The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-20

outside in the cold all night. If we
were organized we could demand
more pay" said he, as he parted
from his companion at daybreak after
night of discussion and argument
with the driving wind and the biting
cold as a spur to thinking along lines
of food and shelter, not only for
themselves but for the mass of sea-
men as well.
Doran took the subway and paid
the nickel which his companion had
forced on him as fare to the Brook
lyn Army Base Docks. Here he went
abroad the Black-Diamond Line
freighter, Onoko.
The chief mate was at the gang
way watching the coiling of heav-
ing line. "Do you want any sailors ?"
asked Doran.
Eyes, I need one, where are your
papers," asked the mate in reply.
Doran produced his able seaman's
and lifeboat ticket. "That won't do"
said the mate, 81 want ten good
discharges from other ships" Doran
produced them and the mate scanned
them over. He was a dark, American
italian, six foot tall and heavily
built. He had been a guard in Sing
Sing Penitentiary. 1t turned out he
had studied navigation and when the
shipping board needed navigators for
their vessels during the war they had
given him the job.
''You can sign on at two o'clock,
we sail at four for Rotterdam" said
the mate. "The focsl is back aft
and you will find an empty bunk
there. Where is your bag?"
81 will be back in an hour with
it," answered Doran.
"Well, don't be. any longer, I want
you to turn to work as soon as you
come back aboard"
When Doran returned he took
few minutes to scan the ship over.
She was a nine thousand ton steam
packet of the we'll deck type. Her
cargo was general merchandise and
mail for Holland. She was coal
burner
Doran went up the gangway across
the afterdeck and into the focsl
where he found an empty bunk. Here
he deposited his bag. 1t was twelve
o'clock and the crew came filing in.
There were two Americans, two
Filipinos, three Porto Ricans, and
the boatswain was Maltese. They
went to dinner, the firemen, coal
passers and sailors ate in the same
mess hall. The firemen were Span
ish
Dinner was served, consisting Of
boiled tripe, potatoes, and Sage pud
ding and coffee. At one o'clock, the
deck crew started covering the hatch
es and battening them down.
When everything was secure full
deck load of rotten onions were taken
aboard. When the ship was well at
sea the crew. were put to disposing
Of the onions by hand. There were no
shovels and this was hard work with
a cold gale blowing and spray fall
ing like ice over the men.
After the first day out the food
that was served was terrible. Rotten
meat and vegetables. The men start
ell to complain about the food and
when no attention was paid them
they would either throw it into the
scuppers or else leave it on their
plates.
Doran stood this treatment for
some time without grumbling but
finally he also could not stand it
any longer. On the tenth day out he
stood up at the supper table and
said, Come on, boys, we have stood
for this miserable and shabby treat
ment long enough. The officers and
mates are getting choice cuts of
fresh meat and taking it easy at the
same time. We are working this ship,
firing her, propelling her and even
steering her and we get worse treat
ment than dogs" When he said this
Doran was within the bounds Of truth.
The meat was unfit for even the
ships mascot to eat.
The crew had been grumbling for
some time already. Now they stood
up to man and waited for Doran's
next words full Of hope, expectation
and the blind confidence of men who
recognize a leader. Doran and the
crew sent delegation to the captain
which consisted of Doran and one of
the firemen, At the same time the
crew went up forward following Do
ran and the fireman.
The captain met them half way
and stopped them off. When he heard
their demands he was thoroughly as
founded. Don't you realize that this
Is mutiny?" he asked. "No this is
not mutiny," answered Doran, 1--WE
are merely demanding our rights as
called for in the ships articles about
food and sustenance." After remon-
strating with the men for some time
he conceded that the men were JUS