Arizona republican., 1921-07-29
SHIPPING BOARD. MAY TAKE STEP.
 ID INSURE FAIR
 TREATMENT FUR AMERICAN SHIPS
British Shipping Interest. In Semi-Boycott Against American Ships In Alex andria, Egypt
CRepublIean A. p. Leased wIrel

lhcpupHCdn A. F. Leased Wtrel
 WASHINGTON. July 2s.-Aggres- sive measures have been adopted by the shipping board to insure fair treatment for American merchant ships in the award of trading priv ileges in foreign ports.
 Although but partially revealed by negotiations now in progress, the boards policy is understood to rest on the proposition that other nations must give every proper opportunity to ships which fly the Stars and Stripes or else run the risk of en- countering retaliatory measures placed within the prerogative of the board by the new shipping act.
 There Is every indication as re- vealed by officials that the American government will stand behind such a program, and every confidence that it will succeed, without serious opposi- tion in placing the American mer- chant marine on proper level in in ternational trade
 A situation which has brought the boards policy into prominence exists at Alexandria, Egypt, in relation to contracts for the carriage of Egyp- tian cotton to the United Kingdom and the United States. In the view of board officials British shipping
 
 attitude toward admission of Ameri- representations have been made which confidently are expected tc have the desired result.
 There is no disposition here to re- gard the Alexandria problem as con stituting a serious disagreement.in in 1t self, but there Is a feeling that it will set significant precedent.
 Negotiations which have led up tc 1t really are coocerned with tho broader subject of admission of thu shipping boards representatives, int< the conference of shipping interest. which control such awards as that a Alexandria, and the general recog. milton of the board as a factor ir shipping decisions. q
 Just what stetps have been taker by the board agents in Great Britain dealing with the Alexandria, situa ton. has not been made known here but board officials said they had n, information to bear out press dis | patches that an .'ultimatun1 hat been delivered to the British ship ping lines. The same dispatch men toned a possibility that retaliator, measures against British ships fl American ports might be adopte, should the American pOrtest fafi, Du the officials here described these ne | gotiations as too delicate to perfni l of comment now.
 l It is realized here that to bar Brit | ish ships from American ports. as th | board has authority to do. might lea | to a serious international incident | and the impression is given that sucl | recourse stands we'll in the back 1 ground even though it never is los | sight of as a possibility. The genera 1 expectation is that few days vii
 see appreciation of the American at | titude abroad and a read1ustmen
 which will be satisfactory. Success for the boards policy
 believed by administration official
 to presage a large increase in thu
 mercha ndise carried in American bot
 toms, aiding in the task of putin
 idle shipping board ships into service In the case of Alexandria, the diree
 cotton shipments which it is hoped i 1 transfer from foreign to Ameriea
 vessels. amounts to something owe 200 900 tons annually.