The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-02-13
WHO IS OPPOSED ].
tt:i-s - - ~
TO / sEl|l|lIlAN's BILL !
Clever Game Being Worked ia
{ Defeat La Toilette Bill in :
" Congress;
Especial Correspondanicee.)

Washington, Feb 12.--Has = the
Pittsburgh steamship company, one
of the tentacles Of the United States
Steel Corporation, got as tight, a grip
upon the michigan: legislature as: the,
Southern Pacific used to have upon
the California. legislature? ,*,,.:,
That is the" question. raised among
the friends of the tfaaIE'9q1lette seament'gf ?;
bill in the Senator as vdayt after day
drags alonE.@ and: the two Michigan
senators an nd, most Of the Il Michigan
house and senate "a esothfer i; on the he
"seamen's Magma CHARTS against;
which the Pittsburgh concern has
waged an adroit, campaign Of lobby,
ing here for. two years past: ;e,.,.,:
These, congressman merely deplore
the bill--deplore lti out loud, when
ever ;eeonferenees IS IS, Within. <eaFshot.
Senator townsend takes 1t .up "a; at the the,
other end Of the capital with personal
friends. - ssaators Smith, :: the, Same
William iAelden Smith "whoe so adroitly
made comedy Of; n is, inyestig CATION IN
to the Titanic: horror, finds himself
slated as@ one ofsthe conference COM
mittee. Wherelnpon be goes to south
ern California for a. month, Dec. 10th
to Jan. nth, to visit his mother. The
conference, oppostfg@ :the, bill insist
that nothing be; done until he gets
back. 80 Eo''sG'" I::2" =. r. ~.:::''::': r.
Bill He'll up: -, $780, ,
Smith Redeemed and stamm cred and
writhed, the other day, when asked
about his having held up the confer
enee. He finally remarked that he
had no notion when the conference
would meet. ~ 30, -, 49,. :"
Townsend. the other of the Michi-
gan pair, So closely:in sympathy with
their legislature, was not con-
fierce. He had to strike. his blow
at the bill in some other way.
He struck it on Friday, Jan. 18th,
when he offered for reading in the
Senate g concurrent resolution from
the Michigan legislature. This resolu-
ton demanded the defeat of the La
Toilette bill. It declared that the
sengers upon the ocean and the Great
Lakes, if enacted. would virtually put
out Of business all passenger-boat
lines operating upon the said great
lakes" and it made the old plea for
the millions of dollars invested, in
said excursion boats,'' doomed to al
most total loss," just as though this
were an anti-child labor bill, or an
eight-hour law tor working women,
or a bill to suppress loan sharks.
When this pitiful wall had been
voiced to the assembled senator's,
many of whom, Asagged their heads
solemIy in appro1afss Bob , LaFollette
of Wisconsin, sent toG the desk a re-
! port by the Chicago Superintendent
of Compulsory Education, on this ex-
| cursion-boat business, as affecting the
public school children of Chicago.
! 1t explained the special value of this
| boat business, threatened by the Sea-
| mems bill with almost total loss'
Here are some of the points of this
| report:
The Report.
During the summer of 1914 many
of these (Lake excursionl boats were
merely floating saloons, and the rule
prohibiting SALE of liquor to minors
was not enforced. The. discipline on
most Of the boats, was lax; unescort-
ed young girls were subjected to in
dignities; immoral women and licen-
tious men *patronized the boats, and
moral conditions were bad; anyone
with the. price COULD Trent a state
room. The. government Is now fol.
lowing UP the. investigation"
"slot machines, paddle wheel game:
gave children their first lesson in
gambling;E bars were open Before the
Smile limit was; reached; minors
were found drunk ...1 -, >it..>:,. =.
1t was found that. the: majority
of excursion, boats Encouraged :. thu
gambling! spirit among chi1dren5 ant
that money was accented froii1r- a" g.
year-old child, to-, play ). the -, paddle
game. "~.,.asl. -. .=w2:s - $685.
Inadequate@ Safety Devices.
1T was found that the; majorit,
of excursion boats only carried life
boats and lifecfaftsl.st save the, live.
of 80 opere Cent Of, their passengers
and. this means THAI" "a fboat licensed tt
capacity ~ f. IT o.; 5000 TO g, %!
passengers duringathe exc ursion periot
would be able to provide lifeboats, AMI
lifecrafta ssfoi:: less than eone: third; Q,
board IT,. it. were: craWded. to it's Ca
pacity. These boats are crowded Il
the rat1 :! en hlso1idays; ard Fd weekend
trlps.~ - ..l:<,.. Z: 80 80 :, q y SEE
''The crews are sma1l;, and, utffes
there is amended national 'leeislatio,
to compel excursion boats to increas
their 4slifebost':~ equipment sspersona
safety ON All ~oyercro Lake Mich
igan excursion boat is risk: in -whfcl
humanity must depend upon fate'"a
to whether IT it., would ,Pe::,;S niiumbere'
among; the i,"one-thirds saved" or tn
two-th1rdsi that would be: dependen
upon nfe- prsservera e Among the lat
ter would doubtless be- many childre1
with only "a circle s6f' cork @aroun,
! them to float their frightened soul
to rescue.";: anys =<:i.;s.|. T. ~
The. Senate had TO- listen TO, tn
reading ofSthia cdarpnation OF the mil
lions invested in said passenger am
excursion boats, - but it burrows
: hastily INTO its papers again, and :,th
. next minute gratefully heard a favor
able report on a. resolution allthoriz