Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-10
congress IS GIVEN
! TWO SHIP POLICIES
Senator Jones Sees Subsidy
Unlikely and Urges Outright
Government Operation.

BY the Associated Press.
Two proposals looking to the de-
velopment and maintenance OF
merchant marine adequate to the
needs of the Nation were presented
today to Congress.
Both are sponsored by Chairman
Jones of the Senate commerce COM
mittee One provides for Government
ownership and operation and the
other for private ownership ana OPP
Grafton under a Federal subsidy
Stating his own firm conviction that
Congress would not provide the aud
by subsidy or otherwise that would
induce private capital and energy to
give the country a merchant fleet,
Senator Jones said there was only
one way to keep the American flag
on the seven seas and that was
through the Government.
Government Money Asked.
1.-THE Government must furnish the
money, build the ships and directly
or indirectly operate them," he said.
THAT being the only way open to us
am in favor of adopting it. We can
do it. Once we decide to do it other
peoples and other governments will
know that it will be done, Then will
uncertainty give way to certainty.
Then will our competitors know that
they have a rival that they cannot
defeat or destroy
Zone of the greatest handicaps our
shipping has today in getting business
is the uncertainty of the continuance
of the service. In every port In South
America the merchants and business
men are warned not to give their
business to us. Our failure in the past
and our failure now to follow policy
to give us a permanent merchant
marine is pointed out and the mer-
chants in those ports are warned of
the consequences to them when we
cease the service.
Ships Declared Essential.
"A few days ago we passed a bill
carrying over $500 000, 900 for our
Navy. Merchant ships are just as
essential to our security in time of
danger as naval vessels. With one
years naval appropriations we would
carry out program that would give
us upto-date ships to serve adequately
the service now under way, with such
new ones as may be deemed necessary,
and a replacement and maintenance
program could be carried out at an
annual expense not exceeding $780,
600 900.
I'm my judgment, over a period of
years this fleet would replace, expand
and maintain itself. The benefits to
commerce, the benefits to every line
of industry in the country affected by
ocean rates, would every year far eX-
coed any annual maintenance ex-
penditure. Not only would we get the
commercial benefits, but our essential
ShipyardS would be maintained against
great national need. This in itself
would be most substantial benefit
to the country in time Of peace as
well as in war.
Argues Farmers Viewpoint.
THE farmer needs an American
merchant marine. He needs it more
than any great industry because of
his need of markets that can be
reached only by ships. His condition
today is In no small degree due to the
consequences coming from the lack of
ships when the war began. His prod
ucts rotted at the dock and In the
bin, because there We're no ships to
carry them to the markets crying out
for them.
1T seems to me that of all our peo
pie the farmer should be the most
earnest and insistent upon having an
American merchant marine and be the
most earnest in supporting any meas
ure that can be gotten through that
win offer a reasonable hope of
merchant marine. 1t would be a fit
ting complement to the pending
McNary- Haugen bill if we would pass
a, bill that would give US merchant
marine commensurate with our wealth,
power, commerce and position among
the nations Of the world.