New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-27
Many Ne,U Liners and Lower
Rates to Mark 1923 Season
Trans Atlantic Passenger Companies Prepare for
Keenest Competition of Generation; Travel
ers Are to Have Choice of Most Modern Vessels
BY David S. Kennedy

son nearing its end steamship COM
panes are making their plans for next
year. Enough has become public to
indicate that 1923 will be featured by
lower rates, many new liners, the
keenest competition for business that
has been seen in generation, and by
the addition of new services, such as
airplane connections between the ports
of debarkation and the capitals Of
Europe.
The trend of passenger traffic now
is undoubtedly toward lower fares
next year. Officials of the various
lines deny that any movement has yet
been made in this direction, and they
declare that the earnings of the COM
panies do not justify reduction. The
, latter is especially true. Since the en-
actment of the 3 per cent limitation
on immigration to the United States
the passenger lines have suffered ire
| mendous decreases in revenue. For
| merly the third class and steerage
business were the mainstay of ocean
| transportation, with first and second
cabin traffic an important by-product
| Under existing conditions the first and
second cabins are the principal fea-
lures of travel. They must bear the
burden of supporting the lines.
Officials of the lines do not see how
| they can decrease fares and maintain
| their services, but they admit pri-
vately that economic conditions are
forcing them to this action. 1t is now
evident that strenuous efforts will be
| made to stimulate travel on the part
of people. of average means, many Of
whom refuse to go at present prices.
The traffic of the last two years has
been confined largely to the wellto-do
and those compelled to travel for bust
ness reasons. 1t is believed that next
summer the "scho olteacher" class will
begin to flock to Europe in the same
manner as before the war.
No Rate War
| There Is no indication that a rate
war will develop among the trans
| Atlantic lines, such as that now I'M
der way on the South American route.
! Cut-throat competition brings lower
fares for time, but is usually fol-
lowed by the elimination of weak con-
Germs and a return of charges to
| higher levels. Whatever decreases are
made will come about through orderly
action by the steamship conferences
and will be adopted with view to
! stimulate business rather than to kill
| competition.
The first step toward lower trans
| portation costs has already been made
in the Redistribution of steamers.
| During the present season older and
slower ships have been forced to com
| pete with more modern vessels at the
same rates. Under plan to be made
effective on November i, more cquit-
able system of rating Is provided. Pas
sengers who are willing to go on the
veterans of the sea may do so at lower
fares than they must pay on the more
recent of the floating palaces. The
differences will not be great in many
instances, from SIS to SIS on a one-way
ticket, but that is sufficient to attract
ia large number whose purses are
slimited
Passenger rates are now approx
mately double those prevailing before
the war. The outlook is that the reduc-
ton will not exceed 10 to 20 per cent
next season. The time is not vet in
sight when pre-war fares will return.
The cost of operation is still too high.
feature of the present year has
been the development of the cabin class
,vessels. The Cunard, international
Lines and the United States Lines are
the leaders in this movement, providing
ships Of democracy" where the pay
ment Of a fare gives the run of the
ship. The guest at a hotel who takes a
rear room has the same lobby and ball
room privileges as the man who takes a
front suite. The same principle is
gaming Roadway on the sea- especially
with"regard to middle-class ships.
Inc steerage is rapidly becoming a
relic of the past. Accomm oda tt ons
were limited when immigrants were
coming to this country at the rate OF
/ a million or more year, and crowd
ing was profitable as we'll as unavoid-
able. Under the existing restrictive
laws the immigrant traffic does mot
amount to more than 100000. The
tendency now is toward the provdinp
OF better quarters for the same money,
Inc proper term to use at the moment
Is not "steerage" but "third-class."
Plan Airplane Service
In the Majestic, of $4,000 gross tons.
and the Leviathan, of $4,000 tons, we
nave probably seen the worlds largest
shlps. Gigantic vessels do not paw as
well as they did in the days when inn
migration was at its height. The more
profitable ships at present are those
averaging 10000 to $4,000 gross tons.
lhe development Of the future will be
IN speed and luxury, and an era of
ocean passenger traffic by airplane is
not improbable.
Alrplanes are already being used
10 cut down the time from New York
to the capitals of Europe. The White
star Line announced several DAYS ago
that tickets would be sold on hoard
Tor flights from Cherbourg to Paris.
reducing. the train time of seven hours
to two hours by air 1t is expected
Lthat this innovation will be followed
at other channel ports, with connec-
Ilons to all important cities Of Great
Britain and the Continent.
An indication of the severe comneti-
ton which will be seen next season is
given IN the announcement of the Gu
nard Line that the Mauretania will
make Plymouth port of call. for the
/ nrst time IN the history of the com
pany. This means five days from New
iork to London, and sets mark which
the White Star Line is expected to
/ challenge. 1t is not improbable that
the Majestic the closest rival Of tho
Mauretania for speed laurels. will also
MAKE Plymouth, and that aeroplanes
| Will be used to expedite the travel
over land.
Both the White Star and the Cnnara
nave ADDED new vessels and have i'm
proved their services this season. and
further developments are under wav.
Ihe competition between these two
next year will furnish excitement for
tEose VINO are interested in the sea.