The Washington times., 1923-02-16
HARD HIT
BY LACK OF
SUBSIDY
- -. Il
Vice President OF Owners As
ISOLATION Points Out How
England Is Aided.
~ WINTHROP =. MARVIN,

By WINTHROP L. MARVIN,
vice President, American SteAshshiH
Owncts' Association.
(Written fer Cosmopolitan News Geryice.l
NEW YORK, Feb. 16.-The Amer
lean merchant marine has not been
in q wOrse position, from business
point of view, for five years than
it is today. .,e
Numbers of steamships Of va.
rious classes are laid up for want
of cargoes, and the most regrettaple
part Of 1t is that there seems no
immediate prospect of relief from
this situation
This is due in part to. the need Of
subsidy for ships carrying the
American flag, but the chief cause,
OF course, is the .deplorable econof
mic condition of Europe. And the
worst part of It Is there seems 10
The occupation of the German
Rhur district by France is only. .
small factor in the situation. Natur-
ally, it is q result OF the geIleral
appalling economic state OF affairs
overseas, bit its effect ON American
shipping is negligible. The trouble
Is deeper and more widespread.
Expects Long Disturbances.
It cannot be said that economical
ly Europe Is bleeding to DEATH but
the present and future effects to
American trade are being felt, ana
will so continue for q long time.
What Cd be done, under these
circumstances, to relieve the ship
ping interests of this country? The
passage Of the ship subsidy bill by
CONGRESS would aid quite decidedly.
The setback to American shipping,
because of the world war, IL
felt all over this country. There Is
practically not port that has not
and still is, feeling the pinch. Out
on the Pacific coast several steam
ship lines have curtailed their serv.
ice to European ports, apart from
the feet that. after harvests there
Is, usually a slackening up in the
shipment of wheat to Europe. HaE'
bora there, as on the Atlantic coast.
are filled with ships chiefly because
OF the European situation, but also
because, without the benefit of a
Government subsidy they are un'
able to handle cargoes as ad
! VantageousIy as are the shipping
of other nations which are given
announcements notably that OF
Great Britain. through. certain legls
latiOn. = S.
Hope Sor subsidy.
American ship owners are placing
great hope in the passage OF the
subsidy bill before Congress. II
Is a striking anomaly that certaiE
members Of Congress who have
been foremot In urging the passing
Of the legislation, affecting the
/ funding of the British war debt
to this country, are strongest In
their opposition to the subsidy
measure.
For the failure to pass the subsidy
bill would aid the shipping interests
Of Great Britain tremendously. as
must be readily seen. It would give
England an advantage that Amerl
can shipping could not meet. handi
capped as it is by American laws
We, therefore, have the spectacle
! Of members of Congress aiding
Great Britain on the one hand
and denying help to the business
interests of their own country. i
not that edifying? What must the
American people think of such 9
condition?
The failure of the subsidy bill
will not only be q check, in way
to American industry generally. but
it will serve to lay up still more
American ships in our harbors fol
lack of feasibility of carrying car
goes. Do the people Of this country
, approve of that?