South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-04-03
GEN. COXEY TELLS
HOW TO OPERATE
YANK TRADE SHIPS
Full of pep" Famous Ohioan
Wants to be Admiral of
Idle Vessels.

WASHINGTON, April >. - Gen.
Jacob S. Coxey's Ohio town is trying
to get congress TO let him have 112
government ships 10 start mer-
chant marine.
"CoAeys Army has passed into
history hut it's renowned Ohio com
marder still has lots Of pep and now
wants to be en- admiral.
AMI if his ambition isn't realized
it won't be because he hasn't done
his utmost to impress congress AMI
officials generally with the feasibil-
ity Of his plan.
After Gen. Coxey had his scheme
all shaped mp. with maps and charts
and specifications showing just
what he would do If he could get
possession of some Of the vessels
owned by the shipping board and
now lyins idle at various points
along the Atlantic and Pacific coast.
he put his ideas into the form Of 2
bill, which was introduced in the
House Of Rep. Harry c. Calm of
Cleveland, O.
Bill Now i'm House.
The bill is now pending before the
house merchant marine committee.
and the n1t mbers are giving il some
careful consideration despite the
fact that the administration expects
them 10 act favorably on it's plan
for a government subsidy to keep
an American merchant fleet on the
seas.
Gen. Coxey is finding that the
| loudest objections 10 his proposals
are coming from those who don't like
the idea of issuing nearly $4,000
600 worth of lcgal-tender treasury
notes 10 finance the transfer Of the
112 ships to private hands, but
he insists that his plan is sound. and
he intends to lombard congress un-
til he gets an answer Of yes or no.
The bin which Con. gresham Calm
introduced provides that congress
authorizes and directs the secretary
I of the treasury to have engraved.
printed and issued treasury notes in
denominations OF 81, s., So, IS. $40,
SO. $50. 500, $500, and $1,000. The
issue would total $40.936. 600
The treasury department would
use these notes under Coxeys plan
/ to buy from the Emergency fleet
/ corporation 112 vessels OF 5.575 tons
| each Each vessel would be bought
/ for $4,000. a total OF S4.S16,0OO.
What CoNCy Would Do.
After the secretary of the treas
my got the ships he would .uru
/ them over to Jacob s. CoNcy. Of
/ AIassiilon. Ohio. and Theodore D
/ Wells a New York marine archi-
tect. for the sum of S365.5OO foI
each vessel, on total Of $40,936, OO1
the amount of the note issue. The
/ government would take a first mort
gage lien on the ships for the tota'
amount Of the purchase price. Coxey
/ proposes to pay the government for
the ships in Is annual payments
without interest.
Coxey proposes 20 equip the ship.
with motors, declaring that electric
operation Will effect "a saving Of A.
! per cent as compared with steam
/ He plans 10 rcCondition tho ships in
/ government navy yards. if bids sub
mitted by the navy department 70.
such work are as low as those Of
private companies.
Coxcy maintains that congress,
vii have to adopt his suggestions "il
the United States government eX-
poets 20 build up a profitable Ameri.
can merchant marine, extend and
expand American commerce market
our surplus products. bring back
products from foreign countrie.
that we do not produce here. furnish
q costless auxiliary to our navy and
bring about a condition of normal.
cy."