The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1922-07-25
PRES. THREATENS EXTRA
SESSION IF SHIP SUBSIDY
BILL is NOT PASSED
By GRATTAN KERANS
Especial Correspondence

Oil, Wiuch he has demanded that !
: 'oagrcss shall pass at the cur
rent session on penalty of being
reconvcned Tor that purpose.
These obstacles to the plain sail
ing. OF the President s pet meas
ure take the form Of facts, fig
ures and arguments urged
against it by Senator Fletcher
Oem. Fla.), generally regarded
as one Of the highest authorities
on American shipping.
Senator Fletcher ascribed the
failure Of the nation s merchant
fleet % operate successfully and
oconomicany to Chairman Laslz-
er of the Shipping Board, who,
re charged had converted the
board INTO a political machine
and who spent his time on polit-
ical propaganda instead Of at
tending to his official duties as
Chairman.
Experts, some Of them owners
and operators Of ships, have es
timated that President Harding S
proposed present to the private
interests which are pressing for
the passage Of the ship subsidy
bill would take from the rank
and file Of taxpayers not less
than $5O,000,000 year. The ad-
vocates Of this annual "bonus
to powerful corporations have
been flooding the country with
their propaganda. Chief among
these press agents for the measure
is Chairman A D. Lasker of the
United States Shipping Board,
one Of the putative authors Of the
bill with Winthrop Marvin, Vice
President and General Manager
Of the American Steamship Own
ers's S Association.
Part Of the campaign FOR pro.
noting the adoptiz,za of>the bill
Which President Harding has
made his favorite child among thu
legislative proposals now pend
ing. next to the tariff, is the zeal
Gus effort to discredit the mer
chant marine established by the
Wilson administration. These
ships are described in Chairman
Lasker's appeals for subsidies as
"a costly heritage
Referring to this slur on the
peoples vast and valuable IN
vestment in serviceable ships,
Senator Fletcher said, in has
speech in the Senate:
''Thirk Of it! The finest fleet
oned Or controlled by any mari
time power in the world, or by
any organization, denomlnateo
a costly heritage.' These peo-
pie clai INTO want an adequate
American Merchant Marlne~-,
American owned and American
operated for the benefit O.
American commerce and Amer,
can industry, and yet the first
essential to such a merchant ma
l11le is ships, which they con-,
plain of as costly heritage.
"If we could only get rid OF
the ships, the Shipping Board
would be relieved Of annoyance
and the friends Of this measure
would be happy. Their main
purpose would be accomplished
u must confess to being glac
we have the ships, and l value
! them as a distinct asset, which
would not like to see dlsslpatec
J and wasted. [ want to see then
taken care Of and prQeerly EN-
| ployed. They constitute the IT'S
essential requirement to a mer
chant marine, and instead OF CIV
mo them away or sinking them
! or paying people to relieve us o.
them. I would put them IN ser
| vice and operate them as oul
! needs deman dand our Interest,"
! call fol- until such time as ne!
; are wanted by those who /wll
keep them under our flag, Wh'
Will take pride in their country
status on the seas, who under
stand the business they woul(
engage in, and who will see tina
they render the service the pee
nle Of this country are ENTITLED
to have and must have.
& |The nation is numbered o.
GREAT fleet Of merchant yes
sells. they say. 1t is like say
mo to q a man wanting to opel
/ q hank he is numbered by cap
tai or to a merchant who woul'
| like to. engage in foreign trad
he s.cumbered by goods or othe
! acca+s -