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Y, Few “Ce Opening of Navigation on Giant Lakes Finds Trade Dis- turbed by shortage of Certificate-Carrying Able Seamen T HE breaking up of the ice on the Great Lakes this spring opens a navigation season that promises to attract the greatest ton- nace of freight ever transported on these inland commercial arteries. The demands of the blast furnaces scattered around the lower lakes can be satisfied only with a movement of from 53,000,000 to 55,000,000 tons of iron ore from the Lake ranges. The fuel demands of the north will require a coal movement from Lakes Erie and Michigan of 33,000,000 tons. Grain shipments from the head of the lakes will supply an additional 14,000,000 tons or about 480,000,000 bushels. Record Freight Movement Probable The prospective freight movement is so heavy that the full capacity of the entire lake marine will be needed from late April to early December. The iron ore shipments are expected to exceed the previous high record made in 1913, by about, 5,000,000 tons or 10 per cent. The coal movement will match the heavy shipments of 1913 and is expected to be 30 per cent greater than the average of the last five years. The grain shipments are expected to surpass any previous record by 20 per cent. Legislative Restrictions Interfere With Opening of Lake Season Superior: Few Americans Get Certificates The foreign trade department of the San Francisco chamber of com- merce recently procured from the United States local inspectors at the principal ports an official statement of the number of seamen who had received certificates since the sea- men's law became effective. statement issued by the chamber as a preface to the table showing the results achieved under the law, it is asserted that “these figures show how much the ‘American’ seamen is benefitted.” Total num- Native born Per per passed. Americans. cent. 891 9 it Ports— Puget Sound ... Portland New Orleans . Baltimore Naturalized Per Americans. cent. Aliens, cent. 864 97 Ports— Puget Sound.. 18 Portland 44 San Francisco 345 Galveston .... 0 New Orleans... 10 Baltimore .... New York.... Bostone acces Philadelphia .. G Gogeg SAM consumed a week or ten days in properly greasing the ways for launching his Villa-hunting punitive expedition into Mexico, 4,000 strong. The chiefs of this country’s marvelously capable Great Lakes fleet re- quire only three times as long a period to assemble an army of workers eight times greater. The muster of the crew is, moreover, only a part of the work represented in bringing the fleet from a state of almost complete in- activity in late March to a condition of fullest activity three or four weeks later. The ships must be freed from all marks of their winter lay-up, every part of the vessel must be inspected, overhauled and repaired or replaced, if necessary. Stores must be provided, and attention given to all of the innumerable details of fitting-out. When the ice “goes out” on the lakes, the value of this policy of “preparedness” is evident. The iron ores of the northern ranges are brought down to rebuild the disap- pearing stockpiles at Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania fur- naces. The coals of the latter states go on a similar mission to the railroads and industries of the north. Grain leaves its ice-locked refuges to Satisfy the hunger of aes The winter's cut of timber moves to the mills. The ships carrying other clas freight also will be called up move record-breaking tonnages, lumber industry will keep the ber-carrying fleets running to pacity. The package freighters benefit not only from the large nages that the present busines pansion would produce, but wi ceive an even greater bulk qd freight congestions on the rai riers. The passenger interes view of improved business conditi expect and are preparing for a usually heavy season. In a Results of Federal Restrictior The vessel owning interests of Great Lakes have repeatedly den strated their ability to meet un dented traffic demands. The shi pers have learned to rely upon th latent capacity and under normal ditions would feel assured of the : handling all the freight proffered Proof that normal conditions do prevail, is found in the belief, fr expressed by some vessel owners shippers, that the full fleet will n be in service all the time, and mo particularly during the opening weé of the season. If this belief is st carrying capacity of the fleet wil To the men most intimately associated with this an- nual revivification of the fleet, the work is rather com- — monplace. Their unvarying success, year after year, m bringing the lake marine to its full capacity within the span of a few weeks, has obscured the importance of the achievement. The fleet has always been ready for, busi- ness when the ice broke up. e , But this year conditions are different. Some doubt has arisen as to the ability of the vesselmen to have their fleets fully prepared when the navigation season — opens. In view of the signally large freight movement expected this year, this uncertainty is disquieting. Backed up by records of past years, no doubt can be felt | of the ability of the lake vessel managers to mect any tonnage problems the seasan may develop. What, then, is the disturbing factor? Governmental interference with business, through legis- lative restriction, furnishes the answer. The accompanying article deals particularly with the provision of the La Follette law concerning “certificated” seamen. This clause has brought about an unusual situ- ation in connection with the manning of the fleet. Ths condition is discussed and analyzed, ported by developments, the freight