Evening star., 1925-05-25

Henry F'ord's offer to purchase 400
of the idle ships of the Governments
war time fleet has renewed discussion
as TO the ultimate fate of these vessels.
which have been a continuing expense
to the Government. Hearty approval
has been given in many quarters to
his plan, which involves Scrapping
many of the vessels; but favorable
comment is by no means unanimous,
and some of the newspapers joining in
the discussion reflect strong opposition
TO any hasty disposition of national
property for which practical use may
be found.
Take 'em, Henry" eNclaims the
Baltimore Evening Sun. which notes
that the whole world ''is glutted with
ships. many of them built during the
war" and that competition is so keen
that freight rates have fallen out of
all proportion to the service rendered.
The Evening Sun further contends
that I'VE ought to welcome Mr.. Ford's
offer. no matter what it is, and if he
shows an inclination to back out, we
ought, perhaps. to force him to take
them, even If we have to throw in
little money besides"
The Newark News credits Mr.. Ford
with a desire to arouse competition
and liquidate this depressing relic of
the war" The position Mr.. Ford
would occupy in the event that such
deal were made impresses the Brook.
lyn Eagle, which observes that, al
though possession of the ships would
make Mr.. Ford the greatest ship
owner of all history, there would be no
danger of his ever becoming through
them an octopus, strangllng world
commerce for his own profit" The
Roanoke World-News suggests, how
ever, that competitive bidding must
demonstrate that Mr.. Ford's bid is the
best that can be gotten before the
Shipping Board anxious to get rid oil
the vessels, rushes into bargain with
him" The New York Times also lays
down the principle that sit would not
be a good precedent to make Mr.. Ford
official ''junk-dealer in Government
property" -....
The Shipping Board fleet is "a veri
table white elephant, which has eaten
it's head off million times and is still
hungry according to the Columbia
Record, which further comments: IF
Congress has the chance to change
front and mill around on this offer. as
1t did on Muscle Shoals. the ships will
be rusted away and Mr.. Ford will be
in heaven before the answer will be
ready. In the meantime the ships are
still tied at the wharf, probably to keep
them from sinking" The Albany
News takes a similar view, with the
suggestion that the deal lis good
way out for the Government" IF
Ford can assist the United States Gov
ernnient to solve the problem of its
idle ships. good business sense seems
to advise that he be given every OPP
portunity to do what he can," the
Rochester Herald declares. 1.-THE Gov
ernment will lose money. but, then,
all war projects are money-losers," re-
marks the ST. Joseph NewsPress.
"Indiscriminate wrecking" is con-
demned in a note of warning sounded
by the Indianapolis News. idle ships.
valuable for carrying purposes ad-
yises the News, SHOULD be untouched
pending more extensive inquiry as to
whether they may not be made of
practical service. In some degree, they
already have been a benefit, for they
have been potential competitors of
both domestic and foreign privately
owned shipping, and thus. have aided
/ in keeping freight rates reasonable" !"
The Indianapolis paper denies that 1t
is costing a tremendous sum to main
tain the idle craft at the docks, and