Evening star., 1928-03-01
HOUSE SHIP BILLS
BACK PRESIDENT
Private Ownership Measures
Seen as Administration
Answer to Jones Proposal.
RI FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Hearings which may decide the highly
controversial question of whether The
United States is 10 have a Government
owned or a privately owned merchant
marine are now III animated progress
in the Capitol They alC Geing held be-
fore the House committee on merchant
marine and fisheries. Consideration IS
. being given to House bills which pro-
I vide for taking the Government out of
& the shipping business a'd letting Eri-
+ vate enterprise conduct ii. One was
introduced by Representative White, Re-
publican. Of Maine, chairman OF The
merchant marine committee, The 9TH
or is sponsored by Representative Wood.
3 Republican. of Indiana.
z These bills are in effect. the Cool
idce administrations rejoiNoer TO the
Jones bill. recently passed by the Sen-
ate. authorizing an expenditure of S"5O.-
/. 600 900 for Is more GoVernmcnt-oWned
ocean carriers The President is hostile
to the Senate measure. He considers
that. II enacted into law. il would keep
+ the Government in the SHIPPING trade.
Mr.. Coolidee wants to take the Govern
r1ent out Of trade not only in shipping
hut in all other fields tltkt power pro-
Guction at Muscle ShoalSt. He believes
regulation. not operation. Is the only
legitimate Federal function as far as
the Nations business is concerned. and
only minimum of regulation, at that.
I Compromise Expected.
: Sentiment in the House is apparently
strongly against the Jones bill. 1t is
expected TO reflect itself by passing
either the White or the Wood bill and
sthus sustain the administration view
gpoint, There is widespread support in
Z Congress for some sort of legislation TO
help the American merchant marine.
The probability. therefore. is that a
compromise will be effected between
the Government-owner Senate group
and the craftsmanship element.
which is predominant in the House. A
bill along such lines would have a
chance of obtaining President Coolidge's
Signature.
Subsidy" continues to be the red rag
which riles the bull of American public
:opinion. as far as shipping is concerned. |
!. Although the Senate is not subsidy
minded. the Jones bill amounts TO a
substantial subsidy in its practical |
effects President Coolidge has re-
peatedly said that he favors Treasury
aid in the upbuilding of a merchant |
marine provided such aid doesn't take /
.fhe form of too outright handing over
sof the peoples money or keeping the /.
Government interminab!y in the ship |
ping business.
. The White bill. in particular, seeks to
meet administration objections and sup /
ply the Federal help universally admit |
ted TO be necessary If Yankee ships are
q be In any sort of position to compete /
with the Government-aided merchant
marines of Europe and Asia. Repre- |
sentative White summarizes his bill in
these terms:
st am proceeding upon the assump-
ton that the American people prefer
private operation of ships. I believe
they are willing to pay reasonable |
amounts to effect the transfer of exist
ing governmental lines 10 private hands
and to insure successful operation OF
these and new vessels By private opera
tors. To this end my bill proposes:
81 Liberalization Of the existing
$125 600 00o construction loan fund so
as to make IL more completely available
20 American citizens who want to build
ships in American yards.
80. Assurance that cargo vessels built
with Government aid shall operate upon
routes essential to move the products of
American industry and agriculture.
3. Correction Of. the present situa-
ton. whereby the Government assumes
all risk. while the agent or operator OF
Government SHIPS gets his commissi) III
without regard to Government losses in
maintenance of the service.
Private Repairs.
Il. Guarantees that the Governments
cash outlay would not exceed present
operating losses, and that private own
ers would make replacements and addi-
tons instead Of the Governm ms OBJ |
legation TO meet this burden.
IS. Abolition Of subsidy. as ordinarily
understood. bv substitution of Govern
nent payment for definite shipping
servicess determined 10 be in the public
Interest,
g. Maintenance o. essential mail
services 10 and from foreign ports
through contracts between the POST
master General and American citizelts
owning and operating ocean shipping.
Utilization Of ships for naval
aGx!liartes as cruisers scouts or trans
ports Al ships would be Of American
registry, manned Substantially by
American crews. and carry cadets for
:nstruction in seamanship.
g. To aid private operators In meet
ing the higher wage and subsistence
standards Of American ships and build
Up personal reserve for naval emer-