The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1913-10-23
PAGE EIGHT THE e EFF
Free the American Sailor From the
Slavery Of the Ship-OwnerS

u0dLH TOLL.
But few the usand American sea-
men refused to abandon the sea.
They believed that Congress would
free them from their bondage, that
through legislation the working
hours and conditions generally would
be regulated so that real men would
seek the service, that their occupa-
ton would be restored to the dignity
due a calling full of sacrifice and
hazards and that a standard of skill
and efficiency would be established
which would make it possible to save
life at sea when disaster Overtakes a
ship on her voyage.
These American seamen did not
understand the power of the steam
ship companies with the American
Congress. They understand the full
measure of that power now. Their
bill has been introduced and reintro-
duced, Congress after Congress.
There have been endless hearings
and delays, all ingeniously planned.
Again and again the bill has been
smothered in committee. Sometimes
it has been reported to die upon the
calendar.
But the plucky seamen fought on
It was an uneven fight,-the sailors
without funds; the ship owners, with
unlimited wealth, represented by a
powerful lobby, always on the
ground.
Finally, the last Democratic House
passed the Seamen's bill 1t was an
excellent measure. It abolished the
fugitive slave law now operating on
seamen. 1t gaNe~the sailor the same
freedom as to his contracts which
the law gives to other workers. 1t
established a standard of skill for
liable seamen." 1t required a suffi-
cient number of able seamen to safe
ly man a vessel. It required that
seventy-fve per cent of the crew
should be able to understand any
orders given by the officers of the
vessel. It required a sufficient crew
to man the life boats with not less
than two able seamen to each life
boat, drilled under rules prescribed
by board Of Supervising Inspectors,
with the approval of the Secretary
Of Commerce and Labor.
The Senate Committee on Com
merce struck out every line Of that
bill and reported a substitute which
gave to the seamen a stone when
they had begged for bread. AS re-
ported, it would have driven every
white American sailor from the sea.
1t was considered and passed in the
expiring hours of the last Congress.
I urged a number of amendments
and secured the adoption of several
of them, working some improvement
in the bill. AS passed, it was a
weak, inefficient, compromising
measure. In some of it's most i'm
portant provisions it was less accep-
table to seamen than the harsh terms
of the existing law. President Taft
vetoed it, not because he thought it's
worst provisions bad, but because he
thought it's best provisions bad.
President Wilson was elected upon
a platform which contained the fol-
lowing pledge:
eve urge upon Congress the
speedy enactment of laws for the
greater security Of life and property
at sea; and we favor the repeal Of all
laws, and the abrogation Of SO much
of our treaties with other nations, as
provide for the arrest and imprfson-
ment of seamen charged with deser-
ton, or with violation Of their con-
tract of service. Such laws and
treaties are un-Americar and violate
the spirit, if not the letter, of the
Constitution of the United States"
On the first day of the present ses-
sion Of Congress, l introduced the
Seamen's bill. 1t was the fourth bill
intrOduned IT is thp hill which