New Britain herald., 1928-10-26

standpoint this state of affairs seems natural and in times of peace 1t ta often difficult to foresee the ruinous result of this condition. were war to be declared with . first class power. What would happen if our shippers were unable. owing to the outbreak of war. to ship their exports in for eign bottoms, due to their with drawal for their own governments use? Whose carriers could we rely on? The surest answer is to have our own Merchant Marine.
 10 ahsalentad
 ''The water borne foreign com merce of the United States involves the transportation annually of more than 113 million long tons of freight valued at nearly eight billion dol lars. The cost of transporting this commerce amounted in the year 1927. to 76O million dollars Thirty three different countries are now participating in this transportation of the foreign commerce of the United States. More than 66 per cent of this transportation is done by foreign flag vessels. Less than 34 per cent of our foreign water borne commerce is carried in Ameri- can bottoms Thus about 66 per cent of the 7G0 million dollar freight bill goes into foreign pockets. We pay the 4.oo0 vessels flying the flags of foreign countries about 502 million dollars annually to carry American products abroad.
 The question naturally arises, this enormous profit? Because our merchant marine is too small to carry our exports: we haven't got the ships that's all. And who would carry our exports in case of a war in which we found it neces- sary to rely on our own shipping resources? It would take some time for this country with all it's enor- nous shipbuilding and manufactur- ing facilities to build sufficient ships to replace the present short age.
 Does 1t not seem then, that we should have merchant marine TOW, sufficient to guarantee us in- dependence of foreign bottoms Surely it must be clear that an American merchant marine would be a guarantee against disaster in time of war?
 Difficulties to Overcome | . ,-t nct t%r overcome before we can get mer- chant marine sufficient to guaran- tee this country's independence ot foreign bottoms. Yet it would seem that this could be done, for we have today the example of few Ameri- can privately owned and operated steamship lines competing success fully with foreign lines.
 ''As an auxiliary to the regular naval forces in time Of war the merchant marine would be Of un. told value. The commander of { fleet in time of war most urgently requires information Of the enemy With our present lack of cruiser: and scou.a, which remember. canno' be turned cut on short notice b, even our marvellous resources o, industry, the merchant marine would be able to replace them, ant furnish this important information Information in war is synonymous with security, and without tht necessary information TO command CT would feel secure. Not as fight ing forces would onr merchant ma rine play their best role. althouGl in this manner many merchant ship probably would be employed but .a ncouts and centers of informatioi would they be most valuable. Ant this too, with very little loss o their non-ccmbatant services q cargo carriers.
 Prom the days of Presiden Washington to the day of Presiden Coolidge, for over one hundred ant fifty years. prominent Americans o all political parties and from al sections of the country have de clared the wisdom of providing tn nation with merchant ships of 1t own, because such ships are indis pensable in the promotion Of ou foreign commerce and essential fO the national defense.
 "The Navy too, has it's uses ii ' peace as we'll as in war. An entirel, erroneous idea prevails that tn