Extract from Hong Kong Weekly Press 6/1/136
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THE HONG KONG WEEKLY PRESS &
LOCAL SEAMEN
November 6, 1936
"RESTLESS"
Revelations Of Job Control
"OUTBREAK WITHIN SIX MONTHS"
“SQUEEZE” SYSTEM
CONDEMNED
Accusations against employers regarding their treatment of seamen aboard ships in local waters, which were made by Mr. Chao Pan-fu at the Geneva International Labour Conference contained such startling charges that we instituted investigations in Hong Kong shipping circles to ascertain the true position.
The results, as our report discloses, are calculated to make every reasonable member of the community feel extremely dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs.
We were informed by the reporter who carried out this investigation that whilst the ma- jority of executives of shipping companies were very generous in their help, but in at least two instances discourtesy and antagonism in an unusual degree were displayed. We would remind those executives of a sound Scottish saying, "Guilty folk always lose their tempers."
To those other executives-happily the majority-we express our appreciation, and for ob- vious reasons, observe strictly their requests that their identities might not be disclosed.-Editor "H.K.D.P."
whatever rate of interest may be demanded, and therefore, part of his wages have to be set aside to pay the interest."
Information of a pessimistic na- | big amount by means of loans at ture was obtained on Oct. 28 from a section of the local shipping community, following inquiries which were made regarding a statement by Mr. Chao Pan-fu, the Chinese delegate to the maritime session of the International Labour Conference at Geneva, which was recently published in the Shang- hai "North China Daily News", re- vealing a feeling of unrest among local Chinese seamen.
Mr. Chao was reported to have said that the Chinese seamen were fighting for equal treatment, but the foreign firms were taking ad- vantage of the low wages and the facility of commercial transporta- tion with China. The result of the strike in 1922 had been an "hon- ourable victory on the
seamen's
1927 the Hong Kong branch of the Chinese Seamen's Union. "It is to be noted," he said, "that the Sea- men's Union is a legal organiza- tion recognized by all the civilized nations for the protection of the interests of the seamen. seaman
I wonder whether any democratic govern- ment in this world would ever pro- hibit any legal organization of such a sort, and whether the present Labour Conference would stand such unreasonable measures," Mr. Chao remarked.
Mr. Chao stated that the highest wage of an experienced was only $44 and the lowest only $8, and queried how any seaman could live on such meagre income.
“DEPLORABLE SITUATION”
Continuing Mr. Chao said it was obvious that the employers would benefit by this "deplorable situa- tion" and they would, of course, employ workers who were subjected to lower standards of treatment in order to facilitate their com- petition for private gain. And the employers, he argued, in taking advantage of this, could easily
cheat their own national workers by denying the fact of unjust treatment and make the Chinese workers the scapegoat for all evils. They can easily condemn the question of unemployment as due to the practice of Chinese seamen
part but it turned out to be the seamen's disappointment for the employers not only failed to keep their promise, but made conditions even more harsh for the sufferers. Their mode of employment is still confined to the illegal contractor- system instead of through the legal | taking up the occupations which channel of the Chinese Seamen's Union. Seamen are deprived of their choice of ships nor have they any voice
in the conditions of the contract of employment.”
GUARANTEES DEMANDED Continuing, Mr. Chao is reported to have maintained that besides employing the feudal method of employment, the foreign shipping companies in China require the payment from each seaman of a deposit of $300 to $700 on his accepting employment. The dis- tressed geaman has to raise such a
would otherwise be assigned for their nationals. "The result is that the Chinese seamen, having suffered from the oppression of their employers and the unfair treatment of the authorities of the concerned countries, have to face the misunderstanding of their own rank and class and the consequent hatred of races," he declared.
POSITION IN HONG KONG
In conclusion, Mr. Chao alleged that the Hong Kong authorities, under the pretext of apprehension of Communist activities, closed in
GUILTY OF EXAGGERATION
The forgoing sums up Mr. Chao Pan-fu's remarks anent what he termed "the Chinese seamen's fight for equal treatment." On the other hand, from enquiries made locally at authoritative sources, it was revealed that the entire state- ment of Mr. Chao Pan-fu was in the nature of propaganda.
"Mr. Chao is guilty of exaggera- tion," one local manager declared after he had read the article in question.
"FEUDAL SYSTEM"
EXPLAINED
Regarding the feudal method of employment by the contractor- system, it was pointed out by an executive of a Hong Kong ship- ping office that a bond of security was required from the No. 1's of each department on the ship, namely the bo'sun, the steward and the head fireman, as an in- surance for the Company against its being charged with fines rang- ing from $1,000 to $5,000 resulting from the discovery of contraband on their vessels.