The Washington times., 1922-12-05
FORCES LINE Up.
/ FOR SHIP MD .
FIGHT
Two Democrats Declare for
Measure-six Republicans
Known to Oppose.
By J. BART CAMPBELL,
Infexn>tiannl ,Nayxr Service.

BY J. BART CAMPBELL,
| International News service. =
To verbal broadsides directed
against the pending ship subsidy
bill by Republican and Demo-
cratic Senators opposed to It,
senatorial spokesmen Tor its sup
porters fired back the term,
Observation-Disclosures" today, as the
lines. Of the approaching battle
over the measure In the Senate
were tightly drawn, r. e.
Lining Up Votes. !.
Although tho Senate Commerce
1 Committee does not begin coT1siderar
ton, of the bill untI tomorrow,
Senate leaders on both sides were
already carefully combing the situa-
ton in q search for votes. But two
of the thirty-seven Democratic Sen.
ators were known TO. fbe unalter-
ably committed to the bill-Brous-
sard and Ransdell of Louisiana.
| At least six Of the progressive
| Republican group were pledged to
| fight It to the end-Bosah Of Idaho.
La Toilette Of Wisconsin. .Capper Of
| Kansas, Ladd of North Dakota,
| Norris OF Nebraska, and Brookhart
of Iowa. Norbeck Of South Dakota
was expected to Join them. Nc.
Nary of Oregon. Lenroot, of Wis.
consin. and Sterling Of South
Dakota were among those who were
| non -commital.
Underwood May Favor.
h, Underwood Of Alabama, Walsh Of
Massachusetts, and Pomerene Of
Ohio were among the few Demo.
Gratis whom the Administration
leaders hoped to convert to tho sub
sidy. Senator Bayard Dem.) Of
Delaware. q new member Of the
minority. came out flat-footed
against It.
There seems to be an assump-
ton on the part Of the advocates
of the ship subsidy that all they
have to do is to pass IT," said
Senator Borah. Judging the
future by the past, and by the ex-
perience OF other countries, what
would happen would be that we
kwould spend hundreds Of millions
Of dollars and At the end Of the ex.
perience have no merchant marine
at all.
"other countries have had the
| bitter experience OF pouring out
millions into the hands Of private
ship owners and in my opinion that
would happen IL we were to pass
this bill.
Another thing that would happen,
in my judgment. would be that a
bureau would b. built up here whose
prime purpose would be to lobby
every session of Congress for sub
sidy increases. That has been the
result in every country that has dealt
in a subsidy. and one experience we
had, In 1874 and 1875. shows that no
exception would be made in this
country.
Cites Pacific Mail Scandal.
'In those years we had a great
scandal when II was charged that
Congress was being influenced with
money to increase q subsidy, and II
was proved that some 5000 900 was
used to finance a lobby for that pur-
pose in the notorious Pacific Mail
! case.
ct do not believe that the bill be-
fore US would give US a merchant
marine. do know 1t would cost the
Taxpayers millions Of dollars. That
much is a certainty" ...
"I am for the bill," said Senator
Ransdell. because I think the rap.
idly growing foreign commerce Of
America should be carried in Ameri.
can ships. think such ships will
render a much more effective and
faithful service in handling Ameri-
can commerce than would those Of
our maritime rivals.
Secs No Other Plan.
mo other practical. businesslike
plan for the conservation of our ship
ping ana the upbuilding Of our mer-
chant marine than the present bill
has been suggested by its opponents,
who are, in my Judgment, simply
destructionists and obstructionists,
without any real elements of con.
struction or progress.
woo to the Democratic party or
any other party that stands in the
way of keeping an American mer-
chant marine on the high seas. or
which attempts to haul down the
American flag for the benefit Of our
commercial rivalsg' .
1.-The proposed subsidy legislation
IL not to put and ke4p the American
flag on tho high se6s, but 10 merely
intended to further the interest Of
q favored few" said Senator Cara
way of Arkansas. It 10 designed
solely for their benefit and not for
that Of the people, and II II is en-.
acted into law the Administration
will obtain victory largely
through the votes Of defeated SEN.
ators and Representatives of whom
II has already promised to take
care. It will be the worst example
of the passage OF bad legislat ton by
q repudiated Congress at the behest
Of repudiated. Administration.
May Perfect Bnl.
1T am not only whole-heartedly In
favor Of a ship subsidy but I be.
lieve II would be disastrous to the
best interests Of our country II one
IL not quickly provided" said SEN
ator Edge Of New Jersey. 1T have
not had an opportunity to examine
the bill as It was amended and
passed by the House, and I trust
that IL It is found necessary to per.
feet 1t the Senate will be able TO ac-
complish the task, but on the piin.
ciple Of adequately providing for our
shipping and commercial needs I
agree entirely with President Hard.
ing. and regard the opposition to
this bin as purely destructive and
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