The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-10-28
SAILOR Comments on
DULUTH news REPORT
Takes Shot at Daily Papers for
Misrepresenting Position of
Union Seamen.
Doesn't Like Reference to Mu-
tiny, Minus the Blood, and
Thunder Accomplishments.

Duluth labor people may be in
terested in the following comment
OH a news report from Duluth hy
member of the Seamsn'; Union i'll
the Journal, the official organ cf
the union. The news item appeared
in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and
was as follows:
Duluth, Sept. 29.-A real mutiny,
minus the blood and thunder. ac-
compartments of the Clark Russell
novels, took place on the barge Ma
tanzas last night. Instead of de-
manding more grog and plum duff
all the crew, Of the Matanzas wantei
was a few more inches of canvas on
the hatch covers, which they claim.
ed were not of sufficient length foc
safety. The barge, which was bowl
ing down Lake Superior in tow of
the steamer Shenandoah at the time
of the uprising, was brought back to
port. Upon reaching shore a rep
resentative of the Seamen's UnioT
Investigated the case and upheld the
sailors. New hatch covers were then
provided and the two vessels resum-
ed their voyage this afternoon. The
boats belong to Captain James
Davidson, of Bay City.
The foregoing appeared in the
Cleveland Plain Dealer under date of
September 80, and shows the opin-
ion of that paper on sailors and sea.
faring men in general. I must ad-
nit that that paper is not alone in
it's hatred of seamen, but few per-
sons, and even fewer newspapers,
vent their spleen so openly. "A real
er accompaniments of Clark Russell
novels" is good. We all know that
the men, according to the lands
mans idea, should have made the
trip. If the weather held good, and
the barge got safely through, then
all right. If a blow came up, and
seas began to break over her and be-
cause of sufficient hatch cloths, she
leaked water into her hold and final
! ly went the way of the old Pretoria,
then all the sympathy would be due
her owners ! But no sympathy for
the crew from the Plain Dealer al
this time of the season, when old
Superior has her war paint ON. a.a5.s:1gs e. =
:. The: owners should be compelled
by law to furnish, adequate protec-
t1on for their crews. I am we'll aware
that there are several old tubs which
would be better at the bottom of the
Lake, but l do not know any seamen
who want to go with them. The
chances are good that the crew OF
the Matanzas were in the right, elso
they would not have been upheld by
their agent. Neither would Captain
Gordon have submitted to their de-
mands. But am not going into the
right and wrong of the thing, for
only have the Plain Dealers article
to go by. But the gross injustice
toward seamen in general is what l
dislike. ''Everything for the owner,
let the sailor drown" appears to be
the motto Of the Plain Dealer. The
brave men who gave their lives to
the Sevona, that her passengers
might be saved, have apparently
died in vain. Not one word of credit
have they received, and before the
snow falls their very names will
cease to be a memory to all except
their comrades and the dear ones
left behind. I note in a current
newspaper-the Plain Dea1er, OF
cOurse-that the owners are very
much exercised over the order for
another inspection of their vessels.
II they are safe and in goot condi-
tion, why do the owners object to
their being inspected?
A local, newspaper, of date Sep
tember 20, had scare-head article
of news: "A Drunken Sailor Saved"
A switchman had found some man
asleep near the railroad tracks and
awakened him. There was nothing
to show that he was sailor, except
that he was drunk! Do you wonder?
COnneaut, 0. w. H. J,