The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-08-10
SAFETY AT SEA BILL
May DIE IN SENATE.
Opponents of Seamen's Bill Busy.
Trade Unions Urged to
Deluge Senators.

i. A. Hanson, secretary OF the In
ternational Seamen's union of Amer
lea, this week, made an urgent ap-
peal to the trade unions of America
to deluge the members of the United
States senate with kilograms and let
tiers urging the immediate passage
of H. r. 23673 known as the Sea-
mems bill. The measure passed the
house of representatives and is now
pending before the senate. The enc
mics Of the bill succeeded in caus-
ing much delay in the house. They
are now trying the same tactics in
the senate, and the time for adjourn
ment is dangerously near.
In appealing to the trade unions
to assist the seamen in the passage
of the bill, Mr.. Hanson says, "Our
efforts Of 20 years to secure neces-
sary laws have now reached the
climax. Delay means defeat. We
must look to our friends to help us
by quick action.
Don't Forget Titanic.
For the sake of. the men, women
and children who go on ships for
travel or pleasure, don't forget the
terrible lesson of the Titanic horror,
and don't let the senators from your
state forget.
"Our bill will promote safety Of
life at sea on the great lakes by
providing that percentage of the
seamen of three years experience on
deck. It declares that 40 per cent
of the sailors in the first year must
be able seamen. This will increase
5 per cent each year until the maxi
mum 65 per cent is reached. It pro-
vides that rs per cent of the crew in
each ship must be able to understand
the orders of the officers; and that
passenger vessels must carry crew
sufficient to man each life boat with
two men with a rating of able sea-
men or higher.
Freedom for Seamen.
1T will give freedom to the sea-
men, by repeating the laws and
treaties under which American sea-
men on American ships in ports in
the foreign trade, who quit their
jobs, are now treated as runaway
slaves, captured and forced to work
against their will, or sentenced to a
foreign jail as though they were
criminals; and thereby foreign sea-
men in American ports are subjected
to the same degrading treatment:
1T will promote the upbuilding Of
the American Merchant Marine far
more than any ship subsidy scheme
ever can or will, and that without
taxing the public. It will do this
by recognizing the right Of all sea-
men in American ports to ownership
in their own bodies, giving them the
right to quit their jobs when the
vessel has arrived at a safe harbor.
The economic effect of this will be
to equalize the cost of operation as
under which foreign ships coming to
American harbors will have to come
up to American standard in order to
keep their crews
General Slocum, Too.
1.-THE bill will benefit the travelling
public by promoting safety of life
1t will benefit the sailor by giving him
freedom, an opportunity to secure
justice, and greater safety of life. It
will benefit the nation, for it will tend
to build up the American Merchant
Marine and to bring into existence
a greater body Of native American
seamen.
Remember the fire horror Of the
steamer General Slocum. Nearly a.
thousand lives were sacrificed. The
United States commission Of investi-
cation then held that one of the es-
sential facts that caused the loss Of
so many lives was the inefficiency
and poor quality of the deck crew of
this vessel, doubtless typical of the
majority Of the crews Of excursion
| steamers.
what did congress do, then, to
require efficient deck crews of ex-
! perienced seamen? Nothing.
"Remember the Titanic. Sixteen
hundred lives were sacrificed. The
committee Of survivors in their pub
| lie statements declared:
The insufficiency of lifeboats.
RATS, etc.; lack of trained seamen to
man same-stokers, stewards. ETC..
| are not efficient boat handlers: not
| enough officers to carry out emer-
gency orders on the bridge to super
intend the launching and control OF
life-boats; absence Of searchlights.'
What will congress do now, to re.
qu1re the proper manning Of ships
Every trade union and every public.
spirited citizen is urged to write to
Senators Nelson and Clapp. askina
them to assist in the passage Of this
worthy, timely and most necessary
| measure"
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