Evening star., 1922-05-18

business problems which must be set
tied for the national good along busi-
ness lines"
Outlines Farmers View.
The farmers viewpoint on the mer-
chant marine was outlined by Harvey
J. sconce Of sidell. ILL.,. who advocated
Lawrence deep waterway to the sea
las the best argument for the ship
subsidy plan from the standpoint Of the
middle west farmer" Mr.. Sconce fur
ther said:
From the producers standpoint there
Is rather an alarming situation being
presented to the shippers of the nation
that many Of us consider detrimental to
many Of our Industries, and that Is the
linking Of some OF the big railroad in
terests with certain large ocean ship
ping interests, as combination Of rail
and ocean shipping. This would be dis
astrous to American farming and in
terror manufacturing interests.
with the emergency heet in opera
ton competition would be restored to
such an extent that the freight on
American products would be greatly re-
duced to the consumer in foreign coun-
tries.
I'VE realize that we are agricul-
turally an exporting nation and know
of the direct advantage OF e merchant
marine to our industry, but II we
have a barrier Of prohibitive rail
freight rates between our farms and
the sea, the merchant marine Is not
Of very great beneht to US.
The farmer cannot sec very much
benefit from the subsidy plan II rail
rates are not lowered or the deep
waterway is not constructed. and un-
til this is done and the middle west
farmer Is placed on a parity with the
manufacturer of coast states. he ts
not in favor Of being taxed to main
tain an industry that should stand on
it's own foundation.
THE government should dispose OF
the emergency feet at the best figure
about the disastrous experiment and
get out Of business.
IF Congress approves the plan to
construct the deep waterway to the
great lakes. therefore putting all
relative to ocean shipments. then for
the welfare Of all concerned, it would
seem advisable to enter into somo-
plan whore individuals and industries
would be taxed and receive benefits
alike" ~
shipbuildinG Future Bright.
Prospects of American shipbuild-
ing, while not bright in the imme-
period Of three to i've years appear
brighter than in any normal period
since the civil war" J. L. Acksrson,
vice president of the Merchant Ship
building Company. declared in an ad-
dress before tho general session OF
the convention.
Mr.. Ackerson said the following
conclusions seemed to him clear:
"Ffrst-It will take from three to
fve years to stabilize international
finances and to insure. the establish
ment abroad OF credits necessary to
enable foreign industries to. place
themselves in position to fexport
large volumes OF goods. 4
''Second-During this period inter.
national trade will Increase until at
the end OF nay i've years IL will At.
tain to what may then be termed Its
normal
Demand for More Ships.
Third THAT during this period
there will be an increasing demand
for shfpA That this demand will
cause, to be cullsd from the present
stock Of unemployed ships those that
are most suitable and win thea cause
the building OF new ships OF the
most suiteble type, representing the
advances In shipbuildinE made during
the past several yeeS0. G
.gburth--That this increase IN h.