New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-15
Ship, Owners
Opposed to
Duty on Oil
Association Sends Protes,
! to Congress; Sees U. S.
!, shipping Costs Greatly
Increased by New Tariff
Would Hit Boards Fleet
so Per Cent Is Oil-Burning;
Opposition TO Load-Line
Bill Is Also Announced

Protest against the provisions of the
new tariff bill imposing duty of IS
cents barrel on fuel oil has been
made by special committee of the
American Steamship Owners Associa-
ton in kilograms sent to chairman
Joseph W. Fordney of the House Com
mittee on Ways and Means. and SEN
stor Boies Penrose, chairman of the
Senate Committee on Finance.
Eighty per cent of the Shipping
Boards oceangoing tonnage and a
large percentage of that privately
owned under the American fiag, are
equipped for oil burning Through the
economies effected by the use of oil
instead of coal as fuel it Ia hoped to
overcome to some degree the differ
entail in operating costs favoring for
eign ship owners.
Protest Made to Washington
The special committee of the Steam
ship Owners Association is composed
Of Edgar F. Luckenbach, president of
the Luckcnbach Steamship Company,
and R. H. NJ Robinson acting president
Of the United American Lines. The
telegram of protest sent to Washing
ton reads:
"As committee appointed on behalf
VI VAe iSah oIedHSnlp owners
Association we earnestly protest
against paragraph eighty nine of the
tariff bill imposing a duty of twenty
five cents barrel on fuel oil. This
will mean an increase of one dollar and
sixty-fve cents a ton in the cost of
fuel oil to American steamers in our
waters, depriving them of the advan-
tage of cheaper fuel, which they hoped
would Offset in part their higher wage
costs
at should be borne in mind that
American shipping in overseas trade
is an absolutely unprotected industry
and that, therefore, any added burden
handicaps it severely against its for
especially dependent on the Mexican
oil helds, as not enough oil Of the kind
required is produced in the United
States: We urge that opportunity be
gwen by amendment to strike out this
obnoxious provision in the House of
Represe ntatives"
Other Bodies Opposed
This is in pursuance of action taken
by the executive committee of the
American Steamship Owners Associa-
ton, which is much concerned over the
fuel oil situation. Mr.. Luckenbach and
Mr. Robinson have taken the matter
up with the Maritime Exchange, the
PRODUCE Exchange and the Merchants
Association and will act in concert
with representatives of the manufac-
turing industries of the country who
are also very strongly opposed to the
unexpected course of the Ways and
Means Committee in placing an import
tax on fuel oil, most of which, suitable
Tor steamship use, has been derived
from Mexico.
Action on the bill establishing load
mes for American vessels in the for
eign trade has been taken by the ex-
ecutive committee of the American
Steamship Owners Association. This
committee has adopted a resolution as
follows:
We approve the principal of load
line, but feel strongly that American
shipping should not be saddled with
any further handicaps at present and,
therefore. are not in favor Of the adop-
ton of load line by Congress until
uniform load line can be fixed through
International egotiations-to the end
that the rules governing the applica-
tlon OF a proposed load line on Amer
lean ships shall not place American
vessels at disadvantage with the ship
ping OF the other maritime nations Of
the world"
The executive committee of the
American Steamship Owners Associa-
ton has voted to approve and urge the
Of Idaho, favorably reported frcm the
Committee en- Intercceanic Canals, pro-
vlding that thereafter no tolls shall
De levied upon vessels passing through
the Panama Canal engaged in the coast
wise trade of the United States"