The Washington herald., 1922-12-02
|HlRD|NG confident
| SHIP BILL WILL PASS
President WILLING His Record
Be Judged BY Marine y
Measure Alone.
FILIBUSTER NOT FEARED
Most Difficult Shedding. Has
Been Net and Defined,
Executive Believes.
FILIBUsTER NOT FEARED
NJ I,nixer-.I Aerx,ee.


Expressing confidence that the
ship subsidy bill will become Q
law President Harding declared
yesterday that hs considers It the
most constructive measure offered
Congress within decade, or
which may be Offered In dseads
to come.
CERTAIN or BENEFIT.
He is. % certain Of the national
benefits to follow, 1t was stated,
that he 10 more than willing that
his achievements shall be Judged
by this one law alone.
None Of the many matters he has
recommended to Congress are 70
Important, he feels, or has his in
terest in any of them bsen more
genuine. In the face Of minority
and community criticism to q sub
sidy he looks confidently ahead to
the time when the American mer.
chant marine win be carrying
American goods to the ports Of ths
world and 10 confident Of the even
tual verdict.
The President let II b known
that he was not altogether satisfied
with the amendments to the meas
ure before 1t passed the House. but
feels that these points will be
Strengthened out In the Senate.
The view was also expressed that
the measure will pass in the Senate
with votes to spare.
NO FEAR OF FILIBUSTER.
There is no question Of the ad-
r1nfniaf y finr hayrin@ 1rtf%t~f0nf vfnf0m
to pass the measure In the Senate.
1t was stated. but there IL the
question of the Senate rules which
permit OF unlimited debate. Mr..
Harding let IL be known that he
does not believe that the filibuste
will be resorted to to obstruct the
bill by the minority.
II is inconceivable. he said, thar
Congress could refuse or fail to
take cognizance OF the financial
needs of the Government, particu-
larly in view Of the evident loss
and burden to the taxpayers caused
by the present system Of operating
American ships.
URGENT NECESSITY.
This measure Of financial relief,
II was stated, is looked upon as an
immediate and urgent necessity and
as the only means Of saving the
Government millions OF dollars in
operating costs and an even greater
loss in deterioration.
There Is also the necessity Of
maintaining q merchant marine as
an auxiliary to the navy in the
event that this country should ever
become involved In war. II was
added.
But the President let It be known
that he is looking q little ahead Of
this into the future. He pointed
out that the subsidy bill il the
only means by which the United
States can acquire an agency Of
commerce, without which America
will never meet her national aspi.
rations.
COMMERCE EXPANSION.
American shipping as 1t would be
operated under this bill, he de-
clared. provides the only means Of
expanding the commerce Of the
greatest and most resourceful ma
ton on earth. This view, II was
stated. In one that can not be ig-
nored by any interest in the United
States.
II is the view that an American
merchant marine 10 vitality neces-
sary to round out the great mass
Of American business and indus
try, that makes him content to
stake the reputation OF the Admin
istration on tho legislation, II was
stated.
The most difficult shedding for
the subsidy has already encoun.
tered. the President believes. Un-
limited debate. In the Presidents
opinion. win serve only to strength
en- the measure and when II reaches
the stage where a vote may Be
taken there will be no effort on
the part Of q minority to obstruct
majority opinion.