200 



HOW CAN AMERICAN SHIPS COMPETE 



strike. New present wage rates of American and British officers and men for cargo steamers 

 of the same representative type compare as follows : 



Comparison of American and British Marine Wages for *Class C Steamers. 



American Wages Effecti've from May 1, 1921, and British Wages Effective from May 6, 1921 



Grade 



First officer 



Second officer 



Third officer 



Carpenter 



Boatswain 



Able seamen 



Ordinary seamen 



Chief engineer 



First assistant engineer . . 

 Second assistant engineer 

 Third assistant engineer . 



Donkeyman 



Oiler 



Water tender 



Fireman 



Coal-passer and wiper . . . 



American 



1195.00 

 170.00 

 150.00 

 85.00 

 80.00 

 72.50 

 52.50 



285.00 

 195.00 

 170.00 

 150. 00 



80.00 

 80.00 

 80.00 

 75.00 

 65.00 



British 



26/10 

 21/10 

 17/10 

 14/10 

 13/10 

 11/- 

 7/10 



35/10 

 26/10 

 21/10 

 17/10 



13/10 



13/- 



13/- 



12/10 



12/- 



£ at JS4.86 £ at $4.00 



1128.79 

 104.49 

 85.05 

 70.47 

 65.61 

 53.46 

 36.45 



172.53 



128.79 



104.49 



85.05 



65.61 

 63.18 

 63.18 

 60.75 

 58.32 



1106.00 

 86.00 

 70.00 

 58.00 

 54.00 

 44.00 

 30.00 



142.00 



106.00 



86.00 



70.00 



54.00 

 52.00 

 52.00 

 50.00 

 48.00 



♦Class C, from 7,501 to 12,000 power tonnage — gross tonnage plus indicated horsepower. 



Reductions in an equal or greater ratio have since become operative among officers and 

 men of the Norwegian and Japanese merchant services, but the data for exact comparison 

 with American schedules have not yet reached the United States. It can be said, however, 

 that America is now paying wages far higher than those granted by any competing nations, 

 and that the cost of food or maintenance is also markedly higher, so that in this respect there 

 is no important change whatsoever from the economic conditions that prevailed before the 

 great war. Sea pay, which rose during the war in Europe as well as in America, has since 

 been somewhat reduced in Europe as well as in America, so that the difference between 

 American ships and foreign ships in wage cost and operation remains substantially the same 

 as it was before. 



In fact, allowing for abnormal conditions of international exchange, the wage handicap 

 against American ships is greater than ever. Foreign steamers plying in American trade de- 



