The Washington herald., 1922-11-28


Standard on Company. United States
Steel Corporation and other con-
Germs owning their own ships would
receive the proposed subsidy.
Mr.. Edmonds made this statement
in accepting another amendment by
Representative Graham. Of Illinois.
striking out the paragraph Of the
bill giving the Shipping Board .au-
thority to dispose Of any vessel at
q private sale without advertise
ment or composition. After the
committees approval Of the motion,
1t was adopted unanimously. Mr.
Edmonds explained:
This Ia not vital to the bill
and 1t makes no difference to the
committee. We are perfectly will
ing to accept the amendment"
INTEREST RATE RAISED.
Mr.. Graham followed up this
amendment with another increas-
ing the interest rate on the unpaid
purchase price Of ships from to
Az per cent. This is the rate the
Treasury now is paying on money
1t borrows. The sponsors Of the
bill again accepted the amendment.
and 1t was made unanimous.
The first serious clash between
the opposing forces came on an
amendment by Representative OIL
yer, Democrat. of Alabama, pro-
viding that the Leviathan, now be-
ing reconditioned at Newport News,
should not be sold for less than
the cost of the overhauling. On
a standing vote the motion was
lost by three votes, 81 to 81. but
on a tellers' count the majority
was reversed. 81 to IS.
The contract with the Newport
News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock
Company calls for about sS.Oe0.00o.
which with the cost of equipment
will make the sale price OF the Le-
yiathan, under this amendment. not
less than approximately $9.OOO,oOo.
BI.ANTON WINS CHANGE.
One of the most talked of objec-
tions to the bill was removed when
the committee accepted an amend
ment by Representative Davis DD
of Tennessee. increasing the interest
rate on loans from the construction
fund from to AZ per cent. I'm
der this fund fifteen loans will be
made for the building of approved
types of ships to fly the American
flag.
Another minor change agreed 20
by the committee was the insertion
OF a provision by Representative
BlantOn CD Of Texas. that no en-
ploye of the Government, may be in
tereSted as vendee IN any pur-
chase from the Shipping Board.
Among the sections which re-
manned unscathed after the five
hour battle were those which grant
to shipping companies income tax
reductions on condition tina. they
invest double the amount of the tax
saved in the construction of new
ships and which require the trans.
portatiOn in American boats of at
least one-half of the immigrants
coming to the United States.
IMMIGRATION CLAUSE WINS.
Resisting a drive against the i'm
migration provision by Representa-
tive Baker. Democrat. of Califor-
MIA. representative Edmonds said:
English shippers have agreed
that il we took out the 3 per cent
tax reduction to shippers and the
immigration section. they did not
care what kind of a subsidy bill
we adopted"
The Baker motion to strike out
-
without a record vote.
A fight was made against tax
reductions for reinvestment in new
shipping. . Representative Davis
moved elimination of the entire Sec
ton He was beaten 46 to 50. Al
similar efforts failed.
The provision empowering the
internal revenue bureau in assess
ing ship owners for income taxes
to take into consideration the
drop In values of vessels purchased
during the war stood up against
an attack by Representative
Briggs CDemJ of Texas. 25- to 81.
MAIL PROVISION UNOPPOSED.
The provision which COM
pensates passenger liners by direct
mail contracts for the loss from
elimination of bars on American
ships. met no opposition. The sec
tion providing for American Insur.
ante everywhere possible, was un-
opposed.
The direct cash aid is left as the
only seriously tcontroverted feature
of the bill to be disposed of in the
TWO remaining days.
This speed was interpreted 10y
Republican Leader Mondell as in
dicating IT may be possible to
have the finhl vote earlier than to-
morrow at p. M. the time set
in the special rule giving the bill
right-of-way. The remaining 40
of the So RACES in the bill are GER
tain not to provoke the opposition
encountered. Thirty-seven ma jor
amendments. besides minor technical
amendments, were offered yester-
day.
The manner in which thirty-one
amendments We're beaten showed
the majority better organized for
fight than it has been during the
present Congress. according to
members.
ACTION Is COMPELLED.
Ample opportunity was allowed
for discussion of changes proposed
In good faith, but at the first sign
Of