The St. Joseph observer., 1922-07-29

|
the adoption of the bill which Presi-
dent Harding has made his favorite |
child among the legislative proposals |
now pending, next to the tariff, is the |
jealous effort to dlscredit the mer-
chant marine established by the Will
son administration. These ships are |
described in Chairman Lasker's ap-
| peals for subsidies as "a costly heri-
tage." .,-..-e.
"Just Think Of I'll"
Referring to this slur on the peo-
pies vast and valuable investment in
serviceable ships, Senator Fletcher
said, In his speech in the senate:
Think of III The finest fleet own
ed or controlled by any maritime
power in the world, or by any organi-
zation, denominated a costly heritage
These people claim to want an ade-
quate American merchant marine
American owned and American oper-
ated-for the benefit of American
commerce and American industry, and
yet the first essential to such mer-
chant marine is ships. which they
complain of as costly heritage
"If we could only get rid of the
ships, the Shipping board would be
relieved of annoyance and the friends
of this measure would be happy
Their main purpose would be accom-
plished.
II must confess to being glad we
have the ships. and l value them as
distinct asset, which / would not like
to see dissipated and wasted. l want
to see them taken care of and proper
ly employed. They constitute the first
essential requirement to merchant
marine, and instead Of giving them
away or sinking them, or paying peo-
pie to relieve us OF them, I would put
them in service and operate them as
our needs demand and our interests
call for until such time as they are
wanted by those who will keep them
under our flag. who will take pride in
their country's status on the seas who
understand the business they would
engage in. and who will see that they
render the service the people of this
country are entitled to have and must
have.
1.-The nation is numbered by a
great fleet of merchant vessels they
say. 1t is like saying to a man want
, ing to open a bank, he is numbered by
} capital, or TO a merchant who would
, like to engage in foreign trade, he is
numbered by goods or other assets"
Fault Of ,the Shipping Board
The failure OF the nations mer-
< chant marine fleet to operate success
! fully and economically is the fault of
= the present Shipping board, Senator
y Fletcher declared
k IF the chairman of the board in
e stead of furnishing arguments to con-
0 gressmen and spending money on a
r publicity campaign to persuade the
e voters OF the country to favor this bill
= would spend his time and devote his
d energies to persuade American ship
Il owners that they ought to patronize
their own shipyards; and American
merchants that they ought TO give
e their business to American ships; and
n American bankers that they ought tC
10 encourage American shipping, thai
$ would be much more helpful in es
n tablishing an American merchant ma
RS rine."
It Senator Fletcher declared that tn
re Shipping board under Chairman Las
"a ker's auspices had become "the motor
O. ious resort Of political place hunters
al and has been used to a disgusting an,
A. scandalous extent as a political ma
ri precautions of the big American flee
ic under his control and pleas for II
It, sale or donation 10 private Interests
a. Chairman Laske er is seeking to enlarg
I'd the powers and expenditures of tn
m Shipping board Senator Fletche
an showed.
Philip Manson. n practical authorit
on the subject of shipping has test
at, fled that the ship subsidies advocate
on by President Harding and Chalrma
yn Lasker would be utterly futile in ere
en- ating a merchant marine.
.e- What Manson Said
he In testimony given before the ser
an ate committee on commerce, Mr.. MAJ
OK son said:
r. "I say to you that the only thir
lp, subsidies will do will be TO transf,
m from the public treasury TO the pool
ter cts OF few favored steamship me
re- some OF whom have appeared befo
he the committee, large sums OF taxpa
lth ers' money, and, what is worse, 1t W
is perpetuate the graft and incompetent
ed which is now the real reason for o.
W. | g..