The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1911-04-08

sea no one loses but the sailor and his widow
chiidren. The property is paid for by the
munity by you and by me. for insurance shifts
the burden of loss from the shoulders of the In
dividual to the shoulders of the community Per
fect policing of the has removed the dangers
from piracy and losses from state or local dis
turbances are paid for by the states and localities
responsible.
And SO the old principle OF common hazard has
been abandoned SO far as the shipowner Is con-
cerned through the operation OF maritime insur-
ance and modern laws But how is 1t with the
sailor and with you and me? 1t is easy to
how this has worked to increase the hazard borne
by the crew. Formerly the ship-owner would
load his vessel to the danger point: he would not
FISK employing unskied men or too few sailors.
because he did not want to risk his property. Now
he does not care: insurance Will take care OF the
risks and the idea is to make all the money pos
sible.
Let US look little more closely into the condi-
ton OF the sailors occupation that has been
evolved out of this hodge podge OF laws, ancient
and modern. And then very clearly
how this condition affects not only the sailor but
you and me and every other American citizen A
brief comparison Of the conditions shipboard
under the American flag with those under the
flags OF other nations will explain why the Ameri-
can boy does not go to sea, and why 1t is neces-
sary to keep the American sailor chattel slave
by law Of congress. To begin with, the American
sailor who would ship the high seas is COM
PEELED to seek his employment through "crimp"
Inc cTlILp Is the runner lOf the notorious sailors
boarding houses which furnish for all
deepsea-gong vessels He Is the absolute master
OF the sailors employment. All deep-sea captains
ship their crews through the crimp. The crimp
is paid out of the unearned wages of the sailor.
1t is called advance money" which the law per-
mts the sailor to sign away and which the system
compels him to sign away. The sailors call 1t
blood money" The money is paid by the captain
directly to the crimp In fact all the negotiations
are carried on directly between the captain and
the crimp. The sailor is not consulted at all.
More often than not, he Is taken on board after
having been literally treated to "third rail" or
doctor" drink that robs him Of all conscious
ness. The practice smacks very much Of the old
practice Of "shanghaing" The act Of December
21. 1s9s prevents the payment Of this blood
money, called allotment to original creditor in
the domestic trade (coastwise shipping and the
trade to nearby foreign countr1es). But 1t Is per
mitted In the deep-sea trade, and sailor ever
obtains employment on deepseagOing vessel
without having visited the crimp. The crimp
exists because the law permits him to exist, by
permitting the assignment OF advance money.
One state oregon, actually recognized the system
by statute limiting the amount OF blood-money
to thirty dollars. The crimp ceased to exist in
the domestic trade when congress abolished the
allotment to original creditor" in 1898.
When the sailor gets aboard he Is compelled to
feet wide. This is the legal forecastle space az
cubic feet) except in sailing vessels built or re-
built after June 80. 1898. The sailors call 1t the
dog hole." to distinguish It from the "fre hole"
(nremen's quarters). and the glory hole" tstsw'