Evening star., 1927-11-13

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Germany 400
portion of its commerce in American
bottoms to all corners of the globe.
In 1914 the American people were
rudely awakened when the ships of
the nations engaged in the World War
were suddenly withdrawn from our
services and diverted to meet their
own acute needs. 1t was then that
America paid the penalty for relying
on ships of its competitors TO trans
port our commerce.
The congestion at our seaboard, for
its lack of ocean tonnage to move our
products. and the effect on our in.
dustries in the curtaillnent Of the in
ward flow of essential commodities,
caused serious concern throughout the
country.
BY 1916 the shipping situation be-
came so acute that it called for dras'
tic action and resulted in the enact
ment of legislation establishing the
United States Shipping Board to cope
with the problem.
When we entered the World War
IN 1917 we were lamentably lacking
in ships, not only to move our com.
merce but to meet urgent military re-
Quirements.
The failure Of America to provide
In normal times for carrying the
greater portion of its commerce and to
meet just such a situation as con-
fronted us then, resulted in the need
less expenditure Of fabulous sums.
At the time of the armistice approx.
imately $4,000. 100000 had been ex'
pended and committed in the feverish
haste to produce ships. 1t is OBJ
yiously apparent that but a fraction
of this amount would have been needed
to have acquired the same number of
ships under normal conditions.
Inherited Large Fleet.
At the completion of the wartime
shipbuilding program. the United
States inherited a large fleet of ves-
sells of all descriptions. However.
had the war continued another year,
even this number would have been
inadequate to have maintained the
100000 soldiers we had in France at
the time.
The acute shortage Of ships exist
ing then will be appreciated when
we glance at the total war losses OF
both allied and neutral nations from
August, 1914, to November. 1918, which
amounted to approximately twelve
and one-half million gross tons. -.
The problem confronting since
the signing Of the armistice has been
the disposition of our war-buiit mer'
chant feet. The keen interest now
being displayed by the American peo.
pie in their desire to rehabilitate their
shipping apparently comes as result
of the costly lesson we learned from
deuending on ships of our competitors
TO carry and control the movements
of our commerce.
AT the present time our international
trade reaches almost nine ana one.
half billion dollars. The annual freight
bin for transporting this commerce ex'
ceeds six hundred million dollars. IL
seems only logical and reasonable
that at least one-half of this amount
should be carried in American bot
toms. At the present time we are
carrying but 80 per cent.
The merchant marine act OF 1917
royides for the promotion and main
tenance of an adequate American
merchant marine. What has been ac-
ccmplished in carrying out the intent
Of this act?
Board Has Been Active.
We nnd that the Government has
sold. inclusive of miscellaneous craft,
1,1S6 ships out Of total Of 1885.
The Government at the present time
mas in active operation 287 ships,
maintaining so services In ~ esfab-
lished trade routes, carrying our
products to all the larger markets OF
the world.
Judging from the number Of sales
and from the numerous services In
operation, It appears that the United
States Shipping Board has been very
active In carrying out the require
ments Of the act.
1t would seem from the liberal terms
offered in the sale of the vessels that
every inducement has been offered
and is being offered private American
interests In the disposal OF the Gov.
ernment-owned feet.
In spite Of this we hear continually
the cry for the Government to quit
the shipping business. Have those
making this demand any better plan
20 offer under the trying conditions
for the maintenance Of the services
established by the hoard, or do these
interests merely desire the Govern.
ment TO quit?
Acquiescence in a demand Of this
nature would probably result in the
rapid disappearance Of American flag
ships on the high seas and q return
to the humiliating position we occu
pied before the World War.
Years have slipped by while the
question has q. been argued whether
our shipping shall be under Govern
ment or private control In the mean
time our competitors have been &C
lively engaged in rehabilitating theil
shipping, even in the face of theil
severe economic handicaps.
Outbuilt by Competitors.
What is the result? We have beer
completely outbuilt by all of them
At the present time we are hopelessI,
outranked in modern type Of ships q
meet the keen competition in over
seas trade routes.
A striking example of a nation re
trieving her shipping is that Of Ger
many, which now has a modern fee
OF merchant ships of over $500 90
gross tons.
Shipbuilding activities Of the prime,
pal maritime nations from 1922 I
1927 are disclosed in the foIlowtn;
table:
Country No ships Gross ton,
Great Britain. ........' SS2 1905. IS
T TEerrnahy -'-''''.''.' 19I i9 1'aaS.63
itdiy .'-..st's"'" 90 lll ~
TSffTED 'TIasffTr sraGEs..:... Is 1876 1915
Total 1858 1895.
The above figures show that Grea
Britain outbuilt US, As to /; Germany
and Japan, 4 to /.
Nor have our competitors, with tn
exception of Germany, Stacked u
any In their naval building activities
in keeping with the spirit OF the 1872
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