The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-03-09
HOPEFUL OUTLOOK
FOR SHIP SUBSIDY
MIDDLE AND FAR WEST, ALWAYS
AGAINST 1T, NOW SAID TO BE
CHANGING ITS MIND.
MARKET ARGUMENT is USED
Advocates of Measure Also Urge That
Without II the Lakes-to-the-Sea
Deep Waterway Wouldn't Help the
Country Much.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK

Country Much.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK
Washington.-The good or. other
wise, according to the viewpoint, Unit
ed States ship subsidy either will so
on the rocks or manage to make the
channel of passage in congress before
many tides have ebbed and flowed.
1t was eleven years ago last Noyem-
Der that the following paragraph ap-
peared in a Washington dispatch:
president Taft's open support of a
measure which its advocates think will
build up our merchant marine SEEM
ingly has given the subsidy cause
Roadway enough to carry 1t into the
channel of passage. There will be
militant opposition from the Middle
West and from the South to subsidy
in whatever form the legislation shall
appear
The militant opposition" from the
Middle West, West and. South pre-
vented the passage of ship subsidy
bill in President Taft's time just as
IL had prevented it in the times Of
other Presidents. This year the sub
sidy advocates say they believe that
the West, to some extent, has been
won to the cause of subsidy and that
bill, along the lines recommended
by the shipping board and indorsed
by the President, is pretty certain be
fore long to become the law of the
land
Chairman Albert d. Lasker of the
shipping board has maintained that
sin due course national aid TO private
shipping should result in the govern
ments retirement from operation, 50
that ultimately no increased drain on
the treasury would be involved, and
through profitable private operation,
permanency would be insured in our
merchant marine, private initiative
and enterprise would be inspired. and
the government would find customers
for its large fleet Of ships"
Argument for the Farmer.
The subsidy advocates seem to be
cheerful today but cheerfulness with
them is an old story and ii may be
that disappointment will meet them in
the future as it has met them in the
past, but it can be said that there are
some indications that the representa-
tives in congress Of the agricultural dis
tricts do not seem to be as determined
In their opposition to a ship subsidy, as
once they were. The plea is made
that increased marketing Opportuni-
ties will come if the government sub
sidizes shipping companies and that
the increase in the trade with new
markets and the profits therefrom will
more than balance the taxation made
necessary by the substituting of the
marine industry.
1t is on this assumed change of
mind of the men of the Middle and
Far West that the administration is
depending for the success Of its sub
sidy plans. Prior to this time, how
ever, subsidy has seemed to be on the
eve of success, only to find that the
morrow brought failure. Years on
years New England representatives in
congress, led by Senator William Z.
Frye of Maine, fought for subsidy. The
arguments they used are the argu-
ments Of today. Once they did not
prevail, but now 1t is possible that
they may prevail.
The United States wants to get out
of the shipping business. President
Harding Las let 1t be known directly
not only that he is opposed to further
excursions of the government into In
dustrial and commercial fields I'm its
own behalf, but that his desire is to
put stop to present activities of the
government in these fields
Deep-Sea Waterway Involved.
SO it is that congress is to be asked
to grant subsidies for shipping com
panies that will enable them TO take
over such government vessels as are
sea-conditiOned, to pay the scale of
wages demanded by American mari
time law and to enter into new trading
relations with the ports Of the world.
Shipping men argue that the country
will not gain much by deep-sea wa
terway from the lakes to the Atlantic
ocean unless subsidy legislation Is en-
acted. They say that foreign vessels
will get the trade that should 20 10
American vessels and that the in
creased prosperity which would come
otherwise will not be I'm evidence.
This lake-tO-the-sea waterway argu-
ment Is being used in Washington to-
day.
The United States government has
hundreds of ships lying idle. This
much everybody knows. The shIppIng
board vision sees all these vessels
plying the sea, opening up new trade
posts, stimulating new manufacturing
and agricultural industries in the Unit.
ed States, and doing other things con.
genial 20 a misunderstanding country
It may be that If the subsidy bin is
passed the vision never viii material
lie, and again 1t may be that there
will be no subsidy legislation to give #
chance to take shape, form or sub
stance.
May Adjourn Early in June.
The majority leader of the house
OF representatives, Frank w. Mon.
dell Of Wyoming, believes that con.
-