The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-04-22

that they will refuse the hand Of
class aid and coInradeship extended
to them by the first working class
state.
This is effective only in a few
cases now, the seamen who are
treated carrying the truth to their
comrades. OF all workers needing
medical care seamen are in the front
rank. Deaths from accidents and
sickness are higher among seafarers
than among any other class of
worker and to those familiar with
the living conditions of seamen on
the ships Of capitalist countries, this
is not surprising. Typical of these
conditions are those existing on a
Norwegian ship that visited Lenin-
grad last year.
The sailors foc'sle is veritable
hell-hole. The place is i'll lit and the
ventilation is bad. There is accom-
mediation for eight men and small
mess table jammed up against the
bulkhead. The cemented deck runs
with water day and might, this leak
ing from a lavatory pipe which runs
from the bulkhead to the deckhead
and which necessitates continual
STOPPING on the part of the men.
Such foul conditions, together with
the bad food given, are responsible
for the prevalence of sickness among
seamen on capitalist-owned ships.
AS it is among seamen that the
station carries on its work it is
natural that there should be a bond
of interest between the station and
the International Seamen's Club in
Leningrad This, however, has found
expression but feebly up till now,
but in 1882 it is hoped to organize in
conjunction with the club lantern
lectures on medical subjects and ex-
cursions to the houses of sanitary
enlightenment" This is step in
the right direction, because although
both institutions do work Of a diff
ferent type, cooperation can only
result in good for both.
The international character Of the
work of the station is best Illustrated
by the following figures OF the
2,107 seamen receiving treatment last
year 80 per cent were Scandinavian,
rs per cent German, 20 per cent
British and American, 20 per cent
came from the Baltic countries, Lat
via, Finland, ETC., and the remain
ing per cent were of other ationali-
ties. No matter from what country
they come, or what their rating, they
are all accorded the same attention.
The variety of the treatment is il
Illustrated by the following. In 1881,
Of cases treated so per cent were
surgical, 80 per cent were venereal
and Is per cent we're therapeutic.
Letters of Appreciation.
Statistics are not the only things
kept by the workers in the station
for foreign seamen. They possess a
book full of appropriations written by
grateful seamen which they like to
show as best emphasizing the value
of their work. The seamen of many
countries write letters from abroad
thanking the staff for their attention
and praising the work of the station.
An American from the "Argosy"
writes: Il wish to express my graft
tude for the kind and courteous
treatment from your station during
my two months of illness"
An English seaman from the S. S.
Klyne Rock says: Dear friends: 1
have been under the treatment at
this Red Cross station for an in
jured arm and I have had every
possible care taken of it. I am only
a stranger in the country, but I am
sure that I could not have had bet
ter treatment anywhere"
JACK BROWN.