The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-28
JOHN FITCH (Exclusive Service The Survey Press

Bureau.)
 After three years a strike of sailors
 on the Great Lakes has been called
 off. Few people knew it, and if you were around the docks in Buffalo or Conneaut or Duluth you might not have suspected such a thing-unless you noticed a placard in some little shop, proclaiming that God All mighty hates a scab.''
 But the. strike had been on since the spring of 1909. During that time the personnel of the seamen on
 the boats has radically changed The lake boats were the last to fly the American. flag and to employ Ameri- can seamen, both having largely dis appeared from the high seas To- day the flag is still to be seen on the Great Lakes, but, according to re- cent testimony before the Stanley Committee, the American seaman has been displaced by the foreigner. I
 The strike began officially with the opening of navigation in 1909, but the trouble began in the spring of 1905 For the seven years 1901 to 1907 in- elusive, the Lake Carriers Association, which includes most of the shipping on the Great Lakes, made contracts CTS were not satisfied with the rela- tions existing during those years is shown by a resolution adopted April g, 1908, which declared that .'the ex- perience of the ship owners, managers and licensed officers for the past years has demonstrated the necessity principle, in order to give that control and direction of the ships which is required for the equal good of the owner, the employe of the ships and the independent trade.'' The ship owners accordingly refused in 1908 70 renew their contracts with the union.
 According to the sworn testimony of Victor Olander. secretary of the Lake Seamen's Union, before the Stanley Committee on February 8, 1912, a series of events followed which indi- cated that the Lake Carriers Associa- tion had determined to eliminate un- ion men from the Great Lakes. In the Lake Carriers Association decreed that men could be hired only through the shipping officers of the associa- ton. Prior to that they had been em- ployed wherever they could be secur ed, through the union headquarters. at their homes, or wherever they might be found. Then the associa- tion issued what were known as ship ping cards which a man had to have to get employment. On the back of it was a space for the ship master to write his opinion of the mans ser vices when he left the ship. Olander at Washington a card on which was written, Good wheelsman, but had too much to say about un- ions H. G. Began, Master, Steamer Mataafa',
 In June, 1908, the ship owners be- their union books. The union cir this plan by issuing dupi- cate cards. Next the officers came to the seamen with two slips of pa per, each one containing statement to be signed by the man; one state ment being an admission that the signer was a union man, and the oth- CT a statement that he was non- union man. To meet this new move, the union officials advised their mem- bers to sign the non-union slip.
 When the season of 1909 opened there was, put into operation by the ship owners what was known as a welfare plan, and on the introduction of this plan the men went on strike. It is claimed by the union men that the motive behind the plan and the effect of it is utterly to deprive them of their freedom.
 The feature which they consider in consistent with their rights is the method of employment through the welfare assembly rooms which were Each assembly room is to be an employment bureau for sea- men. The men in charge of the rooms issue certificates to those ap- plying for employment limited to one year. At the same time they fur nish record discharge book" bear ing the same number as the certif- cate. The employe is then assigned to the ship requiring his services but he must give up his discharge book l 10 the ships master. Upon leaving | he vessel, the book is to returned to | he man, with a written statement re- garding the character of his services. l
 To quote directly from the rules l governing this book: If this entry | De good or fair, the book shall be l direct to the mar, but when, | n the best judgment of the officer | with whom the book Is deposited, such l entry cannot justly be made. and in | every case of desertion, or failure ta | 'erve after engaging, the book shall | pc returned by the master to the gee.