New-York tribune., 1921-02-25
OcearlI4ir,es Add
Ten Per Cent to
First Cabil, Rate
Transatlantic Travel Will
Cost More Beginning With
March L; VIII Hold Good
Until End of Next August
Operating Expenses High
Labor Still AT the Record
Levels of the War: Fear
Immigration Restrictions

A 10 per cent increase on the pres
ent rates for frst-class steamsh !,
passages between the United States
aud European ports will so into effect
on March 1, it was announced yester-
day by some of the leading trans-At-
lsntic lines, The increase, it is
stated, does not apply 70 steerage rates
and does not affect tickets already
booked or purchased. One line will
raise its second cabin rates.
This step will mark the re-inaupure-
ton of the summer-rate plan suspend
ed during the war. The higher rates
will remain in effect until August 81
next.
First class accommodation from New
York to Europe under the new tariff
will range from s205 on the small ships
and $3.50 on the larger vessels to s2,5oO
snd upward for special accommodations
in cabin de luxe suites.
The Cunard Company, one of the
lines which announced that the in
crease would be effective March /, at
present is stated to be charging mini
nun rate of SOS to England on its
smaller ships and $3.50 on its larger
ones, The second-class rates, which
remain unchanged, are $12o to $3.50,
and the steerage rate, also to be main
tainea, is about 800.
Before the wa the cost of frst-class
passage OF this lines boats was $3.50,
secord class S65, and steerage SS8.
One Raise in Second Glass
In announcing the increase the
French Line stated that the advance
would Apply both east and west bound
and on both it's first and second &C IS
passages. The present rates are S195
to S235 for first class, Sis to $3.50 for
second class, and $50 to 500 for
steersge. These compare win o o.
for second cabin, and S45 to $50 for
third class.
One company which does not con-
template further advance in rates is
the Swedish-American Line. E. H.
Lundbeck, general manager of this
company here, says that first-class
passages were increased by the .lnt
about three months ago, and the
In statement made some me Sc
?. A. S. Franklin, president of the In
ternationai Mercantile Marine Com
pany, indicated that the transatlantic
lines would find it neces sary to in
gease passenger rates because of the
heavy operating costs. The scale of
shipping wages is still at the highest
level reached during the war. and there
OF oG
Nsas future. Repairs and recondition-
ing costs are higher than the war level
and the cost of building new liners re-
mains far above the pre-war level. All
these conditions, it is pointed out, COM
bine to make operating costs higher
than ever before.
Steerage Trade Menaced
In addition, q very material cut in
the talHin,s Of the transatlantic lines
IS threatened if the impending legisla-
ton making a drastic cut in immigra-
ton is enacted. Provisions to check the
spread of typhus have also increased
the expenses of the lines, and Ameri-
can ships have the added factor of rigid
enforcement Of the prohibition laws TO
face
An especially severe blow, however,
Will be dealt to the ocean lines if i'm
migration is limited. Nearly all of the
companies have been preparing to ham
ole an Increased steerage trade from
Europe with the reopening of the Ger
man and Russian traffic. Vessels are
building or reconditioning especially
Tor the steerage trade, and elaborate
Preparations have been made to handle
large flow of immigration.
A feature of the situation has been
ae conversion of number of ships
ior the carriage of steerage passen-
gers only, and the future of these one
elass vessels will be jeopardized by the
estfletion CT the traffic to this country
70 small fraction of the normal pos
sioillty. 1t has been estimated that
ABOUT 900 600 third-class pas&enge !
could be carried in the transatlantic
trade this year.
A recent development of the immi-
grafton situation is the large percent
age of second-class passengers who are
formally Of the steerage class. This is
said TO be due to the fact that many
immigrants are seeking to avoid pass
Sng through Ellis Island and pay the
Sgher fare for this purpose. They
Mye Naye heard that immigrants arriving at
NeW York are held in the steerage for
rIiy.s rsiys because of the overcrowding at
n.lls islard, where the undersized and
werworked staff is struggling to keep
"p with the influx of foreigners.