The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1922-12-02
PLEA IS MADE
BY PRESIDENT
PLAN MEANS SAVING OF MIL.
LIONS YEARLY. PRESIDENT
TELLS CONGRESS.
URGES Snip SUBSIDY
GOVERNMENT AID FOR SHIPPING
WILL CUT BURDEN. HARD
ING INSISTS.

Washington, Nov. 21.-Enactment OF
the administration merchant marine
bill was urged upon Congress by Pres
ident Harding ms necessary to relieve
the government OF present Staggering
losses in operation of war-built mer-
chant fleet, and to establish u program
Of assured shipping to serve the na-
tlon In war and give guaranty Of
commercial Independence In time of
peace.
Personally addressing u joint session
Of the House and Senate. the execu-
tive declared an actual monetary saw
ing to the government would result
from the proposed law. He challenged
every insinuutiOn Of favored interests
and the enriching Of the special few
ut the expense Of the public treasury.
The Legislation. he asserted. automat-
Ically guarded against enrichment or
perpetual bestOwnl.
III success attend, rs we hope 1t
WILL" he added, the government out
Iay is returned, the Inspiration Of OPP
pOrtunty to earn remains and Ameri-
can transportation by sea Is main
iaincd''
The President said concern about
the American merchant marine policy
was not limited ito our own domain"
adding that the maritime nations OF
the world were in complete accord
with the opposition here to the pend
Ing measure He declared those na-
tlOns had perfect right to sucn IN
attitude, but that he wished to stress
the American viewpoint, which, he
said. should be the viewpoint from
which one sees American carriers at
sea, the dependence OF American com
merce and American vessels for Amer
lean reliance In the event OF war"
Mr.. Hnrdlng declared 1t would be
most discouruging II measure Of
''such transcending national imp0r-
lance must have Its fate depend on
geographical. occuputIonal, profession
nj or purtisan objection. A CONNER
cIal emInence on the seas and ample
agencies for the promotion In carrying
were Of no less Importance to the peo-
pie OF the Mississippi and the Mis-.
souri, valley, the great Northwest and
the Rocky Mountain states than to the
seubOard states ind Industrial commu-
mites inland.
1T liz II common cause, with Its ben
eflts commonly shared" sud he.
II government aid Is Il fair term TO
apply to authorizations nggregatjng
$75.OO0.ODO to promote good roads for
market highways, the President added.
1t IL equally fit to be applied to the
establishment and maintenance OF
American market highways on the
"salted seas
Az to present government operation
Of the Shipping Bourd fleet Mr.. Hard
ing said there WIS the unavoidable
task Of wipIng out n $5OOOO,OOO an.
nunl loss, and losses nggregnting
many hundreds OF millions In worn
out, sacrificed or scrapped shipping.
He called attention that the govern
mcnt ships were being worn out with
out any provision for Replacement
and that program of surrender nnd
sacrifice and the liquidation which lie
declared would he inevitable unless the
proposed legislation were enacted
would cost scores Of billions. The
cost Of the proposed legislation giving
direc, aid. he said. With ocenn-cnrrylng
maintained ut the present average
would not reach S2O.OOO,OOO n year and
the maximum direct MD IL American
shipping were so promoted that 1t cnr-
ried one-half the nations dcep-sen
commerce would not exceed S3O,pDO,-
go annually.
The President devoted practically
MI his message TO the subsidy, men.
tiOning only one other nntional prob
Unconditional relief for agriculture.
This and other questions will be dealt
with In his message TO the regular SEES.
sion which will meet Dec. 4.