Evening star., 1936-02-09

ME- Iuture OF the American
merchant marine in world
commerce Is one Of the major
u problems hanging in the ball
ance on Capitol Hill this year. as it
has at varying intervals in the history
of the Republic.
Legislation to encourage the build
ing of American merchant ships.
through Government aid to offset the
difference in cost of construction and
operation here and abroad. passed the
House at the last session. But,
whether it will clear the hurdle of
Senate action before the Seventy
fourth Congress ends is believed to
depend largely on the degree of support
it receives from the administration.
In a message to Congress on March
4. last year, President Roosevelt in
dorsed the general objective of de-
veloping an adequate merchant ma
rine, and suggested direct subsidies to
meet foreign competition, to take the
place of the present ocean-mail con-
tracts and the policy of lending money
for ship construction.
Copeland Measure introduced.
When the present session convened
last month Chairman Copeland Of the
Senate Commerce Committee intro
duced q revised measure. based on
the principles laid down in the Presi-
dents message.
1T is limited" Senator Copeland
said, ito the suggestions which the
President made in that message. Be-
cause of the controversies which arose
in Senate debate all matters outside
the scope of the problem as presented
by the President have been eliminated
from the bill"
Since the Presidents message was
submitted, however, the shipping bill
has undergone revision several times,
and it has not been indicated which
particular draft of bill the admins
tration would prefer, if the Senate
takes up the subject. The Commerce
Committee at the last session rewrote
the House bill, and Senator Cope
lands latest measure represents fur
ther changes.
The prevailing view at the Capitol
is that unless administration forces
get behind specific bill and put
it on the must program, the aues-
ton is likely languish on the Senate
calendar or in committee until this
Congress ends. In that event, the
subject would have to start over again
in both Houses in the next Congress.
Seamen Given Separate Bill.
Senator Copeland has simplified the
question somewhat by taking out of
his latest draft several sections deal
ing with the working conditions of
seamen, and introducing these pro-
visions as separate bill. Even with
these features treated separately, how
ever, there is always sufficient differ
ence OF opinion over the basic issue
Of ship subsidies to make Senate ac-
tion difficult unless the aiministra-
tion gets behind the measure.
When America was young and sail
ing vessels were in vogue, the United
States carried nearly all of its foreign
commerce in American ships. Today,
despite the growth of the Nation In
size and Importance, only about one
third Of its exports and imports are
carried in ships flying the American
flag.
A chart which hangs on the wall Of
the Senate Commerce Committee tells
In graphic form the story of the ups
and-downs of the American merchant
marine. It uses nag pole as the
yardstick to show the standing of
American shipping in the transporta-
tion Of the country's foreign COM
merce at different periods.
It shows that in 1880 the Stars and
Stripes were near the top of the pole,
because in that year American ships
carried nearly 90 per cent, by value,
OF the country's exports and imports.
But, from that time on there wasv
steady decline. and the nag moved
down the pole for 80 yearl These