The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-01-28
WHO SHALL Be IN CONTROL
EMPLOYERS Or EMPLOYS?

manner in which We perl orm the ser.
vices requested Of us, and we cannot
avoid that responsibility even II we
desired to do 20. We therefore must
exercise our own Judgment in regard
20 the selection or retention in our
employ OF our representatives.
Harbor Investigates.
The harbor then made an investiga.
ton on lite own account into the com.
plants against Thompson and on De.
cember 2 informed the company that
an injustice had been done. The let
ter of the barber said, in part:
"Your assertions regarding his
Thompson 80 lack of sound Judgment
in discharge of the eompany's business,
resulting in financial loss to the com.
pany and it's patrons, we consider as
being very broad in their nature, inso-
much as you do not mention any spe.
cific instance or combination of events
with which we may confront him for
direct answer and explanations.
"We have never disputed your rights
in the eeleetion OF retention of your
employees. and would not have entered
this protest if Captain Thompson had
been given a substantial reason for
his dismissal.
"Captain Thompson states to us un-
der oath, that, when 1 asked Mr..
Kennedy for the reason of my dis
charge he informed me that there
were several, or at least there were
several complaints about me from
plantation managers; he also said
H.. -,,o. - ala apd onnIdrft do tha
work that L used to-.
Incompetent Landsmen.
owe feel that great injustice is
being done to Captain Thompson
through your listening to complaints
from landsmen who in our opinion are
not competent to judge of a licensed
officers ability, any more than lay
man is capable of Judging doctor s
ability, or any otner professional man,
and in many instances these complain
ants are wilfully prejudiced against the
master because he will not navigate
his vessel TO suit their views.
"'Captain Thompson is ignorant of
his aecusers, as Mr.. Kennedy has re-
fused to divulge their names. We would
therefore most respectfully request
that, If you have any knowledge where
captain Thompson has been negligent
in his duty, or has been lacking in
Judgment in caring for your interest,
that YOU furnish TINS harbor with some
evidence of this neglect, also copy
of the complaints as mentioned in your
letter, with the names of the persons
whom you say have Investigated Cap
tain Thompson and found him lacking
in Judgment, etc.
Seamen Incompetent, Too.
"In response to Mr.. Kennedy's state
ment that He couldn' Z do the work
that he used to- he does not deny, for
the reason that your steamers are not
supplied with the quality of seamen
which they had in former years.
This is a common complaint in our
harbor: vessels of your company are
not supplied with thoroughly compe-
tent crew of Heamen, fact that we
have called yonr attention TO and one
that will sooner or later result in fur
ther financial loss to your company and
perhaps disaster as well, also the dete-
rioration Of come of yopr vessels
through age, which makes it practical
~ impossible for the masters to main
. tain the standard established in the
past
: 1--WE feel that masters are being
blamed for Incompetence VIXEN in our
| on'nion the hlar"e should he placed
J elsewhere. namely. the system your
eomnany employs in supplying crews to
vour Yeesels.
at is commonly reuorted that all
.he gpcd men. men that have been
trimmed in the pnst 90 perform good
work. have nearly al left your EN-
.lnv. 50 thnt now we ave re"n'ving in
tteir plsres. Japanese. Porto Ricans, in
fact anything to MAIZE rp our compile
pent of n crew. Efficiency is most
fisprantlv disreGarded.
"Manv of the mates in your EN-.
ploy, particularly the new officers. who
are not accustomed to this class of sea-
msnship. are becoming dissatisfied
with the work as they realize that il
is imnossible to accomplish good work
with that class of men.
at is logical 10 suppose that these
men viii spread the report of unsatIs-
factory conditions prevailing here,
which win tend TO deter others from
accepting employment in the Island
+, trade
'COmpetent 10 judge
E'Such are the conditions under
which each and every master in your
employ is situated, and we assure
yon that if you furnish this harbor
with some evidence of Captain Thomp-
son g neglect, together with copies Of
the complaints, as mentioned in your
letter, we can promise that the har-
Dor will give the matter its unbiased
consideration and will appoint com
mittee of masters competent to judge
these matters. Captain Thompson has
an enviable record as a skillful and
successful master in the coastwise
trade and his officers have testified
that he has not been lacking in sound
Judgment while master Of the Niihau
since last March,
over Kennedy's Head.
On the same day as the above was
addressed to President Kennedy. an
other letter was addressed to the di.
rectors. in which the harbor made a
series of complaints against the com.
panv in general and President Kennedy
in particular, saying;
Gentlemen; Believing that salts.
factory relations between your com.
"a.