The weekly soliphone. (Paragould, Greene County, Ark.) 1907-1918, 1915-02-26
SENATOR CLARKE TALKS
ON THE SHIPPINB BILL
Continued from page one)

s. cents a hundred; now it is dol
lar and a quarter. The rate to Ger
man ports is a little more than that
in normal times, while now it is So
hundred, or about $15 bale. But
they cannot get it there at that. The
rate is merely theoretical one; 1t is
never actually paid, because no dl-
rect shipments are ever made II 1t
was $50 a bale it could not be got
ten there. In the case OF transport
ing cotton to Germany it is not
ouestion of ships, but it is ques-
tion of a free and safe sea to run
them on. That is the real difficulty
about shipments to Germany; it is
not the want of ships, but it is want
| of access. At this time the section
from which / come cannot receive
the slightest possible benefit from the
passage of this bill. feel that | am
justified in saying that the emergen-
cy has passed, not because we do not
have on hand vast quantities of cot
ton and lumber seeking market;
and | know that the obstruction now
to be reckoned with is not of a char
acter to be removed by the purchase
and operation of ships by the govern
ment, but is one of the conditions
imposed on mankind by this gigantic
and ferocious war which has shocked
the world from one end to the other.
AS | have said, if our associates on
this side had desired to ascertain our
views about form of bill that we
would support, and that was the real
purpose of those who differed from
US, I venture to say that we would
not have denied them a conference,
with an inclination to surrender to
reasonable extent any differences of
opinion as to mere matters of meth
cd.
If this bill had provided that the
shipping board should consist of
those technically informed about the
shipping business in its commercial
and operating branches, leaving out
of it all official embers-because,
in my opinion, they have now duties
and responsibilities enough of their
own-if it had provided distinctly
that no ship belonging to a belliger-
ent should be bought, not in
stumbling, double-meaning sort of
way, that might ultimately, as mat
ter of construction, get US into trou-
BILE, but distinctly expressed in terms
that everybody could understand in
the same way; if then this matter of
permitting these purchased ships to
engage in the coastwise trade had
been included, and another provision
limiting it to the duration emergency
which brought the plan into exist
ence, although it is not now a matter
of any great consequence to my sec
ton of the country, still | would have
waived that, and voted for the bill, as
it is my duty, and as it is always my
pleasure, to do what l can to advance
the general prosperity and interest
of the whole country. l could have
on that basis yielded my opinion in
opposition. But did not project my
self into the discussion at all. ! sat
here for about four weeks, leaving
my associates to conduct the matter
to their own satisfaction, but so far
as the roll calls disclosed, so far as
the surface of things indicated, l
was just as heartily in favor of this
bill as anyone on this side of the
chamber. l have never participated
to the extent of a single minute in
any fiHbuster against it, and I do
not intend to do so.
I do not know but that it is too
late now to expect everybody to sur
render his opinion and bring it into
conformity with mine, but if it shall
assume an aspect of that kind, can
only repeat - because I have not
any desire to announce any new po-
sition-what l have stated several
times, that I am willing to confer
about that
I do not believe that the occasion,
according to my present informa-
ton, justifies the passage of this bill.
The maps of the world may be re-
made; new systems will be intro
duced, and new rulers inaugurated
to execute them; new and larger
conception of human rights will fol-
low this war. Then it will be time
enough to learn to what extent the
recognized governments will permit
government owned ships to enter
their ports to direct and control their