The Detroit times., 1914-06-29
Lake Vessels Required to Carry
Safety Devices for But so Per
Cent of Passengers
CONGRESSMAN BYRAN
FILES MINORITY REPORT
Washington Law-Maker Protests
Against Alleged Inelficiency
of House Bill
RAYMOND w. PULLMAN.
Times Washington Bureau, No. 70i
Metropolitan Bank Building.


WASHINGTON June pa minor
ity report which indicates the opposi-
ton OF the international Seamen's
union 10 the Alexander sea safety bill
was made to the House OF Representa-
tiyes today by Congressman James W,
Bryan, a Bull Moose member from the
state of Washington.
Andrew Furuseth, president or the
Seamens union, objects to several
provisions of the new house bill, par
ticularly the section which calls TOT
the manning OF each life boat or ratt
by three or more able life boat men
The LaFollette bill as il passed the
senate provided for two able sea-
men" to each boat, and the veteran
labor leader who has fought for the
interests OF his fellow union men IN
season and out for many years objects
TO the substitution of the words three
or more life boat men" for two able
seamen." The minority report sub
mitted today reflects the attitude OF
President F'uTuseth and his associates
towards the bill In a synopsis OF the
report which Representative Bryan
prepared for The Detroit Times. he
says:
In my minority report l shall rec
ommend the adoption Of the Latollette
nority amendments necessary TO per-
feet the text OF this bill where such
amendments are needed. but all real
friends OF American shipping ana All
who seek to promote safety at sea
should oppose the compromising or the
principles OF the LaFollette bill Tor
purposes of eXpediency, The commit
tee bill which is offered as substi-
tute Is based very largely on the re-
cent London convention and while the
compilations or that convention are
important and very valuable. still this
nation cannot surrender It's views on
shipping 10 the English shippers
The proposed substitute bill does not
pretend 20 prescribe safety provisions
for foreign vessels I'm American ports
This means that the bill. IL enacted
into law is 10 affect only small per-
centage OF the vessels that carry Amer
lean passengers TO and from Amer
lean ports In the Great Lakes yes
sells from Chicago and other American
in any way affected by the bill as TO
safety at sea. The supposed restrlc-
tions placed by the law on shipping
is to AFFECT only American bottoms
American vessels in trans ocean
traffic are TO have safety provisions
for all on board but this does not mean
life boats for all on board seven
five per cent OF this safety apparatus
is TO be in boats and the balance IN
RATS The manning of the boats and
the specifications for their construc-
tion are subject TO provisions that
weaken the requirements OF the La
Toilette bill on that point as well as
on the number OF boats
Vessels whose course Of travel Is
within 90 miles from shore are TO
have 37n per cent life boats, 375 per
cent life RATS and no per cent what
ever for the remaining IS per cent OK
passengers. These vessels, which sail
within 20 miles from shore, furnish by
far the greatest number OF wrecks ana
the largest toll of disaster. on the
Great Lakes vessels which sail within
three miles from the shore are not
affected by the life boat provisions OF
the bill. There are no requirements
on the Great Lakes vessels are 20 car
~ 20 per cent life boat protection.
80 per cent life raft protection and
the remaining 90 per cent no protec-
I do not believe II would be credit
able for congress to pass any such |
measure as this as response 10 a
demand for safety at sea
The manning OF these life boats and |
life RATS Is 10 be effected by certified |
life boat men. The experience and |
can receive such certificate is nil !
but the proposed substitute does re-
quire that applicants for such certih-
cate be examined in launching and !
rowing life boats, no term OF service |
on the sea is required. The bill pre-
scribes that three OF these certified life |
bOhA men must pt dSHiEHtu 10 llle /
boat with passenger capacity UP 10 |
so. From so to So passengers, four |
life boat men are required. From 50 !
10 Ito, five are required one hum
dred and eleven to 100, six are requir-
ed. From Ice TO 2l0, seven are 'requlr- |
ed. When IL Is considered that a |
street car Is loaded 20 it's full seating |
capacity with about 40 passengers and |
that two men are required 10 conduct !
street car which runs on steel rails !
the inadequacy OF this arrangement !
can be seen where seven men are re-
quired In life boat in storm az sea |
containing 21O terror-stricken people |
or more than FIVE street car loads
The bill attempts 10 enact into law
many of the provisions OF the Lon |
don convention which ought not 70 !
be put into permanent law but should |
be used by the department OF com
merce for advisory purposes In max
ing regulations.
The London convention contains
many jokers. For almost every def
mite provision there Is Joker or pro-
viso that give leeway for interpreta.
tion and escape OF liability