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Editorial New Year Offers Some Big Jobs EW YEAR'S resolutions may last from 1 to 365 N days depending upon the type of individual who makes them. But in business where the turn of the year usually means inventory not only of stocks but of progress, appraisal not only of capital value but of ac- complishment, the resolutions mean more than in the case of an individual who “swears off” or “swears on” as the case may be. To the marine field, with poignant memories of a none- too-good year and influenced by repeated declarations that the past year or two have been the worst in the history of the industry, 1925 now offers a chance for appraising what has been done and what remains to be done to put shipping and shipbuilding companies back on a profit-win- ning basis. From a business standpoint, the outlook is better than it has been for several years. The progress in European rehabilitation both economic and political, the reduction in shipping tonnage through a larger program of scrapping old ships during 1924, the smallness of new construction which now acts to reduce the available tonnage, and the general upward trend of business, all act to offer en- couragement to the shipowner who has weathered the storm and to the shipbuilder who found naval construc- tion stopped at a time when private owners were unable or unwilling to order new ships. But as usual, especially in this country, marine condi- tions are affected not only by business but by political in- fluences. On that side of the balance sheet, some prog- ress has been made but the battle is little more than be- gun. Marine Review has some definite ideas for political channels which it believes would operate to the progress along best advantage of the marine industry. Oust Shipping Board To demand constantly that the shipping board either sink or sell its ships and get out of the shipping business. At first, rated as a too radical this has won more supporters. The better-informed statesmen, including President Coolidge, agree that government com- petition is a blight to an industry and that consequently our shipping ‘cannot exist half private and half federally owned. Why should any one admit the premise but balk at the logical solution. The shipping board is operating at a huge loss, is in- terfering with privately owned ships on some routes, is its own fleet proposal, policy damaging tug owners at New York with of tugs, is holding its good ships at prices well above in- stead of well below the world market and by its very existence is introducing an element of uncertainty which prevents any private owner from planning for strengthen- ing his own fleet. Sentimentally, the withdrawal of the shipping board would result temporarily in taking some American ships out of trades in which they are now kept solely by the size and power of the country’s treasury. That method surely is no measure of progress or even of encouragement for the future. Remove the shipping board entirely as a business com- petitor and let it concentrate on the study and advocacy of means of putting private shipping on a legislative basis of equality with the ships of other nations. That would be a mark of progress and a guarantee of ultimate suc- Marine execu- tives will do well to devote 1925 to the problem of getting the shipping board out of the shipping business. cess for this country in the shipping trade. More Legislative Sense To fight for private ownership and. operation of Ameri- can ships on the high seas, with modifications of the navi- gation, measurement and seamen’s acts which will put American shipowners more nearly on a parity with for- eign operators. This proposal runs parallel with the first. The shipping board by surrendering its attempts to be a successful com- mercial enterprise and by devoting its time and study to . the above legislative problems could really help American 29 shipping. Spend More Wisely To insist on the river and harbor appropriations being taken out of politics and that the money available for this purpose be spent according to the requirements of com- merce and navigation. To demand in this connection the proper improvements of the Ohio, Mississippi and other major rivers and harbors to the exclusion of ob- scure creeks and bays. The frank pork barrel method of appropriation for rivers and waterways is in many minds a thing of the past. But large sums are wasted each year on projects which have never begun to return dividends in the form of in- creased commercial activity. Every marine man _ can read with instruction and profit the introductory article in this issue which by an original method checks up on fed- eral appropriations for waterways and shows which in- vestments have been wise and which have been other- wise. These three proposals are certainly among the most important which can be made for aiding American ship- ping. Freedom from governmental interference and com- petition; wisdom in government legislation and care in necessary waterways appropriation, are three prime es- sentials which if wisely supplied would do much to make American shipping a real power. Decision to work for their accomplishment is a good New Year’s resolution.