Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-13

activities of the shipping board in
carrying through it's great plans. The
board and its various agencies on
tracted for the purchase of ships under
various kinds of purchase contracts.
In some jobs it became a co-worker
in the construction of ships. 1t under
took the duties and responsibilities OF
a banker, and assisted in the financing
of some %shipyards. 1t became a gen.
eral contractor and provided greater
s%hipbuilding facilities. 1t became a
manufacturer and increased the produc-
ton of ship equipment. 1t became a
lumber merchant. 1t became an in
surance company and sold protection
against insurable losses. 1t entered the
transportation field and built and op-
Grated street railways. 1t constructed
and conducted hotels to house its
workmen. 1t built towns, with all the
necessities and conveniences of munich
pal life, such as paved streets, sewers.
water, gas, theaters, moving pictures,
hospitals and the like.
A.. in all, it was a big job the ship
ping board had on it's hands. 1t was
an undertaking that fairly staggers the
imagination, and that it was accomp-
lished is a monument to American
business enterprise and genius.
Many Ships Now Idle
Of the great fleet That might now
be carrying the American flag into
every part of every sea more than
1000 vessels are today laid up-as idle
as Coleridge's painted ship upon a
painted ocean" This is due to some
extent to the worldwide depression in
the shipping business, but more large
ly to the fact that the American OPP
orator is at a>serious disadvantage with
his foreign competitors in the matter
of operating expenses. It costs a great
deal more to sail a vessel under United
States registry, in compliance with our
laws as to crews, etc, than it does
under that of any other country, and
unless something is done about it our
idle ships bid fair to remain out of
commission.
This brings up the problem of what
is to be done to preserve the American
merchant marine. Albert D. Lasker.
chairman of the shipping board, insists
that nothing but government aid offers
a solution of the problem. He says:
1.-The proposed ship subsidy bill, which
Is now being discussed before the joint
congressional com1ittee, provides ade-
quate means, subject to such amend
ments as are advisable and practical,
for the restoration of American mari
time prestige.
Until the citizen who resides inland
co-operates with his brother on the
various coasts of the country and truly
feels that he will share directly or in
directly in the prosperity that is to
follow the upbuilding of our import
and export trade. all efforts to put our
idle fleet in operation will be futile.
This is a matter for the entire nation
to support, not only from a spirit of
patriotism and of pride, but for the
even greater purpose of economic and
national preservation.
America must build up her export
trade. We must find markets for III
surplus production. No nation has ever
been successful in carrying out these
policies unless it has had a strong mer-
chant marine capable o. transporting
its own commodities to all parts of the
world in its own bottoms. For us, the
only solution lies in federal assistance
Ship subsidy is by no means a new
issue before the country n the n
gress. 1t antedates wi emergency as
q shipbuilding nation and, in fact. has
been recurring yea after year ever
since the first decline of our merchant
marine. Now the issue presents a diff
ferent problem. Heretofore a subsidy
has been urged in order that Americans
might be encouraged to build ships and
sail them under our flag. Now gov
eminent aid is sought in order that the
hundreds of ships that we have idle on
our hands may be put into commission
and made potent factors in world
trade. Shall We hoist the Blue Peter!