New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-20
Shipping Board
Policy Attacked
In the Senate
Glass Predicts Enterprise
Will Bankrupt Govern.
ment and Demands Esti.
mate Of What 1t Will Cost
Hing Advocates Receiver
Chairman Lasker Defended
by Warren and Jones:
Assert He Will Get Facts
From The Trfbune's Wa,hinoton p,,x.,

from The T'-'bnnc's Washtn atom Burccy
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19.-Demands
Tor radical action to halt the losses
"h'ch the government is sustaining
through the Shipping Board were
maze on the floor of the Senate to-day
F.. when the urgent deficiency BILL carry
ing an appropriation of S48 SOC, 900 for
the board, was brought up. 1t was
made the occasion for general AIRING
OF views about the Shipping Board and
the governments shipping policy. The
discussion lasted for about three hours
and no progress was made toward pas
sage of the bill
Senator Glass, of Virginia, former
secretary of the Treasury, declared he
would not vote another dollar for the
Shipping Board until Congress got an
estimate as to what was going to be
needed He predicted that unless the
government got out of the Shipping
business - would be bankrupted.
Pointing out that General Dawes had
sent in an estimate for $3.50 900 for
the Shipping Board, Senator Glass said
S1,l26,OO0,000 would be asked "if it
keeps on"
Nobody knows or has any concep-
ton what this enterprise is going to
cost the government" said Senator
Glass II shall not vote for another
dollar for the Shipping Board until
an estimate is given Congress as to
What it is going to cost. / don't
agree that Mr.. Lasker in two months
time ought to be able to tell all this.
lr my judgment if he sstays in two
years, he won't know much more than
he does to-day. | don't believe thew
ever will find out what it will cost"
Rejected Billion and Half
Senator Glass said that when he was
Secretary of the Treasury he had told
the head of the Shipping Board that
unless his accounts were presented
for audit no more money would be
paid from the Treasury, but the ac-
counts were not presented. A billion
and half in accounts, he said, were
rejected by the Treasury He declared
that the government should have writ
but it. was "the height Of folly" to
proceed along the same extravaganza
line" AS in the war period.
When was in London" went on the
Senator, much to my amazement
Admiral Sims told me this country
ought not try to develop a merchant
marine. He said that should be left, to
Great Britain, that it would require q
great subsidy for us to compete and
that the people would not consent to it.
I'm fast coming to agree with him.
I'D vastly rather vote 100000 900
as bonus to the soldiers than to be
sinking it in this shipping arena"
Senator Jones, Of Washington, chair
man Of the Commerce Committee in
answer to demands of Senator Glass
and other Senators to know what the
policy of the Shipping Board was to
be, said:
ut is the boards policy to get these
ships in private ownership just as soon
as it can be done
Senator Glass maintained that in his
testimony before the Appropriations
Committee of the House, Mr. Lasker
had clearly indicated he was in favor Of
government ownership. This was denied
by Senator Jones.
Crooknedness Charged by Borah
Senator Borah charged that there had
been not simply inefficiency, but
crookedness.
81 agree absolutely with the Senator
from Virginia that these appropriations
ought to stop until we knaw what the
policy is to be-" he said. care we
proposing to get out Of the shipping
business or are we to run shipping as
government institution
1--WE ought to ask for a receiver,
wind up the concern and take our
losses" said Senator King.
"The new chairman" said Senator
D,,v
$300,000,00 from Congress to meet
deficiency. | am informed the entire
fleet is not worth more than $780,
100000"
The discussion was opened up by
Senator Harrison in presenting an
amendment to prevent the board paw
ing more than s12,500 year to any
official. He criticized General Dawes
for sending in to Congress- "as his first
official act" an estimate of SIPS, 900 900
Tor the Shipping Board He called
this an assumption Of authority, be-
cause no one but the President had
authority to send estimates to Con-
gress.
Says Lasker Regulated Dawes
senator Harrison. pointing out that
General Dawes asked SIPS, 600 900. said
Dawes was repudiated by Chairman
l-asker, who asked only 100000, 600.
and by the Committees of Appronrja-
tons, which recommended oniv s48
100000. S'''
Now, if he proceeds along that road
IN the future / can't think there will
be much saving" said Senator Harri-
son.
Senator Glass pointed out that Chair
man Lasker mad said he would come
back to Congress in a few months
asking for more. Senator Glass later
dlssented from the view of Senator
Harrison that General Dawes had been
"repudiated" by Mr.. Lasker and the
committees
Senator Warren pointed out that the
CLAIMS against the Shipping Board.
amounting to from $500, 900 to
S350,000,000 and running in amounts
from relatively small sums to $4,000
900, had to be defended on the mart Of
the board by able lawyers. and this was
reason why the amendment of Mr..
Harrison should not be adopted.
senator Williams, of Missssippl.
called this "the most expensive form
OF ship subsidy ever proposed for the,
American people" and found faul,
with Chairman Lasker because he was
not able to tell what the government
had lost.
Lasker's Policy Defended
Chairman Iaskcr was upheld bv
senator Warren ard Senator Jones.
roth Of whom predicted that in rea-
sonabc time he would be able To get