Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-08-24
HARDING NOT To
DEMAND ACTION
ON MARINE BILL
Is Willing to Delay the Ship
Subsidy Measure Until
There is a Full Attend
anCe of Congress.
By The Associated Press }

: Washington, Aug. 23.-Presldent
Harding, in a letter today to Rep
resentative Mondell, the republican
leader expressed willingness to
have congressional consideration of
the administrator ship subsidy de-
! ferred until we can rivet the at
| tention of congress with a full at
| tendance"
Success of the measure. the pres
ident added, might be jeopardized
| by pressing for an immediate deci-
sion.
The letter was in reply to one
from Mr.. Mondell in which the
republican leader had declared that
! he and his associates were reluc-
| tant to bring the bill t. vote in
the house, at this time.
II am frankly disappointed, " the
president stated that the circum-
stances have combined to make a
difficult situation, due on the one
hand to the diminishsasettendance
in the house and chaxgeable on the
other to the new complications
which have arisen. Ntfwould be
folly to ignore the deVelopment of
the prohibition issue which came
up so Unexpectedly and we must
face the fact that the friends of
the bill must harmonize their
views, to accord with both the con-
stitutional amendment and public
opinion on this subject.
Must Reach a Concord.
Moreover, the same friends of
the measure must reach a concord
in the matter of the favoring pro-
vision carried in the tax exemption
section which was designed to pro-
vide an indirect aid to American
shipping enterprise"
The president expressed the hope
that the administration would
find way to deal with these new
difficulties with the approval of all
supporters of an American mer-
chant marine, and that when they
may have favorable action before
the congress gets too deeply en-
gagged in the pressing legislation
which must be considered in the
short session."
The text of the presidents letter
to Mr., Mondell follows:
My Dear Mr.. Mondell:
Il have your note conveying the
reluctance of yourself and your as
sociates favorable to the bill to aid
American merchant shipping TO
bring the measure up for a vote in
the prevailing situation in the
house. / am frankly disappointed
that the circumstances have com
bined to make a difficult situa-
ton due, on the one hand to the
diminished attendance in the
house, and chargeable, on the 9TH
er, to the new complications which
have arisen. 1t would be folly to
ignore the development of the pro-
hibition issue which came up so
Unexpectedly and we must face the
fact that the friends of the bill
must harmonize their views to ac-
cord with both the constitutional
amendment and public opinion on i
this subject.
Moreover, the same friends of |
the measure must reach q concord |
in the matter Of favoring the pro-
vision carried in the tax exemption |
section, which was designed to |
provide an indirect aid to Ameri- |
can ship shipping enterprise.
Industrial Situation,
81 need not tell you that but for
the engrossment in the industrial |
] should have long since
invited conferences looking to an
agreement on these problems. 7
as earnest about the passage of
this measure, I think it is so i'm
portant in furthering our COM
mercial good fortunes and so es-
sential to our self independence
and our national defense, that l
had much rather the bill should
await consideration until we can
rivet the attention of congress with
q full attendance than jeopafdize |
Its success by pressing for an i'm
decision. l venture to ex-
press to you in this way the hope
which / have previously uttered,
that the administration may find
a way to deal with these new diff
ficulties with the approval of all
of an American mer-
chant marine and that we then
may have favorable action before
the congress gets too deeply en-
gagged in the pressing legislation
which must be considered in the
short session.
"Very truly yours,
WARREN G. HARDING.