Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-26
Timely Views
SALE OF U. s. SHIPPING LINES OPPOSED
BY DUNCAN U. FLETCHER
L. S. Senator From Florida.

Ga, in 1859. He was graduated from Vanderbilt
university, Tennessee, in 1880, and later studied
law at the John B. Stetson university. He was adj
mitted to the bar ia 1881 and has since practiced
at jacksonville, Fla. Senator Fletcher served as a
member Of the Florida house Of representatives in
1898; mayor OF Jacksonville from 1898 to 1895 and
again from 1901 to 1908. lie was appointed By the
governor as U. S. senator and took his seat in the
senate in March, 1901, being elected by the legis-
lature to the same post in April, 1909. Senator
Fletcher since has been re-elect,. to the senate
several times. His present term expires in 1889.
notice a published statement that the shipping
board has approved a plant to offer for sale the ships
Of the United States line and the American Merchant
line, which furnish passenger service, and the Ameri-
can Palmetto lines, which furnish cargo service. Ae-
cording to his statement, I. ". OConnor, chairman Of
the shipping board, says the plan approved by the ship
sales committee of the shipping board, is the one ne
had projected for the sale Of the two finest American
services operated in the North Atlantic, United King
dom and European trade.
| think we ought not to sell the United States lines.
| think it would be a great mistake.
The United States lines include the Leviathan and
other splendid ships. We should keep the United
States lines under government ownership or control
and we should add to the United States lines steamers
now operating the Monticello and Mount Vernon as
soon as they are reconditioned.
These two vessels would properly balance the
United States and would enable the government to es-
tablish sailing schedules which would give US he bulk
Of the United States mail contracts. As it is now.
the infrequeney of the ssilings makes it necessary u
forward United States mails to a considerable extent
IN foreign bottoms.
The mail contracts are p~rofitably compensatory u
the ocean liners. With the two additional ships men,
TONED, we could obtain contracts for carrying the
United States mails which are such a profitable part
OF the business. ! would not like to see these oppor-
tunities pass away from the United States control.
My Judgment is it would be a mistake. We are now
directly operating the United States lines, and are
operating the Merchants lines by contract, and the OPP
erations are improving in efficiency and economy all
the while.
! am perfectly willing that private enterprise should
undertake this business now operated by the shipping
board II properly safeguarded as to the interests of
american business and the American government. But
LOT fIfty years private enterprise has failed, although
we have done what we could to encourage il.
what | would fear, IL the shipping board should 60
out of business entirely and the government ships IN
overseas trade should pass into private hands. is that
they might 20 under the control Of foreign shining
and commercial interests. The world routes Of trade
would focus in New York. and the use Of the ports Of
the South Atlantic and he Gulf Of Mexico would be
eurailed apd anguish