Americus times-recorder. (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, March 23, 1919, Home Edition, Page PAGE TWO, Image 2

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PAGE TWO U. S. TO BE GREATEST MARITIME POWER, SAYS HURLEY IN REPORT WASHINGTON, Mar. 22. Shipbuild ing facilities acquired during the war have made th3 United Slates the great est potential power of the wt r’d as serts Chairma i E. N. Hurley of the Shipping Board, and will enable it to outdistance all other nations in the race towari replacing a sh irtage of 16,225,000 grass tons of shipp.mr lost as the result of unrestricted German submarine warfare and of the failure of normal increase by new production. Mr. Hurl')/ male this assertion to day in a report of his trip to Europe where for three mouths he was in dost touch with the shipping interests of foreign nations. The report will be used in working out a policy of own ership and operation of the Amreican Merchant Marine. Mr. Hurley estimated that in July, 1914, the sea-going steam bottoms of the world totaled 41.225,000 gross tons which was reduced by w r ar to 37,000,- 000 gross tons, a net loss of 4,225,000 gross tons. In addition, he stated, war had not stopped the normal increase in production, making a total loss of 16,225,000 gross tons. The Allies and neutrals suffered a total loss by enemy action, marine risk and capture of 15,218,000 gross tons, Mr. Hur'ey said, and gained by new construction and seizure o' enemy ships 14,249,000 gross tons, leaving a net loss of 969,000 gross ions. The net loss to the Central Powers was «ven greater since they lost 3,016,000 gross tons and gained only 740,000, a difference of 2,276,000 gross tons. Only two countries, the United States and Japan, have a larger a mount of tonnage now than when the war began. Japan showed a net gain of 25 per cent, Mr. Hurley reported, while the United States jumped far in the lead with a net gain of 125 per cent. “The United States forged anead as rapidly as Germany fell behind,” said the report, “In August, 1914, the United State’s seagoing merchant marine, 500 gross tons and over, in cluded 624 steamers of 1,758,465 gross tons, and 870 sailing vessels and schooner barges of 947,852 gross tons, making a grand total of 1,494 seago ing merchant vessels of 2,706,317 gross tons. “On November 11, 1918, at the epd of the war, the steam-going merchant marine had increased to 1,366 vessels of 4,685,263 gross tons and the sailing vessels and schooner barges had de creased to 747 vessels of 829,917 gross tons, making a grand total of 2.113 seagoing merchant vessels of 5,515,- 180 gross tons. “This does not include the seized enemy vessels, which at the end of the war aggregated 88 vessels of 562,- 005 gross tons, of which number 81 of 546,210 gross tons were steamers and seven of 15,795 gross tons were sailing vessels. “The total construction in the United States added to the merchant marine during the w r ar amounted to 875 ves sels of 2,94,1845 gross tons. The pur chase from aliens of 233 vessels of 833,845 gross tons, the move ment from the Great Lakes to the ocean of 66 steamers of 139, 469 gross tons, and miscellaneous acquisitions amounting to 31 vessels of 39, 219 gross tons are other sources of ac quisition. “The loss of 114 vessels of 322,214 gross tons by enemy action, of 278 vessels of 405,400 gross tons by mar ine risk, of 130 vessels of 268,149 gross tons by sale to aliens and of 64 vessels of 149,761 gross tons through the sale abandonment and other causes, ac counts for the decreases. Losses of 15 German and requisitioned ships It’s remarkable how children out grow their smocks and frocks, their playthings, their childish ways, and— most of all —their photographs. Only photographs will keep them as they are. Make the appointment today. THE M’KINSTRY STUDIO. | amounting to 112,248 gross tons are not included. “Today we are potentially the great ; est maritime power of the earth, for the reason that we possess the great est shipbuilding instrumentalities.” Mr. Hurley stated that Great Britain suffered a net loss in the war of 3,440,- 000 gross tons, amounting to 18 per cent of her entire tonnage. Other nations which suffered heavy losses include Norway, which lost 1,178,325 gross tons; France, 907,168 gross tons; Italy, 852,124 gross tons; Greece, 337,545 gross tons; Denmark, 239,922 gross tons and Sweden, 201.733 gross tons. Every effort is being made by each of these nations, Mr. Hurley asserted, to regain their former maritime stand ing. “The study of the Shipping Board experts revealed a teeming ambition among other powers to achieve a higher maritime standing.” said the report," In almost every country the desire exists not only to replace war losses but to add new totals to be used in the work of reconstruction and in developing new foreign trade. “Even Switzerland has not escaped ! this desire to acquire a merchant' marine., Ships will be acquired as! soon as canal improvements are made on the Rhine.” The chief interest now centers on the question of whether the United States can henceforth maintain her new place upon the seas, or whether she must now disband the energies that brought her merchant fleet into being. “There is every reason” Mr. Hurley continued, “for believing that Ameri ca has come back upon the ocean—to stay. My observations compel opti mism. “The war has brought us into a high place as a maritime power. I find the peoples of the world aroused to an intenser interest and concern as to the use we are to make of this pow r er. “In America, you have heard of Brit ish competition. In Great Britain I heard a great deal more about Ameri can competition. The truth is that our friends across the water are for the first time entering upon a period of actual competition. In our praise of British seamanship and British operating ability, we have been prone to ignore the advantages which lay on the side of the ships which flew Union Jack. “I have no misgivings about the era of competition which is coming. "The obstacles of inexperience will quickly give way before American industrial strength and energy. It is a new age of ocean transportation as well as of DODGE ; BUICK CADILLAC You will want a new car for Spring; naturally your thoughts will be on a BUICK OR A DODGE As a suggestion, you had better place your order with us now, so you will he sure and get one of these Cars. This week we received Five Dodge Cars, and deliv ered all of them in two days after thty were unload ed. We also received Six Buicks last week, and only have one left for sale. We will have another shipment of DODGE and BUICK Cars next week, and we advise you to see us at once, as they will not last long. We are offering some Special Bargains this Week on Used Cars. W.G.TURPIN&CO. PHONES 24 and 173. AMERICUS, GA. AMERICUS TIMES-RECORDER. public policy. It is an age of promise for those who would participate in America's high destiny upon the seas,” Mr. Hurley said prior to August, 1914, both the foreign trade and the shipping of the United States were dominated to a great extent by British because American traders and ship | operators who wished to do business i could do so conveniently through Brit -1 ish agencies. In 1915*, he recalled, on ! ly one-seventh of the foreign trade of the United States was carried in American bottoms. “The total exports and imports of the United States for the year 1915 were approximately 50,000,000 long tons,” said the report. “With average shipping efficiency the movement of these goods would have required about 9,000,000 gross tons of ships. “Assuming an annual increase in | the foreign trade of the United States | equal to the average increase for the I five years preceeding August, 1914, our foreign trade in 1920 would re quire a greatly increased merchant j tonnage if it were to be carried in I American bottoms." j Mr. Hurley declared it was an ac cepted principle that a strong maritime j power should carry in its own ships i at least 50 per cent, of the agregate i of its exports and imports and in addi ! lion some of the trade between coun tries not yet in the shipping business. “Assuming a total export and import business in 1920 of 70,000,000 long tons,” he added, “it would require a fleet of about 7,500,000 gross tons to 1 transport 60 per cent, in our own ships.” One of the types of ships most de sirable for the new merchant marine, according to Mr. Hhrley, is a speedy, effective combination cargo and pas senger liner of from 15,000 to 25,000 deadweight tons which could be opera ted efficiently in the transportation of high class merchandise, passengers and mail. “Shipping men generally agree,” he said, “that it is not the total tonnage but the character of the vessels that makes a successful fleet. The coun try might have 10,000,000 tons of ship ping which if not of the right sort could not be operated profitably in competition with ships of a better type belonging to another nation. “I have heard a great deal of talk about the construction of ‘junk’ ships in America, emphasis thus being laid on the number of small ships we had State o. > vino, C‘t ~ of Toledo, Lui'u! County, s-j. Frank J. 'Cheney makes oath that h? is senior partner of the firm of F. 5. Cheney & Co., doing business In the City of Toledo. County and State aforesaid, and that said firm adll pay the sum ot ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS for each and every ease of Catarrh that cannot be I Hired by the use of GAEL'S C ATARRH MEDICINE. m. \'K J. CGENET. Scorn to before me and subscribed In my presence, this Oh doy of December. A. D 1886. A. .7. GLEASON, (Seal) Notary Public. ! Hall’s Catarrh Medicine is taken in ternally and acts through the Blood jrs the Mucous Surfac' s of the System. Send tor testimonials, free. F. J. CIIENEV CO., Toledo. O. Sold by all druggists. 750. ■Hall's Family rills for constipation. under construction. It was sought to convey the impression that our new ships would suffer by comparison with those laid down by our friends and as sociates overseas. "It may surprise these critics to hear, as I have heard, that British yards had under construction on Oct. 31,066 ships of 6,600 gross tons and over. Our program for that date cal led for 106 ships of 6,00 Ogross tons or over.” Mr. Hurley said three factors 1 mili tated most strongly against the nat ural and desirable expansion of the foreign trade of the United States: Georgia Glee and Mandolin Club 45—COLLEGE FELLOWS—4S On Annual Tour of State With “FESS” DOTTERY’S ORCHESTRA Presenting “Skippy” Conyers with Glee Club. “Fess” Dottery’s Orchestra. Billy” Hoop With Mandoln Club The Famous Georgia Four. Slade and Tisinger—The “Skit Scream” The Georgia Stringed Trio. Sheffield, The Guitar Boy, Double Quartette. “Al” Johnston, the “Piano Tickler.” A Continuous Performance of Songs, Comedy and Music. A SHOW FOR GEORGIA BY GEORGIA BOYS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA. AMERICUS OI ’ERA 1101 !SE MONDAY NIGHT, March 24, at 8:30 safe, wise business to get the Vesta. It costs no Americus Battery Company EST,„„ First, the necessity for developing men, thoroughly American in every way, to handle foreign trade; second, the recruiting of an American personnel for the operation of the ships and the handling of the work at ports; and, third, the extension of banking facili ties. The idea that too high wages are being paid American seamen for this country to compete with other coun tries successfully was ridiculed by Mr. Hurley. “It is time for the public mind to be disabused of this conception,” he stated.“ The facts will dismay those SUNDAY, MARCH 23,1919. ' who are agitating for a lower wage scale of American ships. We are pay ing our seamen $75.00 a month. Eng land during the war paid her seamen $72.00 a month. The French and Sweden the seamen’s scale is even, higher than in the United States.” The retention of high wages was important, he added, because men whe had laborded under great strain yield ed their attention more readily to the agitator. The success of any nation in shipbuilding and ship operating, he said, will be determined by the manner in which the labor situation is han dled.