New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-02
To Press Fight
For Preference
For L. S. Ships
Council of Shipbalilders Is
Planning Campaign for
Having Discriminatory
Policies Put Into Force
Reorganization Is Likely
!. Amalgamation With Other
Marine Associations Is
One of Plans Discussed

Steps toward an active campaign for
xocurine preferential treatment for
American ships in American trade are
s.ing taken by the Council of Ameri-
Mn Shipbulders.
Joseph W. Powell, formerly vice
president Of the Bethlehem Shipbuild-
;rs- Corporation, having resigned from
kat company and withdrawn from i'm
mediate activity in shipbuilding. has
also resigned from the presidency Of
the Council OF American Shipbuilders,
Homer L. Ferguson. president of the
Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry
Dock Company, has been elected as
head Of the council, Holden A. Evans.
president OF the Baltimore Dry Dock
and Shipbuilding Company. IS vice
president, and Henry c. Hunter, secre-
tary and treasurer.
The directors of the council, in ad-
dition to Mr.. Ferguson and Mr.. Evans,
are A. C. Pessano, Of the Great Lakes
ENGINEERING Works; j. F. Duthie, of
JF. Duthie & CO.; II. E. Lewis, of the
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation,
aud George II. Armes. of the Moore
Shipbuilding Company, Los Angeles
Two Plans of Action
The council has taken up the matter
of WAYS and means to secure the CO.
oneration of the shipbuilding industry
in legislative matters and other sub
facts of Importance to American ship
ming. and two plans have been sug-
gested.
One Of these is the reorganization
Of the council so that its principal con-
stituent members will be associations
Of shipbuilders and ship repairers and
possibly other associations whose in
terests are Immediately identified with
shipbuiIding. The second plan is to
abring about an amalgamation between
the council, the Atlantic Coast Ship
builders Association and other associa-
The council has now appointed a
committee, composed Of Homer l..
Ferguson, A. G. Pessano and II. E.
Lewis, to confer with a committee to be
appointed by the Atlantic Coast Ship
sbuilders' Association, for the purpose
of discussing better cooperation among
ehipbuilders through amalgamation Of
the council and the association, or by
any other method that would estabIlsn
81 organization truly representative Of
!. the shipbuilding industry.
Council for Discrimination
The Council of American Shipbuild-
ers has been active for more than
year past in urging the adoption Of
policy Of discrimination in favor of
American ships. While the Senate
Committee on Commerce was holding
hearings last year in connection with
the drafting Of the merchant marine
act OF 1920, now known as the Jones
bill, Mr. Ferguson appeared before the
committee as an advocate of dlscrlm-
mating duties and tonnage dues.
Section "a of the Jones bill provides
for the taking OF action to amend ex7
listing commercial treaties with foreign
nations so as to leave the way clear
for an enforcement of the policy of
preferential treatment for American
ships Ex-President Wilson, however,
refused to act within the ninety days
period set by the bill and nothing has
9 been done.
Senator F'relinghuysen has stated
that the shortest method of securing
the result desired would be for the
passage by Congress of legislation that
would supersede the treaties and es-
tablish discrimination. Shipping men
expect the Council of American Ship
builders to urge the taking of this
step.