New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-12
Administration Said TO Be
committed to Move 1t
Once Opposed.
M,aDOO CONFERS
WITH B. n. BAKER
Steamship Man Says congress
Will Pass Suitable
Measure.

Wellington. Oct. "details Of the
.,w government ship purchase Dill
.,,,b viii be advocated by the admin
,,.-.tior AZ the next session Of Con
ross were discussed az some length
,c.8sv by Secretary Of the Treasury
v,A6oo sad Bernard y. Baker Bal
.s,ore steamship man. who was See
.,,.rr VcAdoo's adviser last year. Mr..
p,ter'. activities at that time we're
,.r,e4ra.cd by the Senate committee
,ppo.rted 10 inquire about the alleged
lotty orr the ship bill
W.ro +he administration IS not yet
-,.fr 90 admit publicly It's desire 10"
= bord issue as the solution 10 the
r-oii,r o. raising funds, such move
ts. been virtually decided on.
b,qb Official OF the Treasury De-
,..,.rror- admitted that conditions
81 changed" since the recent decl"ra,.
80, ~ the Secretary that there would
bc M bond issue This Official also
s.s.ed that the administration was
mot afraid Of g bond issue. but be-
led That now was the time 10 %
tb.ars big way. 80,
Ia @ discussing the ship purchase PHI
Nr Baker declared - imperative 'Aat
,be United States should have mer-
chant marine. A~a
.Tbe only answer ! have ever heard
% the question is o merchant marine
needed is "a positive yes, so that the
oriv Question remaining IS how pest
10 obtain d." said Mr.. Baker. y be-
Tsve here VIII be no trouble this year
=. suitable bin is drafted. IN getting
tho measure passed by Congress. We
reed auyilary ships for the navy IN
.bs event of trouble. and every one re
members rhe trouble this country mad
in obtaining such ships during th'
Span.sh-America War.
Asicd II ANYTHING definite had been
decided as 20 details Of the bill, MI;
Rator said tina. the discussion had
been on the general ideas involved.
The ship ownership programme,
should Congress approve IL this year
woul8 add a: least SlO.000,000 to the
wears appropriations. This would not
be the total cost Of the bill, but 1t was
proposed last year that the govern
ment-owned corporation building or
buyjne the ships should issue $780,
0OiOO0 bonds which would be bough:
ly the government # private investors
did 10: respond.
Even if only 100000 should be
sppropriated. the administration would
be- a long way further toward gen
eral bond issue. With revenues for
present expenditures running ABOUT
SgOOOOOOO q year short, with naval
programme adding about s95,OOo,oOO to
last wears figures. and with a big IN
crease in the appropriations for the
navy. the administration has frankly
recognized that there must be addl-
tional sources Of revenue.
A member Of the administration In
intimate touch with the PRESIDENT
pointed out to-day that a bond issue
ior the naval programme would be
jus,fable on the theory that the ap-
propriation was necessary to BRING the
navy 10 proper size and efficiency
rather than 10 spread the increase ever
several years. This same theory, IN
jast!tying short term notes to provde
FOR an adequate increase in the navy
was advocated by Senator Simmons
chairman Of the finance committee, IN
an interview IN The Tribune more thah
month ago.