THE FUTURE OF GERMANY'S MERCANTILE MARINE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1918, Page 2

THE FUTURE OF GERMANY'S MERCANTILE MARINE.

"Germany is preparing to rebuild her ruined shipping at all costs," says a writer i n "financial America." Through more taxation is to be'provided money for this purpose, estimated in amount at a quarter of a billion of dollars for subsidies. The Government, having assumed the risk of war by enrolling its merchant ships and crews in its naval reserve, "is now determined to repay the owners of the ships taken by' the enemy." Not only is the cost of the lost ships to be repaid, "but a large part of any additional expense of building at a time when labor and materials, are high." Autocracy in this step gives notice to America and to Britain that "the world's trade is not to be ours without a struggle after the war" German ships are to carry German goods to foreign markets. The writer continues :

"Germany trusts, no doubt, that her old commercial tricks of imitation and intrigue and dumping will avail her in the contest. She expects that cheap goods will be the 'open sesame' for barred doors in markets where her name is detested. Her dyes that once entered all lands will again be 'offered in an effort to displace the young industry built up in America since the war Her chemicals and drugs will come with them. The potash that many countries, including America, need badly will be offered with the olive-branch of peace. In return she will Beek cargoes of the raw materials she lacks—of our grain, of petroleum, of fats, of nitrates for her explosives and in fertilisers, of lumber, nickel and rubber, and cotton and wool. She will need them all to build her military machines as well as •her peaceful manufacturing industries. And she trusts not in foreign ships to supply her with the necessities of war and peace. "America already has learned her lesson in shipping in the experience of the last three years. We are no longer to be dependent on foreign carriers that cau be swept from us in a day by the decree of a foreign government. Our people are cheerfully providing billions for a cargo fleet, knowing that it will be made to hear our commerce in peace as well as the supplies of war America for years watched the merchant marine of England 1 and of Germany grow up with the aid of subsidies. She saw ships under their flags covering the seas, while our own grew' steadily less. When the conflict came, without tremendous increase in world-trade, our goods were borne almost entirely in foreign bottoms. Foreign ship-owners have profited enormously from America's prosperity. Large amounts of money have gone to their credit from their sharei in America's commerce, because in times of peace we withheld needed aid from our own shipping interests. This condition is pasing now, and our aspirations to world-trade require that it shall never be permitted to return.' After the war the red, white, and blue should be the dominating colors seen at the stern of the ocean carriers in our ports, instead of being a rare sight. "There is evidence m the shipping legislation that has just been approved by the Reichstag of the strengthening of the alliance of great commercial corporations and the privileged class of the nobility The bill making absolute grants was passed despito the objection, of the Socialists that it made » gift to capital in a favored industry The German Socialists admitted, however, that the policy of subsidies could only be overcome 'by international agreement if Germany is to hold her own in the contest for world-trade. The speakers all manifested the German determination to -be independent of foreign carriers, and to save money for the Fatherland by carrying Germany's imported raw materials and Germany's exports in German bottoms. The decision to support her shipping is one that involves great sacrifice to Germany at this time, but it means a new Ipna» nf life to (iermany's commerce if the war permits her to resume her trade as of old."