Omaha daily bee., 1922-06-10
Merchant Fleet
Has Purse Value
toU. S. Farmers
Subsidy lnsures Disposal o'
Crop Surplus; Factory
Products Must Have
Prompt Carriage.
By A. D. LASKER.
ABYIcl.E Z.

states, ranging IRON our eentfai var
leys 10 the Pacific, with popula-
ton OF over 10000. 900 people. Tor the
development OF the Great Lakes.st
Lawrence waterway, and the WIDEN
ing and deeping OF our rivers, includ-
ing the Mississippi.
As Governor Allen OF Kansas has
often urged, the farmer feels the toll
the railroads collect in bringing his
produce TO seaboard often marks
the difference between ability and IN
ability TO compete abroad. For this
reason, the Great Lakes.St Lawrence
and the e-to-,he. water
ways are urged in the hope and be-
lief Of bringing thc,seacoast a thou.
sand miles nearer to the valleys OF
production.
Thus the farmer admits the very
essential necessary TO his prosperity
Of water carriage abroad; and surely
the same reasons make il imperative
that an American merchant marine
exist to insure the prompt and regu-
lar dispatch Of the product OF the
mine and factory apply to the farm
er.
Ships When Needed.
Even the most ardent proponent
Of our INLAND waterway development
can no longer feel there is any pos
sibility OF success'to the venture ur-
less we have assurance OF ships un-
der our own flag, for the very nature
Of the commodities and Of climatic
conditions to be encountered make
the use Of the St. Lawrence water
way, for instance, seasonal. and for
this seasonal purpose we must COM
mand our own carriage il we are to
make sure OF the bottoms when and
as we need them.
The world has completely changed
in consequence Of the late war, and,
as outlined in previous articles, no
nations needs have changed more
than Americas. Therefore, the old
arguments that existed against the
necessity of . merchant marine no
longer hold. But, unfortunately,
millions, including the farmer, have
not had time or opportunity to de-
velop the facts as to the changed
conditions and changed needs; they
hold on to the fetiches of the past.
It is often asked by those who are
living in the shadows Of other days
why the farmer should be required
to contribute to subsidy for ships
when the product OF the farm re-
mains unsubsidized. Such, of course,
is far from the fact, because in the
protection given by the tariff the
farmer, like the manufacturer and all
Of us, Is ssubsidized and, very proper
", to the extent of our needs. Sub
sidy for ships is the identical thing
that tariff protection is to home pro-
duetion.
Leader for Subsidy.
At the hearings. held by the joint
committee Of the senate and house
in relation to the proposed subsidy
legislation. Mr.. ]. R.. Howard, presi-
dent Of the American Farm fedora
tion, testified that. while his as
sociation was opposed to subsidies in
principle, and certainly to subsidies
save for I limited period (Which is
the view Of the Harding administra-
tion), 1 careful study by experts ap-
pointed BY the federation had led him
to testify in behalf of and to urge the
enactment of the legislation proposed
for the merchant marine.
Merchant marine rates" said Mr..
Howard, "are just as important as
railroad rates to the farmer. The
farmer may not always realize this
fact, because he is able to visualize
the rail transportation and does not
frequently come in contact with
ocean traffic. II is distinct factor,
however, in the price Of his commod-
ities, for the surplus Of our crops
sold abroad largely sets the price of
these commodities in this country" |"
Mr.. Howard averred that 23 per
cent of our wheat and 56 per cent
Of our cotton is exported. He fig
ured closely the cost of subsidizing
agricultural cargoes under the act
and estimated it would amount to an
average OF Ia OF cent bushel on
! wheat and s cents a bale on cot
ton.
Farmers' Insurance, He Says.
"The subsidy said Mr.. Howard
will be guarantee against loss
from failure to reach markets regu-
larly and when markets are best.
Marketing is today the farmers
chief problem. The ship subsidy is
our best insurance for the marketing
OF the farmers exportable sur
plus"
Some make the point that in the
near future America will consume
I'll its farm products and will have
no exportable surplus; but still the
farmers interest in an established
merchant marine remains supreme
because through merchant marine
We can insure world trade for the
products Of factory and mine; il
means greater prosperity at hom.
and consequent higher prices for the
farmers product, even though none
Of it be exported.
So. whether il be from the stand
point that the farmer will have sur
pluses which, if their transporta
tion abroad is not assured, will bacl
up on him to the destruction of hi.
prices: or whether he will have n,
surplus and relies on the prosperit,
Of the American workers in othe
! callings, the establishment of ,
merchant marine has become o
prime importance.
Because the nations OF Europ,
I. which owe Us vast debts will un
,dertake to Buy the product of tn,
33x4 Sprague
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