Evening star., 1936-05-05
MERCHANT MARINE
REBUILDING URGED
Guffey, Speaking in Radio
Forum, Cites U. S. Ship
: PING Peril.

tally slipping back into its pre-war
condition through a dangerous do
nothing" policy, Senator Guffey, DEM
socrat, of Pennsylvania warned in an
address last night in the National
Radio Forum, arranged by The Star
land broadcast over National Broad
scasting Co. network.
There is nothing mysterious or
Complex about our merchant marine
sproblem," Senator Guffey said. Sim
sply and plainly, the vessels compris-
ling our merchant feet have grown
! old and they are obsolete. They
scannot compete effectively with the
vessels of foreign powers which are
equipped with modern and efficient
machinery. The great majority OF
: our merchant vessels must be re-
placed"
The United States today has about
s $50 vessels, exclusive of tankerS, en-
gagged in foreign trade, Senator GUT
: fey added Only 81 of these ships
! are truly modern" A comprehen-
sive program, therefore, calls for con-
estruction of approximately $50 mod
.ern ships. He urged that Congress
take immediate steps to supply the
) growing deficiency and outlined al
-ternative proposals which have been
made for legislative action.
Text of Address.
The text of Senator Guffeys ad-
sdress follows:
The question as to whether the
American people shall have a mer-
chant marine to meet the needs of
our commerce and to serve as a naval
auxiliary in time of national emer-
gency was answered in the affirma-
: tive 20 years ago-during the admin
: istration of Woodrow Wilson.
No patriotic citizen should question
the advantages of having an adequate
: merchant marine operating under the
I American flag. Those of you who live
in the interior do not come into
: everyday contact with maritime mat
! ters but 20 years ago our lack of a
: merchant marine was forcibly brought
/. to the attention of the wheat grower,
> the cotton farmer and the factory
worker.
Europe was engaged in a bloody
conflict. Merchant vessels of the ma
tions at war we're withdrawn from
trans Atlantic trade routes. Farm
|, and factory products of all descrip-
tionS were forwarded from the inte-
$ rior of our country to the congested
seaports. where no ships were avail
able for transporting our goods across
the waters to foreign consumers. Food
stuffs rotted at the docks. Our for
elgn trade was paralyzed. And when
We were forced into the war foreign
ships carried our troops to France.
Foreign ships transported food and
equipment for our armies. Foreign
ships even furnished auxiliary services
to our battle fleet. For all of these
services our Treasury later paid at
war prices. This was not the first
time that our Navy was forced to
rely upon merchant vessels of foreign
nations. Thirty years ago the White
Squadron was sent on a voyage
around the world The fact that the
) American Battle Fleet, on that cruise,
was supplied with coal and food by
foreign vessels is black mark upon
ouI Ildrlllme history.
Few Shipyards Available.
We did not have merchant fleet
20 years ago, Worse than that. we
( did not have adequate shipyards in
which TO build new vessels. In 1917
=. our few shipyards were crowded with
: vessels under construction for the
" Navy. In almost equal degree, that is
= our situation today. Because of the
: unsettled condition of the world the
: United States is now engaged in build
4 ing up its Navy to the full strength
permitted by the existing naval limi-
tation treaty.
Do you listeners in the radio au-
olence think we should wait until
: another emergency confronts the Ma
+ ton before We start to rebuild our
+ merchant fleet? Should we wait until
our Navy is ordered out on active
DUTY before we make provision for
the supply vessels required for our
Warshlps and for our foreign COM
merce? I think you will agree with
me that this "do-nothing" policy is
both dangerous and costly.
The American people have not for
gotten the lessons learned during the
early years of the World War.
Z Neither has this Government forgot
ten the costly solution. There is
. nothing mysterious or complex about
our merchant marine problem. Simply
and plainly, the vessels comprising
our merchant feet have grown old
and they are obsolete They cannot
compete effectively with the vessels
OF foreign powers which are equipped
with modern and efficient machinery.
Inc great majority of our merchant
vessels must be replaced. There is
nothing strange or unusual in that
situation. 1t differs in no respect from
problems that periodically confront
every farmer and every business man
In conducting his affairs. 1t does
not differ in kind, only in magnitude
In the amount of money and prop
erty lnvolved-from the problems of
everyday business life. 1t now con-
=. fronts us collectively as a Nation. It
VIII be taken in stride and solved,
Just as our people meet and solve
all their problems.
Need $50 New Ships.
We have today about $50 vessels
excluding tankers-engaged in for
eign trade. Only 81 of these merchant
vessels are truly modern. Therefore.
comprehensive program calls for
the construction of approximately $50
modern ships.
Realizing that ship normally can
not be built In less than 10 months to
a year and realizing further that 90
per cent of our freight ships will be
obsolete within the next three or four
years the Congress should not hesi-
tate TO take immediate steps 10 carry
out the recommendation Of President
Roosevelt. expressed in the closing
sentences Of his recent message to
Congrtss-I quote: The American
peop;e want to use American ships.