Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-13
ON ITS LAST TACK

l at last before the senate for
consideration. 1t got rather badly
in the house, but got by
with a narrow majority furnished
by lame duck members. One
amendment put on the bill by the
house excited hot resentment on
the part of the president and the
ship owners. That was a provis-
ion that the bounties should be
passed on every year by congress
the same as other appropriations.
The administration insisted that
that must be changed in the senate,
and it was so changed. The point
is q very vital n to the ship
owners because the newly elected
congress is opposed to the ship
subsidy bill, and if they depended
on yearly appropriations they
might get the bonus only one year.
The bill as amended in the senate
fixes that all right. 1t provides
that 10 per cent of all custom
house receipts for the next 10
years is to go directly to the ship
ping board to pay these bounties
with, and that the board may make
10-ycar contracts with, the ship
owners. Thus it, would not be
necessary to ask congress to make
any appropriations to pay these
bonuses with. The tariff duties
would go directly to the ship own
ers through the shipping board in
stead Of into the United States
treasury as now.
In discussing this point in the
shipping bill in the house MI.
Brynes said:
an October. the duties amount
ed o $40, 1s5,s35. Up to November
"a they amounted to S37,7lo,oOO,
which is at the rate of S45,O00,00o
a month. So that by this provision
insthe bill you are going to put in
to the fund available for this pur-
pose of paying subsidies between
SIS, oo0, 900 and S50,00o,o 900 a year.
aThe president of the United
States, speaking from the plat
form here, told us and told the
country that certainly for years to
come they would need but S15,oo0,-
900. The gentlemen in charge OF
the bill on this floor, man after
man. have asserted the same thing.
Why, if it will cost but S15,00o,-
900 should we set aside S50.000,0o0
a wear out Of the treasury, IN
which there is a deficit, according
to the president?
Then look at the next page OF
the bill and you will see that it IS
made a permanent appropriation,
SO that it will accumulate from
year to- year. Instead of being
S50,OOO,0 900 next year, they will
carry over S35,0o0 900, according
to the president, making the fund
next year $4,000, 900. Why do it,
What is behind it? Why not make
then. come to congress, just as
every other department Of the gov
ment ought to be made to do, and
give congress the situation as 1t is,
telling US what they have paid out,
so that the members of congress
and the country will know what IS
going on"
Mr. Byrnes reminded the house
that the committee on approprla-
lions on naval affairs is about to
eliminate all permanent and re-
volving funds in the bill making
appropriations for next year.
"That bill will come to the house
in the next few weeks, and we will
boast of our achievement, and yet
today it is proposed to enact in
this (ship bonus) bill an entirely
different policy" Mr.. Byrnes said.
This congress will expire March
4 next, and it is proposed to auth
orize contracts for 10 years, make
a permanent appropriation, and
prevent action by the new con-
gress.
why, even four years from
now some republican congress may
determine that the shipping bust
ness is on such a basis that this
bill should be repealed. But under
these provisions your officials
could, before a bill was signed,
make a contract for 10 years and
practically prevent a repeal. Sure
sygthis is not the object. l do not
think you want to do that.
asThe necessity for a permanent
appropriation does not exist; no
man has shown it, and good legis-