The Washington times., 1922-06-08
SHIPPING BILL !,
DUE FOR EARLYl
ACTI0NINH HOUSE
Three Committees Working to
Prepare Measure for
Passage.
By WINDER r. HARRIS,
Universal Service.

With three House committees
working morning. afternoon, and
evening to get the measure ino
final shape and the Administers
ton leaders in the Senate and
House agreeing on plans for facii,,t
itating its consideration, action onH
the ship subsidy bill rapidly drew
nearer today. IN
d,r
Republican spokesmen on rhsJ
House Merchant Marine Committees
tain now that the redrafting Of the
legislation will be completed by theE
end of the week. Then IT will be re-
introduced and the whole COMMITTEES
will go through the formality of con-.
sidering it and reporting 1t out.
No time will be lost after the ,
Democrats are called in early next
week. The majority members Of the >
committee are a unit for the till.S
The Democrats will be given a.
reasonable time to voice their objcc,.T
tions and offer amendments. 1t is.
not expected, however. that any min.
ority amendments will be accepted. \
After a reasonable time has elapsed, J,
the majority will vote to report out
the bill.
The plan now is to report out thes
legislation about the middle of next =
week and take IL up in the House by
the first Of the following week. il not
earlier. Not more than a week. prob
ably less, will be consumed in its.
consideration in the House.
IL this program is carried OUT
House leaders were informed at yes-,S
terday's conference with the Senate
spokesmen, the Senate also will, with.
out doubt act on it before the pres.
ent session is adjourned.
As a result of the meeting Of the >
leaders of the two houses, word was,
sent to President Harding that the
indications are that his demand for
passage of the bill at this session will,
be carried out. Participating in the
conference were Senators Curtis, ma
iority whip, and Jones, chairman OF
the Commerce Committee. who will
be in charge of the bill in the Scratch M
and members OF the House Repuber
lican steering committee. TheYs
agreed to set the full majority matt
chinery in motion to carry the legis.o.
lation through both branches. 10
Champions of the subsidy. how
ever, are not making the mistake otn
overconfidence. They we'll recognizei ,
there will be a bitter fight against a
Z. particularly in the House. Some r
of the opponents In the Senate Hke-G
wise may under take to delay actiont
by long g.winded debate. But it is bes %
lieved lN those sponsoring the legissT
ls tior. mat a safe majority will bepE
round ed up for 1t. "a
The chief opposition will come
from the Democrats in both houses. Z
although some of the minority memat +
bers in each house are supporting Q
the measure. A considerable numbeFh
of Republicans from the Agricultural
States of the Middle West also areJt
expected to vote against the bill. II
is not believed, however, that the
Middle West members will be ss 8
strongly against II as the opposition Z
leaders are counting on. Some of~
them stated today that Senator Wat.
sons expose of the foreign influences
working to defeat the bill Esd givepg
thsrn I'll the reason thev needed to
set in .Ir LcE'nd the sucs:dv. -
Grclt sur;,, 'se has bee expressed,
on the Republican side because Of thel
opposition of Speaker Glllett andl
Floor Leader Mondell. Their .attid
tude Is understood to he purely poF
litical. They think it might cause
the Republicans to los" some votes
in tire November elcctior:.
Conflict With Harding
In taking this position they place
themselves in direct conflict with the
views of President Harding. The
President, II is learned. has informed
Administration leaders in both .
houses that II the Democrats seek .
to make the subsidy bill a party matte
ter. he will be glad to accept rem
sponsibility for 1t as a Republican \
measure. 80.