Evening star., 1923-03-26
j. s. URGED TOQU|T
SHIPPING BUSINESS
Steamship Owners Recon-
mend That Federal Opera
tion Cease.
ASK SALE OF VESSELS
Advise Scrapping of All Inferior
Boats-Competition Held Fatal
to Private Development.
ASK SALE OF VESSELS

recommendation that the Ship
ping Board retire from business.
scrap all inferior vessels, and sell it's
remaining tonnage to American citi-
zens without any restriction" was
the basis of a program submitted to-
DAY by committee of the American
Steamship Owners Association.
The association further recon-
mended that all vessels not sold after
reasonable lapse of time should be
scrapped, and went on record as be-
ing of the opinion that IAN American
merchant marine in foreign trade
cannot be built up through govern
ment operation"
The associations committee. which
conferred today with board officials.
is the first of three similar repre-
sentative bodies invited to present
suggestions regarding a new policy
for the board. The other committees
are TO appear later this week.
Views Given in Letter.
The views of the Steamship Owners
Association were presented in the
form of letter signed by President
Albert G.. Smith. 1t follows:
referring to the questions pro-
American Steams ship Owners Asso-
citation. l beg to advise you that 1t Is
impossible for the association. on a
week notice, to answer the questions
in detail or to formulate any COM
prehensive plan with respect to the
disposition of Shipping Board vessels.
which. however. is but one Of the
many problems involved.
Failure to Aid Serious"
The failure to provide national
aid places a most serious aspect upon
the entire situation. with respect to
American shipping in foreign trade.
and makes the problem one which can
be solved. If at all. only after a more
extended investigation.
The association. however. regards
the following procedure as funda-
mental:
Il. The Shipping Board and Emer-
gency Fleet Corporation should re-
tire from the business of operating
ships and place the operations in the
hands of private owners.
'2. The Shipping Board should i'm
mediately scrap such vessels as are
inferior in design. equipment or con-
dition.
Few Lines ESsentinI.-
"3. The Shipping Board should offer
its remaining vessels for sale to
American citizens without any re-
striction, and without discrimination
between buyers.
-. After the lapse of a reasonable
time all of the vessels not sold under
the foregoing plan and having no
immediate prospective sale value should
be scrapped.
5. There are a few freight and
passenger and mail services main
tanned by Shipping Board vessels the
continuance of which may be regard
ed as essential to national interests
If the Shipping Board Is unable to
find buyers for the vessels in such
services they should be placed in the
hands of private owners under an
operating arrangement until buyers
impossibility of profitable operation
be definitely established.
Opposes U. s. Operation.
"The association regards as dem
onstrated by experience that an
American merchant marine in foreign
trade cannot be built up through
government operation. without na-
existing laws, privately owned mer-
chant marine cannot be maintained.
let alone created or developed. Com
petition, or the menace of competi-
ton. by gOvernment-owned ships
makes success the more certainly
impossible.
I'm any plan that the Shipping
Board may develop for the disposition
of its tonnage. due regard should be
fft,fr ~txraf fnlx syry faI
capital, otherwise it will spell disas-
ter to the entire American shipping
business"
The committee which presented the
letter was headed by FMr. Smith.
who is president of the New York
and Cuba Mail Steamship Company,
and included r. H. NJ. Robinson, pres
ident of the United American lines;
Gale H; Garter. president Of he the
e Mccormick; c. B. Kellogg of the
Munson line. and winthrop L. Mar
vim, vice president of the association.