The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-03-02
FOR THE SAILOR.

During the coming French exposition,
as people will be congregating from all
parts of the world, there is to be All
international marine congress- at
Paris. After spending some few years
on the globe one begins to doubt the
efficacy of congresses. They as a rule,
lead to streams of talk, and the object
aimed at goes by the board. If one re-
members correctly there was a congress
of religions during the Chicago exhibit
ton, and many reams of paper were
smeared with the accounts of how
Rabbi This, Mahatma That, and Infidel
the Other, fratranized with Bishop of
Here, Elder of There, and Brethren
from Everywhere. It was a moving
spectacle and, as a fact, it has kept
moving ever since. Each worthy mem
Der has been keeping out of the way
of his confreres, and as for the different
bodies, they hate one another worse
than ever.
But after the Chicago Success" in
religious way the world took a tumble
| to itself and decided upon a bigger
watchword, and in consequence the
peace congress was held. 1t was a
truly beautiful sight, to those who were
privileged to see it, to contemplate the
representatives of the great nations OF
the earth laying down methods for
bringing about the tabled millennium.
At the same time the United States
1.ix
pinos with quick-fring guns and rifles,
and not many weeks afterwards Great
Britain was trying, it must be said not
with any very great degree of success,
to prove that when argument failed,
guns were very necessary to bring
about an understanding. In spite or
beautiful theories it seems probable
nations will have to continue to settle
their quarrels with hard blows, and
leave congresses alone.
But though one may not have much
confidence in congresses, one always
hopes something from them and it is a
fact that wrongs have been alleviated
If not done away with, through public
| ity. Now the case of the sailor is es-
pecially hard, and he misbehaves him
self and gets into trouble too frequent
| y to have very much sympathy, but
we, who live in an island community
know the sailor well, know his gall
lantry in taking charge of property and
/ life, and the acts of heroism performed
! by some of the toughest of them.
! T therefore, we take an interest in the
/ International Marine Congress at Paris.
The prospectus of this congress is now
issued, and has been forwarded to the
Star. The affair is divided into five
| sections, and the case of the seaman is
contained in the last. viii it ever be
reached? The ideas are practical
enough. The question is asked, What
steps should be taken to amelioriate the
national and moral condition of the
seafaring menu" and the replies are to
be on the lines of aid to wrecked sailors
and their families, Libraries and assoc
Citations, free voyages, etc.
The second question deals with the
savings bank proposition, and discusses
whether the state or individual exertlon
provide that provision for old age
which is needful. The third question
deals with the hospitals on land and at
sea.
Will the congress do any good? That
the question of the welfare of the sea-
men is a vital one in all commercial
nations is a truism. But the various
states Of the world rush into special
legislation and make the last state of
the seaman worse than the first Every
seaman and captain has more laws
hanging over his head in one hour than
a landsman has in ten seconds. The
fact is some sailors are unruly, and
again some captains are the veriest
kind of brutes and treat their seamen
like dogs, or one would say in a man
ner in which no one would treat a dog,
still less human being.