Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-08-04
amounts TO Is that the way, apparent
". Ia opened for refunding.
Apathy on ship Subsidy.

to return to their homes ostensibly
for the purpose of assessing the
attitude of their constituents Ito
Ward ship subsidy legislation have
not thus far forwarded any informa-
ton to the national capital that would
tend to indicate t6atthere is any great
public demand for this legislation at
this time In fact, nothing on which
judgment could properly be based has
since they returned to their homes.
In explanation of this, 1t may be said
that the legislators have not had time
to. make the investigations which they
were requested 70 make and report
back, and that II may be reasonably
assumed that later on they Will be
able to submit reports that Will be
helpful to the powers that be-"
When 1t was decided that the mem
bers of the lower branch of the con-
gress should have a vacation Of six
weeks an official statement was put
out to the effect that since there
seemed to be some question In the
minds of some of the representatives
as to whether ship subsidy legislation
should be enacted during this session
of the congress, II seemed advisable
that the legislators should go home
and canvass the situation first hand. In
this connection the view was put forth
that the house~of representatives and
indeed the congress as a whole was
overwhelmingly in favor OF the adj
I-ministration's subsidy program. but
that some members of the house were
inclined to be timid about voting for
the legislation until they could talk
with the folks back home. The adj
ministration in agreeing to the vacaT
ton arrangement appeared to be very
certain that a. little mixing with the
folks at home would. convince the
timid members that the country Is
ready for ship subsidy legislation.
Were to Do Missionary Work. Sa
There was much talk about the
time the arrangements for the recess
were made that most Of the Republican
members of the house of representa-
tives were to go home for brief spell
as missionaries so to speak, for the
cause of ship subsidy. They were to
take along with them all the printed
arguments prepared by the shipping
board during the last few months In
favor of the subsidy program. They
were to submit these arguments to
their constituents and were to under
take a sort Of nationwide campaign In
the interest of subsidy legislation and
then return TO Washington and rush
through the administration bill.
If any of the representatives are
engaged In carrying out this program
the fact has not been reported back
to the national capital. Information
received here from various sections of
the country indicates, to the contrary,
that the representatives are at work
on their political fences with scarcely
mention of ship subsidy legislation.
| Obviously, the administration is dis
appointed because the nationwide cam
| paign was not put under way. If the
Republican representatives had carried
out the program that was arranged
for them. the administration would
have supplemented that program by
sending forth several of its. ablest
speakers to Tell the country how vital
1t is at this time that the pending subs
sidy legislation be enacted. Albert ID.
Lasker, chairman of the shipping
board. had planned an extensive
speaking tour. but 1t was since said at
the shipping board that pressing busi-
ness here may prevent him from TAX
ing long trip in the interest of sub
sidy Legislation.
Don't Want the Issue This Year.
The fact Is that the members of the
house of representatives, nearly all Of
whom are candidates for reelection,
do not want the ship subsidy Issue
raised in this years congressional
campaign. The same thing Is true OF
practically all of the senators who are
up for reelection. This statement ap-
4 plies to Republican congressman
rather than to the Democrats who are
seeking reelection, though some of this
Democrats are not at all anxious Il
deal with the subsidy issue in the cam
paign. The failure of the Republican
7 Representatives to get in behind q
nationwide propaganda In support o.
the administration subsidy bill dur
ing their leave of absence from Wash
ington is generally regarded here a.
an indication that the house of repre-
sentatives will shy away from a vot,
on subsidy legislation before the cleo
ton. ~st
If there Is any one thing Presiden
Harding desires above another at thi
time in the way of legislation, 1t 4
the passage of the administration
subsidy bill He has said publicly tina
, II the congress should not give tn
subject reasonable consideration Al
this session, he would call an extr
, session. provided, Of course. there wa