The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-28
Shipping Board Makes Possible Favoring All
 American Bottoms
MARITIME ACT OF
 1920 TO FUNCTION
Enough Vessels Now Available To Handle All Exports
 Except Grain
THROUGH EXPORT RAIL
 RATES ARE OBLIGATORY
Resolution Of Qualification h Introduced By Commissioners
 Thompson, Gulf District

WASHINGTON Feb. 27.-The ship ping board took action today desisned to obtain for American shipping the preferential treatment in handling American exports which was provided in the merchant marine act of 1920.
 By resolution, it certified to the in- terstate commerce commission that sui ficient American ships are now avail able to handle all export commodities except grain, and that, in consequences. American railroads should be required to make through export rates in con junction with American vessel lines and to refuse to make such rates with for eign vessel lines.
 The effect of the order is to bring into operation Section 2S of the marine act which gives the interstate com merce commission power to enforce the making of such through rates on tho railroads, and likewise power to pre- vent the making of the same rates to foreign lines. This section has never previously been put into effect, however, because the shipping board until now has deemed it unwise to certify that American vessels existed in sufficient numbers and condition to justify the step. e
 No Immediate Action
 The commerce commissi0n's action in the matter will not be taken immediately but it is expected that inquiry will be instituted without delay as to through rate schedules in existence. Normally, it is announced, the through export rate schedules made b. siiips asc rsil- roads in combination are lower than the tariffs imposed when exporters pa domestic rail rate to the seaboard. and an additional separate ship rate from the American port to the destiDa- tion abroad for which the cerafsoditiss are consigned. &e3
 The commission was infoFr rlAd hT .s=- shipping board resolution tf.. vpz.a- tion of Section 2S should not be fur ther suspended "so far as relafss to al' commodities except grain nspo rted between ports of the United f,fates and Great Britain and northern IIs'and, and the Irish Free State; the ports If con tinental Europe north of and inclpdjHs Bordeaux, and the e1st foas nf .asid { the islands 0f the 5icss ~ san A5k Ft@alia and the Eats tiia is aads, ef the ports or Centrai sAd sSontb Are ica." 1
 Benefit To Shipper
 Commissioner Thompson of me
 ping board, who proposed the sol of certification, declared in ssG ss.delt that the effect of the certificat ion. when action had been taken by the interstate commerce commission .'wouli be to grant shippers, benefit of the through export rate only when foreign com merce moved in American fag vessels in the zones prescribed in the resolu- tion, commerce moving In. vessels other than American registry taking the do- nestle rail rate to seaboard outlet snS the ocean rate from such seaboard des- tination."
 The lower rates. said the commis- sioner, would establish distinct ad- vantage for the ships to use American flag ships, in that, with certain excep- tions, the through export rate is less than the domestic rate to seaboard des- tination with the ocean rate added.
 Tt should greatly increase" he said, "the movement of American commerce in American flag ships and prompt wider utilization of American flag yes sells for foreign exports.n