The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-26
HEAD OF COMMERCE PERTINENT ISSUES LETTERS OF OWNERS ON WRECKED VESSEL
Secretary Redfield Insisted Provision of Seamen's Act be Carried Out by Owners of Eastland-Had Life Saving Equipment for One-Third of Capacity

Syracuse. N. Y.. July 25.-WiIlinm C. of commerce.. who is in syracuse, to- night made public correspondence be- tween the St. Joseph-Chicago steam ship company. owners of the steamer Easfland, and the department of com merce. relating to the ne wseaman's net.
 Secretary Redfield believes that un- der the seaman's act the passenger carrying capacity of the Eastland could have been reduced from 2570 to 1852 The steamship company opposed the seaman's bill. The correspondence comprises four letters.
 In the first letter w. II. Hull gen. lal manager of the steamship com pany, registers a protest under date of June 25. 1915. against the seaman's tin being made effective on Novem- Der 1.
 T am confident" he writes that the disastrous effects of this bill to American steamship lines are already apparent to everyone and believe that all opportunity should be given to have this act modified entirely can celled."
 To this Secretary Redfeld replied, June 2S:
 1t is a little difficult to see how your request can be carried out with out involving me in a flat breach of my oath of office, which is to enforcs lax ic pof tsiv to o say what laws shall be obeyed and what shall not be obeyed.
 What is it specifically in the law to which you object?"
 On June 30. Mr. Hull wrote:
 Hull Replies
 Replying to that portion of your let ter of June 2S in which you ask, What is it specifically in the law to which you object? I can answer this in no better way than to state the effect it would have in the operation of our steamship Eastland.
 This boat is operating this season from June 12 to September s. inclu- sive; is licensed to carry 2570 people, Is equipped with life preservers for that number of people and has life rafts and lfeboats capacity under the last inspection for I'll people,
 "In order to keep her maximum car rylng capacity at the present figure We would have to increase her equip ment in liferafts and lifeboats 66 2-5 per cent. This has a physical impos- sibility. If it were possible to put this amount of equipment on the Eastland the weight that would be added to her upper deck would make the boat difficult to handle
 ''lf our life saving equipment is al- lowed to remain as 1t is at present our carrying capacity would be decreased 40 per cent, or 1928. You can see that daily reduction of 40 per cent in carrying capacity would amount to considerable during the season in op- erating revenue.
 Requirements of Seamen's Law
 "The requirements of the seamen' s bill relating to certificated lfeboat men and able seamen would increase the number of our crew and would af- ford an opportunity to able seamen to fix an arbitrary wage and tie up the boat without provocation. Even if our traffic would stand an increase in the passenger rate, and 1t certainly will not the increased operating expenses and the fact that We would be at the mercy of the so-called able seamen would render it impracticable for us tc operate. In addition to that. there Is no reason for an increase in life saving equipment on this run.