The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-20
NEW SEAMAN'S BILL
TO STOP DISASTERS,
IT'S Reported to the House as ,
Substitute for La Fol.
lettc Measure.
MAY PASS THIS SESSION
Regulations Proposed Are Viz.
tually Those Adopted at Lon.
don Convention Last June.

WAsHtNGroN, June ia substi,u,, -,
the La Toilette seaman's bill. pass., -,
the Senate some months ago. was r.,o,..,
! to the House to-day by tho Cor,,tt,o,. -.
Merchant Marine and Fisheries O., yyht..
Representative Alexander OF Missouri i,
chairman.
The bill lie designed primarily 70 80.
mote the safety of life and proncr,y =.
sea and to promote the welfare n, A.,
can seamen. 1t provides for tho u.. :,
larger number OF life craft on M.
sengcr vessels and reduces the ho,,, :,
work of seamen.
What are regarded as harsh ,,,s.,r,,.
In tho treatment of seamen are proh,ht,.s
II Is the belief OF supporters OF the hc,
that IL II is enacted into law 81. ,y,,, a.
large degree avoid disasters spch :.
have occurred at sea IN recent Years :,
is the hope OF Chairman Alexander "a
have the bill considered and possIb,v
passed at this session OF Congress
In an effort to improve the cona,,,,.
OF seamen the bill provides tina, IN AZ
merchant vessels Of the United STATE. :,
more than 100 tons gross the sailors vh,Is
at sea shall be divided into al lea1, ,uo
watches. and the firemen. oilers and xa,s,
tenders into at least three watches
The only exceptions made In the anp,,.
cation OF this rule are in the csses n,
vessels navigating rivers. harbors. hay,
or sounds exclusively and vessels who's
routes between terminal ports do mt az
coed run of thirteen hours
The bill also requires the whole crsv
TO participate and perform the FIRE and life
boat drills. II provides further that whe,
vessel Is in a safe harbor no seaman
shall be required to do any unnecessary
work on Sunday or holidays.
Provisions are made for the paymen,
of wages to seamen They are 10 re
ceive on demand onc-half the wage which
they earned at every port where the ves
sci loads or delivers cargo before the
voyage is ended and all other contrac,
rule stipulatons are 20 he held void. A
seaman may not make demand for psy
oftener than every five days.
Under the proposed law an examination
OF a vessel is to be made " complaint is
| filed by the first or second officer and
! majority OF the crew that Il is In an
unsanitary condition. II the complaint
proves to be we'll founded proper santa ,
ton must be provided. Provision also
! must be made for ample mess and bath
| rooms.
able seamen, specifying that they NAV be-
10 years OF age and over and have three
years sea service. The committee lncor.
porated the provision that upon eNamias
ton under Department of Commerce rules
as to eyesight. hearing physical con.
dition, men found competent after one
years sea service shall be waited a. abb
seamen with the understandin that this
junior grade OF men must not comprise
more than n fourth OF the number OF N.
seamen required.
( The lifeboat provisions OF the bill are
substantially those contained in the con.
vention on safety of life ut eea adopted
at London on June 20 last.
! Capt George A. White, president y
the Association OF Passenger Steamboat
Lines, VINO said when the La Fo!lstts
seaman's bill was introduced that n /.
became law 1t would put tho JERSEY
| Centrals Sandy Hook steamers out o.
commission because they would have 10
tow barge TO carry the required mum.
Der of lifeboats, said last night that he
thought the local lines would be- able TO
get along under the House bill
He said that he had not read the
substitute bill, so that he could not ex.
press an opinion as TO how 1t would
work in detail