Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-16
MARINE MEASURE
is CONTRARY To
WILL OF PEOPLE
Senator LaFoIIette Opens
the Attack of the Pro-
gresSive Bloc Against Ad-
miniStrati0n Bill

! Washington, Dec. Opening
the attack of the progressive bloc
against the administration ship
ping bill, Senator La Toilette, re-
publican, Wisconsin, declared in
the senate today that the measure
rs contrary to the expressed will
of the American people and that
the action of the president and his
sponsors in attempting to force its
passage at this time is an open
challenge to the people and yio-
lation of the trust reposed bv the
people in their delegated represen-
tatives.
The Wisconsin senator de-
nounced the bill in bitter terms.
criticised the president and Chair
man Lasker of the shipping board
in sharp language, challenged the
arguments made by the executive
in his message to congress urging
enactment of the legislation and
charged Mr.. Lasker with having
made "a highly improper propo-
sal in order to obtain the sup
port of organized labor.
II do not believe that a worse
bill than this ever came before
the senate of the United States for
its consideration" he asserted. "1t
represents a policy that has been
repeatedly rejected by the people
of this country The public opin-
ion of the country is overwhelm-
ingly opposed to it today.
1t Is Wholly Bad
ut simply means turning over
the peoples property to favored
interests for a few cents on the
dollar and a tax of millions of dol-
lars levied annually in order to
pay a subsidy to those who take
the ships practically as gift. II
means millions of dollars of tax
refunds to the shipping interests.
1T does not even promise, much
less guarantee, cheaper rates for
ocean commerce. 1t proposes to
destroy our army and naval trans
ports and turn, this great agency
of potential defense over to private
ownership. 1t does not guarantee
the building of single new ship
or the maintenance Of those we
have 1t is wholly bad and the
attempt to force it upon an un-
willing country cannot be too
strongly condemned
The senator enumerated long
list OF farmer and labor organi1a-
tions opposing the bin and de-
clared he was prepared to make
the statement tnat tnree-fourths of
the American people have gone on
record as opposed to ship subsidy,
and more particularly TO the
terms of this Dill."
He added that the farmers Of
the country were unanimously op-
posed to it.
Il content myself. said lie SEN
ator, with the statement that
Chairman Lasker sought confer
ence with Samuel Gompers, presi-
dent of the American Federation
of Labor and made Il highly inn
proper proposal to group OF la
Dor officials that they disregard
the will and the interests Of their
and support the pend
ing bill.
This conference took place ON
April and Z IN the headquarters
of the American Federation of La
Dor in the city Of Washington.
Chairman Lasker then and there,
/ am informed, offered to with
vi dN Atl lellll Pa ONiSlpltp - FAAN
pending bill with labor if he could
thereby induce the labor organiza-
tions to abate their opposition TO
the bill,
Proposal Spurncd
Let it be said to the everlasting
credit of the representatives of the
working men of this country that
they spurned this barefaced pro-
posal Chairman Lasker
found he could not buy American
labor"
Chairman LaslSer was attacked
by the senator as a man appointed
to public office mot 10 operate
ships but to SELF ship srbsiiy TO
the American people" lie ac-
eused the shipping board chairman
of refusing to give information to
as to the cause of losses
II government operation of ships
and charged that he had tried
% make government operation
allure"
The Wisconsin senator in con
3luding his address took up the bill
section by section, criticising its
provisions and pointing out what
ne contended were dangers in it,"