The Jasper news., 1922-11-30
PRESIDENT DELIVERS
HIS SUBSIDY PLEA
TO THE CONGRESS
HARDING PRESENTS MESSAGE
TO soLoNs URGING SHIP
SUBSIDY BE PASSED.
CALLS 1T COMMON CAUSE;
BENEFITS ARE COMMON
Declares Present Plan Of Operating
Shipping Board Fleet Faces un-
avoidable Task Of Wlplng out a
s5o,ooo,ooo Annual Loss, and other
Enormous Losses.


Enormous Losses.
Washington, Nov. 22.-Enactment Of
the administration merchant marine
bill was urged upon congress by Presl-
dent Harding as necessary to relieve
the government of present staggering
losses" In operation Of the war-buit
merchant feet, and to establish a pro-
gram Of assured shipping to serve the
nation in war and give a guaranty Of
commercial independence in time of
peace.
Personally addressing a joint ses-
sion of the house and senate, the ex-
ecutive declared an actual monetary
saving to the government would re-
suit from the proposed law.
The President said: ~.
Text Of Message.
Members of the Congress: Late
last February reported to you rela-
tive to the American merchant marine.
and recommended legislation which
tie executive branch of the govern
ment deemed essential to promote our
merchant marine and with it our
national welfare.
"Other problems were pressing and
other questions pending and for one
reason or another, which need not be
recited, the suggested legislation has
not progressed beyond a favorable
recommendation by the house COM
mittee. The committee has given the
question a full and palnstaking in
quiry and study, and ] hope that its
favorable report speedily will be given
the force Of law.
Would Clear Atmosphere.
ut will be helpful In clearing the
atmosphere If we start with the frank
recognition of divided opinion and de-
termined opposition. 1t Is no new
experience. Like proposals have d.
vided the congress on -varions previ-
GUS occasions. Perhaps more resOlute
hostility never was manifest before,
and ] am very sure the need for de-
cisive actiOn-declsive, favorable ac-
tion-never was so urgent before.
"We are not now dealing with a
policy founded on theory; we have q
problem which is a grim actuality.
We are facing insistent conditions, out
of which will come either additional
and staggering government losses and
national impotence on the seas, or else
the unfurling of the flag ON a great
American merchant marine commen-
surate with our commercial impor-
tance, to serve US as carrier Of our
cargoes In peace and meet the neces-
! stiles of our defense In war.
Spent Three Billions.
There Is no thought here and now
to magnify the relation of a merchant
marine to our national defense. 1t is
enough to recall that we entered the
World war almost wholly dependent on
our allies for transportation by sea.
We expended approximately three bill
lions, feverishly, extravagantly, waste
fully and impractically. Out OF our
eagerness to make up for the omls-
sions Of peace and to meet the war
emergency we builded and otherwise
acquired the best merchant feet, which
the government owns today.
"In the simplest way / can say It,
our immediate problem is not to build
| and support a merchant shipping,
which hold to be one OF the highest
and most worthy aspirations of any
great people. Our problem is to deal
with what we now possess. Our prob
lem is to relieve the public treasury OF
the drain 1t already is meeting.
Gives v. S. Figures.
"The war construction and the later
completion Of war contracts, where
completion was believed to be the
greater economy to the public treasury
left US approximately 100000 gross
tonnage In ships. The figures are
nearer 12,5O0,OO0 tons now, owing to
the scrapplng Of the wooden fleet.
More than half this tonnage is gov,
ernment owned, and approximately 2.
100000 tons are under government op
Grafton In one form or another. The
net loss to the United States treasury
sums actually taken therefrOm In
this government operation-averaged
approximately $leOO0,0O0 per month
| during the year prior to the assump'
tion Of responsibility by the present
administration.
"a constant warfare on this loss
\ Of public funds, and the draft tO
service OF capable business manage
ment and experienced operating dl.
rectors, have resulted in applied eff
cheney and enforced economies. 1t is