The labor world., 1922-03-25
SHIP SUBSIDY IS But SCHEME 70
BEAT LABOR and ENRICH O\NNRES
By PAUL sHARRENBERG.

BY PAUL sHARRENBERG.
Secretary California State Federation
OF Labor. ,y:+ !.
international Labor News Service.)
For the 'steenth time the leg
islative branch of the American
government will shortly be called
upon to consider the advisability
of subsidizing American mer-
chant ships.
Our offshore shipping business is
in a bad way. There is too much
idle tonnage the world over and ma
turally competition is exceptionally
keen. Those German. submarines
did not sink nearly as much tonnage
as had been anticipated. At any
rate, the worlds merchant vessel
tonnage of today totals about four
teen millions more than in 1914. In
1914 there were only 4S,ooo.000
gross tons on record. Now this poor
suffering world is trying to find
work for upward Of 62,000.o0o gross
tons. And It simply can't be done.
There is not enough business to keep
two-thirds of this tonnage profitably
employed.
Will an American ship subsidy
create more foreign trade? Will it
enable the starving masses abroad
to place more orders in America?
Or are we going to send our ships
around the world loaded with bal
last. and charge the bill to the Amer
icaR tax payers? These are just a
few of the many questions that will
have to be answered before the Con-
gress Of the United States begins to
subsidize single special single in
terest.
American shipowners are not the
only ones who have suffered on ac-
count Of the worldwide slump in
trade. In fact American business
men are not suffering greater hard
hip because Of the general depres-
sion than American workingmen. So
If we, as a nation, are going to boil
ster up the shipowners' business why
in the name of fair play. should not
every struggling merchant and man.
ufacturer' (not to mention the mill
lions of unemployed workers) re-
ceive similar aid from the National
treasury?
Shipowners Have Ready Made
Answer.
To be sure, the gentlemen with
money invested in ships have a
ready-made answer to the latter in
quiry. They say the pernicious La
Toilette Seamen's Act compels them
to employ high-priced American
seamen: thew claim this law re-
quires them to feed all hands on
"the fat Of the land" etc., etc. All
of which. they say. makes an Ameri-
can vessels operating costs abnorm-
ally high.
Truly, the American shipowners'
bill Of complaint must seem formid-
able to the novice.
But what are the facts?
The La Toilette Seamen's Act
does not require American shipown-
ers to carry a single American citi-
zen. That very much abused statute
does not even compel them to carry
white men.
It does require, that IS per cent
| of the deck crew must be expert
enced men, and that Is per cent Of
the crew must be able to understand
the language Of the officers. These
stipulations were made to assure at
least small degree Of safety of life
at sea. But neither Of these rea-
| sonable safety requirements have
prevented the employment Of ASIA
tics on American ships. In fact, So
called American" shipowners who
shout the loudest for a subsidy do
not employ any Americans at all ex-
cept the few officers who are re-
quired to be citizens under the
terms Of another statute.
Those who think this assertion
slightly exaggerated are respectfully
referred to the printed hearings
(January % and 20, 1920 Of the
Senate Committe on Commerce. In
those hearings Mr.. A. F. Haipes
First Vice-President of the Pacific
American Steamship association
made this unqualified statement:
I'VE can and do employ Chinese
| whenever we can get away with It
with the unions. That is the only
law that we have that prevents it.
Since May I, Of last year, the same
Mr.. Haines. in cooperation with
other cheap labor advocates, has
made desperate efforts to disrupt the
American Seamen's Union. The
success of Mr.. Haines would mean
the total elimination OF American
Seamen-even in the coastwise trade.
Mr.. Haines admits it!
Aside from the wages Of the
crew. the costs Of operating a vessel
are fuel, lubricating oils, and pro.
visions. All of this the American
shipowner buys where 1t is cheapest
There is no law compelling him to
buy it in America. If it be sailing
vessel it consists in spars, canvas
ropes and blocks. and these thing.
we furnish to other nations to a very
large extent. u.
Shpowners Relieved of Numerous
Burdens.
Speaking generally, It can be said
without fear Of contradiction that NJ
industry since the organization o1
our government s1as been as vel
cared for through absolute author.
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