ANGRY AUSSIES

Grey River Argus, 24 August 1946, Page 5

ANGRY AUSSIES

On U.S. Transport CONDITIONS ABOARD DENOUNCED (Rec. 10.0). SYDNEY, August 23. Crammed with 550 angry passengers, and with a large calico sign, “S.S. Floating Flopshop”, draped over the side, a United States Army transport, the Marine Falcon, arrived at Sydney from the United States today after what her .passengers described as a nightmare voyage. The passengers told Sun reporters that they were herded into dormitories, sometimes in filthy conditions; that a large section of the crew behaved badly; and that the medical attention was poor. They claimed that girl passengers were accosted by white and Negro members of the crew, and that the only real attempt made to clean up the vessel occurred when she was near Sydney. The captain admitted that complaints had been made by passengers, and that action had been taken on some of them. The average fare was £ll5, and some paid up to £220 for crowded cabins and dormitories'. “The ship is a blot on the reputation of the American merchant marine—it is inconceivable that Australian women and children should be allowed to travel in such conditions,” said Mr A. C. Paddison, president of the Federation of Broadcasting Stations of Australia.