The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-07-22
.UNJUsTLY DEALT WITH.
Law Exists Compelling seamen to
Work for Any Employer Demand
ing Services Dare Not Refuse.
REPEATING BILL IN CONGRESS-

BY Congressman C. H. Tavenner.
Washington, July %. -FewsAmeri.
cans would believe it if told that in
| the United States there is a law which
enables an. employer to say to a man,
"You must come to work for me,
whether you wish to or not. If you
refuse will have you legally pro-
hibited from working at your trade
forever. I will take away your
license @1z.,G -. ..-.......- =.
There is such a law, however.
And this law does not permit the
man seeking work to go to the en-
ployer and demand that he be given
employment upder the penalty that
the employer cannot operate his
property if he refuses to hire the
applicant. ..~~ .--~ H..
The law-fis a live law. 1t exists
on, American merchant vessels, where
so many medieval curiosities of laws
are still in force. This law COM
pletely lacks mutually, that necess-
ity in every contract which can bear
the test and scrutiny of the courts.
The man must work for the employer
or be legally blacklisted but the man
cannot force the employer to hire
MIN; ~ ~ 2~1a 49,. -
The law in question is Sec. 4449
of the United States Statutes, which
pertains to the employment of
licensed officers on merchant YES
sells. And now that repeating bill
is before congress some of the vessel
owners are bitterly fighting any
change in the law. Some however,
have frankly acknowledged that the
bill is just. The repeating measure
is known as the Hardy bill. It has
passed the house and is now being
considered by, the. senate committee.
Under the. present statute, every
licensed officer-captain, mate en-
gineer and SO on-must be willing to
go to work when called upon by a
vessel owner. He must work unless
he can give some reasonable excuse.
The steamboat inspection service
acts as judge of the reasonablness
of excuses, and there is no appeal
outside of this service. The courts
are powerless to interfere.
All ordinary excuses, however, are
accepted. The vessel owners, having
the power of CONSUMPTION under the
law, have perhaps rarely seen fit to
exert that power, probably through
the fear of public opinion. No man
has been forced to work against his
will, although he might legally be
so forced. The ship owners plead
this before the Senate Committee;
the representatives of the licensed
officers admitted that there had been
few cases of impressment.
But the significant thing is this.
The steamship inspectors do not &C
cept as a reasonable or lawful excuse
for not working the fact that the
licensed officers may be having a
wage dispute with the vessel owners
In other words, this law <forbids
strikes. If licensed officers go on a
strike they are in danger of loosing
their certificates from the govern
ment. And these once lost prevent
these men from ever following their
| trade again. 49, ~
What is the result Capt. Wescott
of California, speaking for the mas.
ters' and mates association, told the
Senate Committee that second mates
on the Great Lakes get $40 month
and can work only eight months g
year-$56O for years work by 6
man who spent years and an aver.
age of $1,500 securing the certificate
giving him the right. to serve a:
mate. -.~--,s.--.: ---r s~-.-. D..
| The vessel owners forbid labor
organizations among these licensed
officers, and the latter, being help
less, must comply. -..... = )
"The cheapest thing in the worlt
is human being" observed Senator
Vardaman, member of the com
mittee. .:Most of our laws, especi
1 ally navigation laws, have beer
written in the interest of corporation
instead of individuals. In time
past the la'boring people have ha,
very, very few friends in our Law
making bodies. This law is sampl
of that kind of legislation.
G. w. Stiess, with the Minneapoli
Rubber company, Minneapolis, is ii