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12 THe Marine REVIEW April, 1909 For the Honor of the Flag. HE annual meeting of the Merchant Marine League of the United States was held in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce at Cleveland on Satur- day, March 27, and was attended by many distinguished men from all parts of the country. The defeat of the Ocean Mail 'bill in the last congress has only had the effect of stimulating the league to greater energy. Two ses- sions were theld in the Chamber of Commerce rooms, each marked with earnest and convincing addresses. The meeting concluded with the annual dinner at the Hollenden on Saturday night. J. G Butler Jr, of Youngstown, president of the Merchant Marine League, presided at both sessions. At the morning session addresses were delivered by Congressman Richmond P. Hobson, of Alabama, Congressman Crevice i. Landis. of Indiana, and James T. McCleary, former: assistant postmaster general. MEMBERS OF MERCHANT MARINE LEAGUE ON THE STE reading from left to right-- Bottom row, Former Congressman ; James T. M president of the Merc : et Winthrop L. Marvin, Congressman J). Sloat Fassett, Daniel Former Secretar Py : 3]; hunt Marine Peg and H. Ww y of the Treasury Leslie M. Top row, reading from left to right . ae oF I , C. Dickey, Indiana Harbor; C. H, Gifford, Bes a Boston, Mass.; Eugene Tyler Mr. Hobson spoke of the need of auxiliaries for the navy and of the lively interest which the south 'has in its export trade. He said that ° the south keenly felt the lack of facilities for getting its cotton abroad. As for naval auxiliaries there was only one way of keeping them up to date and that was through an adequate mer- chant marine. Mr. McCleary spoke with convic- tion of the needs of adequate mail ser- vice. He made a thorough study of the subject during his tenure of office as assistant postmaster general, 'having had charge at that time of oversea delivery of mails, and realizing keenly how inefficient were the government sources of delivery. Congressman Landis urged that a campaign of education be waged throughout the country, believing that once the people interested understood the subject thoroughly they would demand that it be solved. At the afternoon session speeches were made by Leslie M. Shaw, former 'secretary of the treasury, and Congress- man William E. Humphrey, of Seat. tle. Secretary Shaw also urged the im- portance of education and pointed to the Chautauquas as a neglected field. He thought the Chautiauquas offered the surest and most direct means of reaching the people. He held congress to be eager to pass bills which it be- lieved the people wanted. He de- clared that ,the people would want a merchant marine as soon as they were made to realize its necessity. 'Conditions on the Pacific. Congressman Humphrey spoke of conditions now obtaining on the Paci- fic coast where only one steamer is engaged in oversea traffic flying the American flag. The rest have suc- cumbed to the unequal conditions im- posed upon them by the -- subsidized marine of Japan and other countries. He felt that greater than"the loss of ships was the loss of national self- 9 Chamberlain, commissioner of PS OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. J. Sully of New York, Humphrey, Congressman W. E. Shaw, Congressman Landis Mr [723G: Zutler Jr., Rose, Leavenworth, Kansas. ; ; i. : : - a x e 5 XT oe : secretary Merchant Marine League, Cleveland; Walter q. Russel, Detroit; W. inknown; Congressman Richmond P. Hobson, W. B. Liverzey, Newport News, Y4-3 navigation, Washington, D. C.