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| TINY) i | | J | ee uu A Hina tT TTT TATA ii AUN Uy ) Ill Ui TOT | \ ul I "ll we | | VOL. 51 NEW YORK APRIL, 1921 CLEVELAND : 4 : e | : a Seamen S Law Ruins Lake Lin : La Follette Act is Undergomng-lis Real I | es Result is Abandonment of Several Lake Routes ; oo ROM behind the war cloud which has masked its influence ever since enactment, the sea- men's law is emerging in its true colors as a real barrier to American marine success. after passage, this law brought about the practical withdrawal of the American flag from the Pacific: In the intervening years, the war prevented a test of the seamen's act. Just as the government im- mediately after taking over the railroads put into effect the increased rates previously denied on peti- tion from the land carriers, so in the case of water transportation the government ignored most of the barriers which shippers had ineffectually fought. Handicapped Before Starting But the influence of the war has become a mem- ory as far as business expansion is concerned. In the same way, the immense expenditures of federal funds, carried on, as in the marine field, for months after the armistice, are rapidly dwindling. In other words, private business, particularly American ship- yards and ship operators, are once again facing the keenest of world competition. Left to their own resources this condition might easily be met. But the old ball and chain of restrictive legislation, fostered by prejudice and enacted in ignorance, 1s showing again the retarding influence which was unnoticeable when shipping moved at war speed. Turn for a moment to the passenger lines of the Great Lakes. The Lake Huron division of the De- troit & Cleveland Navigation Co. will be abandoned this year after nearly a half century of continuous operation. The Ashley & Dustin line tied up its steamer the year after this boat had built up its 'greatest freight and passenger carrying record. On Lake Michigan four of five passenger lines with headquarters at Chicago are in the hands of re- ceivers. Detroit is left for the first time in 40 years without direct upper Michigan steamer connection. A. A. Schantz, president of the D. & C. line says: "The LaFollette seamen's act, and nothing else, put Shortly - 159 t t i j 2 i i our Mackinac boats out of business. We have lost: money on that line ever since the LaFollette act' became a law, and for 40 years before that time the line was a paying proposition. I venture to predict | that there will not be a passenger excursion boat in -- business on the Great Lakes in five years if congress does not modify the LaFollette seamen's act." The summer permit system is an illuminating il- lustration of the misworkings of this law. Drafted. after the London. safety conference, at which an ~ agreement to recognize the special conditions of. Great Lakes operation was reached, the law carried through as a safety measure under the strength of the Titanic lesson. Congress limited to the four months between May 15 and Sept. 15, the right of lake passenger lines to carry a maximum number of passengers. Take for instance the steamer City or ALPENA II, which has operated on the Lake Huron division and which will be tied up this year. She was originally built to carry 900 passengers and has lately been permitted to carry 634. Her crew numbered 120 officers and men. The total number allowed in the four midsummer months was thus ~ 754 and lifesaving equipment was based on that. number. Before and after May 15 and Sept. 15 respectively, she was allowed but 161 passengers. An Expensive Brand of Safety This ridiculous provision is in force although early. May and late September have no greater dangers than the summer months. The captain of the. ALPENA frequently omitted stops for freight at way ports owing to the certainty of gangplank fights' with determined travelers who could not understand refusal to let them board the well nigh empty boat. The seamen's law is neither entirely bad nor en- tirely good. Its application on the lakes should be removed and its ill effects on salt water remedied. It sprang from a conference on safety at sea but. this does not mean safety to American ships by preventing them leaving their docks. _ i