New-York tribune., 1921-08-21

merchant marine on the basis Of The
abnormal conditions which prevailed
during the war emergency
w e have time to think soberly now
and the correction tf this situation i
a mr. tier Of firm resolution, and ca cshl.
hands have undertaken the work. The
waste can be halted alfnos. instantly
The losses must be brought to mini.
Mum at O very early day, ard | veg,
much hope that the Cooperation of Tho
Congress and <he Administration vii,
lead 20 gratifying results in the estab.
issnent of American carriers by sea
which will meet our aspirations in
founding = new and ample Ame ricar
merchant marine.
We cannot allow the discouragine
things which have gone before to pre-
vent US facing the situation frankly
and | think it wholly consistent to re-
solve that the solution o. this tnsk
As net an impossible thing to American
genius and tenacity.s
Lasker Letters introduced
The letter of the President was sub
mitte~i by Senator Jones in the course
OF the discussion of the urgent de-
ficiency bill containing the proposed
appropriation Of S4S, 500, 900 for the
Shipping Board This discussion con-
tinued all afternoon, but no progress
was made on the bill. Both Senator
Jones and Senator Mccormick put into
the Record letters from Chairman
Lasker of the Shipping Board in which
he sought to make it clear he was not
for government operation as perma :
nent policy. This was in reply to
statemen of Senator Glass yesterday
that Mr.. Lasker was for government
operation. In the letter to Senator
Mc Corrnick Mr. Lasker gave notice that
when he said the board would need
$500 100000 he was within the facts.
Chairman Lasker in his letter to Sen
atov Jones answered the statement of
Senator Glass that in his testimony
before the Senate Appropriations Com
mittee he favored government oper-
alton. Mr.. Lasker recalled that when
before the committee he said there
was "a powerful propaganda to drive
the government out of the shipping
business He also then said the future
would be dark if tais present merchant
marine Is not backed and established
and that the greatest thing for this
country would be for US to keep these
ships running and to go further into
the shipping business"
Referring to his testimony and COM
menting on it in his letter to Senator
Jones, Mr.. Lasker said:
n meant to convey the thought that
l f-lt this country could not occupy
Its righttui place In the trade of the
world unless the merchant marine was
Kept successfully in operation.
Favors Privately Owned Fleet
II did not mean operated bv th.
government. l have repeatedly Stated
that felt we never would have a
merchant marine really establj shed
until our fleet was privately owned
and directed by private enterprise and
private initiative
In the present state OF world con-
dItlons, this is impossible and the
government must keep its fleet going
under the provisions OF the Jones acs
until trade conditions change SO that
private enterprise will be interested
IN the purchase Of these ships.
IN the mean time the Shipping
6oard, as you know, is working on a
ne" and different plan from that under
~ ~ n,e. Tue sh1ps are now being operated,
70 W.T. plan of bare boat charter.
The new policy which the board
hopes to adopt will be with view to
MAKING IL possible for private enter
PRISE Ultimately to purchase the boats
Personally, do not believe. pn5er e,ox'
ernmert ownership or goyernsne,,t e~,
creraf on, We can ever have succoss~
Inl feet, but do feel in the mean
e:fie' aad III that l am volcinp the SON
timcnts OF the entire board. that
everything possible should be dnns Nv
the government with it's present aaet
20 encourage private ownership and
private initiative. SO that private owl
ers wa'l be able to buy the ships when
woTia conditions change"
IN has letter to Senator Mcf,orn,;.,.
Mr. Lasker said: - M
Confirming our conversation of ~
oay, hold that the American taxnanor
Muse not be indefinitely burdened with
uncontrolled losses for the establish
ment OF an American merchant mar;na.
:, Aola tnat we must establish as sneed,
ny as we may a privately owned mer-
chant marine.
Puts Needs at $4,000 coo
The losses must be cut down. Not
merely because Congress demands i
put because the American merchant
marine cannot be established along the
ines upon which we have been nro-
ceecinT. When said that we would
need Soo0.000,G0o I am sure | was with
IN the facts. This money will have IN
be paid out by Congress, either within
tne coming year, or in future vear1
It Is needed largely to pay clai
and htiEants and to settle debts of the
past which have not yet been entered
upon the books. The present adminis-
Tration Of the Shipping Board will not
be affected by the refusal Of Congress-
TO pay these unliouidated debts In
herited from the past Administration.
!hese debts were made by the Wilson
administration and must at some time
De hquldateo, now or later; and l do
not want Congress to rest under the
misapprehensicn that in seemingly
cutting down the Shipping Board est
mate of appropriation it has really
saved or can save any money.
Bill VIII Meet Present Needs
"The appropriation the House voted
for the period, fixed in the bill it
passed, Is not at variance with our first
request and will meet our present
needs.
1T ID the unanimous purpose of the
board to change immediately from the
present Inherited basis of governmental
operation through commissioned man.
ayers to one Of bare boat charter
We hope to be out of government
operation entirely within a wear. as
soon as there is a healthy upward
movement in world trade"
Senator Fletcher, of Florida, former
CHAIRMAN of the Commerce Committee
spoke for about three hours. He de-
tended the Wilson Administrations
policy toward shipping He spoke for
the approuriatjon rf e1Q soo 0oa