The Washington times., 1913-09-01
SEAMEN COMPLAIN
OF CONGRESS DELAY
Bill to Force Employment of
Adequate Crews Is Still
UnpasSed.

Persistent delay in Congress in the
enactment OF the seamen's bill, meas
Gre intended TO free seamen from in
voluntary servitude and prevent ships
from going to sea with an inadequate
crew of skilled seamen, is causing
strong protest from many quarters.
Representatives of the Seamen'S Union
are complaining of the delay. Senator
"a Toilette, VINO has taken - Keen IN
terest in the Eill from the beginning,
IS insisting that Congress take action.
The recent wreck of the State Of CaI-
sornia has given tie advocates of the
legislation new material for argument
and they have not been slow TO call II
TO the attention to Congress. That
rody, however. seems Indifferent to I
and indications are that nothing need
ne expected in the SPECIAL session. In
timations have been given that Sena-
tor La Toilette would try to force an
agreement for its considerations, but tn"
chances are il will have to wait over
until next winter.
Legislation Delayed.
TAc loss Of the State of California
and the failure of Congress to pass the
seamen's bill call attention TO the fact
that in spite of the universal horror
aroused a. the wreck OF the Titanic,
II.tle has been done to remedy condi-
tons and insure the safety OF the traV-
eler at sea From the shipping inter
esIs there. has come powerful pressure
to prevent legislation and the more
time elapses, the less the pressure from
the public to have stringent laws en-
acted.
Senator La Toilette, in a recent state
Inent, points out that in all essentials
the wreck of the State of California
was a repetition of the Titanic disaster.
Its horrors did not arouse the country
because fewer lives were lost and the
passengers not so well known, but the
fame cause operated in both cases, Sem
ator La Toilette says, the lack of suf-
ifcient crew and the absence of an ade-
quate number of skilled seamen prop
eFly to man the boats in an emergency.
OF those aboard the Titanic, but 706
were saved, although there was life
boat capacity for. 1,i76. 1t appears that
IN the case of the State OF California
the lfeboats, but, in spite Of this,
thirtytwo people lost their lives in
smooth water on a calm morning.
Only Twelve Seamen.
'In addition to the five officers, the
STATE of California" says Senator La
Toilette. had out of its crew of fifty
two only twelve with the rating of able
seamen. : OF what value are life-saving
boats without men to man them? II is
the old story of the toll which the sea
will gather as long as vessels are per-
initted to sail without proper compile
Inent of skilled seamen.
For more than twenty wears the
seamen have been beseechipg Congress
Tor the enactment Of legislation COM
pelling the proper manning of our mer-
chant vessels During that time there
have been thousands of lives sacrificed
because of Inadequate and unskilled
ship crews. During the years that the
aeamen have been asking for Congress
sional action some of the greatest ma
Yne disasters have occurred.
The Elbe. La Bourgoine. Norge,
9ceana, and Titanic, among the vessels
Of foreign register; the Rio de Janeiro,
Clallam, Columbia. Valentia, Larch-
mont Florida, Allegheny, Republic, and
now the State of California of American
register, have sunk and the General
Slocum burned. In each and every case
there has been evidence Of an Insult
fcient crew.
Bill Is Re-introduced.
The sixty-second Congress in its
closing hours passed a seamen's bill. It
was not all the seamen asked, but was
long step in advance. Ship owners op-
posed IL bitterly. President Taft failed
10 isign it Now the bill has been re-
introduced in both houses and strongly
recommended both by Secretaries Red
neld and Wilson. 1t was introduced in
The Senate the first day Of the special
session and in the House about MAY l.
The Merchant Marine Committee has
charge Of the bill in the House and the
Commerce Committee in the Senate.
Neither committee has acted upon IL and
neither is showing any signs of acting
before next winter, thus playing into
the hands Of the shipowners. who have
2i0NU OnnOEPd nrnnnSad eli
ton.