The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1922-05-18
.FAvORS SHOALS OVER
SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
Money Would Be Better Spent
Says Ballentine.

city has written Congressman W
B. Bankhead of Ala, a letter warm
ly commencing him on his stand
against the ship subsidy bill which
provides for the payment of thirty
to forty million dollars a year tc
corporations sailing ships under the
United States flag
/ desire to congratulate you on
your position on the ship subsidy
bill,' the letter says. The advo-
Gates of the measure say that it is
necessary in the event of war with a
foreign country, as we would not
have any ships to transport our sol
diers and war supplies unless we
give these patriotic millionaires
millions of dollars every year.
Yet when Congress is asked to
appropriate $25 900, 900 or $50 ,000,-
900 to complete Muscle Shoals that
the United States may have an am
pie supply of explosives in the event
of war, some of the ship subsidy
advocates contend that we are not
going to have any more war and
that the United States cannot afford
to spend that much money although
they know it would mean only
about $10,000,000 year for two or
three years, while the ship subsidy
would be $30,010,0lp to $40,000,-
000 every year,
Muscle She ais is 800 miles in
land and could not be attacked by
the enemy, but the ships are on the
high seas and w,ud need a ma
Wy to protect them, and the navy
has to have ammunition. The a M
intuition could be provided at Mus
Gle Shoals. If you have no ammu-
milton what service would the ships
be? What benefit would the ships
be to the United States in time ol
peace? None. Who would profit
by the ship subsidy? The million.
aire who does not need it.
Muscle Shoals would benefit a
million laboring men and every far
mer in the United States. The
farmer is not only producer but he
consumes a large portion OF every
thing that is made in the United
States, whether grown or manpfac-
tured. When he is prosperous, all
are prosperous, and when he fails,
all fail, The country could exist
without the millionaire, but If the
farmer fails to produce, then the
world must go without clothes and
starve. When the farmer is fail
ure, the manufacturer and other
corporations have no market, the la.
boring man is thrown out Of EN-.
ployment, and all go down together,
Muscle Shoals, if turned over to
Mr.. Ford would give the farmer
cheaper fertilizer and enabla him to
produce more at less cost.
II cannot understand why some
people would allow selfishness to
cause them to lose their reason.
When men are elected to Congress
they are supposed to work to the
best interest OF the entire country
and not for certain class.
While | am not an enc my to
capital, still | do not believe in
special favors to capital. This
government was founded op the
principle of the best interest to the
largest number, and | cannot un-
derstand why Congress would force
the taxpayer to give the millionaire
$4,000 900 or. 100000 every
year and then object to investing
| $40 900, 600 year for three years
for the benefit of the taxpayer thai
| he might be able to make money t
pay taxes The Ship. subsi ly means
Ito give away millions each yel
without any yreturn, while the 25 0
| 30 millions spent on Muscle Shoa'l
would be an Investment, and
turned over to Henry Ford for 10
years would be the best paying in
vestment the United States has. a
the United States would get the eI
tire sum back with interest and th