The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-08-30
AILIcAToR RIVER FERRY

Europe. Time was on our side,
and this great ship was able to be
completed for valiant service as
the troop ship renamed WEST
POINT, by the time the United
States became involved in the con-
flict. Unfortunately, she was only
one ship-when many were need
ed!
cit is a lesson of history that
many of us tend to forget that
the lack of an adequate operating
American-flag merchant marine,
capable of serving as military and
naval auxiliary, forced this coun-
try into a vast and tremendously
expensive emergency ship building
program. This lack compelled US
to depend upon the dangerous ex-
pedients of slow, cramped and un-
safe conversions of cargo ships to
provide urgently needed troop lift
capability, or to make expensive
arrangements for troop transport
on the vessels of our Allies.
"Since World War II, there have
been built in this country only
three new passenger vessels to
serve the growing needs of our
waterborne commerce and to be
available in time of national einer-
gency. One of these is the great
ship the UNITED STATES, which
with the 1S-year old AMERICA,
is one Of only two American pas
senger ships plying the North
Atlantic. Yet the demand for pas
senger space is growing by leaps
and bounds and other nations are
building new, modern vessels for
the service as fast as they can.
"By 1860, the AMERICA is due
for replacement and all indications
are that the needs of the service
as well as the national interests
(both from the standpoint of ma
tional defense and national pres
tige) require that the replacement
vessel should be equivalent to, or
sister ship of, the UNITED
STATES.
81 do not believe it necessary to
dwell at length upon the virtues OF
the SIS UNITED STATES, either
as symbol of this Nations donni-
mating role in the foreign COM
merce of the world, or of the ire
mendous value which she has i'll
terms of our national defense.
During the past five years, great
numbers of American tourists have
travelled on this ship and millions
of others have come to regard it
with much the same reverence and
respect accorded other superior
accomplishments of this country in
competition with the countries OF
the world.
"None can dispute the inestim-
able value of lis magnificent ship
as national asset nor deny the
return on the Governments invest
ment which made her construction
possible. Yet, many will recall that
at the time she waN built grave
doubts were raised over the ade-
uuacy of the provisions of the
Merchant Marine Act of 1886 to
authorize her construction and
sale to the United States Lines
under the terms which were
agreed upon.
"While the controversy which
arose over the building of the
UNITED STATES was eventually
settled, the doubts concerning the
adequacy of existing law to au-i
thorize the construction and sale
of such superliner passenger
ship under terms and conditions
which would make commercial
operation feasible still remain.
The bill / have introduced does
three things
1. 1t recognizes the essentially
to the national interest of another
great ship like the UNITED
STATES;
2. It adheres to the basic poll
cies, principles and provisions of
the 1886 Act, which have proved
a sound framework for maritime
policy for over 20 years; and
3. 1t resolves the doubts and
precludes controversy by provid-
ing for the establishment of a
fixed price to the purchaser which
will provide a reasonable basis for
private operation in competition
with the great government-aided
superliners of our friends across
%Lo ono,,. ~