Evening star., 1928-04-13
Merchant Fleet Plea.
Writer Says America Should Ac.
cept Challenge on Sea.

To the Editor of The star:
However we may step aside or turn
away, the problem of the merchant ma
rine appears again to face u.s. 1t rises
like the ghost of a past supremacy
taunting the generations with thar in
difference toward the sea. Almost every
Congress since the "fifties" has seen the
shadowy vision of a fine feet, and seen
II fade--the call for II had not been
heard from the country.
The problem has been hampered py
sectionalism and Misunderstanding. The
relief of shipping has been particularly
susceptible to the attacks of its oppo-
nents In that money Is asked to aid
private enterprise.
The perplexing subject, stripped OF
confusing verbiage. becomes one OF tarin
adjustment. Shipping, unlike most OF
the great industries, has received in Its
foreign trading branch no favor under
the protective tariff principle to which
this country Is committed.
Our privately owned vessels In foreign
trade are fighting 1t out on the high
seas with the japanese, Germans, Nor
wegians, Britishers and all the rest
without the favoring legislation other
wise bestowed by our benencent Gov
eminent. And all the while the other
great industries of the country are
snugly moored under the lee Of tariff
wall.
The dificulty lies In devising a plan
of adjustment to which majority OF
the people will agree. There is evidence
today of better understanding among
former opponents, and the subject Is
now presented with most Of its for
merly Objectionable features removed.
Long experience had shown that aid to
shipping must be indirect in form and
that assistance must be given for a
definite service, such as the carriage OF
mails and as a naval retainer.
There may be some who do not un-
derstand why aid is necessary. The
American ship costs, roughly, 40 per
cent more than a similar foreign vessel.
Hence one of our ship owners with
million dollar steamer Is obliged TO earn
interest on 100000 before he starts
even with his European competitors.
The reason for this extra cost Is that
American steel workers. riveters, join
ers, and so on, each draws his American
wage. which is quite In contrast with
that of foreign craftsmen. Hence the
high capital costs here and the lower
expenditures abroad.
And likewise when the vessel sails
our citizens, in land employment draw
ing their American scale OF pay. Ger
tainly do not expect our masters, mates
and engineers to work for Norwegian
wages-their families do not live in Nor
way. So 1t follows that, added to the
vastly greater capital invested. the run
ming expenses of our ships are higher
than our competitors on the sea, due to
a relatively higher wage and q more
extensive menu.
The return from shipping invest
fnent Is wrested from the level OF the
worlds freight rates, while the return
from a manufacturing investment Is
from the American level Of prices.
It Is not expedient to leave this great
potential industry outside the favor OF
the Government. 1t Is not fair TO de-
priye those with out-of-doorS, adyen-
turous, rowing dispositions Of . chance
for a sea career (they have done much
for this country in the pasD; to deprive
thousands of craftsmen, mechanics snd
engineers of employment in the con-
struction and maintenance OF a mer-
chant marine fleet, or to- hamper ex-
porters in the extension of foreign
trade.
with every new labor-saving device
another step Is taken toward SatG-
rated domestic market, and with 1t is
stressed the demand for an outlet
through foreign trade.
So as the House and the Senate en-
deavor to work out permanent ship
ping policy those citizens who are not
in sympathy with aid to merchant
marine should understand that no more
is being done for the ship owner and
the ship builder than has already been
done years ago for the industries they
are interested in.
There is no good reason why America
should not engage in and have an ade-
uuate share of one of the Oldest and
noblest OF the worlds activities, and 1t
is not in accord with the fiber OF Amer
ican character TO retreat from the chal-
lenge of the sea.
GERSHOM BRADFORD.