Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-11-28
81 AMENDMENTS
To MARINE BILI
ARE INTRODUCED
IN LOWER HOUSE
Measure Has Covered One
Third of Its Voyage To-
ward the Senate Six
Changes Are Agreed To
SALE PRICE OF THE
O LEVlATHAN FIXED
No Government EnpI0ye Is
Permitted to Be interest
ed Financially in the PUr-
chase of Vessels


Washington, Nov. 27.-Thirty-
seven shots in the shape of amend
ments were fired at the shipping
bill in the House today and six hit
shots were more or less vital.
At adjournment tonight the bill
had covered exactly one-third Of
its tempestuous voyage toward the
Senate, Representative Graham OF
Illinois a republican, went home
with three of the half dozen
amendments in his shooting bag
all Of which were put through with
the aid of republican votes.
Early in the fight Representa-
tive Edmonds Of Pennsylvania,
ranking republican Of the mer-
chant marine committee whicn
framed the bill formally announc-
ed ON the floor that the section
under which the Standard Oil com
pany, for example, would share in
the government subsidy for trans
porting its own goods in its own
ships would be stricken out bodily.
This in the view of western re-
publicans added to its chance OF
passage.
Rated as the most important
amendment TO stand up was the
Graham proposal which cut out OF
the bill the provision under which
shippers sending their goods
abroad i'm American vessels, would
receive a five per cent income tax
rebate, which in some instances,
it was charged in the House, would
have enabled some shippers to es-
cape all payments. 1t was adopted
by vote oe Sc to AZ after it had
been characterized by Mr.. Graham
as vicious and extremely dam
gerous."
Leyiathan Amendment
Stepping i'm unexpectedly, Rep
reseutatiyC oliver, democrat, Of
Alabama, presented an amendment,
acceptance Of which virtually fixed
an upset price for the sale OF tho
steamship LeWathan the biggest
offhe gov rTffnent fIcet. This pro-
vided that the Beyiathan, now be-
Ing o-condltioned, should not be
sold at q price less than the cost
of re-conditiOning,. Precise figures
obtained tonight from the applica-
tions showed that this cost was SS,~
10000. First declared defeated,
the Oliver proposal won. 81 to rs.
by q man to man count as MEM
bers marched down the aisle.
The fight to riddle the bill was
begun five minutes after the ac-
tual reading started. On his feet
first, Mr.. Graham put forward an
amendment.to strike out a section
permitting the shipping board TO
sell ships without advertisement or
competitive sale. Declaring that
the worst scandal in the govern
ment reached into the sale Of vast
surplus stocks "by negotiated sale
Mr.. Graham called upon republic
cans to take the section and throw
it out.
Motion Adopted
The motion was adopted. The
other Graham amendment increas-
ed the rate of interest on unpaid
balances for ships bought from the
government for not less than four
per cent to not less than four and
one-quarter per cent. Represent
ative Frear republican OF Wiscon-
sin, sought to make it six per cent
flat, but failed.
An amendment by Representa-
tive Blanton, democrat of Texas,
providing that no government en-
ploye should be interested finan-
cially in the purchase of govern-
ment ships was passed with little
opposition.
Out Of many offered. Represent
~
cratic member of the merchant
marine committee, got through an
amendment proposing that the
prospective ship purchasers, buy
ing from the shipping board re-
volving fund, should pay not less
than four and one-quarter per cent
interest instead of two per cent
as stipulated in the bill.
Industrial Ships
Touching briefly on the plan TO
eliminate the section dealing with
subsidy for industrial ships, Mr..
Edmonds said he was preparing
an amendment to protect industrial
ships.
ut will take Industrial ships like
those of the Standard Oil CONF
pany,' he said, away from being
the recipients of any subsidy. This
matter was taken up with five
or six republicans in the committee
which drew the bill and who
fought two days over it. We con-
sidered it was absolutely vital for
our war purposes that we should
have those ships. However, It
seems to be the sentiment Of the
house that we are not going 10
have any more wars and that we
do not need the ships. So that
section will come out"
Meeting an hour ahead Of time.
tomorrow, the house will plunge
into the section relating to direct
government aid to ships. The bill
will cninn IN for vote ON final