The citizen., 1922-08-03
amounts to Is that the way. apparent-
ly. Is opened for refundlng.
Apathy on Ship Subsidy.

ly, Is opened for refundlng.
Apathy on Ship Subsidy.
The members Of the house OF
to return TO their homes ostensibly
for the purpose Of assessing the
attitude Of their constituents to-
ward ship subsidy legislation have
not thus far forwarded any Informa-
tlon to the national capital that would
tend to indicate that there is any great
public demand for this legislation at
this time In fact. nothing on which
judgment could properly he based has
been received from the representatives
since they returned to their homes.
In explanation Of this. II may be said
that the legislators have not had time
To make the investigations which they
were requested TO make and report
back, and that 1t may be reasonably
assumed that later on they Will 10
able to submit reports that will be
helpful 10 the powers that be"
when Il was decided that the mem
bers of the lower branch Of the con-
gress should have vacation Of six
weeks an official statement was put
out 10 the effect that since there
seemed to be some question In the
minds of some Of the representatives
as to whether ship subsidy legislation
should be enacted during this session
of the congress, II seemed advisable
that the legislators should go home
and canvass the situation first hand. In
this connection the view was put forth
that the house Of representatives and
indeed the congress as whole was
overwhelmingly in favor OF the ad-
mnlstration's subsidy program, but
that some members Of the house were
inclined to be timid about voting for
the legislation until they could talk
with the folks back home. The adj
ministration in agreeing TO the vaca-
tion arrangement appeared to he very
certain that little mixing with the
folks at home would convince the
ready for ship subsidy legislation.
Were to Do Missionary Work.
There was much talk about the
time the arrangements for the recess
were made that most Of the Republican
members Of the house of representa-
tives were to go home for brief spell
as missionaries, so to speak, for the
cause of ship subsidy. They were to
take along with them all the printed
arguments prepared by the shipping
board during the last few months In,
favor of the subsidy program They
were to- submit these arguments to
their constituents and were to under
take a sort OF nationwide campaign In
the interest of subsidy legislation and
then return to Washington and rush
through the administration bill.
II any of the representatives are
engaged In carrying out this program
the fact has not been reported back
to the national capital. Information
received here from various sections Of
the country indicates, to the contrary.
that the representatives ara at work
on their political fences with scarcely
a mention Of ship subsidy legislation.
Obviously, the administration Is dis
appointed because the nationwide cam
paign was not put under way. II the
Republican representatives had carried
out the program that was arranged
for them, the administration would
have supplemented that program by
sending forth several of its ablest
speakers to tell the country how vital
II Is at this time that the pending sub
sidy legislation be enacted Albert ID.
Lasker, chairman Of the shipping
board, had planned an extensive
speaking tour but 1t was since said at
the shipping board that pressing busi-
ness here may prevent him from TAX
ing long trip In the interest of sub
sidy legislation
Don't Want the Issue This Year.
The fact Is that the members OF the
house of representatives. nearly all Of
whom are candidates for reelection.
do not want the ship subsidy issue
raised In this years congressional
campaign. The same thing is true of
practically all OF the senators who are
up for reelection. This statement ap-
plies to Republican congressman.
rather than to the Democrats who are
seeking reelection, though some Of the
Democrats are not at all anxious to
deal with the subsidy issue in the cam.
paign. The failure Of the Republican
representatives to get In behind a
nationwide propaganda in support OF
the administrations subsidy bill dur
ing their leave OF absence from Wash.
ington is generally regarded here as
an indication that the house Of repre-
sentatives will shy away from a vote
on subsidy legislation before the cleo
tion.
If there Is any one thing President
Harding desires above another at this
time In the way OF legislation. II IL
the passage OF the administrators
subsidy bill. He has said publicly that
II the congress should not give the
subject reasonable consideration at
this session, he would call an extra
session, provided, of course. there was
time for an extra session to convene