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Now, I am interested, and the committee is interested, in building up an American merchant marine. How can we hope to do it, when the American public is coming to realize and to believe that it is not safe to travel on an American ship. And here you say that the Black Diamond Line, of which this ship is a member, has a most satisfactory contract with labor; and yet this is the way the employees of the ship acted toward the passengers. Now, how are you ever going to build up an American merchant marine?

Mr. BOROW. I do not accept that letter.
The CHAIRMAN. You just deny the letter?
Mr. BOROW. No, sir; I don't deny the letter.

The CHAIRMAN. You deny the allegations of the letter?

Mr. BOROW. Well, it is hard for me to take any reasonable position. on the letter at all. I don't know the circumstances under which it was written. I don't know whether the gentleman who wrote that was nuts or crazy or screwy.

The CHAIRMAN. You have not heard of any other instances like that?

Mr. BOROW. I have heard of a number of instances, and I have heard of instances years ago, too, but which were a lot worse than the writer of the letter says the conditions are. But nothing was done at that time.

But it seems you are trying to use those things for a particular purpose.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the purpose?

Mr. BOROW. And not for the purpose of building up the American merchant marine, I must say.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the purpose?

Mr. BOROW. I think you know, as well as I do.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the purpose?

Mr. BOROW. The purpose, as I see it, is you want to use things like that to force through legislation which would provide for compulsory arbitration of labor disputes.

The CHAIRMAN. It is not. I have no more interest in that legislation than any Member of Congress; I am not excited about it in the least.

Personally I have no hope for the upbuilding of the American merchant marine. If I had $100,000,000, I should not build ship in an American shipyard, to sail under the American flag, because I know I would lose my hundred million.

I read this letter for just one purpose: And that is, to make clear to you gentlemen who come here as representatives of American labor and of labor with which Congress has great sympathy-the true situation, in order that you may know what you have to face. And this will not be the end of it; there will be a great deal more of it from officials of this Government, to show what is going on, on the sea. And, Mr. Borów, what we must have in order to have an American merchant marine is this: There will have to be an understanding between maritime labor and the men who operate the ships.

Mr. BOROW. Maritime labor is doing its part now, Mr. Senator, and is willing to do its part.

Senator VANDENBERG. Will you consider that any circumstances, at sea, would justify a sit-down strike at sea?

Mr. BOROW. No, sir; under no circumstances whatsoever.

Mr. CHAIRMAN. Mr. Borow, I am sorry the time has come when we must adjourn. If you care to come again, you will be very welcome and we shall be glad to be told very fully of the grievances of labor, and particularly the ambitions of labor. But we want to learn, before we pass any laws or appropriate any more money, whether it is worth while to do so.

Senator GUFFEY. Will the witness be here tomorrow?

The CHAIRMAN. We shall meet again tomorrow at half past 10, if you care to come, Mr. Borow.

Mr. BOROW. Thank you, sir.

Senator PEPPER. And all the labor people understand that they will have a full opportunity to be heard?

The CHAIRMAN. Oh, absolutely. We have the names of their witnesses, and we shall hear every one.

(Whereupon, at 12:05 p. m., an adjournment was taken until tomorrow, Wednesday, December 15, 1937, at 10:30 a. m.)

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A BILL TO AMEND THE MERCHANT MARINE ACT OF 1936

AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

32437

PART 4

DECEMBER 15, 1937

Printed for the use of the Committee on
Commerce and the Committee on Education and Labor

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1937

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