Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-05-17
TUESDAY. MAY II. 1921.
Defending Their Monopoly


Il I was not expected that certain recent ut
- terances in this column. which again
called attention OF the public ut large to
The Siate-sanctioned monopoly over pilotage
: in Hampton Roads enjoyed by the Virginia
.lhoiS Association would escape rejoindcr
The pilots in the past hayc been rcNourceful
and successful in defending the monopolv
that Virginia has conferred upon them They
atstill are just rs rcsourccful as ever: whether
I or not they will he successful again depends
OIL the extent 10 which Virginia is aroused
3 to the absolute necessity of freeing IIamp-
ton Roads from choir domination, if it is 60
: become the great world port all .Nrginians
y desire il to be II Virginia lets ii be THOR
-ouEhly understood That ii is greater than
I the pilotase munupuly then that monopoly
will be broken Thirty men, upon whom
< tho State mistakably conferred a piotagc
( corner" that pours riches into their Laps.
cannot control Virginia Legislature if the
: people speak out as they will once they
understand.
The Hampton Roads Maritime Exchange
has volunteered It's ala in dclonse OF the
Pilots Association IN a set OF resolutions
ii finds that the pilots during the recent
war won tho unstntcd praise Of command
ing officers OF tile United States Army and
Navy" for the manner in which they han
died hundreds Of thousands OF troops en-
barking and disemb4rk!ng there That is
trrc But IS there any logical reason why
SO herculoau a task should Nave dryolycd
upon so few "a thirty mon? Had tile uxpcc-
lations of those who wrote the law been mot
close corporation with membership SO
strictly limited would not have been the sole
resource in a time q NATIONAL emergency
II is found ag!..n !.uu Oily set forth that
IN the marine strike of 1919 the pilots
stepped into the breach and 10y docking and
lnrl.i D..
commerce and prevented a lic-up OF the
railroads Granted tina, They did such loyal
and efficient service Uut il was stiU Tho
alright little body OF thirty men VINO had
control OF the port Had these thirty men
declined Ia serve in the strike emergency.
Virginia would have been helpless in the
hatdS OF the strikers Is there Il logical rca-
son why the great state OF Virginia should
be dependent upon q handful OF pilots?
Even now, the resolution continues. ar-
other strike is. in progress and tho pilo.s
arp rendering service similar to mat of
1913. Again then Hampton Roads ana
Virginia arc depending on these thirty men
to keep the port open ana its commerce.
moving.
In every emergency, in war and in peace.
it IS these thirty men t. whom Virginia ,nusi
look. No one else IAN render Virginia such
neddful service q" Us port for tho pilots
limit their membership rigldy lha, the
division OF PROFITS reliably reported no BE
upvards Of a million d liar YEAR NAV h..
the greater, an! Tie law specifically saws
that every YES RS ep' those p0yIuv rA.
coast. must take 4i Virginia pil.t ID
one OUTSIDE ttc organization. no matter how
efficient need apply
M wonder then Unit tAs Virginia pilots
hdpc TO see greater Hampton Roads IL
means more siEps o. take in ana ont NOR.
Gl~ ,irlfs an rt.sls 3D. O. @.