MEL REQUIREMENTS TOO VAGUE FOR PIC RPTR TO UNDERSTAND SO PROPER LOGBOOK WRITE UPS WERE NOT PLACED IN BOOK. FEARS FAA VIOLATION.

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ON 5/XX/92 STARTED DAY WITH ORIGINATION FLT IN SDF. UPON OBTAINING FLT RELEASE IT WAS NOTED BY ME THAT THERE WAS AN MEL. THE L ENG HYD PUMP WAS PRESSURIZING THE SYS IN THE OFF POS. MEL STATED IT WAS OK FOR FLT. REMARK SECTION ON FLT RELEASE STATED 'MEL FOLLOW-UP ACTION REQUIRED.' I THOUGHT IT MEANT THAT MAINT WOULD CHK THE MEL ON EACH LEG. I FLEW ACFT 4 LEGS. AT EACH STATION; I CHKED WITH MAINT TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. ALL SAID IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. ON 5/YY/92 CAME INTO WORK TO FIND NOTICE ABOUT COMPLIANCE PROC TO FOLLOW UP MEL WRITE-UPS. ALSO STATED FAA WAS DOING ACFT LOGBOOK AUDITS. FAILURE TO MAKE REQUIRED ENTRY ON EACH LEG BY THE CAPT PLACES THE FLC ON VIOLATION OF FAR'S AND COULD LEAD TO CERTIFICATE ACTION. I DID NOT SIGN OFF LOGBOOK ON FOLLOW UP PROC. THIS EVENT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF MY OWN IGNORANCE. BUT ACCORDING TO THE FLT RELEASE; WE ARE EXPECTED TO KNOW ALL AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING. THIS IS JUST HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE. WHEN SOMETHING IMPORTANT IS TO BE NOTED BY THE CAPT; WHY NOT PRINT IT IN STRAIGHT FORWARD TERMS. INSTEAD OF 'MEL FOLLOW UP ACTION REQUIRED;' WHY NOT; 'MWL FOLLOW ACTION REQUIRED BY CAPT. LOGBOOK ENTRY REQUIRED; REFER TO FLT OPS MANUAL.' THEN THERE WOULD BE NO QUESTION THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.