Loaded to the Gunwales

As the U.S. Maritime Commission's Marine Flasher docked in New York last week, some 300 passengers emerged sizzling. They promptly fired off a petition charging that the ship was, in effect, a floating flophouse. Yet the Maritime Commission made no move to withdraw the Marine Flasher or six similar troop-type ships from Atlantic passenger service. It knew that its ships were substandard but it kept them operating only because transatlantic ship space is so scarce.

The biggest cause of the jam, naturally, is a shortage of liners. Only 13 are now in transatlantic operation v. 73 in 1938. Only two of the 13--the 2,314-passenger Queen Elizabeth and the 1,050-passenger America* are large luxury liners. Seven more liners will be added by fall, including the Mauretania (1,153 passengers) this week and the Queen Mary this summer. By year's end 24 will be sailing. Even so, capacity will be far under prewar. U.S. lines, which alone could accommodate 56,515 prewar, now have room for less than 5,000.

The sharp increase in fares has scared off few travelers. First-class rates on the Elizabeth are up 27% over prewar--a minimum of $365 one way. Other rates are up as much as 50% (lowest fare: $165, tourist class). Other liners have boosted prices proportionately. But such figures will be purely academic to travelers unless they have their space already allotted. Practically all ships are booked solid to September, with few cancellations coming in. Example: for the 852 berths on its three ships, Holland America Line has a waiting list of 10,000. Most ship operators frankly admit that only one out of every 25 applicants can expect to get to Europe or return via ship. But passage on airlines is easy to get now, will probably be harder to get this summer.

* The others: Holland America Line's Veendam (552 passengers), Westerdam (150) and Noordam (150); Swedish America Line's Gripsholm (1,400) and Drottningholm (700); Italy's Saturnia (1,500); Norwegian America Line's Stavangerfjord (750); Spanish Line's Magallanes (500) and Marques de Camillas (500); French Line's Wisconsin (65) and Oregon (60); Gdynia American Line's Batory (850).

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