The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-05-27

i nc ICSOlOl1On IOlOWSs
Backed by False Claim.
Whereas, Congress through it's
committees is now conducting hear
ings on s. 3217-"A bill to amend
and supplement the Merchant Ma:
rine Act Of 1920 and for other purs
poses" is in fact a bill to
subsidize the shipowners of Ameri-
ca: and.
Whereas, This bill in every feature
thereof is predicated upon the un-
! founded claim that such subsidy is
needed to equalize the wage cost.
which it is claimed runs strongly
against the american vessels; and,
Whereas, There is no material
difference in either wage cost or
subsistence cost running against
American vessels and any real en-
forcement Of the Seamen's Act will
prevent any differential against ves-
sells under the American flag in the
future; therefore,
s.. Resolved, That acting for and on
behalf of the Trades Unions of
America we reiterate that we are
kind and specifically opposed to
subsidies being granted to shipown-
ers. because. first, there is. no proof
that subsidies ever built UP or ma
terially aided in building any mer-
chant marine; second, because it is
provocative Of inefficiency and graft
and general parasitism.
/ Resolved further, That we are
, opposed to this particular bill for
reasons some Of which we enumer-
ate as follows:
But Il Smoke Screen
First-Because it presumes to sell
the vessels now owned by the gov
ernment when in fact the so-called
sale is nothing but a smoke screen
to hide the fact that the ship-own-
ers are to receive the vessels for
nothing and then some three hum
dred million dollars over and above
the purchase price for operating the
vessels for ten years, after which
time the ship operators may turn
the vessels back to the government.
Second-Because this bill con-
fers upon the shipping board powers
such as have never been, SO far as
we can ascertain. given to any COM
mission or board in any country;
under this bill it cam give the SUBJ
sidy or withhold. it can reduce the
subsidy or double it, it can sell the
vessels at any price to one person
or refuse to sell to another person
at high bid because it is of the
opinion that the bidders character
is such that he may not use the ves-
sci to promote the interests Of the
United States; it can lend money
to one person at 9 per cent interest
and refuse it to another, when both
are to use it for the same purpose.
They Withhold Facts.
T'hird-Because the shipowners,
whip are advocating the bill and will
be the. recipients of the bounty re-
fuse to give any real information
about their business during the last
ten years. in fact, any information.
which might show whether any sub
>sHdy is really needed, even from the
pbint Of view of those favoring sub
sfdies as a principle. unless ordered
tP do so by the joint committee
conducting the hearings
Fourth-Because the shipowners
fare so organized that there is not
fnor will there be any competition
between them in the buying Of the
ships.
Fifth-Because the shipowners
have dominated the policy of the
shipping board during nearly all of
it's history. They are dominating it
now and there is no reason to be-
lieve that they will not continue to
control it in the future.
Responsible for Decay.
Sixth-Congress has, during our
history, except in two or three in
stances. given the shipowners any,
thing they asked: and it is. there
fore, the shipowners and shipbuild-
ers who are at least indirectly re-
sponsible for the decay of our sea-
power. and there is no good reason
to- believe that the shipowners and
their policy will improve after get
ting the subsidies.
Finally. we believe that this is no
time. to sell the vessels: but that,
having tried to operate the vessels
under agreement with the shipown-
ers and having failed. we may now
try to opreate them directly in the
manner that Mr.. Rossbottom Is now
operating his spiked team with
out any serious loss to the govern
ment. We believe that the losses
fwould be much less, If any, and that
1.-THE siipowners would then buy the
vessels which they have so far re-
Yn,,onA ~