New-York tribune., 1922-05-08
Hardi''g's Ship
Bill Is Sure to
Pass Congress
TangIe Over Tariff and the
Bonus, However. MAY
.x,yent Senate Action
During Present Session
Furuseth Only Opponent
Naval Reserve Section To
Be Dropped: Other Modi-
hcations Are Possible
By David Kennedy


ASHlNGTON, May 7--Thr mer-
chant marine bill formulated hy Presi-
dent Harding and tho shipping Board
nd lndorsed by the Republican leaders,
Viil pass Congress by substantial ma
}ority. The House Will vote upon i
soon after report from committee. The
senate viii vote after diSposlng Of the
tariff and soldiers bonus. The measure
is expected to pass at the present >cs
son. but may be forced over until fall
t. the bonus and tariff issues are do
layed
This is the status Of the ship sub
sdy program according to present in
dicst1ous. Hearings on the bill. which
have been in progress since the first
week IN April probably viii be com
pleted within the NEXT ten days In
the opinion Of leading members Of the
House and Senate committees the bill
Will be reported without drastic
changes The naval reserve section
Will he eliminated, and the provifon
requiring % per cent Of incoming
aliens 10 travel in American vessels
viii either be dropped or greatly modi-
ned
A p Laskcr. chairman Of the Ship
ping Board, regards the passage of the
subsidy legislation as fifty TO one
shot.' More conservative estimates
place the ratio at three to two.
Passage Held Imperative
Senator Wesley L. Jones, Republican.
OF Washington, chairman of the Com
nltteo on Commerce. said yesterday. at
J. Imperative that this bill pass At the
present session; ii must be enacted"
He would not predict how soon the
bonus and tariff questions would be
settled by the Senate and the way
made clear for the marine bill. but ex-
pressed confidence that q vote would be
obtained before adjournment for the
summer
Representative William S. Greene,
Republican, Of Massachusetts, chairman
Of the House Merchant Marine Com
Wlttee, said, 1--WE expect the bill to
pass the House without difficulty We
have way Of eXpediting action in
the House. but | cannot say what the
Senate viii do" Mr Greene also de
c'ared that the Administration leaders
planned to get the subsidy bin through
Congress before adjournment.
1t IS understood that the President
who delivered a special message to
'onRress on the merchant marine
problem, Will insist that the bill be
passed 8 this session. despite the
optimism Of the advocates Of the legis-
latlon. consideration must be given to
the tarl{ and bonus tangle in the Sen
ate. with the possibility that this may
prevent vote on the shipping ques
ton before fall
Hearings on the .larne bill have
dragged out far beyond the time esti-
mated by the committee leaders las,
month. This is because of the pro
lonGed ross-eXamination Of witnesses
by REPRESENTATIVES Davis. Of Tennessee
and Hardy, Of Texas, both Democrats
and oltspoken opponents Of the sub
sldy "'au feature Of the hearings
has been the preponderance of favor
able testimony and lack of well or
Ganzed opposition. With the exccp-
ton Of Andrew Furuseth, president Of
the International Seamen's Union, the
directors have been without forceful
Bill Widely lndorsed
he pending bill has the Endorsement
in general Of the ship owners, builders
and operators. 1t also has the ap-
rroval Of all organizations of marine
workers except the seamen's union.
The most impartial. and therefore
influential, testimony is that given b.
the American Farm Bureau Federation
the Mississippi Valley Association, the
South Atlantic Ports Association and
numerous other commercial bodies
representing export and import inter
cSts as well as domestic enterprise,
of the interior states. The testimony
IS uniformly in favor Of the plan pro
posed by the Administration. For the
first time in fifty years agricultural
organizations support government aic
TO shipping.
The testimony Of Furuseth stands
out because 1t runs contrary to the
general flow Of advice. He contests
many Of the facts and figures sub
mltted by the Shipping Board and the
steamship Industry. and attempts tC
show that American ships do not neec
assistance in competition with foreign
vessels. Inquiry fails to show that he
has changed the opinions Of any com
mIttee members.
While tne subsidy bill undoubtedlA
tas Is greatest support in the Rcpub
lican ranks and its greatest opposition
among the Democrats, 1t is not {
strictly partisan issue. number Of
leading Democrats viii vote for it
The threatened opposition OF the SO
called agricultural bloc" has now
practically disappeared.
Aims at Equality With British
The genera, purpose Of the shipping
hill is to provide compensation fol
skip lines. estimated at $50000000 {
year. TO offset the difference in operat
} costs be'v en- American and Brit
ish vessels Officials Of steamship
companies and the Shipping Board
rlacr So 'iTcrence under norma
cor about 80 per cent 70,
wa rer cent for subsistence
and for cost OF corstruc-
tIor.
Deve q. the joint hearing
make il )c that certain changes