The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-06
Leadership
Showdown
By Harding
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Copyright by Tho 1ntelliSencer)

Washington. June 5.-President Hard i
tnS has come 10 a show down Win
members Of his party in congress. ne
means TO keep congress In session until
a ship subsidy bill is passed. Proposal
for adjournment In August 80 as 10
give members an opportunity 10 par
ticlpate In their own campaign IN Sep
tember and October are rapidly van
tshing. The president Is In earnest IN
his insistence upon the passtse OF
bill creating a new American mechant
marine and will make the fight OF his
career FOR II. II congress adjourns
without action, special session Will
probably be called AZ once.
Urged by his friends TO assume ac-
two leadership OF his party on the tax
bill last year and then the tariff and
the bonus. Mr.. Harding has refrained
from taking the reins. But he is UP IN
arms On the ship subsidy measure. II
Is TO his mind 4 pledge the party must
keen. Just as Mr.. Wilson In his first
term regarded currency reform as
paramount and kept congress In con-
tinuous session all summer until he oh.
tained action so Is Mr.. Harding con-
vinced that the major act Of his admin
i5tration Is TO provide merchant
marine.
10 Stand or Fa1
Mr.. Harding is willing to stand or
fall as party leader on the merchant
marine issue. The nation Is today
losing fifty million dollars a year In
operating the ships inherited from the
war and the vessels are steadily de-
predating In value and no others are
being built by private shipping com
panles TO replace tho war fleet. To
drag on this way means in Mr.. Hard
tnS's judgment an absolute failure OF
the United States to keep her place on
the seas with loss 20 American in
dustry and commerce OF untold proper
tions.
The pending bill which will be re-
ported to the house in ten days pro-
vides for direct and indirect aid. The
first year II will cost about twenty
million dollars. The annual outlay
will be gradually increased to about
forty-ftvs million until the end OF ten
years approximately two hundred and
fifty million will be spent. Tho gov
eminent expects confidently to get this
sum back through the sale OF ships
and through the profits from private
operation. The private companies will
De limited to ten per cent in the taking
OF profits and must divide fifty per
cent Of their excess with the govern
ment 70 repay the subsidy. The ten per
cent isn't guaranteed nor ara losses 10
be covered by the government but II
the private owners are successful
they can not take more than a speci-
fled amount
Death Subsidy
Chairman Albert D. Lasker OF the
= pping board who Is largely respon-
sible FOR the evolution OF a concrete
plan 70 bring order out OF the chaos
IN which the government found itself
after the war with respect to ships Is
OF the opinion that the government TO-
day by operating It's own ships in pay
ing sums out Of tho treasury to kill
the initiative OF the private owners
He calls the present method "a subsidy
OF death for the merchant marine and
in contrast he characterises the aid
which the government viii transfer to
the private owners as "a subsidy OF
life" for the American merchant
marine.
The plain truth Of the matter Is that
congress does not Yet see the enormity
Of the shipping problem and Is looking
at subsidies with the political vision
OF pre-war days. Republican leaders
have told the president the bill would
have better chance to pass after the fall
elections than before. There have been
leaders who said The stump speakers
Of the opposition would say the govern
rnent has stolen tax payers money to
favor rich interests To all Of which
reply Is made by the administration
that the opposition party will merely
change It's tune II the bill is held up
and declare tho Republicans are CON
templatirg a steal which would 10
far as campaign twsdle goes be Just as
effective as the other statement
NO Parstsan Opposition
Fears OF partisan opposition Are
largely groundless. Democratic lead
ers In tho senate have told their Re-
publican colleagues within the last few
weeks that the Democrats as a party
would not approve the passage OF the
bin though individual members will Of
course express their views and vote
against II. When the measure comes
10 vote II Is assured OF passage in both
houses and vii have substantial
amount OF Democratic support.
Neither house nor senate Republicans
can risk repudiating the chief executive
on a major Isue which he himself makes
an absolute party matter The trouble
Is not in the house where Leader Mon
dali has followed implicitly tho admin
lstration's wishes and has moved his
legislative program nicely. It's in tho
senate. Tho house leaders by tho way
are tired OF sending bills to the senate
only 10 see them get caught in the jam
NJ the toriff. Republicans In the house
are outspoken in their criticism OF n
senate which has spent nearly a year
on the tariff and Is still far from get-
ting II through.
To Assist Leadership
The upshot ot the whole business will
be an assertion or leadership all along
mo limo by Gr. Harding. He can't get
rhs ship subsidy bill acted on unless tho
,aritt and bonus are disposed Of He
must take hold OF the whole legislative
situation. Reluctant to do so In tho
past. Mr. Harding now has decided to
cad His conversation with Republi-
an chisftains last Saturday were dir-
rerert from those IN the past Tho exc.
~uttve showed that ne meant business
and Il goes without saying that mem
hers OF congress up for reelection can
rot risk at this time the public di$ap-
nrcval os their own party leader and the
7ation's chief executive. Congress has
had a free hand for nearly four wears.
Mr. Harding has been patient-aT too
ratien, his friends and advisers think-
bur the turning point has come The
rerchant marine bin may not seem TO
bsvs ghost OF chance at this min
u,e bu, when the president gets through
Win the campaign for action which he
has IN mind the Republican congress
,y,ll Internationally follow his advice
e. be wrecked In the fall