Evening star., 1922-11-24
FOES FALL BACK"
IN SUBSIDY FIGHT
House Debate Reveals "Pro-
greSsives" of Both Parties
as "Reactionaries."
HAVOC SEEN IN POLICY
Playing Into Hanos of Other Ma.
tions by Opposition to
Ship Bill.
HAVOC SEEN IN POLICY
By n. 0. MESSENGER.

AS the debate on the merchant ma
rine bill progresses in the House it
becomes apparent that opponents of
'he measure have no alternative to
suggest OF a constructive nature, but
are falling back upon a policy of con-
tlnued government operation, of stag
ration in the Saragossa sea. which
now grips the nations feet, and drift
ing. II there be any current in that
dead eddy. to further financial loss
and ultimate destruction Of American
shipping.
Republican and democratic repre-
sentatives who pride themselves upon
ne1ng "progressives'' now find them
serves. 1t is contended. in the incon-
slstent role of veriest reactionaries.
Also, it is pointedly said of them. in
erect. they are playing into the hands
OF Japan and Great Britain and other
ests 1t is of vital Importance that the
Shiteo states should be driven from
the sea lanes of the world.
PRESIDENT Harding in his address
TO Congress last Tuesday touched
upon TINS branch of the subject and
because 1t must be said, the maritifhe o
nations of the world are in complete
accord with the opposition here to the
pending measure. They have a per-
rect right to such an attitude. When
we look from their viewpoints We can
understand. But ] wish to stress the
american viewpoint. Ours should be
the viewpoint from which one sees
American carriers at sea, the de-
pendence of American commerce, and
American vessels for American reli-
ance in the event of war"
"Fail tO Meet ChalIense.-
Representative Greene of Massa-
chusetts in his speech in the House
yesterday charged that the opponents
fail to meet the challenge of the
President, and acknowledge that they
cannot meet it. "On this critical issue
Of the life of the American merchant
marine" he said, they have nothing
to give this House but pleas. long
since exploded. empty epithets and
profitless vituperation. They have
nothing to suggest but a weak, fatu-
Gus continuation Of the do-nothing
policy that has wrecked our merchant
marine in the past and would ruin it
for the future. l do not accuse those
who signed the hostile report of any
deliberate purpose to strike down
their country on the seas, but I do
declare that the direct sole bene-
ficiaries of the course they would
have. Congress follow would be the
ship owners and governments of for
eign nations, our rivals in trade and
possible enemies in war;"
He went on to say that 'twhat Eu-
rope on the east and Japan on the
west dread, as their public men and
journals have been openly admitting,
is the adoption by our national law
makers of the forward-looking. con-
structive recommendations of Presi-
dent Harding. What these foreign
interests desire is the defeat of those
recommendations and the continuance
of that same do-nothing policy which
in the past has given foreign inter-
ests monopoly of nine-tenths of our
overseas carrying trade and would
most certainly give them a monopoly
again.
"No Middle Ground.o
"The issue presented in this bill Is
therefore squarely one between Amer
ican and foreign nations. There is no
middle ground, no possible compro-
mise"
The trend of the debate thus far,
shows the advocates of theNbill pre-
senting logic. facts, figures and ap-
peals to good business judgment in
supporting the proposed legislation.
while the opposition appears to rely
upon allegations OF benefit to special
interests; voicing Of the fear that
somebody" is going to get some
thing out of it at the expense Of the
people, all of which may be said to
have been anticipated and met in the
Presidents address.
He has shown that the taxpayers
will eventually be relieved by the
legislation Of loss they are other
wise bound to- suffer. and that the en-
tire nation will be benefited in a ma
4arial SnnSe and the national safety