The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-12-16
AF0LLETTE
ELAYS MOVE To
FORCE SHIP BILL

Washington. Dec. l5.-opening the at
tack OF tho Progressive bloc against
tho Administrations shipping bill. Senator
l.aFollettc. Republican. Wisconsin,. de-
clarcd in the Senate today that The mea-
sure Is contrary IL the expressed VIII
Of the American people ard that the
action or the president: and It's sp"rS"r
IN a;tCmptIEg'to force Is passage ~
this time IS m open Challenge /" the
people and a violation OF the trust re-
l,us.d by the people IN their delegated
representatives.
He denounced the Hill In bite? terms.
criticized the President and Chairman
I.asker IL the Shipping board IN sharp
challenged the arguments
made by the executive in his message 10
Congress urging enactment 81 thu l'siS-
lat!nn and charged Mr.. Laskcr with haN-
ing made - highly improper proposal
in order TO obtain the support Of or
ganized labor"
"I do not believe thu; 4 worse bill.
than this ever came before the senate
OF the United States for is cons:dcra-
r!on," h. asserted. 1T represents q
policy that has been repeatedly rejected
by III" pcnp:" OF this country, Tn pub
lie opinion Of the country l. ov"rwhclm-
itnIN OI''tS'N u ~ lp'rH'
People Pay the Bill.
II, simply means turn.ne over the
peoples property to favored Interests
Tor Il few cents on tho dollar and Il tax
OF millions Of dollars levied annually In
order to pay a subsidy to those who
take the ships practically rs n Eift. II
means millions of dollars Of tax refunds
TO the shipping interests, II proposes
t. DESTROY our army and navy rams
ports and turn this great agency OF p"-
tcnt.2l defense over to private owner
ship. 1t does not guarantc" The build
ing Of a single new ship or the ma!ntc-
nance OF those We have. 1t is wholly
bad. and the attempt to force i: upon
.hc unwilling COUNTRY ca;.n"t no -"
strongly condemned.
The senator enumerated Il long list
Of farmer and labor organizations OPP
posing the bill and declared h" WAS
prepared t. make the statement that
thrcc-fuurthS OF the American people
h,d gone on record as opposed TO u
ship subsidy aud more particuIHil! 10
the terms Of this blll."
Labor Frame UP" Charged.
Il content 4huyscl!.' he continued.
with tn" Stitcmeat that Chairman
l.Ashcr sought Il conference Will
Samuel Gornp"rS. president OF the Amer
lean Federation Of l.anu; Gnn made a
&c - ~
labor otf.cirls ulat they disregard the
will and interests OF their membership
and support the pcndiug bill. ,
"'rhiS conference took place OH April
i and : il ;iIe head quarters q: the
American Federation oi Labor In the
city " Washington. Chairman I.aSker
;},cn and there. | am Informed. altered
70 withdraw certain provisions In the
pending bill. dealing with labor If, he
cvu.d thereby induce tho labor organi-
zat:"us 10 ahate their opposition !" the
bill"
senator Lal'ollette reviewed The re-
suits of the recent elections declaring
that Wherever \ candidate for public
office dec.urvh against ibis ship subsidy
BIZ! In u district; normally of his own
nCiit:Cli parts. he waS elected ana III
many districts formally Republican
Republicans who rallied to pl"dEr them
selves - up9os" th.s hi,I wcr" defeated
.Sv Dcmuc:ai.ir raRGidat"S who pledged
themselves 10 vote against IL.
The WISCONSIN senator In concluding
his address took up the bill. section by
section Cr!tictz!nG It's provisions and
pointing out what he conicndcd were
dangers Ia It.