Evening star., 1922-11-21

opStidl ny lAOSc wiz
are unfailing advocates Of gov
ernmant aid whenever vast num-
bers are directly concerned. Gov
ernment aid" would be a fairer
term than subsidy" in defining
what we are seeking to do for our
merchant marine. and the inter-
ests are those of all the people,
even though the aid goes to the
few who serve.
Compared With Road Aid.
If government aid is a fair term
and I think it is-to apply to
authorizations aggregating s75,-
100000 to promote good roads for
market highways, it is equally fit
to be applied to the establishment
and maintenance of American
market highways on the salted
seas. If government aid is the
proper designation for fifteen to
forty millions annually expended
to improve and maintain inland
waterways in aid of commerce, it
is a proper designation for a
maintain ocean highways where
= there is actual commerce to be
carried.
But call it Subsidy" since there
are those who prefer to appeal to
mistaken prejudice rather than
make frank and logical argument.
We might so call the annual loss of
fifty millions, which We are pay
ing now without protest by those
who most abhor, we might as well
call that a Subsidy" If so, ! am
proposing to cut it in half. ap-
proximately, and to the saving
thus effected there would be added
millions upon millions of further
savings through ending losses on
capital account-governme capi-
tai, out of the public treasury, al
ways remember-and there would
be at least the promise and the
prospect of the permanent estab-
lishment Of the needed merchant
marine.
Appeals to Save Treasury.
SIldl1SuSe Ctciy VI
favored interests and the enrich
ment of the special few at the
expense Of the public Treasury. 1
am, first of all, appealing to save
the Treasury. Perhaps the un-
limited bestowal Of government aid
might justify the apprehension of
special favoring, but the pending
bill, the first ever proposed which
carries such a provision. auto
matically guards against enrich
ment or perpetuated bestowal. 1t
provides that shipping lines re-
ceiving government aid must have
their actual investment and their
operating expenses audited by the
government, that government aid
will only be paid until the ship
ping enterprise earns 10 per cent
on actual capital employed, and
Immediately that when more than
10 per cent earning is reached,
half of the excess earnings must
be applied to the repayment of
the government aid which has
been previously advanced. Thus
the possible earnings are limited
to very reasonable amount if
capital is to be risked and man.
agement is to be attracted. If
success attends, as We hope it will,
the government outlay is returned,
the inspiration of opportunity to
earn remains, and American trans
portation by sea Is established.
No More Than Other Nations.
Though differing in detail. It is
not more in proportion to their
population and capacity than other
great nations have done in aiding
the establishment of their mer-
chant marines. and it Is timely to
recall that we gave them our COM
merce to aid In their upbuilding,
while the American task now Is to
upbuild and establish In the face
OF their most active competition.
Indeed. the American development
will have 20. overcome every OBJ.
satxcf1 sehf1 s6hy -