu-
initiating. Iron and steel took the
place of wood. The British subsidy
system, which began about 1910. was
in full operation. finally in 1855 reach
ing three to four and a half million
dollars annually. Between 1S45 and
1S45. the United States feebly met the
situation with small subsidies until
in 1855. assailed by the south and
west in Congress. they were aban-
doned.
The period between 1855 and 1914
witnessed a steady decline and al
most annihilation Of American ships
in the foreign-carrying trade.
Whereas once between so and 80 per
cent of Americas foreign commerce
was carried in American ships, there
was steady decline until the lowest
point was reached in 1s90-only 6.1
per cent being carried in American
ships.
This decline has been attributed to
various causes. among them: The
civil war. the Anglo-Confederate
cruisers. which. between. 1sS1-1s65.
destroyed 10000 tons of American
shipping and drove ISL 1000 tons under
foreign colors; the failure Of Con-
gress to give adequate aid; and by
some. the refusal by Congress to in
is. free purchase of foreign ships and
their registry as American ships.
Many attempts were made between
the close of the civil war and. the
beginning of the great European war
to revive the American merchant ma
rine. by government aid. as other
maritime countries were doing. The
sea postage act of 1872. the amended
postal law of 1891. helped some. but
were far from productive of satisfac-
tory results. The main difficulty was
the excess cost of. construction. and
In his famous reply to Gladstone
in 1890. Blaine referred to the growth
of American shipping in the coast
wise trade Exclusive to the United
States since 1870 as "the one thing
consistently refused to neglect"
In 1904 the entire subject was ex-
l1austively Investigated by congress.
SIGNAL commission. The result was a
measure granting a subsidy to both
mali anu .CdEko -Nco6clS, WHICH. IdIlcu
to become a, law. Another ineffec-
tual attempt was made in 1907 to in
, crease the mail pay to American ships
sailing, to South America and the
orient. '
Ks i
This was the background of the
picture in 1914 when the European
war burst upon the world. The
United States was being drawn into
the vortex. Submarines were de-
stroying the worlds shipping. Where
were the ships needed for the worlds
of American soldiers, munitions and
supplies? The shipping act. of 1916
was the result It was a govern
ment ownership and operation prop
osition, permitting the formation OF
zone or more corporations for the
purchase, construction. equipment,
lease, charter, maintenance and oper-
alton Of merchant vessels" February
5, 1917. "a national emergency" was
proclaimed by the President; June 80
following the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration was created.
The hectic" period Of shipbuilding
proclamations. 1t Is Unnecessary to
dwell long upon the story Of the
United States Shipping Board and
Emergency Fleet Corporation between
october, 1917. and October. 1920. Suf-
fee to say, in one year the Shipping
amounting to S3.44s, 900, 900; $751;
100000 had been invested in ship
yards, $68. 100000 in housing facilities.
In. 1914 the total American tonnage
\ in the foreign trade was ,06S Geo. In