The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1911-04-07

tho fear of the foreign dungeon and the certain
return to his ship in irons holds him to MS con-
tract And even with the fear or certain reeH
slayement staring him In the face. the sailor uh'
dor tho stars and stripes is far too often ue-
serter It is idle to argue that 1t Is IN the ha'u
NJ the sailor to wander, to desert one master ioi
another and that therefore laws are necessary "
prevent the disorganzation OF the lhef'nans 80,
zinc Every occupation has its devotees 10 WHOM
=. oa,,s IN an insistent voice. and there are thou
sanas ~ men who follow the sea from choice ! no
orswer tn the question, why Is the sailor iesahS "
slave must be found in an inquiry into 'ne GNU
t,ons from which he seeks to run away
likes to follow the sea there Is no reason "A' W.
should forever try to leave 1t or 10 iease ns
master and his flag except that he conull S,a
under which he is forced to work are lhto'e' "o''
And here lies the answer condition
The earliest known facts about the conu
~ ,ohorer at sea take us back to the ancient
| ,awx If the Norseman and to the coue 'ne' eu
orned tho sailors Of the ancient cities Oh .io
J .,ores If The Mediterranean. In the ncf'h sn0
Iho-er on land and at sea free man. ~"
souor had the same status aboard his vesse' 'n"s
hts brother had In the Morse towns, no nau &,
seme freedom of contract and the sahe WV
n tho lows regulating the conduct OF his cohpahons
+ and himself. The aborer Of the south was No
fol slave on land and on sea. TIC was s ..
~ prisoner of war and his body and soui oei'e ~,
" his master He chained to MS sea. III 'no
st lev and dashed to his task. Mahuai iaool W -
ID kinds was consldefeo W VIC ~
81 formed only by slaves. 49,. Med,ter
M The Island OF Rhodes gave 10 the N"'N.so
- ranean its maritime law, and the Roman 'oue w.
IA patterned after that Of Rhodes Wheh no'ne
o. nuered the countries Of the north she gave 'n'
har Iaws for the regulation of labor on the sea a.
vel, as on land The all-pervading IDEA OF nom 10
o,,,,,o+ion was that labor Is debaslng' ana u"
~ ,ahorer on land serf and on lne DC" ne
slove The maritime power Of medieval Europ'
ct 80 r,,. exnressed through the laws OF barc'
Gun. ,ono and later through the a-powerful Hansea.
49, - cities was maintained through Roma
w n,artime law 1t gradually overpowered anu y
IN ,'s +ha law Of the north and the free sali'
nth oaosed 70 exist Since that day the sahof n'
free been chattel slave. q ,
Uhon calling vessels replaced the galley, IL
,or,o nocassary that the sailors status as STA
Tex he maintained by rigid laws against oesei.I.
1,.ooao,, nj action was necessary for the operati
~ - sai1ing vessel. but 1t was still necessary
~ boon tho sailor bound to the ship because n1u
lick, ~. oone IN the vessel through his deseru'
fails "a 60 bis status as slave was maintained
own Anu 81 49, ,.in,o ~ common hazard" All I
paid. Ia" GU tne - t, ooeue stimulate that If 9
800, come to vessel while any sailor is aps
XAS $50. sh,nboard the absent sailor shall pay
- ~ The safety Of the vessel and her ca
- was in the hands OF every man vi uo"'N
Tho vessel was at sea or In foreign poF's :
lights The progress VI laatar of the hazard Of
1tors shp-oWner anu Tue hl'9' - 'd.y;sed 70
1904 saa Maritime insurance mas peen ue,is0u W
exas. o.. ,ossos through acts of God II snip sinA