The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-04-06
Sailors Rum
Soviet Ship,
Seaman Finds
by a Worker Correspondent

! l nave Just completed Trip on the
President Harding, a passenger ship,
that took it's quota of the parasites
who are bent on pleasure and Con
tinental freedom" as they call it.
Legions of French
The ship called at Algiers, French
| colonial city. 1t is a garden spot for
the tourist but a city of misery for
the exploited natives. Destitution is
everywhere visible in the quarters Of
the workers, and they live in unsani-
tary novels that areindescribable. Their
: faith that Allah will deliver them
makes them forget the legions of
French soldiers that are quartered in
the city to suppress any sign of re-
volt.
When our boat arrived at Geneva,
l visited a Soviet ship, The Dnieper,
1t had just arrived in port with a
cargo of meat from Odessa. There
were many things about this Bolshe-
vik ship which Immediately interested
me.
Crews Quarters.
In the first place, whereas on all
other ships cargo space is the main
objective and the crews quarters are
cut down to a minimum, here the
crews quarters were spacious and
well-ventilated and with better SAM
tary conditions than on any ship l
have ever seen. Some of the cargo
space had even been cut down and
turned into quarters for the crew.
The wages paid were 70 roubles
per month for A. BIS (able-bodied
seamen) with overtime at the rate of
35 kopeks and double time after the
first hour. The men were supplied
with clothes free of charge. Every
seaman after six months work is en-
titled "to a two weeks vacation with
| pay.
Ship is the Crews.
/ | was especially struck by the at
titude of the men. They took a
.--...4ehuous pride In their ship and
considered it their own. They were
constantly on the lookout that all
rules and working conditions were OBJ
served. The ships committee, COM
posed of Representatives of the vari-
Gus departments, firemen, seamen,
stewards and officers, were really the
executive committee of the ship.
Compared with my experience Of
American ships where the crew is
treated like cattle, this Soviet ship
was like dream of paradise.
| invited some of the Russian sea-
men over to visit an American ship.
The officer at the gangplank forbade
the men to come aboard when he
found out that they were from the
Soviet ship. | suppose he was afraid
that the crew would find out the real
truth about Russia. l demonstrated
with the officer and my reward was
a fine of $3.50.
The Dnieper, while in Geneva, was
constantly under the surveillance of
the fascist police. Three Italian
workers were arrested for trying to
visit the ship.
Fascist Tyranny.
While ashore in Italy l got a
glimpse of conditions under fascist
rule. All over are signs in view with
he order "No political discussions al
lowed!" These signs are present even
in the brothels.
Workers are dissuaded from dis
cussing Mussolini. The fear of sud
den arrest or violence even for speak
ing critically of the fascist regime is
always present.
There are periodical roundups in
the cafes. All are made to line up at
attention and their papers are care
| fully scrutinized
AS to conditions among the Italian
seamen, in comparison with the Rus
sian wages Of $40 per month, the
Italian seamen receive $50 a month
with II per cept extra if they take the
fascist oath. They receive as work
clothes two black suits.
j. B.