Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-10
Dy Albert ID. I.nHlter.
airman. United : tatcs Shipping
Hoard

Chairman. United tatcs Shipping
Board.
Recently Il layman who knew
uvthini: Of The shipping problem.
but who had good mcnta, grasp on
public questions and world condi-
''ons put half dozen questions to
me which, in my opinion. were SO
fair and so Representative Of the
attitude OF many Americans on this
subject. that ! shall use them as tho
basis OF Il surrey of our merchant
marine problem. In answerInx
them hope to Impress upon tho
mind OF the readers OF this article
tho necessity for at least discus
aion OF Americas position with re-
gard 10 world commerce 10 tho end
that they may. In either supporting
'"r opposing our efforts TO bring
about tho passage Of a ship subsidy
hill. know what they are talkinr
about.
Asks Questions.
These questions were put to mo
by ono who had n feeling that We
should have n chip subsidy, but
whose thoughts were s,ill indefinite
ms 10 the precise reasons why aid
TO American ships was necessary
Here arc the questions:
!. Why cannot the United states
government operate ships at 4
proat?
?. Why should We pay taxes to
hclp ship owners?
3. How will American labor be
benefited by ship subsidy?
4. How Will the American farmer
be benefited by ship subsidy
8. How Viii tn. average citizen be
benefited by ship subsidy?
s. How are we going 10 pa FOR
chip subsidy?
These struck me az being fair
questions at the limo they were
the better ] like them. They are
questions that every American tax
payer has right TO have answered.
And by answering them think W.
can cover the entire situation
Had TO BALD shipa
The hrst question naturally arises
because, as result OF the demands
o! the World war America, having
40 merchant ships 10 speak OF. had
10 build them. Without counting
The cost In money. tho Shipping
Board. having been called on to
furnish the ships. asked Congress to
create tho emergency feet corpora
ton and. through this agency. built
~" ohiPa' SoFI OF tEcss hElpS the
government stu owns. Having been
built in hurry 20 nee, pressing
need. many OF them are not good
ships. Some OF them arc good.
however. and while we do no,
possess what shipping men call Il
we'll balanced neet-that is feet
well supplied with the various types
OF passenger and cargo vessels suit
able FOR various trades. we have got
the nucleus OF good feet.
IL naturally occurs TO rhose who
TACK information on shipping. that
II the government can maintain and
operate navy II should be ablo TO
maintain and operate merchant
marine. But they forget that the
navy IL purely military organ!za-
ton. maintained for the sake OF pro-
lection. sort OF an Insurance FOR
our national safety. We do not ex-
pect II 10 be se!f-supportinE. The
postal system IA another example
cited by tho advocates OF govern
mnnt operation. Bun the postal sys-
tom is monopoly. Nobody is all
lowed to compete with It. mer-
chant marine. on the other hand
rneots tho strongest kind OF compe.
dtton.
Need Plenty of Action.
To meet this competition the on
aTntors OF ships must be allowed flcx-
nility OF action. They must be able
% decide promptly and put through
big trading and shipping deals on
the moment They must conclude
important transactions almost on the