Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-12-03
U. S. Is Expected to Share
Postwar Ocean Commerce
Plans Studied to Bring About Equitable Distribu.
ton of Freight. Carrying So That All Allies.
MAY Have Merchant Marine
By Ed,card A. Harris

The postwar fleet of the United States
the history of the Nation and second to
none in the world. Because of this,
Great Britain is looking toward America
with worried eyes. Traditionally the
queen of the seas in both water COM
merce and warships, the British Empire
tive maritime rivalry. Equally concerned
is our own Maritime Commission, which
has set up Postwar Planning Com
nittee to chart a master blueprint for
our traffic over the oceans.
This vital problem affects every Amer
ican and the course of the Nation
destiny. With the further removal of
tariff restrictions and other artificial
trade barriers, Midwest farmers may
find markets overseas for the full alb
sorption of their surplus products. Man.
ufacturers may find new outlets in
India, in Russia, in the Orient I'm
ports may flow into the United States
In unprecedented quantities, carried by
returning American ships. Our mer-
chant marine would be useless without
this stimulated foreign trade, except for
coastwise traffic; conversely, a new era
Of vastly accelerated foreign commerce
is made possible only because of the ex-
iStence of massive f1otilla of merchant
carriers.
A great opportunity thus lies ahead,
hut he tte lie
floating mines. This Nation does not
want to embark upon course of ruin
GUS competition with England and other
Allies Having fexed its muscles in the
mighty effort of World War H. it knows
it has the power to embrace imperial
ism. But it is determined to reject the
concept of American Empire for one of
cooperation with other nations, for our
reasonable share of world commerce.
Will Keep U. S. Flag Flying.
What this means is that the United
States will seek to have American flag
ships carry the bulk of our trade with
other countries, instead of British ships.
1t means that we will seek to keep our
shipyards humming, our ship operators
prosperous and our foreign trade flowing
in ever mounting pace. 1t means a
continued search for new markets
abroad, and consequent raising OF the
standard of living In the backward and
undeveloped countries of the world.
AS Rear Admiral Emory S. Land
chairman of the Maritime Commission
and war shipping administrator, has
said: It hope after this war we can get
and evolve an understanding which will
satisfy the vital needs of every one, and
at the same time prevent recurrence
OF the mutually disastrous rivalries of
the not distant past. - We have no
ambition to hog the sea. We will play
ball with anybody who is willing to play
ball with us. ALI we ask is that our
legitimate requirements s be accep-
ted by our friends abroad"
In 1880 we carried about 80 per cent
of our foreign water-borne commerce in
American vessels, in the days when our
huge-masted Clipper ships proudly
ploughed the seven seas. With the in
vention of the steam engine we permit
ted England to forge ahead in water
traffic. BY 1850 American vessels were
carrying only half of our foreign COM
merce; 1t had fallen to 10 per cent by
1900 and to per cent by 1914, outbreak
of the First World War.
Thereafter liberal subsidies to ship
owners and operators were adopted as
q permanent official policy, and re-
suscitated the shipbuilding industry.
Convalescence was slow but sure, and
by the time World War II struck, we
were carrying IS per cent of our exports
and imports. But most of the cargo
ships were not fast enough or large
enough, and urgent necessity combined
with productive means to yield miracle
Of achievement-an achievement that
enabled us to beat the submarine menace
and maintain essential supply lines all
over the world
Might "Store" 1000 Ships.
With the cessation of hostilities, the
United States will have a surplus OF
merchant ships. Some will be sold to
foreign countries, others will be
scrapped. The Government is giving
serious consideration also to a proposal
that about 1000 ships be stored" as a
reserve feet, ready for immediate use in
the event of national emergency, so that
our Navy never again will be, caught
with an inadequate auxiliary merchant
feet in time of war. Even if this is done,
we will still be overstocked in merchant
carriers when the war is over.
Impressive figures tell the story. When
the Maritime Commission started its
long-range construction program in 1888
1t called for so cargo ships annually for
10 years. Under the Maritime Act of
1896, called the Magma Carta of the in
dustry, the Government paid for con-
struction of the vessels and sold them to
private operators for the cost of SINH
lar ship built abroad, where construction
is cheaper. This form of subsidy was
supplemented by Government payment
to operators of a maintenance cost diff
ferential; that is, the difference be-
tween the cost of operating the vessels
by American crews and foreign crews
Where surplus profits were made, the
United States, under the act, made the
operators ''kick back" the differentials
paid them. OF course, when the war
broke out, all merchant ships were taken
over by the Government for the dura-
ton.
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