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Show Construction of Ships for Next Five Years Authorized in Measure WASHINGTON, May 22. An unsuccessful un-successful effort was made hy Senators Sena-tors Lenroot of Wisconsin, Edge of New Jersey, Jlepubllcans, and Nugent of Idaho, and King of Utah, Democrats, Demo-crats, to have the senate reconsider its adoption of the committee amendment amend-ment authorizing the shipping board to continue the construction of ships during the next five years. Senator Jones defended the committee com-mittee amendment, asserting tho bill was framed so as to let the government govern-ment out of the ship business as quickly quick-ly as it could be done without a sacrifice. sacri-fice. Senator Lodge said he was utterly ut-terly opposed to government ownership owner-ship and operation of ships. "Colossal Waste." "There have been vast expenditures and the waste has been something colossal," he said. "I believe the committee com-mittee has readied the best possible solution of the question. It is the only practicable method that has been proposed." Senator King predicted that the bill would cause the government to lose more than $2,000,000,000, but he also favored sale of the ships. The house measure, which was redrafted re-drafted by the Senate committee after prolonged hearings, also provides for early sale of ships acquired during the war and for a board with a membership mem-bership of five. Exempt Earnings. While providing for no direct ship subsidies, the senate bill would exempt ex-empt net earnings of American ships engaged in foreign commerce, as well as proceeds from tho sale of such ships, from war profits and excise taxes pro (dins equivalent sums are in American : ?rds. The senate bill would requ i coast-wise shipping to bo 100 per cent American owned, while 75 per cent of the stock of those engaged en-gaged in foreign trade must be hold by Americans. Coastwise navigation laws would be extended to the Philippines. Philip-pines. Another Important provision in the senate bill is that authorizing the Interstate In-terstate Commerce Commission to allow al-low lower rail freight rates to be charged on exports than for imports it carried in American ships, while the president, under its provisions, would bo authorized to abrogate all treaties with foreign countries which interfere with this country enacting legislation permitting discrimination in favor of Amerlca,n ships. |