New-York tribune., 1921-12-29
Filipino Grew
Cast Adrift i'm
City Pellniless
Striking Seamen Brought TO
This Port From Trieste
as Mutincers, Freed of
Charge, Face Cold World
Row Started Over Pay
Walk.Out From Transport
Ends With Icy Beds in
Parks for Men of Tropics

Sixty-nire Filipino seamen crouchesI
md shivered in city parks last night
.cr crept close to tall buildings for
protection from, the wind, cursing the
day they left the warm, spicy breezes
of Manila and venturcd forth to learn
of the ice they knew only through the
,soda fountains. the skyscrapcrs they
had seen only in the movies and the
american rights they had heard de-
kfcribed by spellbinders. And perhaps
Hhey called upon heaven to forgive the
}perversity which drove them forth from
5she glory hole of the army transport
5Crook TO starve and shiver among
fssrsngers.
It they had been out-and-out mutt
Enssrs they would have had the shelter
asi the Tombs. If they had not been
sdsloyal seamen they would have had
I 2shs comfort of the army barracks on
kGwernor's Island and free passage to
Etheir homes. If they had been aliens
Stasy would have lad quarters on Ellis
SsIsland and consular protection. If they
HAD been Americans they could have
Hound work on the docks. If they had
Understood English they could have
ztaid their story to passers by and
begged for charity.
Little Brown Nobodies
As it is, they are just sixty-ninc lit
| Tie brown men whom nobody wants.
esailors who struck for higher wages as
4 their ship was clearing from Trieste,
sho failed TO get what they demanded
ard forfeited their claim upon the gov
eminent. A Chinese crew was signed
on to take their place, and they were
sent back TO this country on the Cam
sronia in irons as mutineers When
Assistant United States District At
soney Michael r. Matteo decided that
the evidence obtained from the Ameri-
tan consul in the Italian port was in
sualcient to warrant prosecution thew
we're turned loose on the streets.
They vanished from sight of the
authorities at the Battery when they
hnded from the Ellis Island ferry. a
|lenniless, nondescript band in Oriental
costume, with all their goods and chat
els slung over their shoulders in tat
kiered bags.
The rlliplnos arc still wondering how
the ships captain, the consul and the
|aaartermaster agent at Trieste out
natched their strategy. Although they
aad been an insolent and stiff -necked
yew all through the long voyage from
aanila to sladivostok, Shanghai, Hong
acng. Singapore, Colombo, Alden and
1lreste, they held off their strike for
m american wages until the one
IsHtcai moment OF the trip.
Strike Was Well Timed
4 The Crook was scheduled to sail
from Trieste in four hours, already
1had left the dock and was, anchored
under full steam hundred yards out
7slde the breakwater. The wind was
blowing fiercely down from the Alps,
tareatening to become hurricane
(which would imperil the transport in
Ensr oH-shore anchorage even witA a
9luil crew. Without coal passers and
saremen to keep up steam the danger
would be trebled. And within forty
ieight hours a general strike was to
begin which would have tied up the
! Crook for weeks if it had caught her
SE port The crew thought the cards
we're stacked and that they could not
lose
When the captain refused to WELD
they went ashore in body, still think
ING that their demand would be granted
and certain that in any case the gov
srnment would give them free passage
back to Manila. But within an hour
the harbor police had gore aboard the
Crook and assured her safety. Within
'tnlrty-slx hours new crew had
been signed and the transport had
steamed away. And within week au
,shority for their arrest as mutineers
mad been obtained and they had been
Started for America in irons.
The first violence was shown at
singapore, when one of the mon had
70 be put in the brig for attacking an
s9iiicer. At Colombo another had to
be confined for spilling the third mate
over a trunk and rushing at him
Ofandlshing a stool. Only the inter
sention Of the steward saved the Of
hcer's life Incidents Of this kind be-
came increasingly common, and the
hite white men heaved sigh of relief as
.aey steamed out of Trieste with quiet,
sfaceable Cinnamon in the places of
'ae ever-threatening Filipinos.