204 HOW CAN AMERICAN SHIPS COMPETE 



tons total deadweight, and the wages are as of August, 1921. This Norwegian vessel is 

 larger than Mr. Marvin's type vessel of 8,800 tons, and you will notice that the total wages 

 per month is $1,613.47, which should be compared with Mr. Marvin's total wages, per 

 month, for an American vessel of 8,800 tons, $5,315, as shown on page 196 of his paper. This 

 question of the labor on board the steamers of the various nationalities is the all-important 

 question that the American shipowner has to contend with, and I would recommend that 

 Mr. LaFollette, Mr. Gompers and Mr. Furuseth seriously consider these figures giving the 

 comparisons of wages on vessels of all nationalities so that they may be able to pass laws and 

 influence their unions so that the American shipowner may be better able to compete with the 

 foreign. 



Table I. — Scale of Wages per Month for a Norwegian Vessel. 



Rate of Exchange figured at I12.6S, as prevailing on August 8, 1921. 



Knnj* 



Master 1169 |147.88 



1st officer 500 63.25 



2d officer , 450 56.93 



3d officer 325 41.11 



5A.B.'9 270each jf34.16 170.80 



50.S 200each 25.30 126.50 



1 Boatswain 330 each 41.75 



1 Carpenter 330 each 41.75 



16 Deck department $689.97 



Steward 450 f56.93 



Cook 350 44.28 



2d cook 200 25.30 



Messboy 115 14.55 



4 Steward's department $141.06 



Chief engineer 700 $88.53 



2d engineer 550 69.58 



3d engineer 350 44.28 



Two donkeymen 310 each |39.22 78.44 



Two oilers 310 each 39.22 78.44 



9 firemen 300 each 37.95 341.55 



3 coal passers 215 each 27.20 81.60 



19 Engine department $782.44 



Total wages, 39 men per month $1, 613. 47 



Wages per man per month (average) 41.37 



Wages per man per day (average) 1.37 



* Norwe£:ian 



What the American merchant marine requires is more freedom as regards the nationali- 

 ties of the crews, and American shipowners should be allowed to employ cheap alien crews 

 the same as other nations do; otherwise, if an American merchant marine must be estab- 



