The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-03-01
II. S. SHIPS ENSLAVE
CHINESE SEAMEN

l. lG COllOIdCb dloO pTON1QbS Gtlcb
in case Of violation, the Chinese
seamen is forced to pay his own
way back to China, out Of the $500
he borrowed and deposited before
signing on. The half of the wages
the company holds is its own 'in~
demnity' for loss OF his services.
The worst section OF the con.
tract is a sheer yellow -
contract, reading as follows: ""
the undersigncs9 Chinese creS al.
the SIS hereby agree
the captain that we will not 'o
any association of any kind, o o.
tempt to form any associatio "a
any kind while employed abb g
this vessel or any other vesseN
the Panama Mail Steamship CO
pany. IL any such associate =
should be formed, it Is hereby mn.
derstood that such men joining
any association will be returned to
Hongkong at their own expense J."
Thus the company is guaranteed
against any kind of organization
among its Chinese seamen.
THIS is the type of articles under
which seamen are recruited in
Hongkong and Chinese ports for
that Great American Shipping
Man Dollar, for Grace, and for
British and other foreign ships.
The Red Chinese Seamen's Union
is putting up a strong fight against
the "compradore system" and other
abuses. Under the leadership Of
the International of SeaInen and
Harborworkers, it is fighting
against the terror of the Kuonin-
tang government and the official
Kuomintang unions. These Chinese
seamen are undergoing terror
ism that makes any other terror
against the workers seem pale.
In their struggle they have the
support Of the IS.H. unions in
all countries.
THE Marine Workers industrial
L Union, affiliated with the I.S.H.,
received an appeal from the Chi
mesa Seamen who were recently de-
:R,cted, and copy of the contract
which they were forced to sign.
The photostat of this contract is
in the M.W.I.U. Office, and the quo
tations in this story are taken from
that source.
The M.WIU. received, the letter
too late to do anything in New
York. However steps have been
taken to rouse mass support for
the Chinese seamen, and protest
against the treatment they re-
ceived when the ship carrying
them gets to San Francisco. Steps
will also be taken to see il some
financial remuneration can be
forced out Of the Grace line and
Dollar line for these seamen.
The MWIU. demands that the
companies pay these Chinese the
expenses incurred on the trip. The
M.W.I.U. maintains that the Chi
nese have as much right to work
as any other seamen. But 1t In
sists that they be paid American
wages. In other words the union
calls for a fight against the COM.
mon enemy of all seamen, the
ship-owners and their agents, in
stead of fighting as Andrew Furu-
seth and the I.W.W. have fought,
against the starving Chinese sea-
men. 80
THE crew of white men and women
1 who replaced the deported CHI
nese on the SIS. Santa Lucia were
paid little better wages than the
Chinese. Stewards department
wages on the Santa Lucia are $25
month. Speed up Is terrific, and
hours run up to Is a day. But FtTu~
seth makes no protest against thes5
wages. The reason is simple. Furl1s
seth is not interested In keeping
wages up. He is only interested In
cooperation between the Shipown-
ers and his own union, to guaran-
tee that he as well as the ship
owners lives well of the labor OF
the Seamen.
The Marine Workers Industrial
Union calls on all workers to sup
port the fight Of the Chinese sea-
men.