Evening journal., 1915-07-20
LA Toilette BILL
AGAIN condemned
Shipping Law Is Denounced
by Shipmasters in Com
merce Organ
COMPANIES ARE
HEAVY LOSERS

WASHINGTON, d. C., July Z0.-
American ship owners are united in
condemnation of the La Toilette Sea-
mems act, passed by Congress at the
last session. This is shown in inter-
views made public yesterday In the Ma
tions Business, the official publication
OF the Chamber Of Commerce of the
United States.
"Our laws and regulations must be
changed to correspond to those OF for
elen nations with whom we come in
direct competition" said Captain Rob
ert Dollar. Of the Robert Dollar Com
pany. whose ships are engaged in trade
with China and the Pacific. "The
laws OF Great Britain are preferable
as. under them. more than half Of the
steam tonnage of the world Is success
fully operated.
"Our laws and regulations require
twenty different changes to make the
operation OF ships correspond to the
British.
THE time has certainly arrived for
some constructive legislation, In the
last session OF Congress sixteen bills
were introduced 10 restrict and re-
strain the operaticr OF ships and not
a single bill 20 AID OF assist us. We
should have, ! believe. a commission
of shipping meH. not politicians, TO
draft these laws and 10 advise Con
eress. thereby preventing any future
blunder like the Seamens bill. the
only result of which Is TO drive the
last American ship from the ocean.
OF the same opinion was Eugene W.
Ong assistant general counsel Of the
United Fruit Company. who said the
whole proposal in the seamens act
may be boiled down to this:
IF the American people desire
higher wages and special privileges
for seamen on the high seas some one
viii have TO pay for them. II the Law
compels all ships entering our ports
10 pay higher wages IL means higher
rates, and the American farmer and
manufacturer would have 10 stand the
expense. II foreign ships escape with
provisions Of the law. as seems likely
and they should be enforced only
against American ships. the Law
eounda the death knell OF the Amer
lean merchant marine"
The effect of the Seamen's Law
upon American ships Is shown by thu
prospective elimination OF the Pacih
Mail Steamship lines, according L
Lewis J. Spence, the director OF traf
fc of the Southern Pacific Company.
Certified public accountants hav
recorded their finding that the require
, ments of the Seamen's law will in
! crease the cost Of operation OF tn
Pacific Mail service in wages an
- IL ~
hundred thousand dollars per annuu
which iE considerable more than IN
company has earned in excess OF II
, fixed charges ant cost Of operate
= IN any recent year" Mr. Spence sal
: 'It does not require any stretc
Of the imagination to realize that IN
service canot be proftabiy operate
after this statute becomes effective
November 4. 1916"
+. G. Munson. vice-president OF III
t, Munson Steamship line. said the Sea
mems act will undoubtedly have
b preiudicial effect on American ship
p ping.
We placed under the American ma
b two Of our British steamers shortl
d after the bill allowing the placing O
! foreign tonnage under the America
flag was passed" he said. "but W
. fear that If the seamen's law in 1t
b present form, is allowed 20 20 int
force on November 4, we shall be unde
the necessity Of changing the flag Z
these steamers. much as we dislike :
do so, or else be forced 10 allow on
competitors to take away some OF ou
I business"
b The Chamber OF Commerce Of IN
Z United States is taking a Referendum
r on the question whether the seamen
a act should be repealed.