The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-11
NOT A PARTY OF NEGATION


 For continuance of confidence the Amer ican people have recently evidenced in the ability of the Democratic party, let it be hoped that the leaders in congress will not subject the Democratic party to the charge of being party of negation on the all im- portant question of the upbuilding of an American Merchant Marine.
 President Harding presents the issue squarely to the Democratic side in that portion of his message devoted to the Mer- chant Marine, repeating when he first asked the support of congress on the admin istration measure that if congress did not approve, it should Submit some alternative remedy" the president in language not cap able of misunderstanding and in directness and plain speaking says:
 "Congress owes to itself, to the ex-
 ecutive branch of the government and
 to the American public, some decisive
 action. Mere avoidance by prolonged
 debate is a mark of impotence on
 vtally important question. I plead for
 decision. If there is a favorable ma- - jority, the bill should be enacted If
 majority is opposed defeat will be
 decisive Then if congress fails in pro-
 vdinS the requested alternative meas E ure, the executive branch of the govern
 ment may proceed as best it can to
 end the losses in liquidation and humli-
 iation. l speak frankly, because the
 situation demands frankness. am try q ing to emphasize responsibility which cannot be met by one branch of the
 government alone. There is call for
 congressional expression, not Sere
 avoidance. I am not seeking now to
 influence the senate's decision, but am r appealing for some decision"
 No issue before the American people is so vital as the American Merchant Marine. Without developed merchant marine the first line of defense of the government nl time of national emergency would be made 4euate and impotent. That permits of ID difference of opinion. Marine experts, trained in war, testify that without mer- chant carriers under the American flag tho navy cannot be properly sustained in time of war. This fact was recognized when congress framed the present Merchant Ma rine act in 1920, for the first portion of the enactment clause said that it was to build can adequate auxiliary in tune of war ana, secondly as carrier for American cargoes ein time of peace.
 The Democratic party cannot escape the responsibility for action on the measure. They must eitaer let it be voted down or sxoted up. There can be no drifting, and unless the Democratic party can offer a ssuhstitute measure that, ill the opinion of soongress, will more adequately provide for an American Merchant Marine than the present measure does, the only alternative Is te vote for the present measure.
 The South is particularly interested in Tbo hac on mileage removes handicap ships sailing from the Gulf have suffered, by equalzing, through cash payment, the added cost of a sailing from the Gulf to major foreign mar kets, which added cost is due to the longer distance travelled by the ship from the Gulf than by the ship from the north At lantic ports Southerners in congress who propose that the situation will be met by the allowance of deductions from imports, when carried in American ships, evidently have not given study to the disaster this would bring upon the Gulf ports. Although the Gulf ports approximate the north Atlantic ports in export move ment, the north Atlantic ports carry more than ten times the import movement. There fore we see presented the peculiar situation Of representatives or the gull SIdIeS auVo- eating form of national subsidy to build a Merchant Marine which would have the effect of building the north Atlantic ports to the disadvantage of the Gulf The import movement cannot be artificially diverted from the north Atlantic to the Gulf because the import movement comes to the ports nearest the center of foreign commerce Consumption.
 ; The Democratic party must meet the is- sue of an American Merchant Marine with the same true courage that is exhibited by the president, whose program is to accept the present measure or else offer better substitute. Certainly there should be no delay upon a vote that would leave the all important national question of a merchant marine a liquidation problem, which the president has so truly said would not only be one of liquidation, but one of national humiliation.
 A