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Show MERCHANT MARINE WILL BE BENEFITED BY OSCAR W. UNDERWOOD. Washington, Aug o. I wish to state that the bill that passed the house today amending our navigation laws and liberalizing them was not Intended or expected to be a permj-nent permj-nent remedy to build up an American merchant marine. It is only a tern porary expedient but a necessary one at this lime There arc some vessels owned by American citizens of American corporations cor-porations that fl foreign flags, and most of these vessels are more than five years old There are some ves sels that in good faith will take out an American registry if they have an opportunity to do so, but they are also over five years of age. The free ship bill that was enacted enact-ed some years ago allows no ships the privilege of mdncan registry that are over five years old The repeal of this provision, opening to our registry ships irrespectne of their age raerelv places the law of our country on the same basis as that of most of our foreign rivals. The fact that American ships carry only about 2 per cent of our exports lo Europe (and when you eliminate the six great nations that will prob j ably become involved In the present1 war, the remaining ships in the Euro-j pean trade only have a carrying ca- i pacity of about U per cent of our European exports), demonstrates conclusively con-clusively the lamentable condition I that our country finds itself in so far a6 its export trade Is concerned by reason of the fact that we have no merchant marine of our own The congress will relieve the present pres-ent situation so far as the congress Is able to act, but it is not within the j power of congress to relieve the condition con-dition that we find ourselves in en j tirely You cannot make bricks j without straw. cannot build an, American merchant marine In a night Well considered laws should b en acted by this congress that ultimately ultimate-ly will Becure to our people a merchant mer-chant marine owned by American cltlzenB manned by American officers and seamen and flying the American riag In my judgment there Is no economic measure that confronts our country of more Importance to our people, and with the object lesson now before ub. I hope the patriotism of every true American will respond to the needs of our commerce and development of our merchant marine |