The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-10-05
MERCHANT MARINE
VITAL TO NATIONAL
STAB|LITY-LASKE
Shipping Board Head
Shows Status Of Great
War-B Built Fleet

NEw YORK. oct s.-Uptl America
as a whole uwakens' TO the fact that
national economic stability Is depend
snt upon the establishment OF a
national merchant marine. there car
never be an American merchant ma
rinc. Chairman laHker OF the shipping
board declared today In an address
before the Associated Advertising
clubs OF the world.
Reviewing the work OF the present
hoard during It's existence OF ic weeks.
ha ked the patience and Indulgence
% the country" declaring that IL these
were not given "America's economic
life on the aeas, for tho next genera
ton. ia dark indeed"
Until tho farmer la Kansas. tho
industrial worker In Indiana. the min
81 IN Arizona realize said Mt. las
ker. that the regularity and volume
OF their daily wage ". In n measure,
~ dependent on the establishment Of
an American merchant marine as Is
the continuity OF employment and the
wage OF the dock worker In baltimore
or San Francisco. there can be no
assured hope that the flag OF the
United States Will be maintained as Il
should be on the seven seas. Sound
economies accept as fundamental that
national prosperity ia based on con-
unuity OF employment at wagc con-
gonant with American standards or
living.
when Aurpiuacs accumulate. prices
are demoralized and employment ends
until the excess has been consumed.
'sGeneraiy speaking. tho last 10 per
rent OF production makes the market
and " ~ his last 10 per cent that
we must Insure disposal of 10 CUSTOM
erH In foreign lands Except with a
merchant marine under our own con-
troll there eau be no assurance OF
these essential markets"
The iG weeks Of work by tho pres
eat board. he said. have eccomp-
ilshed only a mere beginning but a
real beginning Of the foundation upon
which a substantial structure OF nc
compiiHhmcnt we hope. may. In good
time he erected,
aAuer i6 weeks we frnd ourselves
With the framework OF gu human
organization accounting. operating,
financial. legal and liquidationl prac-
tically completed" the chairman ex-
planned.
'iFinanclal reports are beginning 20
come In. On september % we had
our cash stntemcnt us N August ..l
the second cash statement that IL has
beer possible for the new board "a
have since Il took office. on the SAINT
date our operating account for the
month OF August was presented and
three weeks ~ the result OF the
inventory Of all OF the shipping board'i
materials aud supplies mot including
plants, ships. or accountsJ Nua avnii.
able for the consideration Of the board
and Tor the adoption OF n policy ioi
liquidation
THE American nation today Is pos
a.ssed OF 1850 ocean-going steel ships
OF about lO.O00,00O tons dcadwcight
the speaker said. adding that he had
considered only steel bottoms sine
eradication" OF all concrete ant
wooden huils had been determined
upon. He estimated the cost or th'
available fleet at $500, oOp,poo Which
he said. cOu.d be entirely written on
as one OF the major factors in th'
victory over Germany. without oWlni
one penny to the American people
'It was because 81 this fleet MI
Laskpr asserted. h we were nhl'
10 move the enormous volume Z"
American manufacture n raw ma
terlals at a time when there was
shortage Of world onnage IL was be
cnufe OF these ships that our factories
farms and mines were able 10 oporat
at top speed when the hols 'lutnln
from the ron were seeking employ
ment.'
The speaker predicted that the SIM
ming tlcet would no longer VI" q unl
den to IN. American taxpayer Lose
had been checked, hc said. and nu
moro tina 5000, 900 "a mon % Woul
be required from now until the end O
the fiscal year.
The liquidation Of the three an
ons-half billion dollars Of the corpora
tons Rssets VIII, at any TINE IeaHA
but a traction Of the Orlslnul cos
because the fleet was built with M
dsrstnndnhle waste and hlgh 'NptuH
during war pressure Mr. laskcr cor
cedcd. The money loss IN hquidt
ton need not be considered, since
mas already been written OF IN IN
COST OF the war and. rs here outlined
served a function In full value
what remains, though, are "a
rhtps-potentially one OF the groatoi
assets America has to iasur" ~ cc'
monte future. which means 10 lhsu'
the pursuit OF happiness by It's people
The shipping OF all nations ne sal
has suffered as u result Of me decreni
in trade and the Increase or tohhtiu'
ion since May 1890 which has hh
~, resuit on pln, ing al excess
20 600. OOO tons OF shipping In II
oc,bn carrying market lialf the tpl
mage now iaid up ~ under forelH
flags. he Rddcd. d,
Mr.. IAsksr said the Jones snip b
had been framed with the cNidcht pu
moss Of removing disabilities surfer,
by American vessels as a result OF q
higher cost OF construction am hlEh
standards OF maintenance IN thla cou
try. a.,
do not wish the status quo ghhnsvV
thu speaker demanded thnt lh'se ~
,iic forces from within and witho'
sowing seeds OF discord ulstiu
be met and vanquished.
Won uiIl And IL In our ClagI