The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1922-12-01

that Oh Government should continue
policy from which so enormous a
treasury loss is the Inevitable out
come This loss. moreover. attends
operation of less than q third of the
Government-owned fleet.
IL is not, therefore. a question OF
adding new treasury burdens to
maintain our shipping; we are pay
ing those burdens now. 1t Is not a
question Of contracting an outlay to
support our merchant shipping. be-
cause we are paying already am
not asking your authorization of q
new and added draft on the public
treasury: am appealing for a pro-
gramme to diminish the burden we
are already bearing.
/ when your Executive Government
knows OF public expenditures aggre-
eating $50. 100000 annually which 1t
believes could be reduced by half
through change Of policy. your
Government would be unworthy of
public trust If such a change were
not commended-nay, IL 1t were not
mistakenly urged.
And the pity OF 1t is that our pres
ent expenditure in losses is not con-
structive. 1t looks to no future at
tainments. II is utterly ineffective
in the establishment of a dependa-
BILE merchant marine, whereas the en-
courae ment of private ownership
and the application of individual ini-
tiative would make for a permanent
creation, ready and answerable at all
times to the needs of the nation,
No Provision for Replacement
But have not properly portrayed !
all the current losses to the public ,
this year. We are wearing out our
ships without any provision for re- I
placement. We are having these Z
losses thru deterioration now. and .
are charging nothing against our cap
;tal account. But the losses are there
and regretably larger under Govern
ment operation than under private
control Only a few years of con-
tinued losses on capital account will
make these losses thru depreciation
alone to exceed the $50. 900 900 a
year now drawn to cover losses in
operation.
The gloomy picture of losses does
not end even there. Notwithstand-
ing the known war cost of $1,000
100000 for the present tonnage, I,
will not venture to apprais it's cash
value today. 1t may as well be CON
Pessed now as at some later time that
IN the mad rush to build; in estab-
fishing shipyards wherever men
would organize to expend Govern
nent money;when wa mde shipbuild-
Frs overnight quite without regard
20 previous occupations or pursuits,
ye builded pOorly-often very poor
y. Moreover we constructed with
tut any formulated programme for a
merchant marine. The war emer-
;ency impelled and the cry was for
hips, any kind of ships. The error
S recalled in regret rather than
riticism. The point is that our fleet,
costing approximately $3,000,000,-
90. is, worth only a fraction of that
ost today. Whatever that fraction
nay be. the truth remains that we
ave no market in which to sell the y
hips under our present policy, and .
programme of surrender and sacri- "
ice and the liquidation which is in T"
yitable unless the pending legisIa- g
on is sanctioned, will cost scores of -
lillions more.
Answer Is Apparent.
When the question is asked. why {;
he insistance for the merchant ma II
ne act now?" the answer is appar- p
lt. Waving every inspiration fl
hich lies in constructive plan for 7
our RAG on the CONNER st
al highways of the seas, waving il
ie prud ance in safeguarding against ia
mother $4,000, 100000 madness if fl
ar ever again impels. we have the 81
lavoidable task of wiping out a q
100000 annual loss in opera ton p
I'd losses aggregating many hundred 81
millions in WORKOUT sacrificed or nj
raped shipping. Then the SUI IN
enc humiliation, the admission that al
he Ulited Slates-our Americax G
ice eminent among the maritime Ill
ltions of the worlds incapable OF pt
itself IN the peace tri- nj
nphs on the seas of the world. 1t tn
ould seem to be doubly humiliat- hi
& when we own the ships and fail in an
e genius and capacity to turn their or
ows toward tho marts OF the world ly
This problem cannot longer be in