224 THE IMPORTANCE OF PORT FACILITIES IN THE 



With the existing fierce competition between ports, both for business and for appropri- 

 ations from the national treasury for the further improvement thereof, it would seem to be 

 proper and consistent that Congress should now give definite notice that hereafter preference 

 will be given in making any appropriations for harbor improvements to those ports that show 

 themselves most interested and most successful in carrying out our national policy that the 

 greater part of our foreign commerce— i. e., both freight and passenger business — shall be 

 carried in American vessels. Compliaiice with any such policy by a port, or the giving of 

 satisfactory guarantees to fulfil any condition like this, could be best undertaken by an or- 

 ganized and unified port authority, and the matter of efficient organization is perhaps our 

 ports' greatest need today. Such a measure as the foregoing would therefore have the addi- 

 tional advantage of accelerating steps to secure the best type of port organization, an out- 

 come that would result in untold advantage to our merchant marine. It would seem advan- 

 tageous that for this purpose the percentage should be measured by comparing the gross 

 tonnage of vessels rather than the tons or value of freight or the number of passengers 

 carried, as the former basis is more closely identified with the operation of our merchant 

 marine since it would include allowance for both passengers and freight, and as any change 

 in the number of vessels — and accordingly tonnage — would be more easily subject to the 

 control of the port interests. 



Such an act of Congress, based on the hereinbefore quoted law of March 2, 1919, rela- 

 tive to water terminals, reiterating the policy that the greater part of our foreign commerce 

 should be carried by American vessels, and vesting the Secretary of War with discretion to 

 delay or suspend expenditures for the improvement of any port unless at least 50 per cent 

 of the gross tomiage of vessels engaged in foreign commerce entering and clearing from that 

 port is American tonnage, or imtil satisfactory assurances are received that that percentage 

 will be secured within a reasonable time and will be thereafter maintained, would instantly 

 broaden competition between our ports beyond the present mere unorganized scramble for 

 business on the part of individual carriers and other interests, and would initiate a competi- 

 tion that would bring concrete results in promoting steps to obtain a imified port authority 

 and in assisting our merchant marine to get much needed cargo, as well as passenger busi- 

 ness, that at present is going to foreign vessels. 



Should Congress, in pursuance "of the policy of the United States to do whatever may 

 be necessary to develop and encourage the maintenance of such a merchant marine," also di- 

 rect the Interstate Commerce Commission to exercise its rate-making power so as to give due 

 preference and assistance to those ports where at least 50 per cent of the gross tonnage of 

 vessels engaged in foreign commerce, using that port, is American tonnage, the effect would 

 be striking in enabling our merchant vessels to cope more successfully with foreign compe- 

 tition. Should any expenditure, also, of public funds for the overseas transportation of 

 government freight and passengers other than by American vessels be prohibited by Con- 

 gress, unless no suitable American vessels are available, it would especially assist our strug- 

 gling transatlantic passenger lines that are greatly handicapped by the superior attractions 

 offered at the present time by foreign steamships. 



If government statistics on commerce and shipping should regularly include a table list- 

 ing our ports in order by the percentage of the gross tormage of American vessels engaged 

 in foreign commerce to the total tonnage of vessels engaged in foreign commerce that 

 enter and clear from each port; by giving same proper publicity, the wheels would au- 

 tomatically be set in motion in each port that falls below the 50 per cent standard, 



