The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-11-29

Present Provisions for Comfort Of
Men Of American Merchant Marine
-cood Food, Bed, Bedding and
5sth-"ponkey Breakfast" Goes,
bu. "Ail 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,
Der 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 reaffirm-
ed and crystallixed In these rules, and
owing to the present large accessions
in officers and men to the merchant
marine through the shipping boards
recruiting service, these rules have
certain elements of appeal to popular
interest.
Could they be read by the shades of
old-time American sailors and officers,
there would be riot In ''Davy Jones'
locker" That seafaring man could
have such liberal regulation Of hours
and general moderation Of treatment
as the shipping boards working rules
en. Join, would be beyond the belief Of
the most optimistic Of ancient mar
liners.
The rules are divided under three
heads, relating respectively to deck
officers, deck crew and engine and fire
room forces. They establish an eff
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 and
lodging being provided by his employ
or, he knows exactly what that con-
eists Of. The nature OF his lodging
place. bed and bedding. Is stipulated.
and there is a schedule bill Of fare for
his three square meals a day. He
knows when he must go on duty In
port and when he may go Off 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 an
hour off for dinner every day. name
" IL to 1, and that he will go to work
at Z a. m. and will quit at p. m.
The rules are less specific as to duty
at sea, which Is covered by the long
established rule Of "watch and watch"
-four hours on duty and four of.
Officers and Men Protected.
These rules protect officers and men
alike. The captain is not specifically
mentioned, as his rights and privileges
are firmly established and universally
recognized. He is master, In every
sense. He is on duty all the time. In
asmuch as the responsibility for ship
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 a watch upon leaving or immediate
~ after leaving port. unless he shall
have had at least six hours Off duty
within the IL hours Immediately pre-
ceding the time Of sailing"
This rule applies to all mates, and
guards against these officers begin
ming the work of voyage when IA
tigued for want Of sleep. Incidentally
II gives a mate time to say farewell
to his family, II they live in or near
the port of departure.
The rules further provide that
mate shall work when In port from
8 a.. m. to 8 D. m. with one hour out
for dinner. and that for any other
work he may do he shall receive extra
COIuDe0BdLlO0, WlHCu 10 cPOs'hS1 ~
cover work done on Sundays, nights
and holidays. ~
Provision is also made for extra pay
for work performed "off watch"-that
ID, IN mates own time-at sea.
When boarding ashore. mate IL al
lowed $50 day for his meals. and
the captain $3.50 a day.
No More "Donksys 6reakfasts."
To the older generation of sailors
one Of the most striking features OF
the shipping boards rules is 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 "donkey's
breakfast'--n 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, II the sailor
was a home man. or n slazy cotton
blanket or two II he fitted out" In
watersfde slopshop.
This bedding was put into a wooden