Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-11-16

erence TO things which have nappened
"a the past.
This year the friends OF subsidy say
1t is certain to win; It's opponents say
II Is certain to lose. OF course NOBODY
knows what the end may be. but II IS
possible thar the friends Of subsidy
have studied the past with its rather
sharp lessons, and in spite Of what
happened then may have received es1-
enlargement enough to give them
ground for their claims for victory.
On the other hand il seems likely
that the opponents Of subsidy also
have studied the past and in 1t have
found satisfying assurance ..sssst his
tory is TO repeat itself and that sub
sidy is TO lose.
The writer OF this has been IN
Washington during several ship pab-
sidy campaigns. Thirteen years ago
when President Taft's administration
was six months old 1t became known
that in his December message TO con-
gress he intended TO ask for a sub
sidy for the American merchant ma
rine At that time this was said, and
the quotation Is direct.
president Taft's open support OF
measure which It's advocates think VIII
build up our merchant marine may
have given the subsidy cause headway
enough TO carry it into the harbor OF
passage"
At the same time 1t was written:
"There will be maintained opposi-
ton from the Middle West. and FROM
the South. to subsidy, to subsidy IN
whatever form the legislation takes,
but nevertheless the feeling In the.
capital seems to be that the bill Is to-
go through
Some Changes Of Sentiment.
The friends of subsidy today say
that that opposition to subsidy from
the Middle West and from the South
has to considerable extent been over
come. Opponents Of the legislation
say that while there is a greater
friendliness today in the two sections
named for the legislation, there is a
greater opposition to 1t in other sec
tions of the country which at one time
were favorable.
President Harding has asked for
ship subsidy legislation in strong
words. Theodore Roosevelt once asked
for 1t, and then in December, 1909,
President Taft asked for 1t in terms
,,1a ~, 49, s-+,.1xr- &c %bnra ~, xxhioIa
the plea has been made this year.
Congress declined to pass the sub
sidy legislation at the session follow
ing President Taft's message and at
that time congress was strongly Re-
publican. It was hard for the friends
Of subsidy at that time to explain the
reasons for the inaction of the Repub-
Iican majority in congress. The oppo-
sition said simply that the reason
there was inaction was that the coun-
try did not like subsidy In whatever
form.
In 1910 President Taft returned to
the attack. He made renewed plea
for subsidy legislation, but the plea
was without avail.
War Furnishes an Argument.
The war came along later and the
government engaged In the ship sail
ing business for itself. Now it wants
TO get rid of the business and 1t is
urged that if subsidy Is granted the
way to get rid of it win be made easy
to travel.
What Is going to happen this year,
Of course, no one knows any better
than he knew In 1909, 1910 and in the
years that went before. The friends
of the measure are depending largely
upon the absolute failure Of the United
States to make any money in the ship
business. to prove their point that If
the flag is to be restored to the seas.
or rather is to be kent on the seas,
for 1t already has been restored, 1t
must be nailed to the mast with a
subsidy hammer.
Looking over the records of former
attempts TO enact subsidy legislation
1t can be said they show in a general
way that the opposing forces are con-
stituted just about IS they were be-
fore.
This year the Republican majority
is huge and 1t may be that under the
recommendation Of the President,
coupled with the fact that some Re
publicans have changed their views.
the legislation win pass. It should be
borne in mind. however. that the next
session Of congress is short SEES
sion and with the pressure for a
prompt passage OF the appropriation
bills the subsidy legislation may fan
to get the right OF way and If this
shall happen it must go over for an
other year.
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