New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-23
The Country Wants a Thorough
Debate on the Government
Ship Monopoly Bill.

Ship Monopoly Dill
The difficulties which the Senate Democrats are
encounterinc in whipping the government ship
purchase bill into shape emphasize the absurdity
of tbe charge that the progress Of that bill Is
Being improperly obstructed by fhbuster'
President Wilson said az Indianapolis on Jackson
Dav that Republican Senators were seeking u
DEFY the nation" because they asked for time 70
discuss measure which the country does not
understand and has not the slightest desire to
soc reiroaded into law Since Mr. Wilson's re-
turn TO Washington five Democratic caucuses
have been held for the purpose Of clarifying ana
improving the shipping bill. Nobody has been
able to discuss the Administrations plan mtell-
gently. because nobody has known exactly what
form it would take after the Democratic majority
in the Senate had finished amending it.
The government ownership pisn represents
nothing ever passed on by the voters. 1t appeared
in no party platform in 1912. 1t can be said to
express the twill Of the nation" only by states
man who confuses his own mental operations
with those Of the nation. The Democratic party
itself. which is being prodded into indorslng gov
eminent ownership and operation Of ocean freight
lines. has been committed for years to an oppo-
site policy. It has fought all plans for national
aid TO shipping interests and has demanded free
trade in ships as its remedy for stagnation in
the American ocean-going merchant marine.
Il is no wonder that many Democratic Senators
are reluctant 10 support the administrations
project Of a government shipping monopoly. The
theory which they are asked to embrace is anti
Democratic, and the experiment into which Mr..
Wilson is trying to rush the country is economl-
cally unsound as well as being, in the present
disturbed condition Of international trade, poit-
jcallv hazardous We are having controversies
over the practice Of the right Of search on the
high seas by the allied powers and shall continue
70 have them while the war lasts. Why, then,
pile I'D embarrassments by making the govern
ment itself an ocean carrier? citizen owner
may properly take risks carrying contraband or
purchasing interned enemy ships for use in trade
with Europe. But the government cannot do
either without unwisely multiplying the annoy
ances Of the present international situation.
The more natural Democratic view is the one
expressed yesterday at the meeting Of the Ma
IlOndl convention OI IOIe4SIl 1iduc ~ JAMES -
Hill distinguished Democrat He opposed the
Wilson bill because il aims 10 set up wasteful
monopoly, which would quickly drive all private
ship owners out Of business If the United States
is going 70 limit its investment in ships to
S2O,OOO,OOO or 100000, then we shall have an
American deep sea merchant marine just that
large and no larger. II the government should
get tired Of operating at loss and sell its ships
we should then have no deep sea merchant marine
at all.
Mr. Hill therefore insisted on return to the
old-fashioned Democratic policy Of free ships and
no governmental regulation Of deep sea trade. His
remedy may not be practicable yet the fact that
he offers it shows that the Democratic party is
far from solid in support Of the Residents plans
and that even Democrats desire opportunity to
discuss at length the revolutionary measure now
before the Senate.
II Is not the fault Of the Senate minority that
the debate on the government monopoly scheme is
lust beginning Chambers of commerce and
other shipping and mercantile bodies are studying
the measure for themselves, and nearly all OF
them are entering protests against It IL would
be a crime against public opinion TO try to rush
the bin through the Senate without the freest ant
fullest debate.