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Show 1 service has shown no manifest improvement In efficiency. Last September 10, the crew of the government-owned Algic, a freighter, staged a mutiny . at Montevideo, a sit-strike. Thursday a federal court jury convicted the crew of fourteen of conspiracy to revolt. Thirteen remain in jail , awaiting sentence Monday, while the other i to undergo hospital treatment before facing the court. The possible penalties are five years in prison or a $1000 fine or bothJ A motion lor new trial is to be filed and argued today. If these two incidents are not sufficient to cause prospective travelers to lose confidence in American ships and the ability of officers to control their men. consider that Senator Cope-land, Cope-land, speaking of his committee's job, said, "This is one of 200 similar cases!" So, is it any wonder that Americans may ask, "What is this merchant marine we hear so much aboJt. that started the scandalous ocean mail fraud revelations, that is to be so richly fed subsidies sub-sidies from the public treasury?" A large merchant mer-chant marine is wanted by the nation to keep the American flag on the seven seas. It is needed for service as a naval auxiliary in wartime. The people, even those living far inland, desire it but they want one to be proud of, one in which to repose confidence. To attain this, stringent laws and rules governing owners and labor are neces-saiy, neces-saiy, but wilhnut rigid and impailial eiifune- ment they will be wholly meaningless. New Service for Marines? 'THE new maritime commission asked for bids Thursday on the construction of twelve fast cargo carriers expected to cost between $18,000,-000 $18,000,-000 and $23,000.000 largest peacetime order for merchantmen ever placed in this country in time of peace. Thi cause (peculation as to whether or not companies of marine will have to be added to the usual complement of seamen. The thought la stirred by two recent events and by other (till fresh in memory. It also call up history of the steamboat inspection service. Is it competently com-petently organized, directed and manned? I it wholly worthy of the confidence reposed in it? Tha question is asked in the mildest manner possible. All of the confusion in respect of these things suggest that possibly no one will want to travel on ship flying the American flag unless some inexcusable conditions are remedied. It may be a great mistake to speed up the new construction construc-tion program, even as a recovery expedient. Possibly Pos-sibly tha same number of men could be put to work and an equal amount of materials consumed con-sumed to better advantage on other public works enterprises. When the Dollar luxury liner went aground off Formosa last week, rescued passengers reaching Manila declare, sailors broke into the bar, became drunk and disorderly, attempted to molest women aboard, threatened protesting passenger pas-senger that they would "take care" of their luggage, lug-gage, refused to execute the orders of the ship's officer and in general created a "state of rebellion" re-bellion" aboard the disabled ship. Crew members deny the charge and say that passengers partook par-took liberally of liquor, that there was no "rebellion" "re-bellion" and that they were forced to work on the leaking ship in the face of great danger. Senator Copeland, chairman of the senate Joint maritime committee, said in Washington Friday that a broad and deep inquiry will be conducted, preparatory to framing new maritime mari-time labor laws. As we recall, a broad and deep inquiry was made when the pleasure steamer Morro Castle went aground off the Jersey coast, burned to water's edge, one of the greatest tragedies of the sea. Shameful neglect of duty by the steamboat inspection service was shown, a hastily recruited and untrained crew was placed aboard the fire-. fire-. trap ship because oldtime and experienced salt water sailors knew of unsafe conditions and would not sign for the homeward cruise. Many reports since have indicated that the inspection |