http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/91efaad306c01d214b3df482ca0cde94.PDF cbd01705a2e46edc700a16bbf9765e81 PDF Text Text ' -r Official Organ of the Atlantic and Gulf District, Seafarers International Union of North America VOL. IX. NEW YORK. N. Y.. FRIDAY. JANUARY 17. 1947 No. 3 SlU Declared Isthmian Winner By NLRB; NMU Phony Protest Belays Certification I Entire Anti-CDmmie Slate Count Of Challenged Isthmian Ballots Elected In Lccal 88, MM&P Gives Seafarers A Final Election Tally NEW YORK—Despite the disruptive tactics of the small fraction of communists in Local 88 of the National Organization Master, Mates and Pilots, the elections in that union were carried through with a minimum of trouble. The attempts by the commies to splk the MM&P during the recent strike were repudiated by the member­ ship, and the commie candidates received only a scattering of votes. ^ Of 1256; NMU Ekes Out 813 Votes NEW YORK—The last dying gasps of the National Maritime Union, over the Isthmian election, are being heard this week as the NMU protested to the National Labor Relations Board about the fact that the Seafarers International Union has been chosen as bargaining agent for the unlicensed seamen of the Isthmian Steamship Company. 4- The SIU received 1256 votes, I against 813 for the NMU and 69 ^ for no union. This gave the SIU an overall percentage of 58.7, and ! was more than 20 percentage points better than the NMU was able to roll up! Only 171 votes were voided on j challenges, and this was a small All bodies affiliated with i fraction of the original 502 votes not popular with the strikebi-eak-; ing crowd down here, and that the Central Trades Labor As­ challenged by the NMU. includes the company and City sembly are responding to our The decision of the Regional authorities and they made sever­ call for cooperation 100 per­ NLRB was announced late al attempts to prevent its circu­ cent. The Seafarers Interna­ Thursday, January 9, and gave tional Union took the lead and the NMU five days in which to lation. All labor down here , is solidly donated $500, and we have file an objection. On Monday, behind the Teamsters, and now their offer of assistance in any January 13, the NMU did just morally, or that, and is endeavoring to have that the Seafarers has taken the way, financially, lead, we can expect even more physically. the whole elction set aside on This is not idle talk on the the phony grounds of collusion, support for these men in the fu­ ture. W. E. Sullivan, the Agent part of the SIU. for they back j As soon as it became clear that for striking Local 79, sums up up their words with actions. I the SIU was the choice of the the feeling in this statement, pre­ We greatly appreciate the ac- ! Isthmian seamen, the NMU starlpared especially for the Log; (Continued on Page 6) I ed to raise the bugaboo of colI lusion. Without one shred of real evi­ dence to back up its wild charges, the NMU has been able to stall for months, and Isthmian men are still being deprived of the union i-epresentation they leader, Joseph Shoemaker, died. | voted for, which they need so Members of the Seafarers In­ The remaining two, Sam D.. badly. ternational Union, and all mem­ Rogers and Eugene S. Poulnot | NEXT MOVE bers of unions, will not have any were scarred by the tire chains | On the strength of the NMU reason to forget Tampa, Florida, which were used on them, and protest, the NLRB Regional Diin a hurry. This is a notoriously barely escaped with their lives, rector must now make a report open shop town, and brutality In the investigation that fol-; to Washington, accompanied by and violence are part and parcel lowed, the police officials admit- j his recommendation. Using this of the way workers are treated. ted that members of their de-1 report as a basis, the National As recently as the 1946 SIU partment had been implicated in! Board will have the alternative of either certifying the SIU as General Strike against the dicta­ the murder and beating. Tampa today is a throwback to the bargaining agent for unli­ torship of the Wage Stabiliza­ tion Board, the Ships Chandlers the Tampa of eleven years ago. censed Isthmian seamen, or else in Tampa allied themselves with What happened then is taking hold new hearings to ascertain the police to try tp break picket- place right now, with police and the validity of the NMU charges. In either case, it is plain to see lines and send stores to the ves­ company goons having the run of sels which were sailing as scab the city while decent citizens that the Isthmian seamen prefer are in fear of their lives. tlie Seafarers International Un­ ships. The fight of the Teamsters in ion, and it is only a matter of For the rest of the labor move­ ment, the mention of what took Tampa is the fight of all oi-gan- time before the Company will of Shoe­ be sitting down to negotiate with place in Tampa on November 30, ized labor. The fighf '335, is enough. On that date, maker, Rogers, and Poulnot was the SIU. Only the stalling tactics of the three organizers were tarred and the fight of all union men then. At that time we were still NMU has prevented this so far, feathered and viciously beaten with tire chains. So brutal was young, but now the picture is and the NMU is rapidly running their ti'eatment, at the hands of different, and labor will not take out of ways to delay things any the police and others, that the the "Tampa Story" lying down. further. SlU Supports Tampa Teamsters; City Heads Try To Break Strike Also on the referendum ballot! were eight propositions, six of which were approved in the vot­ ing. The results of the election are as follows: President. John Tweekrum By SONNY SIMMONS First Vice-President. C. T. At­ kins. TAMPA—^The reign of terror Second Vice-President. A. J. in this city continues and in­ Shea. creases, and the only bright spot Secretary. Business Manager. since the strike started was the contributions of $500.00 sent to William C. Ash. : Trustee 3 Years. Harry Martin. me to be turned over to the bat­ Trustee 2 Years, M. C. Fesco tling taxi drivers. Here is the telegram that ac­ and D. J. Gillespie. companied the money order: Captain Harry Martin, who Enclosed is Seafarers Interhas been Business Manager of Local 88 for a number of years I national Union's check for was not a candidate to succeed $500.00 to be turned over to Tampa AFL Teamsters in their himself. • The two propositions which fight against repressive mea­ were defeated would have estab­ sures of local authorities. Inform Teamsters that Sealished rotary shipping in the Port 1 of New York, and changed the | farers are behind them 100 per meetings to the second and fourth cent physically, morally, finan­ Wednesday of each month at cially. Eyes of nation's trade-union 7:00 P.M. movement are on you in this FEW CP VOTES The position of the communists battle to protect labor's consti­ in Local 88 is graphically illus­ tutionally-guaranteed rights. trated by the fact that the highGood luck and keep up the good fight. (Continuei on Page 9) Harry Lundeberg. President Seafarers Int'l Union When this message was read to the striking drivers, they raised Due to the bad weather the roof with their shouts of ap­ which wrecked airplanes all preciation. This expression of over the United States and solidarity gave them a boost just finally forced the Govern­ when it looked the darkest for ment to ground all planes for them. a short time, the ballots from It is easy to see that the com­ Mobile, in the election for pany and city officials are not too 1947 officials, have not yet sure of their ground. Since they been received. control the press, only their side By the time the next issue of the story has come to the at­ of the LOG goes to press, we tention of the public. But the hope to have the complete copies of the Seafarers Log which count so that the names of have been sent down here for our the men who will lead the membership reached some of the SIU. Atlantic and Gulf Dis­ people of this town and gave trict, for the coming year can them an idea of the conditions.. be published. For this reason thg Log was Voting Returns Labor Hating Not New In Tampa; Union Drganizer Killed In 1935 �Pag* Two THESEAFAREES LOG Friday, January 17, 1947 SEAFARERS L Published Weekly by the SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA Atlantic and Gulf District Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor At n Beaver Street, New York 4, N. Y. HAnover 2-2784 X & 3, HARRY LUNDJEBERG ------- President 105 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif. JOHN HAWK - -- -- -- - Secy-Treas. p. O. Box 25, Station P, New York City Entered as second class matter June 15, 1945, at the Post Office in New Yoi-k, N. Y., under the Act of August 24, 1912. 267 Stacking The Cards There's an awful lot of loose talk, in Washington and other places, about limiting labor's right to strike. The same tongues are continually wagging about ending the closed shop so that workers' will have real democracy in their industries. These mealy-mouthed speeches mean absolutely noth­ ing to anyone who knows about labor's struggles to achieve the trade union movement we now have in the United States. Those who preach that labor hasn't any democracy at the present time were not willing to grant democracy, decent wages, and good conditions for workers until the unions came along and forced them to do so. Now these same reactionary exploiters of labor set themselves up as defenders of the workers against their elected leaders. A member of a trade union comes closer to realizing democracy in his union than he does in the Government of the U. S. At least union leaders really go to bat for the membership. Congressmen only represent the bosses and the people with money. The red tape experts have invented many ways to tie up labor, and to stop workers when they try to advance themselves and better their conditions. Courts have always served the moneyed classes, cops have always swung their clubs against picketlines, and Congressmen have always been willing to pass a fast law against labor whenever the bosses told them to. But the laws and tricks which are already in existence are not enough for Big Business. They like to play games with the cards stacked for them. And so now they have sparked a drive for even more stringent restrictions against labor. Of course, the windbags in the Senate and in the House of Representatives will make long speeches about "the responsibility of labor," or "the closed shop is undemo­ cratic," or "we believe in trade unions, but—" but their real aim is to smash labor unions. They are obviously fol­ lowing out the directions of the corporations which they serve. Very little of the labor -legislation which has been suggested since the new Congress took office is of a con­ structive nature. Most of it seems to be guided by revenge, not real efforts to achieve industrial peace. They have masked their thoughts in smooth words, and they have sold a bill of goods to the average person in the United States. They maintain that they want only to cut down on strikes, but their real objective is to break the back of the trade union movement in the United States. Measures which have as their prime idea the threat to union treasuries (which are greatly inferior to the funds available to business), or which threaten the security of workers through their union contracts, are definitely antilabor and will not lead to industrial peace. It is easy to see what Big Business wants when the pro­ posed laws are analyzed. It is up to the labor unions to hold firm so that their ambitions will not be realized. Hospital Patients When entering the hospital notify the delegate by post­ card, giving your name and the number of your ward. Staten Island Hospital Men Now In The Marine Hospitals These are the Union Brothers currently in the marine hospitals, as reported by the Port Agents. These Brothers find time hanging heavily on their hands. Do what you can to cheer them up by writ­ ing to them. BALTIMORE HOSPITAL FRANCIS O'BRIEN FRANK DOLAN FRANK NIXON RAYMOND HODGES • RUSSELL REDDERT JOHN DUDKO JOSEPH BENNETT JAMES DAVIS CHARLES HAHN MICHAEL McCOLAGH PETER LOPEZ THOMAS WADSWORTH LAWRENCE HOLMES SEBASTIAN AMENTA HUGH HOLLMAN GUNNAR WIKSTROM NATHAN CARTWRIGHT TOM MARTINEAU ARTHUR PRICE CLARENCE DOWDY $. Si Si STATEN ISLAND HOSPITAL J. L. EAKIN E. F. SPEAR P. J. WILKINSON R. G. MOSSELLER D. HUTCHINS M. J. QUINN W. B. MUIR J. S. WOOD , W. G. H. BAUSE MOSES MORRIS J. GRIFFIN L. A. CORNWALL P. STEWART "CHIPS" NEILSEN H. BELCHER L. L. MOODY JR. C. KOLSTE Si Si s* NORFOLK HOSPITAL T. R. GOING R. P. McBRIDE J. E. HARRISON NELS COLLSTIUP W. MANNING J. McNEELLY T. BOIGOS R. FITTS H. S. HARRISON G. AHTIAINEN F. BONNER 4 4, t NEW ORLEANS HOSPITAL H. G. DARNELL LIONEL ROTHERHAM THOMAS J. BAIER JOHN SERCU CENTRAL MASON W. BROCE, Jr. ERNEST J. COOPER JACINTO NAVARRO JOHN P. BROOKS You can contact your Hos­ pital delegate at the Staten Island Hospital at the follow­ ing times: Tuesday—1:30 to 3:30 p. m. (on 5th and 6th floors) Thursday—1:30 to 3:30 p. m. (on 3rd and 4th floors.) Saturday—1:30 to 3:30 p. m. (on 1st and 2nd floors.) RALPH EWING J. STEFANIDES EDWARD CUSTER KARL PETTERSSEN F. BERGLAND E. R. BUCKLEY E. J. RIVIERE J. W. DENNIS R. M. NOLAN JOHN RETOUR 4 4 4 NEPONSIT HOSPITAL LINDER CLARK J. FIGUEROA L. L. LEWIS H. SELBY H. BURKE J. S. CAMPBELL J. T. EDWARDS B. LUFLIN G. F. McCOMB E. FERRER R. BLAKE J. R. HENCHEY 4 4 4 ELLIS ISLAND HOSPITAL D. MCDONALD J. KOSLUSKY �Friday. January 17, 1947 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Three Joint Action Of Did, New Members Vitai Factor in Success Of SiU By EARL SHEPPARD In the organizing drives con­ ducted by the Seafarers, equal credit must be given to both the old timer and the newcomer. Each, to their respective ability, have contributed the work and the driving force that is necessajiy to put any campaign across. Looking over the record of the past year, and discussing the drives on the unorganized ships and companies with the men who sailed the ships and did such a good job, we actually find more of the younger members of the union than oldtimers. The reasons for this was that it is much harder for the older man to land a job through the crimps and company offices. The companies are suspicious of nim from the beginning, feeling that, in the years he has been to sea, he must have become affiliated with some union. OLDTIMERS WISE Even after he gets a job on an unorganized ship, his position is harder because he has grown ac­ customed to good conditions on union ships. The company offi­ cers and stooges are suspicious of him and generally jealous of his superior seamanship. They use every means to make him "blow his top" and pile off the ship, leaving the job open for what they considered the more malleable younger seamen. To the oldtimer, however, be­ longs credit for proving that the unorganized companies could not mould the younger searnen into "company men." He taught them both the score of good union­ ism and good seamanship, and it must be remembered that on good union ships the two always go hand in hand. On deck, for example, it was the oldtimer who taught the art of splicing both wire and rope; how to properly coil, stow and break out hawsers; make mon­ key fists; to mix and paint; rig bosun's chairs and rig all ships gear. In other words, the thousand and one things learned by ex­ perience and not out of books. The same applied to both the En­ gine and Stewards departments. EDUCATE YOUNGER MEN At coffee time, and on the watch below, all of this would be .•supplemented with the first hand story of the oi'ganization of the Union, the story of how strikes were conducted, befs settled and victories won. The education of young mem­ bers and seamen on unorganized ships is the main task of the Union at all times,, and in the organizing drives of the past year the oldtimers have carried on this work well as is proven in the results of the Isthmian election. The Seafarers all can congratu­ late these Brothers on a job well done, and can be sure that they will continue to do the same kind of job when the chips are down in the future struggles that, are sure to head the Seafarers way. The role played by the new­ comer, often a member for just a few weeks and frequently even before he actually took out a membership book, was equally important. They did their job efficiently and thoroughly with all of the energy at their command. They took full advantage of all of the literature of the SIU, and thoroughly studied the organiz­ ing material and history giving them a first hand organizational weapon, which they used to the best advantage. These men were instrumental in extending the organizing drive beyond the ships and into every place a seaman could be found. They were not satisfied with or­ ganizing around the clock aboard ship, but brought prospective Seafarers right into the Union halls by the hundreds, actually lining them up in the majority of cases. In the Isthmian drive, many of these men piled right onto an­ other Isthmian tub before the old man's signature was dry on the one they had just got off. The new members do not have to take a back seat for anyone, whether it is on the job splicing a hawser, keying up the main en­ gine or knocking out a batch of bread in the galley. These young members are real Seafarers and will continue to be leaders in our future struggles. ON CONTRACT SHIPS Another important organizing task was the work carried on by thousands of Seafarers sailing on contract ships. These Brothers carried the organizing material to unorganized ships crews in every section of the world. Due to these activities, the Log and other Seafarers literature can be found almost anywhere a ship can dock or drop the hook. Prior to the general activizing of Seafarers crews, the SIU was little known—but now it is in­ ternationally regarded as the most successfull and militant seamens' union in the world. This has resulted in much favorable publicity and spread the name and influence of the Seafarers far and wide, many miles away from any ship or dock. This combination of both old and new organizers, volunteers and members sailing contract ships, has resulted in a smooth hard hitting organization. Wages and conditions, which were once regarded as wishful thinking and a goal that no mai'itime union could obtain, are now an actual­ ity due to the functioning of this apparatus. Just a very brief glance at the achievements of the past year: the successful general maritime strike; the knocking out of the phony Wage Stabilization Board; the defeat of Bridges in his juris­ dictional raid in the Coos Bay beef; the defeat of the govern­ ment medical program and the competency card proposals are just a few of the day-to-day, week-to-week beefs that the Sea­ farers have won. These, topped off by the de­ cisive Isthmian victory, prove that no aim is too high or no goal impossible for the Seafarers. THE TRIP AHEAD A full volume could be written on the individual and collective merits of the men who made the Seafarers' victories possible, but praise won't win our future bat­ tles. The Union has many tasks and, if the shipowners are given too long a breathing spell, they will use the time to muster their forces for still greater attacks on wages and conditions. Despite the victories that have been won, there is still plenty of room for improvement. The Union apparatus must be still rnore streamlined and strength­ ened. New forces must be de­ veloped to take the places of those officials who, like all sea­ men, wil be back at sea some­ time. Union expenditures will have to be so organized that each dol­ lar will insure the maximum Un­ ion representation. Union educa­ tion must be kept to the fore­ front, so that as many members as possible can qualify to hold any job in the Union. There are many things to do and no time to waste. A good job has been done, and done well, but as Andrew Furuseth said, "Tomorrow is also a day." There are bigger and tougher jobs ahead, and to met the fu­ ture well prepared the Seafarers can never let down for a single moment. UNIONISTS AID ANTI-FASCISTS By PAUL HALL According to some of the recent 'reports that have come to us from the membership, it seems to be extremely important for the Seafarers International Union to establish Halls in Trinidad and Port Alfred, Canada. Not only is it important, but it is desirable to have on the spot representaliun at tliese points. There is no question in the minds of the writers of the letters that, if at all feasible, we should have Branches where we can ser­ vice not only our own members, but also members of foreign unions, and those foreign seamen who have no union. That would serve to make the Seafarers truly an international union. This is one of the questions that should be taken up by the Agents' Conference that will be held shortly after the newly elected Agents are installed in office. Moreover, the Isthmian election has shown us that we must have, as soon as possible, a Hall in the Philippines. This was one of our weak points, and the election would have undoubtedly have been won more easily if we had a Hall there. It is to the credit of our vol­ unteer organizers that we did not lose ground in those ships which were concentrated on that run. Again, this is another question for the new Agents to discuss and act on. SIU Representation Best As long as the Seafarers continues to grow, we will have to establish new ports to service our growing membership. Wherever an SIU member sets his foot on solid ground, he should not be too far from SIU representation. Our main boast is that we give the best representation to our membership, as well as the best contracts in the industry. Let's make sure that we keep up that record in the days of progress that are still before us; There are many things that may beset us in the coming year. It's always that way for guys who woi'k for a living. Sometimes the bosses try to job you, and usually the politicans do their damnedest to deal you a dirty blow. But the main thing we have to watch out for in 1947 is that the shipowners will try to force us into premature strike action. If they have the Government and the Courts on their sides, they will be only too pleased if we pull the pin on their ships. Why not, if they can depend on "Uncle Sam" to fight their battles for them. This does not mean that we must bind ourselves not to strike in the coming year. Sure, we will lock up the ships if we see that is the only way to win our demands, but we should not allow our­ selves to be placed in a position where we have to play the ship­ owners game with the cards stacked against us. Ill-Prepared Strike Bad A strike against insurmountable odds is a bad deal for seamen. In 1921 the seamen were forced into a strike, when they ana every­ body else knew that the time was not right. The operators, espec­ ially, knew this, and so they held tight. The same situation held true in 1939. The year 1939 was the time of the NMU tanker strike. Of course, in that action we also had a typical NMU-commie treacheiV They called their membership out on strike, and then the commie leader­ ship showed them how to fink the tankers out. Without doubt, they, then and there, put the tanker organizing drive back five years at least. Not only did those fakers lose the strike for all honest seamen, but they had the nerve to blame the SIU for the defeat. We took the lead in offering to picket struck ships, and we hit the bricks in solid support of the strikers. The commie misleaders of the NMU finked those ships out, in defiance of the wishes of the NMU rank-and-file, and theri they had to go looking for someone to hang the blame on. Commies Pass Buck There are certain tricks used by all commies when they are faced with the results of their own ti'eachery. One of them is to blame an innocent party, and that is exactly what they did in this case. They tried to put it all at the door of innocent parties, but honest seamen were not fooled. A check for $1000 for the purchase of CARE food packages packages for exiled Spanish anti-fascists was presented by the Intl. Solidarity Committe to Fernando de Los Rios, who accepted the gift on behalf of the exiles. At the presentation were (L to r.): Vice-presidents Charles S. Zimmerman and Luigi Antonini, of the Intl. Ladies Garment Workers-AFL; Phil Heller, executive director of the Intl. Solidarity Committee; de Los Ries; and Na­ thaniel Minkoff, secretary-treasurer of the Dressmakers Joint Board. ILGWU. No more were they fooled by the various other tricks that the commies in the NMU have used. The attitude of true working sea­ men is that certain leaders of the NMU have done more to harm the advancement of seamen than all the shipowners, operators, and Government agencies put together. That is a tough record to have, and it is all true. Any group that sinks low enough to use the trade union movement for their own selfish purposes, should be prevented from associating with decent men. �THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Fout FHd»y. January 17. 1347 su.. WHAT tTHIMIC., Eyes Prefits Of Operators QUESTION: — What should be the Seafarers' objectives in the year EOBERT NEBLETT, FOW: It • I ihink that all our pressure should be on the four-watch sys­ tem in the next year. I'm a Fire­ man, and I know how important it is for a Fireman to have plenty of rest in between watches. A man can't stand sort of work, over a long period of time, without cracking up. Six hours a day is all that a man can work on that sort of job. The shipown­ ers won't like the idea, but for seamen the four-watch system is a must. Jobs will be getting scarce, and that will also help out in that situation. GEORGE E. MARSHALL, Stew,; As in years past, I'm sure that the SIU will continue to shoot for higher wages and better working conditions. That's the way it has been in the past, and that is the correct way to work in unions. With rising rents and higher food costs, we need in­ creased wages, and I am sure that the SIU wil get them for us next year. I have been sailing for more than 20 years, and I haven't been able to save any money for when I retire. I hope that new men will not have to face the same sort of old age. WASHINGTON—A $22 billion war shipping scandal was in the making here last week as Sen. George Aiken (R., Vt,), chairman 1947? of the Senate Committee on Ex­ ecutive Expenditures, said hewould make a thorough probe of ELWOOD D. KITTRELL, AB; exorbitant subsidies paid to ship­ We should concentreite on the owners. companies to insure cleaner ships. Aiken, who is planning to or­ The one I just got off of was fility, ganize his committee as soon as and in terrible shape. The lock­ possible and bring together a topers were broken, roaches were on notch investigating staff, said he the loose, and the whole ship was believed Congress should be in­ badly in need of painting. These terested not only in knowing how vessels are our homes at sea, and shipowners pulled down enorm­ the companies should make the ous unearned profits, but why necessary repairs and keep the they require peacetime subsidies. ships in good condition. In the Meanwhile, the House Mer­ long run it wouldn't cost them much more because the ships chant Marine Committee branded would last longer, and seamen the wartime accounting prac­ would work harder for a com­ tices of the Maritime Commission pany that maintained clean ships. and the War Shipping adminis­ tration as "unsound" and "chao­ tic." The records were found to be in "such a chaotic state as to have made possible serious mone­ tary loss to the government." H, J. A. KOONING, FOW: I think that we should go all out to eliminate the Coast Guard. They want to play at being boss over us, but we don't need their watching over us. The Union will take care of our interests without the CG. During the war the Coast Guard did a good job at pa­ trolling the coasts and doing the kind of job they were supposed to do. Bui they lost the respect of all seamen by the way they tried to lord it over us all the time. Their hold on us should be broken; and we should be re­ turned to the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce. The Maritime Commission had previously listed wartime profits of only 19 shipbuilding companies at $356,006,612 on just $22,979,275 invested capital. One of the most extravagant returns disclosed was an esti­ mated $58,840,88.5 profit by ohe Henry Kaiser firm on a $460,000 investment and a $1,080,000 take, on a $600 investment by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Corp. of Florida. Political Partisans in Trade Union Movement Have One Objective—if Yen Can't Rule, Ruin And it was not only the NMU that was guilty of such actions. Any time, before the war, during thd war, and after the war, that the communist line changed^ the NMU and other communist-dom­ inated unions changed their pol­ icies accordingly. That is why the communists, in and out of the NMU, are so discredited. That is why the sea­ men voted so heavily for the SIU in the Isthmian campaign, and that is. one of the many reasons that is beating the commie-dom­ inated waterfront unions in their attempts to organize other un­ organized sdhmen. By LINDSEY WILLIAMS At no extra cost to the mem­ bership of the Seafarers Inter­ national Union, but at a terrific cost to the members of the Na­ tional Maritime Union, we are being treated to the sight of what happens when a bunch of politi­ cals grab hold of a trade union and start to use it for their own end. This fight m the NMU has been brewing for a long time, and if Joe Curran hadn't blown the lid off, the rank-and-file was sure to do so before too long. The communists have had con­ trol of the NMU practically ever since that- union was formed. That is the reason that a lot of honest trade unionists dropped out, and that is the reason that the SIU has always attracted the people who wanted to build a union on trade union lines, and not on the lines set down by Joe Stalin in Moscow, or by any other political faker for that matter. Wlienever it suited the com­ munists to work against the best interests of the labor movement, the communists in the NMU and in other CIO unions, did their dirty work to betray what sea­ men and other workers really want. Always their first idea was to. ENTITLED TO BELIEFS LINDSEY WILLIAMS Brother Williams is Gulf Area Organizer for the SIU, and in his work has had a good opportuniiy to observe how the politicals operate and what they stand for. suit the commies, and they didn't give a damn if that was not what was best for the American Labor movement. For that rea.son, the NMU subr jugated the reasonable demands of its membership during the war so that the ends of' the Soviet Union could be served first. In my organizing work, I come in contact with people who have various political views. There is nothing wrong with a guy be­ lieving in one political system or party or another, if that's what he wants to do. What is wrong is when the people who, believe in that sys­ tem try to take over" a trade union so that they can force the union to follow their line even if the vast majority of the mefhbens don't want to have any­ thing'to do with it. That is exactly what happened in the NMU, and you had a pic­ ture of the officials going counter to what the membership really wanted, and what was best for them as working seamen. Don't think that the NMU is the only union that the commies have been able to paralyze with their blind obedience to the CP line. There are at least four other CIO unions that find themselves doing Joe Stalin's dirty work just because the officials of the union are members of the com­ munist party. NO WITCH-HUNT This should not be taken as a call for a drive to force all poli­ ticals out of our Union. Under the democratic traditions of the SIU, it would be in violation of our Constitution if anyone tried to do anything as raw as that even against political finki. But this is a warning as to what can happen if we allow members who follow a certain political line, whatever it may be, to try and lead our member­ ship along that line and against honest trade union principles. In the years that tlie NMU has been declining* the SIU has been steadily growing, both in mem­ bership and in the respect of all seafaring men. No matter what union a seaman belongs to* he {Continued on. S4ge 14.) A Commei'ce Dept. announce­ ment last week was heralded as the year's greatest understate­ ment when it reported that "The year 1946 was one in which, busi­ ness activity, sales and profits were above the best pre-war years." Keep It Clean! It is the proud boast of the Seafarers International Un­ ion that an SIU ship is a clean ship Let's keep it that way. Although most of the crews leave a ship in excellent con­ dition, it has come to the at­ tention of the membership that a few crews have vio­ lated this rule. So they have gone on record to have all quarters inspected by the Pcdrolman before the payoff, and if the conditions are un­ satisfactory, he has the right to hold up the payoff imtil everything is spic and span. Remember that the Patrol­ man can only have repairs made if he knows what has to be done. Cooperate by making up a repair list be­ fore the ship docks. Give one copy to the Skipper, and one ' to the Patrolman. Then you'll see some action. �THE S E AT ^ REnS tOG Friday. January 1^, 194^ ^Vmanl Fire Series Of Mishaps On Abr. Ciark Page Five A WOT TIME ON SS ABRAHAM CLARK By JIM BERESFORD The SS Abraham Clark now . ei-gehcies by this time, that withhas a good chance of going down ^ out even a general alarm soundin maritime history as the Black ing, or without a single order Gat. At least, that is if you be­ from the Mate, the crew sprang lieve in black cats causing bad into action as soon as smoke was seen. luck. Men came running from all We crewed up the Clark on December 14, and sailed from parts of the ship, hauling fire Boston on the Pan-American run. hose with them. The dense smoke For a Liberty, the Clark was a poured forth out of the damaged fast ship, and we all looked for­ forepeak, and more than one man ward to a pleasant trip and fair was overcome. Soon, however, the fire was weather. But we couldn't have under control, and before long been further wrong. The first accident, or incident, it was completely out. Since this accident nothing else whichever you may prefer, took place in New York Harbor when eventful has taken place aboard Jumping Jack Dolan .sma.shed his the SS Abraham Clark, but we foot while working around the are ready for anything now, and we wouldn't be surprised if it ship. happened. Unfortunate as it was, we did not look upon it as the start of a jinx. Later we remembered it as the first in a series of inci­ dents that made us all creep into our sacks at night with our fingers crossed. LULL BEFORE STORM We soon put New York behind us, and had a fair run down to New Orleans The only beef was lack of sufficient stores, but in comparison to what happened later, this part of our trip was al­ most perfect. We tied up in New Orleans for a couple of dr|/s, and made everything shipshape for the rest of the voyage. Then we pulled out and headed for Mobile. Swinging about to head down Top picture shows the crew of the SS Abraham Clark springing into action as soon as the fire was discovered. From all the Mississippi River, we ran up directions, the men came running with the fire hoses. In a matter of minutes the blaze was under control. Picture, above left, over the opposite bank. Finally was taken as one of the crewmembers was being given first aid treatment after having been overcome by the smoke. On the the ship squared away and we right we see that the fire is almost completely out. and most of the crew is starting to go back to their regular jobs. started around the first bend in These pictures were taken by a member of the crew of the Abraham Clark. Donald Bean. the river, with every crewmemter swallowing hard to keep his heart out of his mouth. We were not disappointed. The action continued and became in­ If you don'i find linen creasingly more exciting. when you go aboard your MISS AND HIT ship, notify the Hall at once. ment for strike 'leaders. Govern­ WASHINGTON — In proclaim­ Our bow narrowly missed a WASHINGTON — The drive A telegram from Le Havre or ment suspension of union con­ C-2, we came even closed to a ing the formal end of hostilities for compulsory universal military Singapore won't do you any Laker, and we finally plowed in World War II on December 31, tracts, cancellation of draft detraining — a program opposed by good. It's your bed and you ferrment for strikers, and black­ right into a Liberty belonging all segments of organized labor — President Truman automatically listing of strikers by government have to lie in it. to Lykes Brothers. was given a boost last week when set the end of the Smith-Connally employment agencies. This ship was tied up to the President Truman appointed nine dock and, as we pulled away anti-labor act, and the wartime civilians to an Advisory Commis­ from it, our stern came ar -und excise taxes on luxuries for June sion of Universal Militaiy Train­ and hit the same ship. This time 30, 1947. ing. The elation over the latter was we did more damage than we had Labor officials w^ere quick to shortlived as in his State of the on the first collision. point out that no labor represent­ By this time we were all plenty Union address to Congress, Tru­ atives were appointed to this nervous, and our fingers were man asked for the 'enactment of body, and that all of the appoin­ all thumbs. We stayed right a law extending the 20 percent tees are known for their strong weher we were' all night, and federal excise tax beyond the pro-conscription views, and this LONDON — Reaching the peak more than 10 years over their in all probability indicates that The figured that we would start all June 30 expiration date. end of this tax covering liquor, membership of its history, the actual age. Most of them had the committee will decide on the over again the nekt morning. The following morning was furs, jewelry, and theatre admis­ British Labor Party recently re­ aged rapidly with high blood nature of the conscription plan dull and foggy, and we ran sions would mean a billion and a ported a 1946 membership gain pressure, heart diseases, and instead of debating the pros and aground twice in the Mobile half dollar saving for consumers. of 213,000. At the beginning of thickened arteries the rule. cons of conscription. Dockworkers claimed that the River. The second time it hap­ The Smith-Conally Act when last year, the Labor Party mem­ The AFL, CIO and Railway pened, we waited until the fog it expires six months from now bership amounted to 487,000, and uncertain work on the water­ Brotherhoods had reaffirmed their lifted before proceeding. means that by that time the gov­ this has now grown to 700,000 front and the heavy strain of traditional opposition to peace­ Coming down stream toward ernment-seized coal mines and according to Labor Party secre­ their jobs caused their physical time military conscription at re­ condition. \is we recognized the Alcoa Plant­ Great Lakes tugboats must be tary Morgan Philips. cent conventions, pointing out "The Labor Party's aim for the er, and at the same time we returned to private operation. % ^ % that conscription had been used first few months of 1947," said realized that our steering mech­ LONDON — A complete set of In addition, the expiration of as a weapon to break strikes by anism was out of whack and that the act •will relieve Labor of clubs an official, "will be to reach our new proposals for better pay and drafting strikers into the army. we were heading right* for the which have been hanging over its target, of 1,000,000 individual working conditions have been Joining organized labor in their members. other ship. presented to the National Mari­ head, such as the provisions opposition to conscription. Brig. time Board, central shipowners % % S. TRIED HIS BEST calling for penalties or imprisonGen. H. C. Holdridge (Ret.), CoSYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — A council, officers and men, by the The Alcoa Planter Skipper chairman of the Armed Forces Sydney specialist. Dr. McQueen, British maritime unions. What tried his best to miss us, and Committee of the American Vet­ recently revealed that the dock- the unions seek are paid holidays, even ran the bow of his ship erans Committee, stated in a radio ^ SID SHlPlSACLEAi^SMlp/ regular work, better shipboard workers have the highest indus­ aground in the process, but the debate that the program for com­ trial death rate among all Aus­ conditions and shorter hours. Stern of the Planter came around pulsory military training "is un­ tralian workers today. Dr. Mc­ 4. 4, t blocking the channel. SINGAPORE — Ending a 19 sound and dangerous." Queen declared his admiration Our Captain ordered a hard iioldridge charged that the arm­ for these dockworkers who have day .strike which had tied up right, but the Clark just would Singapore Harbor, seven thous­ ed forces, through their mono­ to make a tough living in spite not. answer the wheel, and we See TMAT HtooR and Indian dock woi-kers recently poly over national security, havfe^ of many physical handicaps. plowed right into the grounded SHIP IS IMSOOP The Australian specialist had returned to work. Their return become instruments of power oRt>ee 6EPOR£ ship. ITPAVSOFFJ a gloomy view about these work­ to work was based on the Gov­ politics, and intrude into every Immediately upon impact, fire ers over the age of 60, and ^id ernment's agreement to establish phase of our lives, in peace and broke out in the' forepeak. The in war. that the majority of them looked an arbitration board. crew had become so used to em- End Near For Smith-Connally Act With Termination Of The War • ATTENTION! Labor Opposes Military Draft �THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Six , TNE RISE ' t Since June,-^1946, consumer , prices hove risali 15^ .wiih food showing. •- Jbe greatest Tncreose. Rents hpve helcf steodyC : ; iNoa SIU Supports Tampa Teamsters; City Heads Try Te Break Strike (Continued from Page J) tion of the SIU and in the fu­ ture, as in the past, we want to state our loyalty to that or­ ganization. We are back of them 100 percent in all their undertakings, as they have been back of us in our time of trouble. Fraternally W. E. Sullivan, Agent, Teamstei's and Chauf­ fers Union, Local 79 The pre.ssure that the Seafarers Log stirred up has not been with­ out some effect on the labor-hat­ ing authorities here. Last week the original injunction against Local 79 was amended to allow picketing by the strikers in any 1939 • 1940 wi-goEEDs- ^ourtr Oroarlmtnt of lobor In his first economic report to Congress under the 1946 Em­ ployment Act, President Truman submitted this chart titled "The Rise in Consumer Prices." Since June 1946, said Truman, "con­ sumer prices have risen 15 percent with food showing the great­ est increase." Labor economists, however, contend that the 15 percent is low, that consumer prices have jumped 18 percent or better in these last six months. Sill Rejects NMD Proposal To Set Up Arbitration Board NEW YORK —Never have the differences between the policies of the SIU and the NMU been more clearly illustrated than this past week, when in a desperation move, NMU President Joseph Curran wired SIU SecretaryTreasurer John Hawk requesting cooperation in asking Labor Sec­ retary Schwellenhach to call a conference of labor and industry representatives for the purpose of arbitrating maritime union de­ mands. In line with basic SIU policy, Secretary-Treasurer Hawk de­ clined the invitation, and re­ stated the Seafarers position, "The policy of the Seafarers In­ ternational Union is to negotiate directly with our operators with­ out government interference and if we cannot come to an agree­ ment use our economic power to enforce our demands." • The complete text of the NMU telegram from President Curran follows: are in the same predicament and have provisions for wage reviews though there be different dates, but within a month of each other, for such reviews, you use your good offices to call together all the representatives of labor and industry and ask them to agree that the Department of Labor appoint an arbitrator to handle this problem as a national prob­ lem in order to eliminate the chaotic conditions that did arise in 1946 and may arise again if satisfactory conclusion is not ar­ rived at. Will you join us and sign such a telegram with us jointly? If it is possible will you reply by Sat­ urday. Joseph Curran In reply to this wire, SIU Sec­ retary-Treasurer Hawk sent the following answer: Mr. Joseph Curran President National Maritime Union 348 West 17th Street New York, N.Y. John Hawk, Secretary-Treasurer The Atlantic and Gulf District Seafarers International Union of the Seafarers International 51 Beaver St, Union of North America rejects New York. N.Y. your telegraphic invitation to We have been in negotiations join with you and sign your pro­ •with AMMI since December 27th posed telegram to Secretary of on wage review for our member­ Labor Schwellenhach suggesting ship. We have requested a 25 that he call a conference of rep­ percent increase plus adjustments resentatives of labor and industry on several key ratings. We have and request that they agree to received no offer from the oper­ authorize the Department of ators to date. Our final meeting Labor to appoint an arbitrator to is Saturday, January 11th. We decide whether or not the sea­ propose to send the following men should get an increase of wire to Secretary Schwellenhach wages or set wages for seamen. in the event we receive no satis­ The policy of the Seafarers In­ factory settlement at the meet­ ternational Union is to negotiate directly with our operators withing Saturday. our government interference and Contract provision assuring us if we cannot come to an agree­ of wage review on material sub­ ment use our economic power to mitted to company proves beyond enforce our demands. any doubt the necessity of our John Hawk xeceiving the 25 percent increase Secretary-Treasurer requested but operators refuse Atlantic and Gulf District to grant any offer at all. Our Seafarers International Union request of you Is that, in view of of North America the fact that all marine unions Friday. January 17. 1947 By JOHNNY JOHNSTON As long ago as the spring of 1607 the remaining forlorn and discouraged members of the illfated Popham colony launched the first ocean-going vessel to be built on American shores. The vessel was called the Vir­ ginia, and was built in the Kennebeck River. The survivors of the little colony of Popham used the ship for the voyage home, and landed safely in England months later. i J. S. This is fhe first time in the history of the United States that this country has ever had a strong merchant marine andj a strong Navy at the same time. At one time or another we have had a good Navy and prac­ tically no merchant vessels, or plenty of commercial bottoms which had to be converted to war ships in time of danger. February 22, 1784, marked the first time that an American ship sailed on a voyage to enter the Far East trade. The vessel was the copper-sheathed Empress of China, and she left New York with 10 officers and 34 mem­ bers of the unlicensed crew. She made a round trip to Whampoa, stayed one month in that port for trading, and return­ ed after logging a total of 32,458 miles for the voyage. The trip took 16 months, which is a far cry from the length of time re­ quired for the same voyage to­ day. 4- 4" Many of the provisions of the Act of 1790, the first attempt to give any consideration to the rights of sailors, are still in force. This act specified that seamen were entitled to a written contract setting forth a definition of the proposed voyage plus the rate of pay. If, for any reason, such an agreement was not executed, the ship Master could be compelled to compensate his men at the highest prevailing rate of pay. As a guarantee the ship itself could be held for security. but the "imm'ediate vicinity" of the office of the Tampa Cab Com­ pany. Previously the strikers were prevented from picketing any place in the city. VIOLATION OF RIGHTS The attorney for the union pointed out that the injunction denied the union the right to dis­ cuss or display placards about the .strike anywhere, which con­ stituted a violation of their con­ stitutional rights guaranteeing freedom of speech. One of the guiding spirits in the drive to break the Teamstei's in Tampa is Florida Attorney General Tom Watson, who is us­ ing this campaign as the opening wedge in realizing his political ambition to become either Gov­ ernor of Florida, or United States Senator. Watson is notorious for his anti-labor, open shop sentiments, and sparked the move to pass an "open shop" law in the state of Folrida. He has also openly al­ lied himself with anti-labor forces throughout the United States. From the start of this strike he has been present in Tampa, counseling the company, and ad­ vocating s tr i n g e n t measures against the taxi drivers. POLICE BRUTALITY The brutality of the police in this strike is indescribable. On numerous occasions, accompan­ ied by company goons, they have clubbed strikers. Violence has been resorted to more than once, and there are striking drivers in the hospital right now with stab wounds and broken heads. Only recently the police at­ tacked and arrested six picketers, and even the pro-company Tam­ pa newspapers reported that one of the picketers was treated for a "slight cut in his stomach." This sort of violence is not the excep­ tion, k is the rule. Although the union is willing to arbitrate, the Company has taken the attitude of the author­ ities to heart and they are arro­ gant in their refusal to put the whole question before an impar­ tial board. On one occasion, Sullivan, rep­ resenting the drivers, said, "I'll be willing to submit this whole thing to arbitration, so we could get out in the open and show the public what it's all about. The Mayor, or any one that Circuit Lewis Contempt Trial Begins In Washington Before Supreme Court WASHINGTON, January 14— The Supreme Court today start­ ed to sift the facts and dig into the arguments presented by the attorneys for the United Mine Workers, AFL, and the Govern­ ment in the appeal from the con­ viction of John L. Lewis and the UMW for contempt of Court. Attorneys for the union con­ tended that the restraining order violated the Norris-La Guardia Anti-Injunction Act and the con­ stitution. Interrogation established that the miners were not employees of the Government and that the Anti-Injunction Act was violated when Federal Judge T. Alan Goldsborough handed down re­ straining order. Judge Smith might name, would be acceptable." The company has turned down all efforts toward arbitration of this dispute, because they feel confident that the City Officials will assist them in bringing the strikers to their knees. It is a matter of official record that the pqlice in Tampa have been detailed to guard scab taxi cabs so as to insure their con­ tinued operation. BUSINESS WATCHING All the open shop advocates in the United States have their eyes on Tampa. If the union loses here, it might be just the blueprint for other union loses in other places. The Teamsters down here are not in this strike for fun—they need the conditions and security that the union will give them. If labor in the United States needs a lesson, this is it. Beware of the guys who come out with their open shop proposals. See what the price of an open shop state is, and do your level best to stop the.se union-busters in their tracks. They arc not honest in their convictions, they only know that Big Business can pay them bet­ ter than the labor movement. And they don't bite the hand that feeds them. The Patrolmen Say Time Off Although the shipping rules clearly outline the provisions for securing time off, some of the newer members are under the impression that they are entitled to time off in port as part of their job aboard a ship. This is not true. If these men will read the agreement, and in­ terpret it correctly they will find that the contract does not pro­ vide for regular time off. Time off provisions are con­ tained in the shipping rules where it is stated that if time off is desired the seamen should have the ship's delegate call the Union Hall for a relief. A relief will be furnished for not less than four hours nor more than three days, and will be paid at the regular overtime rate by the crewmember taking the time off. In this same vein don't put in overtime for time spent off the ship. This only creates a hard­ ship for the Patrolman, yourself and the rest of the members. Ray Gonzales ^ ^ ^ NEW YORK—Recently when the SS R. Semmes, Waterman Steamship Company, pulled into port the payoff was held up for two days on an overtime beef. It seems that the Chief En­ gineer had the Oilers oiling draft fans on the Captain's deck twice each watch. Under our contract this work constitutes overtime, but the Engineer refused to call it overtime and wouldn't okay it or turn it in to the company. Maybe it isn't overtime on NMU ships, where he probably came from, but we put him straight that it certainly is on SIU ships. After some wrang­ ling around we got the matter straightened out with the result that the three Oilers now have 125 hours overtime coming to each of them. Salvador Cdlls �THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, January 17, 1947 Page Seven Maritime Commission Under Fire, But Nothing Will Come Of it By JOE ALGINA Shipping Is Slow In Savannah; NO NEWS?? Cattle Movements Due To Stop Silence this week from the Branch Agents of the follow­ ing ports: By ARTHUR THOMPSON SAVANNAH —The week was 'fairly busy with three sign-ons and one payoff — all SUP ships however, so only the deck de­ partment was involved. The South Bend Victory was paid off and there was quite a bit of disputed overtime. It was finally squared away, and any of the crew who left can collect from America n-Hawaiian by sending them their address. The shipping of cattle from Savannah is expected to be stop­ ped next month. This will slow shipping even more in this port. We get quite a few cattle tenders coming in every day asking us to ship them oyt as seamen. We have to turn them down since we havn't enough ships to keep Shipping Is Up In Philadelphia; Future Is Bright By JAMES 'RED' TRUESDALE PHILADELPHIA—Well, Broth­ ers, now that the elections are over but for the shouting we can take down the "Vote Now" signs, congratulate the winners and offer condolences to the losers. It was a good election and a record number of votes were cast in the Philly Hall. Things along the waterfront here are gradually picking up and we expect to do much bet­ ter as time goes on. As the shipping increased dur­ ing the past few weeks many of the oldtimers have shipped out and we sort of miss their smiling faces around the Hall. Recently the Nathaniel Courier, which Waterman took over from the NMU, was in port and we went down to straighten her out. She sure was in need of more than straightening when we got a look at her. We were sure'that a bunch of pigs had been crewing her, as the whole ship was filithy. CLEANED UP The NMU crew must have done nothing toward tlie upkeep of the vessel. There was a lot of work to be done, but the new SIU crew pitched in and in no time all the rooms weer painted and she was sparkling like new. With a well satisfied crew aboard she put out to sea a per­ fect example of our slogan "An SIU ship is a clean ship." We still have the Seatrains in Chester, but no dope as to when they will start running again. They are all reconverted and ready to go, and we're ready to sail them. Maybe something will break with them soon and they'll start calling the Hall for crews. Well, fellows, though it's still winter, spring can't be far behind and with it those warm sailing days we're all waiting for. And that's the news from Philly for this week. our own members .supplied with CHARLESTON jobs, but in spite of that we still HOUSTON have difficulty in getting mem­ NORFOLK bers to ship out. JACKSONVILLE GETTING WORRIED PORT ARTHUR MOBILE Shipping is getting so bad that GALVESTON even the smart people are get­ BALTIMORE ting worried. Col. Alfred W. Parry Jr., president of the Parry The deadline for port reNavigation Co'., Inc., views with -ports, monies due, etc., is the apprehension the fact that our Monday proceeding publica­ merchant fleet is rapidly passing tion. While every effort will into the hands of foreign com­ be made to use in the current petitors. issue material received after We, the supposedly less intelli­ that date, space commitments gent working stiffs, predicted generally do not permit us to such a turn of events before the do so. war was over. The South Atlantic SS Co. and Strachan Shipping Co. have an­ nounced the creation of a legal department. Thomas H. Adams, who was discharged from the navy after nearly four and a half .years service is its head. The department was created "to bettei- cope with constantly changing regulations pertaining By BLACKIE CARDULLO to labor relations, wage-liour MARCUS HOOK — We've matters and tax-laws." It states further down in the announce­ known for a long time that the ment that Mr. Adams, upon his NMU organizers in this port are discharge, took a short course in having a tough time trying to tax and labor laws at Harvard. win the Sun Oil men to their THE PROFESSOR SAYS side, but we didn't realize how Speaking of college people and really tough it is until this story the intelligentsia, here's a honey came to our attention. I got from a local newspaper. Dr. It seems that one of the or­ Frank P. Graham, professor, no ganizers was giving his sales less, of economics, advanced what talk, but wasn't getting too good he conceives to be "four fallacies." a response. So, as the Sun Oil Here they are: tankerman was about to leave, 1. Inci'eased wages are neces­ the organizer took his name and sary to provide purchasing pow­ told him that he would receive a er to take potential output off five pound box of candy as a the market. Christmas present from a girl who 2. Wages should be increased lived in a small suburb near to meet the higher cost of living. Marcus Hook. 3. Wages should be adjusted in When the man got back to his direct cnrre.spondence with a costship he found the package all of-living index. right, but it was full of NMU 4. Workers had a higher stan­ literature, and not one piece of dard of living during the war candy. That's the kind of Christ­ than they now have. mas present that shouldn't even I have no argument with .the be given to a dog. last one, but if the other three NO GOOD WILL are fallacies, I'm a monkey's Candy Is Dandy, SeanianSays,But Let's Have Some UUtRLV IS A COMMO/Vl y FALLACY/ uncle. In case you don't know, a fallacy is a deceptive or false ap­ pearance, an illusion; I know because I just looked it up, so don't bother. Here's a story which is a bit old, but I think still good. A congressman had a maid who asked him if a senator was high­ er than representative. He as­ sured her that such was the case. She thought this over awhile and then asked, "Is there anything lower than a congressman?" • The least the NMU could have done was to send some candy along for the seaman to share with his buddies. That would not have helped the NMU in or­ ganizing these men, but it might have built up a litle bit of good will, and the NMU sure needs that right now. Our organizing campaign in Sun Oil Tankers is going along pretty smoothly, partly because the men down here know of the reputation of the Seafarers, and partly because we are working hard without fear of a split in our Union. The NMU piecards here are scared from day to day that they will be out iri the cold. NEW YORK—Every time the boys in Congress can't think of anything else to talk about, somebody gets up on his feet and starts to lam bast Iht; Maritime Commission for their extrava­ gance during the war. Then all the other men nod their heads and say that it sure was too bad that so much money was wasted, and that they had better investigate the whole situ­ ation. So they name an Investigating Committee, and everybody is happy. That includes the Mari­ time Commission, because the YES SIR/ -THE BEST INlVESTlGATiOW WE EVER HAV/ in pay for the man. for the entire trip. What I am trying to bring out, is that sometimes these hot-shot officers trj' to throw their weight around. When that happen.s, don't worry too much, but make sure that you report it to the Patrolman when you hit port. That will be all that is neces­ sary to get action on your com­ plaint. New Orleans Has Praise For One Calinar Skipper By C. J. 'BUCK' STEPHENS NEW ORLEANS — We found out here in New Orleans that the day of miracles was definitely not over. We had the SS Eleazor Wheelock, Calmar Line, come in to payoff last week and we de­ finitely ran across as good a Skipper that has ever sailed any Committee never does anything man's ship. This scow was on articles for that could possibly worry the over four months and spent quite MC. Those of us who sailed ships all a few days tied up by the various through the war years know how strikes here in N. O. before sail­ the Maritime Commission was ing. Just before sailing the crew wasteful of money, and how their got a bum steer, and 18 men inefficiency actually helped to walked off the ship and held her line the pockets of the shipown­ up a day or more, so the Calmar ers and operators. agents here placed charges An investigation is urgently needed, but what the people of against the men with the Coast the United States will get is talk, Guard. This Skipper was contacted and talk, and more talk, when ac­ tion is the only way to find out he took the men back and the ship sailed, failing to put charges the truth in the whole matter. Right now the Bigshots in against the men. "When the ship Washington are talking about returned, the Captain refused another investigation, this time again to put charges against so that the Republicans can em­ them, so the 18 men were cleared. There were 2 hours overtime barrass the Democrats. disputed, and the Skipper raised But the moment they find out that they will also be embarrass- j hell because they hadn't told ing their shipowner friends, you | him about it so he could have can be sure that the Republicans had it okayed before the payoff. will not be too much in a hurry So, fellows, from now on out, to go through with a real inves­ let's say Calmar line has one tigation. good Skipper, because Captain H. H. Fletcher is 100 percent. PICKING UP All the past few weeks we We can thank Captain Fletcher have been saying that shipping for making the SS Eleazor Whee­ and business would pick up, andj lock a good ship, and I feel with­ now it finally has. This past week' out a doubt that it's about the has been a very busy one, and only good Calmar Line ship. If we have crewed up plenty of there is another good one I can ships, and we have paid off quite stand corrected, but, as I said, the a few at the same time. j day of miracles is not over, and This week the Robin Tuxford, it will have to be proven to me, Robin Lines, came in from a five- because I've never seen a good month trip to South Africa, All Calmar Line ship or Skipper out­ beefs, and there weren't too side of Captain Fletcher. many, were settled at the payoff. So, good luck and smooth sail­ This was a clean ship, and the ing, Captain—and we hope you Stewards Department got a vote will get a crew to work along of thanks from the crew for the with you because you really rate swell job they did in providing one. So for the coming year the holiday meals for the men when best of crews to you. they were far from home on Christmas and New Years. But on the Span Splice, Alcoa, the story was entirely different. Part of the story come out in the Send in the minutes of membership meeting, so I don't your ship's meeting to the want to discuss it here, but the New York Hall. Only in that other part should be brought to way can the membership act the attention of the membership on your recommendations, right here and now. and then the minutes can be It seems that while at sea, the printed in the LOG for the Chief Engineer tried to get an benefit of all other SIU Assistant Electrician to sign on crews. as Engine Maintainance. When Hold those shipboard meet­ this was refused, he broke the ings regularly, and send man down to Wiper. Of course, those minutes in as soon as the Union took this up as soon as possible. That's the SIU way! the ship hit this port, and we were able to collect the difference Send Those Minutes �THE SEAFARERS LOG Fage Eight Shipowner Stooge, LSU Sponsor, Doesn't Like Seamen's 'Attitude' By HENRY W. CHAPPELL Keep It Clean! II is the proud boast of the Seafarers International Un­ ion that an SIU ship is a clean ship Let's keep it that way. Although most of the crews leave a ship in excellent con­ dition, it has come to the at­ tention of the membership that a few crews have vio­ lated this rule. So they have gone on record to have all quarters inspected by the Patrolman before the payoff, and if the conditions are un­ satisfactory, he has the right to hold up the payoff until everything is spic and span. Remember that the Patrol­ man can only have repairs made if he knows what has to be done. Cooperate by making up a repair list be­ fore the ship docks. Give one copy to the Skipper, and one to the Patrolman. Then you'll see some action. TOLEDO — The big money- Committee on Merchant Marine boys who own the ships on the and Fisheries, has publicly an­ nounced he will vigorously op­ Great Lakes don't intend to give pose the Seamen's Bill of Rights the seamen a minute's rest, as which is awaiting ratification in they constantly plot to under­ the Senate now. mine the gains made by us dur­ American seamen have come a ing the past years. long way since the sailing vessel One of these groups held a days when Mates and Skippei-s meeting recently in Cleveland were legally administering cor­ which was attended by represent- poral punishment, and in some tatives of government agencies, instances brutal murder. shipowners, and licensed officers. It should be kept in mind by At the meeting, seamen's unions all seamen that every gain we and the mental attitude of un­ have made in the past has been licensed seamen, came in for dis­ bitterly fought by shipowners, cussion and condemnation as be- and that we were only able to ing threats to the efficiency of ^hese concessions as an orthe Lakes Carriers ships. ganized body, not as an indivi­ John I. Horton, personnel man­ dual. ager of the maritime department SPRING DRIVE of the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Com­ This spring on the Great Lakes, pany, was the spokesman who did most of the blasting against the SIU is putting on an organ­ the "mental attitude" of seamen. izational drive for new members. This coming from an official of' The SIU has consistently proven ' in the past that it is the only the company which sponsors the,in phony Lakes Seamen's Union' sailors union, run by, and for makes us wonder which union sailors in America. Despite the opposition of the he is referring to. shipowners, government agencies, MENTAL ATTITUDE and the other so-called seamen's [ By JOHN MOGAN This group of anti-labor phon­ unions, the SIU, with the aid of BOSTON^—Shipping and busi­ ies, may wonders never cease, other AFL maritime unions, will ness still remain only fair for the admitted that unlicensed seamen progress forward until we are port of Bo.ston. Plenty of ships recognized as an important factor of the Great Lakes are capable in American shipping—and not to be contacted, but most of them of having a mental attitude. are in transit. One would never think so as a group of slaves or pieces of The 88 Stones River (Pacific machinery to be put into motion judging by the way Lakes sea­ tanker) paid off in Portland after men have been pushed around when we are needed, and beach­ a five-month voyage, with loads by the large shipping interests ed when shipping slows up with of beefs and exactly 43 loggings. not a thought or care from any during the past few years. Brother Sweeney covered this However, when these groups group as to how we will subsist payoff and spent three days in find that the seamen refuse to until we are needed again. Portland (where he said icicles In the past, seamen have been submit to their policies, they then hung from the chandeliers in his connive, through their legal staff, the last to enjoy the fruits of or­ hotel room) ironing out the beefs ganized labor such as Social Se­ and straightening out the logs. curity, unemployment insurance, The wind-up of the latter was and other conditions shore work­ that all were cancelled by the ers have enjoyed. This is only because we were not united as Master. This tanker was crewed by two-thirds SIU men and onea body. third SUP. After the effects of the first big grog party in five JOIN NOW months wore off, the crew turned You can do your part by join­ out to be a good gang. ing the SIU today and becoming EASTERN NOT READY an important part of this mili­ Shipping has been fairly good. tant organization. -Join and help the SIU retain the gains already Not only did. the tanker take a won, and help in securing great­ full crew, but the scows in tran­ er gains in the form of higher sit have been taking a few men to have some governmental wages, better working conditions, each. Eastern has taken over the agency formed to force their pol­ etc. Above all, to be recognized Samuel Parker and the Theodore everywhere as a damned impor­ Parker, both of which should be icies upon the seamen. tant part of American industry. taking on full crews this week. The SIU has always contended However, it looks as though So come into the SIU now, that as American seamen we do Eastern won't have its passenger not wish to be wards of the gov­ while the battle is on with the ships ready for a while yet. shipowners and all other factors ernment, to be regarded as serfs The outlook for the week isn't unable to look out for our own hindering the seamen's program so hot. One payoff is due for for a better life. Don't be a par­ interests both at sea and ashore. tomorrow; but at the rate pay­ We want to be recognized as asite riding the backs of your fel­ offs have been cancelled here re­ low workers, enjoying the gains free Americans. We want a voice they have fought for while you cently, we won't be sure until in all matters pertaining to our are hiding behind the dubious the Commissioner is ordered. welfare. Yet we can always figure on a We want our working condi­ membership of a phony political couple of tankers to pay off and or company union. tions, wages, etc., to be negot­ There is only one sailors union crew up in this vincinity. Then, iated through the company by too, we somehow always get the Union with no interference where the membership runs the enough diversions and unexpect­ show, that's the SIU. from government agencies. ed arrivals to keep the port out Tankers Keep Port Boston Free Of Red Ink SHAKE MILITARY We are the only group of civi­ lian workers in America who are under direct military jurisdic­ tion. Our aim is to have this sit­ uation altered so we will be rec­ ognized by the government, and the shipping interests, as free Americans just as other shore side workers. Organized labor can expect serious opposition in the coming congress. Seamen's unions, in particular, must be on the alert for battle, as Fred Bradley, Con­ gressman from Michigan, who is the new chairman of the House'«. Send Those Minutes Send in the minutes of your ship's meeting to the New York Hall. Only in that way can the membership act on your recommendations, and then the minutes can be printed in the LOG for the benefit of all other SIU crews. Hold those shipboard meet­ ings regularly, and send those minutes in as soon as possible. That's the SIU way! of the red. Rumors have been flying up from New York that it has snap­ ped out of the slack spell, and that anyone who wants to ship fast has merely to grab a train for the big city; so there's no .ex­ cuse for any member staying on the beach around here who wants to-get going. Latest information is that the Joshua Slocum (South Atlantic) and the Brigham Victory (Alcoa) are definitely going to payoff here in the next couple of days. Hence, we'll have to quit crying "poor mouth" until we see what else will develop. Friday. Janueury 17. 1947 Rated Jobs In All Departments Are Going Begging In San Juan By DAN BUTTS SAN JUAN — This sun-bathed port can report excellent ship­ ping during the past few weeks with every spare man being pushed aboai-d a ship. In fact, the jobs have been .so plentiful that we've had to go back into the sugar cane breaks and beg some of our members to ship. We've had rated jobs in all departments and not a soul in the Hall to take them. Just so the membership can't miss the Hall when they become inclined to ship out we've hung a new sign out in front. Now you can't miss tlie Hall from any di­ rection. We have made arrangements to put two floodlights on it to illuminate it at night, so with the addition of the lights, SIU men from the ships will have no trouble finding the Hall after dark oven if it's their first trip to San Juan. and the Messman had a cracked head. They're going to pull through all right, but they had to learn the hard way that the Island is not a jungle for seamen to run wild over. Now they realize that the police down here do not get paid to curry to their whims and fancies, but make it tough on them if they get out of hand. GOOD IDEA There were good crews on the Haiti Victory and Cape Hatteras that just pulled out of here. They BOLLET HOLES? IT MOST 86 — ^ OLDTIMERS BACK It is easy to see that some of the oldtimers are coming back to the rum 'n coke run, for on a meeting night half of the mem­ bership present is off ships dock­ et at San Juan. Ah, this won-~ rierful Island! Not so wonderful, however, was the trouble that broke out last week. There was a slight shooting incident in Ponce re­ sulting in the hospitalization of a Saloon Messman and Wiper off the Columbia Victory. The Wip­ er had three bullet holes in him realize the necessity of paying dues at this end of the run as well as the other. If all the ships that run in here regulai'ly for Waterman and Bull would adopt the system of pay­ ing one month's dues up north and one month's duos down here, this Branch would not only pay for itself, but could be remitting money to Headquarters as well. So, suppose you fellows on this run give this idea a little consid­ eration. Seafarers In Corpus Christi Were Kept Busy Past Few Weeks By J. S. WILLIAMS CORPUS CHRISTI—The past I Mate, Mr. A. R. Truett. We read few weeks have been busy ones in the "West Coast Sailor" of his for the port of Corpus Christi. being like an old woman. We The Wolf Creek, American Pa­ would like to apologize for the cific, came in with a clean pay­ misinformed person who report­ off, and over at Harbor Island, ed the statement. Mr. Truett is another clean slate was found one of the best mates any of us aboard the Newberg, Los Angeles have had the privilege of sailing Tankers. with. Big Phillips is Steward aboard Signed: Deck Gang, the Newberg, and the entire SS Newbeig." crew is singing his praise as one And so it goes this week from of the best Stewards in the SIU. Corpus Christi. Having a good Stewards Depart­ ment makes for a happy crew, and they all looked happy to me. The few minor beefs at the pay­ off were quickly ironed out. During the past week we also had a couple of unorganized ships in port which were covered and found to be very favorable for the SIU. The York and Cedar Break, both Pacific Tankers were ATLANTA—The AFL's south­ in this week on the coastwise run, also the El Moro, American ern drive last week announced a Pacific, likewise on coastwise, major campaign to organize the south's entire citrus 'industry dropped in for a short while. now employing about 75,000 ALL QUIET NOW At the moment the port is workers—the largest single group quiet with all ships clear of the of workers in the south, except harbor, but we expect more lumber and textiles, yet unor­ tankers in very soon. ganized. The crewmembers of the New­ The AFL, acording to Drive berg, before she sailed, gave me Director George Googe, launched a letter asking me to have it run in the Log. They wish to cor­ the campaign on the basis of in­ rect a misstatement printed in creased wage scales with "at the "West Coast Sailor" concern­ least a minimum of 75c for com­ ing .their Chief Mate. The let­ mon labo.rers." In addition the AFL will seek ter to the Log and "West Coast unemployment c o m p e n s ation Sailor" is as follows: "The crew of the SS Newberg where now the citrus workers are are glad to report the perfect co­ barred from relief rolls by legis­ operation given us by the Chief lative action. AFL Is After 75,ODD Southern Citrus Workers — / �Friday, January 17, 1947 THE SEAFARERS LOG Seafarer Killed In Accident On Daniel Jason M. Mickelson, 44-yearold Seafarer from Seattle, Wash­ ington was killed December 30 aboard the SS Daniel Huger, Mississippi Steamship Company in Mobile, Alabama. Page Nine What To Do: Some Departmental Suggestions For Chief Cooks By JOSEPH VOLPIAN (This article is not an inter­ pretation of the agreement as it covers the Stewards Department, but merely makes suggestions to that Department in answer to many questions raised by mem­ bers. Each week an article is be­ ing run in the Log making sug­ gestions to each of the ratings in the Stewards Department. This week's, the second of the series, is for the benefit of the Chief Cooks.) After the Chief Cook reports aboard with his working gear, and turns his shipping card over to the Steward and Stewards De­ partment Delegate, it is sugge.sted that he follow the routine outlinecf below. First check the ice boxes and storerooms as to their contents and the location of the various items, then have the galley clean­ ed and made ready for serving meals. After this he should contact the Steward as to the menu, and with him work out the meal plan. Following this enough frozen meat for about three days should be removed to the thawing box. Night Cook and Baker, Third Cook, - and Galley Utilityman working directly under him. AJso the Chief Cook is responsible for all food that is prepared and served from the Galley regardiesg of who cooks the food. When the Chief Cook desire.'* to work any member of the Stew­ ards Department on overtime, it is suggested that he contact the Steward for authorization as to how many men to work. He should have the Steward Depart­ ment delegate keep a record of this. The reason for this is that many times, when overtime is disputed by the Steward, Com­ pany or Master at paj'off, they ail claim that they did not authorize the member or members involved to do the overtime work claimed. The Companies are putting on was so prejudiced as to preclude a big campaign to put the mer­ the men getting a fair trial. chant marine permanently un­ At the conclusion of the hear­ der the jurisdiction of the Coast ing, he ordered that the certi­ Guard. Their claim is that the ficates be su.spendod for a period Coast Guard would run the mer­ of six months. chant marine more efficiently HOT POTATO and would maintain better disci­ On or about the 4th day of pline. August, 1946, an, appeal was Since the formation of our At the time of Mickelson's Government ,the merchant ma­ taken from the order of the Hear­ death the ship was, tied up at rine has always been under the ing Officer and immediately the State Docks being made ready jurisdiction of the Secretary of wires and rails started to burn for departure to Galveston, Tex. Commerce, where it rightfully with messages and trips from the belongs. We have had proof that local Coast Guard officer to the Coast Guard is not as effi­ Wa.shington as to who would ADDITIONAL DUTIES cient or fair as they claim to be, handle this hot potato. In addition to his other gailey The idea was to take it direct in the now infamous "Helen" duties, the Chief Cook is respon­ case. Briefly, the following are to Washington; however, it was On Performers sible for all butchering where finally sent back to the local the facts: NEW YORK — We now have the agreement does not call for The crew was signed on the Commandant for a hearing of the entered into a new year and have a butcher. appeal. SS Helen under articles which signed contracts with most of the Finally, the appeal was heard When a ship is paying off, the. described a foreign voyage. The operators. The officials of the Chief Cook should make .s-me by Rear Admiral Ed H. Smith signing on was not done before Tin ion have done their part, and that the galley force prepare.s and, to be frank, he did not know a Shipping Commissioner as the HIS RESPONSIBILITIES expect that every member of the three meals for that day unless too much about the law in this law provides. SIU will do his part by living up case. the ship is on subsistence. As is known, the Chief Cook is However, the ship sailed and to these agreements and seeing After argument on August 16, responsible for the condition of (Next week the duties of the went to the West Indies and re­ that they are observed by each turned to New York which was 1946, a decision was handed meat boxes and galley at all Second Cook will be discussed individual who rides our condown by the Admiral in which times, with the Second Cook, and suggestions made.) the final port of destination. ti-acted ships. The cargo was unloaded and he affirmed the findings of the Remember these conditions the crew was paid. Several Hearing Officer, but cut the sus­ were not gained by being gassed- members of the crew quit and pension period from six months up and going up to the opera­ some remained aboard and other to three months. tors and demanding better con­ new men were assigned to the FURTHER APPEAL ditions.with more pay to the dif­ ship, who signed the original ar­ On August 22, 1946, a further ferent ratings; but were won by ticles. By HERBERT JANSEN appeal was taken from the or­ the cool-headed negotiating com­ Subsequently several men der of Admiral Smith to the mittee who put in many long from the Deck Department ask­ CHICAGO—As can be e.xpect-: make all the decisions on wag€.» tiresome hours before getting to ed to be paid off and nothing Commandant in Washington. It ed in mid-winter on the Great and conditions? was the understanding that a de­ Lakes, shipping is almost at a first base. was done by the Master to com­ UNION REPRESENTATION cision would be forthcoming in standstill. The Milwaukee Clip­ Now that they have played an ply with their request. You members of the NMU, a short time on this appeal. per is the only ship calling for Lakes Seamen's Union, and unor­ errorless game and won the pen­ NO ARTICLES However, not having heard men from this Windy City port, nant, it for the members who ganized seamen; Ask the SIU Shortly thereafter the Captain anything from the efficient Coast and only a handful of men are on sail these ships to govern them­ seamen. Find out for yourselves. Guard, on October 10, 1946, a let­ selves accordingly. The Union gave the men orders to stand by ter was sent asking that a de­ standby jobs aboard the sand You will find out that it's not boats. cannot be expected to stick out their unmooring stations for the cision be handed down. what it's smeared to be, but just Most of the Brothers who have one more attempt to discredit the its chin for any member or mem­ purpose of casting off and sup­ On October 18, 1946, a letterbers who, when gassed-up aboard posedly to take the ship into was received frryu the Coast. layed up their ships for the -win­ SIU on the Great Lake.s. ter are still dropping around the ship, decides to have some fun the stream. When you get the straight The men refused on the Guard stating that they did not Hall to keep up with the latest by destroying ship's property. dope, then join up with the SIU receive the appeal and that it grounds that they wanted to be and pick up the Seafarers Log. and get acquainted with the op­ probably got lost in the mail. NOT FUNNY paid off, that there were several eration of a rank and file union. An article printed recently in However, they would receive an­ men short in the Deck Depart­ It might seem very unimpor­ Get Union representation, not ment and that in view of the other copy of the appeal from the the Pilot accused the Great Lakes tant to the offender, but to the past history of the Company, the local Coast Guard office and we Secretary - Treasurer, Fi-ed Far- commie domination. Union it is detrimental. For At the Chicago Hall we're hold­ ship would not anchor in the would be promptly advi.sed of a nan, of selling out the Lakes seawhen a ship comes in port with stream but would continue on to decision. men by only asking for a ten ing checks covering the differ­ ' legitimate beefs aboard they are a voyage and on the further On November 1, 1946, despite percent increase in wages for ence in lay-up aboard the SS taken up with the company by their previous letter, they asked 1947. Gilbert for C. Brown, A. Kelliground that the ship might sail your shore representatives. for another copy of the appeal son and F. Plante. To this I say: How can an out­ without articles. from us and again stated that the fit condemn anyone when, based Sometimes the company re­ The good old Coast Guard was fuses to settle the beefs with the called in and took the men off appeal would be preferred at­ on their record all down the line, they have been riding the back representative for the simple and charged them with miscon­ tention. On November 12, 1946, another of the SIU? There is one thing reason there were some gas- duct on two grounds; refusal to hounds aboard who wilfully and obey a lawful order of the Mas­ copy of the appeal was sent to they will not print and that is maliciously broke open a lock Jo ter on two separate occasions Washington but nothing happen­ the true facts. ed, so, on December 17, 1946, an­ a foc'sle, or thi-ew a few cups without reasonable cause. PLEASE FIND OUT and saucers over the side. The case was tried before a other letter was sent by us in­ (Continued from Page 1) sisting that a decision be made If the author of the accusation est number of votes received by Instead of settling the beef, the Coast Guard Hearing Officer on the appeal. Finally, about company wants to penalize the who went far afield in his cross- January 2, 1947, a decision was does not know the facts, he any of the candidates backed by them out. Of the CP was no more than ten to Union for the acts of these bad examination of one of the wit­ handed down which affirmed should first find nesses. In the writer's opinion it course, when he finds out the fifteen percent of the votes gar­ characters. Admiral Smith's decision. real story, he will not come along nered by the winning candidates. When these destructive acts oc­ MEN RAILROADED later and issue an apology for Four men on the communist slate cur with frequency, the com­ misrepresenting the issue, but got less than 50 votes apiece. It is our opinion after reading pany then thinks the Union is will i-ely on the lies he fabricated The results of the election in the decision carefully that these shipping unqualified men, whose to mislead the Lakes seamen. Local 88, in which the commun­ men were railroaded by the Coast Send in the minutes of only desire is destroying company Their phony baloney docs not ists and their followers gained Guard in an endeavor to set an your ship's meeting to the property. fool anyone any longer. Their little comfort, are reflected also e.xample to all seamen that they New York Hall. Only in that Therefore, take a tip from commie tricks a'.d labor baiting in the national election of officers are under their iron fist. way can the membership act these few lines and govern your­ tactics only aid the companies for the MM&P. The decision of the appeal is on your recommendations, selves accordingly so your offi­ by putting the anti-union senti­ absolutely contrary to law and and then the minutes can be A complete slate of anti-com­ cials can always look the oper­ further action will be taken to ment in the minds of some of the munists was elected for the na­ printed in the LOG for the ators straight in the eye at the the Civil Court to break the un­ men -w-ho had the opportunity to tional organization, and there is. benefit of all other SIU payoff. holy stranglehold of a military be associated with that so-called little doubt that the commies crews. William Hamilton organization over a purely civil­ union, the NMU. Hold those shipboard meet­ have lost even the slight bit of ian industry. I wonder what the writer of prestige they had left in the ings regularly, and send These are just a few examples that accusation thiiks the res­ MM&P. Their actions during the those minutes in as soon as of the unfairness and inefficiency ponse of SIU members will be, strike showed them up for the possible. That's the SIU -way! of the Coast Guard. when they are the ones who finks and scabs that they are. Mickelson, a member of the Deck Department, was fastening hatch covers over a hold when he slipped and fell 50 feet into the hold. A City hospital ambulance and physician were called to the ship. The physician reported that death was caused by a fractured skull. The Patrolman Says: NMD Has Only One Weapon Left, Telling Lies About Seafarers Local 88, MM&P, Deals Commies Send Those Minutes �THE SEAFARERS LOG Pag* Ten Friday. January 17, 1847 SHIPS' MIMUTES AND NEWS f S H I P M AT E S All "Lost Weekends" aren't lost in whiskey bottles, despite the prevailing conception inspired by the motion picture of the same name. Lots of weekends are lost down the drain less spectacularly than those of the alcoholic var­ Brazil Crew Nips Purge Of Delegate When the First Engineer of the SS Brazil Victory attempted to "purge" the Engine Depart­ ment Delegate while on a trip to South America, the crew quick­ ly rallied behind the representa tive from the Engine Depart­ ment and squashed the attempt At the shipboard meeting held aboard the Brazil Victory, Dec. 8 the matter was introduced and the minutes state, "The First As­ sistant told the Black Gang that if they did not get a new dele­ gate they would not receive time off in Santos, Brazil." Ignoring the First Assistant's demands the crew quickly gave a vote of confidence to the dele­ gate when he asked if they wish­ ed to elect a new delegate. The entire department expressed com­ plete satisfaction with the work of the present delegate. Suspecting a possible on­ slaught on each departmental delegate Brother Terrington movglTHeR HE GOES OR Iso! HAW/ ed that "the crew reaffirm their stand behind all departmental delegates and recognize them as their delegates regardless of whether they please the ship's officers or not. If the delegates carry out their duties and live up to their end of the agreement the crew will stand solidly behind the delegates." The motion carried and with the crew solidly behind the Black Gang Delegate they went on to the next order of business. Spider Korolia then suggested that the SIU booklet, "Here's How Brother," be placed on the bulletin board in the messroom so all tripcard and pro-book men ^ could read and study it. Disposing with the remaining items on the agenda the meeting adjourned with all problems and grievances out of the way once more. Don't let that saucy sombrero throw you off. The wearer, Richard Pinckney, is not from "Down Under." He's a Seafarer and a good OS. formerly of the BY Coastal Defender. Pinckney is an able hand with the camera, too. The photo at the right was taken by Brother Pinckney just as his shipmate. Bedroom Steward Stiles, was about to light up for a few re­ laxing puffs. The men were photographed on the deck of the Coastal Defender on a recent trip to Baffin Island. Canada. Included in the vessel's itinerary was a stop at Frobisher Bay, where the Defender unloaded oil drums. Brother Pinckney recorded most of the trip's highlights with his candid camera. iety, but they are just as night-t - TT T~; T „ ' • 1. ,u 1 card s job and be home all the marish, nevertheless. time." Last week, down in the bustl­ Brothers Stephens, Birming­ ing port city of New Orleans, a ham and Bibbs moaned and precious weekend of the non-al­ groaned as they tried to get a coholic type was lost, like many mental picture of what they another before it. Lost, but quick­ vaguely recalled as home. Failing ly forgotten, since it is kind of this, they jokingly got their heads a routine loss, and it gives the together and came up with: "Pielosers a certain satisfaction in cards don't keep Jogs of their knowing the job is done. work but if they did, it would TOUGH TALE run something like this ..." The harrowing experience was Then followed a log of their contained in a little item entitled last and lost weekend. Here it is: "Facts in the Life of a Pie-card, Friday evening — The Hall or Blues in the Weekend." Auth­ closed and a bright look came ors of the piece were a trio of across the faces of all hands as hardworking musketeers known they prepared to leave for at 339 Chartres Street as "Buck" home to get a good hot meal, Stephens, Dick Birmingham and and the old lady or the girU Red Bibbs, who are Acting Agent friend. Temperature around 30; and Patrolmen, respectively, at raining to beat hell. Pie-cards the New Orleans branch. paying off the SS Bienville These three lads heard a leave the Hall at 8 p.m. member say, "You're a lucky Saturday noon — Hall closed stiff, being able to hold a pie- at noon. All hands look for­ ward to a rest over the week­ end. Pie-cards paying off the SS Grange Victory. Tempara-t ture still around 30; still rain­ ing to beat hell. Finished pay­ ing off about 3 p.m. Figured on where about halfway between going home. the Florida mainland and Key Saturday evening — Emer­ West." gency call for the MV Fire Isl­ Aside from the satisfaction Du­ and to pull a ship off the beach gina has derived from knowing at the Point. Vessel seven men that his note was found, the short, including all cooks. Freed couple's discovery has led Scouting around for cooks. to what may blossom into a friendship. Mr. Freed has al­ ready wriUen several friendly letters to Dugina which have been answered. Brother Dugina, now aboard •USTA WEAK 'ATRC>LMA^J -, a ship bound for Buenos Aires, VJK.) I previously had pitched a note over the side of the SS Cape Corwin. He is still waiting for word that someone has picked it up. Note Pitched From The Samuel Johnson In 1944 Is Picked Up On Florida Coast Somewhere in the mid-Atlan­ tic Ocean on July 24, 1944, Sea­ farer John J. Dugina, AB, drop­ ped a bottle over the side of the SS Samuel Johnson. In the bot­ tle was a note bearing Dugina's home address. The incident was promptly forgotten. A short while ago, more than two years after Brother Dugina had pitched his bottle-enclosed calling card into the sea, a letter arrived at the Dugina home in Clairton, Pa. It was from a W. R. Freed, an­ nouncing that the bottle had been J LOOK .•DEAR I j^-^BOTTLE ! / - I'LL BETALLirl^kr COMTAlNS ISA NOTE J r—-—-J picked up, quite by accident, on a Florida beach. Mr. Freed and /his wife, who live in Ashtabula, Ohio, are presently staying in Fort Lauder­ dale, Fla. Recently they were 'Caps Off To Mrs. Burns The Wild Ranger crewmembers had no lack of reading ma­ terial on their last trip thanks to Mrs. Ruth Burns, wife of Bosun Joseph Burns, who provided the boys with an ample supply of books and magazines to occupy their off-watch hours aboard ,ship. New Orleans Brothers Lose A Non-Alcoholic Weekend seamen since 1943, and at regular intervals dispatches a bundle or two down to the ships. For the last voyage, she sent over 200 magazines to the Wild Ranger. The crewmembers at the pay­ off asked that Mrs. Burns be thanked for her splendid work in supplying the seamen with reading material. ' Mrs. Burns, has been collect­ "Caps off" to Mrs. Burns from ing books and magazines for SIU the entire crew. driving to Key West when they stopped on the Overseas high­ way to take lunch at a roadside restaurant. Lunch over, they took a walk to stretch their legs before continuing the drive. THERE IT WAS "1 walked up the narrow beach of Key West looking for shells," Freed said in his letter. Sud­ denly 1 spi?^ a small bottle, which 1 thought had just been washed up since it wasn't even partically covered by sand. "1 picked it up and found your note, tossed overboard a couple of years ago. Freed described the spot where the bottle was found as some­ MINUTES OF SIU SHIP MEETINGS DIGESTED FOR EASIER READING WACOSTA. Nov. 17—Chair­ man E. E. Valis; Secretary W. R. Smith. New Business: Each man write down his own beefs and give them to Patrolman upon arrival in New York; that patrolman pay special attentio to the matter of charging the crewmembers for medical treatment; to have the slopchest investigated for prices, also why the slopchest was opened only at coffee and din­ ner hours. No notice was given when it was to be open and no price list was posted as per agreement. Motion carried that crew stand behind the Steward in getting his papers back that were suspended in Shanghai for selling butter that had turned rancid. Mo­ tion carried that arrangements be made to stop the Captain from interfering with the way the Steward runs his depart­ ment. Good cutd Welfare: Mo­ tions carried: to have the wa­ ter coolers and iceboxes fixed before the ship sails; to have new mattresses and mattress covers before ship sails; to have the ship fumigated; to have fans put in all rooms as per agreement. t i 4. COUNCIL CREST. Dec. 26— Chairman Blackie Gardener; Secretary C. G. Foley. New Business: Ice boxes and stores to be checked by Patrolman immediately upon arrival. i. 3^ 4. JEAN LAFITTE. Dec. 22— Chairman Annal; Secretary Foucek. Motions carried; to post minutes of previous meet­ ing; that working rules and Constitution be posted in crew's mess on day of signing articles; that crew go on record to post the minutes of this meeting with the repair list in Balti(Continued on Page 11) Find cooks. Now 9:30 p.m.; don't feel cold any more—too damned numb to feel anything.) Sufficient crew acquired to sail ship. Now 11 pun. Tempera­ ture dropped, like our resist­ ance, to 28; still raining to beat hell. Sunday n^orning — Call re­ ceived for five more men fori the MV Fire Island. Transfered them from the MV Watch Hill. Finally got the Cook down aboard at "^.2 noon. She's ready to sail. Yep, it's still raining to beat hell. Tempera­ ture, but not our resistance, up to 30. Sunday afternoon all was quiet on the waterfroiit. Two of the three sagging Seafarers hit out for the sack to salvage what they could of the lost weekend. It be­ ing too busy during the week, one of the Patrolman visited the Brothers in the hospital on Sun­ day afternoon. "What the hell," they said, "two of us at least, got Sundayafternoon off. Besides, we had just as much fun." �Friday, January 17, 1947 THE SEAFARERS LOG Digested Minutes Of SiU Ship Meetings (Continued from Page 10) more so that new crew will sail until repairs are made; that legitimate overtime d i s p u ted must be paid before crew signs off. Suggested and agreed to keep messhalls clean, and. that foc'sles be cleaned before leav­ ing ship. 4- 4. MAE, Dec. 10—Chairman R. Schinger; Secretary Alfred Baker. New Business: Motions made and carried that the fol­ lowing be attended to: have heat in crew's quarters while in Baltimore; move wipers into spare room on main deck; change brand of coffee now in use; have Steward order electric coffee pot and glasses for Crew's mess; move one of the small urns that axe on the ship and out in use to the crew mess. Repair list read and attached to minutes. 4- 4. 4. NEWBERG, Dec. 22—Chair­ man L. L. Phillips; Secretary Silver. Motions carried: to see Chief Engineer in regard to having water turned on port scuttlebutt and broken spring on same; that new shower heads be installed in Steward's Dept. shower; that all port­ hole dogs in crew's quarters be freed up and cleaned. 4^ 4. HAITI VICTORY, Jan. 1— Chairman Paul Warren; Secre­ tary Charles F. Habighorst. New Business: Motions carried: that the Patrolman contact the company in regard to putting glass covers in all portholes in crew quarters; that drain be installed in pcissageway lead-<! ing to meat box; to have all flushing valves on toilets put in order; to have all springs in crew's quarters renovated. Good and Welfare: Discussion end suggestions of means and ways of keeping a clean and congenial ship. All members stood for one minute in si­ lence in respect of deceased brothers. I 4. t 4. ^ CARLSBAD, Nov. 22 — Chairman Steve Bradley; Sec­ retary Ernie Lena. Delegates reports accpeted. Good and Welfare; Motions made to tumigate entire ship; motion car­ ried to take off sugar at next) port. Motion carried to have glass ports installed. Motion made to have Bosun collect all fines and turn them over to pa­ trolman. Motion made to get milk, vegetables, ice cream, etc., in Phila. Motion carried to get face towels that will last all trip. ^ROrBCT-THESIU.^ TBcfTgCT YOURSELF/ COUNCIL CREST, Dec. 19— Chairman H. J. Collins; Secre­ tary C. G. Foley. Delegates re­ ported all in order. New Busi­ ness: Motion to have the Union investigate the slopchest in re­ gards to quality, quantity and sizes of clothing. Motion car­ ried that repair list be made up in triplicate, one ior Union, one for company, cmd one for next crew. 4. 4. it 'Frozen' Freezer Gets Cool Treatment From time to time you hear of guys whose enthusiasms for their jobs reaches such a pilch that they find it necessary to continue their work on their off hours. One such enthusiast is a guy who recently shipped on the SS Helen as Chief Freezer, accord­ ing to the minutes just received. On his night off he couldn't re­ frain from oiling up his own mo­ tor. He did such a neat job that for two days he was frozen stiff— and not because he didn't pour enough alcohol into his radiator, either. He didn't start thawing out until sailing time approached. One hour before the Helen was to put out to sea, the Freezer quit the .ship cold. His icy atti­ tude left his more Union-con­ scious shipmates cold, too. They can't warm up to guys who con­ duct themselves in such an unUnionlike manner. So, at the shipboard meeting, the Helen men passed a motion censuring the refrigerated crew member and called upon the SIU to reprimand him. The minutes stated: "The SIU has the best con­ tracts ever negotiated, and the only way we can be assured of continuing to have the best, is to live up to the spirit and letter of the contract. Drunks, trouble­ makers, etc., cannot be tolerated, as this tends to weaken the Un­ ion's bargaining position." It also weakens the position of frozen Chief Freezers. 4. 4. 4. MANROPE KNOT, Nov. 24 —Chairman Casey Jones; Secrefary Jim Connors. New Bus­ iness: Motion carried that cer­ tain tines be assessed against any brother that does not as­ sist in keeping the mess hall clean by keeping ashes and cig­ arette butts in their proper places, etc. Motion carried that company order three electric percolators and two, four slice! master toasters. Motion carried that Bosun designate a man to clean up the laundry. Amend­ ment: that Bosun designate man to clean the laundry and to receive overtime for so do­ ing, and that in the future the Deck Dept., Engine Dept., and Steward Dept. rotate weekly in keeping it clean. Good and Welfare: Open discussion on the new agreement. 4> 4. it ALCOA PEGASUS. Nov. 13 —Chairman Bosun; Secretary) Rathbone. Beef rfused about the purser selling cigarettes to passengers while the crew is Page Eleven SEAFARER SAM SAYS: rationed one carton a week. Discussion raised on the way food is served. Cold supper be­ ing served in pans to crew. Mo­ tion carried to notify the union about the way requisitions for stores were treated by the Al­ coa brass hats. Motion carried for the delegates to see the Captain to reach a settlement in getting an outside waterline and head for the stevedores while in the BWI. Motion car­ ried to see the Captain and see if the crew can get draws foif U.S. money. It was unanim­ ously agreed to have everyone wear trousers in the messhall. 4. 4. OUACHITA VICTORY, Nov. 20—Chairman R. Carlson: Sec­ retary N. Pratt. New Business: Motion carried theit coffee on board be removed upon arriv­ al in the States as it is unfit for drinking. Good and Wel­ fare: suggested that zneat lay­ ing out for purpose of thawing be covered because of engine soot. Suggested that Steward Dept. elect a delegate as ten days have passed already with­ out that department being rep­ resented. Due to unexpected/ rough weather there was a shortage of salt and pepper shakers, but this was soon rem­ By HANK edied with small glass jars. On this subject, better care of Last week we somehow came to the conclusion that we lost present furnishings was advis­ our touch with life, especially with the idea that there isn't any­ ed. thing new under the sun or even on ships, when we met two of the most sociable and humor-filled couples. Night Mate Alex "Baltimore Ski," with his wife. Deck Engineer Claude Davis, with his wife, and then bcwildcringly introduced by proxy to George, the rabbit. Believe it or not, Davey Jones will turn over in his locker amidst the graveyards of ships when he gets a wet wind of this yarn. Well, X % X being cold sober and neutral by forceful habit in all things, heard or SS EVELYN, Jan. 5—Chair­ seen, we were absorbed into the mysteriously humorous confidence man Morris; Secretary Dodd. of Brother Claude Davis, who owns and ships George, the sea-going Minutes of previous meeting rabbit, who was shanghaied from his monotonously hopping Isndread and accepted. Three de­ lubbing life in Wellington, New Zealand. partmental delegates gave their reports as okay. Treasurer also gave his report. Condemned First, we thought he was just pulling our gullible literary leg. Then, sinking deeper and deeper, with doubting eyes, we practice of leaving clothes too started shaking all over cit the thought that he might leave our long in washroom sink. Cook stated he would have storeroom leg alone and just pull out the darn rabbit out of the fedora sitting on his head. Well, to cut the carrots short, George is a cleaned up. Motions carried: to bonifide active sailor of a rabbit who has been sailing for two have wash buckets for each years with his master, is all white in color and rather large in man in each department; to put size for a rabbit. Well, Brother Claude Davis, don't forget when notice in washroom—steamline you and George come back from your trip to Belgium, come installed so clothes can be up to the Log office and get yourselves photographed . . Brother washed in buckets; port side of H. M. Benson said that when he and a few other shipmates hit sink to be used for soaking the Calmar company stiff in the office with a 24 hour notice of clothes, and starboard side for quitting, plus a technicality involving money, the proud fink of clean. Electric iron needs re­ a stiff answered them with these famous finky words, "Okay, pair, lockers ana aesks should I'll pay you the money because of this technicality but remem­ be installed, percolators should ber when you're cold and hungry on the beach, we'll remember be placed in several places. it too!" One minute of silence for Bro­ thers lost at sea. XXX Brother Benny Gonzalez, who registers all men for shipping; WILD RANGER, Jan. B — Chairman Charles Bush; Sec-I wants to hear from his shipmate, Herman Troxilair, down in New retary Sam Shatkovnick. Mo­ Orleans, whom he hasn't heard from in six years. Also from Vin­ tion carried: to make list of re­ cent Cook if he's down in New Orleans, too . . . Chief Cook Jerry pairs and equipment needed; Lima and Steward Robert Pillow just came in from a four and onehot plates, ashtrays for mess- half month trip to the Far East with an old man who wasn't worth room; that Delegates check anything. Brother Lima, went back to his home town of Tampa andl stores with Steward on board- • Brother Pillow headed for good old Tennessee . . . Angus "Red" ing ship; to keep PC messroom Campbell says that the Pittsburgh Marine Hospital is the best ol all. He went there for a blood test and they asked him if he also open at all times. wanted a tooth pulled out, or perhaps something else done, too . . . Oldtimer Lennie Grantham just blew in from an intercoastal trip. leave i|our ship md itsfTorf-jessIc^ clean and evcrq-fhine in rtSf>lacc. CUT and RUN 4. 4. 4. 4. "Carioca Red" Benway, while trying to shanghai some others, was shanghaied himself for an oiler's job and we heard that it must have broke his good old shanghaiing heart to get caught so fast .. Electrician Mike Kolonik went on the Madeline Victory for Germany and Antwerp and Electrician Nick Zevcrino grabbed the Martin Victory for a trip to Germany, too . . . "Ropeyarn Charlie Rappold anchored in and out of Snug Harbor for four years of more, just same back from a 12 day trip. Keep it up, Ropeyarn, you're doing swell . . . Mario Franciose is waiting to ship out with those familiar thumbs stuck in his vest . . . At­ tention Brother George Di George, how was your new job, after all? . . . Old timer Chester Brewer is in town right now. Shpie^ X X X X George Curran, a Great Lakes sailor, says that the SIU be^:? start increasing its organizing work in a bigger and wider scal^ {Continued on Page 13) �THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Twelve Friday, January 17, 1947 sa» THE MEMBERSHIP SPEAKS CHIEF COOK Vertical Unionism Is Superior RATES ON THE SEATON TOPS To Craft Setup, Brother Avers Dear Editor: In the Seafarers International Union many of us oldtime mem­ bers do not readily agree with the statements of some of our Union officials that the Seafarer's is by far the most perfect of unions. We can assume that these few officials mean perfection in craft unionism within our particular group affiliated with the Ameri­ can Federation of Labor. The right to discuss, to deny, to challenge, is essential to the preservation of the democratic state. To deny this right of per­ suasion is to deny the basic prin­ ciples of the American system. A democracy cannot exist with­ out freedom of speech and free­ dom of the press. Our system is founded on the conception that the majority of the people possess ordinary com­ mon sense. The best way to fertilize and nurture un-American d.dctrines and vicious racial theories is to prohibit their free expression. AFL PLAN Under the American Federa­ tion of Labor scheme of organiza­ tion the solidarity of labor is largely a myth. Every union stands on its own footing as a rule. In the old days crafts were a po­ tent factor in the technique of production when craftmanship was a guarded secret only to.be revealed after a long and patient apprenticeship. In these days of mass produc­ tion no special training is I'equired, most of labor being casual employees hired from the non­ descript ranks of the unemployed. The American Federation of Labor still clings to the old-fash­ ioned ideas of a collection of af­ filiated unions, each composed exclusively of skilled artisans working at the same craft, usually with the impression they assume as the aristocracy of labor as be­ ing above the unskilled worker. Craft unions recognize the idght of the Capitalist system to ex­ ploit labor. It prospers when there is a large turn-over of labor power. It declines when the cyclical over-production of sur­ plus value precipitates a panic. It is increasingly helpless to protect the worker as the rate of surplus value inci'eases with improved technology. OPPONENT OF DEMOCRACY Capitalism has a government of its own outside the sphere of politics. Its opposition to de­ mocracy is instinctive and inevit­ able for the reason that demo­ cracy rests on human values, while capitalism rests on property values. Revolutionary ideas are going on every day and most of them make no noise. They are a nec­ essary function of life. The only things that don't move are dead things. Civilization is a living organism. We seek to create the "Brother­ hood of the Sea." Can we do such chained to outmoded ideas that have outlived their usefulness? Political action has never been anything under capitalism, but an instrument of demagogy and social deception for the purpose of maintaining the exploiting class in power. POWER SOURCE The source of all power is still at the point of production. On the job where wealth is produced. The capitalist class long since abandoned isolation and has or­ ganized a class to control pro­ duction. The working class must do the same. Its only refuge from economic and social oppresion to the level of absolute slavery is in "Indus­ trial Democracy." This is the basis for a real in­ dustrial union and its form of organization. To offset the re-' marks of my more conservative Union Brothers, permit me to take from Lincoln's message to Congress in 1861: "It is assumed that labor is available only in connection with capital; that nobody labors unless somebody else owing capital somehow by the use of it, induces him to labor. Labor is prior to, TULL AHEAD' PULLS and independent of. Capital. Cap­ ital is only the fruits of labor, and SEAFARER OUT could not have existed if labor OF THE BARREL had not first existed. Labor is Dear Edilor: the superior of capital and de­ As a member of the SIU, I un­ serves the much higher consid­ derstand that I can have the Log eration." mailed to my home. If that is so, Joseph S. Buckley I should like for you to place my name on the mailing list. Here is a personal item that may prove interesting: When the SS F. S. Bryant (Standard Oil of California) left on a hospital ship. If you see Chester, Pa., on Nov. 11, I v^ras him you can get the detaijs of the. left schooner-rigged as all my clothes were in the laundry. accident. "Sweetwater" Jim Matheson is THIS BIG serang on this ship, but the brine enooen? is slowly sinking in his sailors. We hope to be in New York al­ most by the time you receive this letter. Best wishes to all for the New Year. Jerry J. Palmer, 'Bremerhaven, -Germany Palmer Of Maiden Victory Reports From Bremerhaven Dear Editcr: Just a line to let you know the whereabouts of the SS Maiden Victory of the Waterman line. Since I am a firm believer in the old saying that "the proof of the pudding is in the eating" I am not turning in the news of this voy­ age until we get in. However, so far, the Mates and Engineers, most of them old SEAFARER OPENS SIU men, have been giving the CAFE IN boys a pretty square deal, and I think they realize the aid the ST. THOMAS, V.l. Seafarers gave them in their last Dear Editor: strikes. The Army is in charge of this Enclosed find card of the Paper port, and, as usual, is really mak­ Doll Club, a swell spot for Sea­ farers to meet and spend their ing it hard on the guys to have time while in St. Thomas, Virgin any shore leave. ANTINOUS VICTIMS Islands. There are several guys in the This club is owned by J. A. Giminez, a full book member of hospital here, some of them SIU the Seafarers International men; I went out to see Joe Union. The Paper Doll Club has Louis and Whitey Bilde, who a cocktail lounge, and is" the weer in the accident aboard the cleanest and nicest place in St. SS Antinous, a Waterman ship, Thomas. It is not yet well- when the boom fell. Bilde has a broken back and Icnown, but once Seafarers visit the place it shouldn't be long be­ a fractured skull. He is hoping fore it becomes THE spot in St. to get the support of our legal department and the Aftitinous Thomas. Will you please arrange to have crewmembers who witnessed the ten copies of the Seafarers Log accident. I told him and Joe that sent to Brother Giminez' Paper we of the Maiden Victory were Doll Club each week, so that the Standing by, and that they Should mtembers coming in here will be| feel free to call upon us if a prob­ lem arose. able to get the latest news. COMING HOME P. A. Ceirlson Louis' hip was thrown out of SS Alcoa Partner joint, and he might beat me back St. Thomas, 'V. I. Dear Edilor: I was asked by the crew of the SS William Seaton on voyage No. 7 to write a few words of praise for our Chief Cook, Ed Seeley. This is by no means the first write-up Ed has had, but if gets one in every issue of the Log, it is nothing more than he de.serves. I haven't been going to sea so long, but Ed is the best cook I have yet run across. He can make that old frozen chicken, turkey, etc., taste like it came fresh from a poultry market to the galley. Ed Seeley also backed up the Steward, E. E. Foster, who re­ ceived a big write-up in the Dec. 13 issue of the Seafarers iog. On the next trip we discovered that if we hadn't had a good chief cook, things would have been a hell of a lot different. You won't find a better complete Stewards department, than we had aboard this vessel last trip. These men are, with possibly one exception, tops. Ed left us in New Orleans for his Christmas vacation, but we sincerely hope he can be with us again after this trip. Roy W. Kilman READER, PLEASED WITH THE LOG, GIVES IT PRIORITY Dear Edilor: I really enjoyed the latest is­ sue of the -Uog. What with Joe Curran seeing the light of day, I suggest that his "team" song be "Sooner or later you're gonna be comin around." His "eulogy" was a real tear-jerker. Then there was the sjiip's menu, which ran in the Log. It still has me drooling. Had I served the same, my grocety bill would probably resemble the na­ tional debt. When the Log arrives, I usual­ ly drop whatever I'm doing (that's the day I do the ironing,) and relax to read. In no time at all the back page is staring me in the face. -It should never end so abruptly. Tillle Bishop Log- A - Rhythms The Search By Vic Combs All my life I searched for some­ thing. What is is I've never known; Sometimes thinking that I've found it. But always ending up alone. Seeking, searching through the shadows. In the gloom of heavy night. How long must I be a wanderer. When will it shine my light? Will I ever be contented. Will I find my happiness at last. Or has the life I've always look­ ed for Expired along the roads I've passed. Only The McCoy By Vic Combs Mary's found another lamb. Jack another Jill, Now when they come tumbling down. It's on another hill. Little Boy Blue has a brand new horn. His fun has just begun. But I don't want a substitute. It's you I want or none. Patience By Vic Combs If you have tried and haven't won. Never stop for crying; All that's good and great is done. Just by patient trying. Though the sturdy oak has known Many a blast that bowed her. She has risen again and grown Sturdier, loftier and prouder. Though young birds in flying fall. Still their wings grow stronger; And the next time they're able Nov. 11 was a legal holiday, To stay up just a little longer. therefore the laundry was closed —so no clothes. When we called at Baytown, If, by easy work you beat. Who the more will prize you Texas for a load of gas it was In making victory from defeat; Sunday—so no clothes. By then, Thet's ifhe test that tries you. my one suit of clothes were in pretty bad shape. The Capt. G. A. "Full Ahead" Johnson came Lofj Available to the rescue. In Copenhagen From his own duffle bag, he took a suit of khakis, which he Dear Editor: turned over to me. I operate a Union cafe and The question I'd like to raise cater to seamen from all overis why we can't have more Skip­ the world, among - them manypers like Captain Johnson? men from the Seafarers Interna­ W. C. Hall, tional Unidn. I would be inter­ 'Mineola, Texas ested in receiving five copies df (Editor's note:—-Your name the -Log every week for the men has been put on the mailing to read in my place. list. As 'folr why we cem't have more skippers like "Full Erik H. Recluse Abead." we guess that you'll Restaurant Tria find good and bad in every­ Fr. Nansens Plads thing.) 'Cdpenhageti, Denmarlc �THE S E A.P A R E RS L O, G Friday, January L7, 1947 Labor Gains Traced To Economic Action Dear Editor: An article which I wrote for the Nov. 29 issue of the Log has drawn comment in letters writ­ ten by two Union Brothers and appeared recently in the Log. In his letter, Brother Bennie Good­ man agreed with most of what I had to say, except that he takes issue with my advice to the men to vote. I will continue to advise the men to vote, although in civic affairs it is meaningless since professional politicians do all the nominating of the various can­ didates without consulting the average citizen. That is one thing. But voting in our Union elections is another. DEMOCRATIC CHOICE Every full book member with the proper amount of sea. time can nominate himself. Therefore any office can have any amount of candidates. Voting in such an election is expressing your right to pick the candidate most suit­ able for office, I say that voting is the democratic right to choose, and no vote at all means that an election is a foregone conclusion. Also, I differ with Brother Goodman in his idea that a La­ bor party such as he suggests would solve Labor's problems. All that Labor has accomplished has been through economic strength. Labor's duly is to ob­ tain the best possible wages and conditions in each trade. Play­ ing politics would leave the door open for certain factions, such as the communists and fascists, to gain a stronghold with the sole intention of using Labor to desti-oy the so-called capitalist sys­ tem. The power that would take over would soon outlaw Unions in the same manner as occurred in Germany, Italy and in the communist-dominated countries. We would see the entire Ameri­ can labor movement destroyed, and a dictatorship, such as now exists in Russia, put in its place. Until the time when such ele­ ments are removed from the Am­ erican Labor movement, we who represent Labor should continue to ignore politics. We should continue concentrating on the improvement of wages and work­ ing conditions for all American labor. Pag* Tliirl**ii SHANGHAI USS HAS PRICE LIST LIKE WALDORF Dear Editor: At a shipboard meeting today (Dec. 22, 1946), the members of this ship, the SB S. M. Babcock, voted to have a letter sent to the Log revealing conditions ut the United Seamen's Service club in Shanghai, China. Our Mrs. Galagher is presumed to be in charge there, but the place is actually run by Russians, aided by Chinese. We found theni to be overbearing in their attitude toward seamen. Mrs. Gallagher and the other Ameri­ can workers are seldom seen, and only show up to settle the fre­ quent disputes between seamen and the Russians or Chinese. All such arguments are decided in favor of the employees and the seamen are threatened with dis­ barment from the club. The Russian and Chinese em­ ployees are actually the bosses, and number ten times more than are needed. All of them eat there and are served far better food than is put out for the seamen. They are welcome to unlimited seconds. ANSWERS BOTH « I was also asked two questions by Brother Brady: "Does Labor have a political responsibility," and "Can Labor escape political responsibility." I believe my an­ swer to Brother Goodman also answers Brady, aiid I don't think it necessary to go further into debate, except to say to Brother Brady that the section in the Union Constitution he referred to was meant fo. business meetings. Also that the Log. which is one of the very few papers that print the truth, has the right to pub­ lish such articles as was written FABULOUS PRICES by himself (Brady), Goodman, my.self or any other member The fabulous prices charged to without violating any constitu­ seamen are as follows: tional rules. This ends any more The seamen pay $1.25 per meal, discussion on this subject as far usually consisting of one egg on as I am concerned. "hash. They must pay again if L. Coffin they request seconds. A hair cut is 65 cents, a shave 40 cents. Beer is 30 cents for a 12 ounce bottle, and Coca-Cola is 15 cents. A ham sandwich Th» Seafarers Log is your costs 20 cents. Union paper. Every member If you can't make the ship, a has the right to have it mailed bunk cost $1.00 per night and the to his house, where he and bed linen hasn't been changed for his family can read it at their leisure. If you havenT already done so, send your name and home ^ THE fA^ASHROX^ ? address to the Log office, 51 Beaver Street, New York City, and have yourself added to the mailing list. GET THE LOG BELMONT CREW BEFUDDLED BY CURRENCY SITUATION ABROAD At a recent shipboard meeting aboard the SS August Belmont the question arose as to a draw in the-next port. Most of the mem­ bership wanted an American currency draw as per the agreement. It was suggested that the matter be broached to the Skipper. The Skipper answered that it was not up to him but was for the Agent in the port to decide. The port in this case is Gothenburg, Sweden. Since this coun­ try was neutral during the war, the men decided that the draw should be in American currency, but we got our draw in Swedish currency. We would like to know—and have the rest of the membership know—for the future, just what the answer is in a case like this. Perhaps you can answer this question. When and where can a draw be made in American currency? Walter S. Balzer Answer:—It appears that the question of a draw in Ameri­ can currency in foreign ports is a bit difficult to obtain these days because of the muddled foreign exchange situation. From what we were able to leam. American dollars are not always available in many places. Most nations, as a result of the war and its effect on economic conditions are having a difficult time trying to stabilize their currency. International exchange rates are not steible. Although agreements call for a draw in American money when so desired, it appears thcit there is no penalty if American currency cannot be provided. The inevitable post-war mlxup and confusion makes it difficult to press the point. We did learn, however, that as soon as the foreign exchange situation is under control—which the World Bank is presently trying to accom­ plish—the SIU will take action to see that Seafarers get their draw in the curency they want. CUT and RUN (Continued from Page 11) Laftd-^Locked Seafarers Wait Patiently For Army Payoff HIGGINS COUNTS DAYS UNTIL HE CAN SHIP AGAIN GI SEAFARER WANTS THE AOG AND LETTERS Dear Editor: Dear Editor: especially in the biggest unorganized outfit over there, the Lakes Carrier Association, and also get distribution of Logs, pamphlets, etc. . . . Brother Bing Miller had a bad day last week. Ho fell asleep while waiting for a ship . . . Teddy Babkowski, a WilkesBarre, Pennsylvania man, is anchored in our big town right now . . . Paul Hellebrand is waiting for a ship after just finishing a short a couple of weeks. And you have trip to Puerto Rico . . . Did Eddie Mooney who is trying for a 49 roommates to keep you com­ bartender's job aboard some passenger ship, quit his bartender's job pany. Beer is drunk from bottles, in the Midtown Cafe because the Cafe just don't enjoy or appreciate any more visting Seafarers? not glasses. Coffee is 10 cents a cup, while a ham and cheese sandwich is 30 cents. We could go on writing of Army life is a little lonesome, pi'ices, but I think these will do. As a Seafarer now in the Army, I would like to address especially way out here. Most WHAT PRICE CIGARETTES this letter to my Union Brothers: of all I miss the waterfront, so how about sending me the Log How is everything out there Cigarettes are only for the to make life a little brighter for on the coast? Fine, I guess. As beachcombers, who get Raleighs me. for me, I can't say I'm enjoy­ and Old Golds. Other brands, it If you print this letter please ing myself. I'm certainly not. is said, go to the black market include my address and a little I suie wish I was out there with where they can be had for 40 to note asking some of my ship­ all you lucky dogs (sea dogs that50 cents a pack. Cigarettes mates to drop me a line. is.) But I guess someone has to stamped "sea stores" are on sale Thanks a million and don't for­ be in the Army. in thousands of Shanghai shops get the Seafarers Log. and stores. Since I have been in this Army Pvl. Marvin (Blackie) Stewart The club employees acts as I have been shipping with two Squadron BN-8. Flight 1464 though the place is their private of oui- West Coast shipmates, Indoctrination Div. home, and seamen are made to Frank R. Dutra and John J. Air Training Command. feel they are unwanted inter­ Samaroff. From now on the San Antonio, Texas lopers. throe of us are counting the days, (Editor's Note:—Ljfe should The joint is 100 per cent NMU. hours and minutes until we can be somewhat brighter for you We of the Seafarers have two head for the nearest seaport so soon—the Log is on the way. strikes on us before we learn the that we can ship out with our old We're hoping your shipmates score. The Russian influence pals and shiprnates. will write to you.) causes that situation. Seafarers Just now we are in. the ti-ain- iyoui Until I do I'll say "smooth are tolerated but made to feel we ing school for army paratroop­ sailing." are intruding on a private party. ers. We would like to hear from; Pvt. Leo (Tommy) Higgins NMU PRFFERENCE some of the old salts we used; to RA 13247033 ship with in the good old days. Co. D, 1st B'n. Members of the NMU, always Hpw about a few lines from ^eT;A.RJl. T;I.S. in the majority there, have to put otiier side,, boys? CI. 3^7 up with the same high prices I'll be waitinig to hear from-. Foci Banning, Ga» and poor servieeSi They are given Lilttle Jimmy Crescltelli, and his slightly visible mustache, blew in last week, well dressed, looking rich and feeling happy, after being away from the U. S. A. since January of last year. Jimmy hit lots of ports and ships, while out in the Far East, play­ ed the horses in Manila, and was treated swell by the crew of the Alcoa Pilot when they got off the ship when it was sold to the Chinese . . . Here's a letter dated January 3. 1947. from Tommy Murray and Bob "Indian" Beliviau, over there in Syd­ ney. Australia: "Well. Hank, we just thought that the ex-beachcombers would drop a line or two to let the beachcombers know how much we miss Puerto Rico. Well, we sure are taking a long way back to the islands. First, we're headed up to the Persian Gulf, then to South Africa and then Trinidad. Anyway, give our regards to Bud Ray and Dan Butts. P. S. Tommy sure misses Caledonia and Bob misses his Cuba Libra, indeed." preference in other ways, how­ ever. This is due to the fact that Mrs. Gallagher is an NMU stew­ ardess. These prices quoted above went into effect when the sea­ men got their raises. The reason for this letter is to let the other Brothers know the joint is phony, and not as nice as it was written IIP in the Log once before. Crew of the SS S. M. Babcock. Voyage No. 16 THEMEMBERSHIPSAVS; A SIO SHIP MUST BE A _ CLfANSHlP, SEFORE IT PA^SOFF/ :::: �THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Fourteen Rank And File MEBA Man Urges Convention To Bolster Union The following letter was sub­ mitted to President Hogan and delegates to the MEBA conven­ tion by C. F. Berglund, a mem­ ber of that organization, with copies also being sent to the American Marine Engineer. MEBA publication. Seafarers Log and official organs of other mari­ time unions. were heavily fined. Portland Lo­ cal 41—no assessments and no fines for failure to picket. Seattle Local 38 — no assessments, al­ though they fined their member­ ship for missing picket duty. Friday. January 17, 1947 QUIET PEACEFUL SPOT How come the MEBA is not organized on a nation-wide membership basis — compatible with a migratory membership with a national headquarters hav­ ing the power to keep the finan­ cial records, issue membership books and weld the ocean-going engineers into a solid union, such as other maritime unions have? The above doesn't speak well for an organization that is sup­ posed to represent a migratory membership. Every one was pick­ eting for a common cause yet The shipowners have organi­ Mr. Berglund, in his letter, theer were different values or zed themselves along such lines. points up the weaknesses of the fines for failure to do so. From a shipowner's point of MEBA, and makes various sug­ view we don't present a united FEW GAINS WON gestions for improving its organi­ front and we will never have one sational structure. As the letter It is true that the MEBA has as long as we are organized in contains much of interest to un­ made monetary gains in the past our present local by local set-up This peaceful looking scene is of a public square in Ponce, licensed seamen it is printed here 12 years, but everyone knows without a headquarters. Puerto Rico. Picture was taken by a Seafarer, who prefers to in its entirety. that the unlicensed groups have remain anonymous, while on an island run. We are indeed organized tossed those gains at us. TEXT OF LETTER against ourselves. A chain is no However, those gains are not stronger than its weakest link. Open letter to President Ho­ gan, Delegates to the MEBA in proportion with gains made by We are a series of weak links Convention and the membership. other maritime unions since 1934. composing the weakest link in The MEBA has made little or no the whole maritime labor move­ Greetings: gains in working rules, which is ment. Another MEBA convention is the heart of all agreements and about to convene. I hope it no improvements in shipping NEW YORK —The New York SIU office be printed in the Sea­ LIVE WIRE OUTFIT proves to be a successful and long- rues, or conditions. Branch, meeting on January 2, farers Log. Mr. President and delegates, voted in favor of a motion by remembered one. I write these Brother Hall's motion also stip­ unless the above questions and Brother Paul Hall to concur in ulated that the resolution be re­ Shipping rules would be in the few lines as honest criticism and hope that you and the delegates bag if we w^re solidly and cen­ others are answered and solved a San Juan resolution that a short ferred to the Agents' Conference trally organized. Why can't the in the near future, I am afraid biographical summary and photo­ for deliberation and further consider them as such. I MEBA do the same instead of the MEBA is ripe to be "taken graph of candidates running for study. Mr. President and delegates of sitting around like ducks on a over." The resolution from the Puerto the convention, the rank and file pond? Rico Branch points out that many We smugly hold the collective members of the ocean-going En­ new men have joined the Union Speaking of conditions — how bargaining certificates, but some­ gineers want to complete revi­ since the beginning of the war, sion of the constitution for rea­ come Mates, Pursers, Radio Op­ day a live wire outfit will issue and are unfamiliar with the sons which will follow, even erators, Stewards, and some­ a few pledge cards and presto-r­ names and records of the candi­ times, Cadets have better quar­ an NLRB election will take place though bluntly and crudely pre­ dates running for office. ters than Enginers? How come and the collective bargaining cer­ sented. Thus to insuie greater demo­ the Engineers is the only mari­ tificates will change hands. About 1941 a member of the time union without a decent set cracy, as is the Seafarers con­ .Joe Curran was about to do Firemen's Union got a license and stant aim, the resolution calls for of working rules? How come the the very same thing on the east started sailing in it. He refused MEBA has no building program? (Continued fram Page 4) amendment of the constitution coast a few years ago—except to join the MEBA stating that it to read as follows: looks to the SIU for leadership How come the MEBA is only the MEBA obligingly went CIO, was a phony union with a phony "During the calender months in fighting all seamens' beefs. 40 percent organized on the east thus stopping one CIO union agreement. of November and December, We didn't get to this point by coast and 90 percent on the west from raiding another. When reminded that, since he coast? How come unlicensed there is to be a photograph and listening to the commies, or any A couple of months ago John other selfish group. We gained short biographical summary of the was reaping the benefits of their men such as Electricians and L. Lewis relieved the United Li­ our decent wages and improved candidates running for office, negotiations, the least he could Freezers take home more pay censed Officers Association of conditions by economic action, containing his efforts and pro­ do was join up, pay dues and than a lot of Engineers and work contribute to the support of the under a fine set of working rules their certificates in the same and by honest trade union deal­ gress in and for the Union, print­ manner. only organization in the field, and ings. Let's keep our Union that ed in the Seafarers Log, or any with little or no responsibility? that if he thought the outfit other periodical organ used by I believe my remarks repre­ way! phony, pitch in and help change WORKING RULES NEEDED sent a good cross-section of the Let's be smart enough to learn the Union to contact the mem­ it. bership." ocean-going Engineers—I hope from the NMU, and the other How come unscrupulous Port He did join up, regularly pays Engineers are allowed to make you take no serious exception to unions that are having trouble •In line with the motion passed his dues, and still says the outfit unscrupulous Chief Engineers out them. I hope the New Year finds with these politicals. Treat them calling for further stucj/, the is phony. Thousands have since of our membership with a bad us with a bigger, better and more as what they really are — the be­ Seafarers Log is open for sug­ gestions and comments from the followed in his footsteps and effect upon the rest of the mem­ soldified MEBA. trayer's of the working class in the MEBA, in comparison with bership? Maybe a good set of general and of the seamen in membership, to aid the Agents Fraternally yours, when they meet to deliberate other maritime unions, remains working rules would stop that. C. F. Berglund particular. the resolution. the same backward, do-nothing, No honest trade union can pro­ propose - nothing, have - nothing tect the worker and still follow union. How come? the line set. down by Joe Stalin or any other political commissar. MANY REASONS Two Branches Ask Pre-Election Photos And Biogs Of Candidates Politicos Have One Union Guide, Ruie Or Ruin The reasons are many and varied. The main reason is faulty organizational structure. The MEBA is composed of a migra­ tory membership, but is organ­ ized in locals of a shore-side na­ ture. Each local is a union all in its own—complete and absolute, which is not compatable with a traveling membership. For example, a member of one local cannot introduce or vote on a resolution at any othe local, even though that resolution is of vital importance to all locals. Technically speaking, a member of one local has no business in any other local outside of his own, and is quite often told so. Brother Recommends Action To Preserve Union's Gains Dear Editor: We all know that we have, and at the present time are, spending thousands and thousands of dol­ lars in organizational work, en­ deavoring to make more jobs. We have gone to bat with the ship­ owners and have the best wages and working conditions a sea­ man has ever known. The fact is very evident that at the present time we have moi'e men than available jobs so this work must continue. I think it is high time that we begin, with­ in our own ranks, an educational program and some process of edu­ cation for some of the chronic performers in our outfit. Since the time has come when we are receiving a livable wage I think the fact should be brought out that our employers have a right to expect a day's work for a day's pay. permit man, trip-card, and pro­ bationary member, and that blanks should be printed and furnished to each delegate on every ship, and that the dele­ gate be required to give a report on each man on each voyage. In this way we could have some­ thing concrete to go on when a man comes up from membership. We would know if he is a good shipmate, if he is sober and re­ liable and also have several men's opinions whether or not he will make a good union mem­ ber. • In this way the examining com­ mittee would not have to take one man's word. I sincerely think this process would eliminate a lot of our performers and in time show a real return on the effort given it. There is no exchange of min­ utes between the locals and very little cooperation. During the last strike, San Pedro Local 79 was assessing its working member.ship 10 percent. Members not I have been here .several days working were fined for not pick­ visiting my mother, but will be eting. San Francisco Local 97 back in the harness in a few FILE assessed its working membership days. 25 percent. Members hot work­ I also think that a file should William F. Kuschke ing and not doing picket duty 1 he kept at headquarters on every Caddo, Oklahoma Keep It Clean! It is the proud boast of the Seafarers International Un­ ion that an SIU ship is a clean ship Let's keep it that way. Although most of the crews leave a ship in excellent con­ dition, it has come to the at­ tention of the membership that a few crews have vio­ lated this rule. So they have gone on record to have all quarters inspected by the Patrolman before the payoff, and if the conditions are un­ satisfactory, he has the right to hold up the payoff until everything is spic and span. Remember that the Patrol­ man can only have repairs made if he knows what has to be done. Cooperate by making up a repair list be­ fore the ship docks. Give one copy to the Skipper, and one to the Patrolman. Then you'll see some action. Moran Towing Will Operate Two New Tugs Seafarers who have a passion for ocean-going tugs will be pleased to hear of the two new tugs being bareboat chartered from the Maritime Commission by the Moran Towing and Trans­ portation Co. The tugs to be crewed by the SIU, are of the V4-M-A1 type, which are 194 feet long, 1118 gross tons and have Diesel en­ gines developing 2250 HP. During the war, 49 of these tugs were built and saw service all over the world, but since then most of them have been lying in the boneyard. Moran is chartering the tugs for use in towing dredges to the Dutch East Indies for the Dutch Government. Up to this time most work of this nature has been principally in the hands of the Dutch and English, with Ameri­ can tugs used principally for coastal Work. �THE S E 4 F 4 R E R S LOG Triday, January 17. 1947 Page FlfieeB BUIXETIN TAX REBATES Mississippi Shipping Company Old And New Wage Scales Of Seafarers Compared Seafarers who were employed on Mississippi Shipping Company vessels and have credit balances in their unclaim­ ed wage account covering overdeductions of Social Security taxes for the years 1943, 1944 and t945, can now receive money due them by writing to the Mississippi Shipping Company, 1300 Hibernia Building, New Orleans, La. When writing the company mention the money is due for Federal Old Age Benefit overdeductions, and give your Social Security number. Those entitled to rebates and the amout due are listed below. The new contracts which the SIU has signed NORFOLK with the various companies have aroused a furor INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS that is even yet being felt in the lives of seamen. J. R. Jumcs. $7,00; H. R. Hutchins. $•17.00; C. Zobal. $25.00; J. Smith. Even if the other unions have benefitted by the $2.00; R. Cartwright, $12.00; F. \V. same gains, following the successful General Strike Bantz, $4.00; C. B. Vickin. $27.00; K. Hoffner. $1.00; K. Owen, $1.00; D. L. of the SIU against Government interference, still Dixon, $12.00. the leadership in this advance is generally accreditPHILADELPHIA ted to the SIU. INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS The original contracts have been printed in the Crew of SS Tops Topa—$16.50. LOG at the time each one was signed. This, how­ P. Sarkus. $5.00; J. Monlero. $1.00. ever, has not answered all questions, since many Cone, William H NEW YORK Connor, Harry G letters still come into the New York Hall asking SS MANDAN VICTORY Conway, Walter for copies of the new wage and overtime rates. G. Gregerson. $2.00; H. C. Sumpter. Corbeet, Ralph P Therefore, for the benefit of all men sailing $2.00; C. F.. Wells. $10.00; E. Mayo. Corcoran, Hr. W $1.00; L. B. Clyde, $1.00; J. D. Wheal. on ships contracted to the SIU, the LOG prints the $2.00; L. M. Bean. $2.00; J. L. Osborn. Corrie, Joaquin comparative wage scales, showing the wages pre­ $2.00. Couchman, Henry D THOMAS HYDE Coulter, Sam H vious to the new agreements, the new wages, and Frlwnrd SSEndres, $2 00; L. A. Ware, Courtney, Arthur B the amount of the increase. Cut this out of the $2.00; R. Santillaria, $2.00; II. D. Cox, John M paper so that you can refer to it whenever you wish. Terrill. $5.00. Crawford, Robert SS CAPITOL REEF These wage rates are for freighters only. C. E. Gamble. $2.00. DECK DEPARTMENT SIU Old Wage Scale Rating Bosun Bosun's Mate—Day Work.. Bosun's Mate—Watch Carpenter Storekeeper AB Maintenance Quartermaster AB Seaman Watchman OS Seaman SIU Amount SIU Of Wage New Wage Increase . Scale $162.50 162.50 157.50 155.00 155.00 155.00 150.00 132.50 $205.00 192.50 180.00 205.00 197.50 187.50 172.50 172.50 172.50 150.00 $42.50 42.50 40.00 32.50 17.50 17.50 22.50 17.50 ENGINE DEPARTMENT Chief Electrician 2nd Electrician Asst. Electrician Unlic. Jr. Eng.-^Day Work.... Unlic. Jr. Eng.—Watch Machinist-Plumber Deck Engineer .«... Chief Reefer Engineer l.st Reefer 2nd Reefer Engine Storekeeper Engine Utility Evaporator Maintenance Oiler-Diesel Oiler-Steam Watcrtender Fireman-Watertender Firemen Wiper 252.00 294.50 42.50 182.50 187.50 187.50 194.50 162.50 252.00 220.00 201.00 227.50 230.00 205.00 23V.00 205 00 269.50 237.50 218.50 197.50 205.00 190.00 195.25 177.50 177.50 177.50 167.50 175.00 45.00 42.50 17.50 42.50 42.50 17.50 17.50 17.50 155.00 172.50 155.00 155.00 155.00 155.00 145.00 132.50 50.00 17.50 40.25 22.50 22.50 22.50 22.50 42.50 STEWARDS DEPARTMENT 202.50 182.50 182.50 167.50 157.50 132.50 132.50 Chief S Chief ( Night C Second Asst. C Messma Utility 220.00 205.00 205.00 185.00 175.00 150.00 150.00 17.50, 22.50 22.50 17.50 17.50 17.50 17.50 All members of the Stewards Department will be paid over­ time for all Sundays and Holidays at sea and for all Saturdays, Sun­ days and Holidays in port. No member of the Stewards Department will be laid off Saturdays, Sundays or Holidays at sea or in port. OVERTIME RATES 90c SIU New Under $200.00 a month SIU New Over $200.00 a month 90c $1.00 per hour $1.25 per hour SIU Old Pay rise of $17.50 is retroactive from April 1 to June 14. June 15 is the retroactive date for the remainder of the increase. All overtime is retroactive to June 15. SS COLABEE A. Smurda. $1.00; G. Brown, $1.00; If. Adamowit:z, $1.00; K. Korneliusen. $1.00. SS CAPE NAME C. Brewer. $1.00. SS WARRIOR POINT R. V. Fegler, $2.00; O. H. Stevens. $3.00; A. L. East, $5.00; II. J. Mc­ Donald, $3.00; Don A. Moore, $4.00; L. Valencie, $2.00; Hubert Garner. $2.00; L. Tullos, $2.00; D. E. Gordon. $2.00; N. U. Reitti. $2.00; John Herrera. $2.00; F. Jasso. $2.00; R. C. Neblett, $2.00. SS R. SEMMES G. Lima. $10.00; j. O. Moore. $5.00. INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS James F. Wnrr, $1.00; A. J. Kanaday, $1.00; Lawrence Hall. $2.00. PERSONALS GILBERT ISNOR Crofton, Douglas Cronin, Harry J Crosby, J. T Culota, Samuel E. W Cummings, J. P Cuthbert, Richard G Cutts, James H Danielson, A. E Darr, William F Davies, R. D Davitt, George L Day, Belle F Dean. Kirby W Dean, Robert Deer, Leoge L Dewar, John B. ... Diaz, Vincent Dierinck, Emericus Dinne, John Derhoff, Ray Please write your mother at Doetsch, Melton B Indian Harbour, Halifax Co., No­ Dolan, R. J va Scotia. Dowoy, Joseph W Drury, William C LOUIS LARSON Dubiel, R. F Jim Conaghan of 373 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown, N. J., is anxious to hear from you soon. i i 4. FREDERICK DUNN 01 4.14 Dudek, Franil 31.76 Duncan, Edawrd L 5.62 Duncan, Roy L 1.25 Dungan, G. T 1.35 Dwyer, Raymond F 6.95 Euchauri, Vincent 14 9.86 Edner, Harold G 80 Elfers, Fred G 17.69 Ellis, Lloj-d 8.49 Ellis, Roy Van 2.64 Ellwanger, Ernest N 8.65 Ellyson, Jos 42 Engles, Joseph N 59 Engstrom, Charles 05 Epperson, Herbert A 06 Erickson, Lief H 18.49 Farrell, William E .13 Fath. Joseph A „ 17 Fay, John A 5.40 Ferst, Frank E .07 Fetter, Bill C .95 Field, Lloyd M 1.25 93 Finnegan, Thomas H 8.35 Fitton, Leslie D 12.99 Fitzgerald, Robert J 7.49 Flanders, Franklin B 13 Fletcher, Russell G 21 Forst, Raymond 62 Franzella, Salvador 1,18 Frederickson, G. ... 18.82 Frost, William A. ... 2.26 Gainey. Sam p. ... 48 Gallagher, Leo 11.04 Gardney. Roy M. ... 2.36 Garris, Robert L. ... .01 Geanuser, Peter G. 49 Geisz, William 1.41 .69 20.70 .89 7.90 1.30 28.79 .32 7.30 18.41 . .93 08 1.25 3.15 94 01 2.55 1.71 08 2.95 16.37 12 9.15 16.59 17.02 14 3.36 20.08 10 1.27 28 3.26 2.49 01 95 20 8.86 12 29.02 .90 Books And Cards In New Orleans 3748 Membership books and retiring Lusko, R. D 5928 cards are on file in the New Or­ Morrow, Wm Please get in touch with your leans Hall for the following SUP Marshal, Wm. P 791 P.D. sister. Miss Gertie Dunn, 20 and Pacific District men, and will Mills, J. W 781 P.D. Black Black March Road, St. be held for claiming until March Miflin, R. H 1 657 P.D. Johns, Newfoundland. 5902 Pro. 30, after which they will be sent Modeiros, J 5901 Pro. to Headquarters. Men listed be­ MuUins, A. E 3433 low should contact P. Monssen, Plank, E. D Per. 9342-9954 SUP representative. New Or­ Petree, E. Jr Soliday, J. H 6708 leans, La. Will the holder of Receipt No. 6290 Name Book No. Swope, E. M 45522, issued on January 6, 1947, Art, R. A 6806 3039 Simpsen, D. J from New York, please contact Aney, R. 0 612 P.D. 3524 Smith, J. E. the Patrolmen on the 5th floor of Burnyski, R 419 P.D. 5072 Swank, E the New York Hall in order to Bystedt, O Ve'Drine, Patrick H 707 4120 secure the proper credit for his Barnes, L 3333 560 Waldron, L money, 510 P.D. Caudill, E. C 248 P.D. Wolton, D 3016 4* 4* 4* Campbell, R 2930 Wright, C. P Receipt No. 42781, issued De­ Duffy, G. P 259 P.D. 2446 Winey, T. J cember 27, 1946, in New York. Dodson, G. L + Per. 14459 288 P.D. Watson, W. R Will holder of this receipt please Fanning, Wm. J Retiring Cards on File 2020 Pro. contact Louis Goffin, 5th floor. Golden, C. E 1873 1746 Cooper, B. M New York hall. 2146 Harrington, N. J 485 P.D. Chance, F. S X X t 1988 Harrigan, N. J 5302 Elisson, D. W MARVIN G. HANDLER 1879 Hendrix, J. S 5289 Hames, Wm Jones, W. C 2249 5385 Please get in touch with Rich­ Houkc, L Massengale, G. C 1255 Pro. P.D. ard M. Cantor, Room 1109, 51 Johnson, H 2105 299 P.D. Voce, I. Chambers Street, New York City, Kinney, K. C. ....^ Zieber, Walton L 2961 Lee, D. C 3500 as son as possible. I NOTICE! �THE SEAFARERS lOG Page Sixteen Friday. January 17, 1947 nr ii :-'a ;r: =• •'•••v-'ii V-sr ;-:r ^ if i 5sS>' 1 • 7^ !> • • V - :.•• aalbM ' . :m'm pS«: • tea 1H less UtaH fen ijcars seansen's • wai/es wemm/see/ • iFVM awax/Mum of l6s fot AB's to Hie iiiqhestinmaxif/Me ra}5r3 •.'riit-J ^mnr '•sUl^fP M-'-ILaj.--- ••^im •a a ill Pll:l.liRV ffftt:;;;- : if •; '/•- • •: :•' -i-t-iT, I ;-,-3 V T: '-; ' • ;• pi^a; • • W-- wr-'^* -. •" fe:a: ..i t'U--- Ki; |b:; SHrfe/- te^- "Im.sO'bqHie t JV« mi aift 'A hi a.aiH?!)' a::;iil| :: Ife .aaaMli Yfiri''; Kifw:;: • »>i-r: • = • tea. teffJ.rV • IBiba' ^by/:.':' j-• Seafarers Jhteriiatmal : •; .aaauavi: mima ; rtiti ; ,.•••;-. I'.i :i;t A :-A:\v^\X:\\ •: i-a-r-itt';-;i V A Aunirim - • ;J:.:S.?'>"S{'J5 ISfj??£1-1« j-*v. -• ,?7?.: £i4->."r, 1 ' S'/i' ''iji' • yiArf'r<i • . • •* 7 <*jwj � 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 1939-1949 Description An account of the resource Volumes I-XI 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 January 17, 1947 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 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. IX, No. 3 Description An account of the resource Description: SIU DECLARED ISTHMIAN WINNER BY NLRB; NMU PHONY PROTEST DELAYS CERTIFICATION ENTIRE ANTI-COMMIE SLATE ELECTED IN LOCAL 88, MM&P SIU SUPPORTS TAMPA TEAMSTERS; CITY HEADS TRY TO BREAK STRIKE LABOR HATING NOT NEW IN TAMPA; UNION ORGANIZER KILLED IN 1935 STACKING THE CARDS JOINT ACTION OF OLD, NEW MEMBERS VITAL FACTOR IN SUCCESS OF SIU SENATE GROUP EYES PROFITS OF OPERATORS POLITICAL PARTISANS IN TRADE UNION MOVEMENT HAVE ONE OBJECTIVE--IF YOU CAN'T RULE, RUIN SHIPBOARD FIRE CAPS SERIES OF MISHAPS ON ABR. CLARK END NEAR FOR SMITH-CONNALLY ACT WITH TERMINATION OF THE WAR LABOR OPPOSES MILITARY DRAFT SIU REJECTS NMU PROPOSAL TO SET UP ARBITRATION BOARD LEWIS CONTEMPT TRIAL BEGINS IN WASHINGTON BEFORE SUPREME COURT MARITIME COMMISSION UNDER FIRE, BUT NOTHING WILL COME OF IT SHIPPING IS SLOW IN SAVANNAH; CATTLE MOVEMENTS DUE TO STOP SHIPPING IS UP IN PHILADELPHIA; FUTURE IS BRIGHT NEW ORLEANS HAS PRAISE FOR ONE CALMAR SKIPPER CANDY IS DANDY SEAMAN SAYS, BUT LET'S HAVE SOME SHIPOWNER STOOGE, LSU SPONSOR DOESN'T LIKE SEAMEN'S ATTITUDE RATED JOBS IN ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING BEGGING IN SAN JUAN TANKERS KEEP PORT BOSTON FREE OF RED INK SEAFARERS IN CORPUS CHRISTI WERE KEPT BUSY PAST FEW WEEKS AFL IS AFTER 75,000 SOUTHERN CITRUS WORKERS SEAFARER KILLED IN ACCIDENT ON DANIEL HUGER WHAT TO DO: SOME DEPARTMENTAL SUGGESTIONS FOR CHIEF COOKS NMU HAS ONLY ONE WEAPON LEFT, TELLING LIES ABOUT SEAFARERS BRAZIL CREW NIPS PURGE OF DELEGATE NEW ORLEANS BROTHERS LOSE A NON-ALCOHOLIC WEEKEND NOTE PITCHED FROM THE SAMUEL JOHNSON IN 1944 IS PICKED UP ON FLORIDA COAST 'CAPS OFF' TO MRS. BURNS RANK AND FILE MEBA MAN URGES CONVENTION TO BOLSTER UNION TWO BRANCHES ASK PRE-ELECTION PHOTOS AND BIOGS OF CANDIDATES MORAN TOWING WILL OPERATE TWO NEW TUGS OLD AND NEW WAGE SCALES OF SEAFARERS COMBINED TAX REBATES MISSISSIPPI SHIPPING COMPANY Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1/17/1947 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America 1947 Periodicals Seafarers Log