Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-10
HARDING CENTERS
EFFORT ON SUBSIDY
President Leaves Tariff and
Bonus Measures to Work
Out Own Salvation
MAY CROWD OUT SHIP BILL
BY CLINTON w. GILBERT
htan Correspondent Evening Public Ledger

copyright, 1872 BY Public Ledger Com PAM
Washington, June 10. - President
Harding is pressing for the passage at
this session of the Ship Subsidy Bill,
ana that Is the only piece of legislation
In which he is directly interesting him Z.
SELF. He feels that the Tariff Bill will
take care of itself. the Republicans be
Ing under obligation to get the bill
through and the Democrats being un =
willing to assume the responsibility for
preventing its passage. In the Bonus
bill he takes no interest. being op.
posed to il in my form which has any
prospect of acceptance by Congress.
Mr.. Harding has had Representative
BeSg, OF Ohio, make canvass of the
House on the Subsidy Bill. Mr.. Begg
reports that there are votes enough
to pass il in that branch of the legis-
Iature. but there is no enthusiasm for
II. Ma io",Cy Leader Mondells judg-
ment Is TINT the House should not be
asked to act at this session on aid TO
the merchant marine unless it can be
assured that the Senate will also act
upon Il. In the Senate Chairman
Jones. OF the Committee on Commerce
snFs there is n majority for the bill,
But II Is doubtful whether there will be
time to dispose of it.
The naval delegations of one or two
Western States which have little direct
concern over shipping have been pollcd
Ihey are about evenly divided for or
against subsidy. But all members ask,
why bring It up now when we are
facing an election"
Presidents Har,l Task
All this indicates that the President
VIII nave to work hard To get his bill
through before Congress adjcurns.
hairman lasker. an advertising man
DS training. Is conducting an energetic
propaganda for his measure.
Inc real obstacle to the subsidy IS the
Jam into which the Senate has got
with the Tariff Bill and the Bonus Bill
on the calendar and the reluctance Of
congress to pass any legislation about
which the public is divided when an
election campaign is coming on
10 overcome this reluctance of Con-
grees the threat is made that if n sub
sidy bill is not passed at this session
the ships in the possession Of the Gov
ernment will be thrown upon the market
ana sold for whatever they will fetch
and that the Executive will place unon
congress the responsibility for the losses
thus incurred.
The situation in the Senate is sucb
that no one can tell just how the Tariff
and the Bonus bills will both get
through before the session Is over. and
yet every one expects them both some.
how to be passed.
Inc Bonus Bill is the dangerous ele.
ment; 1t 1t displaces the Tariff Bill
on the calendar no one can tell what
will happen. \ flibuster is threatened
chiefly by Republicans. though some
democrats may contribute to II, and
while 1t is hard TO see how this would
continue so long that the Tariff Bill
could not be jammed through after enc
mics Of the bonus had been worn OUT.
still no one will venture to predict in
what sort Of temper fight over the
soldiers compensation would leave the
Republican majority. 4 long struggle
would be demoralzing to the badly dis
organized party.
Democrats Plan Trouble
with regard to the tariff the intention
OF the Democrats Is to keep il before
the senate long time. bur to allow its
passage In the end. 1t is said on good
ant hority that the Democrats mean 70
prolong the discussion of schedules for
TWO months more and then allow rho
bill to pass. This is the program IL tbe
tnriH retains It's present place on rho
calendar.
The Democrats believe that the Tariff
BtlI will be unpopular and source of