Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-07-17
Resume of Law
Which Torpedoes
Our Commerce


The new seaman's law, commonly
known as the La Toilette act, is a
complete revision of the various acts
relating to seamen on American
ships.
Those parts of the law which pro-
tect Gamer from imposition and
which guard the safety Of crew and
passengers at sea, are generally APP
proved. But joined with these are
certain provisions as to size of the
crew, nationality, etc, that threaten
to impose so heavy a burden on AM
erican shipping as to drive it from
the seas. Sections 4, 10, 16, II and
/ IS are illustrations. Like the full
crew. laws for railroads, these pro-
visions tend to increase the cost OF
operation to an alarming extent. The
attempt to bring ships OF foreign flags
under the law will probably fail.
Briefly, the laws provisions are as
follows:
Section /. In case of desertion, the
master of the vessel must ship men
equal in number and Of the same
grade Immediately. and report the
! same to the United States consul at
the first port at which he shall ar
rive.
Sec. 2. Provides for division OF
crew in engine room into three
watches. Attenuation Of men in the
two forces is forbidden, except in
case OF emergency. No members Of
the crew are to work IN Sundays or
legal holidays while the vessel is in
harbor.
Sec. 3. Requires that seamen in the
coastwise trade shall be paid within
two days of the termination OF the
shipping agreement, or in the foreign
trade within "a hours after the cargo
has bee ndischarged.
Sec. 4. Seamen must be paid one.
half the wages due them, on their de.
mand, at any port where the vessel
lands or delivers cargo, not oftener
than once in five days. The law pro-
vides that this shall apply to foreign
as we'll as United States shpis.
Sec. 5. Consular officers are requir-
ed to cause an examination of any
ship when complaint is made that it
is u~nseawOrthy.
Sec. 6. Requires 1870 cubic feet and
16 square feet of space for each mem
Der Of the crew, with space allotted
for hospital purposes on ships where
there are y or more men in the crew
and a suitable place to be used as a
Mushroom. Mississippi river steam
ers are to furnish appropriate places
for the crew.
Sec. Z. Provides penalties for de-
s%ertion, INSTRUMENTATION and mutiny.
Sec. s. Consular officers are requir-
ed to investigate discharges in for
eign ports. .6%g% E! - =
Sec. g. Flogging and OTHER forms OF
corporal punishment ARE prohibited.
Sec. 49, Ratio Of water increased
from four to five quarts daily and but
ter from n to two unces daily.
Sec. II. No advance payments to
be made to- seamen nor to- any other
person. Giving Of notes or orders for
shipment of seamen forbidden. (Thi5
is intended to reach "crimrs' who
shanghai men at some of the
ports.) Seamen may make allotments
of part Of their pay, such allotments
to be included in the shipping arti-
cles each signs. Az ~" &H@'' 80
Sec. 70. Attachment CT seamen's
wages prohibited. $50 e@ 5f 8'o'
Sec. 10. Requires that Is per cent
of the crew shall understand the Ian
guage of the officers. i(This Is the
homogeneity clause that will, it is
claimed, force the steamship Mime
sofa to a foreign registry. as she is
manned with Asiatics.) Department