New-York tribune., 1922-03-01

FSrEt Gl certain IfAlUfcS OF iNt hA'i
.sxnL marine act Of 1920, notably the
.suvisiou for the notice Of cancellation
q all commercial treaties WI ich hin
~ced our grant OF discriminating
sites on imports brought To our shores
= American ships. There was nc
s4ubt about the high purpose OF Con
srcss 20 apply this proven practice to
&c upbWlding Of our merchant marine
y had proven most effective m the
~srler days of American shipping; II
pad a. various times, demonstrated Its
Ioctiveness in th1 upbuilding Of com
mercial shipping for other nations
The success of the earlier practice
for this republic came at a time whcn
vo had few treaties, when our com
merce was little developed Its super
sedUrc hy reciprocity IN shipping regu-
.atious and the adoption Of other meth
ods Of UpbullGlng merchant marines
through various forms Of government
sid and the century Of negotiation Of
commercial treaties all combine to de-
vclop s situation which should lead to
endless embarrassment If we de
nounced our treaties. We should not
only be quite alone in supporting poi
icy long since superseded through the
growing intimacy Of international re
latiorships, but wo should invite the
'Nf'tAtANf
oal relations which are the first
requisite OF our commerce abroad.
Favors Aid to Shipping
Contemplating the readiness OF
Congress TO grant decreased duty on
imports brought 10 our shores in Amer
rear bottoms aHG facing the embaJ-
easements incident to rcadjustmeut OF
all treaty arrangements, 10 seemed de
81 =. -i..sf,
able aid e. our shipping, which the
Congress clearly intended. and At the
same time avoid the embarrassment of
our trade relationships sbroad
Tine recommendation Of to-day is
based wholly on this commcndable IN
tent Of Congress. The proposed aid of
the government 20 its merchant marine
IS 70 have its chief source in the duties
collected on imports. Instead of apply
ius the Discriminating duty 10 the spe-
cihc cargo. and thus encouraging only
the Inbound shipment propose that
We snail collect all import duties, with
cut discrimination as between Ameri-
can and foreign bottoms. and apply the
heretofore proposed reduction to ere
ate fund for the government's aid TO
our mergnant marine. By such pro-
cram w6 shsiT encourage not alone tho
carrying of inbound cargoes subject to
our tariffs, bus we shall strengthen
American ships in the carrying OF that
greater inbound tonnage on which no
duties ere levied, and, more important
than these, We shall equip our mer-
Chsnt marine 10 serve our outbound
commerce, which is the measure of our
eminence in foreign trade
1t is interesting TO note. In connec-
ton with the heretofore proposed plan
90 scrlmlnatng tariffs on imports
larrled TO our shores In American bot
toms, that tire total value Of all dutia-
bic IMPORTS for 1920, in all vessels, was
si.9S5,s65 600, while cargoes admitted
free of duty on which no discrimina-
tioH was possible, were valued at So
1888 600 The actual tonnage com
parlson is even more significant from
She viewpoint Of cargo carrying. be
cause the dutiable cargoes measured
Ire round numbers. 10000 900 tons anC
the non-dutiable cargoes we're 10000
coo tons. The larger employment, by
two and q half times, WAS IN non-dutia-
bic shipments.
Trade SIust Be Reciprocal
"Continued trade must be reciprocal
No cannot long maintain sales wncrf
thcse exchanges we should have as
mucn concern for the promotion OF
Gales as for the facilitation Of our pur.
chascs There is not record in al
history of long maintained eminence ir
export trade. except as the exporting
nations developed their own carrying
capacity
mo story Of national lopmen'
" more fascinating or so full Of ro-
nance SIS that of developing capac itl
Ger the exchanges of commerce. En-
banding civilization may be traced over
lie avenues Of exchanging cargoes. NC
matter how materialstic it may sound
nations have developed for themselves
and have Influenced the world almost
precisely as they have promoted then
commerce. We need not refer TO the
armed conflicts which nave been inc
Gent thereto. When commerce has
been destroyed fading glories have al
tended
"lt will avail nothing to attempt even
the hriefest resume Of our own efforts
20 Te-es,ablish that American impor-
Vnnce IN commerce carry lng on the
nigh seas which wa,s recorded IN the
earlier days Of the Republic. The aspi-
ration is nationwide. Trc conf CT ne
eween two schools Of political thought
heretofore hiss defeated all Efforts TO
employ the governmental aid which
other nations Found advantageous while
we nold sloof, ana the terms subsidy
srd 'suNveNtioN' were made more or
less hateful TO the American public.
Sut the nationwide desire to restore
0ur merchant marine has outlivcd all
defeats and every costly failure.
''ki GIT years ago the aspiration found
expression in s. movement 70 have the
government sponsor an enterprise IN
s<hich Individual genius seemingly had
5ailed. It would be difficult correctly
20 appra.se the policy, because the
World War put sn end 20 all normal
activities Before we were involved
oLr shipvarGs were suddenly turned 20
fsverish and costly activities by the
call Of the Allied powers for shipping.
without which enterprise they could
not hope TO survive. American ener-
g'es were applied 20 construction for
others. as ne had never dreamed Of
Going FOR ourselves.
When we were later engaged we
trsb1sd and qusdrupled the output on
cur account Allied resources we're
called upon 10 build 10 meet the de-
struction by submarine warfare, end
ships were so essential that mater al
for them was given priority over arms
and munitions. There was the call for
ships, and ships. and yet more ships,
snd we enlarged old yards and estab-
lshed nrv cres without counting the
cost We builded nadly, extravaesnt-
~. practically, and yet miraculouslv,
bat we met pressing need and per
formed great serv;ce.
ai1ch Due to Extrsvsx,ncn