New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-02
Searnea1's Law
Change Sought
By SlliIpowners
Association Committee to
Visit Washington and
Testify Before the House
Body on Merchant Marine
Seek Transport Service
End of Competition by the
Government Urged for
Private Ship Operators

Recommendation for the amend
nent of the La Toilette seamen's law
will be laid before the House COM
mitsee on Merchant Marine and Fisher
les in the near future by committee
representing the American Steamship
Owners Association.
This committee, which will be headed
by j. d. Tomlinson, vice-president Of
the American Hawaiian Steamship
Company. will attend the hearings at
Washington on the Edmonds bill pro-
viding for the amendment of the sea-
mems law, to indorse the Edmonds
measure and to ask for its strengthen
ing on some points. 1t may be sought,
for instance, to have included the
provisions OF the Rowe bill, which
would mako it possible after one year
for the graduate of an American
training school TO become an able sea-
man. instead Of the longer period now
required.
To Revive Navigation Laws
In connection with these hearings it
Is probable that the report Of the
committee of American shipping ex-
perts who studied the navigation laws
Of the United States and made
recommendation thereon will be
taken up. The report OF this body,
which was headed by P. A. s. Franklin,
president of the international Mercan-
tile Marine Company, has been in the
hands of the Shipping Board for more
than a year, but has never been made
public.
among the provisions of the
Edmonds bill is one which provides
that in oil-burning vessels the men in
the engine room shall be divided into
two watches and on coal-burning YES
sells into three watches. At the time
Of the passage of the La Toilette law
the oil-burnng ship was not a factor
in the American merchant marine, and
the hard work consequent upon the
coaling Of a ship entailed q Tightening
Of the working period. The lighter
work in operating an oil-burning ship,
however, is regarded by shipping men
as not requiring three watches, and it
is sought, therefore, to effect the
economies possible under the two
watch system.
To Increase Penalties
Other provisions reduce the fire.
quency of the pay periods in foreign
ports and increase the present penal
ties for desertion and characterization
Another bill introduced by Mr.. Ed
monds will also be the subject of testi-
mony by representatives of the Ameri-
can Steamship Owners Association be-
fore the House Committee on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries. This measure
would authorize the government
through the Shipping Board to make
contracts for the carrying of army ant
navy supplies with view to the dis
placement of the governmental trans
Roft service by privately operated
American shipping. Under the present
svssem competition by the government
~ private shipping has arisen
s2AAs Britain has experin ented with
10th evsIems and now relies solely
Vsas raerchant vessels to perform this
yerv;r
Representatives Of the War ane
NsgY departments and the govern
fWent~owzed Panama Steamship Com
pany aave already been heard on the
measure. and the other side of the
case will now be taken up by repre-
sent4 tivas of the American shipping
companies who will argue in favor OF
re bill.