Evening star., 1923-08-26
New Z. S. Ship Policy, Proposed,
Injects Business Into Operation

| the business bult up oy fdiAioo"
company and the good will attaching
thereto. and its terminal facilities.
Better Proposition Possible.
| But when the government subsidiary
corporations have ships. terminal ia
cilities, business and good will all to
offer, the proposition is vastly DIFF
ferent thing.
| It Is confidently expected that the
| new. plan will result In greater ef-
hciency: that the deficit Of $4o.Ooo.ooo
now faced by the Shipping Board for
the operation Of the vessels each year
! will be reduced greatly, and that
when private interests are aware or
I this and the growing business OF the
merchant marine corporations. there
| will be purchasers.
In measure. the new plan provides
| for decentralization of the present
method of government operation OF
the shipping. board vessels. The
| Emergency Fleet Corporation will
| continue in Washington. 1t will. In
one sense, be the parent corporation.
| 1t will be the connecting link be-
| tween the Shipping Board and the
various subsidiary corporations. 1t
| Will be possible, however, to reduce
| the number OF employees Of the Fleet
| Corporation here. But the decentrali-
| cation plan will bring with 1t re-
duction also in governmental red tape.
| 1t will permit Of the decision in mat
ters Of policy and administration to
meet certain particular local condi-
| tions.
The new plan has been considered
so far in general terms. One detail.
however, that may be worked out is
the appointment of members of the
u Shipping Board as directors OF the
Subsidiary corporations located in the
section of the country from which the
Shipping Board member comes. In
this way the Shipping Board itself
will be in close and constant contact
with the subsidiary corporations. The
lmethod of selecting the members Of
the boards of directors. as matter
of fact, is yet to be finally settled.
but the suggestion has been made
that prominent interested persons in
1.-THE various ports where the corpora
tions are located will be asked TO
serve The executive officials of the
corporations will, of course, be SAL
aried officials Of the government.
Eighty Lines, Forty Agents.
J. The Shipping Board now has some
ieighty lines Of cargo vessels, operated
by forty agents. These forty agen-
cies will he consolidated when the
new plan goes into effect, into from
. twelve to eighteen subsidiary cor
iporations. 1t is no secret that the
Shipping Board vessels today are
carrying a very considerable proper
tion of the commerce, OF the world
and this has been brought about
largely through the efforts Of the gov
ernment and the expenditure OF It's
money.
The new plan, while it is to be gov
ernment operation, is to be a new
kind Of government operation-with
the end always in mind of selling out
to private interests willing to main.
tain the American merchant marine
as q business venture. The substdi.
ary corporations will be compelled tc
conform TO commercial practices
There will be more business in gov.
ernment. Under the old plan. there
has been waste of money due &c
duplication Of work. There have beer
, government auditors to check the
work Of the auditors Of the operators
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