The Colorado statesman., 1922-11-25
PLEA is MADE
BY PRESIDENT
PLAN MEANS SAVING OF MIL.
LIONS YEARLY, PRESIDENT
TELLS CONGRESS.
URGES SHIP SUBSIDY
GOVERNMENT AID FOR SHIPPING
WILL CUT BURDEN, HARD
ING INSISTS.

Washington, Nov. 21.-Enactment OF
the administration merchant marine
bill was urged upon Congress by Pres
ident Harding as necessary to relieve
the government of present Staggering
losses" in operation of war-built mer-
chant fleet, and to establish program
of assured shipping to serve the ma
tion in war and give a guaranty of
commercial independence in time of
peace.
Personally addressing a joint session
tive declared an actual monetary saw
ing to the government would result
from the proposed law. He challenged
every insinuation Of favored interests
and the enriching of the special few
at the expense of the public treasury.
The legislation, he asserted, automat-
ically guarded against enrichment or
perpetual bestowal.
"If success attend, as we hope it
will,' he added, "the government out
lay is returned, the inspiration of OPP
portunity to earn remains and Ameri-
can transportation by sea is main
tanned"
The President said concern about
the American merchant marine policy
was not limited "to our own domain"
adding that the maritime nations of
the world "were in complete accord
with the opposition here to the pend
ing measure" He declared those ma
tions had n perfect right to sucn an
attitude, but that he wished to stress
| the American viewpoint, which, he
said, should be the viewpoint from
which one sees American carriers at
sea, the dependence of American COM
merce and American vessels for Amer
lean reliance in the event of war"
Mr.. Harding declared it would be
most discouraging if measure OF
''such transcending national impor-
| tance" must have its fate depend on
geographical, occupational, profession
al or partisan objection. A CONNER
cial eminence on the seas and ample
agencies for the promotion in carrying
of American commerce, he asserted,
were of no less Importance to the peo-
pie of the Mississippi and the Mis-
souri, valley, the great Northwest and
the Rocky Mountain states than to the
seaboard states and industrial commu-
mites inland.
'It is common cause, with its ben
efits commonly shared" said he.
If government aid is a fair term to
apply to authorizations aggregatng
S75, 100000 to promote good roads for
market highways, the President added,
it is equally fit to be applied to the
establishment and maintenance or
American market highways on the
"salted seas"
As to present government operation
of the Shipping Board fleet. Mr.. Hard
| ing said there was the unavoidable
task of wiping out a $50,OOO,OOO an
nual loss, and losses aggregating
many hundreds of millions in worm
out, sacrificed or scrapped shipping.
| He called attention that the govern
ment ships were being worn out with
out any provision for replacement
and that n program of surrender ana
sacrifice and the liquidation which he
! declared would be inevitable unless the
proposed legislation We're enacted
would cost scores of billions. Ihe
I cost of the proposed legislation giving
direct aid, he said, with ocean-carrying
I maintained at the present average
would not reach $20,000,O0O year and
the maximum direct aid if American
| h; CT
ried one-half the nations deep-sea
commerce would not exceed $30,0O0,-
900 annually.
The President devoted practically
all his message to the subsidy, men
tioning only one other national prob
lem-additiOnal relief for agriculture.
This and other questions will be dealt
with in his message to the regular ses-
sion which will meet Dec. 4.