The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-07-06


proven their competence and able
seamanship by years of work at their
trade, had absolutely no doubt voiced
as to their ability as able seamen
when they were employed by the
Ford Motor Company. Fitzgerald,
who, besides his able seaman's ticket,
also holds third mates license, has
been going to sea for nine years.
Loomis had, besides his merchant
marine service, a three-year navy
training, totaling altogether eight
years.
The Ford Company is very careful
in its choice of men and they are
carefully investigated as to ability,
seamanshp and character before they
are signed on for the model ships"
Publicity Bunk.
THE publicity agents of the Fora
Motor Company paint the picture
of working conditions on the Ford
boats in the rosiest of colors. "These
are the boats where the sailor never
suffers as he does at the hands Of
other shipowners; here the sailor
gets the best OF chow and living
quarters; working conditions on the
job are the easiest and most lucra-
tive"
These systematic Greenhouses that
keep the workers going at top speed
under constant check and belt sys-
tenn where exactly so much work is
calculated to be turned out per min
ute and failure means the gate, are
not able to keep workers for more
than few months, unless they are
tied down by such unfortunate cir
cumstances as families that are de-
pendent on Ford and his commissary
houses.
HENRY FORD has gained control
IL of the stores and middlemen's
trade patronized by the workers in
these plants; and now it seems as
though Ford were extending his sys-
ternatized tyranny to the high seas
and inland waters, and entering into
the lives of the workers on the ships
IN his drive for more profits and
greater control and power.
Faulty Seamanship.
T1IIL tug "Ball Camp" on which
: these two sailors signed in the
month of November, 1925, was
badly mastered ship so far as sea-
manship was concerned. She had
fifteen to twenty degree list all the
way from New York to Quezec due
mainly to the Incompetence of the
captain and the chief engineer. These
officers had neglected to properly
ballast the vessel and in the course
of the trip they had made no real at
tempt to correct this fault. Because
of this list the seas ran into the
quarters of the crew, causing them
III told misery and lack of sleep.
Curing this time all hands worked
long hours shifting bunker coal to
right the ship and avoid disaster.
Along with this difficulty the heat
ing system was out of order and the
crew suffered cold as we'll as the
damp and wet of the water that was
shipped aboard. This defect in the
heating system also affected the
manipulation of the vessal due to
leaking steam in capstans, winches,
ETC.; in fact the vessel was abso-
lutely unseaworthy.
THE men were left in misery below,
but the officers lived amidships in
comfortable quarters above the water
line The dry stores, kept in the
crews quarters against regulations,
were wet when the seas came in, and
had rotted away in the crews quar-
tiers from the salt and filth; then
after the ship had made part of its
run it ran short of ice and the meat
for the crews consumption became
foul; such ice as there was being re-
served for the officers choice cuts.
These were some of the conditions
with which the crew had to contend
so that when the boat came into port
over night. they were only too glad
to run ashore for a breathing spell
and rest somewhere else to break up
the grinding monotony of the miser-
able trip.
Captain Incensed at Complaint.
MAI HEN snip dliAVSu 1N &hNbCN
W the crew asked the captain for
half of their wages, to which they are
entitled at any port according to the
seamans' act, after five or more act
ual days Of work.
The captain, fearing to lose the
crew who were indignant and angry
~ this shabby treatment, refused to
nay them off. Thereupon the men
went in body to the American Con-
sui at Quebec and placed complaint
against the vessel on the basis of its
being unseaworthy and improperly
provisioned. In this they were en-
tirely within their rights as an
American crew and American citi-
zens. The consul, after hearing the
men, came aboard ship, spoke to the
captain and ordered him to improve
MI conditions. This should have
hoo-a a,,o,,ob N indicate +ba+ tho CON,