The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-04-10

violation of their contract to labor
This is to be true on all American
vessels everywhere and on foreign
vessels while in the ports of the Uni
ted States. Civilization has waited
long for. the correction Of this abuse;
this heritage Of an age of white man
slavery. The seaman is entitled under
this law to one-half OF his pay, COL
lectable in the port he visits, but he
cannot collect oftener than once in
five days in case the ship touches at
ports more frequently than once in:
five days. Thus a, seaman cannot be
compelled by having all of his pay
withheld to complete a voyage in case
he is subjected to illtreatment or de-
sires to terminate his contract of serv-
ice.
Insures Skilled Men.
I'm the interest of safety" contin-
ued Feruseth, 'this law insures a GER
tain number of skilled men on board
the vessel, by restoring the rating of
able seaman and defining what it
means. For further safety the law
provides that Is per cent OF the crew
in each department Of the vessel must
be able to understand and speak the
language OF the officers. This is so
that in case Of emergency the orders
can be quickly transmitted by officers
to crew, which would not be the case
where they are foreigners depending
on interpreters for tho translation OF,
their orders, as has fequently- been the
case in the past. 80;
''The bill prohibits the payment Of
wages before they are earned, thereby
abolishing :'crimping' and Shanghai
ing It provides for better forecastles
and better sanitary arrangements. It
sets standards for boats and davits
to lower them and compels the proper
equipment Of lifeboats. The bill does
not provide enough boats nor. the
proper manning Of boats, but even on
this score, it is a long step in advance.
On the ocean it provides for rs per
cent of boats and rs per cent Of RATS.
On bays and sounds, and where the
water is not deep enough to sub
merge the vessel, the kind and amount
of life-saving equipment and man
ming is left to the inspection depart
ment of the. Department of Com
merce.
:, ''The law thus gives three impor-
tant things: First, freedom to the
seaman; second, improved safety at
sea, and, third, it equalizes the cost
of operation of foreign and American
vessels trading from and to American
ports. It will have a strong tendency
to equalize wages OF seaman through
out the civilized world. It will be a.
very strong inducement to foreign ma
lions to adopt similar laws, because
they will raise the standing of .seamen
and restore their. skill and bring q
better class of men to- sea, and it will
bring back: to America a merchant
marine and furnish real reserve for
the American navy If the cove, nment
chooses to use it for that purpose.
49, Is World Legislation. ::
'"This," said Furuseth, lis world
legislation. The secretary. OF Com
merce Is authorized to make rules for
carrying out important; sections in the
BILL and, of course, it is possible that
Com missioner Of Navigation Cham
berlain and Inspector Uhler Of the
Steamboat Inspection Service may
succeed In making rules, multiplying or
minimizing the effects Of the act. They
have constantly opposed certain fea-
lures Of this legislation, and their
course will have to be closely watched
in the public interest"
Andrew Furuseth. has worked for
twenty years for this legislation, nv
ing in Washington on an able sea-
mans wage, and refused to, accept
more from his .seaman's union. If
this legislation had failed, the effeet
would have been very. serious. The
seamen !, had become desperate, and
the I. W. W.: organizers were making
inroads on the, union, especially on
the Pacific Coast, where the competi-
ton OF Asiatics on American vessels
had become especially keen. -. =