The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-30
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC ,. HAsKuN Dsrecsos.
Wasaingtnn, D. @
SHIP SUBSIDY FIGHT LOOMS.

Z SachuSetts, author and champion o.
the bill, confidently predicts that his
measure will come thru the conflici
safely. however. and that the AIneri-
can flag will once more assume its
old prominence on the high seas.
The shipping question is compli-
Gated and the bill is technical. The
situation briefly is that an American
merchant fleet, built at enormous cost
in wartime, lies idle in our yards. The
shipping board still has in its charge
1878 ships, of which some 1900 are
| inactive. The board would like to
sell all of these ships to private firms
recover some of its investment, and
go quietly out of existence.
, America has no large, dependable
marine to carry its cargoes, and here
are almost LOO ships, the nucleus OF
a first-class shipping industry But
private capital is not coming forward
| to operate the ships. AS matters stand
a foreign freighter with cheap
European or Oriental labor can be
operated so much more cheaply than
an American ship that our business
men will not try to compete. The
great, potential American marine re-
mains troublesome white elephant
| on the hands of the shipping board.
The arguments in favor of an
American merchant fleet might be
explained here. Chairman Lasker of
the shipping board points out that
while foreign ships have handled our
trade more or less satisfactorily in
the past, the situation is different
now. When the United States was a
debtor nation. he told the house COM
mittee on merchant marine, Europe
could be depended upon to furnish US
with ships because the ships would
be used to carry goods to pay off our
European debts.
Now, we are a creditor nation and
Europe has lost her strongest incen-
tive to allow. us the use of her ships.
Hence, if IN an emergency England
or another mar time nation should
require its merchant fleet for its own
purposes, the United States might be
left without that many carriers and
its trade would be badly crippled.
That this did not occur during the
recent war. Mr.. Lasller has explained,
was due to the fact that England
needed supplies which the United
States could provide. With a diff
ferent combination of powers and in
a different emergency situation, the
United States might find itself seri-
ously embarrassed for want of ships.
Should Utilize Our Ships.
The feeling that this country should
not put all Of its trust in European
ships is growing. Now that we have
the makings Of marine, it is argued
that we should not let the ships rot
because circumstances are unfavor-
able to American competitors. The
result of this feeling is the Greene
subsidy bill.
This bill would subsidize American
ship owners for the next ten years, in
which time they would be expected to
get firmly on their feet. Money would
be loaned to them and in return they
would be under contract with the
shipping board to operate their vessels
along the line set down insthe bill.
France has found it advisable to grant
a subsidy to. shipping interests and
that Japan has provided for its ship
owners for the coming year.
1t is so long since this country had
a merchant/marine of any importance
that the question is occasionally
raised as to whether Americans are
really suited to sea faring. Perhaps it
is not advisable for US to try to COM
pete with sea loving nations, it is sug-
gested. History shows that thru
colonial times and almost up to the
Civil War this country was a maritime
power. Its clippers proudly carried
the flag over the trade lanes of the
seas Then the hard life and -adven-
lures of the sea lost their attractive
ness for Americans. There was money
and adventure in the West and in
home trade. European ships would
carry the cargoes. American gave up
her place in the shipping world and
now she shrinks from the struggle
necessary to establish ship and routes.
especially in view of the high Ameri-
can scale of wages and costs.
Roosevelt Favored Subsidy.
President Roosevelt tried to revive
the interest in American shipping in
1905 to keep in this country some of
the millions paid to Europe for car
riers. The Gallinger ship subsidy bill,
Ill h ,l@@1 -
tering in the Senate, was the only re-
suit.
Now Representative Greene has
taken the merchant marine on his
shoulders. He is one of the veterans
Of the house. outranked in point of
Gillette He knows congressional tao
tics and he knows shipping. Ever
since his first term in the House, "a
years ago, he has been a member of
the committee on shipping and for
years he has been chairman His dis
stituents are said to approve his at
tempt at reviving American sea ira
1t is prophesied that the Greene
bill Will pass the House. In the SEN
ate. long speeches and fi1ibustering
may be fatal, rs in the case Of the
Gallinger bin.
The final question is whether the
American merchant marine is of suf-
ficient Importance to the national in
terests to be given government aid
at this time, and if so, how much aid
is advisable. Few persons interested
in the bill, however, are viewing the |
matter from a general viewpoint.
Shipping interests are strongly in |
favor of the proposed government |
aid for their business They consider |
it only just that the Republican party |
which believes il. protecting other in |
dustries by tariff should help the |
struggling ship owners.
Enemies of the bill say that the |
people should not be .burdened |
further; that shipping has not been |
subsidized in this country; the sub |
sidy is an experiment which will not |
put shipping on its feet and that it |
will only involve the country in heavy |
expense.
Estimates as to what the burden J
will amount to vary widely. Lasker |
says 1T is estimated that in order to !
develop a balanced fleet of 100000 !