The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-03-04
U. s. BUREAU CHIEFS
MAKE FARCE OF LAW
CONTINUED from page .l,>

(Continued from page ~
cation and the Bureau of Inspection,
subject to approval by the Secretary
Of Commerce.
THE Commissioner of Navigation,
Mr.. Chamberlain, and the Inspector
General Of Steam Vessels, Mr.. Uhler,
nave been persistently and consist
emily opposed to this legislation.
They opposed it before Committees
OF Cngrees, and as delegates to the
conference on safety at sea, held in
London, they helped to build an in
ternat1onal barrier against it. They,
on several occasions, expressed the
belief that it would tend to equalize
the wage cost of operation; but yet it
was unwise.
ITO intrust to them the drawing of
these rules was very much in the ma
ture of setting the fox to watch the
geese. Honest? OF course they are
honest! So is the fox!
This law has ben in operation for
three months in American vessels:
where are the signs of Improvement
In the personnel? If it does not i'm
prove the personnel on American ves
sels' how can it improve the person
mel on foreign vessels coming to ports
OF the United States? To this I an
swer, 1t has not, SO far, improved the
personnel on American vessels be-
cause the law is not enforced on
American vessels. It has not affected
foreign vessels yet, because the law
Will not be in full operation on for
| elgn vessels yet, because the law will
not be in full operation on foreign
vessels until some tie in June this
year."
Danger Ahead for U. S.
"Of course, il the regulations which
the department Of Commerce is au-
| thor1zed to make, is Of such nature
tnat 1t will not improve the personel
on American vessels; if the regula-
taons Limits and softens the obnox-
1ous law" so as to permit ship own
ers TO continue as of yore, it will
necessarily leave foreign vessels un-
touched, because the regulations must
be the same under the law"
!; Mr.. Furuseth asserted that the Sea.
mems Act, If enforced, would build
| up an American merchant marine
! and bring American boys back to the
sea-.
1T permits the crews of foreign
vessels to leave their ships in Amer
lean ports, -" he said. land to take adj
vantage of the higher wage rates
prevailing in those ports. Foreign
ship owners will be forced either to
pay American wages and maintain
American conditions, in order to keen
their men, or, if their crews quit in
an American port, to hire men to
take their places at the wages pre-
vailing in that port"
The three important purposes of
the law are to obtain better per-
| sonnet In the interest of safety: to
equallze the wage cost and thus to
| permit American ship owners to COM
pete With foreign owners; and to
or1ng the American to sea again and
thus restore to this country it's fair
share Of sea power
we are told that our navy needs
!e'ooo men, to be put on a war foot
ing. With: the additional vessels
launched, or to be launched, it would
probably be nearer 10000 now. There
IS not, in my opinion, which is based
upon acquaintance with the seamen.
lO'OO0 sailors and firemen in the
! merchant marine Of the United
States. If we should unfortunately
get into this war regardless of the
side, something like 30 per cent of
the seamen of our merchant marine
might have to be informed. Where
are your 10000 men to come from ?
Remember, it takes longer time 20
convert a 1andsman into a seaman
| than 1t takes to build a battleship.
why do American ship owners OBJ
pose the act?" asked the speaker.
Because there are between three and
Tour hundred million dollars of
American money invested in foreign
vessels, and because, like all other
bodies OF slave owners they object to
the liberation O" their slaves. They
consider 1t an attack upon their in
| terests and a. reflection upon their hui
mainly and character.
| The opponents Of this legislation
are led by the international Shipping
Federation, with headquarters in
London, members Of it's executive
board in most maritime countries.
and representatives in all'
. The ship owners are particularly
trying to nullify or repeal the provi-
sion in the act permitting crews of
foreign ships to leave their vessel at
an American port, without being
hunted down and arrested. Thew
know that the seamen will take ad-
vantage Of the opportunity, that the
vessels will be compelled to carry
more efficient men and pay higher
wages Therefore, they are opposing
this law.
! american ship owners with hum
dreds Of millions in vested in foreign
ships are not interested in an Amer
lean merchant marine. They would
rather keep their ships under a for
eign flag, differed and manned bv