Salt Lake Herald-Republican | 1920-05-14 | Page 3 | Merchant Marine Bill is Attacked

MERCHANT MARINE BILL IS ATTACKED Senator Es Esch h Insists That Measure Is Inelastic and Riveted Copper I. I loa w Washington ashington ton May ra 13 The l-The The merchant marine bill as amended b by the Senate commerce committee was v as talc taken n up b by bythe the Senate toda today and was attacked tJ by Senator Ed El Edge e n Republican New Nev Jersey as Inelastic and copper Senator Edge EdSe said that Instead of ot bringing bringing- about private ownership of ot the American merchant marine the thi bill bUt forced tho government to retain possession because it would lj bo e Impossible Impossible Impossible sible for tho the shipping board to sell under the restrictions imposed I lor 1 do not want ant the ships uselessly sacrificed but I do want the ships sold 1 said sald the senator Benator I do not want w i the government to continue administer administering In ing this business an any longer lon than thans than's Is absolutely I essential because I am convinced con con- vinced that every additional day a that it t does dON there will be that much Sr greater deficit charged against the tho taxpayers j I of the country and the tho assets In the shape chape of ships owned by the govern govern- r mont nt will naturally depreciate more and ind and more Either we wo must mut pass legislation to toivo ivo cr Co every opportunity to car carry ry out the tha th direction of ot this bill or we must pass jass legislation providing for conyn- conyn ue government ownership and u nd not do it by this Indirect method If lt we wc do not positively help AmerIcan American Amer- Amer Ican can shipping by subsidies or subventions lions lons at least do not let us handicap it t b by Imposing Imposing- onerous prices for tor vessels ves yes sels which it wants and needs and which we must dispose of Without debate tho the Senate tentative tentative- 13 1 y adopted the tho committee amendment providing pro for reduced rail ran freight rates on exports and t imports Importe providing the they are re transported to or from this country countr in American ships Advocates Ad of or the provision prevision said bald It was similar to plans used by b Germany and Japan In building building build build- In ing up their merchant marine marinc Another committee amendment exempting exempting ex ex- ex- ex empting marine insurance pools pooh from the provisions of ot the antitrust acts also alEO was accepted without and without a i. i record vote