Catoctin clarion., 1918-11-28


Men of American Merchant Marine
Good Food, Bed, Bedding and
Bath-"Donkey Breakfast" Goes
but "AII Hands on Deck" Remains
Rules regulating the hours OF labor
and other working conditions aboard
American merchant ships have been
issued by the United States shipping
board. They deal with every men,
her of the ships personnel, from the
chief officer down to the coal passer
in the bunkers.
Recent working practice In the
American merchant marine Is reafiirm-
ed and crystallized in these rules. ana
owing to the present large accessions
in officers and men to the merchant
marine through the shipping boards S
recruiting service, these rules have
certain elements of appeal to popular
interest.
Could they be read by the shades OF
old-timp American sailors and oillcers,
there would be riot in "Davy Jones
locker" That a seafarfng man could
have such liberal regulation of hours
and general moderation of treatment
as the shipping boards working rules
cnioin. would be beyond the belief OF
the most optimistic Of ancient mar
iners.
The rules are divided under three
heads, relating respectively to deck
officers, ,eck crew and engine ana nre
room forces They establish an efii-
cheney schedule as exact as that EN-
ployed In any modern factory or IN
dustrial plant, yet fair to the man
working under them, who knows where
he stands all the time In his relations
with his employer, the operator OF the
vessel. Furthermore, his board ana
lodging being provided by his employ
or, he knows exactly what that con-
sists of. The nature of his lodging
place, he'd and bedding, Is stipulated,
and there IS a schedule bill of fare FOR
his three square meals day. lie
knows when he must go on duty In
port and when he may 60 of duty,
what his rights are in every particu-
lar both in port and at sea, and what
he will be paid for every hours work
he does outside his regular stint. he
knows that in port he will have en-
hour off for dinner every day, name
" II to |, and that he will 20 to work
at 7 Il. IN. and will quit at s p. m.
The rules are less specific as to duty
ut sea, which is covered by the long
established rule of "watch and watch
flour hours on duty and four off.
officers and Men Protected.
These rules protect officers and men
alike. The captain Is not specificaliy
mentioned, ms his rights and privileges
ure firmly established and universally
rero"ni2nd. He is master, In every
sense. He is on duty all the time, In
uSmuch rs the responsibility for snip
and contents are his, and he Is al
ways subject to call If weather threat
ems. land Is sighted or things go wrong
on board in any way that would en-
danger the ship or her cargo. He Is
expected to be on the bridge always
when making or leaving port and In
foul weather.
The first officer, or "the" mate-as
he is called, though the ship may
carry three or even four mates-is IN
cluded in the first section of the ship
ping boards working rules for officers,
which specifies that mo mate shall
be required or permitted to take charge
of watch upon leaving or Immediate
iy after leaving port, unless he shall
have had at least six hours off duty
within the ~ hours Immediately pre-
cedng the time Of sailing"
This rule applies to all mates, and
guards against these officers begin.
ming the work of voyage when fa-
tgued for want of sleep. Incidentally
1t gives a mate time to say farewell
TO his family, If they live In or near
the port Of departure.
The rules further provide that
mate shall work when In port from
& a. NJ to p. M, with one hour out
for dinner, and that for any other
work he may do he shall receive extra
compensation, which Is specified to
cover work done on Sundays, nights
and holidays.
Provision is also made for extra pay
for work performed 'off watch"-that
is, in mates own time-at sea.
When boarding ashore, mate is al
lowed $3.50 day for his meals, and
the captain $3.50 a day.
No More "Donkey's Breakfasts"
To the older generation of sailors
one of the most striking features of
the shipping boards rules is a provi-
sion applying to vessels operated by
the board specifying that the ship must
provide bedding for the crew. The
new rule spells the knell on these YES
sells of the traditional "dOnkeys
breakfast"-a bedstack Of corn husks
or hay--that always formed part of
Jacks "dunnage" in the old days. This
usually was accompanied by hand
made patchwork quilt, If the sailor
Was home man, or slazy cotton
blanket or two if he fitted out" in
waterside slOpshop.
This bedding was put into wooden
bunk, often greasy from long occupa-
tion and usually infested with YER
min; and on such couch the sailor
slept on his voyage.
Today the law and the shipping
boards regulations provide for a
standard type Of bed and bedding for
the sailor. The bed Is Of iron pipe,
painted with steel spring, or slung
canvas bottom. This bed Is sanitary,