Evening star., 1924-11-25

lem, and is in a position to giye TO
Congress valuable information and
recommendations as to what should
be done to aid in the further develop
ment of American shipping
Members OF the committee are
Withholding their views on the mer-
chant marine problem until they can
end their task and confer among
themselves. But II Is no secret that
they are keenly interested in the
maintenance of an overseas Amer
lean merchant marine, both as an aid
to American trade and as an essen
fial part Of the national defense.
1t is expected that their recommen-
dations, when filed. will look to con-
tinued operation by the government
OF the merchant feet, until they can
be taken over by private interests
and operated under the American
nag. Such routes as cannot be taken
over. because of the impossibility of
making them pay, the Government
will continue to run.
+ The problem of the merchant
marine from the standpoint of ma
tonai defense, an auxiliary to the
military forces in time of emergency,
has received careful study also by a
committee in which both the Army
and Navy have been represented. The
fleet, as II stands today, would be of
very great assistance in time Of war.
But 1t lacks strength IN some classes
Of vessels when compared particular
ly with the merchant feet of Great
Britain. This IL true of the passenger
liner type. capable of being trans
formed into fast scout cruisers and
commerce destroyers. One recon-
mendation put forward with this in
feriority in view looks to the con-
struction of vessels Of the George
Washington type, smaller than the
Leviathan. but capable Of great speed
and valuable for use as passenger
liners during peace.
Faster Cargo LINERS Urged.
Faster cargo liners, also are declared
to be an essential in building up a
merchant marine which would take its
proper place in the national defense.
On the other hand. 1t is maintained
that the present cargo vessels of the
merchant fleet would measure pretty
we'll up to requirements. and 1t is
pointed out that no matter what the
speed, there would always be a demand
for greater speed.
Suppose the overseas merchant fleet
should be wiped out of existence
would the large coastwise tonnage Of
this country be sufficient for national
distinctly in the negative by respon-
sible officials Of the Government. 1t
was added that when the last emer-
gency arose the coastwise fleet had
not been found adequate, and the coun-
try had gone to work to build q mer-
chant feet at tremendous cost. due to
war conditions. Also the coastwise
feet, If taken from its usual activi-
ties in event of national emergency
vii h,,S IN
Of the country in sorry condition.
The hope for a merchant marine
building program lies in the future
1t may be that private shipping in
terests. IL the merchant marine busi-
ness picks up. as many hope 1t will.
may undertake 1t. But If the Gov
ernment must come to 1t eventually,
or see the merchant marine lag and
fail. then 1T likely will be undertake en-
recovered from the last building pro-
gram. and a proposal now to 60
ahead with the construction, even of
the proposed two vessels Of the
George Washington type. would be
subject TO criticism. Such vessels
would run into the millions of dol
lars and would require several years
to construct. Tho demand now IL
for curtailment OF expenditures with
regard TO the merchant marine. The
appropriations for the Shipping
Board and Emergency Fleet Corpora
ticn q year ago were cut some
$4,000, ,000. and In the budget which
will be submitted to Congress next
week the sum may be cut another
$6.000,000, 1t Is said, with the total
$4,000, 900 instead Of $3e.00o,o0O.
One Of the great problems OF the
Government-owned merchant marine
is the laid-up feet. There are prob
ably some 500 of these laid-up yes
sells that would be of use only in the
event of another war exactly like
that with Germany. The coastwise
shipping has absorbed about all 1t
can OF the Government tonnage of
this kind. The prospects are that
they will continue to be laid up.
But, while they are not OF use. they
are always a potential menace to the
shipping business. They might be
scrapped. But scrappinE vessels does
not sound we'll in the ears Of the
American public. There Is an uproar
today over the scrapping OF the
battleship Washington, under the
terms OF the naval limitation treaty.
After the Civil War some vessels
were allowed to stay on the stocks
for a score OF years. just because of
the dislike OF the idea OF scrapping
vessels that might, possibly. some
DAY and In some way be Of use.
Trained officers and men for the