The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1922-03-01
HARDING URGES HELP
FOR AMERICAN SHIPS
President Advocates. Subsidies for
Merchant Marine in Ad-
dress to Congress
PROPOSES TO SELL
WARTIME FLEET


Chief Executive in Favor of Taking
the Government Out of
Shipping Business
Washington, Feb. 2s.-President
Harding, through message which
he read in person to Congress in
joint session, presented today the
administration program for develop
ment through direct and indirect
subsidies of the American merchant
marine, and Immediately after he
had outlined his views steps were
tions into legislation.
..sBills embodying the administra-
tion policy were introduced stimuli
taneousy before the President had
left the capitol and arrangements
were made for early committee con-
sideration. Joint hearings by the
Senate commerce and the House mer-
chant NADINE committees, to which
the bills were referred, We're proposed
by Senator Jones, Republican, Wash
ington, chairman Of the former. The
bill will be taken up next Thursday
by the Senate committee and soon
also by the House committee.
In addressing the joint session of
OoiiS ISoo lSSlucllI I1aTUlnH uC-
ent eenfd oaesath ease ehe o policy of
shil. had been demonstrated to be
fundamentally wrong and prac-
tically impossible" He proposed
the sale-even at an admitted sac
rifice-of the government fleet built
during the war and the granting of
the direct and indirect subsidies,
together with other aid, to private
ship operators.
Endless Embarrassment"
This program, the President ex-
planned, was advanced in lieu of
Ineffective provisions in eisting
laws designed to aid shipping. These
included the "subvention' or tariff
rebate, provided for imports in Ameri-
can vessels by the present, tariff law
which is imperative because Of "the
most favored nation" clauses of COM
mercial treaties. The President reit-
Grated that he did not intend to de-
nounce- these treaties, as provided in
the Jones shipping act Of 1920-an
act which would make the tariff sub
Vention observation-disclosures, he said, it
would "lead to endless embarrass-
ment" and invite disturbance of cor
dial commercial relations.
Administration leaders in Congress
later said that no attempt would be
made to repeal the treaty abrogation
clause of the Jones act, but that the
new program would be pressed and
the treaty abrogation provision left
on the statute books.
The President also reiterated his
approval of the Great Lakcs-St. Law
renee waterway project.
Appluaded AS He Leaves
This and several other declarations
of the President were >applauded at
the join session. The audience rose
and applaudcd at length when he en-
tered and left the House chamber.
The cost of his program next year
was estimated by the President at
$15,000,000, with about $3.50, 100000
rs the ultimate maximum.
The plan, the President said, would
ultimately take the government out
of business which has been excess
lively costly and wasteful and involv-
ing a loss in excess of the highest
subsidy proposed"
The audience applaudcd vigorously
when the Executive declared Amcri-
ca had "the aspiration, yea, the deter
mlnation, to establish merchant
marine commensurate with our COM
mercial Importance"
The experiment Of government op-
Grafton, the President said, had been
very costly.
"Much has been learned, to be sure"
he added, "but the outstanding lesson
is that the government cannot prof.
tably manage our merchant shipping
Plan Endorsed
The President said that every men,
Der Of the shipping board endorsed
the administration program. Repub-
1ican leaders in both branches of Con-
gress said also that it had the gen
eral endorsement of the dominant
party membership.
Democratic opposition to the sub
sidy> proposal developed, however,
Immediately and Senator Fletcher,
Democrat, Florida former chairman
and ranking minority member of the
Senate commerce committee, issued a
statement announcing opposition to
the subsidy plan.
"There is no need for subsidies in
my opinion" said Senator Fletcher.
II would, however, favor the govern
ment furnishing insurance to our
own and private American ships at
practically cost. My inclination has
been against any direct subsidy"
Other Democratic Senators also de-
clared their opposition to subsidy,
but many said they desired to study
the administration program carefully
before determining their position.