The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-10-13

workers of America. The sixteen
pages simply refer to the bills and
the laws. The pamphlet does not
contain any of the language of the
laws; 1t contains simply either the
titles of the laws or a reference to
them in a sentence of probably ten
or twelve words
l haven't the right to take any
more of your time than is essential
10 recount all of these wonderful
measures; but there are two meas
ures to which / want to call your
especial attention. One of them is
the Seameu's Act and the other is
the labor provision of the Clayton
Anti Trust Law. The Seamen S
Act although passed after the Clay
ton Law, i want to mention be
cause of its relative Importance and
the companion measure OF the Clay
ton Law.
Frou time immemorial sailors
were slaves, they were the workers
who were compelled to toll regard
less of their will or their Judgment.
| When once a sailor was on board
ship he was part of the ship, at the
command of every one OF his su-
perior officers, and not only when
the vessel was on the voyage but
when it was in safe harbor. No
matter If the sailors believed CT
knew that the ship was unsafe, un-
seaworthy, when once they signed
articles they had to give service
they had to return with their ship.
If they believed they had incurred
the i'll will of their superior off,
GERS, if those officers had treated
them crua.ly or brutally, they had
to come back to work II they re-
fused the officials and scldies Of the
government Of the country TO which
they shipped, brought the sailors
back in chains, put them on board
and made them work against their
wills.
After over thirty years of organ
lied agitation, economic and poll
teal we finally prevailed upon the
Congress of the United States te
enact the Seamen's Law. The Sea.
mems law provides, not only Z
greater degree of safety for The
travelling public upon the waters
greater protection for property anc
greater and better means for the
safety Of lives in case of emergency
not only that the seamen must bt
unable TO understand the order.
given by the officers Of the vessel
but it also provides that when al
American sailor lands with his YES
sci in any port of safety in any par
of the world he now owns himself
aud has right to refuse to work
under conditions which are repug
naut to his rights, his conscience
and his judgment
In addition any sailor or crew
coming from any ether country,
sailing in vessel under any other
flag, coming 20 the United States
or any Of its possessions, ifthey land
upon shore aud they have the right
to insist upon it, are free, and Uncle
Sam will protect them agai st any
country on the face of the globe.
In other words, the law which
passed Congress and was signed by
President Wilson on March 4 1915
declares in effect and purpose that
the last of the bondmeu are free
upon American shores
Surely it is not necessary in a
convention of engineers to any
more than refer in word 10 the
abuses and the misinterpretation Of
the laws of the United States so
that they shall affect the normal
activities of organizations Of labor.
The Sherman Anti Trust Law was
enacted at the behest of the people
of the United States, insisting that
the workers and the trusts should
cease and that the workers and the
masses of the people should have
an opportunity of free development
and freedom from the manipula-
tions Of these great industrial and
commercial trusts.
TO be continued next week