The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-30
By FREDERICK J. HAsKIN

WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 30.-The
ship subsidy bill, already strenously
fought over in preliminary skirmishes,
is to be one of the main subjects be-
fore congress at the next session. Rep
resentative Greene, of Massachusetts,
author and champion of the bill, con-
fidently predicts that his measure will
come through the conflict safely, how
ever, and that the American flag will
once more assume its old prominence
on the high seas.
The shipping question is complicat-
ed and the bill is technical. The sit
uation briefly Is that an American
merchant fleet, built at enormous
cost in wartime, lies idle in our yards.
The shipping board still has in its
charge 1875 ships, of which some
1900 are inactive. The boards would
like to sell all of these ships to pri-
vate firms, recover some of its in
vestment, and go quietly out of exist
ence-
America has no large, dependable
marine to carry its cargoes, and here
are almost LOO ships, the nucleus OF
a first class shipping industry. But
private capital is not coming forward
to operate the ships. AS matters
stand, a foreign freighter with cheap
European or oriental labor can be op-
Grated so much more cheaply than
an American ship that our business
men will not try to compete. The
great, potential American marine re-
mains u troublesome white elephant
on the hands of the shipping board.
The arguments in favor of an Ameri.
can merchant fleet might be explained
here. Chairman Lasker of the ship
ping board points out that while
foreign ships have handled out trade
more or less satisfactorily in the past
the situation is different now. When
the United States was a debtor ma
ton, he told the house committee OF
merchant marine, Europe could be de
pended upon TO furnish us with ships
! because the ships would be used to
carry goods to pay off our European
/ debts.
Now, we are a creditor nation anC
Europe has lost her strongest incen
! tive to allow US the use of her ships
/ Hence, if in an emergency England
or another maritime nation should re
| quire its merchant fleet for its OWE
purposes the United States might bt
/ left without that many carriers and it:
trade would be badly crippled.
That this did not occur during the
/ recent war, Mr.. Lasker has explained
was due to the fact that England need
! ed supplies which the United States
could provide. With a different com
bination of the powers and in a differ
ent emergency situation, the United
States might find itself seriously EN-
barrassed for want of ships.
/ Should Utilize
Our Ships.
The feeling that this country should
not put all of its trust in European
ships is growing. Now that we hav,
the markings of q marine it is argued
that we should not let the ships 70
because circumstances are unfavorabl,
to American competitors. The result
of this feeling is the Greene subsid,
bill.
This bill would substitute American
ship owners for the next 10 years il
which time they would be expected t,
get firmly on their feet. Money would
be loaned to them and in return the,
would be under contract with the ship
ping board to operate their vessel
= along the lines set down in the bill.
Advocates of the bill show tina
France has found it advisable to gran
a SuhSidy 10 shining jntarasfs am