The New York herald., 1922-07-03

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New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. e., July 2.
In pursuit of the campaign launched
by President Harding for the passage
of tho ship subsidy bill for the passage
of Congress. Representative Edmonds
(Pa.). ranking member of the House
Committee on Merchant Marine and
Fisheries. issued a statement tonight
embodying ten good reasons why tile
bill should be passed as an aid 10 a
permanent American Merchant Marine.
Mr.. Edmonds accompanied his state
ment with a letter to each member, of
the Senate and House urging the
recipients to help in educating the
American people 10 the Importance of
the speedy passage of the pending legis-
lation The ten good reasons" given
by Mr.. Edmonds are as follows:
"GD) World conditions now make
sale of goods in competitive foreign
markets more difficult than ever. The
American farmer miner. merchant and
mechanic cannot compete in selling their
excess products abroad unless we have
our own delivery system owned and op-
Grated by Americans.
"(2) A merchant marine is as essen
tial for the national defense as the navy
itself Without this Government help
we will have no merchant marine, hence
our means for defense would be crippled
one-haf The most of the entire sub
sidy would be less each year than the
cost Of building one modern hattlrship.
"3. We have by sale of Liberty bonds
during the war raised and invested over
So. 000. 900 900 in merchant ships. With
out this subsidy the vessels cannot be
81 a.
Hence they cannot be sold and we face
the loss of nearly the entire amount in
vested. BY making ship operations prof
table in private ownership the ships can
be sold for at least $500, 000.0 900, an
amount far in excess of the ten years to-
tai subsidy. The taxpayer will thereby
eventually have his taxes reduced in
stead of increased.
"i. The operation of ships under pres
ent Government management has vastly
increased our foreign trade 1t is, how
ever costing the taxpayers directly over
S5O.000,000 per year to make UP the
losses OF Government operation. This
amount will be saved almost I'm toto In
placing these ships In private hands by
means of the subsidy.
70. Heretofore we have been paying
an average of $500. 0.000, 900 annually for
freight and insurance to foreigners for
carrying our goods. This vast amount
can mostly be kept In our own borders
through the means of the subsidy act
In other words, considering shipping
alone. an investmept of 81 by the Gov
ernment will keep $40 at home.
"6. The creation of a permanent and
efficient merchant marine by means of
the subsidy act will furnish additional
employment 90 over 100. 900 Americans
Gt, ehf IN, he s11fv a-l, H.
steel mills. the iron mines and In the
many other industries which are neces-
sary to build and operate ships for the
foreign trade. Every man thus en-
ployed must be well fed and the Amer
lean farmer will be benefited by raising
and selling the food to them and their
families.
-. The history of the past is the best
guide of the future. No nation in the
worlds history has been truly great
without owning and operating its own
naval and merchant vessel. We all
aim TO make the United States the
greatest nation upon which the sun has
ever shown. This cannot be done unless
we encourage our merchant marine.
IS. We Americans have the money
and the desire for foreign travel. Here
tofore we have had to be humliated by
travelling everywhere abroad under alien
flags and seldom, If ever, seeing our
flag displayed on the ocean. Our ma
jional pride reed ro longer be offended
as the passage OF this bill will place and
keep Old Glory on the seas. a citizen
without national pride is undesirable and
and is a disgrace to himself
and to his country.
80. Without this encouragement to
our merchant marine we will build no
more ships. We have by international
g greement already stopped the building
Of fighting vessels. Hence. without any
work to do shipbuilding will become I'm
America lost art. Without shipbuild-
crs and shipbuilding facilities this nation
will be helpless both for commerce and
for self-defense--an emasculated giant
H. the family OF nations
30. Our rivals for the worlds trade
view with great alarm the prospects or
the passage of this bill. and their ennis
saries. masquerading In many instances
as patriotic citizens. are spreading
snsidious propaganda and doing their
utmost to defeat the measure. This Is
the strongest evidence possible why the
bill will benefit America and why u
should receive the support OF patriotic
Americans"