The Washington times., 1921-01-22

SH|PP|NGPACT
Kansas Senator Calls Secret
Agreement to Aid British Un-
American Scheme.
BY SENATOR ARTHUR CAPPER,
of Kansas.


Of Kansas.
(writtsa Expressly for univsrs.I ssrsioe.)
The disclosures made by Senator
Jones as to the efforts of the Brit
ish to destroy the American Mer-
chant Marine are astounding.
The reported secret agreement be-
tween the international Mercantile
Marine and the British admiralty
to the effect that the company
would pursue no policy injurious
TO the British mercantile marine or
British trade" is un-American, to
say the least.
FAvORs U. 3. PROBE.
hope the Shipping Board will
spare no means to get to the bottom
OF this situation. and IL such an agree
ment does exist take prompt steps TO
see that the ships now leased from
the board and operated by this com
pany are withdrawn.
For years there has been an in
sistent demand that our commerce
| should be returned to the seas and on
| American bottoms. In response to
such a demand. Congress enacted what
| Is believed to be strong shipping
act. and commendable progress has
been made in building up our sea
| trade.
| But we cannot take our place on
| the seas IL we are to be open to at
tack from within by the very inter
ests from whom we have a right to
expect cooperation.
COMMENDs COLLEAGUE.
Senator Jones has rendered a fine
service in bringing this situation to
the attention OF the American people
| and no time should be lost in seeing
that the lead he has opened is fol-
lowed up.
Mr.. Franklin designates the Inter-
national Mercantile Marine Corpora
| tion as 100 per cent American. And
yet Senator Jones produces an agree
ment between this corporation and
British interests which is to be in
force twenty years with the right Of
the British to terminate 1t IL the
international at any time ''pursues a
| policy injurious to the interests of
| the British mercantile marine or Of
British trade" and in case of differ
| ence or dispute, the same shall be
| referred to the Lord High Chancellor
| whose decision on the law or the fact
shall Re final.
When we consider the size and i'm
portance of the International Corpo-
ration and it's relation to American
mercantile marine. and then observe
these provisions of its agreement
with the British. we may well pray to
be delivered from this kind Of 100 per
cent Americanism.
| We need an American merchant
marine, an American merchant ma
rine of our own, not one controlled by
Great Britain.
By SENATOR JAMES ID. PHELAN
Of California.
Great Britain will fight hard to con-
troll the commerce OF the seas, and
the United States Is at disadvan-
tage as a nation when 1t fails to
strike blow for blow.
| For instance, IL Britain denies ue
oil abroad, we, with 60 or 20 per cent
taliate. II she pursues discriminatory
methods, we should take page from
her book.
We may suffer for a while, but we
will, when done, have established our
selves.
Our Government ships owned and
operated by the Government can af-
ford to meet a loss by cutting into
certain trade routes and dividing. at
any rate, the business.
We should foster private enterprise
in the great trade routes which need
no coddling. The American merchant
marine is dominated by England and
England would not have permitted its
present organization unless 1T were
in friendly hands.
The British system goes so far as
to blacklist American shipping firms
unless they become subservient.
American merchants doing a legiti-
mate and independent business in
competitive field are, / know, black
listed and can get no redress.
1t is time for America to have a
strong policy. with strong hands to
enforce it: otherwise, the merchant
marine will die a-borning. In the la
bors of war we brought forth great
fleet. but that Is being strangled by
enemies at home and abroad.
AMERICA, AWAKE!