Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-16
HARDING Will
TALK ON j. S.
SHIPPING SOON
President Determined To
End Government Own
ership Policy
(By Mark sullivan.)

Washington, D. c., Dec. 15.-Within
a short time President Harding Is go
ing to deliver to congress a message
covering the present status of govern
ment shipping after six months of
control by his appointees. AT the same
time he will lay down a policy for the
future OF the shipping board and OF
American shipping generally. AS one
detail of this policy he Is going to
recommend government aid for the
maintenance of shipping under private
American ownership. President Hard
name OF remuneration" but that isn't
going to prevent many Democrats. and
many Republicans as well, from call
Ing 1t by the old name of Subsidy"
and hurting bricks at it. President
Harding's new name is not mere
verbal device to escape the odium at
taching to an old name. He has some
reason for his choice of words.
When the Underwood tariff bill was
passed it provided that America should
charge 10 per cent more duty or. goods
imported IN foreign ships than on
goods brought in on American ships.
The effect of this would be to favor
American ships. But the war inter
vened. And President Wilson never
thought II desirable TO put the pro-
vision into effect. For his failure to
carry out the mandate of congress, the
Republicans used to dcuouncc Wilson
whenever they had a little time to
spare. Finally. in 1870, when the act
for the management OF the shipping
board was passed. the president was
directed In SO many words to take the
steps necessary to put this clause Into
effect.
"A Wilon stiil continued to refuse and
the Republicans continued to denounce
him. Finally, when President Harding
camc Into office. he took DIP the mai
ter OF putting the discriminatory duties
into effect. and after = good deal of
study has now comr to the conclusion
that President Wilson was wholly right
and. that his Republican critics were
wholly wrong. N order to put these
discriminatory duties into effect 1t
would be necessary to "denounce'-.as
tho diplomatic phrase is-some 25 com
mercisl treaties that We have with
various nations, which treaties pro-
vide. in effect, thar there he no dis
criminatory duties some OF these
treaties arc more than 100 years old.
and 5Presidcr. Harding, when he look
ed into the matter. was Instantly aware
OF the impropriety OF adding to the
confusion now existing in international
treaties with foreign nations
What Mr.. Harding Is now going 10
propose appears to be that We shall
take certain percentage of all our
lHiHSTi uutiee ana use ~ as refnunes-
ton to American ship owners. From
the point of view OF the national treas
ury. 1T viii be bookkeeping trans
action merely. 1t will he government
aid. Sy whatever name you call II,
and the public will pay
America can have ocean shipping
only by government aid. Private ship
owners cannot compete with private
owners in Great Britain. Japan, and
other countries. Our present scheme of
govcrnment-owned shipping has fail
cd utterly. Harding is determined to
end II. So Is Chairman Iasker 1t Ia
inefficient. and altogether de-
plorsbe to a degree that constitutes a
national scandal 4
But President Harding is equally de-
termincd to have great AmerlcsnI
ercsntile marine under private own
ership. and no Is willing to pay the
price. He viii press this policy on
congress very strongly. The chief the |
ory behind the wish for an American
owned shipping is that IL we are To be |
p great mercantile nation. doing an |
business. II il as ncces
sary for US to have our own ships rs |
for store to have its own delivery |
wagons. In time of stress. foreign own |
ers of ships will favor their own mer-
chants against ours. The argument |
Al against subsidy Is tho broad one tina L |
n the British, Japanese. Dutch and |
others can carry goods cheaper than I
can they ought to be al
lowed 20 have the business.
1921. by the New York Eve
ming Post Incl