Daily Kennebec journal., 1921-11-03
ADMISSION and BLEACHERs S1.00

Tne speaker paid trlDUle 10 tlle NOEk
done by Names representatives in
Congress. then taking up the situa-
| Ition which the new board encounter
led he said:
Immediately upon taking Office We
were confronted with more than 1000
law suits. involving scne s300.00o,ooo
l-suits being dressed by many OF the
ablest lawyers in the United States
and, in justice TO the country. We
have been compelled to secure the
services Of men equipped to protect
our rights. The operation OF 1461
vessels was thrown upon US at time
iwhen the ports OF every maritime
nation were being clogged with ves-
sells which, even under the low oper-
atins expenses which foreign flags
permit, were being tied up for lack
i OF employment.
| THE complication which this one
| phase Of our problem involves will be
in a measure appreciated when It is
recalled that in our efforts to main
! tain trade routes we must always
have in mind the fundamental pur-
nose of the Jones act. which IS 10
put American merchant ships in-o
private hands. and that. therefore, we
must 90 nothing By competition or
otherwise to drive private operators
out Of business or cripple their oper-
ations.
| Again. take Section oS which pro-
vides preferential rail rates On ex-
ports brought from the interior and
sent abroad in American ships-an
adoption Of the policy which was
largely responsible for the develop
mert Of Germany's great merchant
feet. Before that provision Of the
Merchant Marine Act can he made
effective proper adjustment Of rail
rates must he made SO as, not only
TO give every American port avail
able rates. but 10 adjust those rates
/ so that they will he equitable 70 the
several ports. This is problem the
difficulty Of which is apparent as
soon as stated. The question Of how
manv and what ocean trade routes
should be supplied with freight ship
service in the interes. Of our produ-
, GERS, whose surplus must find for
eign market il our industries are 10
4
dental question recurring study and
knowledge. which any shipping nan
will at once appreciate.
| 'The problems Of commerce are not
| solved by ships alone. We must find
| where exports are available and
where imports can be placed. and We
! should see 10 it that in trsnsporta-
! tion. involving rail and ship, the
4! most economic route in each instance
| is followed. Such has not been the
case in the past. Ships naturally 20
! to the port where full cargo can
+, he had and carGocs move TO that
| port whore ships are available for
/ early transportation. Thus although
IL is well known To those who have
investigated the subject that the cost
Of handling goods in the harbor of
! New York is, comparatively speak
/ ing, very expensive, the commerce OF
the port Of New York has continued
to grow until 30 per cent. Of the over
seas business is handled there. This
is not a healthy condition in normal
times. and in times of stress il leads
to congestion, confusion ard great
[
port problem, which in turn in
wolves a study OF the hinterand in
each case, is most necessary, and
this study we are endeavoring to
conduct in an efficient manner"
Speaking Of the Investigations
made Of local conditions affecting the
! merchant marine he said
'The port of Portland is a great
asst 10 the state Of Maine, and it
may conscrvatively be stated that
the future commercial development
Of the state is dependent in large
degree upon its port. In general it
may be said that while numerous
first class ports are necessary to a
successful overseas business Of the
country at large, it would be a dis
tinct advantage If for most states
only one port were engaged exton-
sively in overseas shipping, the other
ports acting as feeders.
1t is gratifying TO know that those
in authority at the port realize these
limitations which al present are i'm
posed upon II. and that they are now
proceeding with the construction Of
d ftlpb'iI p4tE WIN eIuipNi'UL SIlL-
able for handling general cargo. The
pier, I understand. as designed, has
A length Of 1900 feet and an ultimate
width of 220 feet. The depth in the
slips will he 35 feet. which is not
only sufficient for the accommoda-
ton of all modern freight vessels,
but will also accommodate all but
perhaps u or u Of the large pas
senger carrying liners, which in this
country base almost exclusively at
New York. With thesc facilities
available Portland and the state Of
Maine will be justified in calling for
revision Of rates which will enable
, the port to obtain throughout The
year a reasonable share Of the
through traffic of the interior. In
order that the port of Portland may
, be ready for business when the state
pier Is completed. study should he
made of the entire ilinterland and
conclusions based upon the facts as
to cargo available should be arrived
at
President GuInac's Address
Mame's five big assets-her seem
cry, fisheries, soil. water powers and
forests were dwelt upon by President
Gulnac in his annual address. De-
veloping and advertising Of these
was the dominant note Of his ad-
L Iross