New-York tribune., 1922-10-08
|pternational Farley to Adopt
Rules Covering Cargoes at Sea
clippers, Vessel Owners and Marine Underwriters
Near End of Controversy Lasting for Decades: !:
New Regulations to Simplify Bills of Ladna
By David S. Kennedy

,.-.rss Of the greatest impor-
s'.a - shippers, steamship owners
'ass7 ,sar;ne = underwriters begins in
~ .as,a. n', tomorrow, when the comite
ssassr .,.s..;a,s international meets to CEN
i. n.;form rules covering the car
w.. ~ goods at sea. After contro-
l'ass ws,eh has lasted for decades,
.s.s .ssss is a strong possibility that an az,
we snrsement win be reacnea wniGh VIII
sgrs1f s;ga.nlify the multitude OF oewiider,ng
simpn.t, .,oas row Incorporated in the
Iegaiasf'sldi I;lIa ~ lsding in use throughout the
worn. rs s,s.rasions shippers and ship
fos nave been fighting to protect
oEae's as ~, ;nterests in the safe transit
yea noads in foreign trade. The battle
has bsen carried on with varying sue
.s .sss with the result that each mari
sms s nation has different practices and
,.m. ~. Far many years the steamship
sa"s i nod the upper hand and inserted
i,as' ;a.a tbsir bills of lading provisions
,,s;.s M practically exempted them from
nah;j;tr for loss or damage. More re-
.antiy The shippers have been success
nj al The Harter act has given to
,reriean exporters q higher standard
han has prevailed in most foreign
countries, but even here there has been
= insistent effort in the last few
wars TO saddle greater responsibility
spon the snip lines.
Demands for similar or more drastic
laws abroad have forced the steamship
companies especially to undertake the
adoption Of uniform and more just
regulations for their own protection.
The result is the present movement
for the so-called Hague rules, in which
sn effort is made to arrive at regula-
tions which will be fair to all interests
and which will establish uniformity
among all nations. Commerce is in
teYnational and it is recognized that
the rules governing commence should
be equally universal.
Uniformity Necessity
The desire for uniformity is ex-
pressed by all concerned. The diff
Guilty has come in formulating rules
satisfactory to all. Since the first
draft Of the Hague rules was pro-
posed at the meeting of the Interna-
tional Law Association in 1921 there
has been determined contest between
the shippers, underwriters and owners.
The present revised rules represent a
which, in the nature of
is not satisfactory in all
respects. The regulations, to a large
tgtent, mean success for the shippers
md concessions from the ship owners in
.ae freedom which they have enjoyed
fsr years. The truth of this is shown
by the fact that the rules are generally
approved by exporters, bankers and in
sgranee companies. while the steamship
Ines Vigorously oppose many of their
features. The American Steamship
E1snsrs Association last week pro
| POSED substitute rules which would null
1 liy the central provision Of the Hague
document
Il Mthe situation stands at present, all
interests have come to an approximate
understanding on important clauses ex-
1 cept that which would make the ship
lines fesponsible for concealed loss or
damage to goods which they have trans
ported. In this they are Numerically
opposed to shippers and underwriters
The issue is to be fought out in the
conference, beginning tomorrow.
It is probable that the Comite Mari
lime will approve the revised rules
pver the antagonism of the ship own
Ms and that the decision will be rati-
,ed at the Diplomatic Maritime Con-
erence, to be held in Brussels on Octo-
'er u. The ship lines are or the los
1ng side because in the background is
no certainty that unless the Hague
ples are adopted the legislatures ~of
ae various countries stand ready to
nact laws more drastic in nature.
The Hague Rules
Inc Hague rules are incorporated in
long and technical document, but the
ore important features may be sum-
arized as follows:
!. The ship line must employ due
lligence in making the vessel sea-
orthy and in proper stowage, handling
q The shipper is responsible for de-
Ca Uc