The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-24
GET MORE TIME
 ON SHIP HEARING
 OF GULF RATES
Foreign Interests Wield Powerful Influence
 In The, North

( WASHINGTON, August Z3.-So a: to give more time for gulf interests tc prepare their case the shipping board hearing on ocean freight rates and diff fcrentials probably will not be helt until some time in October. Commis sioner Thompson, representing the gull coast on the shipping board, who in troduced the resolution providing fol the investigation, had planned to sci September dates for the proceeding Representatives of gulf interests, how ever, have requested that more time bt allowed as some of those who must bt depended upon for help in furnishing E facts and figures are away from theiI offices during August and September on vacations.
 There also had been some thought oi conducting hearings at gulf and south Atlantic points, but the shipping in terests from those coasts seemed tc prefer hearing in Washington where all the testimony can be taken at one time. This will enable all concerned to be present and hear the actual testi' mony of each party to the contro' versy.
 Three Formal Efforts
 Gulf interests have made three form. al efforts to reach an agreement as to the present differentials which discrimi. nate seriously against the ports of the gulf and south Atlantic. The north Atlantic conference, however, has been obdurate. It has declined flatly and absolutely on these three occasions to an adjustment of the differentials ap- plying to the United Kingdom, to Con tinental Europe, to Baltic, Scandina- vian, Portuguese, Spanish, Mediterra. mean, Adriatic, and Levant ports At the same time the north Atlantic conference is insisting that it is per. fectly fair that it's rates be the same to Mexico, Central America, West In, dian, and other ports where the mile age is much less from gulf and south Atlantic ports. The southern ports also have the mileage factor in their favor on routes through the Panama Canal. This includes the important lines to the Far East and to the west coast of South America. It is fob- vious that the position of the n6th Atlantic conference is untenabbe. U there is to be a differential itl is favor because the mileage is less. to he United Kingdom and the other pots mentioned, it cannot object consistest: ly to a differential against the noFh Atlantic when the distance is glfeattr :; The only way out of this Gontrt- Yersy, in Mir. Thompson's opinion, is to make an open investigation of tie entire situation. :
 Foreigners Dominate
 Foreign shipping interest dosminats the north Atlantic conference. Their relationships with the trans-continentaI railroads are such that their principal interest is to concentrate as much tol mage as possible at the north. Atlantis ports. The foreign shipping companies are particularly displeaSed witt the success of the efforts in recent years to, divert to southern ports the tonnage which would move through them Fere it not for rates and agreements which force this traffic away from the porls to which the territory naturally is tribtt tary. The fact that regional fhnreAsuh- tatioh on the esshipping board sasg bken for the restoral of the unhampered responsible, to a considerable degree, flow of certain traffic, has resulted in the full influence of foreign shipping interests being brought to put an end to regional representation
 Strange as it may seem foreign ship ping interests have great influence in this country. They work through Americans and some of the most capable men in the country are enlisted in their service. Among their most powerful allies are the trans-continental railroads serving the north Atlantic ports. It is this community of inter- ests which is thought to have been most effective in preventing, through a long period of years, any representa- tive of the gulf region from securing an appointment on the interstate com merce commission. These shipping and railroad interests are now concen- trating their efforts on the abolition of regional representation on the shipping board, even if they have to destroy the board to do it. Were it not for the numerous descriminations set up against gulf ports the volume of ship ping through these gateways would be double the amount moving at present.
 An illustration used by the shipping board itself indicates the unreasonable ness of the existing differentials. In 1920 the rate on cotton from gulf ports to the United Kingdom was $1.S215, whereas the present rate is 6215 cents. On cottonseed cake the 1920 rate was so cents, while the pres ent rate is 27 cents. On hides the 1920 rate was $2.65, while the present rate is $1.40. When ocean rates were at wartime levels a differential of 15 cents, for instance, was small per centage of the total. The same differ ential today with rates at much lower level, constitutes formidable and often times prohibitive difference against the use of the gulf ports.