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Show BRITISH CONTROL OP SHIPS DENIED International Mercantile Ma-rine Ma-rine Held by Officers as Thoroughly American WASHINGTON, Jap. 28. Officials .. the international Mercantile Marine company, headed by P. A. S. Franklin, president, Thursday u.i. the iMpplng board, sitting. SB an investigating bod . , I their storj of their 30-year agreement with the Hrltlsh government stipulating stipulat-ing that they pursue no policy Injurious Injur-ious to the 'ln:e-ests of the British meicanlih marine or of Itntish trade The ngrecinent was broughl to th noth . ..i the h( I through an addn by Senator Jones, i Washington, VMEU1CAX.OWNED WKM President Kranklln reviewed the history his-tory of his Company and defended uv I policies which he characterised as be-ilng be-ilng - one hundred per cent American al all tlmea." Ha presented a list of shareholders to subsianllate his slat' -ment that 94 per cent of the company 1 was owned by Americans "In the jl'nlted States," and offered other papers pa-pers to show the "Americanism'" of in managing officials none of whom. he declared, was a foreigner. Questions dew loped that S7 percent of the more than M'JQ.OOO tons of shipping 6pf i a'e.i i, tlv companv n.v registered abroad and was subject to rei ulslt ion by IhOSC foreign govern-! in-iil in case of war. Attention also! was directed to the clause of the agte I I ment specrfying that g majority of I the directors ol subsidiar compiinlc In Kngland must be British subjects, i OREIGN rONTROL ii:mi i Sta'ements made on these points by International Mercantile Marine officials, of-ficials, caused Chairman Benson to saj that although Americans owned the vceaela actual control rested w ith I the foreign directors of the subsidiary I companies. Mr. Pmnklln declared. ifioWeVer. that the stock was ""locked J lap in New York, owned by Americans") ar.d the foreign . ontrol could not af-j feci operation ot ships by his coin-pa coin-pa ny v i The next ?tep In the Inquiry will be taken by the board In executive session ses-sion after the testimony has been ril- geated rommigAioneva. The board will also consider an "'ln- ii i '.on" Men.',, d bj Mr. Kranl.lln and his legal advisor. J." Parker Klrlln. to tell tho International Mercantile Murine Mu-rine what It can do to "establish the American merchant marine In the niosi desirable and effective way." HOSTLL1 i i i it ll Mr. Franklin described his company us an '"oii'.cas!,". despite the fact, he said, it had attempted lO sell Its British Brit-ish tonnage to '"get money to buy Am-j erlcan vfeasels, flying the American flag," and would have done so but for the objection of President Wilson. He aid that the British at first regarded ,the International Mercantile Marine ,n 'American rust In England" and !as nn "liivaalon of American financier? in British trade." The feeling In Kngland was so strong, he said, that tho British go -icrnihenl was compelled to "lake "measures of self-protection.'" Review ing the operations of his vessels ves-sels since the agreement was made. Mr. Franklin declared the British bal never Invoked anj part Of it and experience ex-perience had proven that they would hot, unless another emergency such s the world war should cause them to requisition ships flying the British 1 flag. He said the agreement did not 1 affect the vessels operated by the 1 international Men uttiU Marine under the Ami rican flag. |