San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-19
Notwithstanding Pleas Of
Southern Business Men,
Democrats in Senate Fight
Measure.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright, 1928.
Washington, ID. C., Jan. 1s.-The
ship subsidy bill has gotten into such
jam in the Senate that the entire
American shipping business is facing
an uncertainty bordering on chaos.
About the only hope for the measure
lies in the pleas of Southern business
men who have been advised that vir-
tually all the South Atlantic and Gulf
lines established by the United States
Shipping Board must be abandoned I'M
mediately after March 4. IL the ship
subsidy isn't passed. There is talk
also of the resignation of the entire
shipping board. If this does not hap
pen, the President will find it neces-
sary to reorganize the board and fill
several vacancies.
Lasker VIII Quit.
Chairman A. ID. Lasker has told his
associates on the board that he will re-
tire on June /, irrespective Of whether
the bill passes or not. He has given
two years of time to the problem and
Is anxious to return to private bust
ness. Several other members are ready
to leave, but are holding on in the
hope that they may be of some help
in the transition period between gov
eminent operation and the private con-
troll contemplated by the ship subsidy
act. II the measure fails, of course
they will have no incentive TO stay. as
they are convinced government opera
ton merely means an accumulation OF
expense and inevitable failure.
The President has told senator's that
IL the ship subsidy bill fails, he will
put squarely upon Congress the re-
sponsibility of shaping shipping pol
icy and that Congress will have to
keep on appropriating annually many
times the sum asked for subsidy or
else sell the ships TO foreign buyers at
remnant prices, as American shipping
men claim they cannot operate un-
der American laws without a sub
sidy.
Lines Are Losing Heavily.
The reason the South Atlantic and
Gulf lines are to be abandoned is that
they are losing heavily for the govern
ment. These lines were established
in conformity with the act continuing
the present shipping board. That act
directed the board to set up certain
trade routes to benefit American ship
pers. The section most in need of
these lines was the South with its heavy
cotton shipments. Without regular
lines. cotton growers of the South
would be compelled TO ship TO Northern
ports and pay the higher freight
rates.
Naturally, those Southern business
men who realize the damage that will
be done by the withdrawal of these
ship lines, are urging Democratic sem
ators from the South TO help. The
Democratic senator's. on the other hand,
say they feel committed as party
policy to oppose ship subsidy. To this
the business men answer that the Dem
ocrats ought thereafter not be in n
position Of obstructing vote on the
bill and that they would not hold il
against their senator's if they voted
against the measure if they felt it
necessary to do so, but to let the bill
come to a vote anyhow.
F'ilibuster May Win.
The Republican leaders in charge of
the bill insist that they have enough
votes to pass the measure if it can
only be brought TO a vote n this ses-
March 4, and they concede they can
uUl tuOuSh NOAfC W on ~
through the newly-elected Congress
which would come into power after
March 4. An etra session would not
be called merely to get action on the
ship subsidy bill, as there is no hope
that it can be passed if it fails be-
tween now and March 4.
The shipping boards plan Of with
drawing Southern trade routes is not
issued as a threat TO Southern sena-
tors. but the members of the board feel
that enough money already has been
spent on these lines and that they
would be derelict in their duty il they
did not shut off the virtual subsidy
which has ben granted ships which have
been running from these Southern ports.
Some of the ports which will be af-
fected by a change of policy are VIII
mingtOn, n. c., Charleston, S. c., Sa-
vannah and Brunswick, Ga, Mobile,
New Orleans, Galveston and Jackson
vile.
The Republican leaders are frank
enough to say that filibuster against
the bill between now and March 4, will
succeed, unless the Democrats COM
pletely change their tactics and desert
the progressive bloc and others who are
keeping the shipping bill from being
considered aud acted upon by the Sen
ate.