Evening star., 1925-09-07
ME-TOWN FEARS
ACTUATINC HANEy
Portland Shipping interests
Sec Grave Danger to Port
in Palmer Plan.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

BN FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE
Current discussion of Bert f..
llaney's controversy with President
Coolidge over Shipping Board policy
has failed TO reveal the immediate
Commissioner Haney claims TO be
Admiral Palmer'S policy of destroying
The valuable Oriental trade OF the p-r:
of Portland. Greg. Portland is Mr..
Haney's home town.
When lie visited Oregon in August
Haney found the commercial interests
of tho buStling Columbia River port
in state of high alarm over Admiral
Palmer's program. The president OF
the Emergency Fleet Corporation was
publicly charged with the determina-
ton TO force Portland interests to
purchase tho ships Of the Oriental line
under threat of disposinG of the fleet
10 outside interests who probably
would transfer the ships to some other
port. The fleet in question consists
Of 10 vessels--5 on the North China
line and ) on the South China line.
both calling ar Manila.
Vast Territory ATected.
Portland and her great tributary
territory ship vast quantities of lUm-
Der, wheat -four and other products
rpon the existing line for shipping OF
these products to Japan. China and
The Philippines. Without il. Portland
claims, her shippers would be forced
10 ship through other ports. The
handicap thus imposed would be such
that the port could not compete with
other sections of the Pacific coast.
Portland shippers say they would be
working under the same handicap re-
1arding return cargo from the Orient
because it would have to reach Port
land through other ports which have
tranSpactfic lines.
Portland is deeply aroused over this
menace :" its maritime welfare 1t
assert. the Palmer project is
unfair ii discriminatory" Admiral
Palmer. according to the Portland
Chamber Of commerce. admitted that
The aforementioned plan is under
way. although he made plain that
Portland interests will be given prefer
euce when the Oriental line ships are
sold. If they viii submit a bid. The
Government fleet in question is now
operated out of Portland on behalf of
the United States Shipping Board by
the Columbia Pacific Shipping Co.
Commissioner Haney is a close po-
litiCal associate Of former United States
Senator George +. Chamberlain of
Oregon. whom Hauey succeeded on
tho Shipping Board in 1928. On Au-
..lIst . Mr. Chamberlain, addressing
the Portland Chamber of Commerce,
bitterly assailed the Palmer policy.
chamberlain said that Portland's posi-
lion in transpacihc commerce is in
Jeopardy. and Oregon business men
must be aroused to the seriousness
OF the situation"
Sees Monopoly Control.
lie said: IF all signs do not fail. [
predict that shipping of the Pacific
soon will be in the hands of a monop-
oily not controlled by the United
states. You may expect to see your
Governmeut-operat ships withdrawn
from this port. The same thing may
happen to Seattle. What malign in
iuences are at work to take from
Portland that which rightfully belongs
mere? 1t is propaganda of those who
are sailing under foreign flags and de-
Veloping foreign shipping. l am not
saying that your representatives are
being Influenced by these interests,
hut YOU must not be asleep.
Effort is being made to force little
operators to buy the ships they
operate. If your local operating COM
pany should be forced to buy the
ships operating out of this port, for
eign competition soon would drive
Lnem out OF business
You should see that public owner
ship and control of the American
merchant marine is carried on along
the lines set forth in the merchant
marine act until American commerce
is firmly established and fear for
foreign competition is out of the
way"
Outside Bid May Win.
H. y. Lawrie Washington repre-
sentative of the Portland Chamber
of Commerce, has informed that body
on the authority of Admiral Palmer
hat IL any outside interests bid on
he Oregon Oriental line and a bid
equally high or higher is not made
ny local people. the Emergency Fleet
Corporation is disposed to accept the
outside bid. This would permit the
ships, according to statements at
tributed to Admiral Palmer. to be
'aken by the purchasers for operation
either in Portland or elsewhere, ac-
cording to their business plans
The Oregon delegation in Congress.
which is solidly Republican, with the
exception of one Representative. a
Democrat, is said to be in fighting
mood regarding the Portland shipping
situation. Commissioner Haney's
friends contend that when the con-
troversy with President Coolidge
reaches the floors of Congress the
delegation will line up against the
administration and in support of
Portland's desire for retention of a
ment-controlled merchant ma
rine
-f-,,y