Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-06-18
POLITICAL POLEMiCS AND BUS.
MESS

MESS
SO accustomed have we all become
to charges put forth for political eff.
feet that even though they are absurd
we pass them by with a smile and {
casual remark such as: Part of the
game" and in the same breath. per.
hapa, sravely discuss the feasibility
of government management of oul
railroads, our coal mines and so on
The last Congress refused to make
any effort to remove the merchant
marine from Government hands ant
now the Democratic National Com
mittee is ballyhooing about the al
legged junket on the trial trip of the
reftted Leviathan.
1t is not to be supposed that news
paper men or even Democratic poll
ticians know much about trial trips
OF Leviathans. the needs thereof OIL
the legitimate expenses therefor
Newspaper men, however, should
know something about the value OF
flee advertising and if Chairman Las
ker Of the L. S. Shipping Board is
responsible for the expenditure we
may entertain no doubt that the Gov
eminent is getting ten dollars worth
Of free advertising for every dollar it
may eXpcnd on the trip.
But it appears Mr. Lasker is nowise
oiI1n This f,.;,, iS; c
for which, the time and expense limit
also the passenger limit, a former
chairman, the distinguished Democrat
john Barton Payne, approved on rec
concentration of the experts, the same
being requirements usually adhered
to. Indeed it appears that, when tke
needs for using the ship as a troop
ship were urgent, a trial trip of five
days was insisted upon and had. Now,
to think of Democratic committee
making this silly charge either be-
cause of ignorance or from lack of
any warranted grounds of complaint
and in the hope that the truth could
not overtake it!
Chairman Lasker's reply is such as
one might expect from a practical man
OF affairs such as he is. He cuts the
ground clean from under the political
tricksters. Here is part of what he
said and we think most will agree
that it is good reading:
II have refrained from answering
what seemed to me an absurd criti-
cism of the trial trip to be taken by
the Leviathan next week but | feel
that the recent statement issued by
the Democratic National Committee
is such an unfortunate utterance that
it should not go unchalIensed.
1T will be matter Of great regret
to the American people, l am sure,
when all the facts are known. to learn
that partisan political committee
has so far forgotten patriotism as to
play party politics on a matter which
Should be obviously partisan.
What I feared would happen has
happened. l was one of those who
advocated a ship subsidy because l
believed that was the only way to in
sure merchant marine in compete
ton with the private shipping enter
priscs of foreign countries. l feared
that if we had government operation
II would merely mean that our whole
shipping problem would be continu-
ously q football in party politics.
THE Democrats played their part
in iiiibustering against ship subsidy.
2lgulng that government operation
was the solution to our merchant ma
rine problem. Now, however, at the
very first opportunity. when we are
launching what we aspire to make
the greatest ship in the world. when
indeed the heart Of every American
should beat proudly over the achieve
ncnt in the reconditioning of the in
comparable Levjathan, we are con-
frontcd with the spectacle of a poll
tical committee picking flaws and en-
deavoring by gross Misrepresentation
TO muddy the waters.
THE truth of the matter is that
this very trial trip was fully provided
FOR by experts engaged in December.
1919. by Shipping Board, headed by
John Barton Payne. under the Demo
cratic administration. If the critics
had only taken the trouble to lool;
up the records they would have found
that the plans and specifications for
the re-conditioning OF the Leviathan
were not hastily made. but that every
detail, including the testing of tho
great ship in the proposed trial trip.
was worked out long in advance. even
to the last dollar that would he spcn.
The experts. who prepared the plans,
and specifications for the re-condi-
tioning and who still have sole charge
of the work, were engaged by the
board under John Barton Payne in
December. 1919.
1T is customary practice the world
over to have trial trips for all vessels
but particularly extended trips before
passenger ships like the Leviathan are
put into regular service. l need only
recall the extensive trial trips taken
by the Lusitania and the Mauritania.
"The Leviathan is the biggest ship
afloat. Nothing comparable to.hcr has
ever been attempted under our flag
Il am a business man. not poll
tician. am retiring from public office
in few days. But I plead. since we
are to have. for the time being. gov
ernment operation Of ships. competing
with the privately owned ships OF
other countries. that defeat shall no,
come to our aspirati through party
polemics. discouraging patriotic mer
OF business ability. who might other
wise. be persuaded, at personal sac
rlhce. to contribute to the success OF
government operation along business
lines.