Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-12
SHIPPING MUST GET AID

TIME emphasis which the Foreign Trade
i Convention now meeting In this city
has laid upon the necessity for protecting
and developing the American merchant
marine IS in principle almost identical with
the arguments which President Harding and
the Executive Administration are endeavor-
ing to instill In the somewhat unr,<ertlve
minds of congressman and Senators.
William J. Conlen, who addressed the
meeting yesterday, was explicit in his in
dorsement Of the Ship Subsidy Bill and the
opportunities which it provides for increas-
ing American sea borne commerce under
the flag
Almost simultaneously Mr.. Harding dis
members OF the Senate and House Merchant
Marine Committees in Washington and sug-
gested that the bill should be handled as .
party measure.
BY this means certain reluctant Repub-
lcans with constituencies remote from the
seaboards may be swung into line. The
strategy proposed il only supertcially OF the
partisan variety. If party regularity will
serve to expedite the shipping measure. Mr..
Harding Is not averse to using it in n cause
productive of intelligent progress for the
entire Nation.
Opposition 10 the bill, which plans for un
eventual retirement of the Shipping Board
and system of financial aid for all our for
eign commerce carriers Of more than 1000
gross tons employed on voyages OF more
than 100 miles, is chiefly of the destruc-
tive. Alternate remedies are not proposed,
since 1t is the prevailing disposition Of the
recalcitrante to blame the merchant marine
for not being prosperous rather than to
analyze and indorse some specific method Of
assistance.
There are reasons in regrettable abun-
dance explaining the embarrassments Of
ocean trade under the flag. Not the least
are the rapidity with which the present
great commercial feet was created, the
difficulty Of meeting triurnphantly and i'm
rlediutely the strong competition and the
powerfully intreuched interests Of foreign
companies. and the lamentabc indifference
with which the general public has viewed
the magnificent chance to restore and vital
ize American maritime prestige.
Mr.. Conlcn alluded pertinently TO the
provision OF the proposed net requiring
Government officials TO travel on the Ma
tons own ships and inquired with war
runtcd Indignation why any prodding on
this subject was needed. The fact IS that
many Americans are not yet adjusted 10 the
new order. displaying an atysmal ignorance
of the fine new American passenger feet
Aow in service and yielding readily to the
perfectly explicable persuas.oEs of foreign
organizations which fear the challenge to
their former almost exclusive privileges.
It would indeed be a most happy condi-
ton were q revived American merchant ma
rine firmly established and in need of no
aid. That is the ideal which the shipping
bill. seeks 70 foster. But the facts today are
otherwise. The primary reason why the
commercial feet should be L"lpci is that
without rational and deserved encourage
ment it may prove n costly futtlty.
Although spokesmen Of the rural districts
may demur. the bill is In u" interest of
economy and is basicalNy intended as Il safe
guard against the kind Of penalties and OBJ
stacles with which the Shipping Board,
with monumental task Oh It's hands. has
had TO contend