South Bend news-times., 1922-11-22

WASHINGTON. Nov. 21-(By q.
PIN his m mess.8ge 20 The eztraor-
dluary session % congress today
Pres't Harding said N part:
MmDers of Congress:
LATE last February / reported 20
YOU. relative 20 the American mer-
chant marine and recommended leg
is.atiOn whlcn the executive branch
OF The government deemed e5sentlaI
CO promote our merchant marine
anG with IL our national we1iare'
Orhe- problems were pressing and
other questions pending and for one
reason or another which needs not
be recited. the suggested legislation
has not progressed Beyond faYor-
able rscommendadon by the house
committee. The committee has CIV
en- the question a full and painstak-
Ing inquiry and study and / hope
that a favorable report speedily VIII
be gwen the force OF law.
TT will be helpful n clearing the
atm osphere II we start with the
frank recognition OF divided opinion
and determined opposition. Il Is not
anew experience. Like prOpOsa =
have divided the congress on various
: previous occasions. Perhaps a mora
resolute hostility never was manifess
before. and I am very sure the need
for decisive actlOn-decisive. favor
able action-never was go urgent be
fore.
Grim Actually.
We are not now deaHng with a
policy founded on theory, we have a
problem which is one Of grim actual
ity. We are facing insistent cOndi-
tions out OF which Will come either
additional and staggering govern
ment losses and national impotence
on the seas. or else the unfurhng Of
the flag on a great American mer-
chant marine commensurate with
our commercial Importance, TO serve
as carrier OF our cargoes in peace
and meet the necessities Of our de-
fense IN war. There Is no thought
here and now to magnify the rela-
ton Of a merchant marine 20 our
national defense. II is enough 10
recall that we entered the Wor. d war
almost wholly dependent on our al
lies Ter transportation by sea. We
expended approximately $3,000,0OO,-
600. feverlshly, eXtravagantly,
wastefully. and lmpractically. Out
Of our eagerness. we builded and
otherwise acquired the vast mer-
chant fleet which the government
owns today.
In the simplest way I can say it,
our immediate problem Is not 10
build and support a merchant ship
ping. which ! hold TO be one
highest and most worthy aspirations
l. OF any great people. our problem IS
10 deal with what we now possess.
= Our problem is to relieve the public
treasury OF the drain It is already
meeting. Let us omit particulars
about the frenzied wartime build
ing. Possibly we did fully as we'll as
could have been done in the anxious
circumstances.
Vital Relationship.
LEE US pass for the moment the
vital relationship between a mer-
chant marine and a commercially as
for a moment the absurdity that
with one 100000 900 experience.
and with the inca -culable costs N
lives and the treasure which may be
chargeable TO our inability promptly
10 apply our pOtency-which God
forbid happening again-let US
mOmentarily ignore all Of these and
turn TO note the mere business prob
lem. the practical question OF dol
lars and cents with which we are
confronted.
The war construction and the
later completion OF war contracts
where completion was believed TO be
the greater economy to the public
treasury left Us approximately 49,
200, 600 gross tonnage in ships. The
figures are nearer 1880 900 tons
now. owing to the scrapping Of the
wooden fioet. More than half this
tonnage is government owned. and
approximately 2.250.OOO tons are un-
der government operation in one
4 f'-m or another The net loss ia
fthe United States treasury-s rne
actually taken there from in this
government perotfon-average ap-
proNma-ely tI6.00O.O0O per month
during the year prior 20 the assump.
tion of responsibility by the present
administration. A constant war
fare on this less OF public funds and
the draft 60 service OF capable busi
ness management and experienced
operating director have resulted il
applied efficiency and enforced econ
cr1 a. Y IS very raufy.rg TO re.
port the dim!0ution n the losses q
s4000,000 month or total OF
$4,000 600 a year. but 60 is .ntol.
Vrable that the governm ent shouIt
continue a policy from which sO
enormous q treasury loss IS the IN
evtcah'e outcome
The loss. more over. attends op.
e0ot.on OF less than a third or tht
government ou-nel Hsst.
1T is not, therefore. a question o.
adding new treasury burdens z,
maintain our shipping. we are paw
ine these burdens now. II IA not
question Of contra citing an outlay Il
support our merchant shipping. be
cause we are paying already I an
not asking your authorization OF 8
new and added dreft on the publi
treasury. I am appealing for pro
gram TO diminish the burden we ar,
already bearing.
Reduced by Change.
When your executive governmen
knows OF public expenditures aEEre
eating $50 oO0. 600 annually which
: believes could DE reduced by hal
&through a change OF policy YOU
government would be unworthy o
public trust II such change wer'
not commended nay. n Il were no