The Connecticut labor news., 1922-11-24
Plutocracy Uses Railroad Act
 Methods To Pass Subsidy

The ship subsidy bill is one of the biggest gold bricks the American people were ever called upon to buy The subsidy campaign has beer based on everything but education The supporters of this measure have made no attempt to discuss it. In stead they howl for a merchant ma rine and infer that every one who op- poses footing the treasury by ship owners IS against merchant marine
 This bombast and buster is intend ed to sweep the peopel off their feet It IS hysteria campaign, with every 100 per cent American on the band wagon. It was the same system used when the Cummings bill was damned through congress.
 The leader in this campaign is Chairman Lasker of the shipping board. He is selling" subsidy by the same whoop la methods he would conduct eselling" campaign for chewing gum, tar roofing or mineral water.
 The record of the joint congress siona1 committee that held hearings on the bill shows that Mr. Lasker testified:
 q had no idea you gentlemen would ask me to give testimony. All
 
 can not hold 1t all. You will save lot of time if you will let us start putting on experts.
 "I have really only been regular advertising expert until I came down here to handle this shipping.
 Il was the only man who would take this job. The President couldn't get anyone else, and as Eva Tanguay sings in her son, Gee, 1t Is great to be crazy"
 In opposing the bill the minority of the house committee on merchant marine and fisheries states that Chair man Lasker is giving wide publicity to his prepared statement at the hearings, which he read, "but 1t is significant that he is emitting the croSS-examination of himself upon such statement
 The minority report also refers to letters by representative of ship ping interests who advised subsidy advocates to send in written state ments to the committee, rather than appear in person, 'as this method will also prevent cross-examinaton of wit nesses."
 This statement by the committee shows the policy of subsidy advo cates-Dodge factsl Indulge in gen. eralities! Howl for a merchant marine to scare opposition!
 Of the 28 witnesses who appeared before the committee in favor of the bill, nine represented the shipping board, nine represented private ship ping interests; and all others, with possibly two or three exceptions, did so at the instance of the shipping board or shipping interests, says the minority committee.
 Subsidy opponents made such a strong case against the bill that the majority report of the house commit l tee, while favoring the bill, makes l this acknowledgement
 "A permanent and healthy merchant l marine can never be established i merely by paying subsidies"
 The public is not aware of this i statement by the majority members of the house committee. The press, which resents being referred to as subsidized" makes no mention of this statement that strikes at the foundation of the subsidy principle. Instead, newspapers are screechlng that a healthy merchant marine is not possible without subsidy
 Another important fact concealed from the public is that excepting T time nations subsidize their merchant ships England has not used the sub sidy for 300 years That country only pays for carrying mail as does the United States. Japan is the second maritime country that subsidies its ships.
 This information was published by the shipping board in pamphlet that was withdrawn when these facts were discovered What was intended to aid the subsidy proved a boomerang
 Not a single candidate dared advo- cate ship subsidy at the recent cleo tion.
 No mention was made of ship sub sidy in the platform of either of the political parties at the last national election The dominant party's declaration at that time for a mer- chant marine is now used to justify the subsidy bill
 This is the sort of logic that would defend highway robbery on the ground that a man must earn liv- ing.
 The subsidy is a vicious proposal. No bill was ever presented to con- gress that was backed by such in correct statements. such hysteria and exaggeration, such appeals for un- stable patriotism, such possibilities for loot and such power to a minor department of government-the ship ping board.
 The bill should be-and will be- defeated
 It's one hope is in a congress that has been repudiated by the people. " |