The New York herald., 1922-11-22

50. COO 900 600 had been spent then to get
the ships necessary to conduct the war.
"When the question Is asked: Why the
insistence for the merchant marine act
now? the answer is apparent" said
Mr.. Harding Waving every inspira-
tion which lies in a constructive plan
FOR maintaining our flag on the COM
mercial highways of the seas, waving
the prudence in safeguarding against
another So 600 900 900 madness II war ever
again impels, we have the unavoidable
task OF wiping out a $50.000.000 annual
loss in operation and losses aggregat'
ing many hundreds of millions in worn
out. sacrificed or scrapped shipping.
Then the supreme humiliation, the ad'
mission that the United States-our
Nmerica. once eminent among the mari
me motions OF the worlds incapable
II asserting itself in the peace triumphs
of the seas of the world"
The President took about thirty min
utes to read his address. At the end
he was vigorously applauded.
Comments ON the Address.
Here are some of the opinions of Re-
publicans, Democrats and insurgents re-
garding the Presidents address,;
Representative Mondell (Wyo.), Re-
publican floor leader: Il consider the
Presidents address an exceptionally
dents arguments in favor of legislation
along the lines proposed are unanswer-
able
Representative Longworth (Ohlo): Il
think the Presidents address one of the
strongest arguments ever made along
that line and from a commercial. sci
entific standpoint 1t is absolutely un-
answerable." Z"
Representative Edmonds (Pa): 1.-The
President delivered an accurate and
correct view of the shipping situation
in this country He covered the ques-
tion thoroughly and sensed the real
Issue. which is government ownership
and operation with consequent losses
and the gradual elimination of our ship
ping in the foreign trade. or the utili-
zation of the present loss TO upbuild
q merchant marine resulting in the
permanent establishment of the same"
Miss Robertson Approves.
Miss Alice Robertson (okla): II ap-
prove everything the President said and
i will vote for the subsidy, for 1 believe
in helping the farmers. The American
farmer can be helped best by having
an American merchant marine to trans
port his products"
Representative Siegel On. Y.): After
all the whole question is one OF dollars
and cents, because II is a question
whether TO continue to have subsidy
or a merchant marine. The message
of the President appeals to the common
sense of the American people and of
Congress. We cannot dodge the issue
one way or another"
Representative Garrett (Tenn.): From
the standpoint of those who favor the
bill the President placed the matter in
what suppose will be generally re-
garded as a strong light. OF course
from the standpoint of us who are op-
posed to the measure. he will not an
swer the fundamental objections
Representative Garner CTex): Il re-
gret that the President did not put
more emphasis and express more in
terest in the stock farm credit PROPOSE
ton
Representative Byrnes (S. c.: 1T did
not add anything to what has been said
and did not change n vote"
Representative johnson Is. Dak.)
1T was a strong presentation Of the
case, giving all the arguments for the
subsidy, but 1t will not change a single
vote. Those of US from the agricultural
middle West who still oppose the SUBJ
sidy cannot see why the Government
should pay a profit to any person or
corporation for expending Government
money
La Follette's Statement.
Senator La Toilette (Wis.): There
was nothing new in the Presidents sub
sidy message. What he said is simply
q rehash of the arguments that have
been put forth by Mr.. Lasker for
months in what he has frankly de-
scribed as a campaign to sell ship sub
sidy to the people of this country.
THE ship subsidy scheme was so un-
popular that politicians persuaded the
President to withhold it until after the
election. II anything has been demon
strated by the late election. II is that
the people are opposed TO the whole
plan OF ship subsidy. In Wisconsin.
Iowa. Minnesota and North Dakota and
many other States IL was made a prom
ineut issue in the campaign and In prac-
,icaliy every instance the advocates of
the ship subsidy were either beaten at
the polls or escaped defeat by narrow
margins"
senator Lodge (Mass.,: TT was a
great speech. splendidly telling the need
OF Government aid for our merchant
marine. L am very strongly In favor of
the bill"
Senator Poindexter (wash.): The
things the President stated so clearly
are unanswerable reasons for ship sub
sidy. and believe 1T is the only mears
Of competing with foreign nations. all
Of whom resort to that policy in build
ing up their merchant marines. I hope
the Congress will approve the BILL
Senator Calder IN. W: The Presi-
dent made "a splendid statement OF our
maritime needs. If we hope to main
tain foreign markets for Americap
products this only can be done by as
sursnr continuance OF American ships
on the high seas. / hope Congress VIII
realize that the future of American for
elgn trade depends upon the enactment
Of this bill as 80 forcibly pointed out
by the President"
Senator Capper (Kan.) There was
nothing in the Presidents message
which I can lndorse except his statemen,
that we must have legislation 10 relieve
distress among the agricultural inter
ests. / must disagree with the case
made out by the President for the ship
subsidy bill. II would merely permit a
raid on the Treasury for the big ship
ping interests. thus enabling a dangerous
precedent"
Senator Harreld (Okia.): The onl.
justification for the subsidy In that Il
the lesser offtwo evils. II at least means
getting rid Of the white elephant lef
rs by the Democratic Administration.
The rnessr ge was a strong argument
from the Presidents point Of view
Senator Harrison (Miss.) The
message will be accepted by the farmer
as an insult This message with th
Ia