The morning call., 1892-07-08
SHIPS And SAILORS.
Advantages of the Seamen's I'm.
ION 10 It's Members.
Before Labor Commissioner walts-Testimonv
of Captains Hinsdale and Smith and
Secretary Andrew Furuseth.

The investigation of the difficulties exist
ing between the Coast Seamen's Union and
the Shlp-owners' Association of this port
was resumed Yesterday before State Labor
Commissioners George w. Waits.
Captain q. S. Hinsdale testified that be
was one OF the directors of the Shfp-oyners'
Association. lie said he regarded Same of
the rules Of the Coast Seaman's Union az
exceptionally arbitrary. Witness claimed
there were no sailors now, and he did not
believe there were dozen men TO-DAY in
the Coast eamen's Union who knew how
TO work lead line. lie had seen very few
acts OIL Violence himself along the water
front. The union, he thought, was respon-
siOie Tor all the outrages, which, at one
time. were of almost daily occurrence and
which still occurred occasionally.
WAGES WE'RE FLUCTUATING.
In answer TO questions by MI MeGlynn
Captain Hinsdale said he had been directly
interested in the shipping business since
1878.
In 1880 the wages paid were $40 a month.
but were tiuctuatiug. When the sailors
struck the ship-OwnerS had to do the best
thing they could with boarding-masters to
secure crews. An executive committee that
called on the shin-owners to confer with
them in regard to the strikers on one oeca-
sion was composed of mOlder, lawyer
ana marine engineer
IN answer TO Mr.. Andrew FuruSeth Sec
rotary of the Coast Seamen's Union Can
TAIN Hlnsdale said lie was always in favor
OF keeping the same sailors on his vessels,
QUESTION OF CONTROL.
In reply to the Commissioner, CAPTAIN
Hinsdale said he knew of no trouble be-
tween the sailors and the Ship-owners in.
dlVlduaily. The vessels were going behind
in business for long time. There was an
abundance of sailors and a reduction of
wages was proposed. Witness did not stand
so mucn upon the question Of wages as he
dld upon the principle Of being allowed 10
central his own vessels. TwO-ffths OF the
vessels on this coast were owned by men
who began life as sailors.
Captain j. j. Smith, shir-owner, who
had been 30 years at sea, - of which he
had been master of vessel. testified that
he had shipped both union and non-union
crews. II e thought the main trouble grew
out OF growing unwilingness on the part
of members of the Coast Seamen's Union
to submit themselves to discipline. The in
subnrdlnati0n was shown in a thousand
small ways which masters of vessels could
best describe.
FOREIGN COMPETITION.
The witness said that lie preferred to
have his vessels employed whether they
made any money or not rather than they
should lie idle. 1t was best for the vessel.
lie had refused 10 make charters for Aus
tralia because he could not afford to pay
the union rate of wages, while the streets
were filed with idle sailors and business of
every description was depressed. At this
1uneture along came an English or a Nor
wegian vessel and took the business away
from the port.
In answer to Mr.. McGlynn, Captain Smith
said the expenses on board the English
or Norwegian vessels were much lower
than on American vessels.
+. E. Preble, who described himself as
secretary of the Retail Lumber Protec-
tive Association and also engaged in
shipping scabs," testified that he was secre-
tary of the Ship-OwneTs' Association in 1886
and saw great deal OF violence during the
strike that year, but had not seen any vio-
leDCe recently.
SECRETARY FURUsETH'S TESTIMONY.
Secretary Furuseth testified to the vari-
Gus abuses praciiced on the sailors by the
boarding masters prior to the organization
of the union and the evils of the crimping
system The membership of the union was
about 5000. 1t had benevolent features and
paid out last year to shipwTe2ked sailors
$685. Wages had fallen since 1888 when
they were S45 a month on Puget Sound ves-
sells TO $50 a month in 1885. when the union
was organized to stop further reduction
and establish a regular scale. Wages in
San Francisco are lower than on the lakes
and on the Atlantic coast. but the sailors in
the East never handle the cargoeS. The
moral condition of the sailors had greatly
improved since the organization of the
union. The organization had disciplined
some Of its members for doing ujustiee TO
employers. Most of the members of the
union were good sailors and could serve as
boatSwalns on men-of-waT.
The investigation Will be resumed at 80
o'clock this afternoon.