Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-05

HNHE reply of United States Senator Dun
L can w. Fletcher, of Florida, to the state
nent recently made by p. Q. knight, vice
president and general counsel OF the Amer
lean International Shipbuilding Corporation,
that because of discriminatory legislation
'no man can own and operate a ship profit
ably under the American flag" as appearing
in the columns OF the EVENING PUBLIC
LEDGER under date of November 81, 1918 is
subj ject to much criticism, and 1 am of the
opinion that Mr.. knights views are rather
in accord with those of practical shipping
men.
take it Mr.. knights remarks apply to
American vessels in the foreign trade, be-
cause before the war there were some IN
stances of American steamships prospecting
in the protected coastwise trades of the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
ISSUE can be taken with Senator Fletcher s
i remarks that our shipping laws are not
nearly so burdensome as those OF England
Germany, Norway and Japan. Have any OF
these countries laws compelling the master
of ship to give to the seaman one-haf MS
wages every five days while in port? Is the
standard of food on the ships of any OF these
nations comparable with that on American
ships? l think not. Do any OF these couh-
tries compel the production of certificates OF
competency for able-bodied seamen, at least
other than service such as is Indicated by the
'discharge-book" Yet our laws make It
necessary for a seaman to produce from the
United States local inspectors a certificate or
competency, and certificates of service on
foreign ships cannot be accepted. Do any or
these countries require that. Do per cent OF
the deck department. exclusive or ofhcers
shall'be certificated sailors? / think not. DO
any of these nations, excepting perhaps
Japan, require the carrying of so large
crew as American ships This can also be
answered in the negative. Then Senator
Fletcher seems to congratulate US on the tact
that we have no "load-line" law in this coun-
try. Has he ever observed the position OF
the "load-l!ne" on the side of a British craft?
II so, would he wish to see American ships
loaded to greater depth? This load-llne
Is so adjusted as not seriously to interfere
with the carrying capacity of foreign vessels
He speaks also Of the fact that ships of
foreign nations cannot carry deck-loads
beyond certain heights, which in the winter
season is very much reduced. Might 1t ne
asked, has Senator Fletcher ever spent any
time during the winter season at Norfolk or
Old Point Comfort and observed the British
"tramps" while Ell route from the Gulf to
Europe with timber. that come there for
bunker coal? I feel that the deck-load re-
strietions on foreign vessels are not too
severe So far as American, vessels are con-
cerned, the size of deck-loads is regulated
during the winter season rather from q
| humanitarian standpoint.
NTOw another point he makes in the favor
IN of American vessels Is that our seamen
| are excluded from the provisions of the COM
pensation law, while lthose from England,
| Germany and Norway are included. i am of
| the opinion that all but very few of our
States had passed this law when the United
| States Supreme Court on May 21, 1917, de-
| cided that the enforcement of its provisions
would come in conflict with the general mari
| time law. on October g. 1917, Congress
| enacted legislation to remedy this condition,
| giving claimants the right of appeal to the
| common law of any State. Again he speaks
| Of our vessels not having TO pay hospital dues
| for sick seamen, while such payments are
| required of vessels of foreign nations.
| T EFT me state that the wages of Amer
| IL lean seamen desertng must be paid tc
| our United States shipping commissioners
| who in turn transfer this money to the Unit.
| ed states Treasury Department to help main-
| tain tho marine hospital service. In foreign
| vessels, wages left behind by deserving sea-
| men revert to the ship owners, so this about
| eaualzes itself. The statement of Senator
| Fletcher that the wages of officers and crews
| constitute only a small percentage OF tht
| gross operating expenses of vessel will be
challenged by all shipping men. Take, fol
instance the signal failure on the part of the
/ United Fruit Company to operate betweef
Philadelphia and the West ipdieH. the Amert