Evening star., 1925-11-23

tCOntllued from flfSt IdSe.l
on this body from the Atlantic,
Pacific and gulf regions, Mr.. Dalton
suggested. The cabinet members
would be the War, Navy, Commerce
and Post Office Department heads.
Would Remove Restrictions.
Mr.. Dalton would remove the re
Strictions forbidding the railroads 10
own and operate ships in information
al trade This would be helpful, ne
reported as it would extend the
TRANSPORTATION facilities of our for
eiGn commerce, and the ship EN-
ployed assuming them to be of Amer
lean register. would be suitable Tor
the needs of the national defense. IN
his opinion the Nation now fean"eS
the need of an adequate merchant
marine. both FOR the development ana
protection OF cur foreign commerce
and for the requirements or the ma
tional defense The Nation, he con
tends, will support it.
His survey convinceS him that we
have already made a good start with
the ships engaged in coastWise ana IN
tercoastal trades. which under what
he describes as the wise shipping laws
existing, restricting that service 50
American built. owned and operated
ships, are giving a fine service. But
the foreign shipping is not doing so
well, according to Mr.. Dalton. Ihe
competition is great in this trade, and
it requires skill, patience. time ana
money. he reported.
Regarding Government operation
and disposal Of the ships to private
operation. Mr.. Dalton said.
Governmental operation can never
equal in efficiency or economy private
operation. 1t seems unnecessary 10
enumerate the many reasons there
for 1t is an accepted fact. There
fore we should continue to make
every effort to transfer To private
ownership as promptly as it can be
done the various lines in operation
hut this probably cannot be accom-
pliShed until the services. one after
another. are brought To Il profitable
operating basis, or nearly 50, and un-
Ill that time they must be maintained
and operated by the Government.
Urges Guarantee.
but during this period of Govern
mental operation, and in order to ia
CiIitate the transition from one form
to the other, in selecting the shipping
men to manage the operated lines,
care should be taken to secure those
who have substantial business pros
poets and experience in foreign ship
ping, with the view that they may
eventually take over the ownership
of the property and business they are
managing. The sale of any line should
carry with it n guarantee of its con
tinuanCe for a reasonable number of
years. Such provision has been re-
quired in recent sales.
some of the services would be ad-
vautageous and in the line of econ
omy, and | suggest also that further
study be given to that feature as
well as to the policy now in force
with respect to remunerating man
aging operators for their service. +
some method We're devised whereby
these managing operators could be
come interested in the operating
profits and losses Of their respective
fleets, benefit would result there
from A considerable expenditure
now made for overhead supervision
by the Shipping Board would be un-
necessary If such a plan We're
adopted"
Mr.. Dalton recommended that the
Department OF Commerce. which he
contends has close contact with and
access to the best governmental
knowledge Of the needs Of commerce
ana industry as 4 whole. and which
also Is best fitted to determine the
policy, needs and adequacy OF estab-
fishing trade routes. should hereafter.
be consulted concerning any change
of Nhe present routes. the addition
OF new routes or the diScontinuance
of old ones.
Cargo ships of the liner tyDe. -
Mr.. Dalton reported, are now avail.