San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-14
SALE Of SHIPS
I0WNED BY us,
! MAY AID PLAN.
Private Interests May
q Make Substantial
& Bids Now.
COOLIDGE INTERESTED
Presidents Viewpoint Diff
I fers With That Of
i Harding.
COOLIDGE INTERESTED
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

ny DAVID LAW hENOE.
Copyright. by the San Antonio Light.
Washington, ID. c., Sept. 14.-Sale
fof q few government vessels to the
Robert Dollar and Grace lines has
revived the possibility that other pri-
yate interests might find it worth
> while to make substantial bids for
the merchant fleet owned by Uncle
Sam.
s As long as private interests realize
the danger to their business perma-
nently of having the government in
competition with them, they will seek
to buy the ships, but thus far the
proposals made by most of the pri-
waite concerns have not been deemed
sufficient.
3: The sentiment Of the shipping board
has been opposed to the sale of ships
at what might be termed "give away"
prices. s
SIt is true that the shipping board
insists that certain trade routes be
guaranteed as a consideration of the
sale and this, of course, enters into
the question of whether a shipping
company can make a profit on the
line it seeks to establish.
Want TO Buy, Ships.
The present operators of govern
ment ships who receive a commission
which is shortly to be terminated by
the board, and the American Steam
ship Owners Association, have plead
ed. with the shipping board to make
it possible for them to buy the ships
out of the earnings Of the lines in
the next few years.
This would mean, of course, that
the government furnish the capital in
the form of existing ships and would
receive a return on the investment
only if the lines are profitable.
The idea has not met with the ap-
prevail of the board.
sIhe shipping people, however, in
sist that something can be worked
ont whereby they will be enabled TO
buy government ships. 4
They argue that their experienced
personnel might otherwise be turned
into the foreign shipping companies. I
The attitude of the shipping COM
missioners, on the other hand, is that
\ they would not be Justified in giving
away government property at bargain
prices and. that the .pateptial value
of the government fleet must be reck-
oned in terms Of what the govern
ment itself might yet be able TO do
by efficient operation of subsidiary
corporations which will consolidate va
rious established lines. p - IS
president Coolidge for some reason
or other has not been anxious TO put
the subsidiary corporation idea into
effect quickly.
President Harding approved it and
was ready TO go ahead.
Mr.. Coolidge has seen fit 10 hold
up the operation of the plan for fur
Their advice.
He announced first the appoint
ment of n special committee consist
ing of two cabinet officers, the chair
man of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and a member of the House
and the Senate,
The members of the United States
shipping board looked askance at this
procedure and began to wonder what
the functions of the shipping board
really were il matters OF Importance
relating to shipping were TO be sub
mitted to special committees.
The shipping board, incidentally, is
the creature of Congress and is an
independent commission unrelated TO
the cabinet departments in any way.
Talks to Members.
Mr.. Coolidge heard of this murmur-
ing and summoned the members OF the
entire shipping board to the White
House, where he explained lie had
intended merely to seek the advice /
of others beside the shipping board
and that he wanted to be sure of
the legality of the plan,
The general counsel of the ship
ping board has passed on the legality,
but Mr.. Coolidge wanted to make
sure the Department of Justice also
approved.
Now word has come from the White
| House that if the legal opinion is ia
vorable the special committee will be
asked to pass on the shipping boards
proposed policy. -s
h The impression which disinterested
observers get is that influences have
been at work to persuade the Presi-
dent to supercede the plans of the
shipping board with others more fav-
orable to the disposition of the ships
in quicker time TO private owners.
The United States Chamber of Com
merce, headed by Julius ii. Barnes, an
intimate friend of Secretary Hoover,
who is a member of the Presidents
special committee. openly states that
it believes the government should get
out of the shipping business.
The President is himself not gov
eminent ownership man and in the
face of the conflicting currents he
is proceeding with extreme caution,
hoping he can reconcile the various
viewpoints to the practical facts of