The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-23
SHIP OWNERS GATHER
TO FIGHT ACT
Body Similar to the British Board of Trade Favored by
India House to Save Merchant Marine
La Toilette Law Denounced.

The members Of India House, the
csted in oversee commerce. held their
anniversary meeting yesterday afternoon
in their clubhouse in Hanover Square.
the building which was for many years
the home OF w. X Grace & Co. From
. +. NJ. to 6 1880 =. NJ. tho men OF
India House discussed the Objectionable
features of tho m act. offered
suggestions as to what arguments should
he laid before Congress to rid the Ameri-
can mercantile marine OF the handicaps
placed upon 1t by the La Toilette meas
ure, planned ways and means for bene-
fitting American shipping and approved
the report of the India House committee
on the seamen's act. At Z +. NJ. the
members met at dinner and subsequently
Il smoker was held which was enlivened
by "a vaudeville entertainment,
James A. Farrell. president Of
India House. presided AT the meeting.
which was attended by more than zoo
men. lie called attention TO the COM
! plete success OF the first year Of India
Houses existence; noting that the club
had been "A financial success from the
beginning. that the members had derived
great pleasure from the environment.
recalled the fine years Of prosperous
American mercantile marine. and that
much important work had been done in
comfortable and charming surroundings.
Report by special Committee.
He said that India House had dele
gated the task OF examining the sea-
mems act and reporting on its hardships
TO a special committee composed Of J. l..
Grace, president OF w. II. Grace 4 Co. :
George :. Dearborn. president OF the
Observation-Disclosures steamship Company
r. A.. :. Franklin. vice-president Of the
International Mercantile Marine Com
pany Minor c. Keith and S. G.. Scher-
merhorn. rice-presidents Of the United
Fruit Company J. Parker kirlin Of %
William street: Skefington $. Norton
Of Norton, L.illy'& Co. and Welding Ring
of MAILER & Quereau. M committee was
ready to ofYer its report. added President
Farrell.
Albert Straus Of the Chamber OF
Commences committee or the seamcn'a
act spoke next and said that. his com
rittee's investigation had found that ex-
port trade was greatly handicapped by
the new law.
I'VE need most OF all a shipping board
made up OF such admirable men as
form the Federal Reserve Board" said
Mr.. Straus. Il should say also that a
subsidy is probably the only ultimate
solution OF the problem of how to build
up the merchant marine. and that We
ought to have the courage to say 3d."
Welding Rims said hat he had for.
merry been opposed to the idea of Gov
ernment subsidies, but that recently he
had come TO believe that II might be tht
right policy provided the subsidy was
a st~raightout policy without any stringl
to II.
THE Government ought 10 have moth.
ing to do with the business owning and
operating merchant ships said Mr.
Ring. 1.-The injustices OF the seamen'i
act are well enough illustrated by The
fact that 1856 vessels were transferred
from foreign flags to our own before thu
seamen's act went into effect. and onl!
thirty-iive rave been so transfers.
since. Many owners who have conn
under our flag now wish they were bacl
under foreign flags.
Four Changes recommended.
IL believe there is hope for necessar,
changes In the law this winter. Person
ally, | would recommend the following
measures:
First. the seamen's act should be re
pealed or so amended as to do ava,
with its detrimental features.
Second, the idea OF Government own
crship as suggested by Secretary Of tn
Treasury McAdoo is AS bad as anything
could be. Government competition
would be impossible to meet.
sarlE.l ,. nAAI &C.. atttNinO hnnrd NJ