The Connecticut labor news., 1923-01-05
LABOR MUST LOSE IF SHIP BONUS BILL
 PASSES, GIVING MILLIONS TO OWNERS I TO COMPENSATE INEFFICIENCY
By E.. WILLIAM WEEKS, Brotherhood of Railway Carriers of America.

should be considered when Dill ot this nature is to receive cons1dera- tion Ship subsidy will cost the tax payers, already taxed too heavily, vast sum of money and no guarantee Is produced as to their receiving any thing in return for the expenditure.
 The farmers product must be ship ped abroad, it is true. There IS merchant marine at present handling the shipments. Competition is keen and the lowest bidder gets the busl- ness. No subsidized industry has ever been able to compete with an efficient organization which has de- veloped ability by sturdiness gained from the battles of competition. It is rather poor logic to say that the farmers will be benefited just because different flag will be floated over. a boat-a boat operated through gifts and rewardSinstead of efficiency
 Industrial labor would be vitally af- fected adversely by this bill. Beside seriously interfering with our present La Toilette Seamen's Act and with the avowed intention of slashing wages to the bone, 1t also provides for Merchant Marine Naval Reserve to be used during the existence of a national emergency, which in pla1n English means for the purpose ot breaking strikes. It will give the American sailor a choice ot taking Lascar wages or be driven from the seas. It is the opinion of the writer that industrial labor will never re- ceive any benefCent results from the passage of this bill and will only have the existing ship subsidy forc1bly brought to it's attention in the knoWl- edge of increasing taxation.
 Why the Anxiety to Rush Bill to
 Passage?
 Why this anxiety to rush through Congress a bill whose passage can only be secured by the votes of men who were repudiated at the last cleo ton? Some one will be benefited by it's enactment. Surely not the great public. The high protective tariff re gently brought into existence has practically killed our foreign trade. When others cannot ship to us due to this protective law they certainly best ship subsidy bill ever created could never compensate for the re- strictions placed on our foreign com merce bv our new tariff on foreign goods. :.
 It will not help the taxpayers-1t will not keep this nation out of war and it certainly was never. arranged for National defense- It is only a bonus for the shipping interests and nothing more If it had merit 1t would never be hurried through per haps the most reactionary Congress which ever held sway at Washington It is class legislation opening the doors of the United States treasury for a few shipping corporations who will receive in 10 years three hundred million dollars for operating ships practically presented to them by the government.
 These are my opinions but there IS evidence that they are voiced by the thousands who made history Tn poll tics at the last election. It IS no idle prophecy to state that every national representative at Washington who lends influence in helping enact this bill will be automatically retired at his time for reelection as his name will without question be broadcasted as one opposed to the great majority ot taxpayers and voters who object to this particular bill.