The Irish standard., 1909-12-25
A Resolution of Investigation
That Passed Muster.
Ship Subsidy Legislation At
tracing Attention.
Public Sentiment Hostile to
Passage of the Bill.
Especial to the Irish Standard.)

committee on rules, winch is DeLlei
known in Congressional circles as
Uncle Joe,' has startled Democrats
and Progressives by favorably report
ing resolution of investigation.
Owing to the tradition that resolu-
tions of investigation which go to the
committee on rules meet instantan-
eous death, the measure which has
just reappeared in the zone of live leg
islation is looked upon as having
Aguratively returned from the dead"
The measure reported is not the
Campbell resolution providing for q
probe of the sugar scandal, however.
Nor is it the Hitchcock resolution
which provides for an ivestigation of
the Ballinger- Pinchot controversy,
which would necessarily be an inves-
tigation of Ballinger.
The resolution which "Uncle Joe"
smiled upon provides for the appoint
ment of committee of five members of
the House to investigate the DISPOSE
ton Of useless papers that have ac-
. cumulated in the cellar of the Capitol.
"Mr. Speaker, l would like to make
a remark or two" said Minority Leader
Clark when the resolution made it's ap-
pearance on the floor Of the House. ut
seems to be easy enough to get reso-
luton reported out that has reference
to useless papers in the various sub
oP 10 nj INIT Ivh
is resolution calling for an investiga-
ton of the sugar trust, to see how much
money it has actually stolen and who
is mixed up in the thing, or to in
vestigate the land office, there is some
kind Of smothering process goes on
that needs to be explained either by the
gentleman from Illinois (Rep. Mann,
Speaker Cannon's floor manager) or
somebody else"
Mr.. Mann evidently missed the point
of Mr. Clark's observations, as he pro-
ceeded to confine his remarks to the
urgent necessity of investigating the
disposition Of useless papers.
Whereupon the following colloquy
occurred between Rep. John j. Fitz-
gerald Of New York and the Cannon
floor representative, Mr.. Mann
Mr.. Fitzgerald: Let me suggest to
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Mann)
that he misunderstood the gentleman
from Missouri (Mr. Clark. The gen.
tleman from Missouri suggested that
he (Mr. Mann) explain the failure to
report out resolutions that might get
rid Of useless officers. He is explain
ing resolution to get rid Of useless
papers. There is great difference.
Mr.. Mann: The difference between
the gentleman from New York and
myself is that he always talks about
something that is not before the House.
while I endeavor to talk about some
thing which is before the House.
Iaughter.)
Mr.. Fitzgerald: My misfortune is
that I cannot get Se6ore the House re-
ports which should be talked about
The gentleman readily gets before the
House what is of no Importance, and
simply wastes the time Of the people.
(Laughter.)
If you are against q ship subsidy,
you are unpatriotic.
This is the slogan that has been
adopted by the millionaire shipowners
who will profit, chiefly, from the pas
sage of ship subsidy legislation. Aware
that public sentiment is hostile to the
tempt to pass within the next few
months, the subsidy grabbers have de-
cided to make their fight center on an
appeal to the patriotism of the Ameri-
can people.
IF we were to have war with Japan,
we would be at the mercy of the
transport COAL" is the cry that is row
going up from the tainted press
y bureaus maintained in various parts of
the country by the financiers who
ury.
This plea merely befogs the issue
for readers not we'll versed on the sub
ject, because it tends to create the i'm
preston that legislators who oppose
ship subsidy are against the rebuild
y ing of the American merchant marine.
AS matter of fact, the men. who are
4 opposing the principle of subsidy
opposing the payment of millions of
dollars annually from the public treas
It ury to private ship owners-are more
sFanxious to put American shipping on
n its feet than the friends of the sub
ssidy. Only they would do it by per-
4 4 uniting the American registry to for
seign-built ships, a method which does
4 not provide for the opening of the