New-York tribune., 1922-04-26
\. Y. Shippers
See Danger in
Rail Rate Act
Inform Shipping Board Com
missioners That American
Steamship Lines Are Inad-
equate to Handle Traffic
More Facts Are Produced
Steel. Flour and Other Ex-
port Interests Testify
on Jones Law Provision

testified before the Shipping Board
Committee at 45 Broadway yesterday
that American snip lines were not yet
adequate in tonnage, rates or service
70 handle foreign shipments properly
Z Section 2S OF the Jones law was made
effective. This provides that. IL
American lines arc sufficient. preferen-
tial railroad rates shall apply only to
goods exported or imported in Ameri-
can vessels. The witnesses yesterday
came prepared with facts TO substan-
tlate their statements.
Admiral ". s. Benson, one of the
committee, remarked that he chad
heard number of new things to think
sbput."
The hearing came to an end with
considerably better feeling between
the committee and the witnesses This
seemed TO be due TO the fact that the
speakers succeeded in convincing the
board that they we're talking for strict
IL American interests and had no OBJ
scure connections with foreign shipping
companies, and also to the assurance
Of the commissioners that they would
give full weight to the testimony be-
fore deciding to declare the ship serv-
ices adequate.
Upon the reiterated statement Of
NJ. Thompson that the committee was
concerned only with available services
under the American flag. the witnesses
eliminated much of their violent at
tack upon the nature Of the law
he most important statement of the
morning was that made hv William
Heyman, traffic manager of the Consol-
dated Steel Corporation. chairman of
the Export and Import Committee Of
the Shippers Conference of Greater
New York. and also a member of the
National Industrial Traffic League. He
sa}d tnat the Consolidated Steel Cor
poratlon Was composed Of eleven steel
companies organized under the Webb
law Tor export steel trade
MI. deyman said that the CORPORA
ton, in It's three years of existence.
mad given SO per cent of its traffic to
Amer can ves els, and would have given
"a larger proportion if the number of
sAlrs, rates and services had been suf-
ticjent.
Leading economists and Congress-"
sald Mr.. Heyman, "have gone on record
that the country must of necessity en-
gage 1n an export business Large ap-
PREPARATIONS have been made for con
suts, commercial attaches and others
to assist the exporter. but the enforce
mennt OF Section 28 would tend to
t,''llI +5,l ,%at al lne YORK already done in
arouse hos4iIit,, +o,.a-l "0ulo
Three Big Competitors
Inc witness SAID that the selling of
Htt"' Ior export was in comnctitiou
T"Gidno' Germany and Belgium,
%"p lf'ef rance woAid oe factor.
nome OF THESE countries, he declared
was restricted as Ia he na4ionol;+,, -
nc steamers they must use, but could
=" ou' 1iIo 'he open market and secure
'he pest bargain available.
ne ocean rates to foreign com
pet''iN e pofis, SAID Mr. heyman, Com
ra'to ",Ih the ocean rates from the
Oh nlseu states are io"er than ours to
-,'.. . ~ I@cA pofts'
rstes I','t~ also mat inland rail
no,'+or "'S"'f, ana that the eX-
polttF had 20 absorb the differential in
t.iS 'oI T.. "ie abroad In max
I '''' " S'eeI. Mr heyman re
''e cor Po'a1on had been com
steao,et;z t '"G services OF al
A''n up t'"eS' ana 1t was certain
cont f., h.,',tI aio"e we're not Suft-
zion Of ,be i.,i. ] ' 'Ianlc. apphca-
ooratior ,.;4%N .H%NW "0Uid fcStr'ct the cor
IT, nre.ent ',',.' h,,... "D 20 oo per cent OF
E,,-ti.- '.a. BUSINESS ne sald, because
e.'n yoss.', p"I .1l'oi charges on for
"u"'u Pfohloit sales.
'or oiretf Subsidy
\ feature of tho hearing Yesterday
was that most witnesses, when pressed
Tor their opnions declared in favor of
an American merchant marine. hnt ssid
thls should be aided by direct suhSi6ioa
rather than by policies which would
react to the DISADVANTAGE Of oXnortor, orr
and importers. The COMMISSIONERS in
sisted upon statements from the speak
efs as to what, IN their minds. would
constitute adequacy Of >ervicee ~
n1ns me- wonld uIu1l3S va was that American ship
they duplicated tba so?Iinra Gun nloieno unlesS
tanned by both Amerirane a,S ~" main MAIN
ships, contendjro tbat +ra1, aoi e'ei.
departures was a vital CON 9for.y u
Mr.. Heyman said that IN bis a,'; %,'om'
American shiDs sbonId s,an, n,S 0plHloh
without poverI,,o,,t ] s'dHo alone
ing foreign comnetjrjon &c IN meet
+. H. Price, Of tbe W;ilo~s. ,-..:,
Federation, and 7 Rnrsr ,1e'idI
Washburn- Crosby Conna,', o4 s"e
that they had riven sb;,,,,,. ossC'"tu ca
American vessels whencver rnss;h,a
but that frequently thev bad ,'so9{ fn'
elgn ships because rates or sa;i;.
dates were more favorable. The,. as das
clared that American shin lines u,ero
not adequate to London. IivarnonI
Manchester and other United k;no.
dom and Baltic ports. but that thes.