Ford UFO Files

In all, the United States has dropped to 12th place among the world's shipbuilding nations.
Russia, on the other !1and, has jumped from 12th to seventh place. She openly admits that she in-
tends to use her growing merchant marine--which now numbers almost 1,500 vessels--as an instru-
ment of foreign policy.
The importance of all this to the United States is only too clear1 particularly as the ex-
panding war in Vietnam puts more pressure on our merchant marine. Shipping volume to Vietnam
has leaped from 300,000 tons a month to 800,000 tons per month.
The poor state of our merchant marine, much of it due to Defense Secretary McNamara's
bad planning, Is so acute that we have had to caiJ on foreign flag vessels to help us supply our
troops and supplies to Vietnam.
It is past time that our merchant marine shipbuilding be increased. Unless we do, our de-
fense commitments ·:hroughout the world will be In ieopardy.
If the Administration sticks to its bankrupt maritime policy 1 this country--which once
!:oasted the greate~t merchant fleet in the world--will be left on history's shore waiting for ships
that never come in.
This is Congre~sman reporting to you from Washington.
(A copy of this script is available on Teleprompter in the House TV Studio)