The New York herald., 1922-07-19
FLETCHER HAS PLAN
INSTEAD OF SUBSIDY
Senator Would Sell Ships on
Long Terms and Insure
Operators.

WASHINGTON, July 1s.-The Admin
istration ship subsidy bill was attacked
in the Senate to-day by Senator
Fletcher (Dem.. Fla.). former chairman
and now ranking minority member OF
the Senate Commerce Committee. who
said the bill had provisions for sub
ventions, indirect subsidies and direct
subsidies upon scale never before con-
templated." The Florida Senator added
that in his opinion 1t would at this time
'be a mistake and most unfortunate
for the country to enact them into
laws"
Sale Of Shipping Board vessels on
long time payments and Government in
surance for American ship operators
was recommended by Senator Fletcher.
Analysing the pending bill Senator
Fletcher said 1t proposed to loan money
to ship purchasers at rates lower than
the Government could itself obtain.
He also thought that the Standard OIL.
the United States Steel Corporation,
United Fruit and other great corpora
tions maintaining fleets of vessels would
under the bill escape all taxes on their
shipping property.
"If the chairman of the Shipping
Board" Senator Fletcher added. in
stead of furnishing arguments to Con-
gressmen and spending money on
publicity campaign to persuade voters
of the country TO favor this bill. would
spend his time and devote his energies
to persuade American ship owners that
they ought to patronize our own ship
yards. and American merchants that
thy ought to giev their business to
American ships, and American bankers
that they ought to encourage American
shipping. that would be much more
helpful in establishing an American
merchant marine and much less costly
to the American people,"
Attacking the provision of the bill for
Government aid. Senator Fletcher said
It would give the ordinary ten thousand
ton vessel subsidy of $16.500 annually
and the Leviathan s1.700.Ooo.
Too Much Power to BOARD.
The bill. Senator Fletcher continued
also would give the Shipping Board 'the
power Of life or death over any ship
ping company or vessel owner, the
privilege of rewarding favorites to an
unlimited extent and of running those
not liked, Of building up ports and de-
stroying them. as the board might de-
Hrmine." This great power. the Senator
added. would be conferred upon IAN
organization already in disrepute and
already notoriously partisan. already in
politics at Government expense, already
such a failure that 1t brazenly boasts
Of IT.
For Fast Liners Only.
Representative Davis (Dem., Tenn.).
a member of the Merchant Marine Com
pittee. declared to-day that the Admin
istration ship subsidy bill sis framed
in the interest OF the fast ocean liners
rather than the cargo vessels" The an
nouncement by President Ferguson OF
the Newport News Shipbuilding and
Qyydock Company OF negotiations with
responsible persons" for the construction
of two 1000 foot passenger steamers.
contingent upon the passage Of the bill,
"smacks % propaganda" Mr.. Davis said.
adding that nobody except the very
wealthy could pay the price of travel on
such palatial greyhounds.' =
"Abou. the only foreign commerce this
bill would develop" he concluded. would
be to encourage the already too prevalent
practice of Americans spending abroad
the money acquired In America"