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of the bill. Would the wording on page 2 (lines 5, 6, and 7) in any way prevent the importation of foreign whale oil or the use of foreign ships, provided the duty and tax were paid? If so, we believe that such wording must be changed. We do not intend to ask for an embargo on foreign whale oil. We ask solely that whale oil produced from whales caught by foreign ships be considered an imported product and taxable as such. With this reservation, voiced because of our uncertainty over the wording, we do support H. R. 8595.

We believe that the position we have taken with respect to this bill is in the interests of cotton growers. The oil mills, which are members of this association, purchase cottonseed from the growers. The price which they can afford to pay is directly dependent upon the selling price of crude cottonseed oil. Any factor which adversely affects the price of cottonseed oil depresses the income of cotton growers. Under prevailing conditions, it is hardly necessary to stress the desirability of taking any reasonable step which will improve the cotton growers' income.

We hope that the above information may be of assistance to the committee in its deliberations and that H. R. 8595 will be reported. favorably.

BRIEF OF SCANDINAVIAN SEAMEN'S CLUB OF AMERICA

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, it has come to our attention that your committee is presently considering two bills, namely, H. R. 8995 and H. R. 8906, both of which are concerned with the establishment of an American whaling industry operating from the shores of the United States. We understand that negotiations are now proceeding in Norway for the transportation to the United States in wholesale quantities large numbers of Norwegian seamen to man the ships of the as yet only proposed industry.

We are told that arguments have been presented to your committee concerning the desirability of importing such seamen for the purpose mentioned. We have, therefore, taken the liberty of recommending to your attention certain facts in that regard, which we feel should be considered by your committee before any such action is contemplated, and that upon such contemplation, the undesirability of such a situation should become apparent.

Prior to 1924, it was entirely proper, under the laws of the United States, that merchant vessels of the United States should be, and were, manned to a large extent by alien seamen. In 1924, legislation was passed that substantially prohibited alien seamen from working upon merchant vessels of the United States. However, due to the fact that there was a shortage of manpower, this legislation was never effectively enforced, until the deepening of the economic crisis, which commenced in 1929.

Upon the more stringent enforcement of this legislation, large numbers of alien seamen, and particularly Scandinavian seamen, were forced to turn, as their sole source of employment, to work upon vessels bearing the Norwegian, Danish, or Swedish flag. These vessels are vessels which, were it not for the foreign ownership, which receives the profit of their sailing, might well be considered American vessels. These vessels ply from American ports and back again, bearing cargo destined to and from the United States, and rarely, if ever, do these vessels return to the country of their nationality.

These Scandinavian seamen, now manning these vessels, found conditions on board these vessels utterly incommensurate with the standard of living then existing in the American ports in which their wages were spent, and upon diligent application to the principle of collective ciganization, through the Scandinavian Seamen's Club, they have been able to procure, for some time now, for themselves a scale of living only slightly less than that of the American seamen performing similar work. Inasmuch as these seamen work cargo competing with that of American cargo aboard ships competing with United States merchant ships, it is entirely fitting and proper that this be so, and it should be remembered that these wages are, in turn, spent in American ports.

It is the purpose of this report to demonstrate that in such places as man power for a whaling industry cannot be drawn from the American personnel, recourse should not be had to foreign sources, but rather that the best and most appropriate source for the selection of such manpower is at present within the borders of our own shores. As previously shown, there exists now within our own United States, a large body of trained Scandinavian seagoing personnel, which present personnel come from the place from which the seamen proposed to be imported would be brought, having been reared and trained under the same conditions. Large numbers, if not the majority of these seamen, now available on our shores, are well trained and experienced in the whaling industry. It is submitted that resource should first be had to this source, for resource to any alien personnel.

It is well known that Scandinavian seamen are among the best trained, most disciplined, and most respected seamen sailing aboard merchant vessels anywhere, and these seamen, as such, are respected by the masters of the vessels aboard which they have served.

For a short period of time, the Scandinavian owners, in an attempt to beat down conditions aboard these Scandinavian vessels, resorted to the practice of "dumping" the crews then serving aboard these vessels, and replacing them with crews from abroad. This practice has been considerably reduced for many reasons, but while it existed in its most pernicious form, it served to establish upon these shores a reservoir of seamen available for service in all categories. This reservoir has served to slow up the reshipment and reemployment of Scandinavian seamen on Scandinavian vessels, and it is only by reason of the orderly reemployment of the seamen in turn, through the rotary employment panel of the Scandinavian Seamen's Club, that more serious effects were not realized from this practice of "dumping." Certainly, before this reservoir is exhausted, resort should not be had to foreign sources to procure alien seamen.

It may be properly noted, at this point, that some criticism has adhered to the club, by reason of the progressive policies which they have followed, with respect to their membership. It can easily be demonstrated that this criticism has come only from those foreign steamship owners, which had, before the club's existence, been able to underbid, for a short period of time, the American merchant marine, by reason of their low standard of working conditions, and which, by reason of the lifting of the conditions to approximate an American standard, stood to lose some measure of profits. In the creation, however, of an American whaling industry, which envisions

the eventual employment of American seamen, this should be a recommendation rather than a criticism.

Actually, among the broad reaches of persons of Scandinavian extraction that now constitute part of the American population, there is no organization more respected, either by individuals, or by other organizations, than the same Scandinavian Seamen's Club.

In considering working standards for an American whaling industry, we feel that due regard also should be had for the special conditions connected with whaling. Particularly, these are concerned with the special hardships incident to such an industry, special skills required therein, the extraordinary long hours necessitated for such work, and the seasonal character of the work.

The reek and stench of the whaling vessel have long since been traditional. But less is known of the detailed privation and hardship, amounting at times almost to torture, connected with this work. That the workers working in the boiling, cooking, and extraction processes work for 10 hours, minimum, very often under temperatures of 110 degrees or more, surrounded by an unhealthy gas and steam of vaporizing oil, is not as well known. That these workers are subject to indefinite call upon the expiration of these 10 hours, is not as well known. That workers on the mother ship walk for months at end, ankle deep in blood, fat, and greases from the butchered animals, is not generally known. That such things as regular sleeping hours, or the ordinary conveniences of washing, shaving, or cleaning of quarters, are privileges that must often be foregone for even longer periods, are also not generally known. An average of 2 hours sleep, very often over periods of weeks, is not uncommon. Indeed, clothes are generally not washed for the entire 9 months of the usual voyage. The added inconvenience of these conditions in Arctic climates is, of course, more generally appreciated.

Special experience and skill not enjoyed by the average seaman is required in the handling of small boats, under the adverse conditions. incident to the whaling voyage. Special knowledge in the handling of the catch is also required for seamen engaged on a whaling ship.

Added to these special conditions, is the seasonal nature of the work. The whaling season generally extends for a period of 7 to 9 months, and in between these times, the whaling seamen must either turn to new employment, or else be unemployed. All of these are circumstances which must be considered in the establishment of working conditions.

That during the off season, large numbers of seamen from these vessels would be returned to our shores, is still another reason why additional numbers of aliens should not be brought in from abroad, but rather sought from the shores of the United States, in order that the number of aliens in the United States, neither citizens, nor persons becoming citizens, should not become too great.

At a time when skilled seamen in sufficient numbers are available in America, the only really moving consideration that would lead employers to seek seamen from abroad, would be that in so doing a cheaper wage scale might thus be procured. Certainly, in the development of an American whaling industry, this is the very reason why resort should not be had to seamen from abroad.

Firstly, since it would be the purpose of such an industry to eventually substitute American seamen for these alien seamen, the working

conditions to be promulgated should be of such a nature as to permit these American seamen to enter the trade without reduction in standard. This would, certainly, not be the case were foreign seamen to be imported, in order to enforce a lower standard than that of the Ameri

can one.

Secondly, such a proposal would effect only a temporary saving, which would be more than compensated for by the loss which must come from the inevitable struggle by these foreign seamen in their effort to equalize American conditions and their low foreign wage. This is not a fanciful conjecture, for it is our now common experience that where a foreign wage is sought to be established from American ports, the inevitable struggle results, until such time as the foreign wage is brought to approximate American standards.

Furthermore, the proposed importation of foreign seamen in large. quantities would contravene the good effect of the now present expressed and benevolent policy of the Department of Immigration. It has been the policy of the United States Immigration Department to discourage the importation of alien seamen, by reason of the unemployment of the alien seamen thus created upon our shores, and where, by reason of the unemployment already thus created, by conditions beyond the control of these seamen, existed, the Immigration Department has cooperated wherever possible, to the end that the unemployment shall be alleviated, and that these seamen be permitted their rightful opportunity to continue their efforts to be employed on vessels of their nationality.

This has been a benevolent policy that has operated to the good of all persons affected by it, and it is a policy that would be thrown completely out of kilter by any wholesale importation of foreign sea

men.

Lastly, of course, the point should again be stressed, as it has already been intimated, that such a program of foreign importation would create a large body of unemployed alien seamen on United States shores, especially in the off-season. The ill effects to be derived therefrom can scarcely be overestimated, and, certainly, is not condition to be encouraged.

It is, therefore, our well considered conclusion, for the reasons above mentioned, that the importation of additional alien seamen to this country for any purpose, must be considered undesirable. It is admitted that were such an industry to develop, certain few highly specialized positions entailed in such an industry, might have to be filled from sources other than that of the Scandinavian seamen population now sailing from the United States. Some of these employments, such as blacksmiths, might well be filled immediately by American citizens. Certain others, such as gunners, machinists, and mates might well have to be sought abroad, but the argument against the wholesale importation of the bulk of the man power for any such industry, remains in all its full force.

Finally, we would like to state that we have read the report of Ralph Emerson, previously submitted on our behalf, and concur fully therein. It is also our express desire to be of such further assistance to the committee as we may. However, the request for such assistance may be desired, and should the committee desire the production

of oral testimony on any of these subjects, we shall be only too pleased to oblige.

Respectfully submitted.

SCANDINAVIAN SEAMEN'S CLUB OF AMERICA, By THOMAS CHRISTENSEN, National Organizer. GUSTAV ALEXANDER, Secretary.

MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE

Hon. OTIS S. BLAND,

NATIONAL SOYBEAN PROCESSORS ASSOCIATION,
Chicago, February 21, 1938.

Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries,

Washington, D. C.

DEAR MR. BLAND: We desire to express our strong approval of your bill to limit the licensing of vessels engaged in whaling unless they be documented as vessels of the United States.

We believe this is an important step which will redound to the benefit of American agriculture. The soybean industry, a new and struggling branch of agriculture, has been making headway and today constitutes an important cash agricultural crop. To continue its advance there must be a market for soybean oil at a price level that will permit a fair return to the growers. There is tremendous competition between fats and oils produced domestically, and the impact of outside production upon the domestic price structure for oils and fats is increasingly severe.

Yours sincerely,

EDWARD J. DIES,
Executive Secretary.

BOSTON, MASS., March 1, 1938.

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The undersigned is a manufacturer of tallow operating a plant in Boston Mass. The inedible tallow manufactured by this company is a commodity in commerce in same class with whale oil. This tallow is sold and used in domestic commerce in competition with whale oil, the two commodities capable of being, and now being, used interchangeably in the manufacture of soap and other industrial products.

We are informed by the public press, and by statements made by representatives of the United States Department of Commerce that there is now about to be landed at the port of Norfolk, Va., or at some other port on the eastern coast of the United States, a cargo of whale oil which is being transported on board the United States tanker Florida, which whale oil originated on the high seas on board the whaling reduction ship Ulysses and which oil was transferred on the high seas from the reduction ship Ulysses to the United States tanker ship Florida. We wish to protest against the classification of this cargo of whale oil as free under paragraph 1730 of the Tariff Act of 1930, and request its classification under paragraph 52 of the Tariff Act of 1930, dutiable thereunder at the rate of 6 cents per gallon, and also subject to an import tax of 3 cents per pound, under the provisions of the Revenue Act of 1934.

This protest is based upon the following statement related here upon information and belief.

1. Section 1730 of the Tariff Act of 1930 exempts from duty all products of American fisheries, including whale oil.

2. Rulings by the Treasury Department (Customs Bureau) define what constitutes an American fishery by the requirement that the principal vessel used in such enterprise must be registered and documented as a vessel of the United States. 3. The principal vessel in the enterprise hereunder consideration is the mother ship or rendering ship Ulysses.

4. In as statement made at a hearing on the Bland bill, H. R. 8595, held February 23 and 24, 1938, before the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives, one witness, whostated that his name is Isbrandtsen and that he was president of the corporation which owns the ship Ulysses

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