The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-16

disregarded by the Congress which
passed the La Toilette bill and repeal
he law. This view of what the steam
hip companies should rave dom is fore
Swallowed in the correspondence which
took place last July between Secretary
Redfeld inc the San Francisco Chamber
OF Commerce.
News to Rcdne1d.
On June II the San Francisco
Chamber of Commerce wrote = letter
to the Secretary of Commerce and. re-
ierring TO the prospective withdrawal
of the Pacific Mails transpaclhc line
as a result of the restrictions placed
by the Government upon American
shipping. said that our merchants will
await with great interest such assur-
ances as the Department of Commerce
an give that the prospective shortage
or tonnage Will be remedied and why IL
was found desirable for the Govern
ment TO eliminate American ships from
the trade in question: Mr.. Redfield re-
piled that he had received no advice
as to the contemplated withdrawal OF
the Pacific Mail steamers and referred
them TO a copy attached OF "A letter OF
his to some merchants on the coast
containing the following reference to
the Pacific Mail steamship Company
n Department has received no
notice TO the effect that the Pacific Mail
steamship Company intends to with
draw its China line. nor has there come
TO us any request for assistance or
ara IRON that company In any way
Whatever. The seamen's bill does not
become Il law until the 4th of November.
n between that time and the pres
ent there il room for many things to
happen.
with ocean freight rates at their
present high level. a greater demand
Tor shipping than there are vessels to
supply and the impracticability of sup
plying further vessels, IL would hardly
seem time In which vessels could wisely
be Withdrawn from service
THE foregoing IL sufficient to dis
SIose the attempt to shift responsibility
Tor a burden too grievous to be borne
from those who imposed the burden to
those who are unable To bear il. and
10 show the grounds upon which the
sponsors of the LA Toilette bill seek
TO avert from themselves to the steam
ship companies the resentment of ship
pers and the indignation of the public
naturally consequent upon Witnessing
the forced withdrawal of American
steamships and the gift to Japan OF
maritime control of the Pacific Ocean.
The causal connection between the
seaman's bill ami the withdra IVA OF
american ships from the trade most
directly affected by the act IN too OBJ
,ious and the charges against the with
drawing steamship lines too fiimsy and
the motive therefor too transparent To
deceive any one. But as the Pacific
Mail steamship Company has been
singled out for special attack a few
words IN reply are UNSUITABLE.
That company is censured beca 1t
gave no adequate notice that the La
Toilette bill would cause 1t to discontinue
its transpaclhc line. That the inevitable
consequence of the passage of the sea-
mans bill would be the forced discon-
t.nuance Of It's steamships on the Pacific
was rainly pointed out by the representa-
tives of the Pacific Mail. with all the
earnestness and emphasis at their COM
mand, TO Congressional committees at
numerous hearings in the eleven years
that interviewed between the date OF the
first Introduction OF the bill and its final
passage. FINALLY the head Of the Pacific
Mall. on July II, 1914. as 4 last resort,
wrote Il formal letter TO the same effect
TO the President Of the United States.
II was shown at that time that the in
ability OF tn. Pacific Mail 90 operate
under the restrictions OF the selmeu's
hill was not based on a rough estimate
OF the increased expenses. but was ac-
curntelN asrertaincd by an analysis OF