The new era., 1911-04-13

80, ~ ono ioses Dut the sailor and his widow and
cAiiaren. Inc property is paid for by the COM
munity, by you and by me; for insurance shifts
the burden OF loss from the shoulders Of the In
dlviduai to the shoulders OF the community Per-
iect ponclng OF the sea has removed the dangers
from piracy. and losses from state or local dis
turbances paid for by the states and localities
responsible
a And so the old principle Of common hazard has
been abandoned SO far the ship-owner 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 see
how this has worked to increase the hazard borne
by the crew. Formerly the ship-owner would not
load his vessel to the danger point; he would not
risk employing unskilled 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 can see 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 shpboard
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 chatte slave
by law OF congress. To begin with, the American
sailor who would ship over the high Is COM
PEELED to seek his employment through "crimp'
The crimp is the runner for the notorious sailors
boarding houses" which furnish crews for all
deep-seagoing 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-
mits the sailor to sign away and which the system
compels him to sign away. The sailors call it
blood money" The money is paid by the captain
directly to the crmp. In fact all the negotiations
carried on directly between the captain and
the crimp The sailor is not consulted at all.
More often than not. he is taken 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
81. 1898. prevents the payment Of this blood
money, called allotment to original creditor in
the domestic trade (coastw!se shipping and the
trade to nearby foreign countries). But 1t is per-
mitted In the deep-sea trade, and no sailor ever
obtains employment a deepsea- going 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 bloodmoney
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
live In a space feet long by feet high and
feet wide This Is the legal forecastle space (72
cubic feet) except in sailing vessels built
built after June 30 1s9S The sailors call 1t the
dog hole" to distinguish 1t from the fire hole"
(nremen's quarters) and the glory hole" tstew-