The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-02-18
Conference. just Held.

P--Ao AAAe@6 HoIeS las JUST Deen COnclud-
ed In San Francisco: The declared
purpose Of the conference was to
perfect financial merger OF the, big
shipping interests. But the real pur-
posei according to poorly censored
news that drifted into the daily press.
was:
Il. The establishment OF an EASY
1nstallment system for the purchase
or sh1ps OF the United States Shipping
board fleet by private firms.
-: An American government shio
SUBSIDY for freight and passenger
vessels entailing an annual cost to
the y. S. treasury Of $30,000,O00;
thus permitting American craft to
compete with foreigners with their.
low scale of wages anc operating
costs.'' -,
SO far as the sale of the Shipping
Board fleet is concerned, it Is earn
estly hoped that svme method. no
matter how "easy," can be agreed
upon whereby our government will
60 out Of the shipping business.
Government ownership OF mer-
chant vessels has been curse to.
American seamen:, There was abso-
iute!y no excuse for the disastrous
seamen's strike Of last year. =, !,
Tried to Avoid Strike. &
The seamen of America were
forced to- strike by the autocratic and
arbitrary attitude of the men thea
conducting the Shipping board. The
seamen did everything possible to
avoid that fight. they agreed 70
leave the whole question to erbitrs-
ton. And when that was denied, the
seamen publicly Announced thsir
willingness to leave the entire con-
troversy to the individual determine.
Eatiop Of President Harding. hut all
oHertura ere ref<:sssesi. ..2sz: 4 ~ :. - -
The shipping board used the vcs-
sels-belonging to the American peo-
pleas fighting ships to reduce the
wages and living, conditions of the
seamen under the American flag. =.
In the Language of Andrew Fur
useth: "The American people had to
take the risk and bear the cost, while
the privately owned ships were "
ing in harbor awaiting the result.
Laws were disregarded, utterly inef-
ficient men were sent: to sea in g
way that could not have taken place
except where the government was
involved in the struggle, and when
operators of: vessels belonging to the
United States Shipping board were
willing to and did sign agreements
with unions, the vessels were taken
away from them, unless they cam
celled the. agreements already
signed, ':
For these reasons, and countless
others, the organized seamen should
be happy to see an end OF govern
ment ownership OF merchant ship
ping. Even if the ships were, to be
given away, it would be a. positive
relief to see an end Of that terrible
incubus.
Renew Demand for Subsidy.
The second and all important fea-
ture, OF the shipping merger confer,
ence 1s a renewal of an old or ratherN
ancient demand Of: private interests
for a. ship subsidy, i. e., gift or
hand-out from the U. S. treasury.
AS in the past. the plea for this
subsidy is based upon the alleged
high wages which American ship
owners are compelled to pay their
Am erican crews. Now 1t is a fact,
absolutely beyond dispute, that
American ships are not giving EN-
ployment to American seamen when
cheaper ALLEN ), labor is available.
Worse than that. years ago. certain
American shipowners adopted the
policy of importing Chinese crews
for; the purpose Of manning tAmeri-
can. ships in our own American por.s.
r. Captain Dollar blazed the way In
| this importing business. When chal-s
lenged by the Sailors union OF the
Pacific, the case was carried to the
supreme, court Of the, United States.
land that august body on Nov. S, 1917.
decided that american Rhtpowners
! had 9 perfect right to import Chinege
for the purpose Of manning Ameri-
j can ships: Certain American" ship
owners have been doing it ever since.
i and the U. s. Shipping board has
FgiYen tacit approval to these Inn
i ports ~ -. q :ls & 55.
Following are a few pertinent ex-
/ cerpts from recent reports Of ths
i Seattle agent Of the Sailors union
OF the Pacific: #.5s! .F
S Employ Cheapest Labor.
"Oct. 81, 1921.--Thirty-five Fills
pinos shipped on the steamshtp
l.Keystone State to replace Chinese
THAT deserted.
Nov. II, 1s2l.-steamship Silver
IsIate' Is; here bound. for Orient. One
sIhundred and fifteen Chinese in stew.
tard'sdepartment and about one hur;-s
ldred In fire-room.
Dec. 4 &. = 92 Steamship Pine
ltrts s1tate' laid of her engine crew.
|;ao the sm0ns IN til 1e,stsdRard,gd depart.
nsnt snd replaced them with CHI
lnsse bron &c over On the steamshsp
lsvvAnatc6ie 9sss
81. 10 Key
lefons etatS has errivedl and brought
In - Ius|
Il on R1se