Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-02
Republicans and Few Demo-
Gratis Oppose U. S. Owning
Ships for European Trade.
REPORT TODAY ORDERED
ON ALEXANDER MEASURE
Talbot Subcommittee, Fearing En-
tanglement of This Country, Con-
suits President Wilson.

The House prepared itself today for a
battle royal on the administrations pro-
posal to enter aforementioned ships
in the European trade. A report was
ordered from the merchant marine COM
mittee on the Alexander bill, which allows
the government to become majority stock
holder in corporation which will ooer-
ate $30.000,000 worth of ships These
vessels will be paid for by the sale of
Panama canal bonds. and the corporation
will reimburse the government by its own
per cent gold bonds. The administra-
ton is behind the Alexander bill, which
permits the corporation to enter the
European trade with ships bought from
any nation.
Republicans and few democrats will
oppose this feature of the bill with
all the force at their command, as they
heed the warning of the British and
French ambassadors against the pos
sible purchase by the United States OF
German ships. 1t is plain to many of
these members that the government
intends to purchase German ships
Secretary McAdoo said yesterday the
administration feels the government
has right to purchase any ships for
a neutral purpose,
Fear of Difficulties.
Following out the idea that the Eu-
ropean trade will entangle the United
States in difficulties of tremendous
consequence. the Talbot subcommittee
of the naval affairs committee, after
considering its own merchant marine
bill for several hours today, left for
the White House in an effort to get
the Presidents approval of the meas
ure which is aimed to start the gov
eminent on merchant marine venture
to South American ports only.
The Alexander bill will come up on
the floor next week, with a minority
report, written by Representative
Greene of Massachusetts,. attacking it.
BY that time the naval affairs commit
tee will have discussed the recommen-
dations of it's subcommittee, which Is
at the White House today, and a def
mite plan of legislative action on the
floor will be framed. 1t is assured,
however, that many of the conserva-
the position that this country would
do best to keep out of the government
owned merchant marine in the Euro
pean trade, in view of the protests of
the warning nations.
Representative HobSon and Repre-
sentative Edmonds of Pennsylvania
spoke before the merchant marine
committee of the House today on va
riations of the merchant marine bill.
Representative EdmondS said there are
plenty of ships to carry American goods
and that the goods would be carried
II there was ever a settling down of ex-
change conditions abroad.
DR.. Owens Offers Plan.
DR.. Clarence ]. Owens of Washington,
secretary of the Southern Commercial
Congress, appearing before the merchant
marine committee, told the members that
his organization recommended the pas
sage of the Alexander bill, but offered
the suggestion that provision be made
comforting upon the proposed shipping
board the power to charter its vessels
to corporations or individuals who would
furnish Il security Of 20 per cent of the
cost of the vessels transferred. paying
as charter money 8 per cent per annum in
advance.
These chartered ships should operate
on whatever lines as would be acceptable
to the shipping board and subject to
rates, conditions and contracts approved
by the interstate commerce commission.
= DR.. Owens left with the committee a
statement prepared by Bernard n. Baker
Of Baltimore. who has said that there is
at least one company being organized in
Baltimore that would be willing to char
ter $5,Ovo,UOo worth of ships. giving the
government a million dollars in charter
money. He said the Inlerna tional Mer-
camille Marine of New York would do
the same.