The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-09-23
BY ]. HORN
(Worker Correspondent

(W0rker Correspondent
This morning I went up to Pier 81
Of the Pacific Mail Steamship Co. with
the hope of shipping on the SIS. Man
churia. She had only skeleton crew
standing by" which meant that there
were plenty of jobs untitled. On me
l carried discharge book and other,
certificates required by the ship-own-
ers, and having nine years experience
at sea, was justified in my hopes of
competing successfully with my fellow
slaves.
Slaves In Fierce Competition
A little group was already outside
the door when l arrived at s o'clock.
Some had been there as early as 6
A. M. Gradually the handful of men
grew to a crowd, sharpening the COM
petition to the keenest l have ever
been thru in all my nine years on the
waterfront.
The door opened at nine o'clock and
in less time than it takes to tell, the
large room was filled and far too
small to hold us all. 1t looked for
all the world like a cattle-pen, for we
were roped in by bannister, keeping
us away from an open square in front
of the office, which square | could
rightly call the slave-market.
Look Human Cattle" Over
The gamblers hearts on Wall Street
never beat so anxiously as did the
hearts of these slaves behind the rail
ing. We were waiting patiently when
suddenly there was commotion.
turned to see the cause. From one
side entrance uniformed men were fill
ing in, the mate, the boatswain, first
assistant engineer, and chief steward.
There was strain on the bannister
as the slaves pushed forward. Then
there was silence.
The officers stood in front of the
bannister and looked us over. I could
see their smiling faces change to their
professional hardness. They could
very well afford to be themselves this
morning as the pen was filled to ca
pacity.
w nat IflCe HluStlto
AS we stood there in suspense it
seemed to me that we were growing
smaller and smaller and that the Off
GERS grew bigger and bigger, until
they doomed menacingly above us.
Their steel-cold eyes were piercing
thru our garments; they were looking
for muscle. I looked around at my
fellow slaves. They stood tense, with
blank faces, eyes staring in one direc-
ton, and opened wide,< soft and docile
as cows in a market-place. They
represented every race and nation on
the face of the earth.
Suddenly the mates lips curled in
little sheer and the silence Of the
men was broken by his thunderous
voice: "All you men that come around
on the Manchuria, come in here"
There was scramble for the narrow
opening in the rail, and our hopes
dimmed as we watched the men file
in in front of the railing. They will
eat now and sleep in hunks.
Need 6; 80 Want Job
There was a role-call. Yes, six
men were needed So the mate told
the boatswain to pick them. Then
the fun began. The boatswain called:
.'All you ABS, come in here" We
formed a line as he paraded in front
of us, looking US over. We numbered
thirty. He needed six. AS he picked
his men he sent them to the doctor.
The ordinary seamen, who require
no previous experience, were picked
in this manner. Their names were
called out. They were all young we'll
dressed college boys going to sea in
quest of adventure. They were intro
duced to the mate who shook hands
with each and everyone of them. This
method of shipping ordinary seanen
is an old story. But the laying off OF
the crew, with the exception of few
is a method of economy adopted by
the ship-owners. This means that the
little money the seamen earn while
at sea is used up in keeping them
alive in port.
Winter Hardships Frightful
Conditions will be even worse with
the coming winter. The boards Of
directors of these shipping trusts will