Evening star., 1933-01-05
MERCHANT MARINE
CALLED VITAL NEED
Speakers at Sixth National
Conference Urge Creation
of Largest in World.

Representatives of industry, shipping
the Army, Navy and other Government
establishments today demanded the
building up Of an American merchant
marine superior to arr in the world
as a part Of the plan for economic re-
covery of the Nation.
Speakers before the sixth National
Conference on the American Merchant
Marine, meeting in the United States
Chamber of Commerce Building, IN
sisted that unless the shipping interests
in this country unite apd fight vigor-
ously for SUPREMACY of the seas, foreign
and domestic propaganda will destroy
the merchant marine. ..+,.....,...
Malcolm M. Stewart of Cincinnati
chairman of the Middle West Foreign
Trade Committee, a representative ol
industry, characterized the fight against
Federal aid for shipping as "a hysterical
demand for economy" and predicted
that if Government assistance is cut of
another million men" will be thrown
in the ranks of the unemployed.
Points to Midwest Case.
The Middle West must have regular
dependable steamship services for its
exports" ne said, "and the best as
surance of getting such service car
come only through proper support OF
the American Merchant Marine. Ours
is no longer entirely an agriculture
section. Cincinnati, for example, in
one year exported more than SOS 5,000,-
600 in manufactures. Yet this city is
but the hub of an immense wheel in
the center of industrial America. With
2O3 of the $50 basic industries of the
country in this region, 1t has justly
earned the title as the Ruhr of Ameri-
ca"
J. Caldwell Jenkins. vice president Of
the Black Diamond Steamship Co,
representative of the shipping interests
called fora comprehensive educationa
campaign by shipping interests to teach
the people of America the need for ar
adequate merchant marine. He decriec
the propaganda against ocean-mail con-
tracts and urged the passage OF legis'
lation by Congress to give to private
shipping interests the business now car
ried by Army and Navy transports anc
the Panama Steamship Co., Govern
ment line.
He also requested legislation author
izing susidies to American cargo lines
increased differentials in ocean-mai
contracts for the fastest ships, tax ex
emption on American vessels in foreign
trade and denying mail contracts Il
American-owned foreign flag vessels.
Pershing Urges Ships.
Gen. John J. Pershing, representing
the Army, sent letter to Chairman 7
v. OConnor, presiding over the confer
ence, stating ''the woeful lack of Amer
lean shipping in 1917" should make "ar
indelible impression upon the mind ol
every American" driving home "tht
conclusion that we must provide al
own flag" He said two lessons StooC
out from Americas war experience:
THE first is the wisdom of the his
| toric national policy of Great Britain
in maintaining strong merchant ma
| rine. The other lesson Is the un
wisdom of America and our risk of de
| feat because we had practically n
ships on the high seas when we entere'
! the war"
Secretary of the Navy Adams callet
! the Navy and the merchant marin
brothers" and pledged the Navy t
work together" with the shipping in
! dustry.
I'VE realize that you are essential t,
u.s." he said, adding, Eve realize deepE
our debt to you to help the merchan
marine"
Capt Samuel w. Bryant, U. S. N
| told the conferees "the merchant ma
rine is the builder of prosperity AM
"the Navy'S responsibility is to see tha
the merchant marine is built to insur
| that prosperity"
Representative Will R. Wood, Repub
lican, of Indiana, urged "merchan
| marine consciousness" on the part o
the American people and said Govern
ment subsidies would not be needed
when the people became merchant ma
rine minded"