Evening journal., 1915-09-20
MONDAY SEPT. 20. 1915
THE snIp pnRcHAsE RlLL-

III GLIDING no brief for the wilson administration.
A we nevertheless feel called upon offer plea OF
not guilty on one count In reference the indictment
brought by the Chicago Tribune The editor OF the ri
bune charges that the administration keeps the country
IN the dark to it's policies This may be true as
regarding the policy TO be pursued n of serious
foreign complication. but point the policy OF the
administration is clear and explicit and the country
has fair warning Of what may be expected.
The dubious Ship Purchase bill IS to he brought for
ward again at the session already such Of the
governmental machinery may be found useful for
the purpose is being suborned to secure evidence in
support Of the plan The purpose OF the administration
with this measure is being well adverhsed-and the
opponents Of this inQuitous piece Of soclastc egsa-
tion, among whom we hope may count the Chicago
Tribune should prepare for the contest The case
AGAINST the shipping bill is stronger today than It was
when patriotic combination of Republican and Demo-
cratic Senators defeated II last winter Since then the
business men of the country have declared against II
in uncertain terms and the weakness measure
as means OF practical assistance 10 has
recently been exposed by Senator Gailinger. whose
study and knowledge OF the shipping question un-
excelled.
The Senator points out that the Democratic method
Of solving shipping problem contempates the for
nation Of corporation In which the government shall
hold hfyone per cent of the forty millions of stock
the remainder to be offered for sale and probably
taken in part payment for the ships to be purchased
ed, naturally and ~ the administration bill should be-
a law might see says the Senator forty-nine
per cent OF the profits accruing favored foreign cap
italsts. This the Senator declares truthfuy to be a
obnoxious form of special privilege against which
the administration has always claimed 10 stand
Going further the Senator compares the Democratic
proposal for increasing shipping facilities with the
Republican plan which defeated in a recent Con
eress by the determined flibustor OF the Democratic
Senator'S This plan. drafted by Senator Ganger af-
ter prolonged study and out over night as
was the Wilson NcAdoo BILL offered adequate compen-
sation for carrying the masthe contract to 20 10 the
lowest responsible bidder offering the best serviceand
for subsidy payment to cargo ships in order to
equaze the cost Of service between American shps re-
quring better pay and remuneration for their crews
and the foreign ships with crimped and underfed sea-
men-ths service to be further obligated to an aux
ary naval duty. This plan Senator GanPer declares
this Republican plan would create ten ships where
the McAdoo Democratic plan would furnish one The
Republican plan would give equal opportunity TO all
Americans who wish to be ocean shipowners; the
Democratic plan would subsidze single favored cor
poration and leave all other Americans in overseas
trade at the mercy of foreign competition"
The next Congress will afford an opportunity TO test
the merits Of these two plans The administration we
beg to remind the Chicago Tribune has made IT plain
that the McAdoowilson shipping bill be one OF its
policies We expect Republican substitute TO be pre-
sented along the lines which Senator Gailneer has
suggested.