Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-11-21
The Message

llnue government optIhupNS anu
attending government losses and
discourage private enterprises by
government competition under
which losses are met by the public
treasury and with the continued
losses and deterioration until the
collosal failure ends in sheer ex-
hausion.
The third Is destructive-in-
volving the sacrifice OF our ships
abroad or the scrapping OF them
at home, the surrender OF our as
pirations and the confession OF our
impotence 20 the world in general
and our humiliation before the
compelling world in particular
A choice among the three is in
evitable. II Is unbelievable that
the American people or the Con-
gress which reflects their power
will consent TO surrender and
destruction. IL IL equally unbe-
lievable and the Congress which
translates their wishes into action
will longer sustain a program OF
obstruction and attending losses to
the Treasury.
have come TO urge the con
structive alternative, also 10 re-
assert an American I'VE win" I
have come 10 ask you TO relieve
the responsible administrative
branch OF the Government from
a program upon which failure and
hopelessness and staggering losses
are written for every page and
let us turn 20 a program OF as
sured shipping 20 serve us in war
and TO give guaranty 20 our com
mercial independence in pesce.
know we'll the hostility in the
popular mind 10 the word sub
sidy.' Il Is stressed by the opposi-
ton and associated with special
privileges by those who are un-
falling advocates OF government
aid whenever vast numbers are d.
rectly concerned. Government aid
would be a fairer term than sub
sidy' in defining what we are seek
ing 20 do for our merchant marine,
and the interests are those Of all
the people even though the aid
goes TO the few who serve.
II government aid IL a fair term
and I think II is-to apply 20
authorizations aggregating VS.
900. 900 to promote good roads for
market highways. II is equally NJ
TO be applied TO the establishment
and maintenance Of American
market highways on the salted
seas. II government aid r. the
proper designation for fifteen 10
forty millions annually expended
TO improve and maintain inland !
waterways in aid Of commerce It
is a proper designation for need /
ed assistance 10 establish and /
maintain ocean highways where |
there IL actual commerce 10 be |
carried
But call Il subsidy" since there |
are those who prefer 20 appeal 10
mistaken prejudice rather than
make frank and logical argument.
We might so call the annual loss
of fifty millions, which we are pay
ing now without protest by
those who most abhor. we might
as well call that a subsidy" II so
1 am proposing 10 cut II in half
and in the saving thus effected
there would be added other mill
lions in saving-governme capl-
tai. out OF the public treasury. Al
wavs remember there would be at
least the promise and the prospect
OF the permanent establishment OF
the needed merchant marine.
I challenge every insinuation of
favored interests and the enrich
ment of the special few at the ex-
pense Of the public treasury.
am first Of all appealing 20 save
the treasury. Perhaps the unlim-
tied bestowai OF government AID
might justify the apprehension OF
special favoring, but the pending
bill. the first ever proposed which
carries such a provision. automati-
callv guards against enrichment OF
perpetual bestowal.
Though differing in detail, It
is not more in proportion TO their
population and capacity than OH
err great nations have done in aid
ing the establishment Of their mer-
chant marines and II is timely 70
recall that we gave them our
commerce to aid in the upbuilding'
while the American task now Is 70
upbuild and establish in the face
OF their most active competition.
Indeed the American development
will have TO overcome every OBJ
stacle which may be put IN our
path. except as international com
~ forbids. Concern about our
policy is not limited TO our do
main though the interest abroad
IL of very differing character
The Maritime nations OF the world
are in complete accord with the
opposition here 20 the pending
measure. They have a right to
such an attitude. When we look
from their viewpoints we can I'M
derstand. But I wish TO stress
the American viewpoint. Some
OF the costly lessons OF war must
be learned again and again but
our shipping lesson from the world
war was much. too costly TO be
effaced from the memory of this
or future generations.
I frankly rejoice II higher
standards for labor on American
ships have been established.
Merest justice suggests that when
Congress fixes these standards IL
S fair to extend Government aid
N maintaining them until world
is brought to the
lame high level or until our ship
ping lines are so firmly establish
ID that they can face world COM
petition alone.
out OF the harmonized aspira-
ions and fully Informed convic-