New-York tribune., 1922-09-01
Love Sees End
OF Rate w ar I'm
Colombia Il ratle
Shipping Board Official TO
Make Proposal TO Clyde
Line; Confers With W..
Newson1e, of United Fruit
Cash GUARANTEES Favored
Board Hopes 10 See Chaos
in Ocean Tariffs Come TO
a Stops. Stability Needed

Peace in the rate rate war between
the United Fruit Company and the
Clyde Line in the Colombian trade ap-
pears to be in sight. W. j. Love, vice
president Of the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration in charge Of traIfic. said yes
terday.
Mr.. Love, taking his usual role of
peacemaker, had 8 conference with
William Newsome, vice-president of
afterward that he had definite pro-
posal to put before the Clyde Line and
that he was hopeful
While he would not go into further
details yesterday it is understood that
Mr. Love viii ask the Clyde Line Of
ilctals il they are wiling to purchase
the government vessels which they are
now operating ON condition that the
frult company will agree to maintain
conference rates.
Awaits Questionnaires
In the event that an agreement is
reached on this basis it is expected
that the conference will be restored.
Rates between New York and Colombia
before the collapse of the conference
averaged $15 to SIT ton. Since they
nave dropped to level of SO to 81 a
ton. 1t is probable that they will go
back to around $40, but will not 90
farther toward the previous high
figures.
Mr.. Love said that the Shipping
Board would not render its decision in
the intercoastal controversy until the
questlonnaires were returned by the
various lines. These ask for detailed
information on ships, cargoes, loading
and dlscharging ports and other items
Tor the last two years. He denied that
ne nad drafted the questionnaire and
reIerred to 1T as "a terror" The in
formation is to be turned over to Corr.
missioner Chamberlain, who will make
report to the board.
Some Need Lesson"
In taking up the intercoastal situa-
tion Mr.. Love said the board has twa
issues to decide: First, the withdrawaj
of the government ships alloeated 10
ene NoTth Atlantic and Western Steam
snip Company, and, second the re-
quest OF the various lines for govern
meht supervision of coastwise rates
Ihe board may decide to recommend
enactment of legislation by CONGRESS
giving control of intercoastaI rat,.s
nut VIII not favor any attempt to on,
lend the plan to transoceanic tariffs.
Rate wars are almost entirely de-
VINO remarked that steamship NOR ~
the ola days would not permit the pres.
eht chaoS TO continue Some of tba
younger men need to be taught les
son, he added.
ne plan for posting cash forfe;ts +o
guarantee the maintenance of rates
vas aavocated by Mr.. Love as a means
oi bringing about stability in forejpn
= aoe. II this system could be WORKED
ous successfully it woald be extended
20 number of routes in his opinion
stable ratca would help shippers
immensely said Mr.. Love. "Eyerv
one would know then that he was ret.
ting rates as low as his competitors
and he could make future commitments :
with some degree of assurance The
shlppIng Board would prevent rates
getting too high
Fruit Rates Quoted
the rate wars have become Joke.
Before the war we never had th;a
trouble. Half dozen men would
gather around table once a week
with not even the scratch of a pcn,
and there were never anv Violations
of their agreements
The attention Of Mr., Love was called
to the circular letter sent our by The
American Hawaiian Steamship Com
pany, to intercoastal shippers. This
guaranteed the following rates until
June 80, 1928, for loading from Seattle,
Tacoma, Portland, Oakland, San Fran
cisco and Los Angeles. to Boston, Bal
timore, Philadelphia, New York, Mo-
bile and New Orleans: Canned goods,
30c a LOO pounds; beans, 3oc; rice,
Doc; dried fruit, in boxes, 35c, and
dried fruit, in sacks 40c
ut is customary for the steamship
lines to quote fixed rates through a
season on the movement of Western
fruits" Mr.. Love said. He did not
think this would interfere with a solu-
tion of the intercoastal troubles.