SOCIALISM ON THE HIGH SEAS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13744, 27 May 1910, Page 6

SOCIALISM ON THE HIGH SEAS.

"With a certain school of politicians State interference is the remedy for every -problem under the sun. To their minds the State is an infallible entity, whereas, of course, it is simply the collective wisdom and foolishness of a number of ordinary people, who have ! all the ordinary person's -rapacity to I err. Confronted with the problem of a glut of cargo caused by extremely prosperous times, the Victorian Minister of Agriculture flies at onco to tho remedy of State ownership. The only remedy for the want of steamer accommodation is th-*. building and running of Commonwealth steamers to and from Europe. The inference is that the steamship companies are sitting with th?ir hands folded while tho frozen meat congests the ctsld stores. The companies arc of course doing nothing of the kind. Being composed of business men. they are takini. steps as fast as they, can to cope with the present and future expansion of the continent. At no previous time have t. iere been so many vessels building for tho Australian trade as at present. An Australian paper computed the other day that no less than forty oversea liners, ranging in size from 14,000 to 3t.00 tons, had licen, or wero about to he, ordered for the Australian trade. Ono firm alone is ordering ten 10.000--ton ships. The present congestion is regrottuhlc, but it is difficult to see how it could havo been avoided. Even il the Commonwealth Government ordered ships at once, the situation would have been eased considerably by the time these vessels mado their appearance. Then there is tlie possibility of a "slump," which never enters the thoughts of these advooates of State activity. In times of depression there would be too many ships, just as there are too few now; tho State lino would bo run nt a heavy losa, and the unfortunate taxpayer would have to make good tho deficit. . This talk of an Australian State line is by no means new. The Royal Commission on shipping (composed largely of Labour members) reported some years ago in favour of such an enterprise, but for obvic'.s reasons nothing came of the recommendation. It was claimed that the lino would return a profit of £-112,900, but this was calculated on estimates evidently framed so as to put the scheme in. the best possible light. For instance, tho cost of running set down was a great deal less than that incurred by tho P. and 0. and Orient Lines, and no provision was made fir repairs. It is certain that the- maintenance of tho State vessels would cost moro. than that of ships in privato hands, and it is extremely doubtful if tho management would he as efficient. To propose spending several millions on a scheme of this kind, especially when there are costly works of infinitely greater importance clamouring to be taken iv hand, is rank foolishness.