The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-01

1-.--.rf-o<s ttSt$ . wv WV
haste. The war program. and that
completion OF contracts which fol-
lowed because such course
with responsibility, gave us some
thing more than 100000 gross
tonnage. not counting the folly OF /
the wood construction. at q total |
outlay Of approximately three and
one-half billions OF dollars.
Vast Tonnage for Cargo.
We thus became possessed Of
the vehicles of a great merchant
marine. Not all OF IL was prac-
tical fer use In the transoceanic
trades: little Of II was built for
the speed which gives the coveted
class to outstanding service. But |
here was vast tonnage for cargo |
service. and the government. in |
, the exceptional call OF commerce |
i which Immediately followed the
war, sought the establishment of |
shipping lines In every direction
, calculated to enhance our foreign |
/ trade and further cement our
friendly relations.
The movement lacked in most |
cases that Inherent essential to |
success which is found In indf- |
nonnr,nn, was rather
! Iinos ,,,ern ..tap,,-u,
bnne and IittIs assmra Hn
the public Treasury was to bear
the burden. There was the mere |
suggestion OF private enterprise, |
inasmuch as ALLEGATIONS and char |
tiers were made under which pri- !
vate management was to share In |
profits and private interests we're |
paid to make the experiment, |
though the government was tn |
bear all the losses. I forbear the |
detailed recital. The misadven-
ture was so unfortunate that when |
the present administration came |
into responsibility the losses were |
approximately $16,000.00o a month, |
and to the cost OF failure was added |
the humiliation of ships hbeled In |
foreign ports.
In spite of all the later losses IN |
operation. however. IL Is quite be- |
yond question that our abundance |
of American tonnage was mainly |
responsible for our ability to share |
| in the good fortunes Of world |
trade during the two years imme- |
diately following the war. In all |
probability the losses we have |
sustained In our shipping activi- |
ties were fully compensated to the |
American people in the saving of |
ocean freights in that period.
Co,xtct,.n NJ E.,,,
ro,.
,onOo p'ss.ssea ., ''
n.riaron ~ sS
ts,. e eohYIc'ion Oh
n,IstaL. of;.m 70 say ina. .
.,xss poes msoe more
ct w 'he unparaleied SUNNI
,a,e s"ipP,"s when came ate IN
{ -V anu Pre.aeo throuEhout the
ar 81 Leees c'osea; IL was tue
e'eA Vi inc reaoJust-
when ioiIo~ great war
anu tneIe were neaVy losses In op-
, wn,ch, mao 10 pc met bS
ions staoiisned ana heretoforc
- 81. hs anu
s"iPs pu'i' at Top war COSTS TOOK |
the stump IN prices oeiow the nor
ma, ieVeis OF peace.
bu. we nave our snlps, the see!
on9 iarsest tonnage IN the world.
anu we nave the aspiration aye.
let me say the determination TO
cslaollsh merchant marine COM
, sura'e win our commercials
The shins 80 ~ osnn,;s,u M
aspirations into the effectiye de-
yeiopment of an ocean-roinp shin
ping service without which there
can be no assurance OF maintained |
commercial eminenre. withcut
which any future conflict nj arms
will send us building again. widely |
and extrayapantly. when the nron- |
err concern for this necessary
agency of commerce in peace will
be our guaranty of defense In case
that peace is disturbed.
Out of the story of the making
of great merchant marines and |
out Of our own experience we
ought to find the practical soIu-
ton. Happily We are less proyin-
cial than we once were, happily
we have come to know how M
separable are our varied interests
Nobody pretends any longer that !
shipping is a matter of concern
only to the ports involved. Com
merce on the seas is quite as vital
to the great interior as il is To
our coast territory, east, south. Of
west. Shipping is no more a Sec
tional interest than is agriculture |
or manufacturing. No one of them |
can be prospered alone.
E...,-h, q, xU.,s p,.
we nave nao new MANI es'a
tIon OF lhls oroaoeneo VISION IN tne /
enthusiasnn Oh the st MiooIe
ScsI lor tne proposeu
- . .s 80.
10 in'ehueo 10 'onh. .ne
/ AaheS POisS "th ehc MOI 70 u sHS