Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-22

Washington, June 21.-Confidence
that a very favorable reaction will
be encountered by members of congress
who take the administrations ship sub
sidy bill before their constituents prior
to it's consideration by the house is
expressed b. President Harding IN a
letter TO Representative Mondell OF
Wyoming, the republican leader. giving
formal approval OF the plan to press
the legislation TO a vote, after the bill
has been sent to congress by the house.
Presenting a detailed statement of
reasons favorlng passage of the bill
at the session. the president in his let
ter. made public Wednesday,. declared
~postponement until the December ses-
sion in view Of the loss entailed by
the public interest would not permit of
the governments ship holdings, which
the bill is designed eventually to get
into private hands.
Despite every drive toward econ
omy.' this loss. the president pointed
out, amounted to more than $4,000
900 during the fiscal year now clos
ing. Asserting the question was mot
to be prejudiced BY the old and worn
out cry against subsidy" Mr.. Harding
urged that if that was used to awaken
the public, it be EMPHASIZED that Eve
are substituting To-Day by paying losses
of SJ0.0OO, 900 q year for inadequate
service of no ~permanence while the
pending measure contemplates no such
outlay The two outstanding problems
to be met in the legislation. he said,
are the handling of .'our shipping as
sets TO the highest advantage" and the
I act a Hin h lr % ~ fo,A
marine as an agency of m e and
an indispensable element of Defense
as well.
Agrees to House Plan
President Harding's letter to Mr..
Mondell read, in part. as follows:
My Dear Mr.. Mondell:
You have been advised by those
who have discussed the matter with
me in personal interview that / am in
complete accord with the opinion Of
leaders among the majority in the
house that the final consideration Of
the merchant marine bill in the house
might well be postponed until approx
mateiy such time as house members
VIII be called in active attendance to
send the tariff bill to conference. I
am writing to give formal confirma-
tion and to express the satisfaction
with which | contemplate having the
measure taken directly by members to
their constituencies for such reaction
as VIII enable them to translate the
deliberate preference of the country
INTO a national policy fixed by law.
III 1t were practical to secure final
actlon on a measure of such import
ance IN the 80 actual working days Of
the short term Of congress, ] would
gladly postpone action until after the
general elections and ask a renewed ex-
preston of the people at the polls.
Wants Vote at Once
Unfortunately for such a program.
the national interests will not admit of
such p~ostponement and / should feel
myself remiss in a public duty if / did
not ask a decision before the present
session is finally ended. In spite Of
every drive toward economy the plain.
blunt truth is that government shipping
has cost the treasury more than $780,
OO,oU loss during the fiscal year
now closing. This does not include de-
precIation or deterioration, running into
millions more. and we have a practical
problem which cannot be ignored by
either the executive or legislative
branch OF the government, or by the
American people of any section. who
must supply the treasury funds.
we have two outstanding problems
which must be met. in the solution of
which congress must share the respOn-
siblllty and regarding which there can
but one opinion when our people are
with the facts. One is the
handling of our shipping assets to the
highest advantage without continued