San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-17

eminent were to sell the ships it built
during the war rather than keep on
operating them, the administration
would have to prepare TO meet the
criticism that it had disposed Of the
vessels at too low a figure, or that il
had liquidated a business which ii
should have kept on operating even at
a loss.
The chartering of vessels to private
interests at nominal rates, together
with indirect aid, would in the opin-
ion of many experts build up mer-
chant marine. But this too, means a
flood of criticism, no matter how con-
scientiously the job might be done,
1t would be argued by the opponents
of ship subsidy that the administra-
ton was endeavoring to accomplish
by indirect methods, something which
Congress had fatty refused to sane
ton.
The last alternative, namely. con-
tinuance of government operation with
requestion from Congress for apprO-
priatiOns to meet the losses is prob
ably the most likely of all.
Mr.. Harding is not the kind of a
President who ignores Congress, espe-
cially on major policies, and while he
is disappointed over the failure of the
ship subsidy bill, he is not sure that
Congress has made up its mind as to
the proper alternative and there is
no better way to get a concrete ex-
preston of congressional opinion than
to ask for appropriations at the next
session of Congress.
The President has said that a ship
subsidy would cost less than the an
nual appropriations which Congress
has been making, but this argument
has not seemed to drive away the de-
sire of many members of the Senate
TO continue voting those large sums,
but to keep the expenditure in gov
eminent hands instead Of giving it to
private interests.
Congress, of course, having rejected
thes hip subsidy. stands more or less
committed to government operation,
for time at least. The test will
come when the chief executive asks
for more money. not only to cover cur
rent operating losses, but to build new
ships to replace some of the war
fleet now wearing out and to construct
new cargo carriers of the type which
were not built during the war, but
which are essential for a well balanced
merchanN marine. This is a political
era, at least the ship subsidy bill
failed through a filibuster in which
many Democrats participated.
Problem a Big One.
The shipping problem itself began
under a Democrat" administration so
that the Democrats are not likely to
oppose program of continued govern
ment operations while the Republi-
cans can point to the reduced cost of
operation undert he Lasker regime as
an evidence of efficiency.
Some Democratic senators have
said privately that if Chairman Las
ker would put as much enthusiasm
into government operation as he did
in favor of the subsidy plan, and
would continue TO manage thief leet
for the government as efficiently in
thief uture as he has in the past they
would unhesitatingly vote for all the
necessary appropriations. So from
the viewpoint of political controversy,
continuance of government operation
with a virtual postponement of any
radical changes in policy until Con
gress meets again, is the one least
open TO objection.
Meanwhile some liquidation would
be carried on as well as some char
tering TO private int<ests, but the
governmentw ould stay in the shipping
business until Congress directed other
wise.