The Red Cloud chief., 1922-08-17

l-TICL g.
Modern civilization is an economic
one. The basis Of an economic civ
i|ii2atiou transportation Goa. and
oil may be only ~mJmentarily basic
fuels; it is possible some other fuel
may b. discovered Fuel in one
form or another will always be basic
to transportation aad transportation
in one sarm or another IS basic to
exchange of goods.
In my first article / undertook to
demonstrate how, UP to the time OF
the Civ. ...a America, had develop.
ed a strong merchant marine, and to
sketch the conditions surrounding
our practical disappearance from the
sea between the time of the Civil
War and the World War.
Daring this latter period We we're
a self-suficient and self-contained
nation, having need OF world trade
only in small measure for the dispo-
sition OF SURPRISES and TO pay with
them the moneys borrowed for our
development. Our creditors were
largely the leading maritime nations
of the world, and they sent their
ships to receive the goods in pay
went Of what we OWED them
Americas Position Altered.
In the last decades, though. amer
lea has changed from a self-con-,
tanned ana self-sunicient nation to-
one tina. now must look across the
waters for Tsny Of its needs, Our,
manufacturer must look across the
sea both fJr markets and raw MIA,
terlals: our agricultural sections
must sell their surplus to other ma
tionsae -
gQing, we must max sure of a steady
dow OF those" materials" which we
pWssd and must 1fhsHris.6fompt' and
continuous delivery dftnianutaetdfef
wares a1d raw matIffsis which We
III S&S'R 'sss1stas l1lsS |. sE.1 rs:
,fhlss. the manufacturer csn .sss.
1.-The changing conditions America
ands, itsslt.- that ia thS Ultimate; hie,
very life maj" b. dependent OF the
existence OF an American merchant,
marine. No less interest has the
farmer. His interest Ia che merchant
marine 10 evidenced By the cry Of the
sixteen great agricultural statss.'
ranging from our central valleys to
the Pacific. with q population Of over
forty million people. Tor the develop
msAt OF the Great Lakes-St. Law
renee waterway the Lake to the Gulf
waterway, and the widening and
deepening Of our rivers including
the Mississippi. intended to bring
the seacoast thousand miles nearer
to the valleys Of production.
Thus the farmer admits the very
essential necessity to his prosperity
OF water carriage abroad. Even the
most ardent proponent of III inland
waterway development can no longer
feel there Is any possibility Of sue
assurance Of ships under our own
flag.
Subsidy Comparable To Tarin.
The world has completely changed
in consequence OF the late war; and.
no nations needs have changed more
than Americas. Therefore, the old
arguments that existed against the
necessity OF a merchant marine, nc
longer hold. But unfortunately mil
lions, including the farmer, have not
had time or opportunity to develop
the facts as to the changed condi-
tions and changed needs,
1t is often asked by those who are
living in the shadows of other days,
why the farmer should be required
20 contribute TO a subsidy for ships,
when the product Of the farm re-
mains uusulsia.Gel. Such, o., course,
Is far from the tact; because. IN the
protection given by the tariff, the
farmer, like the manufacturer and
all of us, is subsidized, and very
properly, to the extent OF our needs
Subsidy for ships is the identical
thing that tariff protection is TO home
production.
At the hearings held by the join
a. Committee of the Senate and House
in relation to the proposed subsidy
A. legislation, Mr.. J.. r. Howard, Presi
dent Of the American Farm Bureau
Federation, testified that while N,
:, association was opposed to subsldie.
in principle, and certainly TO sub
ia sides save for a limited periot
Or (Which is the view of the HARDING
Administrator, a careful study b,
rt experts appointed by the Federation
of had led him TO testify in behalf o
A. n to urge the enactment of thu
st legislation proposed for the mer
m chant marine.
Merchant marine rates said Nj
Howard, ARE just as important a
10 railroad rates to the farmer. TIL
10 farmer may not always realize thi
fact, because he IL able to y|isualiz
D., the r,,l tran lcrtat.oE and does no