The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-05
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL SCANDAL
MAY PRFIENT NTION ON THE
MElN re- rms SESSION.
SuO-l OmniN rr Nppointed To- IN, estigaie
the CHARGE That Improper Meana
Rave Been Z sod to Perez Ita Passage
--PrOmIneHI Nrn To Ne suhDsrRaed.

~
WASHINGTON. March g. House leaders
practically admitted to-day that the huh
abalOo raised over tho Stcenerson reSolu-
ton. In which Il IL charged that improper
means have been used In an effort tn force
the pAssaze ot the Humphrey ship subsidy
bill. would prevent action On the measure
af this session While the leaders will not
Oppose IN appolntm NJ of n COMMITTEES
Of inquiry to inquire into this scandal
u Representative Stssner-on makes
strong ~ Iarte case. they Hre OF opinion
that the preliminary examination will
show that the supporters of the ship
subsidy hill out-ii' ~ Congress were
overzealous hut no, guilty % acts that
wouh bring them IA conflict with the
criminal statutes
Representative StsenerSon OF Mnnesota.
the author Of m" resolution OF inquiry.
~ convinced that good sized -"andal -
about Ia h. lald hare AZ a meeting Ot
the Committee IN the Judiciary to-day a
sub-commltt"" was appointed 10 inquire
into the matter The subcommittee com
prises Representatives Sterling ~ Illinois.
chairman. and Malby vt New York. ke-
publicans and Brantley of Georgia. Demo
crat Mr. StcenerSon was notified that the
Subcommittee would meet ~ io:SO O clock
Tomorrow morning to hear his side 81 the
story Of the alleged scandal
Mr. Steenerspn sald that hp had pre-
pared list ~ witnes4es that he intended
To ask the subcommittee to subpRna.
some OF them supposed 20 have knoWledge
of things that have been done to further
ship subsidy legislation and others said
20 be in possession Of facts tsDdin to show
that a lobby has h.eu maintained IN
Washington hy foreign shipping inter
ests "a place obstacles m the way Of such
legislation Among those Mr. Steenerson
will ask the committee TO subpoena are
two former Governors of States. three
members " the House one former mem
her % the HOUSE and other persons pronl-
= nent in the business and ind Istrial world
The former Governor, that Mr. Steener-
son will include in hi- list ~ witnesses ara
Myron r Hsrrick of Ohio and samuel
Van SAINT ~ Minnesota the latter now
commander IN chief ~ the q \ v They
& sre connected with the Merchant Marine
League The members - the Houserhat
as viii nssrle as ~iins==e= are Representa-
lives Fasssrt u New York ku-terrnan ~
Wisconsin and Borland ~ Missouri IN"
former msmher - james 7 Mctl~ary 81
Minnes1'a who Is supposed 10 have feen
active in Washington ~ the representative
Of the Merchant Marine League.
John Hays Hammond. president It the
National League ~ Republican Clubs Ill
be included m the lis - witnesses pre-
pared nv Mr. Steenerson NJ Hammond
y an Officer 81 the Merchant Marine
kaaRlle other men that Mr. Strsner-pn
wants present ~ witnesses Ira a dozen
or 80 bsIsiness men IN Cleveland. whore the
ieague's headquarters ar located. y q
Ionver-e - New NoTk Edward Hiurs ~
chicago. VI 4 Potter ~ Indiana polls.
u. A. rhumpkns u charlotte. y G.
r. p. Schwerin. vice president ~ the Pn-
cific Mail Steamship Company, John
nasne~on Il he Pacific Coast Steamship
Company. and George " Dicke ~ the
Union Iron Works
authorizes AN investigation q What Nc.
Steene rsOu believes TO IL q scandal ~ will
embrace the OppOsitiun Ia the subsidy hill
a. well a. those who SUPPORT u k-pre-
sentative Fsssett ~ New York - among
those who h-,iieve that the forpign steam
ship Interests have t-Aen active IN lighting
legislation designed 20 uphuIld IN" Amsri-
Tan merchant marine. VI Fas-eti makes
plain his hel,et N this regard ~ state
ment h. authorized ~ the subject to-day
He said
The people Operating foreign steam
shiTss PLYING between tins ant other
Corntrie. receive "a American business .
annually about s2'D rn.'ssi m freight rates
and appro Xlmat.ly STi VtJ.,sD GA account
81 passenger traffic II - Ia. i.-t trad. ?
in the World and the owners are not tn ~. F
blamed for making an aggressive r"S'--
tance against the eudes vpr 10y -.srIs means
~ other 20 roe-tauil-h the Ame~lC4n NOR.
chant marin.
Mr. Fass@t' -ald to-oav thar Repre-
sentative Sts.uerE0n vas ~ ,rror when
be made tl" statement Yesterday that he
tFaseettH had eNprs--sst a PURPOSE 70
introduce resolution 81 INJURY INTO
the activities 81 FOREIGN shipping interests
on the ground thai he believed they main
tanned in Washington = lobby opposed
"a subsidy legislation Referring 10 tins
matter NJ. faz~"tt sasd
MIR Steeuer~on entirely misappre-
hended the nature and intent Of my re-
marks casually Passing ms desk yeStsr-
day I <aId ! noticed ne was anxious Ia
nvesti9a'" the question 81 a ship subsidy
lobby and that I hoped he would give
both -lre- Of tho question. I told him
that I had seen a arge numher ~ clIp-
pings couched m almost IdenLicaily the
ZANE language which had apT~ared m
many different rsw~pap~rS Gathered
over the United State- disparaKing the 7
movement Tor the rehabilitation ~ The
merchant marine I told him further
that thIs looked to mo ~ n a very sggre--
aiVe Dress bureau Was maintained in Nhs
interests ~ he foreign ship owners and
tnht " lle we're going 10 nav" ah "hafnina-
ton everybody "un"ern"d ought 20 be
examined w Nte~nsTspn evidently took
my remarks m - much more serious nay
than they were nt"nde,'. bat the facts
are as have stated
Mr. S'rensr~on sad he had NO thought /,
Of MISUNDERSTANDING the uatur. 81 the "On-
yerSatICn that took place between himself
and Mir. Fa-zett. hut his Recollection was
that the New Work member had suggested I
= resolution Of inquiry and that h. left
Mr. Fas-sei with the impression thai he
,Fazss.tip bad SAID that he had knOWledge
Of hobby M Washington Appearing VA
hehalf IT the foreign eamshtp interests