The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-01
Includes $4,000, 900 An
nual Expenditure by q
Government.
SHIPPING BOARD
BILL INTRODUCED
Address to Congress Stirs
Prospects of Early, .
Definite Action.

Direct aid to the American mer-
chant marine at a cost to the gov
ernment OF at least $4,000. 900 for|
the first year and ultimately OF pos
sibly $4,000. 600 annually was reel
commended by President Harding In|
his address to Congress yesterday.
The President Endorsed, I'm a zen.
eral way OF rect cancellations MAJ
70 MIN by the Shipping Board. Bel
Sldes direct compensation for Amer
lcan vessels engaged in forefEnI
trade. the program involves the sale
OF government ships at present mar
ket values a construction loan|
iund OF f25.OO0.OOO and varfous1
forms OF indirect aid.
While President Harding estt-
mated that a maximum exDeuditurel
annually for the ten-year perioo
during which IL is proposed 10 con-
uhue the subsidy would be not more
than S3o.eOO.oO0. provision is made
Tor the creation OF a merchant ma.
rine fund amounting probably to|
somewhat more than that Hum.
Makeup of Fund,
The merchant marine fund rroul.
include 10 per cent Of the annusI
customs revenue. amounting proi,-
ably to $50. 200. 600 annually. am or
the revenue from tonnage Iaxes-
amounting to $4,000, 900, postal earn
ings. amounting to $4,000. 600. which
would otherwise be paid to Ameri-i
can ships, and such money as NAV
be returned to the government from
earnings OF American ships in ex-
cess Of 10 per cent after such shfns
nave benefited from the goveruuu
ment compensation On the basis
these estimates the merchant M
rlne iund might amount during the
hrst year TO as much as S3S, ,OOO OO0 -
Bills prepared by the ShiDpine
Board anc embodyinE the adminIs- :
tration recommendations wera in
troduced by Representative Green
OF MASSACHUSETTS,. chairman OF 80.
House ComnIittee Oh MerchsHf NJ I
rine and Fisheries. and by Senator
Jones. of Washington, chairman ofI
the Senate Committee on Commeroe.
The Merchant Marine Committee
Is expected to report the bill 90
the House without much DELAY. The
Senate committee also is certain To
take favorable action. The bills
probably will pass in Congress this
session.
Opposition a Question.
Comments by members Of Com
Sress Indicated that the legislation
might not encounter quite So much
opposition as was anticipated. Sen
ator capper. OF Kansas. leader az
the agricultural bloc. said ,hat he
was inclined TO support the hin
lie said that the farm bloc. as
Such, would not oppose IL. Senator
Horrls' OF Nebraska. chairman of
.he senate Committee on AErIcul-
sure. on the other hand. expressed
MS opposition TO any cash subSidy
to American ships. He saId ~ an,
nor believe the tax payers OF the
country would view the MIA, We,
favor. Senator Borah. OF idaho
was another Republican who de.
ciared his opposition 10 the sun
sidy program.
Senator Hitchcock. nemoc-,,
SAID: Il doubt IL private shin orn-
ers VIII be willing to take boid
OF the proposition on the 40 -
cent basis. Ny doubt ahou, i've
proposal lies in its workabII,r,
however. IL Is too compIicated .
Snblect to give an opinion wItbopt
careful study. The Presidents pian
seems TO he for building un a mer-
chant marine through an inCeniou.-
method OF paying a limitel SUR
sidv"
senator Willis. Republican. Ohio.
The Presidents plan ohyiate. -.
great extent the objection bcr.,.,
fore expressed to subsidy. IN t,,t
limits the amount of income 81
Inat excess profits will not rcsuI,
ot course ] shall support the hin /"
See Passage in HOUSE,
House leaders. particularly The
majority Representatives. EXPRESSED
belief that the subsidy measure
would pass the Lower House win
out doubt: Il am in favor OF a shin
subsidy. said Representative Mad
den. of Illinois. and believe that
great majority Of us fav,r such a
measure that will insure the main
tenance OF the American nac on
the sea and the carrying of Ameri-
can commerce IN American ships"
President Harding took occa sion
to reiterate his previous ipdorse-
ment of the st. Lawrence waterway
project and to link IL up With the
program for the assistanC. Of The
American merchant marine Coup
ling Of the two projects together
may win considerable support for
the ship subsidy program from the
Middle West.
Not more than fifty per cent p
the number OF aliens of any nation
ality admissible in any one Near
under immigration laws will be per
mitted under the pending bills TO
enter In foreign vessels. authority
being given the Secretary Of Labor
and the Shipping Board to modify
the percentage when sufIiCiens
American tonnage is not .Nailable.
Provision is made for the issuance
Of certificates by consular agents 20
immigrants specifying whether they
may be transported to the United
States in foreign vessel OF Amcri-
can vessel.
MARYLAND House Passes