The Washington times., 1913-08-20
CONGRESS BLAMED
FOR LOSS Of LIVES
President of Seamen'S Union
Says Sailors Are Needed On
Coast Vessels.
By JUDSoF c. WLLLIVER.

By JUDSOF c. WLLLIVER.
Charging that tong /ss, through neg
lect to provide pr" /er Legislation for
safety at sea, is re- BOnsibie for the loss
of the steams Iii State of California
a few days 10. with loss of at least
thirty-two IiV IS. Andrew J. Fuerseth.
president of me International Seamen's
Union, today Gave out a biting state
ment of facts about this disaster,
showed its parallel to the case Of the
Titanic, and demanded to know how
long lives must be sacrificed on the
oceans and the lakes because Of such
neglect.
That State of California disaster
was caused by exactly the same con-
ditions as the Titanic's great loss Of
life" said Mr.. Fuerseth. The Titanic
had a crew so small and inefficient
that il was impossible to get the boats
loaded. True, the snip did not have
boats enough; but she had boat capac-
ity for 1,l76 people, and only zoo were
saved. Four hundred and seventy lives
lost for no reason than the ineffici-
enCy Of the crew; the rest loSt-mOre
than a thousand OF them-were lost
TOR want of both boats and crew.
The State of California is a vessel
and crew, seTenty-nine. On the run
on which she was lost she would carry
her capacity IN spring and fall. She
probably did not have over half heF
complement when she was lost; yet
at least thirty-two were drowned, and
perhaps many more.
1T is claimed she sank in three min
utCs from striking rock. This is i'm
possible, because her wireless called,
and the steamer Jefferson heard, an
Cd na mir III hnafS and
RATS. There was nc need 10 use rafts,
they We're used instead OF boats merely
because there was not crew enough
20 man and get off the boats.
Not Enough Seamen, He Says.
This vessel formerly carried sixteen
able seamen and a boatswain. About
three years ago it was reduced to
twelve able seamen and boatswain: and
there was no law to prevent. There
simply were not sufficient seamen to
get the boats cff; that is the whole
story.
The accident occurred at 8 a. m,
which would make instantly available
every unit of skill on board. Had it
occurred at night almost. none would
have been available. At night the YES
sci runs with man at the wheel. one
at the lookout, an officer on the bridge,
and a watchman, who may be any
where Nobody at all would have been
saved had the accident occurred at
night.
the Pacific Coast Steamship Company.
That company owned-and lost-the Va
lencia, off Cape Beals, British Columbia,
January -, 1906, with III lives. A spe-
CiaI commission investigated, and the
naval member of the body reported
there We're not enough able seamen, and
recommended tina: vessels be COM
PEELED to carry more.
I'm the cases of the Valencia. the
State of California, the General Slocum,
and the Titanic, conditions were exactly
the same in this regard; there was al
ways an insufficient number of skilled
seamen. This is a universal condition
on vessels, not only under the American
but under all flags.
When the Titanic horror thrilled the
whole world, the people insisted on leg
islation to end such things. What hap
pened? The Senate investigating COM
mittee reported that the vessel had in
sufficient boats and too few skilled men
to handle them, and recommended legis-
lation to reTne nedy the condition.
THE Republicans at Chicago and the
Democrats at Baltimore promised legis-
laion at once.
Bill Emasculated.
"A measure was introduced and pass
ed the House. 1t was emasculated rem
dered utterly worthless in the Senate
subcommittee. 1t was improved some
what in the full committee; still further
improved under the vigorous leadership
of La Toilette on the Senate floor; pass
ed, sent back TO the House, and ac-
cepted accepted. not because il was
adequate or satisfactory legislation. for
IL was not. accepted merely because II
was the last chance of getting anything
al all. II passed, went to the President
and died in William II. Taft's pigeon
hole.
How many more thousands must be
sacrificed before Congress will do what
everybody demands, what all parties
have promised? After every disaster
there is an excitement, a repetition Of
demands and promises: then ii is all
forgotten and invariably nothing hap
pens. For Gods sake. must this go On
forever?
How many people know that in the
very hal Dor of Chicago, inside the
br"akwater, a steamship. the Ohio. was
sunk the other day? She Is a vessel
that carries upward Of a thousand pas-
sengers. Had that same accident hap
pened outside the breakwater, instead Of
inside, there would have been something
like another Titanic horror. It was only
good luck that saved such an outcome,
for the Ohio, like all other vessels, has
no complement of seamen TO cope with
a real disaster"
Mr.. FUerseth has spent much OF his
time for eighteen wears in Washing
ton fighting for legislation TO prevent
such horrors. He has passed a few
minor measures; the great. all-impor-
tant ones are always postponed,
sInOthered. beaten. or forgotten He
has seen near a dozen greater or less
er horrors since he came here for this
fight most Of which would have been
Impossible II the measures he has ad-
voCated had been passed.
uonono Ho' ALJ