The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-06-11
MORGAN INTERESTS !: |: ]
OPPOSE LEGISLATION
. TO RELIEVE SEAMEN

That the J. Pierpont Morgan steam
ship lines are preparing to transfer
their hag-allegiance from Great Brit
ain to the United States, because Of
the recently enacted English laws
which materially raise the standard
of living of the British seamen, is
the assertion of Andrew Furuseth,
president of the International Sea-
mems Union of America
And therefore the seamen's bill
before congress is being fought" ex-
planned Furuseth, ''by all the inter-
locked and allied interests which
bow to the names of Morgan and
Guggenheim.
There is the Lake Carriers asso-
ciation-controlled by the United
States Steel corporation-wagln
bitter fight against the seamen on
the great lakes. There is the Pa
cific Mail-owned to all intents and
purposes by the Southern Pacific
railroad-employing orientals at half
the wages demanded by our sailors
And so, when the subcommittee re-
fuses to report our bill abolishing
the present power Of the ship owners
to make the bodies of seafaring men
their private property, we. the sail
ors, know the reason why"
1mmOvably opposed to the seamens
union in it's demands for legal relief,
Representative Humphrey of Seattle,
Wash, had this to say, guarding his
words with the studied reserve, that
comes from an unwilling witness:
Il object to that part of the bill
which says that three-ouarters Of
the deck crew exclusive of licensed
officers, shall be- men who have at
least three years experience on deck
at sea or on the great lakes, and
that these same men shall have suf-
ficfent knowledge of English to un-
derstand orders given on shipboard.
II object to charging sailors quar-
tiers in the forecastle that would
mean much expense to the ship
OWNERS.
Il object to wiping out the law
Which allows the Imprisonment of
sailors who forfeit their wages and
leave their ships before the end Of
their term of service"
Pressed for a statement as to what
he would concede the sailors in the
way of legal relief, Representative
Humphrey only suggested that if an
American merchant marine could: be
built up through a ship subsidy that
then the sailors might hope for i'm
proved conditions.
FAruseth's answer to the Washing
ton Representative who is blocking
THE; hill, laid particular stress on the
.pract1cal slavery now existing on the
high seas.
why should sailors be still under
the yoke that was lifted from the
necks of the negroes nearly half a
century ago? -.
The right to imprison a seaman
for violation of contract to labor is
| part of that system of servitude un-
der which nearly all workers suffered
| during the middle ages. It was
| rzodified in British ports several
years ago. ;. :
1.-The adoption Of this bill into law
would give to the seaman in the
| United States the same personal lib
erty that is enjoyed by. all other per-
sons No reasonable excuse exists for
continuing the involuntary servitude
| imposed upon the seamen, and it is
not at all to be expected that any
American boy will seek the sea while
it is continued"
The secretary of the marine fire.
mems union, Patrick Flynn, is earn
estly supporting all that the men on
deck demand and in addition is ask
ing for law compelling at least three
watches in the fireroom. Such regu-
lations are now enforced by English,
French, German and Scandinavian
| governments He said: -.
Before the. tramp steam schooner
! came upon the Pacific coast the
| American boy had a chance to be-
come an engineer by following up
the calling of an oiler, but now they
| have even cut the oilers out, and so
the boy has no chance to advance
! himself in this calling. 49,.
with but two watches when a
ship is running explained Flynn,
'you might get four or five hours
sleep out of the twenty-four, and as
the safety. of the lives of all on
board depends upon men in the fire.
room being fit for duty it is but