The Washington times., 1921-12-13
LASKER INSISTS
AMERICA MUST
SUbS|DRE SHIPS
Points to Gifts to Railroads
During Period Of Western De-
veIopment as Example.

MILWAUKEE,. Wis, Dec. 13.-No
mere miracle of American ingenuity
can win in short time the volume Of
business and assured trade routes
necessary for profitable operation 0f
sea transportation. in the opinion OF
Chairman Albert d. Lasker. United
States Shipping Board, In an address
before the Association of Commerce
here today.
THE great empire of the United
States" said Mr.. Lasker. never
could have been conquered unless
aid had been given American rail-
roads in such measure as man never
dreamed Of aid being given an enter
prise. The States and nation show,
cred upon the railroads inestimable
natural wealth to make their build,
ing possible and their operation pos.
sible while trade was being built up.
Must Aid Shipping.
"As important as the railroads were
in the wrestling Of the empire. 30
now, in the cycle Of events, trans
portation on the sea becomes a para
lean craftsmanship is bankrupt and
American vision blind. Shall we.
standing in our own light. surrender
to others the wealth Of opportunity
which is ours, stupidity and blindly
holding to fetishes of past conditions?
Or, recognizing changes from within
and without, shall we do that which
Is necessary to give to our children
the same opportunity that our faith
ers had and that came to us?
"Our John Smiths, our blind John
Smiths, our ignorant John Smiths, our
narrow John Smiths, our insular John
Smiths, who know nothing and care
nothing about the shipping business,
should at least tax their brains to learn
and see the obvious-that Bill Jones
goods are their goods, that Bill Jones
prosperity is their prosperity, that Bill
Jones adversely is their adversely, and
that unless Bill Jones has an assured
foreign trade. which can only be In
sured through American bottoms. BIZ
Jones will fail to prosper, and In his
failure John Smith fails.
"In the prairie towns, cities, villages
and farms of our inland States the fu-
ture of America on the seas will be de
cided. The points farthest from the
ocean will decide the fate Of American
shipping on salt water.
1.-THE jewellers of our coastal cities
are naturally for a permanently es-
tablished American merchant marine.
They may differ as to the means and
methods to accomplish this; SOME.
through selfish interests. may wish
limited American merchant marine,
because peculiarly they are the benc-
ficiar,es of the present system. But,
taken as a whole, the jewellers on our
coast look forward to the day when
ships and shipping in America will
once more occupy the great place o.
in our national life which
1t did during the flourshing days from
the establishment of the republic until
the civil war. ..'
Nation Must Pay Price.
"If It Is proved that every Ameri-
can, be he inland or coastal dweller,
Is directly interested, in the 'insur'
ance of his daily wage. in an American
merchant marine. then. II 1t Is neces-
sary to pay a price to insure the es-
of an American merchant
marine, 1t becomes the duty and
inures to the profit Of the nation to
pay that price. for 1t cannot be paid
by any group of individuals engaged
in the particular enterprise II that en-
terprise must for any length of time
be carried on, because of national rea-
sons, at a national loss. when in the
ultimate the establishment of the en-
terprise is one of the very corner
stones of insured national veal.
THAT strategic trade routes shall be
insured to America, the Shipping
Board, under mandate of the Jones
act, through which 1t exists, operates
its fleet at great cost to the Govern
ment and, under certain conditions. to
the great injury of private capital.
which cannot compete with the Gov
eminent. In due course national aid
to private shipping should result in
the Governments retirement from
operation. so that ultimately no in
creased drain on the Treasury would
be involved, and through profitable
private operation permanency would
be insured to our merchant marine,
private initiative and enterprise would
be inspired, and the Government
would find customers for it's large
fleet Of ships.
The history of shipping is one of
and SURPRISES. Today
there is a surplus of shipping IN the
world, so that one-half Of Americas
fleet Is tied to the docks and All
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