The Washington herald., 1922-12-19
Vote on Norris Motion in Sem
ate Today May Give Ship
ping Measure Precedence
OPPONENTS ARE CONFIDENT
Senator Brookhart, in Maiden
Speech. Supports Move for
an Early Agricultural Relief
Ry Universal Service.


The Senate farm bloc lost
ground yesterday in its move to
displace the ship subsidy bill
with the Norris bill to create a
cooperative marketing agency
backed by an appropriation Of
100000, 900.
The vote on Norris motion to
set the subsidy bill aside and take
up his measure will be taken
probably today. Subsidy support
ers declared last night they will
have enough votes to defeat it.
SUBSIDY FIRST.
The effect Of this will be to keep
the subsidy bill before the Senate
until the Banking and Currency
Committee. which is now framing a
farm credits measure. Is ready to
report.
Leaders in the farm bloc confess
that the Norris bill is not IN the
shape they would like to have it.
but they announced their purpose
to bring II up In the Senate and
have it whipped into shape during
debate, which might take many
days. Senator Jones and other
supporters Of the subsidy bill oh
tected to this plan asserting that
such procedure would merely delay
the subsidy bill and lead to long
discussion OF the cooperative meas
ur" before il could he finally draft
ed in the style desired.
They proposed that the Banking
and Currency Committee he al
lowed to proceed with its work and
that the position of the subsidy Till
he left undistnrbed in the Senate
until the farm credits bill was
properly drawn, assuring leaders Of
tn" farm bloc that no attempt 20
delay passage Of the credits bill
h"fuTe the Senate
VOTE POSTPONED.
Norris made an effort TO get a
vote on his motion when the Sem
ate opened. II was postponed. Row.
ever. because Brookhart Of Iowa,
one OF the leaders of the farm bloc
desired to speak. on it, RrOokhart
had not concluded when the Senate
adjourned. so action on the motion
was postponed.
Senator Ransdell Of Louisian ma.
the only Democratic member of the
Commerce Committee favoring the
subsidy. spoke in support Of the
bill. He pointed out that Germany.
when she was n weak power
granted subsidies for shipping. and
thus became q strong power on the
sea. Great Britain adopted a sim
f1ar policy. the Senator said. and
thereby built up the strongest mer-
chant marine in the world.
IF We pass this bill and give our
merchant marine a start for
period Of ten years. then We can
carry on the business without fur
ther aid" the Senator said
B0RAH PLEADS FOR FARM BILL
Senator Borah followed with
speech in support Of the Norris
motion. declaring that the questions
Of rehabilitating the farming in
dustry and reorganizlnE the trans
portatfon systems are of greater i'm
portance than the rebuilding Of
merchant marine at this time. The
Senator asserted that the shipping
industry could wait, but that the
farmers cannot wait, ana predicted
that II the present Congress passes
the shipping bill a resolution to re-
peal II will be introduced within
twenty-four hours after the Sixty
eighth Congress assemblies.
Senator Borah added that unless
sorne immediate relief IL given the
farmers, the decrease in acreage
during the next two years will be
"startlIng beyond Imagination"
Senator Williams. OF Mississippi.
declared he was opposed TO keeping
the subsidy bill before the Senate
and equally opposed TO taking up
the Norris hill in its place. He
criticised Senators who proposed
having the Government go into the
marketing business.
BROOKHART'S FIRST SPEECH.
Senator BroolIhart delivered his
maiden speech in addressing the
Senate in support Of the Norris mo-
tion. He declared the universal re-
sUlr of the late election was an en-
pFatiC demand for immediate and ef-
fHctive relief to agriculture BY legis-
litive action on marketing and
credits At the same time. he de-
clarrd. the people expressed them
solves against government aid to
rhiDp'ng.
Brookhart asserted that out of
every dollar paid by the labOring
man Tor products or the farm the
farmer receives only 81 cents. This
demonstrated. he added. that there
Is something radically wrong with
the marketing system.
Senator Jones informed the Senate
that he would ask to have the Nor
ris motion disposed of tomorrow. as
he did not wish the subsidy bill to
he delayed by further debate on
farm legislation until the matter is
actually before the Senate.