Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-13

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JAMES a; on nCAMi'
fniladelpnia, june U, lS/I'
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70 fhs Editor OF the Eutnsr0 PsoHe LEDGER:
Sir--Apropos President Hardings
determination, and Chairman Lasker's
enthusiasm in behalf Of the Ship Sub.
sidy Bill, comes the desire OF Congress
to tack ship" to bear on on another
course. or put her "aback in the
language OF the sea. or IN other words
to arrest the passage OF the bill until
after November.
Should ship subsidy become a reality
would it insure the solidity, longevity
and dominance of the American mer.
chant marine?
Occasional attempts In the past to
subsidize American shipping have failed
because 1t was not desired by those
Americans who owned and operated
ships. s
The holdings of such owners were
mostly in foreign tonnage and the char:
tered and non owning shipper favored
foreign bottoms and the low rates they
offered. Thus the passing Of attempts
ut ship subsidy. At these times but
fifteen or less of our American ships
blazed the way across the Atlantic and
Pacific to foreign shores, and the sub
sidy for the maintenance of . small a
fleet was not to be thought Of.
Now that our meet numbers some
fifteen hundred ships, built to meet the
emergency of the war, will subsidy
bring them back from their retirement
we have some one thousand or
more at present lying idle-and estab.
lish them on a firm, economical, lasting
basis Of individual operation and owner
ship, which will withstand the on.
slaught Of cheap foreign competition
and the struggle OF our competitors Tor
their existence? ',-.
The personnel Of the seafaring
nations of continental Europe and the
British Isles, who are the premier
worlds carriers. have been forced for
years through internal causes to ac-
cept the sea as a means of livelihood,
and together with cheaper cost of pro.
duction and maintenance of bottom, bid
fair. to combat and offset anything that
a ship subsidy may do for the protec.
tion Of our American merchant marine.
On the other hand our standards OF
living are higher and our present gen.
grafton. or those to come. are not of the
sea, nor will they harken to its coll.
The days of desire for romance on the
bounding main are Ger; fortune and
opportunity beckon from other sources,
both worker and financier want quick
returns and larger profits. and being of
a country that can within itself give
of this desire-then why harken to the
call of the sea?
Say what you will, it is case of the
Survival of the cheapest" Let the
Administration, gracefully. with a sub
sidy turn over the Government owned
shipping to individual operation. and
when rates 80 to smash. wages de.
are S operating era % our shipping then still
"carry on?
Competition at rock bottom rates
with an array of maritime nations fight.
ing for an existence, is not very profit
able even with subsidy. During the
war shipping was quite profitable. One
threw a dollar. into the hat and got
turn: not SO now.
In other words there was no COM
petition.
Our shipping will revert to what 1t
was before the war, plus few gains in
tonnage.
Our cDastwise trade is quite u factor.
foreign competition being prohibited.
and our foreign shipping will be car
ried by the carriers of yore. Remem-
ber: the Survival OF the cheapest,
Even now operators are handing back
to the board tonnage that has been used
TOR some time past ana purchasing or
chartering foreign bottoms. Ihe terms
OF the board have always been lenieht
and fair;
tGssiSiy congress. as tne aeimsman
on the snip OF state, Is douptiul OF the
orders OF the skipper ana his mate.
but It never becomes good seaman to
question those III command Tor MIN 1t
IL 10 ooey. y.,,o,r.,np ,,o,,y
HoWAhD r. moLEi.
philadeIphia, June Z, W.
+. S.-lm mn Gptimlst ana patriot,
nut atter peflGa OF more thah niteen