Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-02
GREAT AMERICAN TONNAGE:
given TO FOREIGN SHIPS
Shipping Board Acts TO OBJ
tain Abrogation of Con
tracts by Railroads.
sIANy cAnnlERs TO COOPERATE
while American Merchant Marine
Lanrui>bc>. Preferential Arrange
Sncnts Have Thrown FrriehtS to
Craft InI,cr Alien Flags.
IEv Nssncintcd rrcss

WASHINGTON. Dec. l~-Wiliiuc-
ness 10 abrogato preferential con-
tracts with foreign shipping interests
was expressed today before Shipping
Board Officials 10y SIX az the eight
American railroads having such
agreements. Two or the roads which
were invited 10 appear before the
Shiprinc Hoard Interstate commerce
committee rs being party TO prefer
cntial contracts announced that those
cortrncts which they had hold had
expired and would not beFrencwcd.
The roads whose representatives.
agreed 10 recommend the canc,lla-
tion were mo Baliimorei and ohio
Nnr;hcrn Central. Southern. Mobile
and Ohio ana Hoston and Albany. The
Pennsylvania Railroad. according to
its general traffic manager. Robert e.
Wright. had only II business under
standing with the International Ncr-
chant Marine. which could be easily
Cancelled ic the board desired
The hearings were Adjourned today
pending the fling by the individual
roads of formal statements as to
their intent.
Wants business Replaced.
u. -, Wood. general foreign agent
Of the Grand Trunk Railway. said Il
would b. necessary TO discuss the
proposed ahroration further with his
principals before he could act. Tho
tenth railroad represented a: today's
hearing. the CHICAGO. Milwaukee and
st. Paul. offered 10 cancel it's agree
'ncnt with Japanese line II the
board would guarantee TO replace the
business. which, ne said Inevitably
would be lost 10y such action.
Commissioner Thompson who pro-
sided. outlined the policy OF the COM
mittee in he following statement:
Any exclusive or preferential con-
tract or agreement between any
American railroad and any foreign
flag shipping company Is a menace
10 the success OF ships operating un-
der the Mag 0f the United States
The resulting effect IS the diversion
~ American commerce TO the ships
of other nations operating IN com
petition with our own. Section IS
OF the merchant murine act. 1920.
clearly defines the intent OF Congress
that American railroads DC prefer
entail feeders OF tonnage FOR Ameri-
san ships. Yet 1t is OF record be-
fore the United states shipping
Board that Il number OF railroads in
the United States have such cxclu-
StVe or preferential contracts with
foreign Nag shipping companies IN
direct conflict with the spirit Of the
american Congress.
Grrnt T"nnnGc In Foreign Hottons.
1t IS also Of record that moro
man two and ouc-half million tons
"t cargo were !nterchanrcd last year
between these railroads and Ships
operating under the flag OF nations
other imam the United states This
is F." condition admittedly requiring
D.rr,ctun recognizing the full
'c'c" and effect OF tho enactment
clause of the merchant marine act
NshicA clearly provides that n greater
u.t'pn OF the commerce of the
United states be carried in American
Vessels.
'riie committee FIRST approaches
The question OF these contracts in
spirit OF desire for those correc-
tive and cooperative measures rs
VIII insure that tho influence and
ORGANIZATIONS az the rail carriers