Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-03-03

the prospective profits Of successful
management.
Cost OF Such Program.
''The cost of such a program prob
+, ably will reach fifteen millions the first
i, year. estimated on the largest possibil-
tiles of the present fleet. With larger
creimbursements to high speed vessels
and the enlargement Of the merchant
marine to a capacity comparable with
our commerce the total outlay may
reach the limits of thirty millions, but
it is confidently believed that the scale
may in due time. thereafter be turned,
until thelarger reimbursements are re-
stored to the treasury. Even il we ac-
cept the extreme possibility-that we
shall expend the maximum and no re-
turn will ever be made, which is to
confess our inability to establish, an
American merchant marine-the ex-
penditure would be vastly preferable TO
the present unfortunate situation, with
our dependence on our competitors for
the delivery Of our products. Moreover
the cost for the entire year would be
little more than the deficit heretofore
encountered in two months during the
experiment of the government sponsor
ing the lines and, guaranteeing the cost
Of their operation. 81 ....s...- r. ...-:.
"The proposed plan will superseIe all
postal subsentions, postal compensa-
tions, and extra compensations, except
ing parcel post freights, all CT which
combined are fast growing 20 approx
imately five millions annually. 1t will
ultimately take the government out of
q business which has been, and is now,
excessively costly and wasteful and in
voVing a loss in excess Of the highest
subsidy proposed. 1t will bring to ship
ping again that individual initiative
which is the very soul Of successful en-
terprlse 1t should enable the govern
ment to liquidate its. vast fleet to the
highest possible advantage. +.s Il
1.-The making of successful Ameri-
can merchant marine, which must face
the stiffest possible competition by the
fleets Of the maritime nations requires
something more than the direct aid to
which 1 have alluded, The direct aid
proposed, even, though it ultimately
runs to $SO,O0O,0OO annually, is insuffi7
cient alone to offset the advantages of
competing fleets. There are more than
wage costs, and working conditions and
the higher costs Of rationing, which no
considerable American sentimentswill
consent to have lowered to competing
standards.
I'VE need favoring spirit, an awak-
ened American PRIDE and an avowed
American determination that we. shall
become, in the main, the carriers of our
own commerce, in spite of all competi-
tion and all discouragements.
Definite Program. = -
s with direct. and jndirecti aid, bring
TO you a definite program. Those who
oppose 1t ought, in all fairness, to pro-
pose an acceptable ALTERNATIVES. There
can be no dispute about the end at
which we are aiming.
,"of the indirect aids there are many.
practically all without draft upon the
public treasury, and yet all highly help
full in promoting American shipping.
81 think we should discontinue, so
far as practical, the transport service
in the army and navy and make our
merchant and passenger ships the
agents Of service in peace as we'll as
war.
I'VE should make insurance avail
able at no greater cost than is afforded
the ships under competing flags, and
we can and will make effective the
spirit of section % Of the Jones act Of
1920, providing for preferential rail and
steamship rates on through shipments
on American vessels. American rail-
ways must be brought into cooperation
with American steamship lines 1t is
'not in accord with either security or
sound business practice to have our
railways furthering the interests of
foreign shipping lines, when the con-
cord of American activities makes for
common American good fortune.
Contemplating the competition to
be met, there ought to be an amend
ment to the interstate commerce act
s which will permit railway systems to
own and operate steamship lines en-
gagged in other than coastwise trade. ."
I'VE may further extend our long cs-
tablished protection to our coastwise
trade, which is quite in harmony with
the policy Of most maritime powers
There is authority now to include the
Philippines in our coastwise trade, and
we need only the establishment of
proper facilities to justify the inclusion
of our commerce with the islands in
our coastwise provisions.
Other Indirect Aids.
- "Other indirect aids will be found in
. the requirements that immigration
shall join wherever it is found to be
practical in aiding the merchant ma
rine of our flag under which the citi-
zenship is to be sought, and in the es-
tablishment of the merchant marine
naval reserve. The demission Of pro-
portion of income taxes is wholly COM