OPERATING PROBLEMS OF THE AMERICAN SHIPOWNER. 23 
Seamen’s Act. 
It is the general belief that the repeal of the Seamen’s Act will place American shipping 
on an equality with foreign vessels. This is not the fact, however, because it is well known 
that before the Seamen’s Act was adopted American vessels were at a disadvantage in com- 
petition for world’s trade. 
What the Seamen’s Act really does is to place added burdens upon the American ship 
which are not applied to foreign vessels, and, while it should be materially modified, there are 
certain humane features which should remain undisturbed. I am confident that shipowners 
generally will approve of this policy. 
Those features of this Act, however, which have met with the greatest opposition from 
shipowners and which have caused the greatest hardships are the language tests, able sea- 
men requirements, the excessive requirement of lifeboat men and the frequent payment of 
wages to seamen in foreign ports. 
Section 14 of the Act, which relates to life-saving equipment, was taken from the regu- 
lations of the International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea. These regulations were in- 
tended primarily to apply to passenger vessels engaged in trans-oceanic trade. The applica- 
tion of these stringent requirements to our small coastwise and inland vessels has reduced 
their passenger allowances, ultimately forcing several of these companies to suspend 
operation. 
It has been earnestly recommended by the Shipping Board Committee that Section 13 of 
the Seamen’s Act be so amended that the extreme requirement of three years’ apprentice- 
ship for a rating as able seaman be reduced toa reasonable period so that this manifest dis- 
crimination against young Americans may be eliminated. It is well understood that this re- 
quirement of three years was craftily put into the law by the International Seamen’s Union, 
with its 90 per cent of foreign membership, so that Americans might as far as possible be 
discouraged from going to sea, and berths on American ships be left to be monopolized by 
aliens. 
Continuous Discharge Book. 
Another important recommendation of the committee affecting the seamen’s law and 
the seagoing personnel was one in favor of the introduction into the American service of 
the Continuous Discharge Book, with its record of the conduct and efficiency of seamen. 
It has long been in use in the British and other foreign services. This book has already 
been given out by the Pacific American Steamship Association with marked success and will 
be utilized also by the American Steamship Owners’ Association. 
So long as any usable part of the government-owned fleet remains in the possession of 
the Government it will act as a damp blanket on the hopes and plans of American shipown- 
ers and operators and also American shipbuilders. There is good reason to believe that, if 
the now proposed Shipping Bill is enacted, a very large proportion of the good Shipping 
Board tonnage can be disposed of within two years. American owners and operators very 
earnestly desire the continuous withdrawal of the Government from vessel ownership and 
operation until the government-owned fleet is entirely disposed of by sale or scrapping at the 
earliest practicable date. This is a first essential of the firm development of our merchant 
marine. 
