The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-05-20

To quote directly from the rules
, governing this book: If this entry
4, be good or fair, the book shall be re-
turned direct to the man, but when,
in the best Judgment of the officer
with whom the book Is deposited,
such entry canot justly be made. ana
in every case of desettion. or failure
to serve after engaging, the book
shall be returned by the master TO
the secretary of the association, to-
sether with a statement of explana-
ton from the officer with whom the
book was deposited Without this
book, the man cannot again secure
the view of the union officials, the
record DISCHARGE book is the means
of establishing a black list of the
most far-reaching character, They
feel that since the opinion of the
master of the ship or other superior
office is to be final, a man to remain
In the service must please his SUI
perior officer at any cost, or be stig-
matized as incompetent or uudesir-
able for the rest of his life.
So the strike began in 1909 and
has not yet been called off, although
the places of the strikers have un-
doubtedly been filled by other men.
During the season of 1909 however,
there was a considerable amount OF
interruption and some violence
and here arises the unique feature Of
this controversy In May, 1909, the
secretary of the Ohio State Board of
Arbitration invited the Arbitration
Boards of the six states surrounding
the Great Lakes to participate in a
conference with regard to the situ-
alton. Representatives of the unions
appeared in response to the request
OF the Joint Conference which fol-
lowed, but the Lake Carriers Asso-
citation officials did not appear In
stead, w Livingstone, president of
the Lake Carriers Association, sent
"a letter saying. The sole, entire
question at issue at the present time,
so fa- as the Lake Carriers Associa-
tion is concerned, is the open-shop
principle That being fundamen-
tai principle, is not subject to arbi-
tration"
Nothing further was done; no in
vestigation of conditions on the
Great Lakes has been made Many
charges have been made by union Of
icials as to conditions existing upon
the boats, and these charges have
not, 50 far as | have been able to
earn, been denied. But the Joint
Conference Board discovered one
hing in addition to the fact that
he Lake Carriers Association would
not meet them II was that this
y~eat agency Of Interstate commerce
vas, as regards labor disputes. out.
tide Of the jurisdiction Of the fed.
raj laws regarding interstate com.
nerce. The Federal Arbitration Act
the Erdman Law of 1899, which
lpplies to interstate commerce on
"ailroads expressly excludes from Its
jurisdiction marine commerce.
This is indeed a situation full Of
possibilities Of great harm to public
interests. One side has said. There
S nothing to arbitrate" The Other
has declared under oath that The
rights of workmen are being denied
hat American seamen are beint
lriven off our inland seas-the onl,
training school for American sea
| men still remaining that incompe
ent and inexperienced men and i'm
nature boys are being employed
pon the Great Lakes. with conse
luent peril TO human life and prop
orty. And there is no state govern
0ent that may legally make inquiry
| since the issues involved are con
cerued in interstate commerce; an
there is no Federal agency now 4
'Xistence with power either to in
Iestigate or propose measures 0
| lmelioratiCn.