The sun., 1915-10-31
HALT SEAMEN'S ACT,
INDIA HOUSE URGES
Report FavOrs Giving Power
to President to Suspend
Provisions of Law.
FOR 4 SHIPPING BOARD

The seamen's act, which becomes OPP
erativc In regard TO American own
vessels next Thursday. IL the susfs-.t & OF
a report by the governors OF India
House. who condemn the law strongly
and suggest that power he conferred
upon the President to suspend certain
provisions Of the act until the entire
subject Of the development Of the Amer
lean merchant marine can be dealt with
on IL basis of permanency.
The report also suggests that Con-
gress create a permanent shipping board
composed OF men experienced In ship
ping aud foreign trade, with authority
10 Investigate all shipping problems and
To submit to Congress recommendations
for legislation covering the revision,
amendment or repeal or the seamen's
act: the revision OF The navigation
laws and rules and regulations based
thereon and the establishment Of regu-
lations concerning the structural
strength. equipment and load line OF vcs-
sells
india Ious. is a downtown club of
business men and was organized for
the encouragement Of American foreign
trade and the cultivation Of American
foreign trading traditions. The report
Is signed by special committee which
has Investigated closely the provisions
and probable workings OF the seamen's
act.
The committee consists of !. y. Grace.
president Of W. H. Grace a Co, chair
man George :. Dearborn president OF
TIVE Ainer.Can- Hawaiian steamship
Company 4. A. =. Franklin. vice-presl.
lan pf Ia. Ia ntay, al Mar m La
riue: Minor g. Keith. vice-president Of
the United Fruit Company; J. Parker
klrlin. Skeffingtou g. Norton Of Norton.
Lilly Co. Wedding Ring of MAILER a
Queret,u and =. -. Schermerhorn. vice.
president Of the United Fruit Company
The report reads ~ follows:
After careful Investigation by COM
mittee, the Governors OF India House
are convinced that the seamen's act.
which was originally put forward as a
measure designed to equalize the cost
of manning American and foreign ves-
scls. has been so framed and inter-
preted that the full brunt OF its require
meuts win be felt only by vessels under
the American flag.
The onerous conditions under which
American vessels were operated IN the
foreign trade prior to the passage OF
the act have been increased 10y this
-
time when conditions in Europ" have
given American shipping the Opportunity
20 participate TO a greater extent Ia the
scaborne commerce If the world.
Recent opinions by tine Attornev-Ger-
"ral practically relieve the shipping OF
the principal maritime countries from
compliance with the letter of the at
IN 80 far as l!fe saving appliances are
concerned. The result will I've tina; Amer
:, "a a.
b. compelled To carry larger deck crews
than their foreign competitors and thus
he subjected 10 greater expense in this
respect than any Of the leading mari
time nations has imposed upon !ts ship
ping.
iii view Of the foregoing and ~ the
present International situation thc gov
ernors u! India Hpus. are strongly OF
the opinion that the interests Of the
nation ut larg" will be bette served
by preserving the status autedating the
assage of the act Until the cessation of
hos;il!t.,s has made IL possible 10 settle
with prymIneucv. and cquitahly TO all
concerned. the uues'lo~s involved IN the
s".,Ineu's Hc, which becomes "pcl1t1r"
November I. l"lj. II i therefore
recommended
"rhtt authority ne conferred ON In.
President u suspend the operation ~
such OF the PROV isiuns 90 the seamen's
act "a u. shall consider detrimental Z"
the public Interests uvtIl ~" entire sub
j"ct of the development of the American
merchant marine can y" dealt with ou e
basis ~ p"rman"ncy and
That Congress Great. u permanent
shipping board composed Of men expert
enced IN shipping and o. foreign trade,
with authority to luves,igJtc all shipping
problems and "a suhml. 20 Congress
recommendations FOR legislation covering
the following subjects the revision,
amendment or repeal of tn. >eamen's
act, tn. revision Of tho navigation l9ws
and rules and regulations based there pn.
and the establishments of regulations con-
corning the structural strength. equip.
Il Il IL.