New-York tribune., 1920-12-31
House Urged
To Sell Ships,
Abolish Board
Chairman Good of Appro-
priations Committee
Makes a Bitter Attack
on Highly Paid Officers
Harding Backing Is Seen
Would Force Disposal of
Vessels to Private Firms;
U. S. Subsidy Advised
From The Tyitune's Washington Bureau

From, The Trfbune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON. Dec 30.-If the
United States is to have a merchant
marine, the $4,000 100000 fleet con-
structed by the United States Shipping
Soxrd and Emergency Fleet Corpora
kion must be turned over to private
Capital and, if necessary, subsidized by
fhe government This statement, made
yo-day during dAbnte on the sundry
kivil bill by Chairman Good of the
House, appropriations Committee, who
b Just returned from a series of con-
ferences with Presdent-e elect Harding
at Marion, is regarded in many quar-
gers as significant Of the policy to be
tdopted by the incoming Administra-
Aisn.
Sale of the ships and abolition of the
Shipping Board and Fleet Corporation
are also favored BY the Committee on
Appropriations, Mr.. Good told the
House.
Attacks Officials
Bitterly attacking the officials of the
two shipping agencies. Representative
Good described them as "the pitiful
spectacle of men retting nigh salaries
and knowing nothing about the bust
ness except the amount of tneir saa-
ries and when the checks came around y
"You cannot find out how. much a
single boat made, or lost, which sailed
the seas six months agS." ne added. re-
ferring TO testimony of Che officials be-
lore the AppropriE lions Committee.
"The question is, DO we want an
American merchant marine y" said he.
al we do. we have got to adopt pol
icy big enough and along business lines
to permit of its establishment"
There are about $500 of the govern
ment built ships. said Mr.. Good. the
average cost of which was $185 dead
wc'oh1 ton. He then compared this
figure with the 1925 q deadweight ton
which. lv said, Great Britain's ships
stood her The excessive cost of con-
structng our ships should be treated
as a war loss, he said
"We want TO get out of this busi-
ness Of operating ships because the
government cannot operate PROPOSE
ton of this kind as effectively as a
private concern" he continued.
I'VE ought to sell these ships and, if
necessary, sell them for 500 a gross
ton. Being careful that they fly the
American flag, and thus put the con-
Germs buying these ships on basis
to compete with their compe tltors.
"If they are not able to compete
there will be no American merchant
marine... We must approach it as
business proposition and after we have
done that and placed the ships in the
hands of private capital, then it may
be necessary to supplement that with
q subsidy"
of New York interrupted Mr.. Good
He said that on the Pacific Coast he
saw dozens of ships rustng to pieces
and was told they could not be sold
because this country did not adopt
such policy year and half ago.
Would Force Sales
The committee feels that some of
these ships can be sold and that this
is the time to sell them," said Mr.
Good We have got to get behind
the Shipping Board and Fleet Corpor-
alton and compel them to SELL
The Shipping Board also should be
made to get along without money ap-
prorriated by Congress through the
salvage of its materials and ships, he
said.
AS Tor me, ne added, II am not IN
favor OF appropriating single penny
+. this time for the Shipping Board"
Discussing the severe cuts made by
the committee in drafting the sundry
civi. Dill. Chairman Good declared
Tor strictest economy until we know
just where we Are-until we know the
reconstruction policy of the United
States"
He predicted that prices will con-
tinue to come down and added that
labor is too high. I'VE cannot COM
pete for the worlds trade until labor
comes down." he said.
Tax Reduction Sure
az believe that this Congress has de-
cided on one thing Mr.. Good said
land that is that a reduction in the
expenditures Of government is neces.
sary in order to secure reduction of
taxation
The appropriation Committee mads
no attempt to pass upon the military
necessity of The request of the War
department for an appropriation tc
cor tinue its camp construction pro.
gram. explained Mr. Good, IN referring
to the cut IN the amount asked
Until Congress can discuss the
whole problem OF policy" said he at
was me unanimous opinion Of the com
mittee taat no such building program
should be started at this time"
explaining tne refusal OF the com.
Mittee to allow an appropriation for
the Muscle Shoals nitrate plant project