The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-12-17
ENGINEERS NOT
FOR SUSPENSION
President of Association Was
Unaware That Move Is for
Passengers Only.

suspension of coastwise laws ever since
that question first attained prominence
in Hawaii, the Marine Engineers Bene-
fetal Association at meeting Monday
night passed resolutions opposing such
action.
This resolution has been sent to
Washington and all over the mainland.
In discussing the action of the en-
xineers yesterday afternoon, George +.
Ward, the president of the association,
set forth the reasons that led the mem.
hers thereof to vote as they did. The
chief reason given is the possibility of
foreign lines, who pay their officers
little, obtaining control to such an ex.
1ent that the American engineer Will
he crowded out.
Ward did not know that the resolu
lion as passed by the civic federation
referred to passengers only and that all
freight must still be carried under the
American flag, and admitted that, I'M
der those circumstances, the matter
bore different aspect.
According to President Ward, the
members of the ASSOCIATION objected to
the calling of the mass meeting at
time when the workingmen could not
attend and their resolution claims that
the expressions of the various mercan.
tile and commercial bodies are not rep
resentative of Hawaiian sentiment on
the matter.
Ward states that the association of
which he is head does not believe the
reports of tourists being left in San
Francisco and states also that the as
ISOLATION secretary has kept tab on all
the arrivals here in regard to the
eapseity of the vessels and the actual
number Of passengers on them. The
statistics so gathered, he says, show
that there are plenty of empty beFths
on every vessel arriving. He does not
take into consideration the fact that
the capacity of most vessels is figured
at three to cabin, an arrangement
which, if enforced, usually results in
Keeping away more tourists than lack
of accommodation.
He calls attention to the fact that
the vessel manned by Britishers and
flying the Norwegian flag which ar.
rived here a short time ago with 1000
tons of coal had lower running expenses
than the smallest of the Inter-Island
vessels. Its officers, he states, received
but fifty or sixty dollars month while
American officers draw salaries ranging
Up to 5000. He claims that bhould the
foreign vessels gain control of the
transportation the American engineer
would be crowded off and this is the
argument which caused the opposition
vote.
He could advance no definite reasons
Why the foreign vessels should gain
control after learning that the suspen-
sion resolution did not contain freight
clause, freight being the mainstay Of
all lines.
In connection with the use of oriental
crews which the Pacific Mail advocates
0y practice, and which was pointed out
to him as an example of the square
ceal which that company is giving the
american flag, his arguments are
Sounder but not convincing. He claims
thaf every company would prefer to
sse American crews because they are
'he best IN the world, but did not be-
cause American sailors were too nm.
trustworthy as regards prompt report
20 dnty, usually getting drunk Just be.
rore sailing time. Taking into consid-
rration the Unknown economic fen.
denotes of General Manager Schwer;n
of the Pacific Mail, this, he afterwards
conceded, might be only partially trpe
Their decision as expressed in tbc
resolution is an honest and straipbtfor.
ward one.
Ward believes that in n short time
there will be enough American boats
10 handle all American passengers and
Aelieyes that Hawaii should be contant
10 wait until these vessels are hnilt
The resolutions follow:
Gilded Luxury,
Whereas, The unanimous senti.
nents OF approval favoring the suspen-
SION oil the eoastwise shipping laws in
1helr application to passenger traffic
70 and from Hawai-, emanatinp from
certain mercantile and civic associa.
lions of Honolulu are entirely and rru.
q misleading inasmuch as thew do NOT
iapress the sentiments of distinct and
Separate bodies, or the community at
iarge, these mercantile and civic asso.
cations being practically composed of
has same men whose interests are as.
scented under different names; and
whereas, The public mass meeting
or the civic federation was not n truly
representative one it being called for
time when working mechanics and
sthers vitality interested could NOT Mt.
lend; and
'Whereas, II has not been shown in
any statistical or other definite man.
Her that the necessity for the suspen.
zion Of these laws really exists, and
MAT the prevailing sentiment express.
ed at this meeting was desire 10
Travei in gilded luxury under for.
Sign nag rather than plain comfort
under the American flag and thereby
assist in building mp the prestige Of
she American merchant marine; and
whereas, The three large and com.
nodlous steamers IIonolulan, Sierra and
Wilhelmina, built under the American
nag. and now fitting out for passenger
service between Hawaii and the main.
lind in addition TO the present service
Tp-"rs 10 be annie for present needs.
spd shows a readiness on the pnrt az
american steamship operators 10 take
safe n future expansion, therefore
a. II
"Rcsolyed, That the Marine Fpgl.
pecfs ~ Hawaii, m American citizens