To the Editor of the "Norra-Cuina Datty News."
Str,—I notice, in your issue of the 7th instant, a Reuter telegram purporting to be a part of the speech of the Chairman at the aanual meeting of the Indo-China Steam Navigation Ca., Ld., held on October 6 at Hongkong. As more than one statement im the speech is misleading, and liable, unless repudiated, to convey a wrong impression to the public, I feel it no more than my duty as a member of the British Mercantile Marine and of one of the Guilds, to take the Chairman to task for his statements.
His first misrepresentation is that the members concerned in the Indo-
China steamers have demanded an increase of 50 per cent. on their present salaries. I therefore correct him by stating that the increase in question asked for is 30 per cent. With regard to the phrase Figures proved not only that the men were extremely well paid," I refute this statement as absolutely misleading with the present high cost of living prevailing and the general increase in the price of necessary commodities. But if the Chairman was so really in earnest, why not publish the statement' of accounts and balance sheet of the Indo-China Ca., Ld., for 1919? It would ive the public some information on judging the merits and demerits of the floating staffs' request.
With the quotation The Directors had agreed, that, come what might, a halt must be called to the rising costs" I am heartily in agreement, and therefore ask the Chairman what warranted the company recently increasing the passenger fares nearly 40 per cent. in one jump? But it is with the following quotation I am gravely concerned, "that the policy of the Guilds was being dictated with no thought for the morrow or for British prestige in the East. Knowing the personnel of the Mercantile Marine and their achievements and sacrifices made in the great conflict, the ger eral public will accept that statement exactly for what it is worth, It seem passing strange, however, that a body of men who won death less fame in defending British prestige, should now be doing their utmost to destroy it. And, further to this, am I not correct in stating that it was necessary for the Guilds to insert a clause in the agreement with the companies in 1916 to the effect that "the companies agreed to re-instate those of their officers who had left the companies to serve in H.M. forces," in order to uphold British prestige?
conclusion, I submit that, instead of wasting his oratorical efforts, the Chairman submit the companies' case to a fair and impartial body of men, namely, the Adjustment and Arbitration Boards, which, if the company "is at the end of its tether" will certainly not allow it to be victimized further. The Adjustrent Board has, I understand, already been refused the Guilds, which no doubt the public will not, and which is not only in strong contrast to that of employers at Home, who plead for arbitration when the employees refuse it, but also a breach of the agreement with the Guilds made in May, 1916, which stipulates that sil disputes be referred to arbitration.
I am, ete., Taos. B. AxpErson. Shanghai, Oct..9.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.