Evening star., 1928-12-09
BY WILLIAM HARD.


regarded at this week end as the
dominant theme In washington thought
end action.
The Kellogg treaty for outlawing war
as an institution among the nations
of the earth has been accorded the
position of highest honor among the
legislative prospects of the present Con-
gress. Trotting almost abreast Of 1t, by
q fine irony, is the bill for adding ID
fast robust cruisers and ! great air.
plane carrier to our Navy. Campaign
orators returning to WESTINGHOUSE,
for instance, Mrs. Medill Mccormick
who stumped every county In Illinois
last Summer and this Fall--report that
from all audiences the applause for OUT
lawing war and the applause for build.
ing more warships were precisely equal
IN volume and In enthusiasm.
Back Of these two items Of national
policy. however, there Is third item
less observed but even more vital and
vigorous in the inward counsels of the
National Government. This third item
is the sudden revival of growth In our
American merchant marine.
Americans are beginning to 60 to sea
again and our Rip Van Wrinkle Amer
lean maritime merchant power seems
at last perhaps to be really reopening
It's eyes.
Forecasts Shipbuilding.
1t is possible safely to predict now
that within the next few years some
40 excellent modern merchant steam
ships will be built in American ship
yards and sent into overseas merchant
traffic under the American flag.
Governmental loans for facilitating
tl,o nf ~ fhncn c1AtyNc 20
already in process of arrangement in
the United States Shipping Board.
Loans In aid Of the remaining 27 will
become subjects of negotiation within
the not-distant future. All these ships
are necessitated by overseas mail
carrying contracts which have been
granted by the Post once Department
to American steamship companies and
which have been accepted by them.
The influence of this development
upon our naval fighting capacity is in
innate and crucial. We have set for
ourselves the goal of acquiring and
maintaining naval parity with the Brit
ish Empire. In such parity there are
three elements.
There Is first an equality OF fighting
fleets. The cruiser bill Is q step toward
that equality on our behalf 1t is far.
indeed, from being q complete step, but
1t is a step and II will do something
to reduce the present crushing cruiser
superiority of the British.
The second element In parity at sea
between us and the British Is naval
bases. The British on this point OUT
class us In q ratio Of at least three to
one. Scattered about the World--over-
seas from the shores OF Great Britain
they have at least nine bases that are
thoroughly developed and equipped.
We-overseas from our continental
shores--have not more than three bases
worthy Of any high professional regard.
Our inferiority in this respect is--and
will be---extremely difficult TO remedy.
In any worldwide conflict 1t would
leave US at o great disadvantage.
British Far In Lead.
The third element In parity at sea
becomes therefore for us Of extreme im-
portance It Is equality In merchant
ships. We are, Of course, ridiculously
far from any such equality today. The
number Of our ocean-going merchant
ships capable of steaming 10 knots an
hour is some so. The number OF Brit
ish merchant ships capable Oh mat
speed is at least 200.
we now. however, are at last begin-
ming really to hope that considerable
additions to our merchant fleet Will pc
possible and that these additions VIII
consist of ships splendidly suited 10
the highest types OF service.
The connection between merchant
marine strength and naval strength Is
not being overlooked by our autnorltles.
The plans of every merchant ship on
which loan is authorized by our snip
ping Board are carefully examined by
the Navy Department before the loan Is
authorized.
Look to Use in War.
The Navy Department scrutinizes the
plans with an eye 10 the iohoWllis
results:
/. The engines of the ship must be
properly located from the standpoint OF
the maximum of safety against gun Tire
2. The interior of the ship must be
so constructed as to be readily re.
arrangeable for wartime transport
purposes.
8. The decks OF the ship must be SO
built as to be capable Of receiving ana
emplacing q suitable number OF 6-inch
guns for the ships defense when on
wartime cruises.
In other words, all the 40 new pro-
spective American merchant ships above
mentioned will have q certain hghtlhg
value as auxiliaries, in some degree, to
our regular naval fleet.
This development has all transpired
within the few months which have
elapsed since the passage OF the mer-
chant marine act of last Spring with Its
new provisions for the increase Of loaps
from the Shipping Board and for the
increase Of effective mail-carrying con-
tracts from the Post Office Department.
The question of merchant ships, how
ever. can reach no satisfactory solution
except In connection with solving OF
the question of merchant seamen OF
American nationality.
On this point 1t happens fortunately
that progress can likewise be reported
In the years Immediately preceding
the Great War rnrna fn r,nr nn,,t ,f tian