The New York herald., 1922-05-20
LEADERS IMPERILING
SHIP SUBSIDY bill
Republicans Backing Bonus
Raid Threaten Presidents
Marine Program.
IN FEAR OF ELECTIONS
Middle Western Constituents
s-s.s
Perceive Only Regional Ben
efits in Measure.

Special Dispatch to THE NEW, YORK HElALp
New York Herald Rureau.
Washington, ID. G., May 10. !
Tactics of the Republican leaders in
Congress--the same men who are trying
to engineer the bonus raid on the Treas
ury-have placed the Administrators
Ship Subsidy bin IN peril. threatening
postponement OF the whole merchant
marine program to another session and
perhaps It's abandonment for years.
Representative Mondell lWyo.), Re-
publican floor leader. and ether influ-
entail Republicans Of the. House. are
encouraging a movement. that had its
inception in the Iowa delegation. to
prevent vote until after tho November
election. on President Harding's plan
to establish permanent American mer-
chant marine. }
Friends of the bill do not hesitate to
say that IL action is not taken at this
time, when the Republicans have O ma
iority OF 167 in the House and twenty
four in the Senate, ship subsidy legisla-
ton may be delayed for ten years or
more. ~ = ~ ls.st4-,
They believs tile House leaders Sc
c-etly have theiP knives out for the bill.
despite the fact Mr.. Harding has said
he prefers TO 60 down In history as the
President who succeeded in putting
American ships back on the seas to stay
than have almost any other achievement
to his credit. ~
Ships Are Available.
Never has there been such a splendid
opportunity to establish the American
merchant marine, the President believes
AS a result of the war the ships are
available. The overwhelming Republi-
can majorities in. Congress hold out the
hope Of favorable action IL the measure
is pushed to a vote.
But 1t looks as IL the Mondell- -Fordney
brand Of leadership in the House and
the McCumber-Curtis system in the
Senate will refuse to cooperate with the
President in. this Instance. as they have
with regard to the Presidents stand
against the soldier bonus raid.
The House Committee on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries has closed its joint
hearings with the Senate Commerce
Committee on the shipping measure
The House is marking time. waiting for
the Senate to pass the tar1n bill. There
Is plenty of opportunity to bring the
shipping measure up for consideration
and pass 1t before the tariff bill is re-
turned
Fear that the old middle Western
agricultural prejudice against A. ship
subsidy, which used to be regarded al
something calculated to benefit only q
few Eastern and Pacific coast shipping
interests, is the reason why the Repub-
licans from the interior States are seek
ing postponernept. They think they may
lose a few votes in the election next
autumn II they vote for It. but they are
afraid OF the political effect of opposins
the President. therefore they. want ia
dodge q vote.
No Dennite Plans. g
''If you ca5not -put Through the bin
with the present, Republican majority,
how do you expect to pass It after
election" is pertinent question be-
ing asked by Representative White
Me.). a member Of the Merchant
Marine and Fisheries COMMITTEES and
other members who ara friendly to the
measure.
In the face of this situation Republi-
can Leader Mondell said to-day: we
have no definite plans for the ship
subsidy bill. I thfnk it will be some
time, time before it comes -eut of the com
Friends of the .President are urging
him to carry his fight for the bill into
the open. Theyssay that if he does not
do so. one excuse or another will be
found to prevent it's consideration.
Representative Towner Iowa). is max
Ing no secret of his attitude. He said:
II am opposed to the ship subsidy
bill coming up at, this session. I think
the entire Iowa delegation feels the
same way"
Incidentally Mr.. Mondeu is a candi-
date for the Senate In Wyoming. and
while he does not object to raiding the
treasury to pay soldierr bonus, because
he thinks that will gain q few votes
for him, he cannot agree to the Presi-
dents plan to establish an American
merchant marine. even though 1t does
not call for any direct appropriations
from the treasury. because there are
ahfpu In Wwoxntn-