The Washington times., 1923-02-16
WOULD SAVE U.s..
s20,0OG,000
AYEAR
Ship Subsidy Bill Need Is
Argued by Elliot n.
Goodwin.


Business.
1t is pointed out by Goodwin that
it cost the Government last year
approximately 100000 to operate
only part of it's merchant fleet, and
that the estimated deficit for the
coming year will be equally as large.
He then asks: do we wish to con-
tinue this process to pay the annual
deficit rather than to take $SO,OOO,-
600 instead of $4,000, 900 from the
taxpayers in order to make 1t posi-.
BILE to place this fleet in the hands
Of private owners, taking 1t from
under Government control, and Civ
lag the American merchant marine
q chance to exist as an American
industry, serving all other American
industries?"
alternatives Discussed.
THE opponent of ship subsidy
he continues, will rest his argu.
ment on the ground that it is wrong
for the Government to use the tax
payers money to advance private
industry. Is It more wrong to take
a larger amount to maintain this In.
dustry as a socialistic development
in Government hands? Is this the
first or outstanding instance of Gov
eminent subsidy to private industry
in the, public interest?
How about the millions expended
by the Government for the develop
ment of our railroads by private
companies, creating that vast net.
work of communications which
alone enabled this country TO reach
its present stage of development and
upon which today our prosperity in
every line depends? How about our
laws of long standing excluding for
eign vessels from the coastwise trade
for the sole purpose of allowing
American private owners to operate.
fleets? How about our tariff bills
under Republican and Democratic
Administrations alike from 1928 to
the present day? In vie wof these,
is it not absurd to cavil at the ex-
penditure Of $30,000,0 900 a year for
the maintenance In war and peace of
an assured carrying capacity for
American goods?
Present Chance Vital.
"What will result from the fail.
ure of Congress to pass this bill at
the present fast expiring session?
II am right in my prediction that
this means the loss of a chance to
pass the subsidy bill for years to
come, 1t means and must mean one
of the following: First, the con-
tinuance of Government ownership
and operation, either under the
shipping board or some other Gov
eminent agency, with all the in
efficiency necessarily attaching to
- fvaAa
or, second, the extension OF Gov
eminent ownership and operation
under like circumstances; or, third,
the abandonment of Government
ownership and operation. These
choices are quickly dealt with.
First, CONFERENCE.-The most
likely thing to occur-means a car
rying on of present evils. Govern
ment will necessarily lack the
initiative Of private ownership, so
there will not be the proper in
centive to maintain a merchant
marine by new building as the
present fleet, fast deteriorating, be-
comes useless. Private owners,
fearing competition with the Gov
eminent as they do today, will not
make good this loss by building on
their own account, SO the Ameri-
can merchant marine win expire
with the expiration of the fleet.
Politics May Interfere.
Second, extension-the Govern
ment goes into the business much
more deeply than at present, with
the inevitable result that it monop-
olizes the carrying trade, and pri-
vate industry and commerce then
becomes dependent for all time on
a aforementioned and operated
merchant marine. Natural and
economic development is then made
impossible. Politics inevitably inter
fere to place vessels at ports where
economically the trade will not
sustain them, to establish routes of
which the same is true, and to
make rates which, like the postal
rates, will not cover the cost.
Third, abandonment means the
entire extinction of our large mer-
chant fleet in the coarse of a very
few years. No one will buy them
unless freights go up enormously
through some such crisis as &C.
Cured in 1914; go UP to such an
extent that the tied-up shipping of
the world, as well as that of the
OnlteQ states, Will De CdueQ INTO
requisition, for there is today as
the result of the war a surplus of
world ships as well as of American
ships.
Must Face Crisis Quickly.
I'VE then go back to where we
were in 1914-to the position which
we occupied from the close of the
civil war until the world war-a
great nation producing goods far in
excess of its own ability to con
sumo, dependent upon other nations
in times Of peace and in times of
crisis for that prosperity which
depends upon the export trade, and
without vessels essential 10 support
our navy in case of war.
This is the crisis that the people
of America, and particularly it's bust
ness men, must face and face quick.
ly, or else be found derelict when
the time of emergency comes, as no
one can say it will not come"
BEATS WIFE BECAUSE SHE