New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-16
The Dcnatured Shipping Bill.

TIC DStldtuiCd DbhPP"S ~
The House Of representatives will soon
he asked TO pass n so-called Admlnlstra-
ton shipping bill This bill will not en-
body the grandoso government ownership
and operation scheme fathered year or
more ago by Mr. Wilson and Mr.. McAdoo
and railroaded through the House after
few hours discussion.
Mr.. Wilson and Mr. McAdoo a year ago
were legislative dlctators-lcaders to mu-
tiny against whom meant ostracism from
the party. We shall have no further use
for those who do not work with the team,
the President said at indianapolis, in
speech meant to intimidate Democratic
Congressman into supporting scheme OF
state socialism never approved IN any
Democratic national platform.
A few Democratic Senators gave pas
sivc aid to the Republican flbuster which
prevented the passage of the original Will
SON McAdoo bill Since then the influence
of these two leaders has been steadily de-
clining i'm Congress. They saw last sum-
operation project was dead. They began
at once to denaturc their shipping bill. Mr..
McAdoo made a trip through the West
trying to persuade the public that the mer-
chant fleet which the government was TO
build or buy was meant to be merely col
lection of naval auXiiaries. Mr. Wilson
still Numbered in his December message
about the necessity of governmental par
ticipation in the deep sea carrying trade.
But one form of bill was drafted after
another, each weaker than its predecessor,
TO meet the objections of Democrats who
would no longer stand even for the appear
ance of government ownership and opera
ton.
To retain the shadow Of leadership on
the question of military preparedness Mr..
Wilson surrendered to Mr.. Hay. To retain
the shadow of leadership on the shipping
question he has now surrendered to Mr..
Kitchin. The bill reported by the House
Committee on the Merchant Marine is itself
a -rqdow. It is intended solely to save
the face of the Administration. 1t estab-
fishes corporation, under government
control. which is to build or purchase ships.
But this corporation is to be eXtingulshed
by Limitation five years after the European
war ends. What l. can do in five years TO
aid American deep sea shipping would be
practically negligible.
The proposed shipping corporation would
be able to buy shifs now only at enormous
ly inflated prices. Merely transferring a
ship from private ownership to seml-gov-
ernmental ownership would not increase
the tonnage already in service. Demand
now regulates ocean transportation as
never before. Il would be a useless inter
ference with economic law for the govern
ment to purchase ships operating in re-
sponse to the most powerful natural de
mand ever known and to put them to de-
welcoming new trade Of a less profitable
character.
As for building ships, the yards in this
country are choked with private orders for
wears ahead. Work for the government
would only displace work being done for
private capital.
All that is now left of the government
ownership and operation project is five
year option on the use Of S5O,OOO,OOo,
granted to corporation which, if it spends
the governments rooney. will spend 1t with
out any permanent benefit to the country.
Perhaps that prospect may inspire Con-
gress to pass the hill. Perhaps that pros
pect was all there ever was to Mr.. Wilson's
and Mr.. McAdoo's deep sea craftsmanship.