http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/7401acc5ff8530585f619b3275f6bb6e.PDF f9ced73bf62418d2e64cbd0d8245ec84 PDF Text Text /• Vol. XXIX No. 6 SEAF!4JRE!ltS'A''IiOG OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION, » ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES AND INLAND WATERS DISTRICT • AFL-C,I.Q •"( THE NATION'S HEALTH CRISIS Centerfold ( .1 •( } ( *i •j ! ' V ./ I X ,1 J 1 <( 'i 4\ / f ' I f c V »< J li ( ,\ t I <1 t 1 WHY AN INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATION? �Mkrch 17, 1967 SEAFARERS LOG Page Two Council Conciudes Winter Session AFL'CIO Exec, Couna'l Plots Course For Labor's Programs in 1967 Report of International President by Paul Hall The AFL-CIO Executive Council recently called on President John­ son to issue an executive order to bar government contracts from going BAL HARBOUR, Fla.—^The trade union movement took a long, hard look at the challenges to notoriously anti-labor corporations—and in this manner virtually and problems of 1967—internationally, at home and within organized labor—and came up with subsidizing their anti-labor practices. The very need for such demands on the part of organized American a carefully-planned program designed to insure progress on all three fronts. labor is a sad and shameful commentary on the contracting policies of In a week of intensive and Policy Committee. • Called for "immediate and the U.S. Government. highly productive sessions, the Meany told reporters at a press extensive attention" to problems The fact of U.S. Government support for anti-labor firms is clear. AFL-CIO Executive Council conference that in terms of the of the American consumer and During the past five years the share of U.S. military contracts going plotted the course for organized overriding issue of labor unity he urged legislation and investigation to companies located in the South Central States has nearly doubled. labor for this year and the years hoped that the UAW would not in six major areas. Of the eight South Central States five are "right-to-work" states. beyond, with particular attention leave the AFL-CIO and that he • Urged amendment of the During the same period the eight South Atlantic States, five of which to improving the quality and would prefer to have Reuther back present draft law to remove in­ are also "right-to-work" states, have boosted their share of military standard of life for all Americans on the council. equities and discrimination and contracts by over $2 billion. and assuring that all workers se­ One of the worst anti-labor companies in the entire nation is located In a series of statements on do­ proposed an 8-point program of cure a fair share of the fruits of in this area, and it is doubly tragic that this company is also one of the mestic policies and legislation the revisions. their labor. council took the following action: • Recommended postponing a biggest receivers of Defense Department contracts. This is the in­ And despite an all-time record • Reaffirmed its deep commit­ decision on the need for a tax famous J. P. Stevens Company, which is perhaps the nation's biggest high memtership at the end of producer of U.S. military uniforms. 1966, the council stressed the need ment to the war on poverty, sharp­ increase until current uncertain­ The anti-labor practices of J. P. Stevens' management have been for a continuin" emphasis on or­ ly repudiated attacks designed to ties in the economy are resolved so blatant and consistent that a National Labor Relations Board trial ganizing and updating the policies cripple or destroy the program in the next few months. examiner recently noted that "it begins to appear doubtful" that ainy of the federation in the fields of and rejected the "mythology" that • Called for wage increases legal remedy can right the wrongs done to Stevens employees. He political action and education and the nation cannot afford it. through collective bargaining to blasted J. P. Stevens management for not only repeatedly violating public relations. • Pledged to do everything in bolster consumer buying power, employee rights but also for setting policies that led many company AFL-CIO President George its power to translate President noting that extraordinary profits * Merny characterized the mid­ Johnson's civil rights program into and rising productivity made such supervisors to lie on the witness stand. Yet the Federal Government winter sessions at the Americana law, terming his proposals "sound, wage hikes possible without in­ continues to reward Stevens with fat government defense contracts, paid for with the tax dollars of American workers. Hotel here as "very, very produc­ sensible and achievable." creasing the general price level. Another way in which our tax dollars are wasted to support antitive ... a fine meeting," with the labor employers is through the issuance of tax-exempt industrial bonds discussions intensive and at a high which serve in many cases to induce companies to violate their union Tried to Save Shipmate level. contracts and run away to states offering them the protection of antiIn its final sessions the council labor "right-to-work" laws. continued to receive detailed brief­ A vigorous attack on this tax-dodging scheme was made recently ings from the top leaders of the by the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. He charged that these Johnson Administration, holding industrial development bonds were being used more and more by the a 90-minute meeting with Vice states to lure financially strong corporations, that are fully able to President Hubert H. Humphrey obtain funds through normal channels, into their area where they can on foreign policy matters, with enjoy the further benefits of "right-to-work" statutes. emphasis on Viet Nam, and with San Francisco—An SIUNA Military Sea Transport Union mem­ These practices of awarding government contracts to anti-labor Treasury Secretary Henry H. ber received a Coast Guard Lifesaving award on March 2nd for companies and of alloVving many of these same companies to take Fowler on the general state of the an act of bravery that occurred in March a year ago when he at­ advantage of these tax-exempt bonds to increase their profits are economy. tempted to save a fellow ship^ just two areas in which the U.S. government will have to revise its Earlier it had met with Labor present policies before it can truly say it is fulfilling its obligations to mate from drowning. Secretary W. Willard Wirtz, Budg­ the American worker. et Director Charles L. Schultze, Barstle V. Cross, deck dele­ White House Assistant Joseph A. gate aboard the MSTS transport Califano, Jr., and Federal Media­ USNS General Edwin D. Patrick, tion Director William E. Simkin. jumped into 48-degree water at an anchorage in Yokohama, Japan, Pollock Elected The council filled the vacancy in an effort to save the life of in its ranks caused by the resigna­ fellow crewman Felipe S. Santos tion of Auto Workers President on March 28, 1966. Brother San­ Walter P. Reuther by electing Tex­ tos had fallen into the water while The nominating period for delegates to represent- the SIU tile Workers Union of America attempting to climb a Jacob's lad­ Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District Deep Sea Mem­ President William Pollock. It der from a liberty launch. named Steelworkers President 1. bership at the Internationals 13th biennial convention will open on Although Brother Cross was not W. Abel to head up its Economic successful in saving the life of March 20. Twenty-seven deleBrother Santos, he did everything gates are to be elected. Nominations and acceptances possible to rescue Santos until he Complete information on the shall be submitted to Al Kerr, sec­ became exhausted from the cold. nominating procedures, along with retary-treasurer, Seafarers Inter­ Rear Admiral Theodore Fabik, MSTU Seafarer Barstle V. Cross election details and the president's national Union of North America SEAFARERS^fe^OG Commander 12th Coast Guard displays C. G. Lifesaving Award, recommendations, which had been Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland March 17, 1967 • Vol. XXiX, No. 6 District, made the presentation to received for valiant and daring approved by the membership at Waters District, 675 Fourth Ave­ Official Publication of the Brother Cross, while his wife, Al- effort to save drowning shipmate. the regular March meetings, were nue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11232 and Seafarer* International Union mailed directly to all AGLIWD must be received at headquarters vina, looked on. Cross was then of North America, and holding his head above Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes deep sea members by SIU Presi­ no later than the close of business handed an encased letter of com­ and Inland Waters District. water, Mr. Cross attempted dent Paul Hall, in accordance on March 24, 1967. mendation from the Secretary of AFL-CIO to secure him with a life pre­ The mailed notice pointed out the Treasury Henry H. Fowler. with the Union Constitution, Extevtive Board that "in accordance with Article Article XIV, Section 3. server and line. After secur­ The Secretary of the Treasury PAUL HALL, President XIV, Section 3, in the event the As approved by the member­ CAL TANNER EARL SHEPARD ing himself to a second line commendation read as follows: Exec. Fiee-Pree. Vice-President number of all qualified nominees ship meeting, the president rec­ and while being repeatedly AL KERR LINOSEI WILLIAMS The Secretary of the Treas­ is equal to or does not exceed the ommended that the district send See.-Treoe. Vice-President immersed by the turbulent ury takes pleasure in present­ ROBERT MATTHEWS number of delegates to be elected, to the convention the 27 dele­ water, both men were pulled Viee-Preeident ing the Silver Life-Saving then such nominees shall be gates "to which we are entitled." HERBERT BRAND back under the Jacob's lad­ Medal to Barstle Virgle Cross The notice pointed out that deemed to be elected as conven­ Direetor of Organiting and der. Exhausted by the ordeal for acts as set forth in the fol­ Publications "any full book member in good tion delegates. Should the num­ and debilitated by the water, lowing CITATION: Managing Editor standing, may nominate himself ber of all qualified nomiaees be MIKE POLLACK Mr. Cross was assisted aboard greater than the number of dele­ "For hereto action on the for convention delegate." Assistant Editor NATHAN SKYER Staff Writers ship and released to medical evening of March 28, 1966, All those members who are gates to be elected, a secret vote PETER WEILL when he attempted to rescue authorities. Mr. Cross dis­ nominated and wish to accept such on the delegates will be held in all PEIB WEISS nomination, or who wish to nomi­ ports on April 17 between 9:00 a fellow crewman from played outstanding initiative, ED RuBBNsnaN drowning in Tokyo Bay, Yo­ nate themselves, shall submit such A.M. and 5:00 P.M." courage and fortitude in-.this kohama, Japan. On returning notifications of their nomination Similar notices are being sent PilliiM blENkly at 810 Meds lilud Ami* valiant attempt to save the N.E.. WuliliitoB. D. C. 20018 ky tk* Seafirto the anchored USNS Pat­ or acceptance by wire, registered to all members of the districts life of a shipmate. His ex­ in iitm*tl*Mi UilMi, Atiantli, Cilf, Lakn rick, a crewman slipped from Bid lilud Witm Dlrtrirt. AFL-CIO, C75 letter or in person. Such accept­ Inland Boatmen's Union, United emplary service is in keeping FHrtb Amn, 8n*klyB. N.V. 11232. Til. a Jacob's ladder and fell into ance or nomination shall contain Industrial Workers and Great NYiriitt 9-6800. tmid ilia yeitifi yald with the highest traditions of at WadilaitMi. D. C. the frigid water. Mr. Cross the book number and address Lakes Seamen for the designation the sea." mriAtTEB'S ATTEBTIIB: Fsna 3979 saw his shipmate tiring and where the nominee can be reached of their respective delegations to iwdi ikiild k* Mat t* Seafann latsraatliaal despite the cold and choppy The MSTU will honor Brother during the period of nominations the convention of the Seafarers BIIM, AtlaatI*. Bilf, Lakw aid iilaad Watin BMrirt, AFL-CIO, 875 Fiartk Awaie, Bnrtwater, jumped from the Cross with a plaque for his act of and appeals which commences on International Union of North lya, B.r. 11232. launch to swim to his rescue. courage, it was announced by Sec­ March 20, 1967 and ends on April America which will be held in While grasping his shipmate Washington beginning June 21. retary-Treasurer Joseph J. l.eal. 3, 1967, the notice said. MSTU Seafarer Wins Award For Daring Rescue Attempt Nominating Period Begins For SlU Convention Delegates �March 17, 1967 SEAFARERS LOG Upgrades to FOWT Rating AFL-CIO Rallies Public Support In Drive for New Sociai Security Biil President Johnson, Vice President Humphrey and overflow crowds at rallies throughout the nation helped launch the AFL-CIO's drive to demonstrate massive public support for the Administration's social security bill. The rallies were held in 14 major cities on Mar. 12. *Too many citizens have*^ "That is how progress is made. of the auditoriums and crowding been left behind by the prog­ That is how laws are passed. It the entrances. ress they helped hufld," John­ is really up to us." In Boston, center of the New son declared. **Our effort to Humphrey touched on the same England area rally, a second hotel guarantee d^pity and a decent theme in a rousing speech to the ballroom even bigger than the one income to eveiy worker still has enthusiastic Oklahoma City rally. originally scheduled was quickly "The success of any legisla­ rented and speakers shuttled back a long way to go ... I am count­ tion," the Vice President stressed, and forth between the two halls— ing on you to help in this great "begins right here at the grass roots with standees in each. Paul Jen­ effort." when people like yourselves, many nings, president of the Electrical, Great Lakes Seafarer David Jones (left) looks over brand new FOW Johnson and AFL-CIO Pres. miles away, start the groundswell Radio & Machine Workers, was ticket with Port Agent Jack Hall at the Duluth SlU hall. Jones, George Meany appeared together that eventually touches Capitol the principal speaker. along with many other Seafarers, upgraded his rating this winter in a special film show at 14 week­ Hill in Washington." In New York, a capacity crowd by successfully completing the course of study being offered at end rallies sponsored by local cen­ Enthusiasm was the keynote of attended the meeting, which was the Union's FOW school in Duluth. Port Agent Hall directs school. tral labor councils with strong all of the meetings—flowing back held in the NMU hall. support from senior citizen organ­ and forth between speakers and Representative Jacob H. Gilbert izations. Humphrey headed the audiences, demonstrated by stand­ (D-N.Y.), a member of the House speaker list at the Oklahoma City ing room only crowds in most of Ways & Means Committee which rally and senators, congressmen, the cities lining the sides and rear (Continued on Page 6) union leaders and Administration officials addressed mass meetings in other cities. SIU President Paul Hall went to New Orleans to spur labor's cam­ NEW YORK—Three Seafarers have become the second, third paign there. He was the principal and fourth men to obtain deck officer's licenses after preparing speaker at the New Orleans rally for their Coast Guard examinations at the SIU's Harry Lundeberg which was held in the SIU hall. School for Seamanship in the ^ vided with meals, hotel lodgings The meeting was given widespread training program jointly spon­ and subsistence payments of $110 television coverage which relayed the highlights of Hall's talk and sored by the SIU and the Amer­ per week while in training. the meeting throughout the com­ ican Maritime Officers Union. This in-training assistance is the Winning certification as Third same as available to engine de­ munity. Tens of thousands of petitions Mate on Steam and Motor Ves­ partment Seafarers who are en­ sels were Kevin Skelly, Frank rolled in the union training pro­ were distributed at the rallies, Myatt, and John Thompson, who gram to prepare engine depart­ which Meany stressed were "only successfully completed the inten­ ment men for their licensed engi­ the beginning" of the campaign. He urged those attending to: sive course of study at the SIU- neers examination. Sanicola Kazar Adams Hartman AMO school as. well as the Coast "Write to your congressman In order to qualify for the train­ The jointly-operated SIU-District 2 MEBA School of Engineer­ Guard examinations. and your senators. Visit them . . . ing course. Seafarers must: Forty-four-year-old Kevin Skel­ • Be nineteen years of age or "Talk to your friends and neigh­ ing actively continues to upgrade the skills and ratings of Seafarers. ly joined the Seafarers in 1961 over; Four more men have advanced through the program and bors—to your church ?nd school and went to sea as AB and as • Have 24 months of watch groups, to your fellow club mem­ achieved Coast Guard certifica- ^ bos'n before acquiring his newly- standing time in the deck depart­ bers. Get them to read the litera­ tion as Engineers. A total of sailing or about to sail in berths earned rank of third mate. Skelly ment and an AB endorsement on ture we have prepared and to 128 Seafarers have now received aboard American-flag ships are is from Parma, Ohio. their seamen's papers. write their congressmen and sena­ engineer's licenses since the school Frank Sanicola, John Kazar, Thomas Adams, and John HartFrank Myatt of New York is In addition to achieving its ob­ tors. Get everyone you can to began its program last year. 40 years old and has been with jective of assisting qualified deck sign your petition. The newly-licensed engineers man, Jr. the SIU for ten years, shipping out Newly-licensed third assistant during that time as AB until ad­ engineer Frank Sanicola is 49 vancing to his third mate's rating. Representative Dingell Speaks at MTD Meefi'ng years old and makes his home in John Thompson hails from Es­ Brooklyn, New York. Brother sex, Maryland, and is an SIU vet­ Sanicola has sailed as FOWT. eran of 22 years who shipped out Forty-year-old John Kazar is a as AB and as bos'n before winning 23-year veteran who's sailed in his third mate's license. FOWT slots before earning his The training program, operated third assistant engineer's license. Brother Kazar hails from ScranWASHINGTON—The Soviet Union will become the dominant maritime power in the world if ton, Pa. Thomas Adams, 44, also sailed the United States doesn't become more competitive in the rebuilding of a strong merchant marine. as FOWT before winning his third Representative John D. Dingell (D.-Mich.) warned those in attendance at a meeting of the AFL-CIO assistant engineer's license. Broth­ Maritime Trades Department er Adams joined the SIU in 1961. Transportation that old rust-buck­ ican merchant marine. here last week. John Hartman, Jr., is an oldSlU-President Paul Hall, who is timer of 21-years SlU-standing Dingell, a member of the ets and obsolete Liberty Ships be House Merchant Marine and Fish­ used to revitalize the American also president of the Maritime who also sailed as FOWT before Merchant Marine was hardly an Trades Department, reaffirmed his acquiring his third assistant's li­ eries Committee and the House answer to this need. He said the confidence in bi-partisan coopera­ cense. Brother Hartman, 43 yearsCommerce Committee, in his talk use of these old ships represents tion as the best hope for solution of-age, is, like Brother Kazar, to representatives of labor, indus­ Skelly Thompson a danger to both crew and cargo of industry problems and the re­ from Scranton, Pa. try and government, emphasized The joint SIU-MEBA District under a reciprocal agreement be­ the need for legislative authoriza­ as well as making U.S. efforts in vival of our American merchant 2 upgrading school offers Seafar­ tween SIU and the American Mar­ tion in allocating funds needed to the maritime field a laughing stock marine program. Hall also called for some atten­ ers and Engineers qualified in­ itime Officers, is the first of its rebuild our merchant fleet and up­ among "foreign shipowners." Dingell again stressed the need tion in Congress to the decline of struction in preparing for their type in the maritime industry. grade shipyard capabilities. It Applicants can begin receiving should not be left to the Budget for continued efforts by all con­ American shipping on the Great Third Assistant Engineer, Tempo­ rary Third Assistant Engineer or instruction at any time. The pe­ Bureau or the Appropriations cerned toward the establishment of Lakes. Attending the luncheon in place Original Second Engineer's li­ riod of instruction will be deter­ Committee to handle the maritime an independent Maritime Admin­ mined by each member's individ­ fiscal requirements needed, he said. istration and alluded to the recent of Senator Everett Dirksen, who censes in either steam or motor ual ability and knowledge, and A strong merchant marine is not success of maritime unions and was ill, Senator Thomas Kuchel vessel classifications. SIU engine department men the instructors' satisfaction of his only vital to serve the nation's de­ much of management in prevent­ (R.-Calif.) voiced his concern for ing MARAD from being made a who have the necessary require­ the condition of the maritime fleet. readiness to take the examinations. fense needs but to serve its com­ part of the Transportation De­ ments and who want to enroll in He said that on a recent visit to The training program was in­ merce as well, the congressman the Persian Gulf he had seen the the school can obtain additional stituted in line with the SIU's continued. "Our Balance-of-Pay- partment. objective of encouraging and as­ ment difficulties would also im­ "We won that battle," he said, vessels of Japan and the Soviet information and apply for the sisting unlicensed personnel to up­ prove considerably with American but reminded his listeners that "we Union which deal with free na­ course at any SIU hall or write grade themselves. vessels on the trade routes of the have yet to accomplish the objec­ tions, and became convinced that directly to SIU headquarters at Seafarers can participate in the world," he pointed out, adding tives sought" and a major effort "this administration has not done 675 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn, course of instruction at no cost to however, that recent suggestions will be required to reverse the long for the United States what is need­ New York 11232. The telephone number is HYacinth 9-6600. themselves. "They will be pro- from the new Department of period of unconcern for the Amer­ ed by the maritime industry." Three Additional Seafarers Win Deck Officers Ratings I , Page Three Four More SIU Men Win Licenses As Rigineers—Total Is Now 128 House Maritime Committee Member Warns of Soviet Sea Dominance �Page Four Six Additional Seafarer Veterans Join Growing SlU Pension Roster Resquites March 17, 1967 SEAFARERS LOG Wood Sinin Fisher EscandeU Albanese Six additional names have been added to the ever increasing list of Seafarers collecting a pension from the SIU. Newcomers to the pension ranks include: Sal Resquites, Cedric Wood, Earl Sillin, James Fisher, Francisco EscandeU and Rocco Albanese. Sal Resquites was bom in the Philippines and joined the SIU the Steward department and New York. Wood last sailed in New York. A resident of joined the union in the port of aboard the Executive. San Francisco, he sailed as a cook. New York. Born in the British Earl Sillin last shipped on the His last vessel was the Steel Age. West Indies, he now lives with his Del Monte. A member of the Cedric Wood was a member of wife, Inez, in South Ozone Park,. Engine department, the Seafarer sailed as FWT and oiler. He joined the union in Jacksonville. Born in Arkansas, Sillin lives in Tampa, with this wife, Eva. James Fisher sailed as AB and joined the SIU in the port of Seat­ tle. He lives with his wife, Fran­ by Fred Famen,Secretary-Treasurer,Great Lakes ces, in Campbell, Calif. The Sea­ farer was born in Boston. Fisher's SIU members have kept the Port of Detroit busy for the last last ship was the Choctaw Victory. Francisco EscandeU was born two weeks with crews reporting to various vessels in the area. in Spain and resides in New York At present three cement boats, the Inglehart, Paul Townsend and with his wife. Milagros. He joined S. T. Crapo are fitting out. Crews have already reported to the the SIU in Baltimore. A member U.S. Gypsum, Ben W. Calvin, Adam E. Cornelius and Consumers of the Steward department, he Power. The Tug Dean and Barge sailed as chief cook. His last ship report at its first meeting. Aside was the Rice Victory. Maida are also fitting out. Rocco Albanese was an AB and All SIU men clearing in Detroit from the operation of a few selfhave taken their physicals. We unloaders, indications are that the bosun. He was born in New Jer­ urge all members who have not rest of the ships will not get going sey and lives in Lyndhurst, N. J., gone through the Union clinics on the season until about two with his wife, Emily. Albanese to do =so promptly so that the weeks later than they did last joined the union in New York. processing of clearance cards can year. The next formal meeting His last ship was the Gray. be speeded up when men report of the committee is not scheduled until March 26. to ships. Frank Kalicky, who is reporting With the cutbacks in automo­ bile production and the possibility back to his job as porter on the of an auto strike this year, things Paul Tovrasend, was the first mem­ in the shipping industry could be­ ber to get his callback this season. come slack. But there should be plenty of jobs — especially for rated men—and the Union is mak­ ing every effort to assist members SAN FRANCISCO—The Elec­ in obtaining their ratings. tion Committee of the SIUNAYour Secretary-Treasurer and affiliated Marine Cooks and Stew­ other Union officials attended a ards Union has completed its offi­ membership meeting of Checker cial count of ballots cast in the Cab drivers held at the Retail recent MCS election of officers Clerk's hall to advise the more and has announced the results. than 250 drivers present of the NEW BEDFORD—"Hedgeproposals presented to the Com­ fence" — this well known name Results of the official tally were pany. Guest speakers were Mike might be taken by an outsider to concurred on by the membership Novak, president of the Wayne be a disparaging remark about at monthly membership meetings. County AFL-CIO, and Johnny some girl's lack of a beautiful The official tally shows election Schreier, Regional Director of the face. of the following officers: nth Region AFL-CIO. But actually it's a reference by Ed Turner, Secretary-Treasurer; John Weaver, President of Lo­ SIU New Bedford fishermen to Frank Gomar, Assistant Secretarycal 10, Transportation Services Hedgefence Shoal, a fishing ground Treasurer; Elmiro LaRue, Head­ and Allied Workers, Seafarers' In­ quarters Dispatcher; Mathew G. ternational Union, AFL-CIO, told off Nantucket. Someone once said Bayless, Robert D. Bessette and the TSAW members that negotia­ the shoal looks like a hedgefence. Pendleton D. Thompson, Head­ Other fishing grounds visited by quarters Patrolmen; Charles W. tions will begin March 15. The negotiating committee was intro­ local fishermen bear such names Green, Seattle Port Agent; John duced to the membership which as "Banana," "Lumps," "Bight of Stathis, Portland Port Agent; Joe then went on record to grant it full Clark," "Iron Ore," and "Rose Goren, Los Angeles Port Agent; authority. Wilder Smith, New York Port Members of the committee in­ and Crown." Agent; and Emil Lee, Honolulu A majority of the fishermen clude four drivers (representing Port Agent. three garages), your Secretary- know these locations but the U.S. Elected as SIUNA Convention Treasurer, John Weaver, Jack Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Delegates were Ed Turner, Joe Bluitt and Vic Hanson. Goren, Wilder Smith, Charles After using every legal gim­ often has trouble pinpointing the Green, John Stathis and Earl Lee. mick in the books and stalling for exact spots. For the first time in MCS his­ John V. Mahoney of the BCF the last five years, we can expect tory, the absentee ballot was avail­ the Company to be just as hard- office in New Bedford says the able in every port except San boiled during these negotiations. government wants to get specific Francisco, as previously author­ However, we have confidence that ized by the membership. The we will get the best contract possi­ locations so the grounds can be elections committee report noted evaluated, future stocks estimated ble. and management and conserva­ that use of the absentee ballot had Cleveland proved a complete success, en­ The Lakes Ice Committee came tion policies can be recommend­ abling more eligible voters than up with a very discouraging ice ed. ever before to register their tallies. MC5 Re-elects Ed Tuner to Top Union Post Hedgefence Shoal Guides Fishermen Of New Bedford The Attantic Coast by Earl (Bull) Shepard, Vice-President, Atlantic Coast Area| Nevr York Rudolph Evans was by the hall checking the boards for a bedroom steward's job like the one he held down for three months recently aboard the Burbank Victory. Frank Maldonado, off the Long Beach after a brief 26-day stint as oiler, is checking the boards once more for any Sea-Land ship, preferring an oiler's spot. Troy Smith recently concluded his trip after 6 months aboard the Steel Designer. Troy is seeking for his next run a Far East tripper as oiler. Raymond Lewis likes to ship: Period. So he'll take any ship any­ where. Raymond last held down the galley utility spot aboard the Wacosta for two months. Peculiar weather has been mak­ ing itself felt around the head­ quarters hall. Seafarers coming by in the A.M. with scarves and fur-lined jackets can, by noon, get sun tans outside the hall. On some days, that is. Boston Twenty-year SIU member Ar­ thur Vogel is ready for the first job to be put on the board after enjoying a few weeks at home with his family. Art last sailed as a wiper on the Robin Goodfellow. Henry Martin is raring to go on any ship. The 25-year SIU vet­ eran's last job was as Chief Cook on the Maiden Victory. Another 25-year man, John "Fish" Ruhery, is holding down the hall for the first bosun's job to be posted. The Bertha Ann was his last ship. Shipping has been slow this period but we expect it will be somewhat better before the next report. Norfolk Two 20-year-veterans of the SIU are back in town after ex­ tended absences. David Berger finally found his way home after three years on the West Coast. He's now registered in Norfolk and looking for a bosun's job Randolph Archer signed off the Baltimore for a couple of weeks leisure. He just picked up a size­ able vacation check and means to make the most of it before look­ ing for another wiper's job. William Donald, an SIU man for 19 years, is watching the board for a short European run. He had to get off his last ship, the Globe Traveler to tend to some personal business ashore. Shipping has been good here this period and the outlook is very encouraging. Philadelphia Funeral services for oldtimer, Edmund Brett were held on March 8 at the Nulty funeral home here. Ed passed away on March 5. Shipping in the Philadelphia area has been only fair this period. William Smith is ready to go again after getting off the Colum­ bia due to a death in the family. Billy sails in the Deck department. Ed Dacey and Joseph Werselowich are both watching the board for jobs in the Steward's depart­ ment. Ed recently got off the Fort Hoskins. Joe's last ship was the Merrimac. Joseph Doyle, last on the Fort Hoskins, is registered and ready to take the first Engine department job that comes up. Baltimore Shipping has been good here and prospects for the next period look the same. In port with no crews are the Almar, Losmar, Ohio, Maine, Hercules, Victory and Seatrain's Washington. Ships crewed this past week were the Seafarer and the Jasmina. Three paid off, 4 signed on, and 5 were in transit during the past two weeks. Kenneth Bane is happy over the many benefits he's received over the last 18 years as an SIU broth­ er. Ken's last vessel was the Kenmar, which returned recently from a one-year run. So he's just taking it easy for a while, but will join up again soon, this time on a European run. Puerto Rico Old timers seen around the hall include Cliff Mainers, who is leav­ ing the island to enroll in the SIU's Engineers Upgrading pro­ gram, and Eddie Castro, who will follow Cliff up north very shortly. Joe Wohletz, a pensioner, is re­ cuperating from a recent eye op­ eration. Frank R. Myatt (left), second Seafarer to receive deck officer rating after completing upgrading training at joint SlU-AMO Deck Officer Training School, receives certificate and hearty congratulations from SIU vice-president Earl Shepard. Myatt won third mate's ticket. �< March 17, 1967 The Gulf Coast by Lindsey Williams, Vice-President, Gulf Area •!) « The Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO elected oflBcers at its meeting held February 23. Officers reelected were: A. P. Stoddard, president; Davy P. Laborde, vice president; Buck Stephens secretary-treasurer; and Roy Klung, sergeant-at-arms. Members of the executive board reelected were: Peter Babin, Jr., Edward Bertoneau, Ernest Colbert, Clar­ ence Henry, M. E. Joseph, John After an extensive Viet Nam run M. Kelly, Jr., Robert Lewis, as chief steward, Homer Rlngo Edward Shanklin, Nick Tadin, Sal has retreated to his summer home Tardo, Joseph Usner, C. V. Utter, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, John W. Whalen, Jr., myself and where he plans to relax before setting out to sea again. Ringo is Jules Zuberbier. The tug Whiteman No. 10 sunk well-known for both his fairy tales in the Mississippi River after a and hush puppies. Houston fire broke out in the engine room. The tug was owned by the SIURichard Torrealba recently IBU contracted George Whiteman piled off the Keva Ideal for a very Towing Co., Inc. of Gretna, La. special reason: It seems that Dick Danger of an explosion lasted recently became a grandfather, for an hour due to the highly and is anxious to begin spoiling inflammable nature of the tug fuel. his newly arrived granddaughter. Harbor police fireboats worked James M. Sammon decided to take nearly three hours to douse the advantage of the SIU Upgrading flames. Fortunately all five crew­ Program in Houston, and that he men escaped injury. did. Sammon was not satisfied Representative Eddie L. Sapir with merely one or two endorse­ was victorious over his Republi­ ments. Through diligent study he can opposition in the February 28 managed to get six: Machinist, general election for the city coun­ refrigeration engineer, a new en­ cil seat. It was his third contest dorsement as engineman, junior within two months. His victory engineer, deck engineer, and last represents a hard-fought triumph but not least, electrician. Sammon for all of New Orleans labor. is a good example of just what determination can accomplish. New Orleans Mobile Seafarer Tim Holt has just com­ pleted a very unusual trip to Back from a fast trip to Viet Karachi. Holt was injured on the Nam, chief cook Robert Spencer Ramban while sailing as an AB. had nothing but praise for his last He was sent to a Karachi hospital ship, the Linfield Victmy. Spen­ •—a maternity hospital. cer characterized her as an "oldie Off the Overseas Joyce after a but goodie." Joseph Green is most tour of the Far East is Dave Al- familiar with the island runs, but bnVht. Dave has been relaxing recently he made a rapid run to with friends in the hall. He gen­ Israel with a load of grain on the erally sails as baker and is pres­ Tamara Guilden. Joe makes his ently looking for a three month home in Mobile. While on the stint going anywhere. John Rich­ Minot Victory, deckman William ardson, meanwhile, is scouting a E. Smith suffered burns and had summer run to Europe. His last to be repatriated to the States. ship was the Warrior as FOWT. Smith has shipped from the Gulf John's a native of North Carolina. area for over twenty years. After Anything that comes along will he recuperates. Brother Smith is suit J. A. Tadias. The Del Monte looking forward to getting back in was his last salt water billet. He harness. was an AB on that one. Electrician Seafarer John D. Hunter just Gorham Bowdre last sailed on the finished a nice long trip as bosun Alcoa Voyager. Bowdre claims on the Neva West He got off re­ not to be choosy as to his next cently to go into drydock and selection, but expresses a prefer­ after some minor repairs will be ence for Northern Europe or back looking for another long stay. Japan as the destination. He Hunter makes his home in Mobile makes his home in Baltimore. with his wife and family. Page Five SEAFARERS LOG Fire Claims SlU-IBU Manned Tug, AH Crewmembers Escape Unharmed SIU-IBU manned Whiteman Towing Co. Tug. No. 10, which burned and sank near New Orleans. NEW ORLEANS—^A sudden fire claimed the SIU-IBU manned Whiteman Towing Co. Tug No. 10 recently in the Mississippi River near here. Fortunately, none of the tugs four-man crew suffered any injuries. The SIU Inland Boatmen's Union-contracted vessel, named the Cosa Nostra, was towing a der­ rick barge when the fire broke out. Two Coast Guard vessels and two New Orleans harbor police fireboats poured streams of water into the flames for more than two and a half hours c fter the blazing tug ran aground at Law­ rence Street in Algiers, but the boat finally went under. Because the tug carried highly flammable fuel, fire fighters feared an explosion, but managed to prevent that from happening. The four crewmembers aboard the tug were SIU-IBU members Floyd Koenig, Captain; Leon­ ard Koenig, Engineer; Claud Koenig and Bennie Stewart, both deck hands. A fifth man, aboard the derrick at the time of the fire, also escaped unin­ jured. Report Indicates Continued Increase Medical Costs Creating 'Hardships' U.S. Govt. Agency Report Reveals WASHINGTON—Soaring prices for medical care are causing "severe hardships" to people who need doctors or hospital services and are inflating the cost of government-financed medical care programs, the Dept. of Health, Education & Welfare reported to Pres. Johnson recently. The government study pre­ urged consideration of such a list­ medical costs during 1966. dicted that medical costs will Fees charged by doctors shot ing by the Food & Drug Admin­ continue to rise. But it stressed up 7.8 percent, more than double istration. that the rate of increase can be the 1965 increase and the biggest Both the report and the council slowed by measures to make more one-year rise since the government statement called for consideration efficient use of medical resources began collecting statistics on med­ of the efficiency of hospital and and bring down the cost of drugs. ical costs 40 years ago. The study nursing home facilities in deter­ Physicians fees and hospital also showed a long-term trend in­ mining the amount of reimburse­ charges led to an explosive rise in dicating that doctors are spending ment under the medicare pro­ less time on each patient as well gram. A council proposal for grantsas charging bigger fees. Del Muncfo Crew Wins Safety Award in-aid "to stimulate the growth of Hospital costs jumped 16.5 per­ consumer-controlled comprehen­ cent last year to an average charge of about $45 a day, with no sign sive health plans" was matched by an HEW recommendation for en­ of a letup. couragement of group practice While drug prices did not rise markedly during the past year, and federal "seed money" to en­ they are an important factor in the courage the start of group practice high cost of medical care and the prepayment plans. report recommended steps to lower prices of prescription drugs. Many of the report's findings Zip Code Needed for and recommendations paralleled a Foreign Allotments statement by the AFL-CIO Exec­ Seafarers who desire to utive Council at its recent meet­ send foreign voyage allotment j ing. notes to their families or to i The HEW study recommended an American bank are re-1 "an intensive examination of fre­ quested by the Coast Guard quently prescribed drugs" to com­ to have in hand the complete pare the effectiveness of more ex­ : name and address of the al­ pensive brand name products with lottee, including Zip Code unbranded equivalents so that number, for presentation to doctors can be authoritatively as­ the Shipping Commissioner at sured if the two are equal in value. CapL M. L. Leger of the SlU-contracted Delta Line's cargoliner Del Mundo happily accepts Jones F. Devlin It asked that the Food & Drug the appointed time the vessel's crew signs on Shipping Arti­ Safety Award from company Safety Director Capt. C. P. McFaull. L-R are: Seafarer Walter Dunn, stew­ Administration provide unbiased cles in the presence of the ard; Homer Gill, first asst. engineer: Captains McFaull and Leger; Robert Horodecky, chief engineer; information to doctors about the Shipping Commissioner. Philip Parish, purser. Award is issued by National Safety Council's Maritime Section to American-flag efficacy of drugs. The Executive Council had ships achieving operation records of two full years without any lost-time accidents to its crew members. �AFL-CIO Rallies Public Support For Now Social Security Measure (Continued from Page 3) Commissioner Robert M. Ball not only spoke; he threw the meeting is currently considering the legis­ open to questions on all phases of lation, was given an ovation punc­ social security. tuated by cheers and shouts of ap­ At Milwaukee, the overflow proval as pledged "full support" crowd cleaned out every available to the Administration's bill "as a literature kit and petition and gave bare minimum" to meet the need a big hand to Senator Gaylord for improved social security. Be­ Nelson (D-Wis.), the principal sides helping the elderly, Gilbert speaker. pointed out, the President's pro­ Senator Vance Hartke (D-Ind.) posals would, if enacted, be worth was the featured speaker at the $200,000 in insurance to a 35Indianapolis rally, but Senator year-old man with a wife and two Birch Bayh (D-Ind.) and Indiana children. Congressmen William G. Bray Meany called for the same tvpe (RI, Andrew Jacobs. Jr. (D) and of effort that led to the enactment Richard L. Roudebush (RI were of medicare. He stressed that la­ among those to greet the standinebor regards the pendin? bill as "a room audience. down payment" on a needed 50 The Cincinnati audience he^rd percent increase in social security from the man regarded as the na­ payments, with government con­ tion's leading expert on the social tributions added to the social secu­ security system—^Wilbur J. Cohen, rity tax paid by workers and em­ under secretary of the Dept. of ployers. Health. Education & Welfare. In Los Anf'eles—another stand­ Overflow Crowd ing room only rally—heard Rep. Philip Burton (D-Calif.) stress the They were standing in the importance of a boost in social aisles at Cleveland to hear Repre­ security benefits. sentative Charles A. Vanik (DUp the coast, at Seattle, rally Ohio) and Machinists Sec.-Treas. sponsors lugged in 200 extra Matthew DeMore, who returned chairs but many still had to stand to his home town to help labor's to hear Rep. Lloyd Meeds (D- drive for the 20 percent social Wash.) speak intently of the ur­ security raise. gent need to improve social secu­ In St. Louis, Representative rity, "the only reliable protection Richard Bollines (D-Mo.), a leader for most Americans in their old of the liberal Democratic bloc in age." Congress, gave the principal ad­ At Denver, Social Security dress. _ QUESTION: What's your fa­ vorite ship or favorite line when making a run? Hany Ahrahamian: I like to go to the Far East on American President Lines. I know a lot of people there in the Far East ports, even more than I know here in New York. American Presi­ dent Lines usually has Mariners on that run. They're a new type of ship, a passenger-merchant vessel combination. Stanmore BeD: I've been sailing for a good twenty-four years and in that time I've learned at least one thing, and that is that as long as you have a good crew you have got a good ship. Usually for the seaman, though, his favor­ ite ship is the one he signs on! No, it doesn't matter where she goes, as long as she gets you there! ^ Ruben Llauger: They're all my favorite ships. I sail as A.B., peri­ od! A ship is a ship, that's all there is to it. When I come to the hall, I come to ship out. I don't believe in just doing favor­ ite runs. Why anyone would really want to be so fussy, I just couldn't say. Hell, a ship is a ship and the sea is the sea. Ralph Dougherty: I like the coast-wise tankers of Cities Serv­ ice best. Usually I sail with them out of New Or­ leans. When you sail with them you're able to be at home more of­ ten and I like a balanced life at land and at sea. Another reason I enjoy this run is that it pays well. Good money with good overtime. Oh yes, I sail as an A.B. Vincent Vanzenella: I like the Trans-Globe best of them all. I just got off her after a solid year on board. During that time she sailed back and forth, and back forth between Okinawa and Sai­ gon. Generally, I would say, I en­ joy anything that is a foreign run. <I> Ramon Quintanilla: I don't care what ship I'm on. What makes it go is the crew, the team. I have a lot of favorites that I can remember. Among them are the Fort Hoskins and^ the Cities Service Miami. I just got off a swell ship, the Joplin Victory. What a ship must have is a good captain, a good en­ gineer, and a good crew. They make or break the trip. A bad crew is a bad ship. i ^ Inland February 25, 1967 to March 10, 1967 DECK DEPARTMENT TOTAL SHIPPED TOTAL REGISTERED Port Boston New York Philadelphia Baltimore Norfolk Jacksonville Tampa Mobile New Orleans Houston Wilmington San Francisco .... Seattle Port Boston New York Philadelphia Baltimore Norfolk Jacksonville Tampa Mobile ....'. New Orleans Houston Wilmington San Francisco Seattle Totals All Groups Class A Class B 14 15 24 61 5 16 12 14 3 6 8 3 7 1 32 14 81 27 31 24 9 5 60 82 13 5 197 319 All Groups CUssA OassB ClassC 16 14 6 42 13 9 12 2 16 14 6 8 9 3 8 2 5 4 2 2 4 17 5 25 10 5 28 18 7 7 5 2 85 53 58 11 9 17 255 168 127 ENGINE DEPARTMENT TOTAL SHIPPED TOTAL REGISTERED All Groups All Groups Class A Class B ClassC" Class A Class B 17 60 12 17 3 8 7 25 43 27 9 61 8 297 17 46 6 17 9 1 0 9 24 25 1 41 7 203 10 32 3 10 6 5 3 6 24 18 9 62 13 201 6 25 4 6 5 2 2 12 20 28 4 27 7 148 6 22 1 6 6 8 0 6 10 2 8 96 16 187 STEWARD DEPARTMENT TOTAL SHIPPED TOTAL REGISTERED Port Boston New York Philadelphia Baltimore Norfolk Jacksonville Tampa i:: March 17, 1967 SEAFARERS LOG Pace Six Mobile ^Tew Orleans H .uston Wilmington ...... San Francisco .... Seattle Totals All Groups Class A Class B 21 14 41 12 3 18 14 21 2 6 2 2 7 0 30 9 23 35 21 36 9 4 28 ; 77 17 3 151 304 All Groups Class A Class B Class C 7 6 10 20 9 28 5 2 2 7 10 6 13 4 1 9 3 2 0 2 1 16 7 7 26 12 1 7 17 31 3 6 3 74 29 70 ' 5 9 9 114 155 210 REGISTERED on BEACH All Groups Class A Class B 91 36 218 95 19 7 91 36 18 12 9 7 7 3 81 29 158 92 158 93 43 5 80 25 44 7 1.021 447 REGISTERED on BEACH All Groups Class A Class B 55 42 106 147 6 23 55 42 13 19 1 7 9 1 55 20 73 107 78 85 6 29 10 44 9 24 407 659 REGISTERED on BEACH All Groups Class A Class B 33 64 33 134 20 8 33 64 15 7 1 2 8 0 14 71 135 96 94 50 19 9 60 12 3 25 307 703 ' RR Rates Designed to Destroy Competition Great Lakes Ship Operators Blast New Rate-Cut Scheme hy Railroads The Lakes Carriers Association and nine of its member steamship companies recently charged that eight railroads serving the Great Lakes area were using illegal means in an attempt to deprive steamship carriers of a fair share of the 55 million ton annual traffic market. In a complaint filed before commodity between two points on of business unless the railroads set the Interstate Commerce Com­ special delivery schedules. The rates to lakehead ports which are mission the Association asked Lakes Carriers agree with the unit comparable to their longer dis­ that the railroads be ordered by train in principle but want com­ tance all-rail rates. the regulatory agency to provide parable rates to lakehead ports Hirshfield said the railroads service to Lake Erie ports at rates where they can share the traffic. "have complete control of the comparable with those charged to Loss of Revenue means of transportation from in­ destinations where no connection The association says that as land mines to the lake ports" and with a lakes carrier is necessary. things stand now, the loss in reve­ that "by refusing to publish com­ James A. Hirshfield, president nue to lakes carriers would be parable rates . . . they are refusing of the Lakes Carriers, which rep­ severe enough to force them out to provide service at all." resents 26 companies operating 200 vessels on ffie Great Lakes, claimed abuse of power by the SlU WELFARE, VACATION PLANS railroads. "As a sole supplier of service," he said, they "deny to January 1 - January 31, 1967 the consumer freedom of choice Number of Amount of an equally efficient, or more Benefits Paid efficient, rail-water competitive routing." Hospital Benefits . . 6,452 $ 66,967.25 Hirshfield pointed out that the Death Benefits 78,445.08 37 so-called "unit train" rate charged Disability Benefits 166,778.00 880 from Sunnyville, Ohio, to Essex7,810.00 39 ville, Mich., a distance of 366 Maternity Benefits Dependent Benefits 94,803.56 miles, is only $2.20 a ton. But the rate for a mere 177 miles from OpHcal Benefits 1,498.46 100 Sunnyville to Toledo, where con­ Out-Patient Benefits 32,402.00 . .. 4,348 nections can be made with lake Summary 448,704.35 carriers, is $2.35 a ton. Vacation Benefits 730,970.25 .. 1,711 A fairly new development of the railroads, the unit train may - 1 consist of 100 or more cars spe­ TOTAL WELFARE, VACATION cially designed to haul a single BENEFITS PAID THIS PERIOD $1,179,674.60 14,036 �aiSi March 17, 1967 Page Seven SEAFARERS LOG Meany Voices Labor's 'Horror' Over Natchez Rights Murder 'On The Way Up!' WASHINGTON — AFL-CIO President George Meany expressed labor's "sorrow and horror" over the murder of Wharlest Jackson, a Natchez, Miss., union member and civil rights worker and called on Attorney General Ramsey Clark to investigate the killing and prose­ cute those guilty. Jackson was killed Feb. 27 when a bomb exploded in his car as he drove home from work at the Armstrong Rubber Co. plant. A member of Rubber Workers Local 303, Jackson had just begun a job formerly held by a white man, wire services reported. Meany said, in a message to the National Association for the Ad­ vancement of Colored People, that the AFL-CIO joins with its affiliate, the URW, in expressing its indignation and expects the Dept. of Justice to "investigate this atrocious act, arrest the guilty and prosecute them to the full extent of the law." The AFL-CIO, he added, "will continue its fight for stronger federal legislation against crimes like this and we will not rest until discrimina­ tion and prejudice are driven from every place in America." A copy of the message also went to Clark. URW President Peter Bommarito sent a message of sympathy to the family declaring that "this unnecessary and unfortunate event should impress every God-fearing person with the evils of discrimina­ tion, hatred, bigotry and prejudice." The union, Bommarito said, "will exert every possible effort to bring those responsible for this cowardly act to justice." Natchez civic authorities assured the Negro community they would continue to seek the killer of Jackson, who was active in the NAACP and other civil rights groups. NAACP Director Roy Wilkins called on Congress to enact new laws to facilitate federal prosecution in civil rights slayings. V * V Wide grassroots support for the Administration's social security improvement proposals could be the way to their enactment, an AFLCIO spokesman observed in a network radio interview. Bert Seidman, director of the AFL-CIO's Dept. of Social Security, noted that the mobilization of such support is the object of a major drive undertaken by the federation. Social Security, Seidman said, "has always been a popular program both on Capitol Hill and in the country at large." If people will tell their congressmen that they are in favor of the President's proposals, "the chances of congressional approval this year will be enhanced," he added. His statements came on Labor News Conference, a weekly public affairs feature on the Mutual Broadcasting System. Seidman called attention to the series of rallies being sponsored by the AFI^CIO across the country to help promote President Johnson's social security improvement plan. Most of the rallies will be held Sunday, March 12. He said that civil rights and minority groups, church organizations, senior citizens clubs and others who have "worked in their own com­ munities for better education and for social welfare" are cooperating in the rally effort. He added that support from organizations like these will give a big boost to "advancing the cause on Capitol Hill." TV viewers in Detroit will have a chance to see the weekly tele­ vision series based on President Kennedy's book, "Profiles in Courage" because of the spon­ sorship of Local 876 of the Retail Store Employees Union. The lo­ cal arranged for the program to be shown in the area on station CKLW. ^ Ralph Williams, president of the Vermont Labor Council, said State employees won't appear be­ fore a legislative committee con­ sidering a law to allow them to organize and bargain because "if their employer finds out about it, they have no job tomorrow." Wil­ liams told the investigating com­ mittee salaries are so low that hundreds of jobs go begging. i The Georgia Commissioner of Labor has for the first time in the history of the state released unem­ ployment figures covering both in­ sured and uninsured workers. The 1966 statistics show a 3.4 percent unemployment rate while the in­ sured unemployment rate was 1.3 percent. The figure still does not include those classified by the State as "untrainable or unem­ ployable." At a meeting on consumer packaging held in Washington, D. C., Acting Secretary of Com­ merce Alexander Trowbridge told 350 businessmen that they act to advance their own voluntary standards for honest packaging before the Department finds that there is a proliferation of sizes in any one product line and opens hearings to set standards. Bernice Honaker, a member of Retail Clerks Local 324 in Los Angeles has learned it pays to be union. When she was unfairly discharged from her job at a supermarket the local took her case to arbitration. She was awarded $5,303.87 in back pay and payment for all hospital, dental and prescription bills she incurred as a result of loss of the union-negotiated health plan. The Redstone Arsenal here went union in a big way in Huntsville, Ala., when government workers voted 3,993 to 879 for the American Federation of Gov­ ernment Employees. The new ex­ clusive recognition gives AFGE the largest bargaining unit in the Department of the Army. Good Health Is Expensive As if they were not already high enough, medical costs took another massive jump during 1966. Doctors' fees went up a whop­ ping 7.8 percent in just one year—the biggest single annual increase since 1927 when such records were first kept. Hospital charges went up even more during last year, chalk­ ing up a 16.5 percent hike. The high cost of medical care has become so critical so suddenly that the President has called a national conference to study the sit­ uation and possibly do something about it. Like the weather, everyone seems to com­ plain about the skyrocketing medical costs but no one has yet done anything about them —although some, like the American labor movement, have been trying for years. Although the President's conference has yet to meet in its attempt to discover why medical costs have climbed so high, the an­ swer is actually quite evident. AFL-CIO Community Services Depart­ ment Director, Leo Perlis, laid the facts on the line recently when he bluntly accused Electricity Is No Bargain In the wake of continued periodic rate increases that are heaped by the privatelyowned power companies upon the already overburdened consumer of electricity, it is high time for the Federal Government to take a good close look at this thinly-disguised piracy and demand some straight answers from these insatiable giant utilities. Each time the power companies get the word from their research people, lobbyists and other well-placed feelers of the nation's pulse that the time looks right, they soak their captive customers with another increase. And nobody in authority ever says more than a barely audible, completely sterile "boo." Without federal restrictions or even an in­ formal government yardstick by which to evaluate these arbitrary surcharges on an everyday necessity, you and we and everyone who turns on a light at night are forced to organized medicine of "trying to, wreck" the Medicare program. Medicare went into effect at the beginning of 1966. During that year the nation's doc­ tors hiked their fees more than they had in the previous 40 years and hospitals upped their rates more than they had in the pre­ vious 18 years. The U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare has made a number of recommenadtions designed to bring down medical costs by increasing the efficiency of the American medical industry. He includes a call for greater group practice among doc­ tors, Federal aid for training doctors' assist­ ants to do work which doctors need not do personally, the creation of health centers and the modernization of hospitals. To these recommendations we would add another—probably more important than all the rest. That is a new code of ethics for the nation's doctors and hospital adminis­ trators—a code that would place service to the sick and injured at least on an equal footing with the fees charged to patients. pay—and pay—and pay again the next time. We can all approach most other things on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. Electricity we must take on whatever terms it's offered. It can be argued that there are agencies and government departments on var>'ing levels about the country whose declared purpost it is to keep such practices from going too far but too few of them dare come right out and say how far "too far" is. Occasionally someone in public office shows the courage to raise a small voice in the wilderness and point out the facts. Such a man is Senator Lee Metcalf (D. Mont.) whose outspoken book, "Overcharge" (See March 3 issue of LOG) illustrates the power fleecing graphically and offers vivid proph­ ecies of the future unless something is done soon. We can only hope that his fellow leg­ islators will acknowledge the wisdom of his words and act. �( / ! . 1- •>j ;• B Y any reasonable standard of measurement, pub­ lic health care service in the United States is deficient in almost every category. Public health facilities are few, terribly overcrowded and totally inadequate for the nation's needs. Private facilities are also few, and so expensive that they can serve the health needs of only certain segments of the population. In some areas of this vast nation, health services are almost totally lacking. Among doctors, the general practitioner, who has traditionally been, the main line of defense for the health of moderate income people, is rapidly dis­ appearing from the scene. His replacement by spe­ cialists of all sorts may be laudable on technical grounds, but specialists tend to practice only in urban centers, thus leaving large areas of the nation without doctor availablity, and because of the extra training required by specialists their services are usually more expensive than that of general practitioners, making it doubly difficult for people of moderate means to utilize their services. In American hospitals, a veritable "crisis of man­ power" exists. Because of the abysmally low wages which hospitals, both public and private, deem to pay nurses, nurses aides, medical technologists, order­ lies and other workers, these institutions are chroni­ cally understaffed. Life and death situations are often placed in the hands of people who are not truly qualified to undertake such responsibility and will admit it. Because recruitment of personnel is so difficult service is poor, the available staff is harried and overworked, and it is the patients—the sick, weak and helpless, who suffer. If the hospitals are in a state of crisis, American nursing homes, especially those for the elderly, are in a state of disaster. In a nation where the percentage of elderly persons in the general population is rising rapidly, nursing facilities are unbelievably scarce, expensive, poorly run, poorly administered, poorly regulated—and l^cause nursing homes generally pay their workers even less than hospitals—-they are even more poorly staffed. A classic measurement of the quality and suffi­ ciency of a nation's medical facilities is the so-called "infant mortality rate"—the percentage of newborn who survive the first year of life. Based on this vital statistic alone, the quality of U.S. health services can be judged inadequate for a nation of such wealth. With its high infant mortality figures, the United States trails behind most of the industrialized nations of Western Europe and behind many other, less indus­ trialized nations as well. (And this figure is an aver­ age. The infant mortality rate among America's negro citizens is so much higher than the national average that it is far worse than many of the new "emerging" nations.) By far the greatest deficiencies in American public health services stem from lack of facilities and lack of manpower. This has come about through many years of almost total neglect of public health needs on all levels of government—city, state and national. Health and medical care were thought of as a busi­ ness. The product of this business was health—and, as with any other product of business, those who couldn't afford to pay for it just didn't get it. It was this state of affairs that led many labor unions, such as the Seafarers International Union, to set up clinics of their own to help assure their mem­ bers adequate diagnostic facilities when it was needed. Employer contributions to health and welfare funds became a part of many union contracts as another method of providing for the high costs of decent medical service. Although union clinics, health and welfare funds, health insurance and other measures helped alleviate the problem for many, millions of American citizens remained outside this protective umbrella—including the elderly, the poor, the unemployed, etc. Thanks in great measure to vigorous campaigns waged by the American labor movement and other groups for many years, the U.S. has recently begun to take a new look at the health and medical needs of its citizens and how poorly they are being met. Recently-passed Medicare legislation is designed to alleviate the economic burden of adequate medical and nursing care for the elderly. This new realization of the need for ensuring adequate medical care for all Americans will undoubtedly, with the continuing support of American Labor and others, lead to fur­ ther health and medical care legislation. To provide such improved care however, the nation must first solve a two-fold problem—providing suffi­ cient modern health, medical care and nursing home facilities, and seeing to it that there is sufficient welltrained manpower—nurses, nurses aides, orderlies, medical technicians, etc.—to utilize such facilities to the fullest. FACILITIES It is customary to refer to hospital and nursing home facilities in terms of the number of "beds" available per 1,000 persons of the total population. Ehiring the past decade and a half, the number of hospital beds per 1,000 persons has actually declined from its already inadequate level. The population is actually growing much faster than are facilities for serving its health needs. The picture is actually even worse than it at first appears. A relatively larger por­ tion of our increasing population is made up of the elderly—^who quite naturally require more health care than the young. An increasing population also means that the number of people of modest means is also increasing, and this is the group on which the high costs of medical treatment have always brought the most difficulty. In short, the United States has been losing ground for many years in terms of adequate medical facilities and the problem promises to grow much worse in the future. The problem is; How can this shameful trend be reversed? To begin such a reversal, the U.S. Government must harken back to the Preamble to the U.S. Con­ stitution which includes promoting "the General wel­ fare" among the responsibilities of government. Tax monies could not be better spent than in the construc­ tion of modern hospital and nursing facilities. In addition, there are many ways in which the Govern­ ment can spur the growth of medical facilities short of actually constructing them itself. Tax advantages, low cost loans, technical assistance, coordinating assistance and administrative studies, etc., are all tried and proven methods which could be put to use. Above all, the idea that adequate medical care is not a business proposition to be governed by the laws of supply and demand and ability to pay the price must Income a part of general Government policy. Such a popular mandate goes back to the very begin­ nings of our nation, when it was stated clearly in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created • equal and have inalienable rights—including life, , liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To deny Ameri­ can citizens their health is therefore to deny them" these other rights of the nation's most famous and revered document, and the fact that many Ameri-, cans have been denied health in the past is no reason why such a shameful condition should be allowed to continue. HEALTH MANPOWER PHYSICIANS—In recent years the number of physicians in private practice has actually declined' in proportion to the U.S. population. At a time when • the proportion of elderly citizens in the total popula-. tion is on the rise and the aspiration toward higher health standards is on the increase, this is a serious dilemma. The picture would be even worse were itnot for the fact that many of the physicians serving in U.S. hospitals are trained in foreign nations or at the expense of foreign Governments. The fact is that the U.S. does not train nearly enough new physicians to keep up with its needs. To alleviate this serious situation the high costs of medical training—in both money and time—must ' somehow be absorbed or reduced so that many young. people who would like to study medicine but cannot afford the high costs of training could do so. Medical training in the U.S. has traditionally been for the' sons and daughters of the wealthy, and this fradition must be abandoned if we are to have the doctors we, need. Medical school scholarships should be estab­ lished by the public, private and governmental sectors of the nation to make it possible for young people to • begin a career in medicine who could not otherwise afford to do so. To keep pace with the increased enrollments thiswould bring about, more medical training facilities . must be established and more staff procured to train students. Such a goal is not impossible, because other nations have succeeded in training the doctors they * need. Nurses and other hospital workers—^American hos­ pitals and nursing homes are plagued with an extreme inability to get and keep trained nurses and lesser-trained hospital workers. In 1966 there was an esti­ mated shortage of at least 125,000 registered nurses. By 1970 this shortage is expected to grow to over' 300,000, leading to even more dangerously under- ^ staffed wards and operating rooms. Hospital admin­ istrators talk continuously of an immediate, desperate need for nurses. So many untrained and unqualified ' personnel are presently doing nurses' work in hos-. pitals that one hospital administrator recently adr mitted "it would be difficult to even estimate how many positions we have open." This is the fault of the hospitals themselves, because . they are unwilling to provide decent wages, hours and working conditions. The hospitals are in effect asking their workers to subsidize the industry by accepting poor pay, long hours and substandard con-. ditions. A recent survey of hospital workers showed that: • Over 25 percent of registered nurses-were earn­ ing less than $80 per week. • Nearly 30 percent of hospital clerical staffs were earning less than $60 per week. • About 32 percent of nursing aides and practical nurses were earning under $50 per week. • About 40 percent of service workers—laundry and kitchen help and janitorial workers—were earn­ ing less than $1.20 per hour or, on a 40-hour week, less than $43 per week. A survey of nursing homes painted an even more dismal picture. • Registered nurses were averaging just over $90 per week. • Nurses aides were averaging $1.08 per hour. • Maids and porters were averaging $1.09 per hour. • Laundry workers were averaging $1.09 per hour. • In addition, more than one-third of the service and maintenance employees in nursing homes were scheduled for more than 40 hours per week but only one-fifth of these establishments had any provisions for paying overtime. Over 50 percent of private hospital non-clerical and non-professional employees received only six paid holidays or less. Among nursing home employees the overwhelming majority—62 percent—received not a single full-day paid holiday per year. For these reasons, America's private hospitals and nursing homes have been losing workers to other industries at an alarming rate. It it for these reasons also, that trained nurses who do not wish to abandon the area in which they are needed most and can perform the greatest service to mankind, have been organizing to collectively secure the wages, hours and working conditions that will make it possible for them to continue their desperately needed services. For non-professional hospital workers, recent revi­ sions of the minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act will provide some relief by giving them coverage for the first time. By today's cost of living standards however, the mere minimum wage is still totally inadequate to meet the needs of the vast majority of hospital and nursing home workers, and the hospital industry will continue to lose them to other industries at an unacceptably high rate. More and more of these hospital workers are turn­ ing, to unionization as the only answer to their chronic problems. Although most hospitals continue to fight vigorously against every unionization attempt by their workers, increased unionization will in the long run help them every bit as much as it does the workers themselves. As the workers win better wages and conditions, hospitals and nursing homes will be in a better position to obtain the manpower that will be attracted by a decent wage. This will in turn allow the industry to enga<'e in more and better in-service training and upgrading to vastly improve the quality of service it provides. These then, are the basic problems facing the American health care industry today and some possi­ ble solutions to those problems. The solutions sug­ gested here are not necessarily the only possible avenues of attack on these growing problems. Much more serious study must be given to this area of our economy, and much fresh thinking must be applied. One thing is certain. The growing trend toward poorer and poorer health care for the citizens of the world's richest nation must be reversed. It is incon­ ceivable that this condition be allowed to continue. A critical shortage of skilled nurses, technicians and non-professional personnel exists in the nation's hospitals. The basic cause of the shortage is ..low wages. More and more, nurses, technicians and hospital helpers are unionizing to obtain just compensation for their training and for the long and intense hours they put in every working day. The cost of hospitalization has risen astronomically during recent years because of a combination of circum­ stances. Special care, or hospitalization for an extended period, have become prohibitively expensive for the average wage earner. Ironically, overcrowding and other inadequancies are found more frequently today. �Page Ten SEAFARERS LOG March 17, 1967 Testifies Before House Committee lYOUR DOLLAR'S WORTH Meany Urges Congress to Approve 20% Hike In Social Security Benefits Iseafarer's Guide to Better Buying WASHINGTON—AFL-CIO President George Meany called on Congress to write a new ending to the "grim story" of poverty among millions of elderly Americans subsisting on inadequate social security benefits. Meany told the House Ways ^ & Means Committee that Presi­ especially by the younger genera­ they came up with this figure, liv­ tion of workers, who need them ing costs have risen over 5 percent. dent Johnson's proposals for a most." So the social security poverty 20 percent average benefit hike, standard today isn't even enough Meany stressed, however, that coupled with major improvements for a 'temporary or emergency' it is the elderly retired workers in other sections of the program, period. Yet for millions, it is not "are a long step toward the kind and widows struggling to get by on temporary; it is permanent." of social security system the benefits of $20 a week or less who make up "the great majority of Labor is "most enthusiastic" American people should have." the 22 million Americans now de­ about the President's proposed 59 The Administration hill, he said, percent increase for the 2.5 mil­ would bring the nation closer to pendent upon social security." He spoke of the 5 million el­ lion persons now receiving mini­ the era "in which old age is a promise instead of a peril, in derly persons on the social secu­ mum benefits of $44 a month, which illness or premature death rity benefit rolls—35 percent of Meany said. He strongly supported the pro­ are personal tragedies rather than the total—^who are living below posed three-step increase in the the Social Security Administra­ family catastrophes." taxable wage base—to $10,800 by tion's own definition of poverty. Labor regards the proposed 20 1974. It would bring the system percent rise as "a substantial down "According to that definition, payment" towards a needed 50 Meany noted, "a single worker closer to the social insurance prin­ percent increase, he said. isn't poor if he has an income of ciple on which it started in 1935, Meany spoke and answered $1,500 a year. A couple isn't he said, when the $3,000 ceiling questions for more than an hour poor if they have $1,900 a year covered virtually all wage-earners. He assured the committee that as the first public witness at the coming in. It seems to me that AFL-CIO members are prepared Ways & Means Committee hear­ this is about as poor as you can to "pay their fair share toward a ings. get." "Social security is not just an Even catching up to this poverty better social security system." In the long run, however, fur­ old folks' program," he noted. "It level would allow only 22 cents a ther improvements the AFL-CIO protects the widows and children meal for each person based on a considers necessary should be paid of breadwinners who die. It pro­ Dept. of Agriculture "economy for in part by general revenue tects the younger worker who is food plan," intended for "tempo­ rather than the "regressive" pay­ disabled and those who have de­ rary or emergency use when funds roll tax. pended upon his earnings. These are low." "We are not asking for this are vitally important safeguards "Imagine that," Meany told the that are too often overlooked, committee, "22 cents. And since now," Meany told the committee. "But we will be back." Republicans have proposed an 8 percent increase in social secu­ rity benefits, with an escalator cov­ ering future cost of living in­ creases. "Its inadequacy is appalling," Meany said of the GOP plan. by Frank Drozak, West Coast Representative He said labor is not opposed to some form of escalator clause for The SIUNA-affiliated International Union of Petroleum Workers social security benefits. But he are boycotting Standard Oil and Chevron stations throughout stressed that mere adjustment of California. Members of the lUPW along with many Seafarers rates to living costs is not enough. are maintaining informational pickets in front of Standard of "Older Americans are entitled California's main office in downtown San Francisco and at key to do better than just keep pace with the cost of living in a society service stations. The informational pickets are passing out handbills around the hall with a smile a yard where the standard of living is to the public telling of Standard's wide and passing out cigars to steadily rising," he said. refusal to bargain in good faith. honor the arrival of a brand new Bay area shipping continued at baby son. Vince sails as an oiler. Payoffs and sign-ons during this a fast pace this period. The great­ est demand is for Oilers, FWT's period included the Steel Vendor, and Electricians and these jobs are Los Angeles, Jefferson City Vic­ tory, Del Alba, Selma Victory, being snapped up fast. Brother R. Steward, who hails DePaw Victory, Steel Flyer, Cita­ from South Bend, Ind., is a proud del Victory and the Beaver Vic­ man this week. He just received tory. Queens District Attorney Thom­ The Beloit Victory, Mayaguez his full book and is awaiting his as J. Mackell and Local 1070 of certification for a Steward's en­ and Marymar were in transit. Dave "Philadelphia" Archie is the American Federation of State, dorsement. eagerly awaiting the next Chief County and Municipal Employ­ Seattle Steward's job to hit the board. ees, AFL-CIO, made City labor Shipping is still good here for Brother Archie, a member of the history on Jan. 16 when Mackell rated black gang jobs and pros­ SIU since its inception, just got issued the first collective bargainpects for the coming period look his fit for duty slip from the Ma­ ng certificate ever granted by a good for all rated men. rine Hospital and is raring to go. District Attorney's office. Payoffs and sign-ons for the A majority of the employees Wilmington current period included the Yaka, actually close to 100 per cent) Express Virginia, Seattle, White­ The last couple of weeks have of the District Attorney's staff had hall and Anchorage. been slow for shipping with only dined Local 1070 and signed the In transit this period were the five ships in transit. Shipping is Calmhr, Sea mar, Tucson Vict<Hy expected to pick up within the green checkoff cards. Nat Lindenthal, representative and the Cosmos Trader. next few days as the Voung Amer­ Two SIU old timers were on the ica and Mankato Victory are due of District Council 37 of the un­ beach here at this vvriting. Brother to pay off. When jobs did come ion, hailed Mackell as having "led Angelo Z. Deheza, who last sailed up this period, they rarely re­ the way in recognizing majority as Chief Steward on the Mauldin mained on the board for more unions for employees of D.A. offices." Victory, is waiting for the first than one call. steward's job to hit the boards. Walter Jones, last paid off from District Attorneys are elected William McBride, last on the the Enid Victory, has returned officials and their agencies do not Minot Victory as Bosun, is biding from his vacation and is on the come under any Mayoralty execu­ his time until he can take another beach here waiting for the first tive order, such as former Mayor Bosun's job. Angelo and Bill are AB's job to hit the board. Robert F. Wagner's famous Exec­ both 20-year men with the Union. Ed MitcheD is also back from a utive Order No. 49, which estabVincent Lawsin got off the Seat­ short visit at home and ready for ished bargaining rights for City tle for a special reason. He was the first FWT job that comes Up. employees. The Pacific Coast U. Y, District Attys Office Employees Vote For Union The widespread protests, boycotts and picket lines across the U.S. and Canada show the public's deep resentment against high food prices. In one public opinion poll in New York State the majority even said they wanted a Federal stabilization board to regulate food prices. Almost every major city and many smaller towns now have seen spontaneously-organized groups of housewives parading in front of supermarkets. The protests and letters from working people show anger especially towards trading stamps; supermarket lottery games; the fan­ tastic prices of some processed foods, and concealed price increases affected by reductions in contents of packages. At least some working people are getting wise to what's happening and are beginning to figure out how much they really pay for processed foods. "My daughter bought a six-ounce box of Puffed Rice for 45 cents," writes Thomas Lundy. "That's IV2 cents an ounce, or $1.20 a pound. This label I'm sending you shows what they are charging for four sugar buns—69 cents. I have seen bread for 59 cents a loaf." The public also is angry about the current tendency of many food manufacturers to hide price rises simply by giving you less. "In Sep­ tember I purchased two packages of M.C.P. Jam and Jelly Pectin at two for 35 cents," reader Bert Halpin writes. "My wife still had a package bought in June at two for 33 cents. If not for that, we might not have noticed that the old package was three ounces, and the new one two. This is an increase of more than 54 per cent!" This kind of concealed price rise, in fact, is one of the main reasons why consumers wanted the "truth in packaging" bill to include some provision for standardized weights. But this provision was eliminated by Congress. So now you have to be on your guard and not depend on the same brand providing the same net weight each time you buy it. Among many examples cited by consumer spokesmen, one leading brand of instant mashed potatoes kept the same price but reduced its contents three times; manufacturers of paper goods have reduced the count of towels and tissues without announcement; manufacturers of cooking oils reduced contents from a quart (16 ounces) to 14 ounces; contents of frozen vegetables in packages, originally a pound, gradually were cut to 14 ounces, 10 and now even 9. In reality, the food manufacturers are even more responsible than the stores. But the supermarkets are trying hard to dodge their share of the responsibility. If extra services such as check-cashing, carryout boys and night openings were discontinued, retail prices could be brought down 6 to 9 per cent, the President of the National Association of Food Chains commented. But, he said, the public wants these services. Furthermore, he pointed out that supermarket profits are only about 1.3 cents of the dollar you pay for food. This is where they're dodging. It's not their percentage that hurts as much as the money they waste—your money—to achieve their dollar profits. The fact is, supermarkets have joined in the food manufacturers' modern game of pushing at you a host of highly-advertised processed food products whose prices have little relation to their actual value. To a noticeable extent, television advertising, with its ability to com­ mand a huge audience, has made retailers as well as consumers its captives. Any product that can be advertised on television in a dom­ inating way now is able to force its way onto supermarket shelves simply by its ability to develop demand. One result is that modern large supermarkets now carry 8000-9000 items, compared to the 3000 or 4000 that used to be considered a big stock. The proliferation of items, brands and sizes, many only slightly different or merely under different names, has helped to thwart the early promise of supermarkets—that they would reduce the cost of bringing food from farm to consumer. Both business and government officials often argue that this wide varity of brands and items is a benefit to consumers.. In actuality, it has become a major source of shopping confusion and one of the reasons why food prices have gone up in our time more than any other commodity, and why much of the benefit of automation on the farms and in the supermarkets themselves, has been lost to consumers and farmers. When the first supermarket started in the big depression of . the 1930's, in an abandoned garage in Jamaica, New York, it had only pineboard tables with cases cut open so shoppers could serve them­ selves. The original super operated on a retail margin of 10 per cent; that is, it took only 10 cents of the food dollar for all its operating expenses and profit. By the 1940's the supermarket margin had crept up to 18 per cent. Now it is often 21-22 per cent. Cutting down some services, including trading stamps and bingo games which together can take IVi cents of your food dollar, could cut prices. Some stores already have cut out stamps as the result of the recent boycotts and picket lines. But the best boycott you can make is to refuse to buy the processed and ready-to-eat foods priced out of all proportion to their value. Kellogg's already has had to discontinue the costly "Corn Flakes with Bananas" because the public turned thumbs down after a first rush to buy. Also beware of supermarkets and service stations offering bingo and sweepstakes games such as "Bonus Bingo" and "Match and Win". The number of winners is controlled. Some newspapers in the Midwest areas have been full of classified ads from people seeking other people who might have the matching half of a number needed to win a prize. So you can see that your chances of winning even a small prize, let alone $1000, is slight. Meanwhile you can be misled into buying at more expensive stores, and buying costlier products. �Mareh 17, 1967 Defense League Was Long Needed To The Editor: I think the establishment of the Maritime Defense League is one of the best things that the SIU has been connected with in many years. Needless to say such action by the SIU, and by other un­ ions, has been sorely needed since the passage of the Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959, which prohibits unions from lending legal aid to their mem­ bers, I wonder how such legisla­ tion was passed, with subse­ quent court decisions upholding and enforcing it, when private corporations are permitted to maintain large legal depart­ ments which enable the com­ panies to acquire other compa­ nies and yet skirt anti-trust laws, to set up their accounting sys­ tem to circumnavigate tax laws, and to acquire monopolies on the marketplace by buying and taking out patents? The passing of the law can be explained by the decidedly pro-business and anti-labor tenor of the Eisen­ hower administration. But it is hard to understand why Federal judges kept on denying the right of unions to provide legal coun­ sel during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Fed­ eral judges, of course, are ap­ pointed for long terms, and, being human, could not be ex­ pected to change mental gears overnight. With the possible exception of medical care, no professional services cost more than legal services. And corporate execu­ tives are in a much better posi­ tion to pay these costs than are working men. Yet, generally the law says that corporate exec­ utives are entitled to legal as­ sistance from their companies while union members are not entitled to the same services from their unions. Well, the SIU has found a way around this unjust law, by helping to found and to finance the Maritime Defense League. Let's all get behind the Mari­ time Defense League, for it is a great step forward. Shepard Wren Seafarer Lauds Fine Skipper To The Editor: I know that all my fellow crew members on the S.S. Inger (Reynolds Metal) have found Captain Larry Dyre to be a fair and efficient skipper. I want my shipmates to know that he is that and so much more—I mean I want them to know of his kindness and thoughtfulness to a member of the crew who needed help. During my illness on board ship from December 16 to Jan­ uary 26, Captain Dyre did everything he possibly could on . my behalf. TTierefore, I say Hats Off to such a fine captain and fair man. Cecil N. Lewis <I> SIU Would Be Union for Him To The Editor: I just want to say I enjoy the Logs you send me. I was SEAFARERS never a member of the SIU, but I would be proud to be one. Your organization is doing its share to preserve our Merchant •Fleet, and to make our Mer­ chant Marine tops in the world again. I first went to sea in 1943 as a Messman. Then I went into the Coast Guard and sailed on cutters until after World War II. I did some more sailing. My last job was in 1952, on a tug out of Brooklyn. I was bom and raised in Brooklyn's Bay Ridge section, but for family reasons I now live in North Carolina. I love the sea and would be lying if I didn't miss it. That's why I enjoy your publication and hope you will continue to send it to me. I don't sail now, but I have a validated certificate for OS. I like to build ship models be­ cause it keeps me as close as possible to the thing I like to do. In closing I would like to say that I hope the SIU will continue to fight for a modern Merchant Marine. If I ever de­ cide to ship out again I would be proud to be an active mem­ ber of the SIU. A1 Kaurin — — Seagoing Smokers Shouldn't Suffer To The Editor: At the last shipboard meet­ ing aboard the S.k Commador a motion was made and sec­ onded that concerned the dis­ criminating order of no smoking on the bridge. While other seagoing outfits are permitted to send up a smoke screen that could put some Indian tribes to shame, the SIU sailor hears that old re­ frain which prevails on most of our contracted ships—"Sorry Joe, no fume on the bridge." This outmoded order not only should be abolished but also put in print at the next meeting of the Contract Committee. Thank you and smooth sailing. Eddie Kresz Seafaring Steward Honored by Crew To The Editor: We, the crew of the Linfield Victory (Alcoa), who are now returning from the Viet Nam run, would like this letter pub­ lished on behalf of our most wonderful Steward, William "Andy" Anderson. TTiis brother gives unselfishly of his time to see that this vessel is rated as one of the best feeders in the SIU. It is not unusual to have ice cream four and five times a week, twice a day. We, the crew of the Linfield Victory, think so highly of this brother that we have, without his knowledge, collected a fund so that we may show our true feelings. We intend to buy him an engraved watch. "Whitey" Duff LOG Page Eleven Five on Bocalmed Sailing Vessel Saved by SlU^Crewed Del Mundo Ilie sharp eyes of Seaferer James H, Loe sayed five ^ople,^^^ a young mother and her baby, from perishing on the high seas. The incident was reported to the Log by the Del Mundo Ship!s Delegate, Joseph N. Powers, Brother Loe, an AB, was on watch on C^stmas Eve aboard the Del Mundo (Del­ ta), which was bound for itouth America had had just crossed the Tropic of Cancer into the '-P Tropics. At about 1:00 p.m. Brother Loe sighted an object on the horizon. Using binocu­ lars he was able to see it was a small vessel. It was not mov­ ing and was raising and lower­ ing what seemed to Loe tO' be a red sail. Realizing the boat was in The Albatross is sighted by Seafarer James Loe. The five distress, he reported his sight­ persons aboard the stricken vessel, including a mother and ing to the officer on watch. her infant son, had not eaten for five days when help came. Second Mate E. J. George. Mr. George, in turn; notified the Captain, M. L. Leger, who im­ mediately went to the bridge and took over operations. Maneuvering closer to the little vessel, she was seen through binoculars to be raising and lowering an Upside-down British ensign as a signal of distress. It was the inverted Union Jack that Brother Loe had at first taken to be a red sail. As the Master guided the iS' Del Mundo still closer, two men jumped from the small Captain Leger of-^e^Albatross and a crew member jumped boat into a rubberiife raft and intp a rubber raft and paddled alongside the Del Miindd as paddled alongside the Del Mundo. They shouted to Cap­ the ship maneuvered closer, shouting to the ship for aid. tain Leger that thej^had run out of food five days before and had not eaten since, and asked if the ship could help them. Captain Leger ordered the two men helped aboard the Del Mundo. One of them iden­ tified himself as the Captain of the Albatross, Barry Goddard. Captain Leger and Stew­ ard Joseph N. Powers, who is also SIU Ship's Delegate, at­ tended to getting the needed food and supplies. Crew mem­ bers carried everything on deck, The Del Mundo's crew members lower food and supplies Into including 350 pounds of food, the Albatross's pontoon raft. Besides necessary food and and lowered the stores into the supplies, crew members gave cigarettes, candy and potables. rubber raft. The Albatross is an auxiliary motor yacht of 24 tons, 45 feet long and having an 18-foot beam. Registered in London, she is "a very fine looking and well-kept vessel," according to the report sent by Brother Powers. Bound for Antigua Captain Goddard, who owns the boat, had sailed from Casa­ blanca with his wif6 and oneyear-old imant son and hvp crew members. They were The bearded captain of the Albatross, Barry Goddard, is bound for the island of Antigua flanked by Joseph Powers (left). Steward and SIU Ship's in the West Indies, When the vessel was sighted by Brother Delegate, and Del Mundo's Chief Officer, George J. Stauter. Loe, they had been at sea for 40 days and were about 700 transferred to the Albatross, with no success. miles from their destination. and as he was leaving to board Besides the necessary food The little vessel had been be­ and supplies, Captain Goddard his own vessel. Captain God­ calmed for two weeks, causing was given cigarettes, candy and dard thanked the crew of the an unestimated delay in her Del Mundo for their kindness potables by some of the crew voyage. When they realized and the gifts and said: "Now members and .oflicers of the that their food supply was r^ I really believe there is a Santa \DeL^hdd./': • ning out. Captain Goddard and After the supplies had been Claus." i - his crew tried to catch fish, but ' V V" �Page Twelve SEAFARERS Mareh 17, 1967 LOG The Del Norte (Delta) is due in Rio de Janeiro tomorrow, March 18, due in Buenos Aires on Jimmey Hamiltmi Joseph Carron March 25, due north in Rio de Janeiro on April 5, due Caracao April 12, due in Houston April Please get in touch with Tim Get in touch with the law firm 16, and due in New Orleans to payoff April 19. Ship's Delegate Ruben Belletty reports that E. R. of Newton B. Schwartz at your McCarthy, Box 142, RED 2, 'TBuck" Solomon was hospitalearliest convenience. The address Reeds Ferry, New Hampshire, as Del Aires (Delta) Meeting ates the good job that Brother ized in the port of Buenos Aires. is 500 Branard at Garrott, Hous­ soon as you can. Chairman Nils Eric Grinberg was Scott did during the last two ton, Tex. 77006. Phone JA 8The ship picked up one repatri­ elected new Ship's months." Brother Rosoff also re­ 2863. ated seaman, Lee Smith, in Mon­ Charles E. Switzer Delegate. The ported that the Chief Steward is tevideo, and another, Joe Riley, Please contact Jack Lynch, crew gave the pre­ very cooperative, supplying plenty in the port of Rio de Janeiro. vious Delegate a of boiled eggs, tuna fish, salmon Room 201, SUP Building, 450 Grover C. Turner Both repatriated seamen were Harrison St., San Francisco, Calif. vote of thanks for and sardines at night. Two income tax return checks given ten dollars each from the 94105. He has an income tax "a good job well are being held for you by Jack done." The dele­ return check for you. Ship's Fund. "Buck" Solomon was Kim R. MacConnel, Meeting Lynch, Room 201, SUP Building, gates from each given $50 from 450 Harrison St., San Francisco, of the three de­ Secretary aboard the Vantage Calif. 94105. the Ship's Fund Dominic J. Fuschello Progress (Pioneer partments, writes when he left the Tolentino Please contact Mrs. Charles Maritime) reports Meeting Secretary vessel to enter the Slater, 1854 Annunciation St., that a letter of Thomas E. Tucker New Orleans, La. 70130. Phone hospital in Buenos Alf Tolentino, gave the same won­ commendation derful report: "Everything is run­ An income tax return check is 522-4318. Aires. At the end from the Master being held by Jack Lynch, Room ning smoothly and there are no of his report, re­ beefs." Each crew member on ^ of the ship was 201, SUP Building, 450 Harrison corded by Meet­ Voyage 10 will be given a safety mailed to SIU St., San Francisco, Calif. 94105. Frank Holland headquarters that ing Secretary Bill award by the company, it was an­ Please contact Mrs. Charles — praised an act of Kaiser, Brother nounced during the good and wel­ Slater as soon as possible at 1854 riailahgn Frank Kumiego extraordinary Belletty said that fare portion of the meeting. Frisinga Annunciation St., New Orleans, courage by Broth­ Please contact Mrs. Charles La. 70130. Phone 522-4318. he wished to "thank all for their er Vincent Louis Frisinga. Ship's Slater, 1854 Annunciation, New help in making the Ship's Dele­ ^ Meeting Secretary S. Escobar Delegate Edgar Mitchel reported Orleans, La. Phone 522-4318. gate job an easy one," He also that the crew will clean its quarters Thaddeus J. Loboda gave a "vote of thanks to the men reports that Brother C. Goidts was before the pay-off, eight days after Please contact your sister, Mar­ elected Ship's in the Bakery, in the Galley, and BiUHart ion, at Duplex Building, first floor Delegate of the the meeting. During the good and in the Pantry for doing a real Please contact Carl Wayne, 25 apt., 145 E. Allegheny Ave., Phila­ Western Clipper welfare portion of the meeting, good job." During the meeting, South St., New York, N.Y. 10004, delphia, Pa. 19134, in regard to a presided over by Meeting Chair­ (Western Agen­ presided over by Meeting Chair­ as soon as possible. legal matter that requires your cy). During the man Patrick Conley, it was re­ man Robert CaUaban, Movie Di­ ported that the problem of dishes signature. good and welfare rector Maurice Kramer reported portion of the and utensils in the crew's messhall that 15 pictures had been ordered Stefan Goscinski had abated since the issue was shipboard meet­ from Houston. It was agreed that Jack Lynch is holding your in­ John Seaman brought up at the last meeting. ing presided over if the ship is laid up for repairs come tax return check. Contact Please get in touch with Mrs. The arrival pool was won by by Meeting Chair­ that the projector along with the Goidts Bruce Churchman for Yokohama. him at Room 201, SUP Building, Charles Slater at 1854 Annuncia­ man Fred Gentry, Movie Fund of $605.85 will be An arrival pool for San Francisco 450 Harrison St., San Francisco, tion St., New Orleans, La. 70130, put in the care of Treasurer Bin the crew resolved not to leave is under way. Calif. 94105. as soon as possible. Phone 522Kaiser. During the good and wel­ dirty clothes in the laundry room 4318. —— fare portion of the shipboard and not to enter the messroom un­ William Sharp meeting. Brother Nick Pizzuto less properly dressed. A fire broke out in the hold of warned his fellow Seafarers about Please contact Mrs. Charles Edwin S. La Plante the Oceanic Cloud (Oceanic Ore sticking their heads out through Please contact your wife, Mary, Carriers) while Slater, 1854 Annunciation St., port holes when the ship is dock­ Brother Nick Sabin was elected the cargo was be­ New Orleans, La. 70130. Phone 508 Willard St., Houston, Texas ing or undocking. "If a line parts," to serve for the next two months 77006, as soon as possible. ing unloaded in 522-4318. he said, "one is in danger of los­ as Ship's Delegate Viet Nam. The ing his head." on the Floridian Log received a re­ (South Atlantic port of the mis­ and Caribbean). hap from crew The crew of the Del Rio (Delta) At a meeting pre­ member Carlos elected a new Ship's Delegate, sided over by Sy. According to N. G. Savoie, re­ Meeting Chair­ Brother Sy, the ports Meeting man Anthony C. fire occurred at Secretary Robert Aronica, Mason 2316 (11:16 p.m.) on Jan. 16. At Jimmy Cheatham, bom Decem­ Marvin Robinson, Jr., born De­ Merrift. At a R. Scott resigned the time, the night crew of Ameri­ ber 15, 1966, to the Jim D. Cheat- cember 6, 1966, to the Marvin Sabin meeting presided as old Ship's Del­ can soldiers were in the process hams, New Madrid, Mo. Robinsons, Mobile, Ala. over by Meeting egate. Meeting Secretary S. Rosofl of unloading the Army cargo in ^ Chairman E. S. writes: "The entire crew appreci- the port of Newport, Saigon. John Charles Steeber, Jr., born Harris, crew Charles Moore, bom Febmary December 21, 1966, to the John 8, 1967, to the Charles C. Moores, members voiced C. Steebers, Irvington, N. J. Jacksonville, Fla. some dissatisfacLifeboat Class No, 171 Weighs Anchor Harris about the way the ship's laundry was being done. Melondie Lcmmalds, bom Jan­ Theresa Axllne, bom Septem­ The crew was requested by the uary 10, 1967, to the Peter Lou- ber 20, 1964, to the Leroy AxStewards to bring coffee mugs and makis, Tampa, Florida. lines, Thompsonville, Mich. water glasses back to the pantry. They were also asked to bring read books back to the library. They Flora Duming, bom January Todd William Charters, bom also decided that no one would 13, 1967, to the Ivan A. Durnings, November 6, 1965, to the Robert allow natives inside the messroom New Philadelphia, Ohio. Charters, Frankfort, Mich. or quarters. <1> —^i>— <I> <I> 4^ .1. ?;• Brother Frank Feld was elected new Ship's Delegate aboard the Hattiesbuig Vic­ tory (Alcoa), after his predecessor, Charies M. Bean, requested that a replacement be named. Brother ^ Bean's last act as •I Ship's Delegate Guard all repair lists. Following this up, the new Dele­ gate requested that each depart­ ment delegate make up a new repair list for the current voyage. Jack Guard was elected Secretary Reporter. Roy Evan Todd, born Decem­ ber 24, 1966, to the Ralph K. Todds, Ovett, Miss. Patricia Ann Dougherty, bom Febmary 3, 1967, to the Ralph Doughertys, New Orleans, La. Denise Ann Froloff, bom Feb­ ruary 5, 1967, to the John Froloffs, Jersey City, N. J. Alexis Velez, born Febmary 11, 1967, to the Porfirio Velezs, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. —i Ellen Gilmore, bom January 22, 1967, to the James Gilmores, Blackwood, N. J. This group of graduates of the SlU's Lifeboat School have completed the 10-day course that will lead to endorsement as Lifeboatmen. In the front row (l-r) are: Robert DeTempo, Ernest Oxendine, Ronand Gaffrie and Jose Rodriguez. In the middle row (l-r) are: Frank Morongello, Alphonse Bambase, Angel Rodriguez and James Tucker. Standing (l-r) are: Alfred Joaquin, Vaino Hakkarainen, Frank Noble, Jim Kennedy and school instructor Ami F'ornsson. 4/ Roy James Ebersole, born Jan­ uary 23, 1967, to the Lester Ebersoles. Union City, N. J. Terry Huntley, born December 20, 1966, to the Everett D. Huntleys, Bronx, New York. <|> Shane Brent O'Brien, born De­ cember 12, 1966, to the George E. O'Briens, Springfield, La. <|> Jeffrey Bruce Day, bom No­ vember 5, 1965, to the Alfready Days, Mobile, Alabama. ^ Walter DeDlos, born December 11, 1966, to the Fidel V. DeDios, San Jose, Califomia. �March 17, 1967 SEAFARERS FINAL DEPARTURES Adolph Martin Bellande, 45: Brother Bellande died of pulmo­ nary complica­ tions brought on by Hodgkin's Dis­ ease. He passed away in the Vet­ erans Administra­ tion Hospital in New Orleans. Previously, he had sailed in the Deck Department. He joined the SIU in his native city of New Or­ leans in 1947. He was a WW II veteran of the Navy. Raymond T. McGrane, 56: Brother McGrane died of a cerebral hemorrage. A resident of Brooklyn, New York City, he died in St. John's Hospital, New York. A tugboatman, he was em­ ployed by the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad as a Floatman. He worked for Erie since 1934. He is survived by his wife, Anna, and a son, Raymond. Emiie J. Stevens, 59: Brother Stevens died of heart failure in the USPHS Hospital in New Orleans. He sailed in the Steward Depart­ ment, and was a member of the SIU since 1951. He joined the Union in the city of his birth. New Orleans. Married, he resided in New Orleans. He is survived by his wife, Betty. Leonard G. Kropp, 63: Brother Kropp passed away at the USPHS Hospital in Staten Island, New York City. Bom near New York City, in Oyster Bay, N.Y., he spent most of his life in New York. He resided in New York's Borough of Queens, and joined the SIU in New York. He sailed in the Deck Department, as an AB. He was a WWI veteran of the Navy. Single, Brother Kropp is survived by a brother, Rupert Kropp of New York. Honorio B. Gonzales, 57: Brother Gonzales suffered a heart attack aboard the Del Sud (Delta), while the ship was tied up at the G a 1V e s Street Wharf in New Orleans. A stew­ ard, Brother Gon­ zales had been sailing for over 25 years. Born in the Phillipines, he resided in New Orleans, He is sur­ vived by his wife, Magdalen, and four children. ^ Florencio Letie, 66: Pneumonia claimed the life of Brother Letie. He died in Bos­ ton City Hospital, after an illness of several days. A resident of Dor­ chester, Mass., he sailed out of Bos­ ton. A member of the Steward Department, he had a rating as Cook-Baker. Mar­ ried, Brother Letie was bom in Portugal and was a U.S. citizen. He joined the SIU in 1947, in the port of Boston. James Edgar Johnson, 58: Brother Johnson died of a heart attack while aboard the Nori n a (Marine Corp.). while sail­ ing the Azores. Brother Johnson sailed in the En­ gine Department as both an Oiler and an FWT. Born in Alabama, he was a resi­ dent of Port Arthur, Tex. He is survived by his sister, Mrs. Marie Myers of Port Arthur, and a son, James Carroll Johnson of Houston. Journey's End A Seafarer who had spent most of his life sailing was buried at sea recently. Bosun John McLemore, 55, suffered a fatal heart attack aboard the Lucile Bloomfield on January 22. His family requested a burial at sea. After Captain Elsensohn conducted an Episcopal burial service all hands were led in the Lord's Prayer. After a minute of silence for the repose of his soul, Brother McLemore's body was committed to the deep in the Philippine Sea. Page Thirteen LOG Seafarer Knee-Deep in Viet War As He Plies South China Sea in Tug Seafarer Howard L. Thompson, 56, known to most of his fellow Seafarers as "Tommy" Thompson, had the unique experience of spending five solid months in Viet Nam. Working as a deep sea tugboatman, he got a chance to get to know Viet Nam, its people and its waters. In the fall of 1965 while he ^ the rickshaw boy grins at you, you bish they can pick up. Everyone was working for the SIU Inland know you've paid him enough," in the refugee camp was dressed Boatmen's Union contracted Thompson told the Log wryly. in rags, but then," he added, Gulf-Atlantic Towing Co., he vol­ Commenting further on prices in "that's all you need in that unteered to work for a year aboard Saigon, he said: "There are two climate." He explained that aboard a deep sea tug in Vietnamese prices for everything—one for the H. G. Williams he himself waters. Americans and one for Vietna­ wore only a pair of bathing trunks.He soon found himself aboard mese." Needless to say, the Amer­ In Qui Nhon, unlike in Saigon, the Gulf-Atlantic's M/V H. G. ican pays the higher price. the war is close at hand. Fight­ Williams, a 150Nevertheless, it is a pleasure to er-bombers and artillery pound foot long Diesel- go walking the streets. Seafarer powered vessel. Thompson said, as there are street away at Viet Cong strongholds in At the beginning vendors everywhere, and they sell the surrounding hills. The hills of her career, the everything from toothpaste to are close to the city. "You hear H. G. Williams cameras. The toothpaste and other the blasting in the hills all the was an Army toiletries and amenities are Ameri­ time," says Brother Thompson. steam tug. When can, while most of the small manu­ Thompson told the Log that he Gulf-Atlantic ac­ factured goods are Japanese. never saw a war casualty in Qui Thompson quired the vessel, Nhon. He surmised that the native "There might be poverty in the villagers receive medical attention she was converted to Diesel." " Brother Thompson capital area, but I didn't see any," near their hillside homes, while served as a Messman during the said Brother Thompson. However, wounded American soldiers are five months he was aboard the ves­ he admits, "I might not have been sent directly to military hospitals. in the interior to see it." sel. After a year in Viet Nam, The boat plied the waters of Choked with Mud Brother Thompson flew back to the South China Sea, towing Qui Nhon, however, is an en­ the States last April. barges full of military cargo from tirely different story. Brother Singapore and Saigon to Camranh Thompson's five months in Viet Brother Howard Thompson first Bay and Qui Nhon. Nam were during the rainy season, went to sea at the age of 17. He Camranh Bay, now a large port. and the streets of that northern Army has*? and staging area, has port were choked with mud the en­ then worked for a federal agency, become important only since the tire time he was there. "The mud the Lighthouse Department of the vast American build-up in Viet stuck like glue," and it made every­ Department of Commerce, that Nam. It is about 200 miles north thing seem drab. has subsequently been eliminated. of Saieon, and about 100 miles The many refugees living in It maintained lighthouses, light south of the port of Qui Nhon in northern South Viet Nam. It is Qui Nhon made a deep impression boats, and planted and maintained about 575 miles across the open on Brother Thompson. "ITiey live buoys. These functions are now sea from the seaport of Singapore in cardboard boxes," he said, "or to Camranh Bay. Singapore, the in shelters made out of any rub­ performed by the Coast Guard. largest seaport in the area, is a British colony on a small island off the southern end of the Malay Peninsula. Though often in Camranh Bay, Checks are being held at SIU Headquarters, 675 Fourth Ave., the crew of the H. G. Williams Brooklyn, N. Y., for the Seafarers listed below for money due was not allowed ashore there. The them on the vessels shown. Men whose names are listed should only ports where they were per­ get in touch with Union headquarters as soon as possible. mitted ashore in Viet Nam were Saigon and Qui Nhon. Saigon, Claim Ship Name says Brother Thompson, was by Hercules Victory Disputed overtime Edward Jensen far the better port. Hercules Victory Disputed overtime Robert Smith One day's wages "In Saigon," he said, "no one James R. Boone Natalie One day's wages looks as if they were hurting." Frank G. Valerie Natalie Disputed overtime Thompson, who hails from Penn Carrier Earl H. Beamer Disputed overtime Charleston, S.C., like many other Transwestern Calvin Smith Disputed overtime Transwestem Southerners, likes to talk and pep­ Daniel McLaren Disputed overtime Transwestern pers his speech with homey simClyde Greeson Transportation Thomas E. Hanson Valient Hope ilies. Continuing to talk about the Transportation Valient Hope Donald Kershaw people of Saigon, he said, "They Lodging Warren Weiss Niagara are as full of ticks and as fat as Seatrain New York Disputed Lodging James Gleason butterballs. They were all fatter Seatrain New York Disputed Lodging Fred Patterson than I am." Lodging Kent Joseph L. Chapeau The city of Saigon seems un­ Lodging Kent Cyril Gauthier touched by the war, Thompson Lodging Sea Pioneer Andrew Levris said, except for the presence of Standby wages Midlake I J. Walsh large numbers of American sol­ Standby wages Midlake i D. Shattuck diers. Many of them are out of Wages I Carlos Ruiz Bonanza , uniform, allowable under current Wages i William L. Rohinson Bonanza Army regulations, but they stick Transportation I Edgar Lee Faison Alcoa Master out like sore thumbs. "They are all Transportation Alcoa Master I Bobby V. Carter waiting for the day when they'll Transportation Alcoa Master I David J. Flynn go home and get discharged," Retroactive wages Rambam G. Bertrand Brother Thompson says. Retroactive wages Rambam J. Rose Rickshaws In Use Retroactive wages Rambam C. Cummings Retroactive wages Rambam A. Samawi Warned about the danger of Retroactive wages Rambam J. Smith eating local food or drinking Retroactive wages Rambam L. Childress water, the American in Saigon is Retroactive wages Rambam D. Jus Tian unable to patronize any refresh­ Retroactive wages Rambam R. Cantu ment spot except to drink beer in Retroactive wages Rambam i J. Saunders the numerous bars. Brother Retroactive wages E. M. McCay Rambam Thompson's favorite recreation in Unclaimed wages Western Hunter Ian O. Robertson Saigon was walking the city's Seatrain San Juan Unclaimed wages Ruben G. Ruttkay thronging streets. "Ninety per Seatrain San Juan Unclaimed wages Roy L. Frank cent of the transportation in Sai­ Seatrain San Juan Unclaimed wages I Neil Napolitano gon is by rickshaw," he said, and Overtime Young America I Louis Eggleston he often traveled by that method when his feet began to tire. "If Money Due �Page Fourteen SEAFARERS LOG ROBERT D. CONRAD (Maritime Op­ erations), February 26—Chairman G. B. Gapac; Secretary, L. A. Lamphere. Brother Steven Mooney was elected to serve as ship's delegate. Some disputed OT in deck department. Awaiting clari­ fication of OT for work done in scienti­ fic spaces, i.e. painting and chipping. Also 4-8 watch tieing up before 8 A.M. Schedule of Membership SIU-AGLIWD Meetings New Orleans Apr. 11—2:30 p.m. Mobile Apr. 12—^2:30 p.m. Wflmlngton .Mar. 20—^2:00 p.m. San Francisco Mar. 22—2:00 p.m. Seatfle Mar. 24—2:00 p.m. New York .. Apr. 3—2:30 p.m. Philadelphia . Apr. 4—2:30 p.m. Baltimore ... Apr. 5—2:30 p.m. Detroit Apr. 14—2:30 p.m. Houston Apr. 10—2:30 p.m. Great Lakes SIU Meetings Detroit Apr. Alpena Apr. Buffalo Apr. Chicago ... .Apr. Oeveland .. .Apr. Duluth Apr. Frankford .. Apr. 3—2:00 p.m. 3—7:00 p.m. 3—7:00 p.m. 3—1:00 p.m. 3—^7:00 p.m. 3—7:00 p.m. 3—7:00 p.m. Great Lakes Tug and Dredge Region Chicago ... .Apr. 11—7:30 p.m. tSault Ste. Marie Apr. Buffalo Apr. ' Duluth Apr. Cleveland .. .Apr. Toledo Apr. Detroit Apr. Milwaukee .. Apr. 13—^7:30 p.m. 12—^7:30 p.m. 14—7:30 p.m. 14—7:30 p.m. 14—7:30 p.m. 10—7:30 p.m. 10—7:30 p.m. SIU Inland Boatmen's Union New Orleans Apr. 11—5:00 p.m. Mobile Apr. 12—5:00 p.m. Philadelphia .Apr. 4—5:00p.m. Baltimore Qicensed and unlicensed) Apr.. 5—5:00 p.m. Norfjdk .... Apr. 5—5:00 p.m. Railway Marine Region Houston Apr. 10—5:00 p.m. Philadelphia Apr. 11—10 a.m. & 8 p.m. Baltimore Apr. 12—10 a.m. & 8 p.m. •Norfolk Apr. 13—10 a.m. & 8 p.m. Jersey City Apr. 10—10 a.m. & 8 p.m. COEUR O'ALENB VICTORY (Victory Carriers). February 3—Chairman "T. H. Holt; Secretary, Johnny W. Givens. No beefs reported by department delegates. United Industrial Workers New Orleans Apr. 11—7:00 p.m. Mobile Apr. 12—7:00 p.m. New Yorit ..Apr. 3—7:00 p.m. Philadelphia .Apr. 4—7:00p.m. Baltimore .. • Apr. 5—7:00 p.m. ^Houston .. .Apr. 10—7:00 p.m. tHeetinr held at Labor Temple, Sanlt Ste. Marie, Mich. * Meetinx held at Labor Temple, New­ port News. t Meeting held at Galveston wharves. Dil^CTORYof UNION HALLS SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes & Inland Waters Inland Boatmen's Union United Industrial Workers PRESIDENT Paul Hall EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Cal Tanner Earl Shepard VICE PRESIDENTS Lindsay Williams Robert Matthews SECRETARY-TREASURER Al Kerr HEADQUARTERS 675 4th Ave., Bklyn. HY 9-6600 ALPENA, Mich 127 River St. EL 4-3616 BALTIMORE, MD 1216 E. Ballimore St. EA 7-4900 BOSTON, Mass 177 State St. Rl 2-0140 BUFFALO, N.Y 735 Washington St. TL 3-9259 CHICAGO, III 9383 Ewing Ave. SA 1-0733 CLEVELAND, Ohio 1420 W. 25th St. MA 1-5450 DETROIT, Mich. .. 10225 W. Jefferson Ave. DIGEST of SIU MEETINGS LOS ANGELES (Sea-Land), January 28—Chairman, Ralph H. Smith; Secre­ tary. Thomas Thompson. Brother Delmer Craig was re-elect^ to serve as ship's delegate. Crew requested to donate fifty cents to ship's fund. TRANSWESTERN (Hudson Water­ ways), February 6—Chairman, T. Cummings; Secretary. F. Fletcher. $2.02 in ship's fund. No beefs reported by de­ partment delegates. Brother Ruel N. Lawrence was elected to serve as ship's delegate. Ship to be fumigated on re­ turn to States. STEEL VENDOR (Isthmian) January 22—Chairman, Fred Shaia; Secretajy, Elliott Gorum. $27.40 in ship's fund. Motion made to send wire to Union asking them to contact the Company and autho­ rize the Captain to allow draws on week­ end OT. It was also suggested that this week-end OT be included in the contract by negotiating committee. Motion that all draws be given in American money and discontinue issuing travelers checks. Vote of thanks was extended to the steward department for the good food and service. CALMAR (Calmar). February 5— Chairman. E. Hogge; Secretary. V. Doug­ las. No beefs reported by department delegates. Brother J. Corder was elected to serve as ship's delegate. Discussion about getting better grade of food. Motion made to have all B and C men get off as per contract. LUCILE BLOOMFIELD (Bloomfleld). January 26—Chairman. Heacok ; Secre­ tary, McGravie. No beefs reported by de­ partment delegates. Brother McGravie was elected to serve as ship's delegate. COEUR D'ALENE VICTORY (Vic­ tory Carriers). February 3—Chairman, T. H. Holt; Secretary W. Givens. Crewmembers were requested to keep the mess hall clean. VI 3-4741 DULUTH, Minn 312 W. 2nd St. RA 2-4110 FRANKFORT, Mich P.O. Box 287 415 Main St. EL 7-2441 HOUSTON, Tex 5804 Canal St. WA 8-3207 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. 2608 Pearl St. EL 3-0987 JERSEY CITY,'N.J. .99 Montgomery St. HE 3-0104 MOBILE, Ala I South Lawrence St. HE 2-1754 NEW ORLEANS, La. 630 Jackson Ave. NORFOLK, Va Tel. 529-7546 115 3rd St. Tel. 622-1892 2604 S. 4th St. DE 6-3818 PORT ARTHUR, Tex 1348 Seventh St. SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. 350 Freemont St. DO 2-4401 SANTURCE. P.R. ...1313 Fernandez Juncos Stop 20 Tel. 723-8594 SEATTLE, Wash 2505 First Avenue MA 3-4334 ST. LOUIS, Mo 805 Del Mar CE-l-1434 TAMPA, Fla 312 Harrison St. Tel. 229-2788 WILMINGTON, Calif. ...505 N. Marine Ave. 834-2528 PHILADELPHIA, Pa. . VANTAGE PROGRESS (Pioneer). January 31—Chairman. Patrick Conley; Secretary. K. R. MacConnel. $10.00 in ship's fund. Ship's delegate stated that there would be no payoff until the patrol­ man boards vessel and ship is cleared for payoff. Motion made that a letter of Com­ mendation for~Vincent Louis Frizinga. PB 30414 is mailed with reconunendations to headquarters from Yokohama. Japan. Request for clarification on B and C card shipping time from patrolman in San Francisco, before payoff in Long Beach. No patrolman met ship in Yokohama because of greater problems aboard an­ other ship in Yakuska. Ship's delegate O.K.'d it with patrolman upon arrival though. HATTIESBURG .VICTORY (Alcoa), January 17—Chairman, Robert A. Kongelbak; Secretary. R. H. Simpson. Brother Frank Feld was elected to serve as ship's delegate. Ship sailed short one oiler and one messman. ASBURY VICTORY (Bulk Transport). February 5—Chairman. C. D. Anderson ; Secretary. J. Doyle. Motion made to have the Union send ballots to all members on ships, in order to be able to vote in all elections. No SEAFARERS LOGS re­ ceived this trip. Mail service is very poor. March 17, 1967 LINFIELD VICTORY (Alcoa), Febru­ ary B—Chairman, T. J. White; S«retary, D. Waskie. Crewmembers were asked to observe safety rules and to leave rooms clean at payoff. Request made that Earl Shepard meet ship if at ail possible. Vote of thanks to the steward department particularly the chief cook for an excellent job. The crew thanked the captain, chief mate and steward for a great Christmas party. One man hospitalized in Cochin. DEL MONTE (Delta), February 4— Chairman. Wm. Parker; Secretary, A. G. Espeneda. Ship's delegate report^ that everything is in good order and no beefs were reported by department delegates. One man missed ship in Paranagua, Brazil. $2.00 in ship's fund. Crewmembers recommended a 20-year bust out for retirement. 12 years sea time or 20 years with the Union, regardless of age. Vote of thanks was extended to the ship's delegate and the department delegates for a job well done. DEL MAR (DelU), February 12— Chairman. W. Whalen; Secretary. V. Alford. Jr. Brother Joe McLaren was elected to serve as ship's delegate. Ves­ sel won the yearly Safety Award for passenger ships. $6.90 in ship's fund. No beefs reported by department dele­ gates. Everything is running smoothly. LINFIELD VICTORY (Alcoa) December 17—Chairman, 'T. S. Kline;. Jecretary, R. A. Domboski. Brother R. "Whitey" Duff was elected to serve as ship's dele­ gate. No beefs reported by department delegates. LYNN VICTORY (Victory Carriers), January 22—Chairman, Wm. McDennott; Secretary. Matt Guidera. Brother Matt Guidera was elected to serve as ship's delegate. No beefs reported by depart­ ment delegates. DEL SUD (Delta). January 28—Chair­ man. Mike Dunn; Secretary. William P. Folse. No beefs reported by department delegates. All disputed OT was settled. Motion made for pension after 20 years in Union, fifteen years seatime. Not old age pension. Brother Mike Dunn was elected to serve as ship's delegate. TOLABOB DO NOT BUY Seafarers and their families are urged to support a consumer boycott by trade unionists against various companies whose products are produced under non-union conditions, or which are "unfair to labor." (This listing carries the name of the AFL-CIO unions in­ volved, and will be amended from time to time.) Sears, Roebuck Company Retail stores & products (Retail Clerks) <t> Stitzel-Weller Distilleries "Old Fitzgerald," "Old Elk" "Cabin Still," W. L. Weller Bourbon whiskeys (Distillery Workers) <I> Kingsport Press "World Book," "Childcraft" (Printing Pressmen) (Typographers, Bookbinders) (Machinists, Stereotypers) <|> FAIRISLE (Pan Oceanic), January 28 —Chairman. FYed Olson; Secretary. Ira Brown. No beefs reported by department delegates. Brother John DeCulty was elected to serve as ship's delegate. Jamestown SterUng Corp. (United Furniture Workers) TRANSNORTHERN (Hudson Water­ ways). January 29—Chairman. Horace Mobley; Secretary, Boyd H. Amsberry. Brother Mobley was elected to serve as ship's delegate. No beefs were reported by department delegates. White Furniture Co. (United Furniture Workers of America) MT. WASHINGTON (Victory Carriers), January 22—Chairman. G. Wile; Secre­ tary. R. Schemm. Ship's delegate re­ ported that there will be no payoff in Pearl Harbor. Some disputed OT in en­ gine department. It was suggested that the ship have at least six months stores aboard before leaving Hawaii. DEL RIO (Delta). January 22—Chair­ man. E. S. Harris; Secretary. Robert Merritt. $30.10 in ship's fund. No beefs reported by department delegates. Brother N. J. Savoie was elected to serve as ship's delegate. OCEANIC CLOUD (Trans-World), January 2—Chairman. W. Nesta; Secre­ tary. T. Densemore. Discussion held about 20-year retirement—or 20 years in Union —no matter what age. Bmf in deck de­ partment regarding chief mate. Every­ thing running smoothly in steward de­ partment. JOPLIN VICTORY (Marine Carriers), January 22—Chairman. Joh Boldizar; Secretary. Joe Biiloto. Three men hospi­ talized in Korea. Some dispute^ OT in deck department. Vote of thanks to the steward and his cooks for their efforts in obtaining fresh provisions. STEEL SURVEYOR (Isthmian), Janu­ ary 16—Chairman, L. A. Williams; Sec. retary, J. Nudsen. Brother L. T. Mar­ shall was elected to serve as ship's dele­ gate. No beefs reported by department delegates. RIDGEFIELD VICTORY (Columbia), February 5—Chairman. F. N. Mainwerth; Secretary. C. J. Beck. Ship's delegate reported that there were no beefs and that everything is running smoothly. Motion was made that American foods be put on board, stateside. Also that when ship arrives in foreign ports it should b< stored with fresh foods, etc. KNOW YOUR RI FINANCIAL REPORTS. The constitution of the SIU Atlantic. Gulf. Lakes and Inland Waters District makes specific provision for safeguarding the membership's money and Union finances. The constitution requires a detailed CPA audit every three months by a rank and file auditing committee elected by the membership. All Union records are available at SIU headquarters in Brooklyn. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic. Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District are adnrinistered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agreements. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of union and management representatives and their alternates. All expenditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund financial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. Your shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by the contracts between the Union and the shipowners. Get to know your shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all Union halls. If you feel there has been any violation of your shipping or seniority rights as contained in the conti^cts between the Union and the shipowners, notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt request^. The proper address for this is: Earl Shepard, Chairman, Seafarers Appeals Board 17 Batteiy Place, Suite 1930. New York 4, N. Y. Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to you at all times, either by writing directly to the Union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and conditions under which you work and live aboard ship. Know your contract rights, as well as your obligations, such as filing for OT on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If. at any time, any SIU patrolman or other Union official, in your opinion, fails to protect your contract rights prop­ erly, contact the nearest SIU port jsgent. EDITORIAL POLICY—SEAFARERS LOG. The LOG has traditionally refrained from publishing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the Union, officer or member. It has also refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the Union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September, 1960, meetings in all constitu­ tional ports. The responsibility for LOG policy is vested in an editorial board which consists of the Executive ^ard of the Union. The Ebcecutive Board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. UNFlliR PAYMENT OP MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official Union receipt is given for same. Under no circunwtances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a receipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. The SIU publishes every six months in the SEAFARERS LOG a verbatim copy of its constitution. In addition, copies are available in all Union halls. All members should c^tain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time you feel any member or officer is attempting to deprive you of any constitutional right or obli­ gation by any methods such as dealing with charges, trials, etc.. as well as all other details, then the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. RETIRED SEAFARERS. Old-time SIU members drawing disability-pension bene­ fits have always been encouraged to continue their union activities, including attend­ ance at membership meetings. And like all other SIU members at these Union meet­ ings. they are encouraged to take an active role in all rank-and-file functions, in­ cluding service on rank-and-file committees. Because these oldtimers cannot take shipboard emplojrment, the membership has reaffirmed the long-standing Union pol­ icy of allowing them to retain their good standing through the waiving of their dues. EQUAL RIGHTS. All Seafarers are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU constitution and in the contracts which the Union has negotiated with the employersr Conse­ quently, no Seafarer may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he is denied the equal rights to which he is entitled, he should notify headquarters. SEAFARERS POLITICAL ACTIVITY DONATIONS. One of the basic rights of Seafarers is the right to pursue legislative and political objectives which will serve the best interests of themseives, tbeir families and their Union. To achieve these objectives, the Seafarers Political Activity Donation was established. Donations to SPAD are entireiy voluntary and constitute the funds through which legislative and political activities are conducted for the benefit of the membership and the Union. If at any time a Seafarer feels that any of the above rights have been violated, or that he has been denied his constitational right of access to Union records or in­ formation, he should Immediately notify SIU President Panl Hall at headqnartcrs by certified mail, retnm receipt reqnested. ^ —— Genesco Shoe Mfg. Co. Work Shoes . . . Sentry, Cedar Chest, Statier Men's Shoes . . . Jarman, Johnson & Murphy, Crestworth, (Boot and Shoe Workers' Union) ^ Di Giorgio Fruit Corp. S and W Fine Foods Treesweet (National Farm Workers Association) Baltimore Luggage Co. Lady Baltimore, Amelia Earhart Starlite luggage Starflite luggage (International Leather Goods, Plastics and Novelty Workers Union) i "HIS" brand men's clothes Kaynee Boyswear, Judy Bond blouses, Hanes Knitwear, Randa Ties, Boss Gloves, Richman Brothers and Sewell Suits, Wing Shirts (Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America) —if— R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Camels, Winston, Tempo, Brandon, Cavalier and Salem cigarettes (Tobacco Workers International Union) ^ Peavy Paper Mill Products (United Papermakers and Paperworkers Union) —if— Comet Rice Mills Co. products (International Union of United Brewery, Flour, Cereal, Soft Drinks and Distillery Workers) Antonio PereUI Minettl & Sons Ambassador, Eleven Cdlars Red Rooster, Greystone, Guastl, Calwa, F. I., Trihuno Vermonfli, Aristocrat, Victor Hugo, A. R> Morrow Wines and Brandies. (National Farm Workers Association) �March 17, 1967 HISTORIC SEA DISASTERS w HEN people think of ship disasters that have claimed many lives, they usually picture a ves­ sel burning or foundering far out at sea— alone, far from shore and far from any possible aid or assistance. This is not necessarily the case however. Many of the worst ship disasters of all time have taken place in supposedly "safe" waters, in protected bays and harbors, navigable rivers, or within shouting distance of shore. On April 27, 1865, for instance, a boiler explosion aboard the steamboat Sultana claimed 1,450 lives— right in the middle of the Mississippi river not far from Memphis, Tennessee. This was almost as many casualties as in the famous Titanic sinking that oc­ curred far out at sea. On June 15, 1904, the excursion steamer General Slocum burned right in New York harbor with a loss of 1,021 lives. July 24, 1915, marked the capsizing of the Great Lakes excursion steamer Eastland in the Chicago River that claimed 812. Just a year earlier the Empress of Ireland sank following a collision in the St. Lawrence River and 1,024 lives were snuffed out. In many vrays these disasters were even more tragic than those that have taken place far out at sea. The tragedies of these vessels unfolded in clear sight of watchers on shore, who were for the most part still powerless to lend any kind of assistance. For those aboard the stricken vessels, shore and safety were also clearly in view—^yet they might have been a mil­ lion miles away. They still had to meet their fate alone and largely unaided,: Jf . The "BerUn" The sense of helplessness and frustration that strikes both victims and rescuers alike on such occa­ sions is exemplified in the wreck of the passenger steamer Berlin in 1907. Near dawn on the morning of Thursday, February 21, 1907, the Berlin had almost completed her regu­ lar 110-mile trip across the North Sea from Harwich, England to the village of Hoek van Holland (Hook of Holland), where a boat-train had already arrived and was waiting for the steamer's passengers. In all, the Berlin carried over 143 passengers and crewmen. It had been an extremely rough but otherwise uneventful crossing. A heayy north-westerly gale lashed the North Sea, dashing rain, hail and snow against the Dutch coast. But the Berlin had weathered the storm well and was now only about two miles from her berth a short way up the Nieuwe Waterweg (New Waterway), which also led to Rotterdam. Granite-block breakwaters led out from the shore along both sides of Nieuwe Waterweg for about a mile, to create a protected entranceway to the channel. At the seaward tip of each breakwater stood a steel light tower. The trip was all but over and passengers had already been awakened to be ready to disembark for the train trip to Rotterdam as the Berlin ap­ proached the protected channel between the break­ waters. But suddenly everything began to go wrong. Rolling heavily in the gale-lashed seas, the Berlin was caught by ground seas and carried helplessly off course almpst to the tip of the North breakwater. A heavy sea on her port side then swung her com­ pletely around until she-lay almost parallel with the shore, her port side almost athwart the tip of the breakwater. Disaster The Captain succeeded in turning her to starboard but could not gain headway before a huge sea struck her starboard (seaward) side, lifted her up and bashed her down on the great granite blocks forming the base of the light tower at the tip of the North break­ water. She suddenly lay hard aground completely across the breakwater, her whole starboard side ex­ posed to tremendous breakers. Distress rockets were fired as the Berlin's powerful engines labored full astern in hopes of getting her off. But her twin screws churned the water futilely SEAFARERS LOG Page Fifteen fa Disaster FREAK SHIPWRECK TOOK 128 LIVES as hugh seas worked her up and down solidly on the rocks. From then it was only a few minutes until the Berlin lost all power and the blackgang rushed on deck to inform the Captain that the stokeholds were filled with water and the fires out. Yet strangely, now and even much later, there was almost no panic aboard the vessel. They were aground nearly on top of the light tower on a solid breakwater connected to the shore only a mile away. Surely rescuers would arrive at any moment to take them off the stricken vessel. Unfortunately they were wrong. As is often the case in such wrecks near shore, hope and frustration go side by side and the raging seas almost always win. On shore, the Berlin's approach to the breakwater channel had been watched anxiously by the staff of the nearby lookout station. When the ship's lights stopped moving and remained stationary, they knew the vessel must be in some sort of difficulty. When the distress rockets were fired they knew the difficulty was of a serious nature. When the ship's lights failed completely shortly thereafter they began to fear the worst—and they were correct. Rescuers Frustrated As soon as the distress rockets were fired the whole town was aroused and the large steam lifeboat Presi­ dent van Heel churned down the channel between the breakwaters with a crew of 10 experienced seamen and ample rescue equipment. Soon they were stand­ ing by the Berlin only to realize that they were help­ less and could do nothing to save her or those on board. Huge seas battered against the Berlin's star­ board side, making an approach either there or from the bow or stem impossible. In the high seas the breakwater itself was awash with the seas rolling over it. To approach from the port side would mean dis­ aster on the rocks for the rescue craft. The lifeboat crew attempted to shoot rescue lines over the ship, and one of these was actually caught and made fast. But at that very moment a huge sea lifted the lifeboat and flung it back with such force that her anchor rope parted. Without another anchor the lifeboat had to cast off the rescue line and hurry back to port to replace the anchor. Meanwhile it grew light, and watchers on shore finally realized the hopelessness of the situation. Through the driving rain and spray they could see that the Berlin's masts had assumed divergent angles —a sure sign that the seas pounding her on the rocks had broken her back and she was breaking up. Soon they saw the entire, fore part of the ship, with both funnels, break away from the remainder on the rocks and slide slowly down the inner bank to disappear beneath the waves. Had the rescue craft President van Heel still been in her previous position before her anchor parted, she and her crew would have been crushed and lost when the Berlin broke, up. Meanwhile, those still alive aboard the stricken vessel still hoped for rescue. But their numbers di­ minished constantly throughout that terrible first day as all rescue attempts proved futile. Huge seas broke over the remains of the Berlin, carrying away most of her structure along with the survivors who still clung to whatever support was available. All through the night this continued, while bodies washed ashore were placed in a warehouse to await identification. The Sea Rages Passengers and crew aboard ships passing up the channel could see the pitiful survivors and be seen as well—but nothing could be done to assist them. The rescue lifeboat and powerful tugs returned time after time, but the raging seas prevented them from approaching. The night passed, but the new day brought no change in the weather. Thus far only one rescue had been made, when the rescue lifeboat plucked a man from the sea, along with the smashed piece of wood to which he clung. Everyone else in the freezing water was dead. By afternoon of the second day some hope revived for rescue of the remaining survivors. The gale and snow squalls still raged, but the tide was low and the seas had moderated slightly. Rescue boats and tugs now hoped to put men ashore, on the channel side of the North breakwater, from where they might reach the Berlin in spite of the breakers that still came across the rocks. They would try to put a line aboard the Berlin by taking advantage of whatever shelter the steel light tower offered. On the first try, one man from the lifeboat Presi­ dent van Heel actually got ashore in this manner, but the fury of the sea drove him back. Finally four vol­ unteer seamen put out from a rescue vessel in a tiny yawl and managed to reach the breakwater without being smashed on its rocks. With them they took a heavy rope. As they struggled to keep from being washed off into the sea, six young men put out in another yawl to assist them and also succeeded in landing. The 10 men now crawled and fell between the rocks to reach the light tower with their rope. They finally managed to do this, only to find that there were no survivors aboard the Berlin still capable physically of catching the rope. Success The remains of the Berlin was so close to the light tower however, that one of the rescuers managed to catch a swinging boat fall. Clinging to the fall he was pulled into the sea, but managed to swim and crawl back to the tower, where the fall was secured about 20 feet up the steel latticework support. With great difficulty, 10 survivors managed to climb and slide down this rope. One woman however, could not muster the strength to make the climb. As the rescuers urged her on, they were eventually forced to retreat to shelter by a new onslaught of the sea. Seeing this, the woman gave up all hope, let go of her hold and plunged into the sea. At this the rescuers again rushed into the breakers and managed to drag her, unconscious, to safety. Now there remained on the ship only three sur­ vivors—women who were totally exhausted and could not hope to descend via the rope. As night fell and the gale increased again, it became obvious that all on the breakwater would have to go aboard one of the rescue vessels immediately or be lost. The three remaining survivors would have to be abandoned for yet another night. Another Try But during that night, new rescue plans were hatched. The tide would again be low at 1 a.m. A professional salvage man and diver volunteered to make another attempt to land in a yawl, accompanied by three other men. At midnight the trip began, the yawl in tow by a powerful tug. Near the end of the breakwater the yawl cast off and managed to land. The boat fall was still in place, but was secured again only about 8 feet up the tower so one of the men could use it to climb aboard the remains of the Berlin to assist the three women who still huddled there. When he reached the wreck the sea was raging again and the Berlin's decks were working so violently that he knew the remaining hulk was in danger of breaking up at any moment. Bodies were scattered over the deck. Working quickly, the rescuer made a sling out of deck ropes. Then he climbed to what was left of the boat deck and secured a second rope from a block still hanging in the davits. This rope would enable him to slowly lower the women, one by one in the sling, from the deck to the rescuers on the rocks below. In this way the rescue was finally completed. In all, only 15 pf the Berlin's passengers and crew were saved. Over 80 passengers and 48 crewmen perished—all within about a'mile of shore and actu­ ally on a solid causeway leading to shore. And although the death toll was high, it is a miracle that none of the rekuers them^lves were lost—^for in their helpless anger and frustration they took risks normally taken only by those who have themselves given up all hope of survival. �( . SEAFARERSaLOG OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES AND INLAND WATERS DISTRICT • AFL-CIO- WHY THE U.S. NEEDS AN NOEPENDENT MARITIME MINISTRATION ir s'v t: i: I T has taken many, many years of bureaucratic bungling and mishandling by Federal government agencies and administrators to bring about the present day deterioration of the American merchant fleet. Countless mistakes have been made and never ad­ mitted or rectified. Petty jealousies and power plays between various Government agencies and adminis­ trators have time after time been resolved at the ex­ pense of maritime. Maritime has never had any real representation within the bureaucratic jungle of the U.S. Government and has continually suffered at the hands of men who could barely hide their real alle­ giance to other modes of transportation or their spe­ cial interest areas, which they felt could be strength­ ened best by policies that further undermined the nation's maritime industry. In the not too distant past, the prime offenders against maritime were often the Agriculture Depart­ ment and the Gmnmerce Department. Right- now however, anti-maritime influence seems to have shift­ ed heavily into the Defense Department and the new Department of Transportation. This is perhaps best demonstrated by the many re­ cent statements of the present heads of these departs ments, and by the most recent "pet projects" of Sec­ retary Robert S. McNanwra, who heads the Defense Department. Tlie Airlift Fiasco Not too long ago, McNamara's pet project was Airlift. He somehow decided that he would be able to supply vast armies, if necessary in some future emergency, through airlift alone. Ships were obsolete and no longer needed, he decided. What we should do, he said, is abandon our merchant fleet entirely and build huge cargo planes to rush heavy equipment to trouble spots anywhere on the globe. If ships were still needed, he said, American-owned ships flying runaway flags, and foreign ovraed ships could be used—the runaways under the concept of "effective control" and the foreign vessels under ordinary charters. This was his pet project, and like many of his ideas it didn't look too good on paper. Then came America's Vietnam buildup, and the unworkability of his whole scheme became only too evident. Airlift proved all but useless. Over 98 percent of the men and material shipped to Vietnam had to go by ship. The U.S. Government always avoided a test of the totally unworkable "effective control" concept, and tried instead to charter foreign-owned and manned vessels to haul vitally-needed military supplies. One after another however, foreign ships and for­ eign crews refused to sail to Vietnam with American military supplies. Ships were loaded, only to be un­ loaded again while still at American docks as foreign crews refused to man their vessels. Some govern­ ments began to yield to internal political pressure and refused the use of any of their vesssiels to the United States for Vietnam supply. Suddenly the Defense Department decidgd it need­ ed ships, and a lot of them in a hurry. Fortunately there were still some old World War II vessels still in the emergency Reseive Fleet. They were old and slow and not too dependable and cost a great deal to put into shape, but they are being used. Now apparently, the Defense Dep^ment has re­ I; I ii -1 vised its estimate and has decided that ships are a vital necessity to insure the nation's defense. But now, instead of throwing its full support behind construc­ tion of the big, fast, modem merchant fleet that the nation really needs, the Defense Department has em­ barked upon another folly. Ships are needed, the thinking now goes, but not merchant ships. What we need, McNamara has decided, is a force of "Fast Deployment Logistic Ships" (FDL). What is FDL? What are "Fast Deployment Logistic Ships"? They have been denounced unanimously by American mar­ itime labor. House Merchant Marine Committee Chairman Edward A. Garmatz has referred to them as Flying Dutchmen which will cruise the seas end­ lessly, fully loaded, never touching port and never contributing anything to the nation's commerce. Others have denounced them as wasteful, useless and unnecessary. Many legislators have become so alarmed at the fact that such a concept could be seriously proposed that they have thrown their solid support behind maritime labor's campaign for an independent Maritime Administration to be headed by someone with a real knowledge of maritime who could hring about an overall and realistic plan to assure the satisfaction of the nation's shipping needs. Fast Deployment Logistic Ships would be speciallybuilt vessels, costing an estimated $40 million each. A fleet of 40 such vessels would be loaded with vari­ ous military supplies and would cruise the seas end­ lessly, waiting for trouble to break out anywhere in the world. Then they would rush to discharge their cargoes and rush back to a- U.S. port for more. The Fast Deployment Logistic Ship concept is so patently ridiculous that it is difficult to even- discuss with any objectivity. Yet it is being seriously pro­ posed and actively pushed by Defense .Secretary McNamara and the Defense Department. The matter has gone so far, in spite of the mounting opposition, that the Administration's fiscal 1968 budget request, recently submitted to Congress, seeks funds to begin construction of the first 5 FDL vessels. In the past, ill-conceived proposals and unworkable compromises have almost never been either admitted or rectified. This seems to remain true to this very day. The many shortcomings of the FDL concept have been pointed out on numerous occasions—^by maritime labor, management, U.S. legislators, and other interested parties. Still, the Defense Depart­ ment clings tenaciously to the idea. Expensive, Useliess It has been pointed out for instance, that the FDL vessels would be extremely expensive to construct. The estimated cost of $40 million for each FDL ship would be enough to construct three fast, modem cargo vessels for the commercial merchant fleet under the present subsidy system. The nation would then have three ships at its disposal in time of emergency for every 1 FDL it might build. The high degree of effectiveness of the American merchant marine work­ ing in conjunction with -military operations has been proved time and again in peace and war, and is dem­ onstrated many times daily in Vietnam, so the effec­ tiveness of private merchant ships and crews cannot be disputed. It has also been pointed out that although their cost to the nation will be staggering, FDL ships will con­ tribute absolutely nothing to the nation's commerce. They will not carry a single ton of the nation's for­ eign trade. In the long run they will drastically weak­ en the nation's trade posture. It is almost inevitable that the construction of FDLs would fxirther refluce the already drastically inade­ quate appropriations devoted to the active U.S.-flag merchant fleet, which would continue to deteriorate and lose what little it now carries of the nation's foreign commerce. This would put the U.S. increas­ ingly at the mercy of foreign shippers and ship op­ erators, who would be able to charge whatever they chose for the movement of American goods, to the detriment of American business and industry. Ameri­ can maritime's valuable contribution to the mainte­ nance of a favorable balance-of-payments would de­ crease, and the FDLs would certainly make no con­ tribution. ^ . Most dangerous of all, the application of the FDL concept would certainly weaken the nation's defenses. We can never hope to construct and maintain enough FDLs to fully support a military conflict far from U.S. shores. Yet, if construction of these FDLs led to the continued deterioration of the American merchant fleet we would not have nearly a sufficient number of ships of any kind available to support either troops or commerce. History Repeats Itself Somehow, this does not seem to alarm many of the nation's supposedly "responsible" Government administrators. It does not, apparentlj^, disturb De­ fense Secretary McNamara. Another "Administra­ tor," Transportation Secretary Alan S. Boyd, recently stated publicly that he doubts if the United States needs any merchant ships at all. It has been said that men who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. The United States was faced with a desperate shortage of merchant ships at the outbreak of World War I. After the war the fleet was allowed to deteriorate again and the U.S. was faced with a desperate short­ age of ships at the outbreak of World War II. The same pattern followed and we were in the same plight at the outbreak of the Korean Conflict and then again at the beginning of the Vietnam buildup. And it seems that many Government administrators have still not learned these lessons of history. Many Americans have learned however, including some of our leading legislators. They have realized the vital importance to the United States of a strong, niodem merchant fleet, and know that we will never get the fleet We need until maritime finally has a place in the Federal Agency setup of equal power with other agencies—^with someone at the helm who imderstands the special needs of maritime and is devoted to satisfying those needs. This is why more than 50 Congressmen have sub­ mitted bills into the House which- would create an independent Maritime Administration as an agency of the Federal government. TTiey are supporting maritime labor's campaign for an independent MARAD because they realise that time is growing short and the United States can no longer afford to trust the supposedly responsible administrators of other Government agencies to look after the needs of maritime. • ^ . ."I iil' r-S * ' V- •i ' •V ^' 4 *1, � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 1960-1969 Description An account of the resource Volumes XXII-XXXI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 17, 1967 Description An account of the resource Headlines: AFL-CIO EXEC. COUNCIL PLOTS COURSE FOR LABOR’S PROGRAMS IN 1967 AFL-CIO RALLIES PUBLIC SUPPORT IN DRIVE FOR NEW SOCIAL SECURITY BILL HOUSE MARITIME COMMITTEE MEMBER WARNS OF SOVIET SEA DOMINANCE FIRE CLAIMS SIU-IBU MANNED TUG, ALL CREWMEMBERS ESCAPE UNHARMED MEDICAL COSTS CREATING ‘HARDSHIPS’ U.S. GOVT. AGENCY REPORT REVEALS GREAT LAKES SHIP OPERATORS BLAST NEW RATE-CUT SCHEME BY RAILROADS MEANY VOICES LABOR’S ‘HORROR’ OVER NATCHEZ RIGHTS MURDER MEANY URGES CONGRESS TO APPROVE 20% HIKE IN SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FIVE ON BECALMED SAILING VESSEL SAVED BU SIU-CREWED DEL MUNDO SEAFARER KNEE-DEEP IN VIET WAR AS HE PLIES SOUTH CHINA SEA IN TUG HISTORIC SEA DISASTERS – 1907 SS BERLIN DISASTER – FREAK SHIPWRECK TOOK 128 LIVES WHY THE U.S. NEEDS AN INDEPENDENT MARITIME ADMINISTRATION Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 03/17/1967 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. XXIX, No. 6 1967 Periodicals Seafarers Log