Evening journal., 1909-07-30
GOMPERS HITS
TIPPING EVIL
How it Really Amounts TO
Graft on the Part Of Steam
ship Companies
LABOR LEADER COMMENTS
ON LIFE ON A STEAMER

BY United Press Leased Special Wire.
WASHINGTON. July S0--Men and
women herded together like cattle:
human slaves sweating their lives out
I'm the stoke holes of the ship. for al
most nothing in the way of wages;
employees cringing and fawning for tips
to make up the pay that the trans
portation companies are lodging.
These are some of the observations
made by Samuel Gompers. president
Of the American Federation Of Labor.
on his way 10 Europe. aboard one NJ
the large first class liners bound for
Liverpool
As he took the trip for the purpose
OF studying conditions of labor Mr..
Gompers thought Il would be good
idea TO begin on the voyage over SO
/ he wrote the captain a note, stating
his desire to inspect the ship. and tell
ing him frankly his purpose. In the
August number Of the Federationist
the official organ Of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor. Gompers tells how
the captain readily agreed TO place a
guido at his disposal. but how the
guide In question hustled him past the
plague spots so fast that he was able
10 see practically nothing OF the real
conditions among the working sailors.
BY reason Of a little detective work,
later. however, Gompers was able 20
obtain a very fair description Of the
conditions.
Abuse Of Tipping System.
The abuse OF the tipping system was
TO Gompers one of the worst evils, on
board tho ships. The stewards, he
writes. are paid only $500 a year a'
+ wages. The passengers are obliged "a
make up the rest LITTLE wonder.
he says. that the stewards faithfully
work their charges for the tips In
, maintaining the tipping system, IN,
! steamship companies manifest q
p shrewd perception Of their own inter.
ests. TIP takers rarely, II ever
strike. Every eager tip seeker studies
the short and sure route 10 the shilllnl
or pound awaiting his quest in thu
liberal passengers pocket. The tippes
servants vocabulary Of tip-gratitude
his gestures Of obseduiousness. hii
methods Of forcing upon his intended
victim a series Of subtle and unneces
sary attentions: his habltual air %
profound deference--what is all this
but the practice OF a profession n
which the most successful need hav'
the least heart or maliness."
Stewards Should Form Union.
compers suggests that II the stew
ards would organize and form a unioi
they could force the steamship com
ranies 10 pay them decent wages. an
the long suffering passengers would b
relieved OF the burden they are carry
ing. According 20 his computation
= Gompers says that $1,000 in tips
given up by the passengers every tri
across the water. This sum shoul
be paid TO the employees BY the steam
= ship companies. but as IL is paid b
the foolish passengers instead, he n
. marks It is nothing more nor less tina
!. graft" for the corporations.
IIo says that the working sailors :
the ships get from $50 70 $50 a monu
sleep In miserable quarters, and Al
supplied with the worst sort Of foo
Although the steamship regulation
are supposed TO allow the liner thi
Gompers Travelled in, TO carry no moi
j., than 1.1s5 steerage passengers he say
D" Il frequently carries more than 200