The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-04-08
INVESTIGATION SHOWS SEANENS CONDITIONS ARE
POOR; OPEN SHOP REDUCES THEM TO SLAVES

A N investigation of the New York
\ waterfront employment condition
reveals one of the worst spectres that
has yet been staged in the history
of the seamen's trade. The total,
marine industry, including seamen,
firemen, cooks, stewards, stevederes
and longshoremen is in the complete
grip of the ill-reputed and much
heard of American pRn," which has
reduced every one Of the above men
toned trades to that of common la
Dor.
Wages, working hours and living
conditions are bad beyond descrip-
ton and constitute an insult to the
very men who follow the sea as
profession, who have never learned
any other trade and are therefore at
the complete mercy of the exploiting
shipowners.
Only Two Men On Watch.
Tn attack which is now being made
against the three watch system
eight hours a day. to re-instituting
the two watch twelve hours a day.
system, is the most reactionary blow
which has yet been levelled against
the sailors.
To make matters worse, the ship
owners are now introducing the Tay-
Tor system on the vessels and are
trying to get more work out Of the
men by reducing the number of men
on watch to the lowest minimum.
Many ships now have only two men
on the watch, one for the wheel, the
other for lookout duty. The rest
Of the crew is employed as day men,
on the theory that the extra number
of men going watches at night are
not doing useful work and are a loss
to the owners. By keeping them in
day service, more work can be ex-
plotted from the men and they will
make larger profits for the bosses.
Violates Seamen's Act.
This action is direct violation of
Section a of the LaFollette seaman's
act, which specifies that all men on
the boat must be divided into
watches. The present system onI
some boats of having only two men
on watch, both of whom are occupied.
would work serious disaster in case
Of collision, or other accidents, while
at sea, since there would not be
sufficient number of men on hand to
do the necessary safety work.
Much hardship is worked against
the seamen because of the keen COM
petition from the colored and unor-
gained ranks, an element Of men
who will work for any wages under
almost any condition. Attic there is
verbal agreement between the
union and the shipping board TO give
preference to American seamen in
manning their vessels, yet colored
men with very low standard Of
living are much employed. The wri-
ter does not wish to appear as agitat-
ing against colored men, but wishes
to draw attention to the fact that the
colored races and Chinese coolies are
displacing the standard OF living with
that Of their own and work for
wage which tends to reduce the sea-
mons wage as a whole. Thus only
recently did one Of the Dollar Liners
make trip around the world with
q crew Of Chinese, who were drawing
a wage Of $11 month.
Wants to "Americanize" Them.
The union officials entered into
written discussion with T. V. O'Con-
nor, president of the Shipping Board,
and former president Of the long
shoremen's union, requesting hix to
live up to his agreement and TO en-
ploy union men. O'Connor in q
signed statement answered that such