Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-01

wartime creation of Americas great tonnage--and experimental venture as re described it-and then he added;
 Having failed at such enormous cost I bring you the proposal which contem- plates return to private initiative and private enterprise aided to a conserva- tive success wherein we are safeguarded a,gainsJ the promotion of private geed, and do not discourage the hope of profit able investment, which underlies all sue cessful endeavor."
 Mir Harding emphasized the import ance of a national merchant marine 'in view of suspended naval construction, declaring that without it, mo notion may hope tt hold a high place in the world of com nerce or be asured of adequate defense"
 The merchant marine is universally recognized as the second line of naval defense" he added Tt is indispensa- ble in the time of great national emerg- ency."
 Discontinuance so far as practicable of the separate transport waS recom- mended by, the executive who In this con- ner-on said the merchant passenger ships under the American flag should be made agents of service in peace as well as war"
 Mir. Harding in recommending the plan for government, aid said he would fa- vor "the stiffest possible competition by the fleets of the maritime nations" and | asserted that more than the aid of gov ernment would bN necessary.
 "We have al awaNleued American pride and an avowed American determ- ] nation that we shall become in the main | the carriers of our own commerce in 1 spite of all competition and all dis | couragements" he continued. There can l be no disrute about the end at which we are aiming
 The president also reiterated his ap- y-7val of ENe Great Laf5es{St. Law renee waterway project. This and sev- eral other declarations of the president were applau1ed at the joint session The audien0e rose and aonlsuded at length l when he entered and left the house | chamber.
 Tha cost of his. .rrogramme next yea r l was estimated by the nreet7,ant at S15,- oao 0nn with about $30.nO0 Q0o as the ul- | innate maximum. The plan. the president said. would ultimately take the gov , ernment out of a business whi7h has heen excessively costly and wasteful and involving a loss in excess of the highest i subsidy proposed"
 Tho audience aFp!auded vigorously
 when the executive declared America had "tha aspiration, yet the determin- ation to establish merchant marine comm ensurate with our commercial i'm 1 portance."
 [ The experiment of government opera tion. the president said, had been very costly.
 Much has been learned. to be sure, he added, but the outstanding lessor is that the government cannot proftably . manage our merchant shipping" The president said that every member If the shipping boar dendorsed the ad
 mnistratiou nrogramme. Rp(lblicsm
 leaders in both branches of congress sait
 also that it had the general endorsement
 of the dominant party membership. Members of the senate and house com
 mttees which will cal with the bill : partic'0ated in drafting the administra tion programme and were said to hav agreed to the general principles outlined
 by the president. This. republican lead
 PTS said, probably would operate to ex ? pedita the legislation.
 Democratic opposition to the subsid, . proposal developed, however, immediate D ly and Senator Elet9her, democrat
 Florida. former chairman and rankin
 minority meo1docr of the senate com
 merce committee, issued a statemen
 announcing opposition to the s1bsid
 plan.
 There is ID need for subsidies in m
 opinion" said Senator Fletcher.
 would however, favor the gV5ernue CT I furnishing insurance to our own ant i private American ships at rract1call cost My inclination has been again' f | any direct subsidy"
 Other democratic senators also d.
 csred their opposition to 8 subsid- but many said they desired to study II
 administration programme carefully b.
 fore determining their position. Son |, i republicans also expressed themselves z Y inclined to oppose a. subsidy. The! 4 included members of the agricultur ., Doc. Senator Norris. republican, N q trasks, chairman of the agriculture con . mittee. said that In preference to ,, subsidy he would turn over the go
 Arn~nent's ships 10 the Panama Can - Railroad company, 2 government co "a cern. This suggestion also was endor
 ed by Senator Fletcher.