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ey ae ee ee ee a a i, ae ee February, 1919 us before this war began from en- acting legislation under which the American flag would fly over ships upon the seas will, now that the war has ended, when peace jis for- mally declared, prevent our giving the encouragement that I think must be given in order to keep our flag upon the seas. “We are going to come out of this war with a large tonnage. Is_ it going to fly the American flag or’ will it, under restrictions that our people can not bear, be driven off the sea or driven to other flags? I hope not. ; THINK this is one of the most important problems that confronts the American people today. We ought to have our own transportation upon the sea, or at least our great share of it. Ships ought to be sailing the seas flying the American flag, under conditions prescribed by American law, framed upon the principles of justice, liberty, and humanity, and I hope it will be done; but unless we do see to it that the conditions under which our ships sail are substantially the conditions of our competitors, our ships will be driven off the sea. Their conditions must be brought up to ours, or else we must provide in some way to take care of the dif- ference. Let us see if we cannot do it. I hope we can bring their conditions up to ours, but I see the tremendous difficulties in the way of that. But if we cannot do it then I want to Say) that) Pare willing that we should take gov- ernmental action in some way to make up the dif- ference, whatever it may be; and I hope we can consider _ this question. free from politics, free from _ partisan- ship, looking only to the welfare and glory of our country. I hope that labor and capital will look upon it in that way; and, if that is done, in’ my judgment we will pass whatever legislation is necessary uot only to build up the American merchant marine—or, in other words to keep upon the sea the American merchant marine that we shall have when this war ends—but also to build it up to the point where it ought to be, Senator Jones believes that we have the great opportunity to restore the American merchant marine to. the position it ought to hold, having the very opportunity that was presented to and taken advantage of by Eng- land during the civil war. He agrees with Senator Fletcher that we have the shipyards and the ship labor and that the American people are looking to the sea and to shipbuilding. Eng- land and France, Senator Jones pointed out, are going to do every- thing in their power not.only to maintain the position they have upon the sea but to strengthen that posi- tion and these governments are go- ing to. give every assistance they possibly can which they deem to be necessary not only to keep their ships upon the sea but to increase their number. “Now, assuming all other condi- tions to ‘be equal,’ ’ Senator Jones suggested, “if they grant govern- SENATOR WESLEY L. JONES -have help in THE MARINE REVIEW 53 mental aid and assistance to private enterprise we will have to do the same thing or else we will be. driven off the sea. We will have to do it in some form or other. It is all very well to appeal to the patriotism ot our laboring people; it is all very well to appeal to the patriotism of our capitalists; but business is not carried on very extensively in the commercial world upon the basis of patriotism, It: 4s. carried. on . upon business’ lines; it is carried on with the most intense competition and for profit.” XPRESSING the opinion that the American capitalist and laborer, with practically equal conditions, can compete with any people on _ the earth, Senator Jones said, however, if the great commercial countries of the world co-ordinate governmental power with individual initiative and effort, then our individuals can not stand up before it unless they also some form or_ other. “I do not now suggest what form that shall be,’ he continued, “but Americans cannot stand up against it unless they have, in some form or other, the aid and assistance of this government. In view of this, are we ready, are we willing, to give that aid rather than forego the ships that we so much need in peace and_ that are imperative in war? We hope for lasting peace, but war may come. It should not find us with- out ships, as this war did. What I want to. sug- gest is simply that when we get all the facts, when we get all the conditions and find out with what we are confront- ed, we meet the problem. with- out partisanship, without striving for party advan- tage, but, work- ing simply as patriotic citizens do what we be- lieve -to be for the welfare and good of our Sea : country.” Sena- © by Harris & Ewing tor J bes said he is in favor