Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-31

As the Government goes ahead with
the closing out Of the great merchant
shipping business built ny as result
Of the war. the public looks on with
somewhat mixed emotions. Those
who regard the passing of Govern
ment owned ships as p death blow to
the new American merchant marine
arc distressed. There is little praise
for the shipping Board. however. and
large section OF public opinion re-
joices that the Government is getting
out of business.
"An important step toward the gen
eral return to private ownership and
management" observes the Philadel-
phia Public Ledger independently, lis
the announcement that the Govern
ment is preparing to put it's two nrin-
cipal transatlantic lines on the auc-
ton block-the United States Line and
the American Merchant Line" This
move, the Ledger believes, represents
an outcome all along recognized as
sound and logical" basing its belief
on it's opinion that private owner
ship and private management are the
touchstones of successful American
enterprise
The Columbus Ohio State Journal
Republican,. which is in favor of sell
ing the ships, considers that since the
war the maintenance of the steamship
lines has been a source OF heavy eX-
pense to the Government: the Ship
ping Board has been distinguished
more for it's quarrels than for it's use
fulness." The board is handled UNI
tremendously also by the Lincoln
Star independently. which expresses
the view that 1.-The country would
have been q great deal better off if
the Government had given away all
its ships FIVE or six years ago and
retired from the business of naviga-
tion," and, in addition, that the coun-
try today would be better off with
out the Shipping Board the Tariff
Commission. the Trade Commission,
and all such bodies.
#* X
The Providence Journal Gndepend-
ent) hopes that "the plans for sale
now being formulated will find no in.
superable barriers TO their execution"
but urges that the Government ought
to get a fair market price both for
the ships and for their services that
have been built up at a cost OF many
millions of dollars.
The Portland (Oreg) Daily Journal
Gndependent) declares that lin the
dismissal of Capt Crowley as the head
of the Emergency Fleet Corporation
thew have cleared the decks to go on
with their ruthless policy of selling
the ships at any price and on very
questionable terms, which in the last
ANALYSIS can only mean the end of
the American fleet Portland will be
hit as that policy takes further eff
feet" claims this paper. The North.
west will be further hit. The other
small ports will be hit" And the
Journal concludes with advice to such
ports, saying "They will be wise If
they prepare now to protect them.
selves and their shipping.
The Richmond News-Leader dnde-
pendent Democratic) considers the dis
missal of Crowley "a very doubtful
DEAL" since his administration has
been about as good as could have been
asked of any man who labored amid
the conflicting presidents, the Vacil-
lating purposes and the amateuflsh
adyenturesomeness of the most dis
appointing board the country has in.
herited from the war;
X X *
Even those most disposed toward
the disposal of the ships to private
interests are not in favor OF Uncle
Sam making anything but q good
business deal in the transaction. This
opinion is voiced by the Brooklyn
Daily Eagle independent Democratic)i
which says: None would want the
vessels dumped on the market to be
! sold for a song" while the Roanoke
World News Democraticl not only be-
liaYes it Unnecessary. that the Gov