Evening star., 1928-02-05
SHIP BILL FILED
AS AMENDMENT
lIccnes Plans to Tag Merchant
Marine Measure on
Tax Legislation.

Notice tha; the merchant marine
IN. which the Senate p:sSed few
e.ays aso. may be attached also as
rider 10 the tax reduction bill later
j., the session If the House fails to take
j, 10 in the meantime was sounded
in the Senate yesterday afternoon.
Declaring he had heard run1ors iha,
the shipping bill would be "Stineo ~
committee" Senator Jones. Kepuoli :
ran. ct washington. asked that the
>,inrius measure be printed as an
.n,snoment TO the tax bill and lie on
The table. The tax bill has been passed
~ tre House. but Is not expected 70
r. brought before the Senate unt'!
she end Of March. Senator Jones oH-
l;eves the shipping amendment 10 IN"
tax rnea.ure would be in order. The
r,.jrnose Of such a move would be 'c
GET consideration Of the question III the
FcuSe.
Sees Hope for Harmorr.
While he was giving this indication
If a future course Of action. senator
ZONES held out some hope of a possible
-arronizing O. the divergent views IN
Congress over the merchant marine
legislation. The bill which the Senate
naSsed vss sponsored by Senator Jones.
rnd authorized continued development
Of a merchant feet by the Government.
with a provision prohibiting the sale OF
Government vessels for private opera
ton. except by unanimous vote OF the
seven members Of the Shipping Board.
Opponents Of the bill, who believe there
.houl6 be Government aid for the pri-
vate development of merchant ma
SHS i.H
the Senate would make il lnpoSSlo!S
TO bring about private operation. The
administration favors disposal of the
Government ships for private operation.
Opponents Of the unanimous vote pro-
roSal for the sale Of ships have advo-
Gated either ma jority rule or vote OF
five members Of the Shipping Board
In discussing the situation in the
Senate Yesterday afternoon. Senator
Jones said:
Il Dc not think this bill will fail be-
cause of a difference Of a couple Of
votes in stopping board action over the
sale OF ship.
Would Amend III Possible.
IF it can be done. let the bill be
amended SO that Government construc-
ton or ownership will not be needed.
viii rejoice if this is done. The Senate
viii not IN my Judgment, defeat it.
There must, however. be no uncertainty
about such proposal and there need
be none. We must be sure that ships
Will be built under any new proposition.
Our bill may be supplemented by
several alternatives 10 promote private
shipping To the extent they succeed
our method need not be followed.
IF our bill comes back with an ade-
ouate ocean mail pay provision, with
the loan provisions of the act of 1920
reasonably modified, and with certain
provisions of bills now pending. such
amendments will. in my judgment. have
nosf sympathetic consideration and an
adequate measure be passed
The merchant marine problem should
be met boldly. 1t should be met patri-
o1cslly. The Senate did the best ii
could There was no partisanship in
our action, We are for an American
merchant marine Government owned
rather than no merchant marine at all.
We will confer gladly over any pro-
posa.s that give any reasonable assur-
ence OF success.
"A tax reduction bill has come from
the House. 1t viii probably not be
brought up for action until after March
Is. This will give ample time for
action on the shipping bill I deem il
but fair and night to give ample notice
OF what intend TO do"
Senator Jones then filed the shipping
bill as proposed amendment to the
tax measure.