The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-11-24
MESSAGE Is SENT
CONGRESS TODAY
Action On the Bill Is Urged
At This Session
RELIEVE DEBT BURDEN
Staggering Losses" In Opera,
tion War-Built Merchant
Fleet Dwell Upon
ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch. !

ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.l
Washington, d. c., November 81.
-Gnactment of the administration
merchant marine bill was urged
upon congress. today by President
Harding as necessary TO relieve the
government OF present staggering
losses" in operation of the war
built merchant feet, and to estab-
lish a program of assured ship. ing
10 serve the nation in war and give
a guaranty of commercial impor-
lance W time o peace
Personally addressing the joint
session of the house and senate,
monetary saving 10 the government
would result from the proposed
law. He challenged every insinua
ton of favored interests and the
enriching of the special few at the
expenses of the public treasury.
The legislation. he asserted. auto
matically guarded against enrich
ment or perpetual bestowal.
IF success attend as We hope il
will" he added. "the government
outlay is returned. the inspiration of
opportunity to earn remains, and
American transportation by sea is
maintained"
Not Confined To Own Domain
The president said concern about
the American merchant marine po-
lice was not limited TO our own
domain" adding that the maritime
plete accord with the opposition
here to the pending measure" He
declared those nations had per
feet right to such an attitude, but
that he wished to stress the Amer
can viewpoint, which he said should
be the viewpoint from which one
sees American carriers at sea, the
dependence of American commerce.
and American vessels for American
reliance in the event of war"
Mr.. Harding declared it would be
most discouraging il measure of
such transcending national i'm
portance" must have its fate depend
) on geographical. occupational, pro-
fessicnal or partisan obiecti6%- A
: commercial eninence on the seas
I'D ample agencies for the promo
son Ia carrying of American com
:, cree. he asserted, were of no less
'r>r~rtance to the people of the Mis-
'-sF-pi and the Missouri Sallev, the
~-eat northwest and the Rocky
nrntain states than to the sea
r.-d states and industrial com
entities in land.
"If is common cause. with its
~~-st- commonly shared" he said.
re Government aid is a fair term
--nIv to authorization aggregat-
( - roo 600 to promote good roads
--a-'-et highways the president
-. IL is equally At to be applied
80 establishment and mainte-
-s--e re American market highw avs
N the "salted seas" :
Huge Annual Loss
As 70 present government opera
I'm Of the shipping bourd feet. Mr..
Harding said there was the una
rn;dable task OF wiping out fFt-'
million dollars annual loss. and and
losses aggfegating many hundreds
Of millions" in worn out sacrificed
or scrapped shipping. Hey called at
tentioH that the government ships
we're being worn out without tany
proyision for replacement, and that
proeram of surrender and sacri
fee and the liquidation. which. he
declared, would be inevitihle unless
the proposed legislation were enact
ed would cost scores OF millions.
The cost of the proposed legisla-
ton giving direct aid, he said. With
ocean carrying maintained at the
present average, would not reach
soc. coo, ono a year. and the maximum
directsaU If American shipping were
50 promoted that it carried one half
the nations deep sea commerce
would not exceed thirty million an
nually. ...r ..-
Text a Presidents Message
The text of President Harding's
address to congress follows. in part:
Members Of Congress: Late last
February I reported to you relative
10 the American merchant marine.
and recommended legislation which
the executive branch Of the govern
me1t deemed essential to promote
out merchant marine and with II
our national welfare. Other problems
were pressing and other questions
pending. and for one reason or ano-
ther. which need not be recited, the
suggested legislation has not pro-
crossed beyond a favorable recon =
mendation by the house committee.
The committee has given the CUES
ton a fun painstaking inquiry and
study. and hope that its favorable
report speedy VIII be given the
force of law.
II win be helpful in clearing the
atmosphere If we started with TIA
frank recoenition of divided opinion
md determined opposition. II is no
new experience. Like proposals
have divided the congress- on vari-
o,is previous occasions. Perhaps a
more resolute hostility never was
-~anifest before. and am very sure
re need for decisive .action-deci
1--WE favorable action-neyer was
90 urgent before.
Insistent Conditions Faced
We are not now dealing with a
rnIicy on theory. we have prob
iarn which is one OF grim actually.
We are facing insistent conditions,
nut nf which will come either addi-
fional and staggering government
iosses and national impotence on
the seas or else the unfuriing OF the
flag on a great American merchant
marine commensurate with our
commercial importance, to serve as
carrier of our cargoes in peace and
meet the necessities OF our defense
in war.
There is no thought here now to
our national defense. IL is enough
to recall that we entered the world
war almost wholly dependent on
our allied for transportation by sea.
we expended approximately three
billions, feverishly, extrayagantly,
go al H,-k -