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Government Operation MustSto p Can Save $15,000,000 a Year by Private Operation—Superior Services Could Be Maintained—New Congress Is Expected to Act in December ITTLE doubt exists that a concerted assault will be made in the next congress on the shipping board and the present wasteful government ship- ping situation. Despite the fact that a new congress is more than eight months away, forebodings of the impending storm already are showing signs of develop- ing. That sentiment throughout the coun- try is growing in favor of abolishing the shipping board and the Fleet corporation is evident, since congress has adjourned with no important shipping legislation ac- complished. This view is based on the opinions of both practical shipping men, shippers and the general public. Shipping interests of the United States have not abandoned the hope that a di- rect or indirect subsidy, even though designated by another name, eventually may be passed in Washington. Two years ago, in the administration of President Harding, the subsidy bill went through the house. with a_ substantial majority. It met a sufficient number of favorable votes in the senate, but it was defeated by a filibuster. Some believe that enactment of a subsidy bill or a’system of discriminat- ing duties have a highly favorable op- portunity next winter. It is contended by shipowners. that if one-half of the present $30,000,000 loss of the Fleet cor- poration were appropriated as direct aid IIIT i} ECONSTRUCTION of the Sours AMERICAN, of the Chicago, Duluth & Georgian Bay Transit Co., which lost its superstructure by fire at Holland, Mich., Sept. 9, will have been completed by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Man- itowoc, Wis., by May 1, according to officials of the line. The ball room is being enlarged and some parlors being added in place of staterooms. The fire did not damage the hull or machinery. The NortH American, of the same line, is in winter quarters at Holland. The season for these two cruise ships will open June 27. Capt. Andrew C. An- derson will bring out the SourH A™MEnrI- CAN again but Capt. Claude Ellis will be BY FRED B. PLETCHER Washington Correspondent, Marine Review for private lines, not only could a better service be maintained but the tremendous drain on the nation generally could be stopped. Commissioner Plummer has stated that the expenses of operating the government merchant fleet could be re- duced $10,000,000 a year. This could be accomplished only by _ private vessel owners and operators who could bring the weight of competition to bear on their costs. By the nature of government opera- tion of the ships, it is conceded manifest- ly impossible to build up the present trade routes ‘without great losses. Agents of private shipping companies by contact and personality can get business that government-operated services cannot reach. The subsidy is regarded more fav- orably than preferential duties because of the lessened probability of international friction even though the name _ subsidy stirs bitterness in the hearts of demagogic legislators. On some of the trade routes of the Fleet corporation, individual voyage losses run on an average of $18,000. If only a small portion of these amounts were paid as voyage subsidy under private operation, there would be a correspond- ing saving to the country with the pros- pects of the government disappearing from the shipping business and the mer- chant fleet being built up. In congress, : iii nnn B What s Doing Around The Lakes El TL master of the NortH AMERICAN this year. Chief engineers will be unchanged. ee ee Last year the Witt1aM P. Cowan, which carries nearly 3,000,000 gallons of gasoline or kerosene per trip when depth permits, opened the season by leaving for Muskegon on March 8. The Ata- BAMA of the Goodrich line had to open a channel into Muskegon for it. This year the Witt1am P. Cowan had not sailed up to March 18. ce ee Lake Michigan’s winter fleet, mostly passenger steamers, is beginning to shake off its lethargy. The Goodrich steamers which have not been on winter runs are 172 the real friends of the shipping board are from the South. Yet the South opposes a subsidy, not perhaps so much as a mat- ter of principle as through traditional and political reasons. Representative shipbuilders and marine equipment officials have been protesting to the shipping board and Fleet corpora- tion officials against the proposal to with- draw a number of the best vessels now in operation for conversion to diesel equip- ment. The board started its diesel pro- gram about a year ago, but it has not yet made its selection of the first 18 ships for the $25,000,000 conversion pro- gram. One of the arguments against re- fitting the active ships of the board is that some of those likely to be selected are the only ones in the government fleet that are making any kind of a showing under existing conditions. Actual hearings in the investigation of the shipping board and Fleet corporation by the special house committee finally have been brought to a close, although the committee still exists and will spend the time intervening in preparing its re- port for next winter’s session of congress. Its complete hearings are being printed and will run into a number of volumes. The hearings of this’ committee began early last spring and included a junket- ing trip to Europe. This report should hasten action to stop government operation. = IULUALUUTALUULLU Vi being fitted out at Manitowoc. Rebuild- ing of the superstructure of the SourH AMERICAN, of the Duluth & Georgian Bay line, is nearing completion at Mani- towoc. Its sister ship NortH AMERICAN is at Holland. The crews are on the Standard Oil fleet at Whiting, with the Witt1am P. Cowan only awaiting sail- ing orders to open the season. ee eee After a comparatively open winter, a gale piled up the ice on the east shore of Lake Michigan in the first week of March and created the worst ice condi- tions of the entire winter. At one time the ALABAMA of the Goodrich fleet was stalled outside of Muskegon while the