Moore-McCormack Lines Pictorial Map of South America
Cartographer:
Chase, Ernest Dudley
Date of Creation:
1942
Published for the Moore-McCormack Lines. In 1913, steamship operators Albert V. Moore and Emmet J. McCormack established the Moore & McCormack shipping lines company and were the first United States flag vessel to visit South America. The company’s initial voyages traded in cargoes of coffee, wool and other natural resources from the continent, and in return “introduced the southern hemisphere to American production knowledge and machinery” (Stephen B. Bruce Library).
In 1936 President Roosevelt visited Buenos Aires on a goodwill tour, and as a direct result “insisted on the creation of an American flag passenger-cargo service between North and South America in order to compete with foreign flag vessels. The first passenger-cargo liner built under the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 was acquired by Moore-McCormack and became the leading operator of American flag vessels. The Company’s passenger vessels became known as the renowned Good Neighbor Fleet. Also, the first advertisements start to appear as an effective campaign to encourage interest in travel between North and South America aboard the Good Neighbor Fleet” (Stephen B. Bruce Library).
By 1938 the Company officially became Moore-McCormack Lines, Incorporated in September. After acquiring the American Republics Line and the three passenger vessels, the Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, they operated the first American flag passenger vessels made solely for comfort and luxury travel.
During WWII many of the Moore-McCormack Lines ships were requisitioned for service, and this poster and other advertising was commissioned by the company to reassure North America tourists and boost travel in a country that was as yet not directly affected by the troubles in Europe.