Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-21
HARDING IN
LETTER URGES
SUBSIDY LAW
Gresident Virtually
Asking Popular
Support.
CAMPAIGN SOUND
Document Indicates
Purpose to Avoid
Debating.
CAMPAIGN SOUND
Special to Indiana Daily Times
-.L. =. ,. o.. ~. Z =. -.

Phlla0eiD1l2
WASHINGTON, June 21-President
Harding has virtually appealed to the
people to LET their Congressman know the
sentiment of America is whole hearted
in favor Of the maintenance Of the Amer
lean merchant marine.
The presidential word went forth in a
letter to Representative Mondell, Repub-
lican House leader, in which Mr.. Hard
ing gave his full approval Of the House
proposal TO postpone consideration OF
\ ship subsidy legislation until Congress
men could lay the question before their
constituencies. House leaders had urged
upon the President a delay on the sub
sidy bill Of at least a month, so that
members, availing themselves of the sum-
mer recess, might sound out folks back
home.
RELIEVES PEOPLE
WILL BE IN ACCORD.
II cannot but believe the American
people will be in accord wrote the Pres
ident, IF they appraise the immediate
Aoblem in the continuation Of losing
#iIIions through our resent operations
Aand sense the situation as il relates to
Americas future. 1 believe Congressman
will return from the contact with the
people confident that the merchant ma
rine bill is no less appealing than relief
10 agriculture n distress OE 70 tAC AAAA
roads in their necessity"
Throughout the letter the President
made 1t plain that the ADMINISTRATION, al
though not seeking to urge the merits of
the pending bill or debating to Congress
a course Of action, requires speedy and
definite decision on the question OF Amer
lean shipping. Existing conditions can
not continue, the President asserted and
II America is to remain se!1-contained
she cannot afford to permit her fleet,
badly balanced and warbuilt as 1t is,
to fall into disuse.
MANNER NOT UNLIKE
CAMPAIGN DOCUMENT.
There was an expression Of the popu-
lar mind in 1920" continued the letter,
in a manner not unlike that Of a cam
paign document" the party now charged
with responsibility spoke in no uncer-
tain terms about the promotion and main
tenance of al American merchant marine.
"The question was not made paramount,
but the pledge was cOvenanted, and 1t
was we'll understood, because the people
knew in a general way that vast tonnage
IN shipping was a Government possession
as the result of war activities. and prac-
Atlcal Government must turn this one war
Easset TO permanent, peGce-time advant-
4hge."
kthat they feared 10 proceed with ship
#subsidy legislation without consulting
4 their constituencies. the President had
&&TUually demanded immediate considera-
z = Of subsidy bill His acquiescenee in
lie proposed brief delay, however, does
not bulge him from his insistent stand
that ship relief legislation should be con-
sidered at the present session. The
Presidents reason for this is two fold:
he IL D.
000000 annually on present operation and
the situation is becoming int0lerable. II
American shipping Is to survive it must
be put on a new basis and that in the
immediate future.
Second. it viii be impossible to pass
general legislation Of the type and i'm
portance of a ship subsidy bill at the
short session beginning in December.
That session. at which nothing is doLe
until after the holidays, gives Congress
hardly more than two months to enact
the necessary money bills.
REMOVES THREAT
OF EXTRA SESSION.
The letter to Representative Mondel,
which the President said was to give
formal confirmation and to express the
satisfaction with which he contemplated
having this measure taken directly TO be
people, viii remove at least for the time
being, any threat Of an extra session Of
Congress for consideration Of the bill. l.
House members within a month or six
weeks, proceed with the legislation, the
President apparently will be satisfied.
Much as he desires the passage of the
bill, he insists only upon its consideration
with action one way or the other, con-
fdent the word the congressman will get
from back home" viii cause them to
enact the legislation
In summarizing the situation, the
President explained the fUtiIity of the
odd and WORKOUT cry against subsidy.
The people should know, he said, the
Government now was suDs1dizing the
merchant marine by S50.O00,000 a year in
absorbing the deficit in operations piled
- by the Shipping Board. How to handle
Tie ships of the American fleet without
a continual loss to the public treasury is
, manifestly an important problem for
disposition by Congress.
Another, is the establishment Of an eff
icient marine as an agency of commerce
and an avenue OF influence in peace, and
an indispensable element of defense when
the Nation Is involved In war.
mo argument is needed on the last
essential other than the reminder that
We Iuilded our vast tonnage as a war
necessity" said the President.
The importance of a merchant marine to
Americas pretensiOns Of being self
contained Republic, was emphasized by
fSe President.
t'NO nation" he said, "has ever main
tJAned enduring prominence, or abiding
good fortune, except in proportion to its
e>ginence on the sea. 1t does not become
Us r-o-go- on paving -shiTans ~alls -. the
world, when our righteous purposes II.
trade are better promoted by serving our
selves in making our tenders in the
parts Of the world"