Evening star., 1921-12-04
BY EWARD N. DINGLEY.


IT is reported that the President
may send a special message to
Congress asking for the repeal
of section "a Of the Jones mer-
chant marine act of June s, 1870, TO
provide for the promotion and main
tenance of the American merchant
marine" If the information is cor
rect, the inference is that the fixed
policy of the administration will be
subsidies" rather than 'discriminat-
ing import duties" This raises many
interesting questions. and the pur-
pose of this article is to answer some
of them and to touch upon the high
spots, SO that the busy reader may
know the principles involved. the
background and the possibilities, If
not probabilities.
Congress enacted the Jones mer-
chant marine law on the theory that
something must be done to overcome
the high cost of construction and
operation as compared to other mari
time countries. The Senate commit
tee on commerce held exhaustive
hearings and incorporated section 81
which recites, in substance, that in
the Judgment of Congress-, articles or
provisions in treaties or conventions
to which the United States is party
which restrict the right Of the United
States to impose discriminating Gus
toms duties on imports entering the
Cnited States in foreign vessels and
in vessels of the United states, ana
which also restrict the right OF the
United States to impose discriminat-
ing tonnage dues on foreign vessels
and on vessels of the United States
entering the United States, should pc
terminated, and the President is
hereby authorized and directed, witnin
ninety days after this act becomes
law, to give notice to the several
governments, parties to such treaties
or conventions, that so much tnereoi
as imposes any such restriction on
the United States will terminate on
the expiration of such periods as may
be required for the giving OF such
notice by the provisions OF sucn efea-
ties or conventions.
can history extending 13O years our
ing which our merchant marine mas
risen and expanded, then declined IN
eloriously until feverishly revived by
the world war. Our merchant marine
quarter of the rst century, discrlm. nj.
hating import duties for the first
quarter of the first century, "discirm-
mating duties" meaning a higher
duty on foreign goods brought IN FOR
eign vessels than in American vessels
and higher tonnage dues for foreign
than for American vessels. The early
treaties of "amity and commerce.
designed to promote the American
merchant marine, all contained tne
most favored nation clause, eacn
providing that the nation subscriplng
to the treaty or convention shall pay
no other nor greater duties on
imports than those which the nations
most favored are or shall be ooiigeo
to pay"
.Reciprocity ON the Seas"
After the war Of 1912 our foreign
commerce was controlled largely by
the shibboleth reciprocity on tne
seas" and in 1928 Congress suspended
ali discriminating duties. The domi-
mating cry was trade should De
free" "all shack1es on commerce
should be stricken off," The United
states signed many commercial trea,
ties. all containing "the most favored
nation" clause, which prevented dis
eliminating duties, SO Tar as treaty
nations were concerned.
In 1852 Congress restored ~ per
cent additional duty on imports
brought in foreign vessels, except
the ships Of foreign nations having
rights relative to duties by reason OF
S~l