Thomsen

At the pre-trial in the above matter on May 22, 1950, the respondents herein moved the court to require libelant to then elect to proceed to trial either upon his cause of action under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.'C.A. § 688, or upon his cause of action upon the grounds of unseaworthiness. The libelant moved to transfer the above action from the Admiralty to the Civil side of the court.

Respondents rely upon Reed v. The Arkansas, D.C.S.D.Cal.1950, 88 F.Supp. 993 , and the cases cited therein, including Pacific S. S. Co. v. Peterson, 278 U.S. 130 , 49 S.Ct. 75 , 73 L.Ed. 220 . Also cited therein is Skolar v. Lehigh Valley R. Co., 2 Cir., 1932, 60 F.2d 893 , and McGhee v. United States, 2 Cir., 1947, 165 F.2d 287 .

We hold these cases not controlling.

In the Pacific S. S. 'Co., case, supra, the matter of election between a suit under the Jones Act and an action for unseaworthiness was not properly in issue 'before the court, and the language in that decision is dictum.

In addition, German v. Carnegie-Illinois Steel Co., 3 Cir., 1946, 156 F.2d 977 and McCarthy v. American Eastern Corp., 3 Cir., 1949, 175 F.2d 724 , certiorari denied 1949, 338 U.S. 868 , 70 S.Ct. 144 , 94 L.Ed. -, are…