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Show MKIU'IIAXT MAIMNi: ACT Pointing out tliat other countries, assist their steamship lines with Hiibsdlcs and that their vessels operate oper-ate at a lower cost than American ships, It, M. Scmmcs, traffic adviser lot the Alaska Territorial Shipping board, has Issued a statement defending de-fending the new Jones Merchant Marino act In general and section 28 .In particular. This section provides Itliat the preferential lmpqrt and export ex-port rail rates' shall apply only to freight carried In American bottoms. I Foreign countries had carried the commerco of this country so long when tho U. S. had no vessels that these countries had come to look upon up-on this traffic as their own not only on-ly tho commerce between such countries coun-tries and the U. S. but the commerco com-merco of tho U. S. with all countries English ships carrying a large part of our commerco with tho orient, or-ient, and German vessels our commerce com-merce with South America. I Germany had found years before that the most effoctlvo way to build up her merchant marina was to reserve re-serve for carriage on German ships Ihelr export and Import Interior business bus-iness and tliU was done by prefer-'entlal prefer-'entlal rail rates on this traffic resulting, re-sulting, as cveryono knows, In thf building up of a wonderful merchant marine. Japan followed suit aii'l England used the equally effective weapon ot tho order In council to excludo foreigners. Tho Jones bill represents knowledge knowl-edge gained by hard work nnd long Btudy of a very difficult problem. It should bo known that this Is not tho measure of any political party. The members of tho committee tak-Jng tak-Jng keenest Interest in tho matter were about equally divided. They were Senator Jones, chairman: and Senators Knuto Nelson of Minnesota, Minneso-ta, alder ot New Yolk, McNnry or Oregon, Republicans, and Senator Rnnsdcll of Louisiana, Democrat. Willie Senator Jonos deserves great on-alt, every senator attending the hearings manifested a single purpose vhich law will have to bo amended rom tlmo to time. It Is a business busi-ness problem, not one of sentiment, ud is resolved Into a slmplo ques- Hon of wheather tho American peo-XH peo-XH are going to haul their own commerce In American ships or are going to permit foreigners to do so simply because tho foreign ships wants and needB tho money. |