The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-06


il his asyantasa now to be trans
krred from Britain to the United
btates?
| Talking over this nationally and in
1krnationally important subject with
Harry Livermore, the Boston shipping
Ind coal leader, mentioned in this col
hmn yesterday, got from him this
n Itatenaent
'sThe increasing competition Of Amer
can coal with British coal I'M foreign
5harkefs opens up vast possibilities.
/ Hitherto the British coal has been
in such places as the Argentine
Republic, Brazil and the Mediterranean,
I|tc.
but tire price Of American coal has
been steadily coming down and the
'brice Of british coal has been going up.
|)rhis increase IN the British price has
EIeen due to number Of facts, chief
mong them the rise in wages and in
|reass In the depth Of the mines.
n In the past q British steamer has
peen placed in the extremely advan-
ageous position Of always being able to
Yet cargo from Great Britain which
'Fould pay the expenses of the trip out,
Illus allowing the ship owners to rely
&pon the voyage home for his profits.
This has been largely instrumental in
nAbling constant supply Of cheap
God to be imported into Great Britain.
4f American coal supplants British in
uch places have mentioned, the Brit
81 ship owner viii find it very hard
Indeed to run his steamers at anything
like the cheap rates that have applied
hitherto.
Likewise, il American coal continues
Do be exported in great volume should
personally look for a very much larger
'ise for American ships in this kind of
Srade. And it Is with the straight cargo
bheamer as a basis that great mef-
Ehant marine is built up.
The business of running ships is not
10 any great extent one Of sentiment,
but Is the result Of demand. Cargoes
bxist and the demand arises for space
Ia which to transport these cargoes, the
'Ihips win come into existence"
We cpntinuaIly hear that American
bhips cannot hold their own in c0mpe-
kition with those Of Britain, Germany
Kind Japan. Yet which nation is run
hing the only regular round the-world
passenger and freight service in opera
Hon today?
The United States.
True. wages are higher on American
khips than On those az any other nation.
|vFaaes in American industries also are
hieher than those IN anv other nation.
But has this meant that the United
States has been unable to compete in
austriaIly in the markets Of the world ?
Not at all. The United States, as a
matter Of fact. exports more thap anv
Dther nation on the face of the earth.
There il this other consiaeration
The working classes in Rrifain. onr
ehief comnefitor on fhe seas. are NOT
liIrelv III consent. 10 ro hack Ia the heart
breakinpIv law nav thew received ~.
fore the war. British labor unouestion-
ably was .underpaid. But the WORKING
classes IN Britain are NOW strong e,,o,,uh
suE, oreanized enough r. demand and
ireist nnon better treatment than thev
formeriv received when csnsta1 rnIed
YncidsntafIy. .Bosto, hasn't nort faciIi-
tiaa matcbing those a ifgs stronger. com
petitorn III The a tlantic ce2atsgsn,. those
now existilsg ~ euIf porta II fka. Lead.
ine porks on ina Pacific coast
For exampie. Bostor,'s Fleet 81 car
floats consists IF one fIoatf RI : ear.
load Of freight arrives on the Bo&ton
& Maine for shfument from Etbe Com
rnonwealth pier. South Boston. Il must
either be lahunted through the CITY along