Evening star., 1945-05-13
America, Mistress of the Seas

The United States merchant fleet
plunged into war-today is preparing
to tell the world it stands head-and-
shoulders above every nation or any
combination of nations as a cargo
carrier.
A nation which has toiled and sweated
"a hours day to spread over the seven
seas the greatest cargo feet the world
has ever known will celebrate National
Maritime day May %, under proclama-
ton issued shortly before his death by
the late President Roosevelt.
No country has ever owned so much
shipping. The American flag is mistress
of the seas.
Increasingly one hears the question:
What will we do with all this ship
ping after the war?"
We Will Hold Our Leadership
The answer appears quite clear
Shipping leaders in Congress, and the
men in the executive branch of the
Government under whose hands the
wheels of the merchant feet have steered
their course through the war years, are
insistent that the United States shall
hold its leadership.
In 1899 the British Empire controlled
about one-third of the worlds ocean
shipping and the United States about
one-seventh.
Uncle Sam today has 100000 dead
weight tons. We have the biggest ship
yards, we have perhaps the greatest
skilled shipbuilders, in modern terms,
that have ever been modified.
Before the war the British Empire
had 1854 vessels for merchant carriage
The United States in 1910 had 1,150
vessels. Japan was third, Norway
fourth, Germany fifth and Russia was
10th.
The total of world tonnage was
5o,317,366.
Meeting the Challenge
In 1887 the United States, straining
to meet a prospective challenge from
across the seas, had $1,000 persons build
ing ships. BY 1943 more than 100000
were employed in building only cargo
vessels.
These questions are asked frequently
by people visiting this country:
will the United States emerge as the
worlds greatest shipping agency?"
Well-advised officials close to the sit
uation believe that the United States
for many years to come will carry the
bulk of the worlds cargo.
At the outbreak of war, America had
1,150 passenger liners, freighters, col
liers and tankers, a total of 10,500,00
deadweight tons Approximately 750
ships of 5000 900 deadweight tons were
built in 1912. Our shipyards reached
their peak in production in 1943, when
they delivered at the rate of fye-and
often six-vessels day.
The outbreak of war in Europe imme
diately imposed on the maritime in
dustry of the United States unprece
dented problems in ship operations and
shipbuilding. When the full impact of
the war struck the United States di-
rectly with the attack on Pearl Harbor
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confronted with responsibilities of such
magnitude as to make any appraisal
of the job ahead seem incredible.
War Shipping Administration
Under the Merchant Marine Act of
1886, the United States Maritime Com
mission was established as an independ-
ent agency to direct and control all
phases of overseas shipping and ship
building. 1t became apparent immedi-
ately that If and when this Nation en-
tered the war special agency to deal
with the operational problems peculiar
to war was necessary to supplement the
Maritime Commission. That need
brought about the creation of the War
Shipping Administration on February Z,
1912, which took over from the Mari
time Commission virtually all Of the
commissions major statutory functions
with the exception Of shipbuilding. Thus
VISA became the Government ship oper-
ating agency and the Maritime Com
mission its shipbuilding agency.
Despite the ever increasing demand
for tonnage for military purposes. VISA
was able to maintain an increased flow
supplies by plane and Mr.. Orebaugh
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