Evening star., 1921-08-05
MERCHANT FLEET
NEED, S125,0)o,0l))
Shipping Board Chairman
Plans Putting Service on
Paying Basis.

Confidence that the government
merchant fleet can be put on pay
ing basis was expressed by Chairman
Lasker of the Shipping Board when
priation committee to request an ad-
ditional S125,000,060 for expenses
during the next five months. A re-
port on the executive hearings, made
public, s ows that Mr.. Lasker SAID
il Congress and the press and the
country are patient and helpful. TINS
wreck can be turned into an asset so
great that from money value 1T
will be worth the whole $26.000.O0O.-
900 that the war cost US
Optional Proposition.
II do not mean the three and half
billion dollars that the fleet cost US.
because it will mean the maintenance
Of an American merchant marine,
continued Mr.. Lasker. IF you do not
do that, you are left with the option
to pay a greater loss to keep the
merchant marine tied up or else 10
sink it,"
The Shipping Board chairman de-
clared that the profit in the export
business Is in the freights. which he
described as 1.-The kitty of the inter-
national poker game OF trade.
Both that we may have boats to
carry our trade and where we need
them and are not at the mercy of
the foreign nations who will shut US
off from boats when trade gets good
and kill of our commerce." he said.
"and because Of the profit in interna-
tional business in the freight. we
have to keep up this merchant ma
rine.
Reduces Amount to 800, ,OOO, 900.
Mr.. Lasker trimmed his request to
500, 100000 after the committee had
pointed out that $25.000,000 sought
for ship construction already had
been appropriated. He said $50.00O.-
900 was needed for losses expected to
result from operations. $4,000, 900 for
and insurance, $1,000
900 for administrative overhead and
$29. 100000 for payment Of pressing
claims.
The Shipping Board chairman said
he was in doubt as to what should be
done with the steamer Leviathan. 1t
is costing the government $750,0O0 a
year to keep the liner tied up at Ho-
boken h said.
U. 8. Wins Egypt Cotton Case.
The United States has won an initial
victory in the Egyptian cotton case
conference in London, according to q
cable received last night by the Ship
ping Board. The British conferees
were said to have agreed to allocate
SO per cent of the shipments of cot
ton from Alexandria, Egypt, to the
United States.
British shippers. the cabled report
said, refused to accede to the demand
Of the United States that a similar
proportion of indirect shipments go
ing by way of the United Kingdom be
allocated to American bottoms.
Shipping Board officials were of the
opinion that the stand taken by Brit
ish owners in regard to indirect ship
ments was the result Of their failure
to understand in detail the American
claims. The boards claim to half the
tonnage between ports of transship-
ment in the United Kingdom and the
port Of destination in the United
States was entirely suitable. these
officials said, and would be insisted
upon.
The board has cab1ed Capt Ferris. its
representative at London, advising him
that the demand is for one-half the
indirect shipments from United King
dom ports to the United States and
not for participation in the first leg
of the transportation from Alexandria
to the United Kingdom ports.