New-York tribune., 1922-11-22

we might give them Some mail con-
tracts.
Mr.. Capper was asked what he would
| consider Legitimate way but he
would not elaborate on that point, in
sisting that there 81, ould be no pay
ments by the government.
l.. j. Dickinson, Republican, of Iowa,
spokesman for the farm bloc In the
House, announced that he would intro
tluee an amendment providing fer the
payment by the government to the
farmers of % per cent of the freight
rate on export shipments from the
point Of origin to the port of exporta-
tion.
While Mr.. Dickinson did not elabo-
rate on this statement, 1t is under.
stood that. the purpose OF putting up
euch en amendment is to embarrass
the advocates Of the bill. He is op-
posed to the measure and would like
to see enough impracticable features
added to insure its defeat.
The keynote for the progressive
group was sounded by Senator La Fol-
lette, whose plea was for continued
operation by the Shipping Board, but
in the hands Of men "more friendly"
toward government ownership. He
charged that the present organization
has attempted to make the enterprise
a failure instead of success.
There was nothing new in the
Presidents ship subsidy message.
What he said is simply rehash OF
the arguments that have been put
forth by Mr.. Lasker for months in
what he has frankly described as a
campaign. to sell ship subsidy to the
| people. of this country" said Senator
La Toilette.
eb, u
popular that politicians persuaded the
President to withhold it until after
the election. II anything has been
demonstrated by the late election 1t is
that the people are opposed to the
whole plan of ship subsidy. In Wis
consin, Iowa, Minnesota and North
Dakota and many other states it was
made o prominent issue in the cam
paign, and in practically every in
stance the advocates OF Che ship sub
sidy were either beaten at the polls
or escaped defeat by narrow margins.
In no other country in which repre-
sentative government exists would the
administration dare to press for pas
sage a measure which had been so
overwhelmingly rejected by the people.
Yet so powerful are the interests be-
hind the subsidy plan that the Presi-
dent apparently feels compelled to de-
mand the passage of this measure con-
trary to what he now knows is the will
Of the overwhelming majority OF the
people.
"The facts are very simple and no
amount of elaboration or array of fig
ures, however formidable, can conceal
them. About S4,000,000,000 of the peo-
ple's money was used to pay for tlao
ships which the government now owns
n VI IN h. 5t,i ,iro
operated under the shameful cost pIus
contracts which guaranteed fabulous
profits to the operators of the ships In
entire disregard of the interests Of the
government. After the war the ships
we're put in charge Of men taken from
private steamship companies whose in
terests, of course, have been to make
government operation of the ships a
failure.
'Yet in spite Of this the President
now tells us that the loss from the
government operation has been steadily
decreasing. Instead of doing the SEN
operation under the direction OF men
who wish to make it q success instead
of failure, it is now proposed to sell
these ships to the private ship com
panies at about 10 cents on the dollar
and to pay to these private owners
many millions of dollars for an in
definite period For operating these
ships and to permit them to charge
such rates for transportation as they
please.
NO one can tell how many hundreds
of millions Of dollars of the peoples
money will be paid to Che shipping
monopoly under the ship subsidy plan
nor for what length OF time the pay
ments Will continue, for once the prin-
ciple is esta ablished by the passage OF
the proposed measure excuses will be
found for continuing and increasing
the subsidy in order to satisfy the
greed of those interests that are now
attempting to drive this bill through
in spite Of the wishes of the people US
registered at the last election.
$50 far as the cost to the govern
ment Of operating OF ships is concerned
it could be taken care OF many times
over simply by restoring the excess
profits taxes and surtaxes which thu
present Administration has repealed.
"The most remarkable thing in the
Presidents message Is the argument
that members of Congress should sup
port this measure without regard to
the sentiments Of their constituencies ,
This is at cnce an admission that the
President knows the people of this
country are opposed to the subsidy bill
and an invitation to Senator'S and Rep
rosentatives to disregard the wishep Of
the people they are sent hero to rep
resent. In order to obey the demands Of