Evening star., 1938-01-21
Discipline at Sea.
An amazing story of lack Of discip

An amazing story OF lack OF discipline,
drunkenness, discourtesy-and worse-to
passengers on American merchant vessels
is laid bare in the hearings before the
Senate committees on Commerce and
Education and Labor, now In print
Much Of this testimony is contained in
letters and statements of officials Of the
United States Government. One con-
sular report, from the American consul
late at Shanghai, last July, calls the at
tention of the State Department to the
Serious" not to say deplorable, lack of
discipline prevalent on American vessels
touching at that port. The report urged
that something be done before American
shipping suffers further damage to the
little that remains of its prestige in the
Far East"
A distinguished" American shipmas-
ter, 50 described in the preface printed
In the hearings, laid the lack of disci-
pline on the part of American crews
squarely at the door of the maritime
union, and its delegate" or soviet con-
troll of affairs aboard Ship as well as
ashore. Under existing conditions only
such men as the union approves are per-
mitted in the crews, including the
stewards.
According to testimony and documents
produced before the Senate committees
In executive session, orders Of officers
are ignored men are actually fined by the
union for obeying orders Of officers with
out first having consulted the delegate
or delegates Of the union aboard ship.
The stories told Of discourtesy to pas
sengers, of advances made by members
Of the crew to woman passengers, are
such that, unless some check is applied,
will result in no travel whatever on
American vessels, where other means of
transport can be obtained.
The American merchant marine, sub
sidized by the Government, has a hard
time as 1t is without having to over
come disfame brought by undisciplined
crews. Discipline and order must be re-
stored. One suggestion made to the
committee is that the merchant marine
be made an arm Of the United States
Coast Guard, to be recruited through
and its personnel trained under direction
Of that Government service.
The threat Of q ship tie-up, in either
American or foreign ports, is the weapon
which the union has used most efYec-
lively to obtain its demands, to ignore
ofhcers' orders and to get away" with
undisciplined action Of the personnel.
The good old sit-down strike, which has
aroused a strong spirit Of resentment
among Americans, has terrorized the
ship operators. They fear to lose money,
as they would, If ship is delayed.
Conditions on shipboard have become
appalling" 1t was testified, since the
unions obtained voice in the manage
ment Of ships and the selection Of the
personnel. The so-called delegate" sys-
tenn has made mockery Of discipline.
It was charged that the personnel falls
into three groups, one Of the gangster
type, one Of the type desiring to cheat
the ship out of an honest days work
and one Of the old-type seaman. The
second group is by far the largest, and
the third type, although in the minority,
is all that keeps the ships running in any
semblance Of order.
If these charges be true, what an in
dictment! The stories Of the Algic and
the Hoover seem to bear them out.
A ship at sea is not comparable to a
factory on land. There is always the
danger of destruction and Of death not
only to passengers but to the crew itself.
Lack of discipline and training may
bring disaster.