74TH C ONGRESS . SESS. II. CH. 858. JU NE 29, 1936 . (d) F unds mad e availa ble unde r the pr ovisions of subs ection ( b) of this section shall be available for expenditures authorized by the C ommissio n under the prov isions o f sectio n 201 of this Ac t as soo n asa majority of the members of the Commission shall have taken the oath of office, notwithstanding the provisions of section 907 of this Act. SEC. 210 . It shall be the duty of the Commission to make a survey of the American merchant marine, as it now exists, to determine what additions and replacements are required to carry forward the national policy declared in section 101 of this Act, and the Com- m ission i s direct ed to st udy, per fect, an d adopt a long-r ange pro - gr am for replacements and additions to the American merchant marine s o that a s soon a s practi cable th e follow ing obje ctives m ay be accomplished First, the creation of an adequate and well-balanced merchant fleet, including vessels of all types, to provide shipping service on all routes essential for maintaining the flow of the foreign commerce of the United States, the vessels in such fleet to be so designed as to be readily and quickly convertible into transport and supply ves- sels in a time of national emergency . In planning the development of such a fleet the Commission is directed to cooperate closely with the Navy Department as to national-defense needs and the possible speedy adaptation of the merchant fleet to national-defense require- ments. S econd, t he owner ship and the ope ration o f such a merchan t fleet by citizens of the United States insofar as may be practicable . Third, the planning of vessels designed to afford the best and most complete protection for passengers and crew against fire and all marine perils . SEC . 2 1 1 . The C ommissio n is aut horized and dire cted to investi- gate, determine, and keep current records of- (a) The ocean services, routes, and lines from ports in the United States, or in a Territory, district, or possession thereof, to foreign markets, which are, or may be, determined by the Commission to be essential for the promotion, development, expansion, and mainte- nance of the foreign commerce of the United States, and in reaching its determination the Commission shall consider and give due weight to the c ost of m aintaini ng each of such steamshi p lines, the pro b- ability that any such line cannot be maintained except at a heavy loss disproportionate to the benefit accruing to foreign trade, the number of sailings and types of vessels that should be employed in such lines, and any other facts and conditions that a prudent business man would consider when dealing with his own business, with the added consideration, however, of the intangible benefit the maintenance of any such line may afford to the foreign commerce of the United States and to the national defense ; (b) The type, size, speed, and other requirements of the vessels, including express-liner or super-liner vessels, which should be empl oyed i n such services or on such routes or lines, and the frequency and regularity of the sailings of such vessels, with a view to furnishing adequate, regular, certain, and permanent service
(c) The relative cost of construction of comparable vessels in the United States and in foreign countries ; (d) The relative cost of marine insurance, maintenance, repairs, wages and subsistence of officers and crews, and all other items of expense, in the operati on of compara ble vessels i n particular s ervices, routes, and lines under the laws, rules, and regulations of the United States and under those of the foreign countries whose vessels are substantial competitors of any such American service, route, or line ; 19 89 Designated funds available w hen ma- jority of Commission members qualify . Ante, p .1985. Post, p.2017. Survey of needed improvements of Amer- ican mer chant mari ne . Ante, p. 1985 . Long-range program to ac com pl ish objec- tives specified . Creation of adequate merchant fleet, etc . Cooperation with Na vy Department as to national defense . Ownership by citi- zens . Protection against fire and marine perils . Investigations, etc ., by Commission . Ocean r outes, etc ., to foreign markets essen- tial for promotion, etc ., of fore ign comm erce . Vessel requirements, sa ilings , etc . Rela tive con stru c- tion cost in United States and abroad . Insurance, repai s, wages, and other ex- penses of operation compared with foreign competitors.
