The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-12-02
r... 81 u ~. ~ 20
Anti-Saloon League Too.

Anti-Saloon League Too.
|. The Anti-Saloon league, it is stat
ed in Washington, has agreed to
support, the shipping bill in ex-
change for stopping the sale of
liquor on the high seas. Bait has
been thrown out to the middle west
by inserting a clause in the bill to
promote the Great Lakes-St. Law
renee waterway project. It is said
that the promoters of the latter have
been invited to. make an alliance
with the ship subsidy interests and
the bill will carry an amendment
favorable to the waterway interests.
President Harding attempted to
appease the farmers with a general
reference in his message to the ne
cessity of providing them with re-
lief of some sort. The day aftev the
address the National Board of Farm
organizations was put on record in
the senate with a resolution express
ing clear-cut opposition to the ship
subsidy bill, a resolution adopted by
the semi-annual conference of the
board. It reads:
Farmers in Protest.
Whereas it is apparent that the
question of granting subsidies to our
merchant shipping will soon be
brought to a vote in congress; and
"Whereas<the farmers of the Unit
ed States have been additionally op-
posed to the granting of such sub
sides; and ~
Whereas the plan embodied in
the Jones-Greene bill, which is now
under consideration, contains many.
/ provisions that are extremely objec-
tionable and would, in our opinion,
be detrimental to the best interest
/ Of the country as whole, if enact
ed: Therefore be it D. s
Resolved, That this bodysrecord
AN empndHep protest against the pas
sage of this proposed legislation.
This opposition to the ship sub
sidy bill confirms the position taken
! by the directors of the National
Board of Farm Organizationsin reg,
ularly called session, July SIS, in
which it was stated that "the board
desires. mphatically to go on record
/ against the ship subsidy bill. known
!, as. H. r. 1921" The resolution
;adopted at that time, in part,
! stated: ! ~:
state Their Reasons. y.
whenever bona fide groups of
organized farmers have assembled
in the past to consider this long
agitated question of ship subsidy the
1 sentiment against it has been over
whelming; and during the recent
months as farmers have been learn
/ ing of this pahteular measure their
voices have been raised against it
more forcibly than ever. -
''In. addition: to being opposed in
principle to subsidizing private ship
pers or shipping corporations we wish
to point out a. few of the many OBJ
jectionable features of the bill.
4 ''Unprecedented and unWarranted
autocratic powers are vested in the
shipping, board, as may be gathered
from the fact that it is not required
| to make any financial accounting
to congress or the president, while
at the same time, it is permitted to
sell government-owned ships at pri-
! vate sale without competitive bid
I ding. - .--.s -.
:"'Ships costing several billions o..
Il dollars can and probably will be
4 sold at 10 cents on the dollar, 1t r.
estimated. We shall lend over $780,
900, 900 at 2 per cent interest to re-
condition these ships when sold, and
then pay the owners in round num-
bers, s15O,000,0O0 in subsidies be-
sides in the next few years.
Disaster to Nation.
r. .'The National Board of Farm Or
i foundations protests the contemplat-
ed program, the effect of which can
fonly end in disaster to the nation.
4 We earnestly request, congress to re-
4 ject the measure "
The presidents pathetic plea for
: Jlabor support for the. ship subsidy
was based upon the statement OF one
i operator that it cost more to opef-
ate an American ship because Amer
4 lean wages were so high and there
fore the operators should be COM
q tpensated. The president completely
lignored the facts presented repeat
1 edly by Andrew Furuseth, president
q OF the Seamen's union, that wages
J q and subsistence Of American seanen
8 are below those provided by English
{ and Norwegian ships and that Amer
lean shipowners have led in cutting
wages. I'D s..
Meantime &. rumors xrefuse to be
q downed that Chairman a. 3. Lask ker