The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-02-07

! tional Sailors and Firemen's Union
called the men out, the sailors
arrived at their decision thru cir
cumstances entirely German. They
contemplated internationally striking
at foreign ports, to escape the con-
ditions cited. And the British ship
ping Federation indicates clearly
that they regard the strike as a
dangerous precedent. In this method
Of striking, they see danger, that
will probably lead to similar ac-
ton on the part of British seamen.
1t is against all maritime law in
ternationally, and. as they say: Sin
wolves a reputation of legally bind
ing contracts" They were willing
to harass German shipping, but now
the strike assumes larger proper
tions they line up on the side of
the German shipowners- they are
internationalists when dealing with
labor.
Try to Cut Wages.
Everywhere the shipowners arc
attempting to nibble down wages.
And Inchape Ellermann and Pirries,
ETC., use the fact that German wages
are only 2 pounds Is shillings a
month to justify another slash into
British seamen's rates. "We can
not compete internationally" is their
cry. Recently, Lord Inchape said,
IF we are to keep our ships at sea
and cover our working expenses, it
may be necessary to make further
reductions" But he also stated to
the shareholders meeting, "We are
able to suggest payment of II
per cent free of income tax, as we
did a year ago." They will fight
the seamen and lockers because
they are not satisfied making mil
lions of pounds. They desire to
have US work under similar con-
ditions to the Germans.
But there is an indication that
class consciousness is on the in
crease. The lockers at the Victoria
and Surrey commercial docks struck
in aid of the German seamen. They
resumed work on condition that the
consul and the brokers summon the
German owners to negotiate. The
owners refused. But the representa-
tives of the strikers, who were sent
for from Hamburg, after touring
British ports, report that the men
are standing firm and are deter
mined to win. Their demands for
9 pounds per month should insure
the support of all the workers of
Britain. The decentralization of
seamen's wages has long engaged
the attention of progressive sea-
men. And because both the LI
ternational Transport Workers Fed
Grafton and the Red international OF
Labor Unions have decided upon
this in international congress, the
strikers have their support. Also,
this is an international class fight
with the shipowners.
British Arrange Meetings.
The British Bureau of the Red
International Labor Unions is arrang-
ing meetings in aid of the strikers,
families, and all workers every
where should rally and give their
whole-hearted support. The prin-
ciple of international solidarity, for
once should be realized among sea-
men. Not only because British
rates are menaced as long as the
slave conditions remain, in German
ships, but as signal for an in
ternational union among seamen.
Just as the strikers in Britain are
always called traitors, ETC., the IRON
ical German press states that the
seamen after being starved and
murdered, with their sisters driven
to the streets in despair, are now
called TRAITORS" and "disloyalists"
and "tools in the hands of an enc
my" At the same time lie Fas-
cist dictator raids the offices of the
Deutsche Schiffahrtsbund and rem
ders this seamen's union illegal be-
cause of its international principles
and international action.
Strikes are on in American. Chill
ian and Australian ports. The Aus
tralian Seamen's Union affiliated to
the r. /. L. u, is supporting the
strikers. British workers, especially
seamen and dock workers, aid your
struggling fellow workers, lest Lord
Inchape makes good his threats.
Stand solid for international solid
arity.