The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-21
Complete Text of President
Hardings Message to Congress

/ recalled in regret rather than criti-
cism. The point is that our fleet, cost
ing about three billions is worth only a
fraction of that cost today. Whatever
that fraction may be, the truth re-
mains that we have no market in
which to sell the ships under our
present policy, and a program OF sur
render and sacrifice and the Hquida-
ton which is inevitable unless the
pending legislation is sanctioned, will
cost scores of millions more.
THE question is asked, Why the
insistence for the merchant marine
act? The answer is apparent. Waiv-
ing every inspiration which lies in a
constructive plan for maintaining our
flag on the commercial highways of
the seas. waving the prudency in
safeguarding against another $1,000
10000 madness of war ever again
impels. we have the unavoidable task
of wiping out a $50,000,00o annual
loss in operation. and losses aggregat-
ing many hundreds of millions in worn
out, sacrificed, or scrapped shipping.
Then the supreme humiliation, the ad-
mission that the United States-our
maritime nations of the worlds in
capable of asserting itself in the peace
triumphs on the seas of the world. 1t
would seem to me doubly humiliating
when we own the ships and failing the
genius and capacity to turn their
prows towards the marts of the world.
This problem cannot longer be ig-
nored; its attempted solution cannot
longer be postponed. The failure of
congress to act decisively will be no
less disastrous than adverse action.
Three Courses Possible.
Three courses of action are pos
sible, and the choice among them is
no longer to be avoided.
THE first is constructive, enact the
pending bill. under which, firmly be-
lieve, an American merchant marine
privately owned and privately oper-
ated, but serving all the people and
always available to the government in
any emergency, may be established
and maintained.
THE second is obstructive-con-
tinue operations and attending gov
eminent losses and discourage private
enterprise by government competition,
under which losses are met by the
public treasury and witness the con-
tinued losses and deterioration under
the colossal failure ends in sheer eX-
haustion-
1.-The third is destructive-invoIv-
ing the sacrifice of our ships abroad or
the scrapping of them at home. the
surrender of our aspirations. and the
confession of our impotence to the
world in general and our humiliation
before the competing world in partic-
ular.
"A choice among the three is in
evitable. 1t is unbelievable that the
American people or the congress
which expresses their power will con-
sent to surrender and destruction. 1t
is equally unbelievable that our people
and the congress which translates
their wishes into action will longer
sustain a program of obstruction and
attending losses to the treasury.
Il have come to urge the conStruc-
tive alternative, to reassert an Amer
lean we will 1 have come to ask
you to relieve the responsible admin
branch of the government
from a program upon which failure
losses are written for every page, and
let us turn to a program of assured
shipping to serve us in war and to
give guaranty to our commercial i'm
portance in peace.
Il know full well the hostility in
the popular mind TO the word sub
sidy.' 1t is stressed by the opposition
and associated with special privilege
by those who are unfailing advocates
Of government aid whenever vast
are directly concerned Gov
eminent aid would be a fairer term
than subsidy in defining what we arc
seeking to do for our merchant ma
rine, and the interests are those of all
the people, even tho the aid goes to
the few who serve.
II government aid is a fair term
and I think it is-to apply to authori-
cations aggregating S75,0O0,OO0 to
promote good roads for market high
ways, it is equally fit to be applied to
the establishment and maintenance of
American market highways on the
salted seas. If government aid is the
proper designation for fifteen to forty
millions annually expended to improve
and maintain inland waterways IN aid
Of commerce, it is a proper designa-
ton for a needed assistance to estab-
llsh and maintain ocean highways
where there is actual commerce to be
carried.
Call the Loss Subsidy"
But call it subsidy, since there are
nose VINO prefer to appeal to mis-
taken prejudice rather than make ,
might also call the annual loss of fifty |
which we are paying now
without protest by those who most
ibhor, We might as well call that a |
subsidy If so, am preparing to cut
I in half, approximately, and to the
saving thus effected there would be |
added millions upon millions of fur
.her savings thru ending losses on !
sapital account-governmen capital, |
out of the public treasury, ALWAYS re- !
mber-and there would be at least |
he promise and the prospect of the |
permanent estab lishment of the need
I'd merchant marine.
L challenge every insinuation OF |
avored interests and the enrichment |
If the special few at the expense OF :
ne public treasury. I am, first of all |
appealing to save the treasury. Per-
laps the unlimited bestowaI of gov
aid might justify the appre-
lension of special favoring, but the
pending bill, the first ever proposed /
which carries such a provision auto-i
guards against enrichment
IT perpetuated bestowal. 1t provides
hat shipping lines receiving govern
nent aid must have their actual in
and their operating expenses
audited by the government, that gov /
,rnment aid will only be paid until
he shipping enterprise earns 10 per
'ent on actual capital employed, and.
nm ediately that when more than 10 |
Ter cent earning is reached. half of
he excess earnings must be applied