The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-03-03
STRIKING 4 BLOW FOR OUR
MERCHANT MARINE

merchant marine, which in turn is
essential to the promotion OF our
foreign trade and to our naval de-
Tense.
The board has asked the inter-
state commerce commission to en-
force that section of the merchant
marine act OF 1920 which provides
that American railroads shall
make through exports rates in con-
junction with American steamship
lines-4nd shall refuse to make such
rates with foreign steamship COM
| panieS.
Under the law, this preferential
treatment for American ships is
mandatory except when sufficient
| American vessels are not avail
able. The shipping board now
feels that American ships are
available in sufficient numbers to
care for the export needs of Amer
lean railroads. Accordingly the
law. is being revoked. ......
We may expect to hear vigorous
objection that such preferential
treatment is unfair to foreign ship
ping interests meaning the ship
ping interests of Great Britain.
who dominates the sea and firmly
intends to continue to dominate it.
In answer it may be pointed out
pleasantly that Great Britain has
never hesitated to give any sort of
preferential treatment necessary
for the growth and protection Of
her merchant marine.
Our merchant marine is an es
sential industry. and it is our own
business if we choose to give it
preferential treatment. Just as it
is our own business if we choose to
give preferential treatment to
American manufacturers Of steel
or textiles, by means Of tariff
wall or any other aid. 1t is our
own business: just as it is Brit
ian's own business if she chooses
to nourish and cherish her mer-
chant marine in every practicable
way: and that is exactly what
Great Britain is doing.
British insurance companies
make harsh determinations
against American vessels. British
shipowners, aided by the British
government, contract with ship
pers at certain ports to carry their,
entire products, and refuse to per-
nit the shippers to put any part of
their products in American YES
sells. A British governmental sub
sidy is now permitting the con-
StructiOn of a fleet of large motor
ships at Belfast.
The plain fact is that Britain
does everything necessary to help
her own ships, and when She says
she isn't she is just about as plau-
sible as Doheny is when he says,
Il tell you there is no oil scan
| dali"
| : Germany was once in the situa-
ton in which America now finds
herself. Germany wanted to build
up merchant marine. According
ly she established a system of
preferential railroad rates. And
that system helped immensely to
! establish the German merchant
| marine.
One other objection remains.
Some Americans may ask land in
asking it they are unconsciouslv
repeating British propaganda) T.,
What good is merchant ma
| rine?"
The answer is threefold. First
a merchant marine will give Amer
lea large part of the worlds
carrying business. Britain has
that business now. 1t is her lead
ing business. 1t has done her good
1t will do us good to have a large
carrying business. just as 1t has
done US good to build up our steel
industry. 1t will mean that we
have added one more industry to
the. list of Americas economic
assets.
Second. merchant marine will
promote our foreign trade. British
propagandists stoutly deny this;
but Germany's merchant marine
built up her foreign trade. and
Britain has officially admitted this
fact ..,
Third, merchant marine is
necessary for our naval defense
The Navy Is complicated machine
which few citizens understand.
! Anybody who has gone on one voy-
age on a battleship knows that there
is not doubt in the world that
supply ships, Golfers, aircraft cav
riers and other auxiliary ships are
vitality necessary. Without them,
our battleships could do nothing in
time of war except, patrol our
coasts. And the only practicable
way to get these auxiliary ships is
to draw them from our merchant
marine la time of war And if we
have no merchant marine - then
what?
We need our Navy We need a
merchant marine to aid that. Navy.
We lfeed merchant marine be-
cause we need a carrying business.
We need merchant marine to
promote our foreign trade.
And to get that merchant marine.
we should give our ships preferen
tial treatment on American rail
roads. We have right to do r.,
and we should not let any threats
of British retaliation brighten US
out of exercising that right
/ The interstate commerce com
mission should speedily grant the
shipping boards request. Chicago
Journal Of Commerce.
Fight Disease To :