Speech #770043071

It has developed that the American Export Lines has a monopoly. as I choose to use the term. on all transportation by water from American ports to Mediterranean ports and to Lisbon. Portugal. That monopoly has manifested itself to such an extent that during the time when refugees sought to leave Europe at the outbreak of the present war American Export Lines did not have ships in sufficient number or of sufficient capacity to transport the refugees from Mediterranean ports or from Lisbon to the United States. So the United States Linesa shipping linesent its ships into Mediterranean ports and carried refugees from Mediterranean ports to American ports. American Export Linesas illustrative of their monopoly with respect to those ports. which monopoly was acquiesced in by the mandate and direction of the American authoritymade a demand on the United States Lines and received from the United States Lines $400.000 for transporting refugees from the Mediterranean ports to America. I wonder if that is in keeping with the thought which the Senator is developing.