THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 19, 1994 TAG: 9411190009
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
You recently carried a story that Sea-Land shipping company wants the federal government to allow it to operate U.S. ships under foreign flags. This is so Sea-Land and its parent corporation can make more money by lowering crew costs and by escaping regulations regarding safety, construction, inspections.
This would generate significant revenue, but at what cost? Amtrak would show a tidy profit if we allowed Third World crews to operate our trains at Third World wages and diluted safety and inspection criteria. This same rationale could also apply to the local supermarket.
America is first and foremost a sea power, and Virginians, with their maritime tradition, should be concerned. For the first time in the history of our nation, our Merchant Marine is smaller than the Navy built to protect it.
Industrial nations that desire to remain sea powers have but two choices: cargo preference (which most European nations use), or subsidy. This provides a unique and historic opportunity for the new Republican Congress to restore our maritime capability.
ROBERT P. LUCAS
Captain, U.S. Navy (ret.)
Virginia Beach, Nov. 9, 1994 by CNB