Evening star., 1925-03-28

America, will give much time to the
further study of the merchant marine
problem during the Congressional re.
cess. He will seek the advice OF the
Shipping Board and the president OF
the Fleet, Corporation in preparing the
draft OF a bill to be submitted at the
next session: Such legislation would
have been impossible to handle at the
short session of Congress recently
closed, because Of the jam in which
many mea sures were finally lost. But
there is no such limitation on the com.
ing session, it may run from Decem-
Der to December If necessary.
One of the major problems in con-
nection with the American overseas
merchant marine is replacement.
Ships do not live forever. They wear
out. They become obsolete. Because
the United States expended billions OF
dollars during the war creating mer-
chant marine does not mean that the
building of additional ships will not
soon be necessary, unless the n.er-
chant fleet under the American flag is
to be eliminated again from the high
seas. The Presidents committee re-
ported in December that trade routes
cannot be established on a permanent
basis unless provision be made for the
gradual replacement OF obsolete ves-
sells with upto-date equipment" 1t
added, however, that the present
equipment is sufficient without major
replacements for the next five years,
provided there be conversions of
steamers to motor ships of the cargo
liner type during that period.
FIVE years constitute brief period.
1t is six years since the close Of the
war. Ships are not designed and built in
day. 1t will be the duty Of Congress
seriously to inquire into the question
of replacements while 1t is studying
the merchant marine situation at its
next session. Government ships have
been sold to private American inter-
ests for operation, and others are to
be sold. 1t has been the policy to de-
mand that in such sales guarantees
shall be given that the ships shall
be run under the American flag for
at least five years in the services
sold. If possible, something should
be done to assure replacements in
these services which pass into private
hands.
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tant to the national defense in times
of emergency. In times Of peace it is
important that American producers
and shippers shall have the protection
afforded through American carriers
in competition with foreigners. Other
nations have aided their merchant
fleets by appropriations, made on the
ground Of national defense, or In the
anese are clamoring today for such
subsidies to aid their operation of
ships across the Pacific Ocean in com.
petition with American and British
lines. Another problem which the
United States Government must face
is the need Of some kind Of aid to
merchant. shipping if American-iag
ships are to be operated permanently.
The Government today is back Of the
merchant marine; 1t owns it in large
part. But once the Governments
backing is removed and the ships pass
into private hands the competition by
foreigners to run them off the seas
is bound to increase. II the people
of the United States want a merchant
marine under the American fag-and
they do. except for some Of the inter
national banking concerns which have
money invested in foreign shipping, or
il foreign concerns which must thrive
carrying American commerce
this is a question which must be
given serious consideration.