Evening star., 1927-04-22
Ship Trade Sinking.
Other Nations Seen as Taking
II. s. Merchant Marine Business.

To the Editor of The star
The United States today is the rich
est Nation in the world with estimated
assets of over S400, 600 900 900. our
foreign trade this year will come close
to $40 900, 900 900. The freight bill for
moving this commerce will approxi-
mate 5000 900 900 The United States
will get less than 30 per cent of this
carrying trade, The percentage of our
own foreign commerce which Amerl-
can ships are carrying is decreasing at
an alarming rate every year. our
competitors, far less prosperous than
we are, are using American dollars OBJ
tanned from loans, investments, etc,
to build the very latest type of mer-
chant ships 10 carry the trade OF
America and Of the world. They take
the cream of this trade and we take
the leftovers. Every one Of our mari
time competitors has outbuilt us dur
ing the last five years. For example,
even Germany. in spite of It's numer-
Gus economic handicaps, has built dur
ing that period 172 ships of over 1000
tons to our IA of the same tonnage;
in other words, they have built IL
times as many ships Of usable size Tor
ocean traffic as we have.
An efficiently operated American
merchant marine is an absolute ne
cessity, not only to increase American
foreign trade (which is essential to
the prosperity of Americal, but also as
an indispensable auxiliary for national
defense. Foreign publics support thelf
merchant marine because they realize
the vital connection between the mer-
-, y.iv nd
perity and defense. Unfortunately,
the American public has been so en-
crossed in purely domestic affairs that
it has not yet been awakened to the
emergency of the problem for US. An
item which makes the situation more
alarming for America is the fact thdt
our competitors are not only bulldlng
their own ships, but they are building
many of OurS--tOday approximately
100 600 tons Of ocean-going ships are
being built for the United states IN
foreign yards, while American ship
building companies are facing Dahh
ruptcy for lack Of work.
America will not take its rightfui
place as the leader in foreign trade
and shipping until the American pub
lie becomes ship-minded and seh-
minded We must have not only an
interested and instructed public. but
also trained men to build and operate
ships We must have trained repre-
sentatives abroad to get cargo for our
ships and. in general, to get trade Tor
our country.
International shipping and foreign
trade require more detailed knowledge
of more subjects than almost any
other profession. 1t involves the study
of economics. banking and foreign eX-
nj
operation, ports and terminal faclll-
ties, stowage. steyedoring, admiralty
law. marine insurance, steamship con-
struction. traffic management foreign
trade technique. foreign languages,
history. geography. the political. eco
nomic, social positions abroad. etc.
Such study should be done under spe'
cialists who know both the practice
and theory from long experience IN
their respective fields. international
competition is becoming more and
more intense and complicated.
America needs carefully trained
men TO enable us to gain and keep the
leadership which is rightfuily ours in
this field. The School Of Foreign Serv.
lee of Georgetown University has been
the nioneer of American educational
institutions to furnish such training.
A complete four~year course is given,
covering not only the subjects men
toned but many others. For the past
eight years Georgetown has been turn
ing out hundreds of trained men for
international shipping and foreign
trade who today are representing prl-
vate and governmental interests in 40
different countries in every part Of the
globe. 1T would seem that the future
of American foreign trade and snip
ping (and more or less directly Amefl-
can prosperity will be aidHd greatly
if such a systematic education couid
be given to large groups of intelligent
young Americans in all parts of the
United States. Although. apparently,
the general public does not realize the
fact. one of the most vital problems
before it today is the question OF lead.
ership in international shipping ana
foreign trade America is not content
today to take second place to any ma
ton in other fields. and it does seem
essential that she busy herself imme-
diatelv i'm proper preparation for sue
| cess in international shipping and for
eign trade.
THOMAS H. HEALY.