Evening star., 1941-04-08
Radcliffe Discusses
Merchant Marine
Problems on Forum
Work of Expanding
Ii Is Revealed in
Star Broadcast

StdI btO00NdSt
The Importance of the American
merchant marine to defense and the
work of its expansion were discussed
in an address in the National Radio
Forum last night by United States
Senator Radcliffe, Democrat, of
Maryland The address was ar
ranged by The Star and broadcast
over a network of the National
Broadcasting Co., being heard locally
over WMAL.
The text of Senator Radcliffe's ad-
dress follows:
For a few minutes I want to dis
cuss several aspects of our merchant
marine What do we mean by our
merchant marine? There probably
are more opinions as to what it is
than there were colors to Joseph S
coat Possibly no definition of the
term would be quite satisfactory,
but I will refer to a few aspects of
1t. For instance. we know, naturally,
that our merchant marine concerns
primarily methods of transportation
by water-not by land. We know it
embraces really more than ships
the small ones as we'll as big ones.
In its largest sense it includes men,
organizations, policies, activities and
the many other elements which
make the industry function
The word merchant in the term
merchant marine is somewhat mis-
leading. The operations of the mer-
chant marine are not, as we know.
necessarily restricted to merchants
and merchandising. Naturally near
ly every kind of industry might at
times function with it.
Ordinarily ships of a merchant
marine are engaged in private COM
merce, but they may be used to help
battleships or other forms of armed
agencies whether on land or water
or in the air. The merchant marine
has duties. very important, in con-
nection with our defense program.
1t is an invaluable adjunct in time of
war. A navy, and often an army or
air force, would be practically i'm
potent If it did not have as hand
maidens auxiliary vessels to carry
troops, fuel, ammunition and various
other materials, and to assist in
many other ways.
History of Our Shipping.
The United States approaches our
present problem in ship construction
and operation with historical prece-
dents and helpful traditions in spite
of serious mistakes at times. The
history of our shipping is an inter-
eSting one.
The first immigrants to this coun-
try came by water. They were to
a very considerable extent, especially
in Colonial days, a seafaring people
The water in many parts of the
country in Colonial United States
was the chief means of transporta-
ton. This fact helped greatly in
the development of our country in
Colonial days and in the conduct of
the Revolutionary War. In the War
of 1912, our Navy played a role much
more effective than our Army The
people of Maryland furnished at
least half of the American ships
which fought in that war and as
large a percentage of their crews.
While Napoleon, like Hitler, was
planning to invade England. his
brother, James Bonaparte, great
grandfather of Charles J. Bona
parte. once Secretary of our Navy,
married Betsy, the daughter of
William Patterson, big shipowner
of Baltimore, whose operations car
ried him to the four corners of the
earth.
Following the War of 1872, there
was a dramatic and glorious devel-
opment of our shipping. This was
so in New England and along the
Atlantic Coast. The Baltimore clip
per sailing vessels became known all
over the world. Anne McKim, most
famous of Baltimore clippers, had a
worldwide reputation for speed,
beauty and efficiency which was
richly deserved.
World War Period.
In those days there seemed to be
no limit to the opportunities offered
to American shipping industry, in
land and on the seas. Canals were
being built and soon in time began
the industry of the great railroads.
This is not the place to dwell upon
the glories of American shipping, or
the decline which came to 1t. Our
shipping became relatively unim-
portant. Our exports and imports
were more and more in foreign
bottom.
The World War brought us
sharply to the realization OF our
grave lack of necessary ships. The
necessity OF building ships as
quickly as possible was acutely OBJ
vious. The result was tremen-
dous stimulation in the building OF
ships in America mainly by the
Federal Government, but from this
program with all its energy, not a
single new ship of ours reached the
other side before the armistlce.
Vessels built in this country for the
Allies did, but the vessels under
taken in the huge expansion pro-
gram of the Emergency Fleet Corp.
did not.
After the World War our Ameri-
can shipping began to fall into rela-
tive insignificance, but later events
demanded we again build ships. We
did not ignore that need until the
present war in Europe began. Be-
fore that we had taken steps to in
crease the number of American built
and owned ships. For instance, in
1896, we passed legislation which
launched us again upon a shipbuild-
ing program.
Regeneration Started in 1896.
In doing so we realized difficulties
arising from the fact that other ma
tions could construct and operate
ships cheaper than we could. We
tried then to solve this problem by
providing for grants Of money from
the Federal Government to equallze
the difference in cost of production
and operation. This act of 1886
stated that this merchant marine.
while providing shipping service on
trade routes essential to our foreign
commerce, should be capable OF