Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-06-17
MARINE SUBSIDY
BILL PARLEy IS
SET FOR TODAY
Leaders Say They viii Take
1t Up and Force 1t to a
Vote if President Harding
Still Insists.
tBy The Associated Press,)

washington, June 16.-Republi-
can leaders of the house will confer
again tomorrow with President
harding on the question of taking
up the Administrations ship sub
sidy bill prior to adjournment.
indications tonight that they
would reiterate the belief that con-
sideration Of the measure ought to
go over until the December session
but all leaders declared they would
take it up and force it to a vote IL
the president still insisted.
The bill was reported today TO
the house by the merchant marine
committee which rejected the
Bankhead amendment providing
that no government aid should go
TO ships on which liquor was sold.
There was no action on the Ed
monds proposal for imposition OF
$4,000 fines on all ships, Ameri-
can or foreign, which sold sllquor
on any voyage starting or ending
at an American port.
Defeated by Committee,
Defeated by the committee, Mr.
Bankhead announced he would de-
mand a vote on his amendment in
the house. There was no record
vote in committee on the amend
ment but it was opposed by repub-
licans and supported by democrats.
The prohibition question had
wrapped itself SO closely about the
bill that many leaders admittedly
were in doubt as to how it might
stand up in the house. Injection
Of the ship liquor issue into the
fight, according to republicans OPP
posing action at this time. invited
defeat of the bill.
Representative Garner. demo-
crat, Texas, told the house today
what most members had been
hearing for ten days-that Speak
err Gillette, Representative Mon
dell, the republican leader, Chair
man Campbell of the rules COM
mittee and a majority of the re-
publican steering committee were
against consideration of the bill
prior to election.
When the bill formally was pre-
Greene of the merchant marine
committee, democratic members
were given until Thursday to file a
minority report.
The committee vote on report
ing the bill was 8 to 4, republicans
voting aye and democrats nay, eX-
cept Representative Cullen, demo-
crat, New York, who voted pres
ent.
Majority Report.
The majority report, presented
by Chairman Greene, contained a
detailed explanation OF each i'm
portant section of the bill and an
argument for its passage.
Declaring the situation today
with respect to establishment of
merchant marine was different
from that obtaining at any time
heretofore, the report added:
ut is not a question of whether
we wish a merchant marine--for
we have it. 1t is not a question Of
subsidy or no subsidy. because to
meet the governments loss OF
$50,000,000 year in the operation
of our merchant marine, the peo-
pie are being taxed far beyond
what would be needed were the
ships brought into efficient COM
mercial operation"
The main question, the report
said, was disposal of the present
fleet SO that with the least cost to
the taxpayers "it may be made Of
the greatest use to the country as
whole both in peace and war
"The alternatives are plain" Il
added. Either make 1t possible
for private enterprise to take this
nucleus which we now plan, add to
It until it becomes n great and ef-
ficient entity. an American mer-
chant marine, or refuse the rela-
lively slight amount of aid neces-
sary therefor and continue at II
great expense the inefficient meth
DDS of government operation until
the ships are worn OUT