The Arvada enterprise., 1911-04-06

sea, no one loses but the sailor and his widow and
children. The property is paid for by the com.
muhty' 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 sea has removed the dangers
from piracy, and losses from state or local dis
turpahces are paid for by the states and localities
responsible.
And so the old principle of common hazard has
been abandoned so far the shipowner is con-
cerned through the operation OF maritime insur-
ance and modern laws. But how is It 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 shipowner would not
load his vessel to the danger point; he would not
FISK employing unskilled men too few sailors.
because he did not want to risk his property Now
ne does not care; insurance will take care OF the
risks, and the idea is to make all the money DOS
sble.
Let us look n 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 20 to sea, and why 1t is
sary to keep the American sailor a chattel slave
by law of congress. To begin with the American
sailor who would ship the high seas is com.
peHeu TO seek MS employment through "crimp."
The crimp is the runner for the notorious sailors
boarding houses which furnish crews for all
deepseagoinS vessels, He is the absolute master
of tho sailors employment. All deep-sea captains
ship their crews through the crimp. The crimp
is paid out Of the unearned wages of the sailor.
II Is called advance money" which the law per.
mits the sailor to sign away and which the system
compes him to sign away. The sailors call It
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 v 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
2l. 1898, prevents the payment OF this blood
money, called allotment to original creditor in
the domestic trade (coastwise shipping and the
trade to nearby foreign countries) But 1t is per
mitted In the deep-sea trade, and sailor ever
obtains employment on n deepsea.gong 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 tn. system
by a statute limiting the amount OF blood-mon
TO thirty dollars. The crimp ceased to exist ~,
the domestic trade when congress abolished the,
allotment to original creditor in 1898.
When the sailor gets aboard he ia compelled to
live In space feet long by feet high and
feet wide. This is the legal forecastle space (72
cubic feet) except In sailing vessels built or re.
built after June 80 1898. The sailors call II the
dog hole" to distinguish It from the FIRE hole"
tnrsmen's Quartcrs), and the glory hole" (stew.