The labor world., 1922-12-09
For Special Interests.

When Mr.. Lafson voted. for the
ship subsidy bill he voted against
the interests and welfare Of every
farmer and worker in his district.,
His vote may have suited the big
business interests, but it does not
please the great mass Of the people
from whom he claimed and obtained
support in the recent. election.
A change of 13 votes would have
defeated the bill in the house. Every
Republican progressive and even
many of the old guardsmen voted
against the measure. The vote was
2OS for ship. subsidy and 1s4
against.
The bill goes to the senate where
the Democrats and progressive Re-
publicans will, if necessary, strugg.s
with it for a, filibustering period:
while the old guard that was repu-
dated so decisively at. the polls
makes desperate effort to put over
one more~"deal'' at the, expense Of
the U. s. treasury. .= .ss.
Jobs for Lame Ducks.''
Outgoing congressman, it is un.
derstood, were offered comfortabis
jobs If the subsidy went through.
Outgoing senators have a similar
choice of submission or oblivion. No
>vote-no plums. A mess Of spottags
and a bartering of votes!
The facts and. arguments on the
measure will be. aired in great de.
tail during the senate discussion. The
progressive senator's who are not in
favor Sof such vicious legislation as
the Laskerz bill, even though some
of them favor constructive. govern:
ment aid to the establishment OF =
m M Merchant marine. will psstt m sfighA
that will make history. Every kind
of political and social pressure will
be exerted against them. The weak
will fall, the strong. will stand.
Nobody knoy7s how much the
ship subsidy will cost the people,"
declared Congressman Frear of Wis
consin. .s.. ..
.... Hits at Lasker.
%. s,"Lasker is only a publicity man
who buys newspaper. space with gov.
ernment 1-.oney and floods congress
with propaganda for his BILL" saiI
the lawhaker. He does not know
how much this bill will cost t.s
government annually. Nobody knows
Nobody can know. i
Every newspaper this morning
comes out with editorial notices or
with news notices telling us wa
ought to vote for this bill. I would
like to say what are behind these
interests. Most men know. Why dc
these newsp:. gers demand this why
do these newspaper demand the
passage of a sales tax upon the peo.
pie? They do not represent the peo.
PIE. Il s
"The- press has, little influence
when it is not fair, and Lasker's pro-
paganda will not deceive many
members. .-.:- .-.-...2 =
:, mo legislative body should coa.
tinue an. appropriation for 10 years
That objection to the bill alone il
vital to any action now. and dis
credits a measure that was only
saved: by a special rule against the
point Of order. leave that to any
ordinary fair-minded man.
The pending subsidy bill will dc
none Of the following things claimed
for it>as a basis of vote getting-im.
prove wages of American seamen
provide an incentive to shipping. re-.
duce government expenditure, aid
the farmer - Z. .s,.. ss.@ ,5sfs
,,...,.- No Help to Labor. -.
At the hearings on the bill, Presi.
dent Andrew F'ursueth Of the Sen.
mems union said in reply to the ar.
gument that a subsidy was needod
to- compensate shippers for higher
wages paid American seamen:
"As a result of these reductioni
the wages Of American seamen are
now much lower than the wages 81
Canadian and Australian seamenb
are. practically on a level will
British wages: and are substantially
higher than the wages only of Jap.
anese among the principal mari
time nations 49, -
Although President Harding used
the stock labor argument in his adj.
dress to congress to get labor sup.
port, Chairman Lasker, himself, said
during the hearings:
II want to- take occasion to SAY
here that think the Seamen,s Ac
has been one of the most misrer
resented acts OF which have eyel
heard. / came down to Washing
ton believing. as most people lI
my part OF the country do, if yos
repeal the seamen's Act you wonil
have q merchant marine. ThatEs3
pure bunk. : IS ss. ~
The subsidy provides payment iela
s$11,000. annually to cargo steamerl
OF 8, 300 dead weight tons that cod.
Anywhere from $25O,000 to 81 sos
900. Such q subsidy constitutes III;
incentive to shippers engaged i1s
commerce. 5ss3s IS :ssss
assEs on; the other hsntl. the subsi5a
provide large pa ynlents to passe
Continued on paEe