Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-03-01

eu states, also SHtN sums as are pa
able 10 American vessels By the pos
office department for the transport.
ton by water of foreign mails, pare,
post, etc
out of this fund shall be paid tn
! direct aid in the DEVELOPMENT an
maintenance OF an American me-
chant marine. The compcusatio
shall be based on uue.halC of cen
for each gross ton of any vessel. p,
gardless Of speed. fer each loo mile
Travelled. When the speed in thrice
knots or over, but less than fourteen
ton shall be added; for fourteen knot
threctenths of a cent, for fftpeI
4 knots, tourtenths " cent: for six
| teen knots. FIVE tenths Of a cent. ,OI
eighteen knots, nine,tenths, for nine
! teen knots, eleten.teuths, for twent'
| knots thirteentenths shall be added
| 70 the basic rate. For tweutythre
knots the maximum is reached at a6
cents for each gross ton per 100 mics
travelled,
Il will not attempt the details of
requirements, or limitations, save TO
say that all vessels thus remuucrIed
shall carry the United States mails
except parcel post. free OF cost, nd
that all such remuneration must md
whenever the owner of any vessel on
vessels shall have derived a net Opr.
ating income in excess Of 10 per cent
per annum upon his actual inyet.
ment. and thereafter the owner shall
! pay 30 per cent OF such excess earl
iugs to the merchant marine funL
until the full amount OF subsidiaw
previously received is returned to it,
source.
THE cost of such o program prob
ably will reach $l5,O0O60O the first
year. estimated on the largest posi-
bic present feet With larger REIN.
bursement TO high speed vessels and
the enlargement of the merchant ma.
rine to q capacity comparable with
our commerce, the total outlay may
reach the limits Of $4,000 ,000 but IL
is confidently believed that the scale
may in due time thereafter be turn.
ed until the larger reimbursements
are restored 10 the treasury
Even if We accept the extreme pos.
sibility-that we shall eyreud the
maximum aud no return ever will bee
made, which is To confess our inabiI-
ity To establish an American mer.
chant marine-the expenditure would
be vastly preferable to the present
unfortunate situation, with our de.
peudeuce on our competitors for the
delivery Of our products. Moreover
the cost for the entire wear would be
little more than the deficit heretofore
in two months during the
experiment of the government spon
soring the lines and guaranteeing the
cost OF their operation.
The proposed plan will SuperSede
all postal subyentions postal com
pensations and extra cOmpeusatous
excepting parcel post freights. all of
which combined are fast growing to|
S5,0a0,000 annually. It'll
will ultimately take the government
out OF a business which has been and
IS now excessively costly and waste
full and involving loss in excess OIL
the highest subsidy proposed.
"The making of successful Amer |
can merchant marine, which must
face the stiffest possible competition
by the fleets OF the maritime nations
requires something more than the
direct aid to which shave alluded
Our problems in shipping are niue
the same as are those of our indus
tries ashore. and we should be as
Jealous in promoting the one as we
are in protecting the other We may
and must aid indirectly as well As
directly.
We need fayoring spirit. an
awakened American pride, and aaI
avowed American determination that
we shall become in the main the |
,arriers OF our own commerce in |.
spite OF all competition and all dis /,
With direct and i'm !
iirect aid | bring to you a definite |
program. Those who oppose it |
ought. in all fairness. to propose an
acceptable alternative. There can be |
10 dispute about the end at which .
we are aiming
OF the indirect aids there are
many, practically all without draft |
lpon the public treasury, and yet all |
highly helpful in promoting American
President Harding suggested dis.
continuance Of the army and navy
transport service, lowering Of ship in
urance, preferential rail and steam.
hip rates permission to railways to
perate steamship lines, extension
f our long established protection to
ur coastwise trade. which is now to !
include the Philippines and to other
stands, as indirect aids to the mer.
hant marine
The remission OF a proportion of
lcome taxes is wholly compatible
'hen the shipping enterprise is of di-
ect government concern. provided
nat such remission is applied to the