The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-11-21
Says No Proposition Ever Placed
Before Congress Ever Met "More
ResoIute Hostility; Says
Action Must Come.
DECLARES APPEAL MADE
ITO SAVE THE TREASURY"
Says Relief for Agriculture Can
Wait; Mentions Figures and
Says Loss VIII Continue Until
Method 10 Changed.

! Washington, Nov. 2i.-ln n fight.
Ing message President Harding to-
day dared the foes Of the admins.
tratIon ship subsidy bin to assume
the responsibility for defeating Il.
Declaring that no proposition
placed before congress ever met "A
more resolute hostility" the presi.
dent In n message declared In per-
son TO the extraordinary session OF
congress, challenged his opponents
to meet the issue fairly.
The president devoted practically
all of his message to vigorous
advocacy OF the ship subsidy, men-
tloning only the other national prob
lem-additional relief for agrlcul-
ture. The other questions will be
dealt with In HIS message to the
regular session which will meet on
December 4.
This problem can no longer be
ignored" said Mr.. Harding. ''Its
attempted solution cannot longer be-
postponed. The failure of congress
to act decisively will be no less dis.
astrous than adverse action
Carrying the fight with aggressive
ness TO the enemys camp. Mr.. Hard
ing said he challenged every in
situation of favored interests and
the enrichment of the special few
at 'the expense Of the public treas
ury. | am first of all appealing to
save the treasury
Throughout his speech, the presI-
dent urged that the subsidy would
save money to the treasury because
of the large losses still being piled
up by the shipping board. These
were estimated ut $500O0,0OO a year,
while the president said the cost of
the subsidy would be half that
amount.
The executive made q fervent plea
that America again be raised to
position of eminence among the mari
time nations of the world. Striking
directly at the opposition to the
measure, the president said one of
three courses is open to congress.
The first is constructive--enac the
pending bill, under which, Il firmly
believe, an American merchant ma
rine, privately owned and privately
operated, but serving all the people
and always available to the govern
ment in any emergency, may be es-
tablished and maintained" he said.
The second is bstructive-continue
government operation and attending
government losses and discourage
private enterprise by government
competition, under which losses are
met by the public treasury and wit
ness the continued losses and de-
terioration until the colossal failure
ends in sheer exhaustion.
"The third is destructive-involv-
ing the sacrifice Of our ships abroad
to the scrapping Of them at home,
the surrender of our aspirations, and
the confession of our impotence to
the world in general and our hunil-
iation before the competing world In
particular.
"A choice among the three is in
evitable. 1t is unbelievable that the
American people or the congress
which expresses their power will
consent to surrender and destruc-
i tion. 1t is equally unbelievable that
our people and the congress which
| translates their wishes into action
will longer sustain a program Of obs
struction and attending losses to the
| treasury"
Mr.. Harding said the bill was not
subsidy, but government aid in
the same sense as the government
provides aid in building inland water
ways and improving roads to aid in
the growth of commerce. The presi-
dent emphatically declared that since
the government aids industry by
tariffs and reclamation, water power
development, agriculture and market
ing by other legislation, it should
not hesitate to aid shipping.
But call it subsidy" he said,
"since there are those who prefer to
appeal to mistaken prejudice rather
than make frank and logical argu-
ment."
The president reviewed the situ-
alton briefly and graphically, paint
ing what he called a gloomy picture
of losses
He told how the merchant marine