The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-06-02
B|G PROBLEMS MUST Be SOLVED
BY THE U.s.. SHIPPING BOARD
by MARK StLLlNAN
at.onhY rOhtiCH! C"rT"+'"ndrnt o.


The Intellig, nr"r
Washington. l.. c. Jun" The job
that tho new shipping Beard has is by
far tho most difficult al our aI'"r-"ar
problems. The first o. many d!fnrult
decisions on fundamental policy when
they must make is whether this inSt'-
tuition shall be conducted from nation
al point Of view or from sectional!
point Of view.
MANY things done by Congress have
the tendency 70 express the aSSrcGht"
Of various sectional interests. IheF
are one variation or another rf the
process called "luG-rnliinG.' The ship
p,nc Board, as !, has been organized by
act OF Congress. has tins sertlon" !
point Of view. one member must conn"
from the Norih Pacific coast, ono from
the South coast, one from teh Guit
coast, ono from the South Atlantic
coast. one from the North Atlantic
coast. one from the Great Lakes. and
one from the interior.
This sectional di>tr button "f person
mel Is merely expressive cc something
deeper What was wanted 10y the inter
ests which came together IN Congress
to rass the act was that tho ports or
the various parts OF n" country should
20 adequately rnrcl for. The point Of
view wa, rot national but sectional
|, was no, 20 achieve tho most direct
and economical management. but how
hos, to build up the ports on all the
coasts az the country.
National or Sectional
The new shipping Board must de-
t"rm;nr Wh"thcr they are To fall in
with this policy. or whether they are
TO conduct tho institution from Il pure
ly national point OF view. The method
which takes care 81 all the ports OF
tho country -. UC course: III" most en-
rrn.iNc. and - til" one which put uS at
the greatest DISADVANTAGE in compeii-
ton With Other nations. II Is rcC"C-
n!%"d that The prosperity Of The smaller
ports of the country - proper thlhS
20 nourlSh and stimulate. not merely y"
a concession 10 local pride and local
power in congress, but from the broad
est point of view.
In order Ia do this, and at the 50 me
time not suffer tho awkwardnesS and eN
pense involved ir such a policy. Il sug-
gestion has been made to the new ship
ping Board from such a quarter That II
may well have weight with them. THIS
suggestion ia that If local ports want
TO build their own shipping. and wan.
To cStab!,>h C,c; n routes, ih"y $hoAIt!
Ne encouraged 10 do 80. OF their own
initiative and under their own d.r'r-
ton C0r,rcie!y. the suggestion ~ thIS
The Shiri,ug Board owns n great many
moro ships than IL can use. l. owns
more Sh.nS than il can. under present
conditions. sell =! almost any price.
In fact; many ships which wcr" so'd \
year or rwo ago on I'll" inStn!!mcn'
plan are now falling hack on tn" snip
ping boards hands. II i pr"noS"d that
this surplus Of ships shall he put at
the disposal OF scacouSt cities. which,,
fas q matter Of local prii" and scf-tn-
terest wan, 20 develop tn" Importance
of their ports. Tn" suggestion i. in
short that the shipping Ruard should
give these shiTa 10 ~" ports
Plan Outlined
In working Tho Plan out. the chamber
OF nommerVe and similar organizations
Of q city would he told tina; the govern
ment Is willing TO donate ships out
right II the chamber Of commerce will
organize an operating company with
local capital. by this plan the govern
ment would provide the ships and the
local communities would take all the
responsibilities OF operation. II would
hc hard to imagine "A "a !rcr proposal 10
any city which is ambitious to build
up its shipping unh To sell Its ioc'
products in fore ign markets. Il Is
surely better plan than for III" tch-
eral government TO aSsum" all the awk-
wardness and tho Inherent vast" In
volved in The present point OF view.
1t can be taken for granted 'ha' 40
far as Is possible under the control OF
a law and Congress which is section
al In its point ot view. the policy "f
the new Shipping Board will l." nation
al. TIL" conception which has inHu-
enced President Harding has NOT u""n
4 Shipping Eoard which shall m"~"'"
manage ships. His contention h:a> h""l
= board which shall HAY" rs its fUrh''
mental duty III" marketing o: Ar"ri-
cas- surplus abroad IN tho most "fc"'
tive and economic way. II is m"r-
chandisinG organization IN a nat :"nn
scale. rather than merely Il tra"ST"rta-
ton org, MIA ton,