The Washington herald., 1922-12-06

Ouco UciOre tnc cycs VI esoAy aa
formed man.
A foreign fable which has been
assiduously popularized by many
American journals In the state
ment that foreign shipping has
provided the United States with
the best possible service. Even
the slightest review OF history
will show the falsity Of this
statement. From the time when
the great sailing ships OF this
country disappeared from the sea
the United States were not given
proper transatlantic freight ser.
vice until a Baltimore man
Bernard N. Baker-created the
Atlantic Transport Company: and
the benefit which came to this
whole country by reason of that
magnificent fleet of freighters
can not be over-estimated.
II was an American company
that put the first twin screw
Atlantic flier into service. and it
was only after an American COM
pany had created the Information
al Mercantile Marine that the
British government. fearing for
its supremacy upon the sea, used
public money to build the wonder
full LUSITANIA and the MAURE-
TANIA.
For forty years a branch Of the
Peninsular and Oriental Steamship
Company maintained a very hum
BILE service between New York and
South American ports-a service
always inferior to the services
which England and Germany en-
joyed to those same southern
markets, and which, consequently.
helped them by neglecting us. and
IL was not until the Shipping
Board put on its fleet of first
class steamers that Lamport and
Holt came forward with ships fit
to serve in the trade OF this great
nation. Those foreigners nevd-
have given us anything that they
didn't have to and they've always
favored their own people first.
COERCION CHARGED.
A statement which a celebrated
English writer on maritime affairs
has made, and which l have seen
reprinted dozens OF times in
American publications. is this:
That II is impossible by subsidies
W u OnlLc ftIfcfl-
can ships. This statement in
wolves two erroneous assumptions.
First, 1t ignores the fact that the
primary purpose Of American COM
petition is. as have repeatedly
stated, TO secure to Americans the
cheapest possible transportation.
If we afford cheaper transporta-
tion than our competitors can fur
nish then that fact will cause
freight to be shipped on the
American vessels. II. in spite OF
our lowering OF -freights. the for
eigner underbids our ships. then
he gets the cargo, but the Amert-
can people get the benefit OF
cheaper transportation than would
otherwise be possible. In either
event the people Of the United
States benefit.
The second erroneous assump-
ton OF this statement. namely,
that patronage OF ships cannot be
forced-while II is immaterial SO
far as we are concerned, since we
have no intention OF attempting to
force cargoes upon our ships
nevertheless is incorrect. At this
very minute British laws and
English regulations are forcing
American carCoes to go on Brit
ish ships.
The practical purpose of this
shipping bill is to enable this
country to get rid OF its sur
pluses as well as to furnish our
people with cheaper transportation
for the goods they purchase What
this means was well illustrated by
Hon. Carl Vrooman, Assistant
Secretary OF Agriculture under
President Wilson. in his recent
statement at Milwaukee. where he
showed that through the Govern
ment's disposins of $50. .000. 900
worth OF foodstuffs to Russia the
price Of the remaining stock of
grains was so improved that the
farmers secured a profit Of at
least $50, 1000. 900. He emphas sized
the fact that he had been over
these figures very carefully and
that this was putting the farm
ers' profit at the lowest possible
figure.
WAKE UP! HIS CRY.
When the Liverpool Courier
states that "the general attitude
vi bolE
and in her trading units. must
he such that the pro-British party
in the States is encouraged and
the anti.Rritish party made aware
that the subsidy question Is not
: the concern OF Americans only"
+ when. the Edinburg Review saws.
: I'VE shall DO well by strengthen
ing the hands Of those who are
fighting for our principles" when
the same writer fs seriously dis.
turbed" because this bill will give
the United States a second line
Of naval defense" when the great
shipping authority of England,
Lloyd's, declares that ''only by
some such artificial stimulus as
the shipping subsidy. bill can
American shipping be restored" 4"
adding that Historically it is
quite untrue that subsidies neces.
sarily fall" and when Britain's
!, maritime voice, Fairplay. calls
upon nat people ''to overhaul
their magazine and provide their
gods with a sufficiency Of thun-
derbolts. for debate on the subsidy
bill will begin in me Senate in
December" it's about time for
Americans to wake up. realize
that American ships are essential
to the well-being of this country,
are a part of our rightful heri.
tage, and inform the world that
the teachings of Washington and
TAfferson who eaye rs a prAa