Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-10-05
NATION MUST
REALIZE NEED
OF U. 5. FLEET
Lasker Declares Success Of
Mercantile Marine De-
ponds on People.

New York, Oct. 5.-Untii America
as a whole awa1kens to the fact that
national economic stability is depend
ent upon the establishment Of a ma
tional merchant marine, there can
never be an American merchant ma
r1ne, Chairman Lasker of the ship
ping board declared today in an ad-
dress before the Associated Advertise
ing Clubs Of the World.
Reviewing the work Of the present
board during its existence OF sixteen
weeks, he asked the patience and in
diligence Of the country" declaring
that II these were not given "Amei-
cas- economic life on the seas, for the
next generation. is dark. indeed,
Until the farmer in Kansas. the in
dustrial worker in Indiana, the miner
IN Arizona realize."' said Mr.. LAsker.
that the regularity and volume Of
their daily wage is, in a measure, ~
on the establishment of an
American merchant marine a. u the
continuity Of employment and he
wage of the dock worker in Balti-
o or San Francisco, there can be
no assured hope that the nag Of the
United States will be maintained as
1t should be on the seven seaa
Sound economics accept as funda-
mental that national prosperity in
based on continuity of employment At
wages consonant with American
standards OF living.
Prices Demoralized.
when surpluses accumulate,
prices arc demoralized and employ
ment ends until the excess has been
consumed.
Generally speaking, the last ten
per. cent Of production makes the
market and it is this last ten per cent
that we must insure disposal Of TO
customers in foreign lands. Except
with a merchant marine under our
own control there can be no aasur
ance Of these essential markets"
The sixteen weeks Of work by the
present board, he said, "'have accom-
piished only a mere beginning but q
real beginning of tho foundation upon
which a substantial structure Of ac-
complishment, we hope, may, in good
time be erected.
After sixteen weeks We find our
selves with the framework OF our
human organization accounting. OPP
Grating, financial, legal and liquidn-
tion9 practically completed" the
chairman explained.
Financial reports r beginning to
come in On September Is we had
our cash statement! as Of August 81,
the second cash statement that it has
been possible for the new board to
have since it took ONCE. On the same
date our operating account for the
month Of August was presented and
three weeks ago the result OF, the in
ventory Of all Of the shipping b ard's
materials. and supplies (not incfld-
ing plants, ships, or accounts) was
available for the consideration. of the
board and for the adoption Of a policy
for liquidation"
The American nation today is pos
sessed Of 1850 ~ocean-goins steel ships
Of about o,00e. geo tons deadwetght,
the speaker said, adding that he had
considered only steel bottoms since
graduation Of all. concrete and
wooden hulls had been determined
upon. He estimated the cost Of the
available feet at $500, o00, oeo-which,
he said. could be entirely written on,
as one of the major factors n'the VIC
tory over Germany, without owing
one penny to the American people,
TT vas, because of this fleet" Mr..
Lasker asserted. that we were able
to o the enormous volume OF
American manufacture and raw ma
terials. at a time when there was a
shortage of world tonnage. 1t was
because of these ships that our fac
tories, farms and mines were able to
operate at top speed when the boys
returning from the front were seek
ing employment"
Makes Prediction.
The speaker predicted that the
shipping fleet would no longer be a
burden to the American taxpayer
Losses had been checked, he said and
not more than 100000 a month
would be required from now until the
end of the fiscal year.
The liquidation Of the three ano
one-half billion dollars of the cor
p~oration's assets will, at any time,
realize but a fraction of the Original
cost, because the fleet was built with
understandable waste and high ex-
pense during val pressure" Mr..
Lasker conceded. THE money loss
in liquidation, need not be considered
since it has already been written of
in the cost of the war and, as here
outlined, served a function in full
value. f'&,
What remains. though. are the
ships-potenttally one Of the creates,
assets America has to insure ite
economic future, which means to in.
sure the pursuit OF happiness by it,
people,"
The shipping of all nations, he said
has suffered as a result Of the de-
crease in trade and the increase OF
construction since May 1920 which
has had the result Of placing IAN ex.
cess Of 2o.oo0.oo0 IONS Of shipping
in the ocean carrying market. Hall
the tonnage now laid up is under