New-York tribune., 1922-11-22

Ae is equally unbelievable that our
people and the Congress which trans
iates their wishes into action will
longer sustain program of obstruc-
tion and attending losses TO the
Treasury.
Wants American "We WIFI
Reasserted BY Congress
have come GO urge the construc-
tive alternative, to reassert an
American I'VE WILL" have come to
ask You to relieve the responsible
administrative branch of the govern
ment from program upon which
iailure and hopeIessness and stagger-
ing losses are written for every
page, and let US turn to program Of
assured shipping to serve Us in war
and to give guaranty to our com
merciai independence in peace.
know full we'll the hostility in
the popular mind to the word Sub
sidy." 1t is stressed by the opposi-
tion and associated with Especial
privilege" by those who are unfail-
ing advocates Of government aid
whenever vast numbers are directly
concerned. Government aid" would
be fairer term than Subsidy" in
defining what we are seeking to do
for our merchant marine, and the
interests are those of all the people,
81 u lf.S E.
who serve.
If government aid is a fair term
and l think it is--tc apply to
authorizations aggregating s75,OoO,-
900 to promote good roads for mar
ket highways, it is equally fit to be
applied to the establishment and
maintenance Of American market
highways on the salted seas.
Ocean Highways Need
Government Assistance
If government aid is the proper
designation for $15,000,oo0 to S4O,-
100000 annually expended to I'm
prove and maintain inland water
ways in aid Of commerce, it Is a
proper designation for needed as
sistance to establish and maintain
ocean highways where there is actual
commerce to be carried.
But call it Subsidy" since there
are those who prefer to appeal TO
mistaken prejudice rather than make
frank and logical argument. We
might SO call the annual loss of
| s5o,ooo,00o, which we are paying now
without protest by those who most
abl1or, we might IS we'll call that q
Subsidy"
If so, am proposing to cut it in
half, Approximately, and to the
saving thus effected there would be
added millions upon millions of
| further savings through ending
losses on capital account-govern-
ment capital, out of the public
treasury, always remember--and
| there would be at least the promise
and the prospect of the permanent
establishment Of the needed mer-
| chant marine.
Challenges InsinuRtion Of
Favoring Special Few
challenge every insinuation Of
favored interests and the enrichment
Of the special few at the expense OF
the public treasury. am, first Of
all. appealing to save the treasury.
| Perhaps the unlimited bestowal OF
government aid might justify the ap-
prehension os special favoring, but
tho pending bill, the first ever pro-
posed which carries such provision
! automatically guards against en-
richment or perpetuated bestowal
It provides that shipping lines re-
ceiving government aid must have
their actual investment and their
operating expenses audited by the
government, that government aid
will only be paid until the shipping
enterprise earns 10 per cent on
actual capital employed, and im-
nnediaeely that when more than 10
per cent earning Is reached, half Of
the excess earnings must be applied
to the repayment Of the government
aid which has been previously ad-
vanced.
Thus the possible earnings are
limited to very reasonable amount
il capital is to be risked and manage
ment is to be attracted. IF success
attends, as we hope it will, the gov
eminent outlay is returned, the In
spiration Of opportunity TO earn re-
mains, and American transportation
by sea is established.
Sees Other Nations Glad
OF Opposition to Measure
Though differing in detail, ID Is
not more in proportion to their pop
ulation and capacity than other
great nations have done in aiding
the establishment Of their merchant
marines, and it is timely to recall
that we gave them our commerce TO
aid in their upbuilding, while the
| American task now is to upbuild and
establish in the face OF their most
active competition. Indeed, the
American development will have to
overcome every obstacle which may
be put in our path, except as inter
| national comfy forbfds