The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1950-09-21
Seven Men Held Aboard Panamanian
Flag Ship Ask y. S. Unions For Help
BY FLORENCE STRAND

by FLORENCE STRAND
New York (LPA)-This is the
story Of denial Of human rights
1t is the story Of what can happen
aboard Panamanian flag ship. II
explains why US maritime unions
have long fought against the trans
fer Of American ships to such
countries as Panama, Honduras
and Liberia, where maritime stand
ards of safety, work, living, health,
and maintenance are far below this
country's.
The story was told to the Int
Transportworkers Federation by
seven Displaced Persons-men who
had almost despaired Of getting
jobs and entry to new homelands;
men who were eager for work,
eager to be free Of dependence
upon the Int1 Refugee Organiza-
tion; men who knew little about
merchant sailing but who assumed
that, in this day and age, high sea
standards of work and conduct had
caught up with all ships, regard
less of the flag they flew.
The seven, five Yugoslavs and
two Poles, shipped out from Italy
on the SIS Chispa of the Ivanovic
& Co., London. The Chispa flies the
Panamanian flag. The captain j.
A. Barhanovic of New York, gave
his guarantee to the DIP camp
authorities that he would take full
responsibility for the men. They
worked the first three months with
out pay.
In Britain, the captain signed
the Panamanian articles and the
British articles, covering a two
year period. Back in Italy a few
months later he picked up some
more Displaced Persons as crew
men. Of the two-year voyage, the
seven men wrote, "This climate be-
came unsupportable for US because
the conditions on this ship are ter
rible for this hot climate. No cold
water for the last six months, no
cigarettes in bond, . overtime
collected collectively from the
Charterer was never paid out (esp-
ecially to the Engine Department. ,
ship was not fumigated for the last
two years, no clean bed linen for at
least Ia days, no fans in crews
mess room and in some cabins,
livestock bought on the market not
inspected by the doctor, etc."
A month before the articles were
to expire, 16 of the crew told the
captain they were leaving when the
contract expired. When the time
came, the captain refused to re-
patriate them from Chittagong,
Burma, where the ship was docked,
back to Italy where they had sign
ed on. He accused them of an un-
lawful strike because they wouldn't
sign on again.
Eleven of the 16 were without
papers and visas for another coun-
try. Ivanovic & Co. wired the cap
tain that it had no obligation to-
ward the men. The captain tried
to discharge them in Chittagong
without landing permits or guar
antee of repatriation. The local
objected and the own
ers agreed to let the captain put
the ship into Calcutta, nearest port
with Panamanian consul.
When the Is men got to the con-
sud, the captain was there sex
planning his side of it," He denied
ever signing the British articles.
The consul promised the men they
wouldn't be discharged from the
ship without landing permits from
The security police, without a guar
antee of maintenance and lodging
at the Marine Club, Calcutta, and
guarantee of repatriation from
The owners agents. The men ac-I
,epted.
"The same day, after we had re-
,urned on board, the captain order
I'd to stop our food on the ship and
ordered us to move to the Marine
Club, where as he said, every
hing was paid in advance and ar
'anged. We objected that we might
ret into the Jail having no landing
permits from the police. He told
Is that everything was arranged
between him and the Chief Secur-
ty Police Officer (who as he said
S friend of his) and that we will
ret the landing permits after we
move. We refused because we were
very suspicious of the captain who
vas doing contrary of what was
the consul. Most probably
le wanted to declare US as desert
RS. The same evening we found
'ut in the Marine Club that no.
hing was ready for us over there"
In few days the consul signed
light off the ship who were able to
btain visas. The consul ordered the
thers back to the ship and told
hem their contract had been ex-
ended another six months. "We
bjected that it was done against
ur will, without our consent and
The answer was that II
ye refuse to go back on the ship
nd work, we might be declared
s deserters and taken to the Jail.
The security police, warned byI