Denver labor bulletin., 1916-12-23
Seamen in Convention Praise
Wilson for Giving Them Freedom
Organization Shos 100 Per Cent Increase Since Passage
the La Toilette Act and Men the Vessels
Haue Been Immensely Benefited

the British men-of-war. Americas nee.
essarily growing navy will have the re-
serve force for time of need of the young
men trained in the ways OF the sea on
her merchant vessels and having the
fine spirit and strength that belongs
only to free men.
The American scamen's act is bene-
fitting the seamen all the world over,
continued Mr.. Scharrenberg. "As it ap-
plies to the sailors and ships OF all ma
tions that touch American ports, its re-
suit is to make all ship owners OF all
nations pay the same good wages and
maintain the same good conditions for
health and safety on the vessels. This
equalization relieves the American ship
owners of competition of foreign low
wages and of fugitive slave laws for
seamen, and OF unsafe vessels
Benefits of Seamen's Law.
Condensing the benefits of the law,
Secretary Hansons report asserted:
THE change has been not alone in
improved safety, in the working condi-
tions and to some extent in the wages
OF the men, but the whole life on ship
board has been improved, and instead
OF the old spirit of bitterness and hat
red inevita BILE under the slave laws that
held the men, there is an air of free
dom and Il growing recognition of rights
and responsibilities on the part of every
body connected with the ship, 1t is GER
tain that after the seamen's act has
been in operation another year or two,
that not even the ship owners will want
to repeal it. Instead, we will find that
all other maritime nations will follow
the lead set by the United States"
The internationalism of the conven-
tiOn was strongly emphasized by the
presence and active participation in it
of delegates from Great Britain and
from Japan. Delegates B. Suzuki. of
the latter country, and ]. Hensen of
Great Britain and Ireland. as well as
Richard McGhee, member OF parliament.
and Harry Gosling, who had been dele
gates from Great Britain to the conven-
tion of the American Federation of La
Dor, told of the efforts not only of their
respective countries but of all the for
eign countries to have similar seamen's
laws enacted there. A special bulletin
and an attempt to value the message of
these foreign delegates to the seamen
and TO the trade union movement in gen
eral will be issued soon by the commit
tee on industrial relations.
Manhood Liberty on the Sea
As showing what the merchant sailors
of Europe thought OF the American sea
mems act, the visiting delegates told of
the appropriation by the union OF Great
Britain of more than $4OO to help the
American international to resist efforts
to repeal the law. They told also OF
that unions purpose to contribute con-
stantly if need be for the uphoIding OF
real manhood liberty on the sea.
Now to have the seamen's act so ad
,1ta h.. -,
merce, that its full spirit and letter
shall be put into effect is the great aim
OF the international as it was of the
convention. The worst offense against
the law and against the seamen is the
slack and truly unlawful way in which
the department of commerce, under its
present direction. "suftens" the language