U.S. MERCHANT FLEET.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 174, 24 July 1923, Page 8

U.S. MERCHANT FLEET.

ADMISSION OP FAH.TOE.

THE PATRIOTIC SIDE-ISSUE.

i In resigning his post as <^£» an of the United Statee Shipping Board, Mr. Lasker laments that it 'has been impossible to sell the vessels Profitably to private American firms, and he now recommends that the cream of the Government merchant fleet he ™» J""*?; worth by the Government and """tie or scrapping of the remainder. The Ship Subsidy Bill, being defeated, the only alternative is to go the full length of Government operation, says Mr. Lacker. He admits that all efforts to interest private American capital based partly on patriotic reasons arid the necessity of a strong merchant marine" as a naval auxiliary in time of war, and partly on the prospect of . substantial Government aid, have failed completely. Air. Lasker recommends the creation by the Fleet Corporation of twelve to eighteen subsidiary corporations, with which the existing freight lines wouia ■be consolidated. The groups indicated require 250 ships for replacing almost 400 ships, and these 250 will represent approximately 2,000,000 dead-weight tons. If private owners decline to .pay an adequate price for ships, one more effort must be made by the Government to run the ships and make up the deficit, which everybody suepects will be very considerable, but the precise amount of which nobody can estimate, lit is estimated that after allowing ample tonnage for the routes it is.proposed to maintain, including the Leviathan on the Atlantic, there will still be a surplue of 1200 Steel ships. It is proposed to scrap all those that are unfit, and of the 900 to 1000 ships remaining Mr. Lasker recommends that approximately 1,750,000 dead-weight tons will be selected "as a reserve to foe .employed on the highly competitive routes, if and when foreign owners actively oppose the expansion of America's marine activities." After making all deductions for the Government-controlled lines, the reserve, and eerappings, Mr. Lacker estimates that close upon 1000 ships will, remain. "Their existence," he says, "acts as a depressant upon the merchant marine world, and ' most of all upon America's." He recommends the scrapping of these abo unless a purchaser can be found at home or abroad.