The Arvada enterprise., 1911-04-06

the fear OF the foreign dungeon and the certain
return to his ship in irons holds him to his CON
tract And even with the fear OF certain re-en-
slavement staring him in the face the sailor un-
der the stars and stripes is far too often a de-
serter. II is Idle to argue that 1t is in the nature
OF the sailor to wander, to desert one master for
another. and that therefore laws are necessary to
prevent the disorganization of the merchant ma
rine. Every occupation has its devotees to whom
II calls In an insstent voice, and there thou
sands OF men who follow the sea from choice The
answer to the question. why is the sailor legally a
slave. must be found In an inquiry into the condi
uons from which he seeks to away. II he
likes to follow the there is reason why he
should forever try to leave 1t or to leave his
master and his flag except that the conditions
under which he is forced to work intolerable
And here lies the answer
The earliest known facts about the condition
OF the laborer at sea take us back to the ancient
laws Of the Norseman and to the code that gov
orned the sailors OF the ancient cities the
shores of the Mediterranean In the north the
laborer on land and at free man. The
sailor had the same status aboard his vessel that
his brother had in the Morse towns. He had the
same freedom of contract and the same voice in
the laws regulating the conduct OF his companions
and himself, The laborer of the south was chat
tel slave on land and He usually
prisoner of war and his body and soul belonged to
his master He was chained to his seat In the gal
ley and dashed to his task. Manual labor OF all
kinds considered to be debasing and per
formed only by slaves.
The Island OF Rhodes gave to the Medter-
ranean It's maritime law. and the Roman code was
patterned after that OF Rhodes When Rome con-
quered the countries OF the north she gave them
her laws for the regulation of labor on the as
well us on land. The all-pervading Idea of Roman
civilization was that labor is debasing. and the
laborer on land was n sert and on the sea he was
n slave The maritime power OF medieval Europe.
which was expressed through the laws of BARGE
Iona and later through the all powerful Hanseatic
League OF cities. was maintained through Roman
maritime law. 1t gradually overpowered and OBJ
liberated the law OF the north, and the free sailor
ceased to exist Since that day the sailor has
been n chattel slave.
When sailing vessels replaced the galley. II be-
came necessary that the sailors status as a slave
be maintained by rigid laws against desertion.
Freedom OF action was necessary for the operation
keep the sailor bound to the ship because injury
might come to the vessel through his desertion.
And so his status slave was maintained by
law on the principle of common hazard" All the
laws OF the Hanseatc League supulate that II any
harm come to a vessel while any sailor is absent
from shiphoard, the absent sailor shall pay the
damage The safety OF the vessel and her cargo
In the hands Of every board while
the vessel at or in foreign ports.
The progress of civilization has relieved the
ship owner and the master OF the hazard OF the
sea. Maritime insurance has been devised to pay
for losses through acts OF God. II ship sinks at