Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-11-29
PRO AND CON SHIP SUBSIDY

The Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers sends out press bulletin
declaring the ship subsidy bill to be
"a steal" The American Federation
of Labor comes out declaring it zone
Of the biggest gold bricks the Ameri-
can people ever were called on to
buy" Do they believe this? We
do not think the leaders for one
single moment entertain any such an
say that it is for 'the enrichment of
the favored few" they are thinking
Of something else. They do not be-
lieve the President was lying when
he said: II challenge every insinua-
ton of favored interests and the en-
richment of the special few at the
expense of the public treasury.
That Government aid will
Only he paid until the shipping con-
Germ earns 10 per cent on actual
capital invested"
Then why this opposition? We
may be sure there is a hidden rea-
son about it. They bring no proof in
answer to the Presidents challenge,
only unsupported charges. These
labor leaders who did not utter even
plaintive squeak when Uncle Sam
was being held up in his own ship
yards in wartime. when in the name
Of "ten per cent plus" his pockets
were picked by capital and labor
profiteers on a fifty-fift basis. Not
a whimper out Of them then. Now
they want to continue these vessels
SO extravagantly built under the ex-
tfavagant control of the Government.
Naturally 1t will come to mind that
they wish to have the railroads there.
Keeping the shipping there would
fall p with their scheme to retain
strangle- hold on the countrys COM
MERGE. There may be, probably are
other reasons for their opposition to
| the subsidy. but we don't believe
there is among them all one that is
sound. Their charges are simply alb
surd.
The great industrial concerns of
the country are not owners in the
shipping. They are supposed to nav
taxes. to have a stake in the conn.
try fully as great as the brother.
hoods. They declare a subsidy is
needed and state why they think so.
They from out their experience know
what transportation facilities mean.
The farmer has manifested mis-
trust OF the measure. This is not
surprising, especially when is con-
s'dered how needless he has been re-
spectlng marketing facilities, See
what lot Of effort had to be made
to arouse him to active concern over
methods for securing better and
cheaper distribution Of his products.
Already he favors better roads on the
land as he realizes that thew helm
Gear up his transportation problem.
II is only step from those to the
highways over the ocean to other
lands Already the farmer feels the
pinch when the volume Of his exports
lessons for any reason Read what
President Howard Of the American
Farm Bureau organization had to saw
about this:
The farmer has a greater direct
interest in European conditions AZ
this time than has the merchant or
the manufacturer or the banker.
They all have other trade fields to
which they can turn. The farme,
las no ether. Europe is the sole
customer for our agricultural sur
rluses. While Europe is the farm
er's customer. she is the manufac.
turer's competitor"
/ 1t would be strange indeed IT, see
ing this, he was not as much inter-
csted as the manufacturer in secur-
ing the advantages &C an American
merchant marine. The manufacturer
is interested. He has said SO and
has given his reasons Sooner or
later the farmer will see what it