Evening star., 1922-12-17
SEEK TO D|SPLACE
SHIPPING MEASURE
Norris Leads Movement in
Senate, Using Farm
Bill as Lever.
NO EFFORT TO GET VOTE
Probably Will Bring Test of
Strength When Body Next
Convenes.
NO EFFORT TO GET VOTE

Using the bill recently reported
/ from the committee on agriculture
10 establish government corpora
tlon to buy and sell farm products
as lever. opponents of the adminis-
tration's merchant marine bill yes.
| terday undertook to pry loose from
Its privileged position in the Senate
the shipping bill
Senator Norris of Nebraska. chair
man of the agriculture committee and
au'hor of the bill for government
corporation to deal in farm products,
late in the day moved to take up
| that bill. so as to displace the ship
ping bill as the unfinished business of
the senate. He made no effort to
press his motion to a vote. the Senate
taxing recess a few minutes after
ne mad made it until IL o'clock to-
morrow. But Senator Norris Is ex-
pected TO renew his motion when the
senate meets and force it to a vote.
aithough 1t is likely to be preceded
by considerable debate
Would Kill Ship Bill.
Should the Norris amendment pre-
van II would sound the death knell
or the shipping bill. That is admit
1ed by the administration leaders.
t'ach OF the Norris motion are the
forces which desire to enact legisla-
ton to aid the farmers of the coun-
try at the present session. as well
as those which are opposed to the
shipping bill.
But the Norris bill will have on
position. Many of the senators who
wish to help the farmers by the es-
Enlistment of better credit facilities
are opposed to having the govern
ment go INTO the business of buying
ana selling farm products. or the
products of any other industry The
supporters of the shipping bill are
counting upon this division to aid
them IN Keeping their measure before
the Senate Senator Jones of Wash
ington, who announced he would
nave no objection to laying aside the
shipping bill temporarily to give the
right of way to farm credits bill,
upon which there was general agree
ment among the senators. does not
regard the Norris bill as such a meas
ure. Senator Curtis OF Kansas, re-
publican whip of the Senate. who
halls from :n agricultural state and
who Is anxious to grant some aid to
the farmers in the matter of better
credit facilities, is opposed to the
Norris plan t" establish govern
! Inent corporation. with capital of
slo0.oe0.o00. to buy and sell farm
products. He says. frankly. that he
is opposed to having the government
go into business, and he believes that
other senators from agricultural
states will take the same view. There
! are democrats who. as much as they
dislike the shipping bill. would not
support the Norris bill.
| See Use for Norris Bill.
| On the other hand. opponents of
! the shipping bill. who are anxious to
see that measure displaced, will vote
for the Norris motion to take up the
corporation bill with the idea that
once the Norris bill Is before the
| Senate. it will be possible to amend
/ it. substituting real farm credits
| legislation Thus. they figure. it will
be possible to kill off the shipping
bill and at the same time get what
they want in the way of legislation
! to aid the farmers.
| The vote will be real test Of
streugth-the first since the Senate
| began consideration of the shipping
I bill. Senator Jones. in charge of the
| bill. gave notice that he proposed
! from now to press forward more
! rapidly in the consideration of the
bill, and that he would seek to have
the Senate meet an hour earlier each
! day. taking recesses from day to day.
1t Is the plan Of the Senate leaders
F; to keep that body in session all this
week. even on Saturday. if Il quorum
can be maintained that day. SO as to
! expedite the consideration of the
| shipping bill. An adjournment will
be taken from Saturday until Tues
! day under their plan. SO that the
Senate will take only one working
| day off for Christmas
| Prior to the motion by Senator
/ Norris. the shipping measure was
under discussion for two hours, with
Senator Mcclellan, democrat, Ten
| nessee, attacking it as one Of 1.-The
most indefensible proposals" made to
; Congress in recent years, and as de-
signed to give "a subsidy to special
interests" and not to build up a mer-
chant marine. The Tennessee senator
| urged continued government opera
tfon OF goyernment-owned tonnage.
Attacks Lanker.
! Senator McKellar, democrat, Ten
| nessee, speaking against the bill, pro-
posed that the Shipping Board be
abolished and the work of directing
the governments fleet be placed under
the Department of Commerce. He
assailed Chairman Lasker and other
members of the board. saying that
Mr.. Lasker evidently was not en-
deavoring to get business for the
| government fleet. and that he be-
| lieved government operation a failure.
He decries the merchant marine"
saAo SeHatoi Mchelldf. He runs 1t
down as much as possible. He throws
cold water on the entire proposition.
He does not want the government TO
succeed In operating the ships. If
| Mr.. Lasker has this view Of the
situation he ought to resign.
| our merchant marine does not need
| subsidy. 1t needs cargoes."
! While the Senate proceeded with
| consideration of the shipping bill. and
! senator MOTIFS was maneuverin1 to
get his farm corporation bill before
the Senate. the banking and currency
committee continued its hearings m
! farm relief legislation. No agreement
| by this committee is yet in sight in
regard to farm credits bill. and ~
probably will be some time before a
| Senate. ie
The committee yesterday ramb,aa
| into the field of foreign credit and led
| to brief discussion Of the pronosn1
| to float, a big international loan r.
! Germany.
Foreign Credits Touched On.
Director Meyer of the War Finance
| Corporation told the COMMITTEES that
\ in its credit legislation Congress
| credits owned in this country by
Europeans. He said many German
[ citizens had large deposits in Ameri
| can banks, and that as a result it had
! been possible for American and Ger
man bankers to resume relations IN
| a more stable basis.
This feature of the situation was
referred to also by C. H Howard Of
Atlanta, Ga, speaking for the Ameri-
| can Cotton Growers Association.
| Senator Pomerene, democrat, Ohio,
| asked whether there was need at this
| time for loan to Germany for indus
trial purposes, ana Mr.. Howard re-
piled that in his opinion our COM