Evening star., 1925-05-05
DOLLAR LINE SOON
TO TAKE 5 SHIPS
Transfer Affects Trade Of
Whole WorId-MoSt Vital
to Pacific.
BY j. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

NEW YORK, May 5.-A change
which will affect the shipping and
trade of the world began today when
Shipping Board officials completed
preparations for final inspection of
the President Lincoln prior to de-
livering that vessel to the Dollar
Steamship Co. of San Francisco. The
President Lincoln is the first of the
five President ships the purchase of
which by the Dollar interests from
the United States Shipping Board
aroused much controversy. When the
transfer of the ships is completed and
the Dollars take over the ships now
operated by them out of Seattle, 1t
will give the company virtual mo-
nopoly of the ownership and operation
of passenger vessels under American
registry on the Pacific.
Bookings Already Made.
Vice President Stanley Dollar, who
is general manager of the line, has
just arrived here to take over formal
possession of the President Lincoln
after the vessel has been Inspected.
This will take place May 9. The
ship will be dispatched on her first
voyage under the Dollar flag on May
16 The bookings already sold for
the President Lincoln's voyage are
considered the property of the Ship
ping Board and will be taken over by
the Dollar line. The officers and crew
of the vessel will be invited 20 remain
in their present positions, but II they
do not care to do so their places will
be filed from the Dollar personnel.
Keener Competition Seen.
Stanley Dollar, according to dis
patches received by the writer today
from San Francisco, plans to continue
the San Francisco-Orient service with
out interruption as he takes over the
recently bought ships from the Pacific
Mail, which has been operating them.
He is now operating seven 522-foot
passenger freighters, which were pur-
chased from the Shipping Board, on
fortnightly schedule from San Fran
cisco around the world.
The new ships will be worked into
the schedule until the line will have
l2 vessels making weekly Sailings.
The routes taken by these round-the
world carriers are such that they
make the principal ports and in doing
so become competitors with the ships
of practically every other maritime
nation.
Controls Oriental Line.
The Dollar Co. also owns con-
troll of the Admiral Oriental Line
which operates five of the so-called
President liners out of Seattle to the
Orient. In a few months the COM
pany, it is understood, will be in the
market to purchase those vessels
from the Shipping Board. Il. that deal
goes through it would give the Dollar
interests II freight carrying passen-
ger ships on the Pacific.
The Dollar officials admit that the
Pacific is oyertonnaged at present.
All II of the President steamers have
been put into commission on that
ocean in the last three years, replac-
ing three small Pacific Mail steamers
and three China Mail boats, which are
now retired. The trade with the
Orient has been adversely affected by
several factors. Among these were
the disturbances in Siberia, the po
litical turmoil in China and the slow
recovery of Japan from the terrific
loss of the earthquake of 1928. The
Dollars, from the founder of the line
down, have always had firm faith in
the future of the Far Eastern trade
and equally strong faith in the devel-
opment of demand for American lum-
ber in the East and antipodes.
Concern 81 Years Old.
Robert Dollar, the founder of the
company and still it's head, began the
organization Of this big concern 81
years ago when he bought a freighter
to carry his own lumber to, the Orient.
The company now owns huge fleet,
ranging from square riggers and pow
er schooners to stately and luxurious
passenger vessels. The development
of the passenger business is credited
to Stanley Dollar, and another son.
Harold Dollar, is now in the Orient
with headquarters in Shanghai.
The acquisition of the new vessels
will necessitate no reorganization on
the part of the concern, which already
has offices in all the principal ports
of the Orient.
Pacific Mails Future.
Rumors that the Pacific Mail Com
pany, unsuccessful bidders for the
President ships, plans to enter the
market for other ships and continue
passenger service to the Orient are
not regarded seriously in San Fran
cisco, although the freight service of
the company will be continued.