Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-03-01
TEXT Of HARD|NC'S
Continued from Page Three.)

Continued from Page Three.)
rine. The compensation shall be based
direct aid and development and main
tenance of an American merchant ma
rine. The compensation shall be baesd
on One-half of one cent for each gross
ton of any vessel regardless of speed,
for each 100 miles travelled. When the
speed is Is knots or over, but less than
IA, two-tenths of a cent on each gross
ton shall be added: for IA knots,
three tenths of a cent; for 10 knots,
four-tenths of a cent; for Is knots,
five-tenths; for II knots. seven-tenths;
for Is knots, nine-tepths: for 10 knots,
eleven-tenths: for 20 knots, thirteen
tenths should be added to the basic
rate. For % knots the maximum is
reached at &c cents for each gross ton
per 100 miles travelled.
Cost is Million
The cost of such a program probably
will reach Is million the first year.
With larger reimbursements to high
speed vessels and the enlargement of
the merchant marine to a capacity COM
parable with our commerce the total
outlay may reach the limits Of so mil
lions. but it is confidently believed that
the scale may in due time thereafter
be turned, until the larger reimburse
ments are restored to the treasury.
The proposed plan will supercede
pensations and extra compensations,
excepting parcel post freights. 1t will
ultimately take the government out of
a business which has been and now is
excessively costly and wasteful and in
volving a loss in excess of the highest
subsidy proposed 1t will bring to ship
ping again that individual initiative
which is the very soul of successful en-
terprise.
The making of Il successful Ameri-
can merchant marine, which must face
the stiffest possible competition, re-
CURES something more than the di-
rect aid to which / have alluded.
Discontinue Transports
The direct aid proposed, even though
it ultimately runs to S3O,0O0,OOO an
nually. is insufficient alone TO offset
the advantages of competing fleets.
There are more than wage costs. and
working conditions and the higher
costs of rationing. which no American
sentiment will consent to have lowered
to competing standards ] think we
should discontinue so far as practical
the transport services in the army and
navy and make our merchant and pas
senger ships be agents of service in
peace as well as war. We should
make insurance available at no great
err cost than is afforded the ships IN
der competing flags, and we can and
will make effective the spirit of sec
ton % of the Jones act of 1920, pro-
vidiug for preferential rail and steam
ship rates on through shipments on
American ship lines. 1t is not in ac-
cord with either security or sound
business practice to have our railways
furthering the interests of foreign
shipping lines. when the concord of
American vessels makes for common
good fortune.
Contemplating the competition to be
met. there ought to be an amendment
will permit railway systems to own
and operate steamship lines engaged
in other than coast-wise trade.
Extend Maritime Protection
We may further extend our long es
tablished protection to our coastwise
trade which is quite in harmony with
the policy of most maritime powers
Other indirect aids will be found in
the requirement that immigration shall
join wherever it is found to be prac
teal in aiding the merchant marine of
our flag under which citizenship is to
be sought and in the establishment of
a merchant marine naval reserve.
Congress has already provided for
a loan fund to encourage construction.
1t might well be made applicable to
some special requirement in recondi-
tioning.
1t is also worth our consideration
that. in view of suspended naval con
struction, the continued building of
merchant ships is the one guaranty
of maintained shipbuilding industry.
A very effective indirect aid will be
found in the proposed deductions on
incomes, amounting to per centum
of the freight paid on cargoes carried
in American bottoms.
Sell at Market Price
Our existing ships should be sold at
prices prevailing in the world mar
ket. ! am not unmindfm of the hest
fancy to sacrifice them to current
price levels. We constructed at the
top cost of war when necessity i'm
PEELED to meet great emergency. If
there had come no depression a re-
turn to approximate normal cost
would have been inevitable. But the
great slump in shipping has sent ton
mage prices to the other extreme. If
VIC held our ships to await the re-
covery we should only make more diff
ficult our response to reckoning OPP
portunity.
Having failed at such enormous
cost. I bring you the proposal which
contemplates the return to individual
and private enterprise. aided by
success wherein we are
safegnarded against the promotion OF
private greed and do not discourage
the hope of profitable investment.
We have voiced our concern for the