Evening star., 1939-11-05

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trality proclamations of yesterday
blocked, at least partially, future
American shipping to a quarter of
the world. No more can vessels
flying the American flag proceed to
most of the belligerent nations
except by inland waterways to Cam
ada-and probably no more can they
move to neutral countries in the
war zone, the Scandinavian coun-
tries, the Netherlands and Belgium
Except by traversing inland wa
terwayS, American ships will not be
permitted to carry arms to bel
ligerent port anywhere. They also
will be barred from carrying other
supplies or passengers to any bel
ligerent port in the North Atlantic,
except Bermuda and New Bruns-
wick and Nova Scotia ports on the
Bay of Fundy.
American ships are permitted to
carry military cargoes to bel
ligerent ports in the South Atlantic,
Pacific and Indian Oceans, the
China, Tasman and Arabian Seas,
Bay of Bengal, South Africa via
the South Atlantic and all their
dependent" waters.
Ships Wait for Decision.
The ships in American harbors
loaded and ready to sail yesterday
could have cleared their berths
legally before the proclamations
were signed and headed for belhg-
erent ports. But if they had moved
toward the war areas and the ports
of nations in battle they would have
forfeited their right to protection
from the American Government. So
they rested in their berths.
If the war continues long and our
present neutrality act, as amended
by Congress Friday, remains in ef-
feet, the shipping industry probably
will feel the loss of business more
keenly than any other branch of
American commerce. There is not
enough business with Latin America
or Pacific nations to accommodate
more than slight percentage of the
ships which will be taken out of the
Atlantic passage.
Nevertheless, with the national de-
tense in view, the Maritime Com
mission is going ahead with its great
building program, which aims at
construction of 141 ships. Twenty
six of these, including the giant
America, have been launched, and
IL of them are in operation. More
than a million gross tons are in the
building. The Government realizes
that there will be little freight for
them to carry. But If we get into
the war, the ships will be on hand.
The need of a merchant fleet was
great in 1917.
326 Vessels In Marine.
In all, the American merchant
marine international trade fleet
considering ships of 1000 gross tons
each or more-consists of 326 YES
sells of 2,150,0O0 gross tons.
In the Atlantic Ocean, the most
important are the United States
Lines, and their ships plan no, more
sailings to belligerents or the war
areas. Other Atlantic lines whose
ships may sail no more on their
accustomed routes are the vessels
Of:
The Black Diamond Line, plying
between American ports and the
neutral countries, Belgium and the
Netherlands.
American Scantic Lines, Ameri-
can ports and the neutral countries
of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Eastern Steamship Lines, Ameri-
can ocean ports and Canada through
the open sea.
Lykes Bros. of New Orleans, the
Dixie United Kingdom Service.
touching also at the neutral COIN
tries of Portugal, Fire, the Neither
lands and Belgium.
Lines whose routes-like the
United States Lines-evaporated
with the neutrality proclamations
are:
The America France Lines, be-
tween United States and France.
Hampton Roads Yankee, between
United States and United Kingdom
and Germany.
Oriole Lines, between Chesapeake
Bay ports and United Kingdom.
South Atlantic Mail Line, South
ern United States and United King
dom and Germany.
The four American steamship