New Britain herald., 1914-08-27
MANN CRIT|C|SfS
 DEMOCRATIC REGIME
For Delay in Putting Ship Registry
 Bill Into Effect

Washington, Aug. 27.-Reading a telegram of complaint from President Farrell of the United States Steel Corporation, Representative Mann criticised the administration yesterday for not issuing a proclamation putting into effect the ship registry bill passed several days ago as an emer- gency measure. MT. Farrell wired the minority leader that his company had a number of ships ready to take cargoes as soon as the president puts into effect the law liberalizing the registry laws.
 1T do not know when the registry bill was signed by the president said Mr. Mann, 'but I assume it was sent to him at least week ago. We have various other emergency matters that are likely to be presented and urged on the ground that we must act imme- diately because of a great emergency. Although the ship registry bill was passed more than week ago the regulations under which it is to be administered have not been issued by the president Apparently the depart ment that deals with these great ergencies forget the emergency as soon as congress has acted.
 We recently appropriated $2,750,- 900 to bring home American citizens who are abroad. have no disposition to criticise, but I wonder why we cannot get in motion the machinery so as actually to take care of these people,"
 Ships and 'Cargoes Waiting.
 In his telegram asserting that the delay of the ship registry proclama- tion Is causing inconvenience and ex- pense to ship owners, the United States Steel Corporation official wired MT. Mann as follows:
 "Our steamer Banter, loaded for Uruguay and Argentina, and steamer Crofton Hall, loaded for Chile and Peru, in New York harbor, ready to sail; steamer Kentra, ready for grain or cotton, Atlantic coast or gulf; steamer Santa Rosalia, Puget Sound, ready for wheat; steamers San Fran cisco, Buena Ventura, Ikaria, In- dustry, Matopho and several others available for transporting American products, and we are patiently await ing issuance of proclamation in order to be in an intelligent position as to whether we can put these steamers under American flag. immediately and operate them comparatively with steamers in oversea trade under other flags. As our steamers are being held in various ports at very heavy expense would appreciate advices as to about when information will be available to enable us to determine what to do. Captain Dollar and other American owners of ships now under foreign flags are in same position.
 ''The provisions of law prescrib. ing that the watch officers of vessels of the United States shall be citizens of the United States should be suspended for a period of at least three years and the provisions of law requiring survey, inspection and mea- surement by officers of the United States should also be suspended for the same period. Further, until the war risk insurance bill has passed the house and becomes effective we would be without insurance in the event of transfer"
 President Framing Regulations.
 President Wilson yesterday began COnSlOcrdI1On or T0SulaIlOIlS IO D0 issued under the new shipping law for the registry of foreign built ships un- der the American flag, Assistant Sec retary of Commerce Sweet has made recommendations and decision Is expected within the next few days
 If the president adopts the recom- mendations of MT. Sweet he will not flatly set aside the provision of the navigation laws requiring masters and mates of ships admitted to American registry to be American citizens, but will set a time limit within which foreigners may serve in those capaci- ties It is the idea of MT. Sweet that foreign masters and mates should be encouraged to become American citi- zens.
 Shipping companies whose vessels now fly foreign flags are withholding formal applications under the new law until the president issues an ex- ecutive order as authorized by the act.