The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-01-27
has been lukewarm to subsidy program:
Non Partisan Scheme.

has been lukewarm to subsidy programs.
Non Partisan Scheme. "a
The subject will be non partisan one
as leading Democrats like Senator RAMS
dell of Louisiana and other members OF
congress from southern states with ocean
ports will be vitality interested in the sue
cess of the program Briefly. the system
of indirect aid contempates an amend
ment to existing laws whereby traffic 10
and from the Philippines shan be consid-
cred as "eoastwise trade. Only AmerI-
can ships can ply in. c0astwiSe trade and
the inclusion of the Philippines in coast
wise trade will materially help American
ships plying; through the Panama Canal
and from Pacific ports to the Philippines
Similarly it is. intended to give -Ameri-
can shipS the business hitherto done by
the army transport service. Also, IL Will
he provided BY law that ut least 30 per
cent Of the immigrants coming To the
United States shall travel in American
ships.
These three systems of indirect aid will
in many eases bring in enough revenue to
enable private American ship companies
70 operate at profit without any further.
government aid. The hope is that event
ually all shipping concerns win be able.
to get alons with indirect aid,
An Automatic Plan.
The governments plan contemplates d.
system of automatic difpinnfion of direct
aid as soon as revenue FROM the inflireeti
aid approximates s fixed percentage Of
profit. In other words when shipping
companies make a profit by one form Of
government help they will net he entitled
to any direct financial support. s. Under
no circumstances Gan tire private coHecrnS
make exorbltant profits. The ingeRuousl
mind Of Chairman I.asker has been at
the result that a hole proof scheme has
been evolved.
Those who have. seen the plan differ in
their estimation of its worth, depending
upon their own interests Strangely
enough certain American shipping peo-
pie wAe, il might be. expected. would be
enraptured over. the prospect of 4 subsidy
at last. are not 50 eager for It now be
cause of the privileges and fayors being
granted them by certain foreign cempa-
MES. Fqreign governments have already
shown their hostility TO the plan for they
see in it aneriean-first idea which may
take from Great Britain mt any rate much,
of her advantage on the seas in peace
lime.
Pro-Ameriean Issue.
The Issue win propabIy be made pro!
American one by President Harding. At
one time German shipping interests We're
gress against ship subsidy. and the
chances are the administration viii not
hesitate 10 fight foreign influence openly
and vigorously.
The new plan doesn't guarantee Ameri-
can shipping concerns Il profit. They
must make it. Already the passenger
vessels of the shipping board in the North
Atlantic are making money and so are
many cargo vessels. Careful examina-
ton of the testimony just given by the
chairman of the shipping board 10 the
house appropriations committee shows
that it is costing about $f.000.oo0 a
month to keep mp the ships and cover the
will have to be spent for the next two
years in iiquidating claims whether any
subsidy plan is adopted or any ships are
operated. So it's heggar's choice. The
government is now operating 400 ships on
routes of Trade hitherto untouched by
American ships The government isn't
losing any more than are private ship
concerns in this era of low freight rates,
but in the spring when the uptllrp in
freight rates is expected the government
loss viii be cut down materially. possibly
ito S1,000.000 or $1,500000, and the ex-
perts figure that there's Il good chance of
making a profit in the next year.
Expected Benefits.
The government must sell the ships it.
benefits of government aid for a few years
are held by the administration to be
these:
First the preservation of an American
merchant marine for use in case of war.
Second. reduced cost to the American
people on the carrying of their goods to
foreign ports.
Third. stimulus to American indStry
by enabling the American producer and
manufactures to sell as low in other
parts of the world as do the Europeans
and the japanese shippers
President Harding means to make the
matter of subsidy a major part of his
administration. He has been gratified
lately to learn that the new shipping
board has at last gotten the loss under
control For months the expenditures of
keeping the ships were growing like fire.
The house appropriations committee now
is satisfied that within this year the loss
viii be reduced to a minimum.
win Cost $4,000. 900.
Broadly speaking it is estimated thar
the temporary subsidy may cost the gov
eminent about $4,000 900 for period Of
10 years and that this sum will be con-
stantly diminished by the fact that the phi |
vate ship concerns win gradually makel
money out of the indirect aids which cost |
the government nothing except the scratch |
of a presidential pen or an act of con-
gress giving American ships preference in1
American trade over foreign bottoms. |
The experts say that if the government
spends S25,000,000 annually the Ameri- !
can people will save at least that sum and
much more in lower freight rates aud Will
make more money through Increased for I
eign trade
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