The Washington times., 1914-04-08
SEA SAFETY TREATY
MEETS OPPOSITION
Mead of Seamen'S Union De-
cIares 1t Would Kill Ameri-
! can Shipping.
By TUDSON C. WELLIVER.

Charging that foreign ship-owning in
forests hostile to tie development of IN
American merchant marine dominated
the drafting of the treaty on safety of
lirc at sea, Andrew J. Furuseth, head
OF the Seamens Union, declared today
would be a deadly blow to all hope of
American expansion on the ocean.
Mr.. F>uruseth vas one of the Ameri-
ran delegates to the London confer
Cnc+ which framed the treaty. He re-
siGre6 from the conference because. he
declares. he became Convinced that it
was entirely under the domination CT
the shipping interests.
1T was adopting rules for safety at
sea that would make the ship owner S
investment safe, not such as would
make the passengers life secure he
said.
Protests Shipowners.
ut was adopting rules that would
protect vessel owners against damage
claims. not rules that wCGld protect the
lives of passenger and crew.
1T was adopting rules that surrender
the right of the United States to exer-
else Jurisdiction over foreign vessels
within our ports and waters.
With this treaty ratified, the pas
sage of the La Toilette seamen's meas
ure will be impossible. That measure
would give substantial guarantees Of
safety at sea, and would break up the
system of servitude in which seamen are
held 1t would equalize costs Of vessel
operation between the United States ana
other countries, and thus give Americans
a fair chance in the shipping competl-
ton OF the world.
The vessel owners of the other mari
time countries, seeing that they were
menaced with this, and With the conSe-
quent development of American shipping,
seized the opportunity to put the snuf-
fer on all chance of American mer-
chant marine development, by putting
through this treaty"
Involuntary Servitude.
The ratification of the treaty will
make it impossible to pass the La Fol-
lette bill. either in the shape in which
It passed the House Of Representatives
in 1872, under the name of the Wilson
bill, or in the shape that it passed the
Senate in October. 1913
AS II passed the House in 1872 it gave
freedom to the seamen of foreign YES
sells while in our harbors and deter
II ined minimum standards of efficiency
in the crews of all the vessels leaving
our harbcrs: that is to say, the United
States determined for herself stand
ard of safety in vessels under our nag
and made those standards applicable
TO all foreign vessels leaving our har-
bcrs. The treaty guarantees to foreign
countries that the United States Will
respect any standard set by the coun.
try owning the ship. This is settled
by article l5 of the treaty.
Foreign seamen who leave their ves-
sells may be arrested, detained and de-
livered back, that is, the involuntary
servitude will be continued. This is
settled by article 6S Of the treaty, which
continues existing treaties. conventions
and arrangements, not only on passen-
ser vessels bat on all vessels.
The La Toilette Bill.
'"rhe la Follstte bill provides life
toats for all persons on board. as does
the permanent English law. The treaty
provides boats for 70 per cent OF the per-
sens on board, RATS for the rest. The
La Toilette bill provides two able sea-
rren or men of higher rating, that is to
say, officers or petty officers of the deck
department, as part Of the crew of each
lifeboat. The treaty provides for three
efficient lifeboat men without in any
way setting a standard by which the
efficiency is 10 be determined.
1T is plain that the treaty on safely
Of life at sea and the 1IaFollette sea
mems bill are hcpslessly antagonistic.
Aside from this. existing vessels, by
which is meant vessels built or build
!rg prior to January l, 1915. may
continue to carry the ife-boats
and davits now in -Isc. although
the boats may not be strong enough
TO be lowered down with the full COM
plements OF persons and equipment,
srd the davits not strong enough to
permit the boats 20 be lowered safely
81 the vessel has a considerable list.
New vessels. that is. vessels whose
keeis are laid after january /. 1915
must have davitS strorg enough to
lower the boats at anv time when they
can be lowered and boats strong
enough to be lowered with their full
complement Of persons and equipment.
All of which means that the safest
end strongest vessels 1re to nave the
best life-saving equipments. while the
vessels now in existence and not so
safe may continue 20 have the present
unsafe equipment. This is not Safety