The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-27
A BAD LAW
.,,,,,..,,.

M=eEW AMERICANS would believe it if told A that in the United States there is 8 law which enables an employer to say to al man, You must come to work for me- whether you kpishE to pr1 not AIf you refuse I will have you legally prohibited from working at your trade forever. \ will take away your license.n
 There is such a law however. And this law does not permit the man seeking work to eo to the employer and dennand that he be. given employment under the penalty that the employer cannot operate his property if he re- fusda to hirs sthe applicant.
 The law is live law. It exists on Aneri- can merchant vessels, where so many medieval curipsties of laws are still in force. This law. completely lacks nutuality that necessity 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 him.
 The law in question is Sec. 4449 of tho United States Statutes, which pertains to the employment of licensed officers on merchant vessels. And now that repeating bill Is be- fore 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 refealing measure is known as the Hardy Bill. It has passed the House and is now being considered by the Senate Com mittee.
 Under the present statute, every licensed officer-captain, mate, engineer and So on-- must be willing to go to work when called upon DX a. vessel fON|n6F.f Fte must AsNNOrk unless he can give some reasona.ble excuse. The steam boat inspection service acts as judge of the req condolences of excuses, and thereNs no appeal outside of this service The courts are power- less to interfere.
 All ordinary excuses, however, are Accept- ed. The vessel owners, having the power of ccnscription under the law, have perhaps rare- " seen fit to exert that power, probably through the fear of public opinion. No man has been forced to work against his will all though he might legally be So forced The ship owners pleaded this before the Senate commit tee; the representatives of the licensed officers admitted that there had been few cases of inn pressment.
 But the significant thing is this. The steamship inspectors do not accept as a req sOnable or lawful excuse for not working the fact that the licensed officers may be having a wage dispute with the vessel owners h other words, this law forbids strikes If licens- ed officers go on strike they are in danger Of losing their certificates from the government And these once lost prevent these men from ever following their trade again.
 What is the result? Capt. Westcott, of Cal ifornia, speaking for the masters and mates association, told the Senate committee that sec ond mates on the Great Lakes get $7O a month, and can work only eight months a year-S56O for a years work by man who spent years and an average of $f,500 securing the certificate giving him the right to serve as a mate
 The lake vessel owners forbid labor organ izations among these licensed officers and the latter, being helpless, must comply
 The cheapest thing in the world is a hu- man being, observed Senator Vardarnan a member of the committee. Most of our laws especially navigation laws have been written in the interests of corporations instead Of ind-