Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1926-09-17
ELLSSEANEN
OF UNI0NST REWARDS.


Andrew Fufus IN, international
President Of the seamen's Union. in 4
IvIsorous and impressive address be-
fore the seanIenss meeting Tuesday
e0ening told Of the first inception Of
his organization and its accomplish
ments over q period OF about fifty
years. During the course Of his adj
dress he drew vivid picture of the
canditions as they existed forty years
la9os He cited the many horrors which
be himself and his fellow seamen were
subjected to and told how the Union
had abolished many ofthem.
Conditions Forty Years Ago.
Forty years ago there were about
forty-five so-called boarding houses
on the Pacific Coast controlled by
boarding masters. You had to 20 to
these boarding houses to get = job.
There are now only two similar places
on this coast; one in San Francisco
and the other in San Pedro. t win
be remembered in 1885 it took as two
years to abolish one Of these "scab
offices and five years to abolish an
other which was started in 1893. No
more can seamen's wages be attach
ed. No more does the seafnen have to
carry his own bedding or mess gear.
10 more is seaman subject to arrest
and carried to work against his win.
When seamen is beaten or unjustly
Imprisoned the burden of proof is up
to the master of the vessel. We prom
Eised to remedy the evils which existed
let that time and our Accomplishments
indicate that we have been loyal to
cur promise declared Mr.. Furuseth.
/ Difficult Tasks.
Mr. Furuseth declared that the most
difficult task in the early days of his
organization was to induce man to
believe that conditions in those days
could be changed for the good Of the
seaman and that even after favorable
laws were enacted it was a difficult
task to have them enforced. He cited
hone case where the Union spent $685.
I000 to collect the sum of $500 for an
Ienglish carpenter on board an english
vessel: This case was appealed and
reappealed until il went to the sn-
Ipre1ne court where it was unanimous
lly decided in favor of the carpenter.
nsse1tad that the union had spent
$1,000 in trying to have 3 coInpensAe
tion law put into effect for the sea-
Imen.
| Further Restrict Immigration
| n. E..w....4L - A = :. ts14
as the King bill, which had been re-
Iported favorably on by the committee
Jon immigration in the senate, during
the last session Of the legislature,
would closa "the side doors on ships"
If enacted inasmueh as It required that
the crews Of ships entering United
States ports be bona fide seamen. and
those who were not would be return
led to the country from which they
came ct the expense Of the vessel on
which they were found. II have been
working five years for the enforce
ment Of such a law, and I sincerely
hope that your Congressman Albert
johnson, who has done so much for
our movement will aid in the passage
Of this bin during the next session of
our national Legislature" he declared.
Foreign Seamen.
In reviewing the conditions of the
Sailors, Union in various countries,
Mr.. Furuseth said that the English
Sailors Union is in first class shape
as there are not more than per cent
Of the men outside the union. Holland
is in about the same condition as Eng
land. Denmark vessels operating with
about 30 per cent union men, with
the same wages as the english. Swed-
en- about 80 per cent union. Norway
about 80 per cent with few additional
advantages over other countries.
Labor Organizations.
Volunteer labor organisations are
for the purpose Of doing collectively
that which they cRnnet~do individu-
ally. There is not an Amer lean sailor
lwho became prominent who was oflis
mot member Of q volunteer organiza-
tion. They were all union men. The
signing Of the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence was for the purpose Of doing
collectively that which could not be
done Individually" declared Mr.. Fur
usetn
In concluding his address Mr.. Fur
useth urged dll members Of the Sea-
mems Union 20 contest for full and
unqualified recognition Of al their
rights. sYon viii win in the future
as you have in the past If you win
only keep up the persistent plodding
and sacrifices on the Seamen's union
which has secured for the union ac-
complishments and general discus
sion Of your rights and your wrongs" /"
j rAnn r..p1 .nYrss cAIn