Semi-weekly herald., 1913-01-06

northern and western E-tope and 1T
is all that can be desired. Between
the two classes of ships are those
which are being transfo. ried from the
ol dto the ne*. On t.. So a differ
ence of $3.50 per ticket is the diff
cy. between a chamber OF horrors like
the Black Hole of Calcutta and COM
Portable quarters.
Heretofore the steam aip companies
have apologized for tns flthy condi-
tions of the old steeiase by saying
the immigrants were :. ..lggish lot of
people who would renuer the first
cabin filthy as the st rage if they
We're permitted; they ..,so asserted
that it was Impossible 10 better con-
citions as long as ''susI cattle" peo-
pied the steerage. But now we find
in the ship that has pat new and part
old steerage accommo iations, that
the immigrant in steer ge is not diff
ferent from the remainder of human
ity-he will be reasora5iy clean if he
has a reasonable chance. The com
mission concludes that there is no
reason why the disgusting and de-
moralizing conditions that have gen
orally prevailed in the storage of
immigrant ships SHOULD continue"
Let us glance at the commissions
typical picture of the old steerage.
The investigator who painted it was
woman who made the twelve dav
voyage IN the steerage travelling as
single Bohemian ps3sant woman.
Before sailing all steerage passengers
were supposed to be yaccinated. The
women and men were vaccinated in
separate rooms and an inspection card
stamped by the Unitel States consul
ate, certifying that they had been vac
cinated was given them. In her case
not one of the three scratches had
punctured the skin. She found that
others had Jared the same way.
The compartments in the steerage
for single women she describes as
better than those for other steeraqe
passengers. The hunks were arranged
in tires, each having straw mat
tress, covered with a slip sheet. A
small blanket was the only covering
provided. There was no pillow;
life preserver under the head of the
mattress was the substitute. 1t was
practically impossible to undress prop
erly for retiring, because of lack of
privacy and insuffic. mt covering.
When the steerage is full, each pas
senger's private space is limited to
his bunk alone. 1t must serve him
at once as sleeping quarters, clothes
closet, baggage room, kitchen, pantry
and what not. There is not a hook
upon which to hang clothes, not a
receptacle for refuse, not cuspidor,
and no convenience for use in times
of seasickness.
There were two wash rooms used
lndiscriminately by men and women.
One OF then. was seven by nine feet.
e 1
along the two walls. The wash basins
resembled in size and shape the ordi-
nary laundry tub They had to serve
as wash basins, dishpans, laundry
tubs. In the other room the equip
ment was identical, except that there
was not water spigots that did not
work and four foot troughs for dish
washing, with sea water, seldom hot.
from one spigot.
MANY OF the passengers made he
rroic efforts to keep clean. 1t was
forbidden to bring water into sleep
ing compartments for washing pur-
poses, but even when the women rose
early and carried in little water in
the soup pals, as soon as they were
discovered they were brutally driven
out by the stewards.
The law requires that each linmi-
grant shall be furnishes with all the
eating utensils necessary. They are
each furnished with a cheap working
mans tin dinner pail, spoon and a
fork. Each immigrant must care for
his own pail, and as rule has MOTH
ing but cold salt water with which
to wash 1T throughout the entire trip.
Inc pals are so cheap that usually the
SAT- water rusts them and makes them
unit to use before port is reached.
AGAIN the law requires that tables
shall be furnished for the passen
gers to eat upon, but these are only
long single board affairs usually in
part of steerage sleeping com
partment not used on that VOYAGE for
hunks. All of the foul smells from
tne sleeping compartments come un
cobstructed into these improvised din
ing rooms and drive the passengers
to the open deck.
The investigator says that one
morning she wished to see if it were
possible for woman to rise and dress
witnout the presence of men onlook-
ers. She waited her chance and al
though the breakfast bell rang at
6:55 and she was ready for a meal
at 7:15, the steward warned her NOT
to come so late again and gave her
only a piece of bread. The meals
that were served were bad in quality
and preparation, and more than half
OF the food was thrown into the sea.
The daily inspection of the immi-
Sra' is was a farce. They were as
semDied and IN shc inspection tick
cts punched six times. covering six
days, From the time the women went
on board until they landec they I'D
not have one moments privacy. Not
one young woman in the steerage as
capped attack. The inves.iya- ~ hor-
self was among these, and vet the
steerage officials made no effort tc
punish the offenders. S,me resisted
for time and then weakened: some
fought with all their physical strength
two refined Polish girls fought With
pins and teeth. The atmosphere is
described as one of general lawless-
ness and total disrespect for We men.
Which naturally demoraiied Ike wom-
EN- after a time
Summing up the government Invos-
tigator says that her life during
those twelve days was in a disorder
and in surroundings that offended
every sense. The vile language of
the men, the screams of the Women