The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-12-15
(Ry the Associated Press)

II: (By the Associated Press)
Washington, Dec. 15.-Opening the
attack of the progressive bloc against
the administration shipping bill,
Senator La Toilette, Republican, Wis
consin, declared in the senate today
that the measure "is contrary to the
expressed will of the American peo-
pie and that the action of the Presl-
dent and it's sponsors in attempting
to force it's passage at this time is
an open challenge to the people and
violation of the trust reposed by
the, people in their delegated repre-
sentatives."
Denounccs Bill
The Wisconsin Senator denounced
the bill in bitter terms, criticised
the President and Chairman Lasker
Of the shipping board, in sharp Ian
guage, challenged the arguments
made by the executive in his mes
sage to congress urging enactment
of the legislation, and charged Mr..
taskcr with having made "a highly
improper proposal in order to OBJ
tain the support of organized labor.
"I do not believe that a worse
bill than this ever came before the
senate of the United States for it's
consideration" he asserted. 1T re-
presents a policy that has been re-
peatedly rejected by the people Of
this country. The public opinion of
the country is overwhelmingly op~
posed to it today.
ut simply means turning over the
peoples property to favored inter-
ests for few cents on the dollar
and a tax of millions Of dollars le-
We'd annually in order to pay a sub
sidy to those who take the ships
practically as gift.
1t means millions of dollars of tax
refunds to the shipping interests. It
does not even promise, much less
guarantee, cheaper rate for, ocean
commerce. It proposed to destroy our
army and navy transports and turn
this greht agency Of potential de-
fcnse over to private ownership. L.
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
unwilling country cannot be too
strongly condemned"
Shows Opposition
The Senator enumerated long
list of farm and labor organizations
opposing the bill and declared he
was prepared to make the statement
that three-fourths of the American
people had gone on record as op-
posed to a ship subsidy and "more
particularly to the terms of this
bill" He added that the farmers of
the country were unanimously cp-
posed to it and in discussing the
attitude of labor said that "in man
ner I shall not now take occasion to
characterize Chairman Lasker sought
to win the support of the working
people" for the measure.
Senator La Toilette reviewed the
result Of the recent election, declar-
ing that "wherever a candidate for
public office declared against this
ship subsidy bill in district nor
maily of his own political party he
was elected" and in many districts
normally Republican, Republican
candidates who failed to pledge
themselves to oppose this bill were
defeated by Democratic candidates
who pledged themselves to vote
against it. Passage of the measure
at this time, he concluded, "would
be a gross violation of the very spir-
it and letter of the principles of
representative government"
The plea of the President ins'his
message to the recent special session
that members of congress disregard
"the too hasty impressions of con-
stituency," in the interest of the lar
ger national good, particularly drew
, the fire of the senator who declared
the appeal represented "the madness
of the present Administrations: and
would not be tolerated in any other
representative government Of the
world.
He challenged the Presidents
statement that enactment of the bill
would relieve I :, treasury of losses
now being sustained by reason OF
shipping board operation Of govern
ment tonnage and asserted the plan
embodied in the bill would "plunder
and rob" the American people.
The Wisconsin senator in conclud-
ing his address took up the bill
section by section criticising its pro-
visions and pointing out what he
contended were dangers in it.