Evening star., 1939-04-09
Magnuson Measure
Seen as Hardship
On 5 5portsmen
Would Make Pleasure
Craft Subject to
Commercial Law
By MALCOLM LAMBORNE, Jr

BY MALCOLM LAMBORNE, Jr
Yachting is suffering from case
OF bill-itis, according to authorities
who point out the recent flood OF
Federal legislation directed at boat
Ing interests.
Some beneficial, some detrimen-
tai, the measures at least have been
instrumental in rallying boatmen
throughout the country for the first
time in the comparatively short
history of pleasure boating.
That yachting still is young can
be atteSted when it is realized that
before the World War pleasure
craft was as rare sight as a
square -rigged sailing ship is today.
The current siege began several
months ago when followers of the
sport became aware of the provi-
sions of all international labor
treaty. specifically draft conven-
ton 53 which would have required
small yachts and fishermen to carry
large staffs of licensed officers. The
American Power Boat Association
and numerous other groups and in
dividuals brought about the intro
duction of bill in the House of
Representatives eXempting all YES
sells of less than 200 tons.
F. ID. RS Signature a Relief.
With President Roosevelt's sigma
ture on the bill on March % boat
men were heaving a sigh of relief.
But the calm has been short
lived The clarion call has been
sounded again. this time by the
National Association of Engine and
Boat Manufacturers. They have
called attention to bill recently
introduced by Representative Mag
1luson of Seattle to place all motor
boats of Is tons and over under the
same rules of hull inspection. Ii
censed officers and equipment as
apply to ocean liners.
A so-called labor bill the meas
ure. according to the association,
would place some 5000 document
ed pleasure craft and several thou
sand additional privately owned
boats lust over the 15-ton limit at
the mercy of the numerous regula-
tions which have to do with COM
mercial vessels.
Opponents of the bill assert that
It's effect is every bit as harmful
as draft convention SO. But there
is one ray of hope. The bill, H. R.
1909, is in the form of law and
not a secret treaty. Hearings have
been scheduled this Tuesday be-
fore the House Committee on Mer-
chant Marine and Fisheries here.
Hope for Bills Demise.
Boating authorities are hopeful
that the bill will be killed in COM
mittee.
Tuesdays hearings will be attend
ed by representatives Of the Am
erican Power Boat Association. led
by George Rappleyea of Baltimore,
chairman of its Legislation Com
mittee, and probably President John
Remon. Another Washingtonian,
Col. John Potts, will be on hand
for the United States Power Squad
rons as aide to the chief command
er, Arthur Middleton of New York
City.
At the same time hearings will be
held on H. r. 1887, almost lden-
tical to the Magnuson bill except
that 1t does exempt recreatlonal
and fishing craft under 200 tons
from it's provisions.
AS mentioned earlier, the tide OF
boating legislation is not all harm
full to interests. In fact there are
three bills the Manufacturers AS
sociation plans to advocate at the
hearing.
One of these, H. R. 1885, in
troduced by Representative Bland
committee chairman on Merchant
Marine and Fisheries. would tighten
the penalties imposed on offenders
who run afoul of the Federal equip
ment laws. 1t would permit the Sec
retary of Commerce to remit or
mitigate heavy fines now incurred
under the Motor Boat Act. with the
provision that such violation does
not constitute an immediate haz-
ard to safety of life and that the
owner of the boat, within 80 days
after being notified of any violation.
shall furnish satisfactory evidence
that the condition reported has
been remedied.
The other two bright spots in
the boating picture are H. R. 1895,
eliminating present requirements to
have two copies of the Pilot Rules