During the past 2 years, as compared with the prewar decade, the proportion of our foreign trade carried by ships under the American flag has substantially increased.

With the aid provided by mail contracts and construction loans, authorized by this act, orders have been placed for 45 new vessels of 500,000 gross tons and for the reconditioning of 19 vessels of 160,000 gross tons.

The constant volume of new construction has made possible a notable advance in the shipbuilding art.

The addition of this vessel and the three sister ships which will follow her into the carrying trade between the United States and Central and South America is an augury of closer communication and intercourse with our neighbors to the…

At no time since the glorious American clipper ship era has the Nation displayed such a keen interest in its ship activities.

The determination of the American people to possess a first-class merchant marine has resulted in the establishment of a network of regular and dependable ocean service to all the principal ports of the world where our flag is again a…

The resultant revival of shipbuilding industry has provided employment not only at seaboard shipyards but throughout the country where are produced and manufactured a large part of the materials and equipment entering into the finished…

I am glad to extend congratulations to the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, as builders, and to The Grace Line (Panama Mail Service), as owners, upon the launching of the SS Santa Rosa.

It has notably grown in trades where no American flag services previously were provided.

The efforts put forth in the rehabilitation of the American merchant marine have proved beneficial to the country at large.

It is inconceivable that Congress could have intended to protect racketeering and extortion under the guise of labor organization activity.

It is hereby ordered that returns may be open to inspection by State officers for State intangible property tax purposes.