New-York tribune., 1922-10-08
Nv. est Demands
Ship Subsidy,
Harding Is Told
Malcolm Stewart Speaks for
Middle Section After Ex-
tensive Tour: Wants Leg
islation Rushed, He Says
Call Haste Vital to Trade
Other Urgent Messages Have
Reached President From
All Over the Country
srom th. rrtbane's washtnoton bureau

Srons the TrIbane's Washington Bareaa
WASHINGTON, Oct. THE middle
Western section of the country is de-
1nsnding immediate enactment of the
shipping bill, President Harding was
told to-day by Malcolm Stewart, of
the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce
and chairman of the Middle West
Merchan. Marine Committee.
Mr.. Stewart has just completed two
extensive tours of Missouri, Kansas,
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Min
nesota, and he told the President he
found steadily growing sentiment in
savor of quick passage of legislation
20 aid American shipping.
The people in the states ! visited
and it was pretty fair cross-section
of the middle West--are eager to have
Congress act on the shipping bill," Mr..
Stewart said. "They are anxious to
have all legislative business cleaned
up before March 4 so that lit will not
be necessary to call an extra session
of the new Congress. They hape the
President will cali this Congress to-
gether early in November se~all the
pending measures may be disposed Of
as well as the appropriation bills.
Say Delay Is Fatal
"They feel that if Congress does not
begin work before the short session
in December that there will not be
time for the legislation to be passed
They feel that the shipping bill is
most urgent; that if it can be put on
the statute hooks before March the
United States will have chance to
gain a fair share of the worlds trade
and carry as much of our own COM
merce as we are entitled to have If
action on the shipping bill goes over,
we of the middle West believe that
the United States will have lost it's
chance to put it's flag back the seas.
We want an American manned mer-
chant marine, adequate in peace or in
war. We want Americans to carry our
goods abroad and we believe American
ships will be better drummers for our
Foreign trade than any foreigner could
be and we think the time to start is
now"
Mr.. Stewart read to President Hard
ing kilograms he had just received
from associates on the Middle West
Merchant Marine Committee. One
from George A. Williams, president of
the Williams Sealing Corporation, of
Decatur, H., says:
"Please urge President Harding to
use all possible influence to hasten
speak for the Mississippi Valley Asso-
citation, for the Decatur Association
of Commerce and for the Decatur CITY
Club"
Another, from q. F. Oleson, of the
Red Star Milling Company, of Wichita,
Kan, says: "In pleading for mercantile
marine legislation, please urge Presi-
dent Harding to use his influence to
hasten quick action. Such legislation
should not be delayed further"
Other Testimony for Bill
J. ]. Blommer, secretary of the Mil
wsukee Association of Commerce,
wired:
think it imperative merchant ma
rfne legislation be enacted earliest pos,
sible date Cannot you urge President
Harding to use all his good influences
in this direction ?"
In addition to these hundreds of
other cities and towns of the Middle
West are cooperating with the COM
mittee.
Matthew Hale, president of the South
Atlantic States Association, told Presi
dent Harding that it was entirely er-
roneous to suppose that the South is
solidiy opposed to the ship subsidy
Dill. Most of the clear thinking bust
ness men of the South, Mr.. Hale said
reailze that the prosperity of that sec
1lon OF the country depends on the de-
Veiopment of the Southern ports. This
development is amply provided by the
shipping bill and ample protection is
Afforded existent trade routes. AS q
result, the business men of the South
are becoming more and more unwilling
TO sacrifice their material welfare and
the future of their home cities In order
70 carry out political prejudice which
has outlived its usefulness.