The Devils Lake world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1920-1982, 1922-10-25
Note: This is the fourth of q series
Of articles on the Merchant Marine by
the Chairman Of the Shipping Board.
ARTICLE 4.

chant marine Is as much a part of a
nations navy as the capital ships OF
the navy itself. The veriest layman,
If he but stop to consider, will realize
that in time Of war a navy requires
ships for bunkering, ships for supplies,
both Of the cargo and refrigerator
type, to an extent that no navy pos.
,sesses in time of peace. In addition,
the very backbone of navy for Of
fansive warfare is a merchant marine
Of the fast cruiser and raider type.
This was exemplified during the war
by depredations committed by the
PRINCE EITEL FREDERICK, KRON.
PR1NZ FREDERICK WILHELM and
MOEWE, and other fast German mer-.
chant ships on the merchant shipping
of the world. 1t required wide diver
sion Of British naval ships to run
down finally and drive these German
commerce raiders off the seas. Thus
IN times of war fast merchant ships
divert the very best Of ships in naval
service.
Merchant Ships Essential To Navy.
When a navy is engaged in either &C
tive warfare or blackads at great
distance from the home base. 1t requires
an unendins merchant feet of every
type to keep it going-fast passenger
ships for raiding, scouting and car
Siage Of airplanes; refrigerator ships
for food; tanksrs and golfers for
bunkering; and regular cargo ships
for other supplies.
We all too well remember, that
when President Roosevelt made the
proud gesture involved In the dispatch
Of our battle feet around the world, 1t
had to be bunkered and supplied in
the Pacific almost entirely by foreign
nag ships. Our naval giant, while i'm
pressing the world, at the same time
proved its feet were made Of clay.
Such shame and impotency must
never again come to America.
In addition to our pavai needs, the
late war has proved that If an army
is to be transported, there must be an
unending merchant marine under our
nag. It is through the all too late and
costly realization Of this very need
that we md ourselves in possession Of
our today's aforementioned fleet.
Naval Equality Threatened.
Il we are to be on anything like q
naval parity with Great Britain under
the $50 program, then there is no
problem before the American people
that presses more urgently for solu-
ton than the problem Of our merchant
marine. AS Secretary DENLY has said,
II all naval armament were ended by
world agreement, Great Britain would
be more powerful on the sea than ever
In its history; because its vast mer'
chant marine, could be used, II no
other navy existed, for war purposes
rs we'll az to meet peace needs.
In the passenger and combination
passenger-and-cargo ships, which are
the very backbone of merchant ma
rine for wartime needs, we are stih
sadly deficient, for our war-built feet
includes few passenger ships. OF this
type of ships America has today IS
compared to approximately $50 belong
ing to Great Britain, or almost I'VE
times as many such vital ships in
favor Of Britain as against ourselves.
When age and speed, in addition, are
considered, as considered they must
be, the ratio is even higher in favor of
Great Britain.
30 that all thought must be put aside
mat there Is any possibility Of our being
On q 6-b-3 naval basis with Great Britain
aniess and until we have a national policy
70 insure the merchant marine which must
b added to the total Of our navy to md
The true basis Of relationship to the naval
actuslfties Of Great Britain. To say, with
cut such merchant marine, that the
Washington conference has resulted In
naval equality between ourselves and Great
Britain, is to display an ignorance that
nay be paid for later In the humiliation
Of our country and at inexcusable sacrifice
et life and treasure.
Merchant Vessels War Need.
Because one of the major features Of
President Harding's program Il the de-
veIopment of such q merchant marine under
private American initiative he willingly en-
ksred into the Washington pact. With the
Washineton agreement came the cancella-
lion Of many naval ships building and the
ten-year naval holiday. Unless an Ameri-
can merchant marine be created during
that period, the art Of shipbuilding will be
largely lost to America; and If war should
some again, we will find ourselves at sad
disadvantage to the maritime nations OF
the world whose shipyards have been kept
alive.
The legislative program proposed by the
Administration and now before Congress
b designed to meet at ono time both the
naval and peace needs Of our merchant ma
zine In the next article l shall dtscusa
those peace needs.