The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-11-23
THE GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY AND
MERCHANT MARINE.

Naturally there is practically uni
versal prejudice against substituting
private enterprise by the government,
and unless the president is in position
to show that a subsidy is not a sub
sidy. and that it will in fact bring
money to the treasury instead of TAX
ing 1t out, he will find hard shedding
for the ship subsidy bill he proposes
to push through congress. The aver
age citizen is very much in the dark
regarding the merchant marine prob
lem and the conditions which have
convinced President Harding that it's
solution is a matter of first Importance
to the country. AS a matter of pub
lie information, Jonathan Bourne
head of the republican publicity as
ISOLATION in Washington, has given
the following brief explanation of the
situation:
THE United States government
found itself at the close of the war in
possession of a fleet constructed dur
ing the war emergency at a cost of
SO, 100000. 900.
"A large portion of that fleet, par
ticularly the wooden ships, was utter
iy useless FOR practical merchant ship
ping because the space required for its
own fuel was so great that no profit
could be made out of space available
for transportation of paying cargo
Until some other arrangements and
definite plan could be agreed upon
the government operated some of the
ships at a loss which formerly ran in
to hundreds of millions but which has
now been cut down to about $4,000
600 a year. below which the loss can
not be reduced.
'The ships must be operated by
either the government or private OPP
orators or they will deteriorate, and a
high cost must be paid for care tax
ing.
"A plan has been devised under
which the government would dispose
of ships which it is now operating at
a loss of so million a year and permit /
them to be operated by private oper-
ators to whom the government would
pay about 80 million dollars a year. in I
return for which the United States /
mails would be carried regularly, /
ocean transportation service would be /
maintained for the development of /
American commerce. and the ships /
would be subject to the call of the
government as auxiliaries to the navy
in case of war.
Therefore. the country has before
il the question whether it shall aban-
don the ships entirely or continue to
operate them at loss of $4,000 900
who will operate them under a plan
which will cost the government $780,
900, 900 a year The ship subsidy bill
is opposed on the ground that it con-
templates payments from the govern
ment treasury to the operators of pri-
vate ships. Opponents of the bill ig-
more the fact that the government is
now paying S5O,OOO,OOO year in def
cits for the operation of ships that do
not render as satisfactory a service
rs would be had under private opera
lion. I
1.-The question is now before con-
ress. It would be well if the people 81
If the country would write to their /
enators and representatives and in S
iicate which they prefer of the fol- t
owing three policies: f
Il. Abandonment of an American G
merchant marine. :
80. Government operation at a con- {
inuous loss of S5OOOO,OoO per year o
"s Private operation under sub
Idly of SsO,OOO,OOO per year" C