The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-05-21
WHY WE MAY LOSE
OUR MERCHANT MARINE

The following from an exchange
may be distasteful reading for an
American, but it is probably an ac-
curate statement of the situation:
Forty thousand men are out of
work in the United States as a result
of the marine tie-up. When they will
return is doubtful; but unless it is
soon they will have done much to ruin
the bright hopes of their fellow coun-
trymen that the United States and
not Great Britain was about to rule
the waves. In other words, Great
Britain will have recaptured what
carryin gtrade she lost in the course
of the war, and will have won the
carrying trade she lost in the course
naturally be expected to give their
own ships. Of course, some response
bility, too, will rest upon the Amer
lean ship owners if this comes to
pass. Unless they can capture and
hold the carrying trade that formerly
was England's they cannot make
money If they cannot make money
they will go out of business, and if
they go out of business the men who
are now on strike will be obliged to
find some other occupation. Because
the strike threatens to destroy a
dream of patriotic Americans it is re-
garded as of much more consequence
than the mere number of men involv-
ed might indicate.
There was a time when the Ameri-
can flag was seen on every sea and in
every great port floating from the
mast of an American ship ably COM
peting with British ships for the car
rying trade of the world. There
came time when the flag afioat dis
appeared except as it fluttered from
man-o'-war. Great Britain for many
years before the war had carried a
great percentage of the worlds sea-
borne tonnage. Then as Germany's
submarine campaign grew stronger
and British ships were being sunk al
most as fast as they could be built,
and when these ships were all engag-
ed in some kind of war service, the
American merchant marine revived.
A tremendous ship building program
was launched. The American shipping
board came into existence when the
United States entered the war and the
ships were built faster than ever.
When peace came it was found that
the shipping board, as agent for the
American government, owned some
$500 vessels, including several great
German liners which had fallen into
the hands of the United States when
war was declared.
These vessels then found them
selves faced with the competition of
British vessels in contest for the
worlds trade: However patriotic Am
orleans may be, and however low an
opinion any of them may have for the
collective British intelligence, few
will deny that when it comes to the
way of the sea and to carrying ocean
freight Britain is a formidable COM
petitor. This was proved. for as soor
as the armistice was signed, Britain
charged off the ridiculous values OF
war tonnage to the profit and loss &C.
count of the war, and with crews
drawing smaller pay, she was ina po.
sition to make fight to regain what
she has lost. The American vesse
owners realized that if they were tc
hight on even terms. they too would
have to reduce wages. So they ISSUED
an ultimatum that all wages would bt
reduced Is per cent. The men refused
to accept the cut. They appealed tt
the government to mediate. The shir
!! owners refused all offers of mediation
and insist that the reductions are es
sential if they are to continue in bust
ness. So the situation stands nov
with 10000 men out of work.
/ The American workers have founc
it more difficult to readjust them
selves to postwar conditions thar
their British rivals. The war spoile,
them. In wartime it was necessar,
that they should be highly paid, fo
every time they shipped they coult
not be sure that they would not b.
torpedoed by German submarine
before they reached port. So the,
had to be royalty bonused or the,
would not go to sea. Moreover tn
owners could afford exorbitant wage