Evening star., 1924-12-01
SHIP BOARD URGES
LEGISLATIVE HELP
Would Exempt Foreign Trade
Profits From Taxation and
Coordinate Systems.

are among the outstanding recon-
meudationS of the ANNUAL report Of
the Shipping Board, made public to-
day.
The board also recommended
strong reaftrmation" by Congress
that the United States is determined
to maintain permanently a merchant
marine Commensurate with the-needs
of the country from the standpoint of
commerce and national defense"
Such declaration of policy wss
said by the board to be desirable. not
withstanding Improvements in the
American shipping situation brought
about during the past year by route
-eon solicitations, stablliZation of rates !
and other measures.
Advances OF Year.
Discussing the accomplishments of
the year the board declared that re- |
Gently effected consultations Of gen |
erai ocean trade routesy involving de- |
rrcaSeS in the number of Government |
freight and passenger ships and in |
the number OF operating agents have !
reduced overlapping and duplicate serV- |
ices and To have cut expenses. making |
il possible At the same time to obtain |
greater flexibility with the tonnage ,
il service.
An examination of 1921 freight |
and passenger tariffs filed during the !
year led to a conclusion by the board |
that there has been general sta |
hilization in the rates, fares and !
charges of common carriers by water !
in Interstate commerce"
Inauguration last June of a system !
for training inexperienced American |
born boys who seek employment on !
ships had assisted tremendously in |
the boards policy of AmericaniZa
tion" of crews on Government yes |
sells, the report declared. During the !
year 3S3 officers and 64.227 unlicensed |
men were placed on American vessels. |
and of these totals, the board points !
out 77.5 per cent were American cit !
iAens. This however, was a decrease
in total placements of 1920 men |
from the year 1928 and also a de- |
crease of SO per cent in the per- !
centage of Americans employed. The |
reduction was attributed to the lower
average number of American vessels
in active service during the year, and
the decline in the percentage of COM
petent Americans available for sea /
service was said to have been due
to improved economic con-
ditionS ashore. u
Lack OF Rating.
Another important factor" the re-
port continued, was the lack of IA
suitable rating in the vessels crews
which could be filled with inexperi-
enced young Americans to eventually
replace those leaving the sea for
various reasons. II
The door has been opened to
American boys who have no sea
training by substituting two Ameri-
,an-born deck boys for one ordinary
seaman at nominal wage and with
out material increase in operating
cost. No report of actual results is
available for the fiscal year but it
IAN be said that it will assist tre-
nendously in the boards policy of
America izat ton
In discussion of section IS of the
merchant marine act, designed to at
ord preferential railroad rates on
to be shipped in American
'essels, but which was suspended
he board asserted that application
II the section would have given
american ships the advantage Of the
patronage of exporters and importers
n preference to their patronage of
oreign tonnage
Codificatfon Of Laws,
The boards list of recommends
ions follow in full:
'Codif1cation of the navigation
avs should be pushed to an early
onclusion and the necessary steps
AIKEN to simplify them and remove
ny conflict.
The United States should pay
avail reserve retainer to American
it1zens during such times as they
re serving on board American ships
ngaged In foreign trade, such re-
Amer to be conditioned upon their
eing willing to serve in the naval
orces in time of war.
All earnings from American ship
ing in foreign trade and all profits
erfved from the sale of American
essels should be exempt from taxa
ion, provided the amount Of tax
xempted is expended in new vessels
onstructed in American shipyards.
All transportation of an official
ature which is paid for by the Gov
rnment, whether of property or per-
on, should be done by American yes
e's, unless the exigencies of the
ublic service clearly require other
Use. The military departments espe-
tdlly should secure as much as pos
ible of their transportation from the
commercial marine, and they should
e authorized to contract for period
p to 10 years for such transporta-
ion. in order that private owners
light embark upon the construction
f vessels especially for such trans
ortation.
I'm the carriage of mails the ap-
ropriation subcommittee having to
o with the Post Office Department
h9Mld hear representatives of the
d<S Department and of the United
tates Shipping Board and should
lake appropriations with a view to
overing subventions sufficient to
reate and to maintain in few prin-
ipal lines the uneconomic but high
nf fo CT
arrying vessels. .
"A joint transportation body COM
'osed of representatives Of the Inter
tate Commerce Commission and the
United States Shipping Board should
e authorized to coordinate all ac-
ivities involving through transporta-
ion by both rail and water. Prefer
ntial arrangements and contracts
etween American railroads and for
ign lines should be. prohibited by
aw.
Conferences and agreements be-
ween carriers themselves and be-
ween carriers and shippers which
ook to the stabilization of rates and
he provision of an improved and ade-
uate service should be encouraged.
"A strong reaff1rTnation Of policy
hould be made by the Congress to
he effect that the United States is
etermined, either publicly or priv
teiy, to maintain permanently a mer-
hant marine commensurate with the
eeds of the country from the stand
oint of commerce and national de-
ense, and that strategic trade routes
will not under any circumstances be
bandoned.
Encourage the adoption interna-
ionally of uniform system Of meas
of vessels. Work with all
ecognized bodies toward the simplif-
alton and Standardization Of ship
ing documents such. as charter