The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1922-02-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.


washington, d. c., Feb. 90 - (Spe
clal Correspondence)- While the tex
Of the recommendation Of the United
States Shipping Board with respect tc
financing the proposed ship subsidy
plan has not as yet been made public
1t is understood that the Shippine
Board has urged the President to ask
for an appropriation of 10 per cent. OF
all duties collected from customs to be
turned into the subsidy fund, plus all
port charges paid by either Americail
or foreign ships. The board recon-
mends that a return of 10 per cent. be
allowed American ship owners or
their investment. In the event a shin
owner earns more than this invesi e
ment. he will be required TO split the
excess profit - so per cent going into
the ship subsidy fund and so per cent
being retained by the the ship COM
pany. II is reported that the plans cf
Republican leaders call for the attach
ing of an amendment to the pending
tariff bill directing 10 per cent. of all
customs duties be appropriated to the
ship subsidy fund
During the calendar year 1921 the
collections from duties and tonnage
amounted to S30S,000 .000-abcut $685.
00o.00 from customs duties and S.
100000 from tonnage dues. Based on
that revenue, the amount turned over
to the subsidy fund according to the
plan suggested would have been about
1873 100000. But the pending tariff
bill. it is estimated will yield customs
revenue in the sum of about S700,0 00,-
600. In all probability the tonnage
collections will not be materially
changed. so that this would mean
something like s72,OOO,00 to be TURN
ed into the ship subsidy furd. This
would avoid direct taxation in order
to keep up our merchant marine.
The necessity for something being
done to succor our merchant marine is
apparent fro mthe official figures pub
lished by the Department Of Com
merce. Considering our water borne
foreign commerce, We imported in
1920 calendar year, $4.731.000000 |
worth of commodities of which Amer
lean vessels brought in Al per cent,
foreign vessels So per cent. In 1921 |
we imported s2,1S7,oOO,OOO worth of |
goods. of which American vessels |
brought in 35 per cent, foreign YES
sells IS per cent. In 1920 we exported
81, 252 100000 worth of goods by wa
ter. of which American vessels deliv-
cred A per cent. foreign vessels Sc
per cent. In 1921 we exported $685.
100 900 worth Of goods, American YES
sells delivering Sc per cent. foreign
,essels Ga per cent OF the entire wa
er borne trade, American vessels in
920 handled AZ per cent, foreign ves-
'els 81 per cent; in 1921 American
'essels 35.5 per cent, foreign vessels
as per cent. In 1921 American YES
els fetched and carried" s2.166,000,-
100 worth. while British vessels alone
handled $2,15S,O0O0OO worth Of our
rade. It is roughly estimated that it
ost twice as much to operate an
american ship as 1t does a British
hip, due to higher wages and stand
rds on the former.
It is probable that the President
iii recommend the creation Of a
laval reserve when he takes up the
hip subsidy plan with Congress, and
ONE revision OF tn enavigation laws
which will tend 10 lower operating
osts where THAT can be done without
wage reductions. Where feas-
bic, the discontinuance OF the army
nd navy transport service may be
equired since those vessels, under
government ownership, have run Into ,
Ugh operating costs, and established
mes can better handle the Govern
tent traffic. Some requirement by
hitch American vessels may be guar I
nteed fair share OF the immigrant
afiic viii no doubt DO insisted upon. '
hat VIII mean more business for our
'ssels, and viii tend TO prevent any
Ich dISpdaceful exhibition Of greed
was made during the 1921 holidays,
non Ellis Island was crammed with
Ions brought in by foreign vessels 4
ioso owners must have known that :
D legal limit Of entries had been y
ichsd