The Washington times., 1922-06-04
SHIPPING BILL
To Be PASSED
THIS SESSION
House and Senate Committees
Work Out Plan for Early
Vote on Subsidy.
REDRAFTlNG UNDER WAY
Rough Spots in Original Msas-
ure Will Be Eliminated by
Subcommittee.
BY WINDER r. HARRIS,
By Universal Service.

The Administration Ship Sub
sidy Bill will be passed by the
House by July /. 1t will be taken
up in the Senate just as soon as
the tariff is out of the way and
passed by the upper house while
the tariff is in conference.
This is the schedule that leaders
of the House Merchant Marine
and Senate Commerce Commit
tses. which have charge OF the
legislation. are working on to IN
sure that the measure becomes
law before the present session oI
Congress is adjourned.
BiII Now Being Revised.
The original bill as framed by
Chairman Lasker and his associate"
and submitted TO Congress by Presi'
dent Harding now is being re-
drafted to smooth out a few rough
spots developed during the hearings.
There will be no radical basic
changes, it is stated. but con-
siderable revision will be msde V"r-
biage. A number Of sections were
found to require simpiification
The redrafting is being done by
subcommittee Of the House Mar
chant Marine Committee, in CO.
operation with Shipping hoard ana
Treasury experts and some OF the
other Congressional committees
which have jurisdiction over soine
of the phases Of the proposed law.
The new draft is expected to he
completed within a week. II will
then be reintroduced in the House
and considered by the full member.
ship Of the committee in executive
session. Leaders on the committee
are confident they will be able to
get the bill whipped into final shape
to be reported to the Houss by the
middle Of June.
A special rule will be granted for i'm.
mediate consideration in the House
| The policy will be to permit liberal
debate. but to shut down hard at
the first indication OF dilatorY
tactics or fillibuster. There is no
doubt in the minds OF the House
leaders that the bill can be passed
, easily within two weeks.
Doubtless there will be quite con
siderable fight from some elements
on the Democratic side. and posi-
BILE some Of the Republicans from
the Middle West may join the
opposition. But the opponents will
be more conspicuous by the per
sistency of their fight, 1t is believed,
than by their numerical strength.
! It Is estimated by some Of the
; champions of the legislation that
there will be a margin Of at least
fifty in favor OF the bill in the
House.
: A counting OF noses will be made
Just as soon as the bill is reported,
so that the leaders will know ex-
actly where they stand before the
fight actually gets under way.
Less difficulty proportionately Is
expected in the Senate than in the
House. Some of the Democratic
Senators, notably Senator Ransdell,
Of Louisiana, are among the
stanchest advocates of subsidy
ARRANGEMENT as the only hope OF
! insuring an adequate American
merchant marine.
Within the last week there arose
some objection to passing the bill IN
the House and sending IL over TO the
Senate while the tariff bill is pend
ing. The suggestion was that such
action would provide the Democratic
opponents Of the tariff bill with
more ammunition for discussion on
the floor, which would turthe; delay
passage of the tariff bill.
To follow the desires OF those sd.
vancing this idea, however, would
mean that the House would have to
let the bill go over until the ne1t
session Of Congress. The members
! now are straining to get away 20
they may give attention TO knot
holes in their fences which are
threatening in many Instances 10 de.
velop into gaping rents. 1t is not
believed that 1t will be possible to
maintain a quorum macn longer
after July I.
President Insists on Passage.
! Moreover, II was learned today
that President Harding has inform.
! ed the Senate and House leaders tnat
IL the ship subsidy bill is not passed
before the present session aliouras.
he will call an extra session i'm.
mediately after the November cleo.
! tions. This word from the White
House was largely responsible for
the determination reached this weok
to go ahead with the legislation in
the House.
Senators and ConEressmen who
have charge Of the bill scaffed today
at published reports that British In.
terests threaten to transfer all nos.
sihle shipping traffic from New
York and other North Atlantic ports
ip the United States to Montreal, II
the ship subsidy bill is passed.
In the first place, the British ship.
ping men are too wise to risk the
loss of the great New York business
II was pointed out. Second, II Brit.
ish ships were taken off the Now
York run, American ships would he
built Immediately to take their
places, and ships of other flags
would flock to gather the trade.