South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-03-06
THE &. o. T.. AND THE SHIP
PURCHASE BILL.

With tho adjournment of the e3rd
congress Thursday the first half of
Pres't Woodrow Wilson's administra-
ton has passed into history. Although
not all his anticipations have been
carried out. "A remarkable record has
been made along strictly progressive
lines. and along lines 10 which the
deshOcratic party viii need to tie it.
sea-, f it means 20 maintain any
sanding before the country.
The failure OF the ship-purchase
bill 10 become a law, over which the
republicans supported by reactionary
democrats have been conducting a fill
buster for months. is perhaps the most
notable failure OF the administration.
The only question at issue appears 10
have been, that the government find
ing IL necessary 10 put up the money
for a merchant marine Pres't VIII
son and the progressive democrats
in congress wanted 10 maintain
control Of that merchant marine. The
republicans and reactionary demo-
Gratis, under the Influence" of private
this money should be turned over as
a virtual present to carrier corpora
tions in Wall street. Neither side
would give in. IL finally became de-
sirable that the bill be withdrawn
and it was Withdrawn. in order TO give
congress a chance to finish up some
other matters
ton as TO the ACCESSIBILITY Of the
United States going into the sea-
carrying business, due 10 the respon-
sibilities that would come To il es-
pecially in such trying times as the
world is now going through internal
dopally. there can be no question
whatever AK TO the inadv.ability of
the government furnishing the money
to some private enterprise 10 specu-
late on, and then assume practically
all the responsibilities just the same
one does not need TO 20 TO Washing
ton 10 catch the patriotic twang OF
these special pleaders for special in
terests. a few days in Indianapolis
during the past two months would
is all to save the poor widows and
orphans" YOU know, and they weave
about statesmen, capitalistic threads
Of patriotism for the elimination Of
poverty, that really makes YOU wonder
why the rest of us do not vacate and
let these special interest philanthro-
pists do il all
As it stands now however there
uill probably he no merchant marine.
neither through government subsidy
nor ownership. for considerable
time. If business suffers, it can charge
IL mp to certain embryo ship builders
of Wall street backing. and the failure
OF their senatorial representatives in
Washington. to haul down for them
little graft. Graft" That is what
the ship subsidy would amount 10 and
mounting more. Any government in
vcs,mcnt in ship-building or anything
else, without retaining control over
that Investment for the benefit of the
people ia graft for those who's get the
control
Pres't Wilson has stood firm against
the government being mulct after
any such fashion. Various conces-
Sious were made 10y the administration
but on this central feature there was
no wavering Now let business pro-
coed TO carry itself across the brine.
II 1t prefers the high rates charged
for sea-freights. there need be no
worry about the federal government
attempting TO reduce those rates
through competition. for considerable
time 20 come III foreign markets
have TO be abandoned. because Incl
dent TO the war, there is no merchant
marine TO reach them. let the re-
possibility fall where il belongs,
namely; upon the very grand. and ex-
ceedingly Old republican party, and
those rcactiouary democrats in tho
United States senate, with whom BIZ
partisan arrangements appear TO have
been made, 10 make passage of the
ship purchase bill impossible.
Pres't Wilson and the progressive
democrats. including most of the bull
moose proEressives in congress. did
all they could for the passage of the
ship purchase bill. The reason for
Their failure IS obvious. PreSt VIII
sons record for the first eighteen
months of his administration shows so
much accomplished that the republi-
cans have felt il absolutely necessary
10 prevent further progress. lest a
democratic victory in 1916 be made
absolutely certain. They know that
the president is without exception. the
most popular man in America, and
they know too that but for the bad
breaks" made by democratic admins
tratious in the various states. 20
shatter faith IN the democratic party
in those localities. the democratic ma
jority in the next congress would be
even greater than in the present one.
II seems 10 be one great falling OF the
democrats that they are short on good