The New York herald., 1922-03-05
Proposes Six Weeks Vacation
in Europe at Nominal
Cost to Public.
TO BUILD UP SHIPPING
Bostonian Suggests Plan at
Mercantile Marine Con-
vention.
Special Dispotch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washin cfam n Mach

u,
Washington, ID. c., March 4.
A six weeks vacation in Europe ut
nominal cost for every resident of the
United States should be possible through
reduced passenger rates on ocean going
vessels. Edward A. Filane of Boston. di-
rector OF the International Chamber OF
Commerce. said here to-day. Mr.. Filene
spoke at the closing session of the an
nrai convention OF the National Mer-
camille Marine Association.
A part of to-day's program was a re-
ception 20 the delegates at The White
House by President Harding.
Resolutions strongly indofsing the
Presidents message to Congress on ship
subsidy and Government. aid in building
Up the American merchant marine were
handed to the President. -Four major
resolutions adopted to-day were deliv-
cred at the White House. Copies also
will be sent 20 both houses of Congress.
The resolutions are:
(1) Indorsed President Harding's
proposal for upbuilding of the mer-
chant marine.
(2) Emphasized that the United
States Shipping Board should be en-
couraged to maintain all oceangoing
mail. passenger and cargo routes
now in operation 80 that farmers
and manufacturers may compete sue
cessfully in the world markets"
(3) Commended the United States
Shipping Board for it's earnest eff
forts TO readjust the selling price of
Government owned ships on price
basis equitable" to private interests.
(4) Particularly approved recog-
milton in the merchant marine bill OF
1922 of the potential value of sea-
going officers and men by provision
for their enrolment in the merchant
marine naval reserve.
These resolutions were framed and
presented to the convention by Henry
Hunter, C. d. Mallroy. Winthrop L. Mar
vim and Stevenson Taylor, all of New
York: P. T. Cunningham, New Orleans |;
H. +. Alexander, Seattle; J. T. Lykes,
New Orleans L. NJ. Nicholson. Chicago;
Eugene O'Donnell. Boston; Malcolm
Stewart. Cincinnati, and J. NJ Whitsitt,
Charleston. S. C.
The address Of Mr.. Filene IN which he
urged shipping men to reduce passen-
ger fares IL possible to encourage Amer
leans to travel in Europe drew applause
from the convention. Mr.. Filene said:
American shipping is experiencing
bad times. The falling off in passen-
gers, due to reduced immigration. can
be renedied. There Is chance Of get
ting from an entirely new class OF
would-be travellers a larger number OF
passengers than were carried in the
palmiest days OF immigration-passen
gers. moreover, that will not only go to
Europe. but come back again. thus pro-
viding full cargoes for our ships both
coming and going. believe there are
hundreds OF thousands OF Americans
who would spend their vacations In Eu-
rope provided the trip were brought
within their means.
Il am told that such a passenger ship
as the George Washington ferried over,
during the war, a number OF soldiers
considerably more than double her or
dinary passenger capacity. and that a
$500 ton gross ship. which will trans
port seventy-nve frst class and forty
I've second class passengers. viii carry
from 500 to 900 troops. ! am further
informed that subsistence costs. which
arc about $l.75 per day for first class
passengers, are only rs cents day
for troops.
What has been done can be done
sgain. Facilities that our young men
found good enough in war time are good
enough for us in peace time. l want
TO ask the ship owners whether IL would
not be to their advantage to arrange
to take shiploads OF young men over
to Europe In much the same fashion as
we took our soldiers to France during
the war?
Whether the cost of a vacation In
Europe could not be made TO compare
favorably with the cost of a vacation
In this country. especially as transpor-
tation and living costs would be COM
bined In two Of the four or six weeks
OF such vacation. whether the small
profits made from a very large number
of passengers carried on the transport
plan would not compare favorably with
the larger profits made from passengers
carried In the regular way"
Government aid should be granted 10
American ship operators in proportion
sufficient to enable them to compete on
Emil T.. Albrecht. president OF tho
Philadelphia bourse, told the conyen-
tion. The measure OF the assistance.
he said. should be on the basis OF
whether American operators could make
fair profit and whether that profit
would be large enough to encoura &c
private interests TO buy the ships now
owned by the Government and keep
them in service.
A really effective subsidation of tho
merchant marine. Mr.. Aiorecht said.
would provide for its development TO
carry our commerce in time OF peace
and TO serve as a necessary auxiliary In
time Of war for the army and the navy"
MAJOR NICHOLSON
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