Evening star., 1923-02-07
CALLS
FOR SHOWDOWN
Responsibility for Action on
!. Debts and Ships Put
) SquareIy Before Congress.
sSHUNS EVASIVE POLICY
Wants Legislators to Draft Own
Plan if His Subsidy Ideas Do
|. Not Prove Acceptable.
Bl DAVID LAWRENCE.

~
President Harding in his address
q" Congress today placed squarely
Aocfurc that body the responsibility
for the success or failure of two
major questions in Americas economic
Reconstruction, namely, acceptance of
the terms agreed upon with the
s8ritish for the settlement of the war
:-lcht and the making of an American
merchant marine.
The President declines to believe
..eithtr of thes" matters is soley the
"eNecutiv"s responsibility. and insists
~ hat Congress act upon them. Ac-
ccptance of the debt settlement is
Slssurcd. but the ship subsidy program
is i'll legislative peril, as it can easily
tSoe filihustered and killed without
permitting Il vote to be taken.
Calls for Showdown.
!. Mr.. Harding knows this and feels
that Congress and the country as a
whole should know the effect of such
step. lie begs Congress not to
leave the executive with policy of
evasion. If Congress doesn't approve
t1he administration ship subsidy plan.
let il vote that plan down and sug
Fest another. That's the Presidents
request. He wants a definite pro
announcement from Congress which Will
a id the Shipping Board in shaping a
bolicy after March 4. because if ship
kubsidy fails appropriations must be
Forthcoming To build new ships TO re-
9lace those now wearing out and
other expenses must be met in order
efficient basis
y lncidently Chairman Lasker of the
Shipping Board told this correspond
Snt today that while individual mem
.bers of the board might have held
THE view that after March it would
a6e advisable to cut off ship routes to
Southern gulf ports. he would by no
~Ileans advocate such a policy. He de- |
rlared he had just told this to SEN
AStor Fletcher OF Florida. democrat, !
and others who had inquired on the !
subject.
AZ Lasker Gives Figures.
Mr.. Lasker said it was true the
lines to the southern ports un-
Brotitable than the lines to other
ports and that he believed it would
be narrow Interpretation of gov
Nrnment duty if it did anything after !
March which could even remote
q be construed retaliation for
The failure OF southern democratic |
senators to support the ship subsi |
L np Pilli j. sksr said tn.t ). n.a u,,,.n
,Slr Fletcher of Florida the figures on !
AL ships. Senator Fletcher is a vigor- !
eOus opponent of ship subsidy and while |
ne IS said to have warmly praised Mr. |
-
Board. he argued that the chairmans |.
9Wn work was proof of what could be |
~bne by efficient government manage
9lent. Mr. Lasker is understood to have |
replied that If senator's had that much (
1onfldence in him they ought to be will !
.lg To accept his judgment as to the |
Sbsolute need for ship subsidy after /
.lavne made thorough and intimate !
n study of the subject from the inside. +
- Blow to south.
fool sorry. fpr ba cn,,tbar,, -.
fAa Ld Mr.. LaSker afterward. while
the Shipping Board will lot adopt
any policy of discrimina ton. i is APP
Rarent to me that if the ship sub
.sidy program fails government oper- !,
stion will not succeed, and. when that
collapses and our ships are worn out,
1he private companies will them
selves discriminate against the south
And fail to make routes to southern
IortS. circumstances over winch we
a2ave no control will destroy tna ship
LING to southern ports i'll time il the
ship subsidy program is diSarproved
). and it Will not be through any ac-
sion of the Shipping Boarl.
- The chairman of the Shipping Board
Haid some democratic senators had
Hromised that if he would remain IS
The governments manager Of ship
uing they would be glad to support !
any requests he might max" for new !
appropriations for government oper- !
alton, even as much as ) %. .U00,n06 :.
x"ar for new ships. But, he contend
cd. that's just the rub.
- The alternative OF ship subsidy is
L,rGer appropriations annually to
Nuild new ships, and he did not believe
ne taxpayers would approve it or
fontinue it for any length of time,
,aS hCreas private companies would do
n because the subsidy would make it
attractive business proposition
Hnd they would borrow most of their !
H1oney in the open market.
Only eighteen legislative days are
- 1t on the congressional calendar
The time for action on ship subsidy
Grows short. Mr.. Harding has been
Told by senators who have made a /
'Ssnvass of the situation that if the
.Ship subsidy measure comes to a vote
~ can be passed. The opponents of
,She bill know they can talk it to
'seath and xii! the bill by preventing
a vote. But Mr.. Harding wants Con-
.reSS to give the Shipping Board an
n lternative policy to guide it in the
months OF operation that coming
4fter March and before the next
session of Congress could give the
Hubject any consideration.
- copyright. 1923