The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1922-12-01

the force OF law.
u will be helpful in clearing the
atmosphere If we start with the
frank recognition of divided opinion
and determined opposition. 1t is no
Hw experience. Like proposals have
divided the Congress on various pre-
yious occasions. Perhaps a more re-
soIute hostility never was manifest
before, and l am very sure the need
for decisive action-decisive, favor
able action-never was so urgent be-
fore.
Problem OF Grim Actually.
We are not now dealing with a
policy founded on theory; we have
problem which is one of grim ac-
tuality. We are facing conditions,
cut of which will come either ad-
ditional and staggering Government
lesses and national impotence on the
seas, or else the unfurling Of the flag
on a great American merchant ma
fine commensurate with our CONNER
eial importance, to serve as carrier of
our cargoes in peace and meet the
necessities of our defense. in war.
There is no thought here and now
to magnify the relation OF mer-
chant marine to our national de-
g,nse. 1t is enough to recall that
We entered the World War almost
wholly dependent on our Allies for
transportation by sea. We expend-
ed approximately three billions, few
erishly, extravagantly. wastefully
and impractically. Out of our ca
gerness TO make up for the omissions
of peace and to meet the war emer-
goncy we builded and otherwise &C
qUird the vast merchant fleet which
The Government owns today. |
In the simplest way l can say it.
our immediate problem is not to
build and support merchant ship
ping, which hold to be one of the
highest and most worthy aspirations
Of any great people; our problem is
20 deal with what we now possess.
To Relieve Treasury of Drain
Our problem is to relieve the pub
&c treasury of the drain ii is alrea-
iy meeting. Lat us omit particulars
bout the frenzies wartime building.
we did full as well as could
rave been done in the anxious cir
Let us pass for the mo-
nent the vital relationship between
merchant marine and commercial I
y aspiring nation. Aye, let us sup ,
lose for moment tbs absurdity that
With one $4,000, 100000 experience
nd with the incalculable costs in [
Ives and treasure which may be ;
to our inability prompt ,
: to apply our potelcy--which God ,
orefend happening again--let us mo- 1
hentarily ignore all of these and 3
arm to note the mere business prob {
EN-, the practical question of dollars 6
nd cents with which we are con- p
ronted.
The war construction and the lat {
r completion of war contracts, where n
ompletlon was believed to be the q
reater economy to the public, trea- u
ury, left us approximately l3,2OO,- v
90 gross tonnage in ships. i
The figures are nearer 12,JOO,- l
90 tons now, owing to the scrappiug 1
( the wooden fleet. More than half
Z this tonnage is Government-own- 4
d and approximately $3.50, 0O0 tons II
r. under Government operation In @
ne form or another. The net loss I
b the United States Treasury-sums /
etually taken therefrom in this Gov
rument peraton-averagsd APP
Sl6,OOGOOO per month S
uring the year prior to the assump- II
on OF responsibility by the present
administration. A constant warfare {
mathis loss of public funds, and the |!
saft TO service of capable business r
engagement and experienced oper- o
ting directors have resulted in ap- z