The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-21

/ Members of the Congress:
| Late last February I reported to
you relative to the American merchant
marine, and recommended legislation
which the executive branch of the
government deemed essential to pro-
mote our merchant marine and with
! it our national welfare. Other prob
lens were pressing and other ques-
/ lions pending, and for one reason or
another, which need not be recited,
the suggested legislation has not pro-
mendation by the house committee.
/ The committee has given the question
/ a full and painstaking inquiry and
study. and / hope that its favorable
/ report speedily will be given the force
| of law.
! TT will be helpful in clearing the
atmosphere if we start with the frank
recognition of divided opinion and de-
! termined opposition. 1t is no new eX-
perience. Like proposals have divided
7 the congress on various previous &C.
I tility never was manifest before, ana
/ casions. Perhaps more resolute hos
I am very sure the need for decisive
action - decisive, favorable action -
never was SO urgent before.
I'VE are not now dealing with a
policy founded on the theory We
have a problem which is one of grim
actually. We are facing insistent con-
ditiens, out of which come either ad-
ditional and staggering government
losses and national impotence on the
seas, or else the unfurling of the flag
on great American merchant marine
commensurate with our commercial
Importance, to serve as carrier of our
cargoes in peace and meet the neces-
sites of our defense in war. There is
no thought here and now to magnify
the relations of a merchant marine to
our national defense 1t is enough
to recall that we entered the world
war almost wholly dependent on our
allies for transportation by sea. We
IsaA 1Fea1x-
feverishly. extravagantly, wastefully
and impractically. Out of our eager
ness to make up for the omissions
of peace and 10 meet the war emer-
gency we builded and otherwise ac-
quired the vast merchant fleet which
the government owns today.
Deal With Present.
''In the simplest way 1 can say it,
our immediate problem is not to build
and support a merchant shipping,
which held to be one of the highest
and most worthy aspirations of any
great people, Our. problem is to deal
with what we now possess. Our prob
lem is to relieve the public treasury
of the drain it is already meeting. Let
US omit particulars about the frenzied |
wartime building. Possibly we did
full as well as could have been done
in the anxious circumstances. Let us
pass for che zlo6nent the vital rela-
tioD3hip between a merchant marine /
and commercially aspiring nation. |
AZ let us suppose for a moment the
e Jsurdity that with one $3,0OO,00O,OO 600 |
experience and with the incalculable /
costs in life and treasure which may |
be chargeable to our inability prompt |
ly to apply our potency-whlch GOD
forefend happening again-let us mo-
mentariIy ignore all of these and turn
to note the more business problem, the
practical question of dollars and cents
with which we are confronted.
The war construction and the later
T-Ng. rgr4f- u ar-a
completion was believed to be the (,
great economy to the public treasury,
left US approximately 1920, 900 gross
tonnage in ships. The figures arc
the scrapping of the wooden fleet. |
More than half this tonnage is gov
eminent operation in one form or an
other. The net loss to the United /
therefrom in this government opera
ton - averaged approximately $16-- /
100000 per month during the year
prior to the assumption of response /
bility by the present administration |
A constant warfare on this loss of pub
lie funds, and the draft to service OF
capable business mana cement and eX-
perienced operating directors, have re-
suited in applied efficiency and en-
forced economies. 1t is very crafty
ing to report the diminution of the /
losses to 100000 per month, or a /
total of s5O,0OO,000 a year; but it is /
that the government should |
continue n policy from which so enor-
nous treasury loss is the inevitable !
outcome.
This loss. moreover attends opera
ton of less than a third of the govern
ment-owned fleet
Diminish Present Burden.
at is not, therefore. a question OF |
adding new treasury burdens<to main
tain our shipping; we are paying these I
burdens now. 1t is not a question of
contracting an outlay to support our
merchant shipping, because We are
paying already. 1 am not asking your
of a new and added
draft on the public treasury; l am
asking for a program to diminish the /
the burden We are already bearing.
When your executive government
knows of public expenditures aggre-
eating fifty millions annually, which
il believes could be reduced by half
thru a change of policy, your govern
ment would be unworthy of public
trust if such a change were not COM
nay, if it were not insistently
urged.
And the pity of it is, that our pres
ent expenditure in losses is not con-
structive. 1t looks to no future attain
ments 1t is utterly ineffective in the
establishment of a dependable mer-
ment of private ownership and the ap-
plication of individual initiative would /
make for a permanent creation, ready I
and answerable at all times to the
needs of the nation.
But have not properly portrayed !,
all the current losses to the public
treasury. We are wearing out our
ships without any provision for re-
placement. We are having these losses
thru deterioration now, and are charg- L
ing nothing against our capital ac-
count. But these losses are there. and
regrettabIy larger under government I;
operation than under private control
Only few years of continued control.
capital account will make these losses
thru DEPRECIATION alone to exceed the L