The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-07-25

Of LAW STANDS
World Says House Shipping Bill
VIII Not Be Changed
H. In This

A special despatch from Washing.
ton to the New York World said that
the shipping bill as amended by the
senate would carry the provision of
the original house bill that foreign,
built vessels may engage in the coast.
wise trade with Alaska, Porto Rico
and Hawaii IL the shipping board finds
that existing facilities are inadequate.
The World is the leading admins
tratiOn newspaper of the country, and
its dispatches may be accepted as act
CuTate. & J H.
With this point probably settled, the
next interest of the Islands is in the
prospects for the passage of the bill.
The Worlds Washington corrvspon-
dent is optimistic.
Not . Stumbling Block
The merchant marine bill, which
critics of the administration expected
would prove an obstacle in the com
pletion Of the Democratic program, is
not to be any stumbling block at all,
he said.
The President and Senator Simmons
took a hand in the matter July ID,
with the result that while there ART to
be concessions by the administration
and Democratic senators who oppose
the bill, the general purpose Of the I'M
dertaking will be accomplished with
out any sacrifice of the cardinal feat
wes and principles involved.
Whatever changes are to. be made
as result of the conference between
the President and the chairman or the
senate finance committee are TO be de-
cided on by the members of the SEN
ate commerce committe, which has tho
measure in the shape in which it was
passed by the house.
WIN support II #
Senator Clarke, the chairman of the
commerce committee, was one of the
seven Democrats who eooperated with
the Republican minority at the last
session in record breaking flibuster
that compelled the abandonment of
the measure. The senator is still! OPP
posed to il in its present form, as are
also Senators Bankhead, Hardwick,
Hitchcock, Vardaman and O'orman.
But, according to the administration
leaders, these men are now less deter.
mined in their opposition 70 tae prin-
eiple of the proposed government own
srship shipping venture, and have in
Dictated their willingness to- support it
if certain features are either chm.
mated or modified. y
The chief objection of not only
these Democrats, but of all the Re-
publicaps, is that it opens the way for
perpetual ownership and operation,
while il seems to limit specifically the
control of the government to a period
Of Eve years after the close Of the
European war.
Around That objection
TO get around this objection the
clause fixing the period Of government
ownership and operation at FIVE years
will be eliminated. To take the place
Of this feature of the bill there win be
provision making the ships to be
built and acquired by the government
an auxiliary branch of the naval
forces. To minimize the possibility of
actual government ownership, the
amended bill win provide that the
government shall not undertake to op.
crate its vessels without first Offering
to lease them to private concerns.
Another feature will provide that
the government will not seek to ac-
quire any ship flying the American
dag now engaged in foreign trade.
Still another will be that the govern
ment will not enter into competition
with American shipping interests. 1t
will be provided also that the govern
ment will not undertake to acquire by
purchase the ships of any of the bel.
hgerent nations now held in American
ports because of the European war.
Republicans Are Solid
The Republican minority of forty is
'ohdly against the bill in any form.
At least eight Democrats probably
would join them in opposing it unless
the government ownership feature is
modified along the lines suggested in
the amendment now engaging the at
tention of the commerce committee.
The Republicans will fight the bill in
any form, principally because it is a
Democratic measure, ana on account
of the recognition of the principle Of
government ownership, which is now
"ertain to receive the sanction of tho
Democratic majority.