The Sixty-Seventh American Congress in the last few days - of its
existencepractically talked out the President's • Ship Subsidy Bill. Amy " filibuster " is an unpleasant business. Consequently the means adopted by the Senate to defeat the Bill are scarcely commendable. Yet the -result is. eminently satisfactory. While a great many sound business men in the United States were advocates of the Bill, it was felt by more far-sighted citizens that the Ship Subsidy would represent merely a. great many more dollars of public money poured into the devouring quicksand of the Shipping Board. The Times seems to feel that the failure of the Bill represents a turning point in the American national attitude towards State intervention in commerce. We fear we cannot be so sanguine in the matter. Too much of party politics is involved in the question. The President has not disclosed his plans for disposing of the Shipping Board vessels. It is hoped that he will not see fit to denounce the commercial treaties with other nations in order that the discriminating measures of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 may become effective. Other nations would be- forced to retaliate and the easy and steady flow of commerce would be blocked for some time. This would, of course. he undesirable at - any Lime. but disastrous now.
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