THE NATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 
MEercHANT MARINE Poricy 
It is necessary for the national defense and the proper growth 
of foreign and domestic commerce that the United States should 
have an adequate merchant marine, ultimately to be owned and 
operated privately by citizens of the United States. The Chamber 
is unalterably opposed to the government engaging in commercial 
business for the reason that such a course is economically inefficient, 
is against public interest, and is in contravention of the fundamental 
purposes of the government. 
The Chamber therefore urges upon the President of the United 
States and the Shipping Board that, before the Board enters upon 
the commercial venture of direct operation of its government-owned 
ships, further efforts should be made by counsel and collaboration 
with responsible shipping interests of the United States to evolve 
a plan by which the ships necessary to maintenance of essential 
services may be operated by private citizens of the United States, 
with a view to their acquisition and ownership by citizens as soon 
as they can be made self-sustaining. 
To this end we ask careful consideration of the possibility of 
relief of private American shipping interests from inequality in 
world competition, believing that relief is obtainable through the 
relaxation or removal of burdensome restrictions without departure 
from proper requirements for public safety. ( Resolution, Eleventh 
Annual Meeting, 1923.) 
MERCHANT MARINE Act oF 1920 
We strongly advocate the indefinite postponement by Congress 
of the effective date of the application of Section 28 of the Merchant 
Marine Act of 1920. The announcement of the intention to make 
this provision immediately effective has created grave problems 
which are disturbing and hazardous to American producing, manu- 
facturing, and commercial interests. (Resolution, Twelfth Annual 
Meeting, 1924.) 
Coastwise NavicatioNn Laws 
The Chamber of Commerce of the United States declares its 
belief in the wisdom of the coastwise navigation laws of the United 
States. (Resolution, Thirteenth Annual Meeting, 1925.) 
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