New-York tribune., 1922-10-19
Engineers Told
y s. Ships Mean
Low Ocean Rate
Commissioners PiumrnerSays
Fleet Has Saved Export
ers Many Millions; Alien
Determinations Decried
Subsidy Bill Is Praised
Shipping Board Entertains
industrial Managers ON
Liner President Harding

Existence of American merchant
ships has saved shippers many miliions
Of dollars in. freight rates In the last
few years and win perform the same
service in the future, Shipping Board
Commissioner T.. C. Plummcr told the
convention Of industrial engineers yes
, terday at a luncheon on the steamer
President Harding. Of the United States
Lines, at Hoboken. He said that the
operation of these vessels had pre-
vented foreign lines from increasing
charges and had aided in the expan-
sion Of export trade.
One Of the chief features Of the sub
sidy bill, .dr. 7lummer said, was the
section providing for coordination OF
rail and ship services, which, in his
opinion, will abolish the traffic conges~
ticn so frequent in th.s country since
the outbreak of the war. He praised
the bill as means of enabling United
States ships to meet competition
sbroad and to Offset foreign discrini-
nations
Several hundred engineers attending
were on the President Harding, and
sfterward inspected the freight ships
Of the Cosmopolitan Line, which OPP
crates vessels for the government
Rossbottom Presides
=. II. Rossbottom, general manager
OF the United States Lines, presided at
w. Roc, president of the Society of In
dnstrial Engineers, who made short
talk. urholainS government aid to ship
ping. The guests afterward saw the
sailing Of the President Garfield for
London. This vessel was loaded to the
Plimsoll mark with 5000 tons Of
freight, the largest cargo that has ever
been carried on one Of the London
ships Of the company.
illustrating the close relation be-
tween rail and water lines, Mr.. Plum
rner declared that one reason for the
poor condition Of the railroads to-day
was the preferential treatment shown
TO shipments on British vessels by the
Australian government, which has di.
vertcd great vohime of traffic from
American to Canadian rail companies,
He said:
"If American goods are sent from
Chicago ever American railroads to
{ San Francisco and thence to Australia
the tariff duty assessed upon them by
the Australian government is based
upon the value Of the goods at Chicago,
plus the entire sum paid American rail-.
roads for transporting them from Chi.
cago to San Francisco; but IL those
same goods are sent from Chicago over
u Canadi an line to a British port on
the Pacific and thence to Australia. no
tax is levied upon the amount paid for
transportation in Canadian territory-a
great discrimination in favor OF for
eign transportation.
Cites Vancouver Figures
seThe fact that SO per cent Of the
import and export business passing
through Vancouver Last year was
American indicates the tremendous loss
which this single piece Of Australian
legislation has imposed upon American
railroads passing through the Middle
West"
This policy hurts United States farm
ers and exporters by tearing down
American rail systems and developing
foreign interests, in tie opinion Of Mr..
Plummer. He pointed out that one
American steamship company running
from San Francisco to Australia would
h'ye rone out of business last summer
II the Postoffice Department had not
come to It's rescue with substantial
mail payments.
New, am not complaining, or In
any way criticizing this Australian
legislation" the Commi ssioner said
am citing it merely to show the bold
falsity of those constantly repeated
claims that foreign ships are not aided
by preferential legislation, and also a,
proof that not only past but presen
iegislation by our competitors in for
IN n "a -
TO give American ships whatever pref
erences or financial aid they NAV re-
auire II our flag Is to remain on th,
Seas.
Case Not an Isolated One
sFor this case Of our stsamer. a
San Francisco Is not an isolated one
Sne Egyptian cotton case, the Dunkir
phosphate case, the Oriental compet,
tion and many other instances ths
might be cited all force us to the earn
conclusion
Another point made by Mr.. Plumsa,
was that American steamship line
force their foreign competitors to gis
better service for local travellers ar
the Lsmport & Holt Line "maintaincd
humble sort of steamship service b
tween New York and South Anne rica
Since the establishment of the Shi
ping Board Munson Line, he declare
the British ccmpans has been cor
PEELED to improve its passenger servi
and is now putting on three motor shil
OF 10000 tons each. The developme
OF beth service has meant lower freig
and passenger rates and an increase
trade, he continued.
Unless the subsidy bill is passed, ii
Commissioner asserted, American shi
will he ToPced ahapHnu Nv,nra%s q
with heavy losses to the country
xynli as the stean hin Enas