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U.S. Wants Share
Of Marshall
Plan Shipments
"Herald" Service.
NEW YORK, Nov. 28.-A' proposal
to assign the largest possible amount
of American shipment under the Mar
shall Plan to the mercantile marines
of foreign countries, in order to enable
them to earn dollars, is opposed by
United States shipowners and maritime
workers alike.
Within recent months, 100 freighters
flying the American flag have been
laid up because they have been un
able to meet foreign competition.
American costs are so high that
only Government subsidies can enable
the United States to continue to ope
rate a large mercirntile marine.
Although America has so much ton
nage idle, despite the fact that the
use of foreign vessels would save the
taxpayer £531,250,000 on the Mar
shall Plan shipments, shipping circles'
dislike anything that will weaken their
position.
From the Treasury viewpoint, the
trouble is that the American Mercan
tile Marine is becoming continuously
more expensive to operate.
The maritime unions are demanding
a 40-hour week, which means that
crews must be increased by 25 per
cent., ther.by reducing the amount of
space available for passengers and
cargo.
American rates of pay are from two
to four times the amounts paid to sea
men of other countries.
The high American costs are not
merely responsible for the reluctance
of American companies to operate
more than 481 of the Maritime Com
mission's 1555 war-built ships, but also
for stagnation in American shipyards.
America to-day is building only
200,000 tons of new shipping, includ
ing two passenger ships, compared with
Britain's 2,000,000 tons, of which 125
ships will be passenger carriers.
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