The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-22
PRESIDENT POINTS
OUT MEASURE IN
REALITY ECONOMY
Asserts That Subsidy Means
Putting America at Fore
front ''in Peace Triumph
on Seas of World"
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branch of the government deemed
essential to promote our merchant
marine and with it our national well
fare. other problems were pressing
and other questions pending. and for
one reason or another, which need
not be recited, the suggested 1egis-
lation has not progressed beyond a
favorable recommendation by the
House committee. Tho committee has
given the question a full and pain
stalking Inquiry and study, and 1 hope
that its favorable report speedily will
be given the force force of law.
1T will be helpful in clearing tho
atmosphere II we start with the
frank recognition of divided opinion
and determined opposition. 1t Is no
new experience. Like proposals have
divided the Congress on various pre-
vious occasions. Perhaps a more
resolute hostility never was manifest
before, ana I am very sure the need
for decisive aotion-decisive, favor
able action-never was as urgent be-
fore.
I'VE are not now dealing with q
policy founded on theory, we have
problem which is one of grim actu-
atty. We are facing insistent condi-
tions, out of which will come either
additional and staggering govern
ment losses and national impotence
on the seas or else the unfurling 81
the flag on a great American NOR
chant marine commensurate with our
commercial Importance, to service as
carrier OF our cargoes in peace ans
1oF
in war.
No Ships I'm 1914
There is no thought here and now.
to magnify the relation of mer
chant marine to our national defence.
1t Is enough to recall that we entered
the World war almost wholly depend
ent on our allies for transportation
by sea. We expended approximately
three billions, feverishly. extrava-
santly, wastefully and impractically.
Out OF our eagerness to make up for
the omissions of peace and to meet
the war emergency we builded and
otherwise acquired tho best merchant
fleet which the government owns to-
day.
TN the simplest way / can say 1T.
our Immediate problem is not to build
and support merchant shipping,
which I hold to be one of the highest
and most worthy aspirations of any
great people; our problem is to deal
with what we now possess. Our
problem Is to relieve the public treas
ury of the drain 1t 10 already meet
Ing. Let us omit particulars about
the frenzied wartime building.
Possibly we did full as we'll as could
have been done in the anxious cir
oumstances. Let us pass from the
moment the vital relationship be-
tween a merchant marine and COM
mercially aspiring nation. Aye, let
us suppose for moment the absur-
dity that with one sS.o00.000,000 ex-
perience and with the incalculable
cost in lives and treasure which may
be chargeable to our inability
promptly to apply our potency
which God forefend. has happened
again. let us momentarily ignore all
of these and turn to note the mere
business problem, the practical ques-
Ation of dollars and. cents with which
are confronted.
Present Tonnage
The war construction and tho
later completion of war contracts
where completion was believed to be
the greater economy to the public
treasury left us approximately
l3,200,00o gross tonnage in ships.
The figures are nearer 12,50Q,o00 tons
row, owing to the scrapping of the
wooden fleet More than half this
tonnage is government owned and
approximately 2,250.0o0 tons are
under government operation in one
form or another. The net loss to tho
Unitel States treasury, sums actually
taken therefrom in this government
operation, averaged approximately
S 100000 per month during the year
prior to the assumption of respon-
sibility by the present administration.
"A constant warfare on this loss of
public funds and the draft to SER
vice of capable business management
and experienced operating directors.
have resulted In applied efficiency
and enforced economies. 1t is very
gratifying to report the diminution
of the losses to $4,00o,0oo per month,
or a total of S50.000,000 a year. but
it is intoierable that the government
should continue policy from which
so enormous a treasury loss is the
inevitable outcome. This loss, more
over attends operation OF less than
third of the government owned fleet.
TT is not. therefore. question of
adding new treasury burdens to
maintain our shipping: we are paying
these burdens now.
1T is not a question of contract
ing an outlay to support our mer-
chant shipping because we Are pay
ing already. I am not asking your
authorization of new and added
draft on the public treasury: I am
appealing for a program to diminish
the burden we are already bearing.
Not Replacing ships
when your executive government
knows of public expenditures aggre-
Children Cry