The Washington times., 1909-06-29
FIGHT is RENEWED
ON SHIP SUBSIDY
Supporters Reach Point
Where Naval Bills Are
Threatened.
BY JOHN sNURE.


no merchant marine. no navv'' is
the war cry raised by the advocates of
e ship subsidy measure It is likely a
great deal viii be heard of this at the
next regular session. II is not impos-
sible that the appropriations for she
navy will be greatly scaled down in con-
sequence OF the movement which has
been begun along these lines.
As everyone knows. the ship subsidy
supporters have been hammering at the
doors OF Congress for years and with
out success. Time and again, in fact
IN every session in recent years. they
have been defeated by a narrow mar
gin. Often they have been Just within
reach OF victory and as often victory
has eluded their grasp. But these re-
peated failures have not discouraged
them.
Instead of giving up the fight, there is
every Indication that the battle for ship
subsidy legislation will be waged next
winter harder than ever It will have
The backing OF President Taft. This is
not saying that specific bills viii have
the Presidents backing. He is com
plitted to the principle Of Government
aid in the building up of the American
merchant marine.
Campaign OF Education.
The men who are hacking the move
n1ent to get ship subsidy OK ocean mail
subsidy legislation have perceived. after
repeated defeats, that their failures are
cue TO the opposition from the members
Of Congress who come from The agri-
cultural districts.
They have concluded that the only
Nav to overcome this situation is to
fotr
the agricultural States. In pursuance
of this idea, they have engaged the serv-
ices of a number of able speakers who
are going about the country. lecturing
in advocacy of Government aid to the
merchant marine.
Representative ]. Sloat Fassett of
New York. former Representative ]. T.
McCleary Of Minnesota, former Repre-
sentative Charles B. Lands OF Indiana,
and several others are busily engaged
IN this work in behalf Of the subsidy
movement and have spoken at strategic
points.
The Merchant Marine League. with
headquarters in Cleveland, is engineer
ing the efforts of these gentlemen 10
conduct an educational campaign. If
that campaign should succeed in turn
ing over Few votes n the Senate and
House. subsidy legislation would prODa-
bly, be an accomplished fact at the end
Of the next regular session.
Threaten Naval Bills.
But in addition to their campaign Of
education, the supporters of a subsidy
for the merchant marine have reached
the point where they are threatening
the naval appropriations unless some
thing is done in behalf of the merchant
vessels. II can hardly be believed that
their threats viii go to the point OF ac-
tually trying TO cut down and hold up
naval appropriations unless subsidy leg
islation is passed. But there can be no
doubt that it is the impression given
out.
The Merchant Marine League is dis
tributing literature widely. calling at
tention TO the enormous outlay for the
navy and for naval construction. It is
pointed out that the Merchant Marine
League has. asked for less than two
tenths Of 1 per cent Of the money spent
on the navy since 1885. yet has got moth
ing. II is also pointed out that the
United States. for all its expenditures OF
money, has got fleet which In time OF
war could not leave the American coast
because OF a lack of Golfers. In this
same literature, il is emphasized that
the trip of the battleship fleet around
the world was not rema rkabIe and that
every day in the year tramp stea mers
out attracting attention and without
their crews thinking they have done
anything worthy of note.
mo Merchant Marine, No Navy"
Without directly attacking the policy
OF large appropriations for the navy.
the Merchant Marine League is making
war on the idea OF enormous naval ap-
preparations without aid for the mer-
chant marine and is apparently bent on
keeping up the cry: No merchant
marine. no navy" both before the reg
uiar session and after il comes on
Another method of advancing its cause
which the Merchant Marine League has
Undertaken IS 10 attack the Interna-
tional ShipOwners trust. which is al.
legged By the Merchant Marine League
70 be the real power behind the throne
IN opposition to subsidy legislation
II Is alleged by the Merchant Marine
League that this trust maintains a p0sg-
eFful lobby in Washington equipped
with unlimited financial resources. for
the purpose OF defeating all legislation
IN behalf OF an American merchant
marine