http://www.seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/615ad4ac37371b03601b4d738c738790.PDF 96b205a2278f312261ea3af49f1d94dd PDF Text Text CITIES SERVICE MOVE TO HALT ELECTION IS BLOCKED BY NLRB Company Sneak Injunction Is Modified By Court Order; Six Crews Aiready Poiied NEW YORK, Feb. 24—A sneak injunction ob­ Official Organ, Atlantic & Gulf District, Seafarers International Union of NA tained by Cities Service to halt polling of the com­ pany's nine uncertified ships was modified this No. 8 NEW YORK. N. Y.. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25. 1949 VOL. XI morning by Federal Judge Henry Goddard, when the writ was protested by counsel for the National Labor Relations Board. ^ Six ships had already been voted when Judge Goddard issued a temporary restraining order on Tuesday, February 22, on the petition of the Cities Service attorney, who pleaded that the com­ There's one thing about Cities deal of time as they were de­ menced more than two years of pany had not received sufficient notice of the Service: It never changes. At bated and company officials must legal flin;i-fiammery and skull­ election to delegate observers. The writ was directed duggery. have been delighted. C5 Used [very Trisk In The Book To Deny Men SlU Representation least it hasn't changed in the last three years. How the cpmpany will be after it gets under SIU contract may be another story. The voting in the collective bargaining election now being held for CS crews is another climax in the long campaign that Cities Service seamen have con­ ducted to win a yoice in set­ ting their own wages and condi­ tions. That campaign has been marked by continual legal stall­ ing by the company, whose lawyer has tjpied the same tricks time and again. Just before the present voting was ordered last week, the com­ pany came up with the NMU as a dodge. CS couldn't possibly al­ low the crews to be voted, the lawyer said, because of the NMU. He must have known full well that the NMU had officially withdrawn any interest it might have retained in Cities Service in answer to a query from the National Labor Relations Board. NO SURPRISE ' Nevertheless, the CS lawyer maintained that the ships could not be voted until a federal court withdrew a 10-year old writ ordering Cities Service to allow NMU officials aboard. Re­ jecting this stall, the NLRB went right on with the election "as is related elsewhere in this issue. However, the SIU organizers were not surprised by the com­ pany's tactic, nor by its refusal this week to cooperate in any way in the nine remaining ships. The organizers had been wrestl­ ing with Cities Service too long to be surprised by anything. Go back to the fall of 1946. On October 28 6f that year, the SIU addressed a letter to the Cities/' Service Oil Company's Marin§ ' Division, pointing out that the Union was the author­ ized representative of .a majority of the crews on CS tankers and requesting recognition. This' letter came at the end of a vigorous three-month or­ ganizing drive. The Cities Serv­ ice company was not the only body that 'could gum up the Works, however. The first stall Was provided by the NMU to the company's probable joy. ' The NMU jumped into the pic­ ture by " filing charges of unfair labor practices against the com­ pany. These charges could only succeed in consuming a great UNORGANIZED The Cities Service fleet was unorganized when the crews first contacted the SIU. The NMU's charges were based on an elec­ tion won in 1938. The NMU never obtained a contract with the company, and several years after the election ceased aU ac­ tivity on Cities Service ships. At that time, the NMU was follow­ ing the commie line and wanted no trouble with Cities Service or any other company, a policy which the commie line then dictated. The NMU's act was in marked contrast to its complete dis­ avowal of interest in Cities Serv­ ice early this month. Cities Service took the hint, if any hint was required, and there com­ The NMU's entry stalled mat­ ters nine months. It was July 28, 1947, before the NLRB could hold a hearing on the SIU's petition. By this time, the 80th Congress had passed the TaftHartley Act, and all labor was enveloped in an unpleasant new atmosphere that hasn't exactly been cleared yet. Things went slowly. On October 20, 1947, the Board finally ordered an elec­ tion in the eight ships the com­ pany then owned, the voting to be completed within 30 days. On November 20 when the voting period ended, all but two of the ships were voted, these two be­ ing the SS French Creek and Lone Jack. {Continued on Page 11) Stay Aboard Ship All pro-Union men aboard Cities Service Oil Company ships are urged to remain on their vessels until they win the protection of an SIU contract. The company is making every effort to re­ place men with known prounion leanings. The collec­ tive bargaining election now being conducted b y the NLRB on CS ships is a step nearer the day when Cities Service seamen can throw off the yoke of company domination. Stay on the ships until the fight* is won. Boneefsmi Sound against Charles Douds, NLRB regional director. Voting was to be resumed with the polling of the Lone Jack's crew at the Atlantic Re­ fining docks in Philadelphia to­ night. In its original form, the in­ junction halted the voting of the Salem Maritime, whose crew was to have balloted in Bayonne the day the writ was granted. By virtue of Judge Goddard's ac­ tion this morning voting will continue on the remaining ships. But ballots will be impounded pending disposition of the Cities Service complaint at a hearing in Federal Court on March 4. The Salem Maritime will be voted in Corpus Christi on March 3. PoUing of the Cities Service crews began early on the morn­ ing of Feb. 20, after the NLRB had issued an election order the day before. . {Continued on Page 2) Cities Service Violates Law, SIU Charges NEW YORK, Feb. 24 — The SIU Atlantic and Gulf District took legal steps yesterday to win job reinstatement and back pay for 15 crewmen fired by the Cities Service Oil Company be­ cause of their union affiliation. Moving in behalf of the dis­ charged Cities Service seamen, the SIU filed charges with the National Labor Relation Board's regional office here, accusing the company of unfair and discrim­ inatory labor practices. In affidavits submitted to the NLRB, the Union declared that the Cities Service company was guilty of discrimination in firing the men. The charges point out that the Cities Service men were dismissed because of their af­ filiation with and activities in behalf of the Seafarers Interna­ tional Union, Atlantic and Gulf District. The men in whose behalf the Union has filed "the unfair labor charges are: William Sykes, Gil Vila, Frank{Continued on Page 2) �Page Two THE ^ E AF AREnS LOG fUday, Pebruanr 25, 1549 SEAFARERS LOG Published Weekly hy the SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA Atlantic and Gulf District Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor At 51 Beaver Street, New York 4, N. Y. HAnovet 2-2784 Entered as second class matter June 15, 1945, at the Post Office in New York, N. Y., under the Act of August 24, 1912. 267 Super-Government The arrogance of the Cities Service Oil Company knows no bounds! Accustomed as CS officials are to ruling their em­ ployees with an iron hand, the company in now engaged in overruling an agency of the United States government the National Labor Relations Board. In the face of an NLRB ruling that an election to determine whether or not the SIU, Atlantic and Gulf District, is to represent the unlicensed tankermen, the company refuses to allow the elections to be held on company ships or property, and furthermore, refuses to furnish crew lists or payroll lists. This tops off the disgraceful, performance of CS representatives when they walked out of a regional Labor Board meeting last week. From the. beginning, the company has been deter­ mined not to allow any union the fleet. In the first elec­ tion, won by the SIU by an 83 percent majority, the company did all that it could first to stall off the election, and then to harry and hinder the NLRB and the Union officials during the actual voting. In the current situation, the story is much the same. The high-priced battery of CS legal talent resorted to all sorts of legal finagling and chicanery to stall matters. And now that these methods have been brought to an end, the company has adopted an attitude of non-coopera­ tion which it hopes will further stall the election. It is obvious that CS big-wigs are of the opinion By LINDSEY WILLIAMS to have the ballots impounded. low-judge of Goddard's tried the that the Cities. Service flag should fly above the flag of Director of Organization Allowing the men to vote and same maneuver a couple of years the United States. then take action on the sealed ago, and the injunction was set By its delaying tactics the strongly anti-union com­ A federal judge in New York ballot box is the proper way to aside with a stern rebuke. It pany is trying to put off the inevitable day when the SIU has used tactics which smack of handle such cases. was termed "wholly improper." will be certified as collective bargaining ag^nt for the the county jail kangaroo courts The first ship involved, the The NLRB in Washington, fed of fifty years ago by granting unlicensed Cities Service tankermen. When that day an injunction against the NLRB Salem Maritime, by being de­ up with the turn of events and comes, the company will no longer be able to maintain its in New York which forbids the nied to vote can now depart the skullduggery of the courts, port. Possibilities are that has sent an attorViey to New - far-below-par wage scale, nor will it be allowed to con­ continuation 'of the election in from she may not be back for months, York to untangle the mess. The tinue treating seamen as cattle, to be hired and fired the Cities Service fleet. diu-ing .which time the make-up importance the NLRB attaches By out and out illegal meth­ of the crew could completely to the Cities Service-Judge God­ at a whim. dard maneuver can be seen by Now that the CS tankermen have the right to in­ ods the men of the Cities Service change. fleet have been denied the right Moves similar to the one made the fact that counsel was called dicate their choice, the company officials know that the to vote in an election which has by Judge Goddard have - been in from Washington despite the yoting will result in a crushing defeat for them, and th approval of the NLRB. tried before and have always fact that the New York NLRB for their brain child, the Citco Tanker-Men's Association The questionable legal tactics been thrown out. In fact, a fel­ has a legal staff.' {(CTMA). They remember what happened in the first employed by the Judge in grant­ election, when- more than 80 out of each hundred men ing the writ are these: Federal Judge Henry W. Godyoting, cast their ballots for the SIU. The CS tycoons also recall what happened to other dard granted an injunction from pus Christi; and the Archers (Continued from Page 1) his home on Washington's birth­ arch-enemies of unions. They also stalled, and finagfed, day, a legal holiday," this in it­ Attempts by the. NLRB to poll Hope, voted on February 22 in and dilly-dallied, but when the chips were down, the self a highly irregular step. Also, the crews aboard the ships— Lake Charles, Louisiana. Crews yoting showed that the men had chosen to enter an or­ under Sections lOE and lOF of a customary procedure—^were de­ of these ships, too, were forced ganization that is democratically controlled by the mem­ the National Labor Relations nied by the company. No facili­ to leave their ships to vote. bership; a Union, which has the financial stability to Act, Congress gave the Circuit ties were ma(te available to the An attempt to restrain the weather strikes; a Union that has the strength to protect Court of Appeals full jurisdiction NLRB for the conducting ,of the crew of the Royal Oak from to review the actions of the election, making necessitr'y the voting. was reported by crew, and represent its membership all the way down the line. NLRB. The Circuit Court is a voting of all crews outside the members who told of the ship's higher court than the Southern pier gates. officers offering them overtime District Court, of which Judge The first ship to be balloted to work all night loading stores Henry W. Goddard is a member. was the Fort Hoskins, tied up aboard. In order for the crew Moreover, the slightest inquiry at Port Socony, Staten Island, to vote it was necessary to go and to reimburse them for wages by the judge would show that New York. Men seeking to vote by launch to Philadelphia where (Continued from Page 1) lin Libby, Charles Garner, Wal­ lost from the time they were the request is-improper, as Cit­ had to leave the confines of the they voted on a pierhead. lace Milton, William Goff, Ed­ fired until the date reinstate­ ies Service had not exnausted dock and cast their ballots in Exclusive of the Salem Mari­ ward Bamberger, Eugene Cab- ment is ordered. administrative remedies. the pouring rain. A request by time, the two ships not yet rail, Donald Van Alstine, Thomas At UViion headquarters, Direct­ , Another point which the judge the NLRB representative to go voted are the Lone Jack, which Crane, Joseph Cremeans, Stanly or of Organization Lindsey Wil­ should have considered is the aboard the ship was denied by arrived February 24 at Petty's Vitcavich, Eugene Ceccato, Ches­ liams declared, '.'The SIU will fact that relief asked by Cities the Port Engineer. Island, and the Government ter Gawrych and Benjamin Taf- see this thing through to the Service would not maintain the The other ships voted to date Camp, due to arrive in Monte­ finish. These men were exercis­ status quo and the election are: Winter Hill, Bents Fort, video, Uruguay, around March lewitz. If the Union is successful in ing a legally guaranteed right to could not possibly prejudice the both voted on February 21 in 1. The Government Camp is ex­ proving its charges against join a Union of their own. choos­ employer. the Boston area; the Royal Oak, pected to vote by mail ballot Cities Service—and it is confi­ ing. It's time Cities Service The company would not be Voted February 21 at Petty's Is­ in that port under the super­ dent it will— the company will learned it doesn't make the laws hurt by allowing the men to land, New Jersey; The Bradford vision of the United States Con­ Jje forced to reinstate the men I of this nation." vote as it could go into court Island, voted February 22 in Cor­ sul. Says CS Injunction Violated Law CS Sneak himethn Is Blocked SIU Charges 'Unfair Practices' �rridaiT' FebtMOt >049 TH1E S E AP ARERS LOG Alien Waiver Is Extended July 1 Page Thria Expect Bland Bill To Be Out By March t Congress has extended the waiver on alien seamen until July 1, thus continuing in. ef­ fect for anothet four months the present quotas for aliens «, on American flag ships. The current waiver would have ex­ pired on March 1, The bill extending the alien seamen waiver also . continued the authority of the Maritime Commission to sell, charter and Operate ships through June 30. The time extension measure was adopted by the Senate on Thursday and sent the following day to the House of Represen­ tatives, where it was approved immediately. EASES FEARS This development should put at rest the fears of those alien ' members who for the past few weeks have been deluging the SIU Special Services Department with inquiries as to their status. Under terms'of the legislation adopted last week, alien sea­ men may still sail aboard ships under the American flag, as heretofore. Despite the additional breath­ ing spell provided in the waiver extension, the SIU strongly re­ peats its advice that alien mem^ bers take immediate steps to obtain visas and eventual citi­ zenship. This is the only sure way, the Union pointed out, in which alien member?^ may avoid the sailing restrictions of the Mer­ chant Marine Act of 1936, which would become operative if the waiver is ever allowed to lapse. Meanwhile, the SIU is taking Steps to win further extension of the alien seamen waiver be­ fore the new deadline date of July 1 rolls around. Men How In The Marme Hespitnk BOSTON MARINE HOSP. J. E. GALLANT C. S. GALLANT VIC MILLAZZE F. ALASAVICH H. E. HANCOCK M. WILLIS W.'GIRARDEAN B. RITSON L. GORDON (City Hospital) » » SAVANNAH HOSPITAL A. C. McALPIN L. C. COLE L. HODGES STANLEY KASMIRSKI X ^ MOBILE HOSPITAL P. M. VANDEREIK K. G. HULLER EUGENE LEARY WILLIAM J. SULLIVAN NICHOLAS BOSANYI ERLINE SMITH •J. L. BUCKELEW P. CARDONA TIM BURKE LESTER LORD STATEN ISLANO HOSPITAL M. DORPMANS M. j. LtJCAS J. MASONSGJONG J. HOPkiisrs A. j. CAMERA J. RODRIGUEZ O. O. MILLAN J. C. SHELDON F.STOKES J. P. WETZLER G. STEPANCHUK J. REYES J. GRAN6AARD K. JENSEN P. HUSBBY A. REIBUS G. AMELINk Latest word from Washington concerning the Bland bill, which would guarantee that at least 50 percent of all ECA cargoes would be shipped on American ships, is that the Executive Committee of the House Committee on Mer­ chant Marine and Fisheries will do its best to report the bill out to'the floor by March 1. Individual seamen and ship's crews are urged to continue bom­ barding Representatives and Sen- Referendum Vote Balloting on the referen­ dum to determine the type of transportation rule desir­ ed by the membership begins on March 1 in all Atlantic and Gulf District ports. The voting period^will con­ tinue for 60 days. All mem­ bers are urged to express their choice of a transporta­ tion rule by casting their ballots as soon as possible. PARTICIPANTS IN PINOCHLE TOURNEY ators with letters, telegrams and petitions, urging them to save ; the American merchan marine by passing the Bland bill. Support from other unions has snowballed since the SIU first imdertook the fight against EGA administrator Hoffman's crippl­ ing plans. In the past week the following unions have written to "Washington legislators, re­ questing that the Bland bill be passed without amendments: International Union of Operat­ ing Engineers, Locals 463 and 463A Galveston Labor Council Chauffeur's Union, Local 456 International Hodcarriers, Building and Common Laborers Union, Local 91 Bakery and Confectionery Workers, Local 426 Italian Cloak, Suit and Reefer Makers Union, ILGWU, Local 48. American Federation of Rub­ ber Workers, Local 20499 Dressmakers Local 22, ILGWU American Federation of Grain Millers, Local 554 Wood, Wire and Metal Lath­ ers International Union Retail Clerks International As-..r sociation Allied Printing Trades Coun­ cil of New York City ... According to the Committee on Merchant Marine and" Fish­ eries, no more witnesses will be called, but when specific infor­ mation is needed, advisory per­ sonnel will be called' to testify. The SIU, Atlantic and Gulf Dis­ trict, has volunteered to be of assistance to the Committee. The committee received the bill late in January after it had been drafted by Representative Schuyler Otis Bland of Vir- On The Air Rule Relaxed, Robin To Resume African Trade The position of the SIU in regard to the Bland-Magnuson bill, which would make it mandatory that at least 50 percent of the ECA cargoes be carried .on Am­ erican bottoms, will be aired on Tuesday evening, 9 to 9:30 PM, over New York's radio station WEVD, 1330 on the dial. This program is directed by Joseph Tuvim, an official of the International Ladies' / Garment Workers Union. Giving the point of view of the SIU will be Seafarers A1 Bernstein and Bill Hender­ son. Members of the SIU, and LOG readers in the New York City area, are urged to listen to this important program and to request their friends to do likewise. Card and checker enthusiasts were matching skills and wits in the New York Hall's rec­ The three months old restric­ reation room recently in tournaments staged to select champions in both pastimes. In above tions against American flag ship­ photo one of the preliminary pinochle contests gets under way, with the customary group of ping, made by the Government kibitzers standing by to lend atmosphere. Other prelims were in progress at tables through­ of the Union of South Africa, out the recreation room. Ten checker games were conducted simultaneously. have been partially relaxed. Hard hit by the initial ruling, SIUcontracted Robin Line is ex­ pected to reinstate its weekly sailings to South African ports. The company had been forced to cut its sailings by better than one-half. Robin Line officials have stat­ NEW YORK — The campaign ers have been leaving for better be provided free, are no longer ed that the change in import of the New York Teachers Guild, paying jobs in industry, and re­ distributed to students and, as a controls by the South African American Federation of Teach­ placements are not readily avail­ consequence, many of the poorer country will be straightened out ers, for a $1,200 wage increase, able. children are forced to do without. by July 1. plus an appropriation of $100,In professional ranks, doctors, The Teachers Guild is also cam­ The cause of difficulties to 000,000 to build badly needed lawyers, engineers, dentists, etc., paigning to have school supplies American shipping outfits came school buildings, gathered mo­ all earn more than teachers and, given out, not sold, to the stu­ when the South African govern­ mentum this week as members of in general, plumbers, carpenters dents. ment forced importers to de­ the Seafarers assisted the Teach­ and electricians, average more Pressure is being brought to duct freight and insurance ers in distributing literature at per year than the men and wo­ bear on New York State legisla­ ginia, committee chairman, and charges from their exchange quo­ street-corner meetings in vari­ men who make teaching their tor to enact the laws to increase introduced on the floor of the House. An identical bill was in­ tas if their goods were carried ous parts of the city. teachers salaries and appropri­ troduced into the Senate by Sen­ career. by non-sterling vessels. ate enough money to build new ator Warren G. Magnuson of Volunteers from the Union BUILDINGS NEEDED As a consequence, American gave, out thousands of leaflets, As far as the schools are con­ schools, and it is in this connec­ Washington state. companies have been virtually explaining the Teachers' stand, cerned, many of the buildings tion that the help of the "SlU The bill is the answer to ECA driven from the trade because and also helped the Guild by in use today were already old at was requested. they would not accept either speaking at street-corner rallies. the turn of the century. The Last week the Union sent a Administrator Paul G. Hoffman's Sterling or South African pounds. That the teachers are badly in $100,000,000 which the Teachers telegram to Governor Dewey and 'proposal, announced December 3, The relaxation of the rule will need of a wage increase is well Guild' is asking to be appropri­ prominent New York State law­ to reduce the participation oi allow, effective April 1, freight known. Most teachers hold out­ ated is not out of line, and will makers, urging them to appro­ American ships in the transpor­ and insurance charges to be de­ side jobs so that they can bal­ just about provide "enough funds priate "one hundred million dol­ tation of Marshall Plan bulk car­ ducted from the exchange quo­ ance the budget, and some teach- to build the bare minimum of lars for new school buildings and goes. Effect of the Hoffman pro­ tas of its importers irrespective efs hold two extra jobs. schools needed in New York one hundred million dollars to posal would be to drive the Am­ of the currency in which charges' Because salaries are so low, City and ul)state. maintain standards of the teach­ erican flag from the high seas, the SIU immediately pretested. are paid. qualified and experienced teach-" School supplies, which used to ing profession." Seafarers Gives Aid To Teachers Guiid in Campaign For Higher Pay, MoreSchoois �Friday, February 25. 1949 THE S E AFARERS LO G Page Four Good Shipping Period Ciears Frisco Of Avaiiable Manpower Tug, Shoregang [him Wretkers Are Waned Jobs Big Help To Port Mobile The SIU ii on record ihat charges will be placed against men guilty of being the following: PILFERERS: Men who walk off ships with crew's equipmen or ship's gear, such as sheets, towels, ship's stores, cargo, etc» for sale ashore. WEEDHOUNDS: Men who are in the possession of or who use marijuana or other narcotics on board an SIU ship or in the vicinity of an SIU HalL GASHOUND PERFORMERS: Men who jeopardize the safety of th^ shipmates by drinking while at work on a ship or who turn to in a drunken condition. .Those who disrupt the operation of a ship, the pay-ofi or sign-on by being gassed up. This Union was built of, by and for seamen. Seafeurers fought many long and bloody fights to obtain the wages and conditions we now enjoy. For the first time in the history of the maritime industry a seaman can support himself and his family in a decent and independent manner. The SIU does not tolerate the jeopardizing of these conditions by the actions of irrespoDsibles. In any occupation there is a small group of foulbaUs. While the Union has been fortunate in keeping such characters to a minimum, we must eliminate them altogether from the SIU. All Seafarers, members and officials alike, are under obligation to place charges against these types of characters. Any man, upon being convicted by a Union Trial Com­ mittee of actions such as outlined here, faces Union discipline up to and including complete expulsion from the Seafarers. By FRENCHY MICHELET SAN FRANCISCO — Shipping be planning to come out here, is very, very good on this coast. They should be sure they have The three new ships that were a few bucks to sustain themcrewed in the past two-week selves while waiting for a job. period have practically exhaust- ^he last group of men who ed our supply of manpower. came here hitchhiked their way We are scheduled to ship three Qygj.^ grabbed a freight or made more full, crews in the coming some such way. They were two weeks^ and we're really go­ flat broke when they got here ing to have to step fast to get and consequently were a severe the men. drain on the piecards. The only ones having any trouble at all shipping from here Everything has been going ^e the alien seamen. In order out and nothing has been com­ to make things as fair as pos­ ing in. There hasn't been a pay­ sible for our alien Brothers, we off on this coast in more than have taken to rotating the de­ a month. partmental rank so that every­ Outside of an occasional visit one has a chance for a job. that we make to in-transit ships our job has been princip­ WORKING OUT ally crewing up ships. However, In conformity with this policy this life of ease is evidently the last ship, the Choctaw, was coming to an abrupt halt be­ shipped Steward, Deck and En­ cause, starting next week, ships gine. The Chickasaw will take will be rowing in for payoffs reg­ a crew Monday and it will be ularly. shipped in this order; Deck, En­ gine and Steward. The Winthrop Marvin, due to 'take a full crew the following week, will be ship­ ped Engine, Steward and Deck. Every member making a This policy was arrived at donation to the Union for after a full discussion by the By JOE ALGINA any purpose should receive membership here and it is work­ an official receipt bearing ing very well indeed. NEW YORK—It was another tory, and Bessemer Victory sign­ the amount of the contribu­ Everyone of the more than slow week for shipping here. ed on again and cleared port 200 permitmen, who came from The bottom hasn't fallen out of along with the following sign- tion and the purpose for which it was made. the other coasts in response to port activity as far as this Un­ ons, holdovers from last week: our appeal for help to man ships, ion is concerned; however, there's If a Union official to whom have since found berths, and we no doubt that, we've taken a Meredith Victory, Anniston contribution is given does City, Isthmian; Coral Sea, Coral not make out a receipt for now find ourselves back in the set-back. Sea Steamship Company, and the money, the matter should same old pickle. Making predictions about the Azalea City, Waterman. immediately be referred to CAUTION future shipping in this port is Although the drop in shipping Paul Hall, Secretary-Trea­ However, we want to caution useless. We may have slight up­ has lessened the work of the surer, SIU, 51 Beaver Street, any of the Brothers who might swings, but overall the tempo Patrolmen in contacting ships, New York 4, N. Y. will probably continue at a pace they're still kept plenty busy do­ In advising the Secretarysomewhat reduced from what it ing work in the records depart­ Treasurer of such transac­ was six months or a year ago. ment. tions, members should state The foreign outfits have es­ There is a lot of work to be the name of the official and tablished themselves in the post­ done to keep the Union records the port where the money war trade and American com­ straight and the Patrolmen hand­ was tendered. panies are reducing their opera­ By JIMMY 'DRAWDY le a great deal of it. c. tions. Just to what extent Am­ SAVANNAH—Visits by three erican shipping will suffer it's ships kept this port busy during hard to say, but the rosy days the past week. We handled the "of- wide open shipping lay be­ Nathaniel B. Palmer, Algonquin hind us. Victory and the Steel Traveler. Robin Line, according to re­ On the Palmer, which touched ports, is straightening out its us in-transit, we put ten men troubles in South Africa and will By SAL COLLS aboard and settled the crew's put all of its ships back -in that Here's a tale that's making the beefs, which were few, thanks trade by mid-summer. In the SAN JUAN—^Any Seafarer in to a fine Skipper aboard who co­ meantime, Robin ships will be this port who wanted to work round here: operated all down the line with engaged in the grain trade, run­ had no trouble being satisfied An Oiler, who had been mak­ the SIU. In case you may ship ning from the Gulf to Europe. last week. The opportunities ing heavy weather of it and had were certainly here. Besides the been on a glorious bender for a under him someday, his name is Victor Diaz. 23 men shipped as replacements, WEEK'S WORK a goodly number were sent out The major beef on the Palmer concerned the Chief Cook, He This week's payoffs were: on shoregang work. claimed that a Steward had no Steel Traveler, Santa ClarA Vic­ The vessels taking the replace­ Jjusiness in the galley and he tory, Steel Director, Isthmian; ments were the! Wild Ranger, Al­ . would not ship on a vessel where Emilia and Beatrice, Bull; Sea- coa, and the following Bull Line the Steward entered the galley. train Havana; Wanda, Epiphany; Line ships: Kathryn, Monroe, Well, we tried to explain to Bessemer Victory, Waterman. Dorothy, Beatrice, Carolyn and himrthe set-up but he persisted The Emilia, Beatrice, Seatrain Marina. Things were going in his viewpoint, so we had to Havana, Wanda, Santa Clara Vic- evenly aboard these ships and replace him. the beefs were of the usual The Algonquin Victory was an run. unexpected surprise, coming in NEW PACT out of nowhere to payoff here. Anyone who worked for She helped out to the extent of The membership in San Juan taking ten men aboard before Calmar Steamship Company are vitally interested right now she cleared out again. between the years of 1942 in getting a new contract and week or so, was finally shipped CLEANEST SEEN and 1947 is urged to write wage increase from the Bull on the Monarch of the Seas. He The Traveler, in-transit, rates to or see Mr. Henry Simon- Line for the shoregang work. was leaving the Hall with his white shipping card clutched a good word. She was the clean­ son, Room 1304—25 Broad­ The scale paid here varies from happily in his hand. that in New York. est ship I've seen since taking • way, New York City. On the labor front, all seems "Hey," someone called after over in this port. The Bosun, There are :..any thousands to be briefly quiet on the island him, "where are you going so George Everett, aided by Big of dollars in back pay due of Puerto Rico—at this moment, fast?" Boy Wagner, led a heads-up these members lying in the at least. "Where the hell do you think gang of men. We put one man company office that have I'm going? To the ship, of aboard the Traveler. He got him­ Some of the oldtimers i« port never been claimed. Unless course!" he replied. self a clean ship and a good right now are "Tommy Banning, those who have money com­ bunch of shipmates. Red Whiddon, Pat Dunphy, Eu­ "Yeah, but what about your ing apply for it, it will have gene Dore, Jimmy Nelson, "Ben­ gear?" This week we have four to be turned back to the ny - Without - a - Penny" Benno, Brothers in lay-up here: A. C. "Brother," the o 1 d t i m e r government. McAlpin, L. C. Cole, L. Hodges William Hitt and a host of cracked, "I'm right in the middle and Stanley Kasmirski. of it." others. Robiu To Cany Grain To Emepe Until Sooth Afriro Rm Resames Get A Receipt Port Savannah Has Busy Week Shipping And Shoregang Jobs Take Care Of San Juan Seafarers Calmar Crewmen By CAL TANNER MOBILE—The number of men shipped from this port last week was stepped up by calls for 42 shoregang and seven tug relief jobs. Ships paying off were the Morning Light, Antinous, Gov­ ernor Miller, Governor Sparks, Yaka, and Mobilian, all of Wa­ terman, and the Alcoa Corsair. Those signing on were the Corsair, the Morning Light and the Antinous, all on continuous articles, and the Mobilian, which signed on foreign with calls scheduled for Germany, Belgium and Holland. . GOOD PAYOFFS All ships paying off were in good shape. The few minor beefs were settled to the satis­ faction of all concerned. We lost two Waterman Lib­ erties when the Governor Miller and Governor Sparks were sold to other interests. We are at present trying to obtain an SIU contract with the new companies and we will inform the member­ ship via the LOG of the out­ come of these efforts. The namesake of this port, the Mobilian, arrived this week. She is one of the C-2s that Water­ man acquired on the West -Coast and brought' here after a trip to Emope. They have also nam­ ed one of the new ships the Fairhope, for the Baldwin coun­ try boys. IN TRANSIT CALLS In-transit in this port during the week were the LaSalle, Wa­ terman, in from New Orleans in good shape; and the Steel Mariner and Steel Inventor, Is­ thmian, which arrived from the West Coast in fair shape. On the Mariner the boarding Patrolmen pulled two permitmen who were not living up to the agreement. They were sack­ ing in and creating difficulties for the rest of the crew. These offenders did nothing to keep their quarters clean and gener­ ally refused to cooperate with their shipmates. Ten of our Seafarers are in the Mobile Marine Hospital this week. They are P. M. Vandereik, K. G. Huller, Eugene Leary, William J. Sullivan, Nicholas Bosanyi, Erline Smith, J. L. Buckelew, P. Cardona, Tim Burke and Lester Lord. We also have a complement of oldtimers on the beach: L. A. Dean, J. Padzik, O. Davenport, T. W. Taylor, R. L. Phifer, C. A. Wahl, M. Cieutat, Jake Pursell, L. B. Moore, M. Trehern, J. Watler, D. C. Bodden and J. D. Denson. ATTENTION! All men who have been iired from Cities Service ships for union activity or because they are SIU members should immedi­ ately report in person, or write to Lindsey Wil­ liams, Director of Organi­ zation, SIU, 51 Beaver St., New York 4, N. Y. �Friday, February 25, 1949 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Fire Cape Cod Canal Boasts Colotful History By JOHN BUNKER Thousands of Seafarers, both in war and peacetime, have gone through, the Cape Cod Canal. Few of them, perhaps, know' that this is one of the most un­ usual waterways of the world and one with a colorful history. It is unusual in that ships use it • without charge, regardless of flag or nationality. Despite the fact that it is wholly within continental United States, Nor­ wegian, French, British, Indian or Dutch—all can use it equal­ ly without cost or discrimination. The Cape Cod Canal provides a 66-mile saving for vessels sail­ ing between seaboard points. During the war years it handled more than 60,000 ships, as con­ voys transited the canal to es­ cape submarines haunting the misty waters of George Banks. /C TOPORTLANP ELCANAOA In 1929, peak -year fpr the coastal passenger trade, 233,000 tourists and night-boat commu•ters transited the waterway on steamers of the Eastern Steam­ ship Company,- Clyde Mallory and the Merchants and Miners Transportation Company. This business is all gone now, and chances are slim that ever again will passengers line the rail aboard the white-hulled coastal steamers V to watch the shore line slip by, as the night boats run through from Cape Cod Bay to New York. WELL TRAVELED Hundreds of colliers use the canal to save the 66 miles of steaming from Hampton Roads A small tanker makes her way through the Cape Cod Canal. to New England ports and a steady stream of tankers pass through to Boston, the Port­ for foreigners, flags of every lights at either end of the canal land pipe line, and Canadian maritime nation fly from the instructed the ships when to pro­ SLOW TO COME gaff of freighters along this wa­ ceed, ships in convoy being points. terway. A "baby" among canals in moved i,hrough at the rate of Stand along the 'canal on a comparison with the Panama eight minutes apart. Norwegians, Swedes and Bri­ busy day and you'll see a dozen and Suez w'aterways, the digging Ships loaded "full and down" different house flags as ships of tish are most frequent among of the Cape Cod Canal present­ with ammunition (the pilots the foreign flags; along with all kinds transit the "Cape Cod ed no gargsmtuan problems in called them 'pink' ships) were Dutch, Argentine, Brazilian, Pan­ cut." : engineering, as did the Panama put through at half hour in­ amanian, Danish, Italian, French The big "M" of the Mystic and Suez cuts, but proposals to and, since the war, Indian, tervals. Nobody wanted two of colliers, all of them war-built slice across the Cape with a Egyptian and other nationalities them to collide and blow up to­ Liberty "seam" boats, is the time-saving waterway were pre­ newly come to the seaborne gether. There would have been most common, for this outfit has sented more than 250 years be­ "no more canal." trades. the biggest fleet of colliers on fore modern machinery made it The canal has made possible TRAFFIC COPS spare enough men to start the the coast. possible. the operation of a large fleet of The old Sprague "S'' is fre­ job. ^ The canal was finally finished Thirty five pilots were on small coastal tankers whose low and opened for the smaller At least onee every decade quent, too, with the Sprague freeboard—often not more than duty here during the war, along types of coastal shipping in July, from then on, including an offi­ company operating a large fleet foot or two out of the water with armed guards who rode 1914, but the idea for a shipping cial survey ordered by Congress of coal boats as well as C-3s in when loaded — would make a aboard every ship to make sure route- here is as old as early in 1812, some action was initi­ the South American trade. winter time passage around the the skipper didn't speed up or colonial times, and attempts ated on behalf of a Cape Cod There are "Esso" ships. Tide­ Cape highly dangerous. otherwise break'- the navigation were made to dig it as far back canal, but it was not till 1883 water tankers, sugar boats from rules. as the Revolution. that a corporation was formed Cuba, occasional Calmar ships By using the cut-off, these One unfortunate incident dur­ bound down to Baltimore for little oil and gasoline carriers do ing the war almost threatened Soon after the Pilgrims set­ and operations begun. tled at Plymouth in 1620, th^y Like- many other canal dig­ steel, American-Export passen­ a lively business with New Eng­ to close the "ditch" to shipping. investigated the possibility of a gers—as at Suez and Panama— ger-freighters in-bound from the land seaboard points, serving In June of 1942, the collier canal through the narrow neck the firm went broke when the Mediterranean) Isthmiaxi ships small towns and oil docks sit­ Stephen Jones of Boston, bound of the Cape in order to save job turned out to be bigger loaded deep with steel, and uated on low water. north with 6,300 tons of coal, globe-girdling freighters of Am­ their small vessels—which had than it had expected. went aground at the Bourne CONVOY CUT erican President's . round-thealready opened up a thriving bridge. SMALL TIMER During World War II, many world fleet. business with New Amsterdam Her bow opened on the rocks east-bound convoys made up in and the vessel filled with water (New York)—the hazardous voy­ Seagoing ships of all kinds use In 1880 an ambitious New Buzzards Bay, and it was not at just as the change of tide (it age around the Cape, which was York contractor had started dig­ this waterway: from little fish­ even then claiming its yearly ging with 500 laborers using ing draggers running out to all unusual for a convoy of 100 runs hard and swiftly through ships to pass through the canal in the ditch) started and swung toll of wrecks. shovels and wheelbarrows. He Georges for haddock and scal­ These Pljnriouth pioneers hop­ soon, of course, abandoned the lops to two-stacker tugs with succession. her around. ed to dig a waterway connecting job. Under wartime Coast Guard strings of barges. Coast Guard She broke up and turned over. the Scusset River, which flowed cutters, destroyers and yachts. operation, this huge traffic was Traffic was tied up for -'many north into Cape Cod Bay, and This shoyel-and-barrow method Since the United States puts handled like traffic on a high­ days before the wreck could be of canal making is not as futile the Manamet River, flowing no restriction on use of the canal way. - Green, red and amber dynamited and cleared. as it sounds, for historians tell south into Buzzards Bay. us the Egyptians cut a canal BACKED BY PILGRIM through the Isthmus of Suez by The project was logical and such a method hundreds of years the famous Myles Standish, fug­ before the present Suez canal ged military leader of the Ply­ was opened in 1860. mouth colonists, established a The Egyptians, of course, had trade route over this part of the a huge supply of slave labor Cape—although the job of join­ which they probably wasted on ing the rivers with a navigable the project with the usual aban­ ditch proved too formidable for don of those times. their limited tools and man­ Work was resumed by another i\ power. company in 1909 and, finally, on As the years went by, many July 4, 1914, the job was suc­ sui'veys were made in hope that cessfully completed, with the a waterway would be feasible, canal opened for navigation to for with every winter storm vessels drawing 15 feet or less. more stout ships and hardy sail­ Tolls were charged in an at­ ors came to grief along the tempt to pay back expenses, but sandy Cape and on treacherous the builders never made any Nantucket Shoals. money on their $15,000,000 ven­ During the Revolution, when ture. the British fleet had the New Ownership of the waterway England coast blockaded tight was taken over by the federal as a drum. General George government in 1928 for $11,500,Washington ordered his chief 000, a sum that would lae con­ military engineer, Thomas Ma- sidered hardly worth the men­ chin, to survey a canal route tion today in spend-mad Wash­ across the Cape as a means of ington. Ideating ^the British noose around Two highway bridges, one of colonial * commerce. them more than foiu^ miles long, Engineer Machin made a thor­ span the canal, along with a ough survey and proposed a ditch unique vertical lift railway 14 "feet deep—well able at that bridge. time to handle anything in coast­ In days when the eastern , sea­ al commerce and much of the board was alive with coastal deep sea trade as well. liners, the Cape Cod Canal hand­ —U. S. Engineers Photo Washington, however, could led thousands of passengers ev­ An aerial view o{ the Cape Cod Canal. Maisachusetle. looking tow\?rd Cape Cod Bay. In the foreground is the new Sagamore Bridge. not raise sufficient funds or ery year. �Page Six THE SEA FA R E RS LOG Friday, Febcuary 25, 1949 AMD NEWS Hardworking Trent Crew Overcomes Many Setbacks THE DEL MAM'S MEN IN WHITE By PAT MURPHY Today marks the 49th day of the Robin Trent's stay in Beira anchorage, and no one knows when we will reach the docks. If barnacles sold by the pound, we would all be rich. The trip to date has been chock full of events, both humorous and tragsic. However, we are looking for­ ward to completing this trip without any further mishaps. The Fezed One (The report of the death of crewmember Joseph FeruUo was carried in the LOG of February 18.) At the present time we have two men hospitalized, and others under medical care for such af­ flictions as broken arms, toes and fingers, infected legs, mal­ aria and dysentary. Looking at the brighter side of this floating paradise, which is the cleanest ship we have ever had the pleasure of sailing, we proudly boast a bang up Softball team, weight lifters, ping pong players, boxers, and an allaround sober, hard-working crew. The love bug bit Shick'shinny Red George Leidemann, who took the final plunge in Cape­ town—hot to be confused with Ship's photographer Charles Cummins caught part of the Delta liner's Stewards Depart­ the plunge he took ip the East ment prior to their going to work. Left to right, front row—Fred Lampricht. Manuel Archibald, River. Edmund Carlson is the Nathan Bobbins, Vernon North. Second row—Chief Steward Edward Riviere, Second Steward Bosun for this trip. He's now Major Costello, Clarence Cooper, Frank Vivero, Joe Galliano, Ivan During and Charles Campdrinking table wine by the ten sen. The boys say they will all be on hand in New Orleans at Mardi Gras time. liter jug, inasmuch that we were warned not to drink water while ashore. THEME SONG Fort Bridget crewmcUi Red Braunsiein appears to have come under the influence of the Moslem world. Bearded and wearing a fez, he stands on the Bridget boat deck. The Bridget is on 18-monlhs arti­ cles, shuttling oil between the Persian Gulf and France. Seafarers Praise Medical Staff Of Savannah Hosp. The Savannah Marine Hospi­ tal's men and women in white rate high in the books of their Seafarer patients. According to Frank Boyne, who stopped off at the New York Hall the other day enroute to his home town of Bos­ ton, for a weekend visit. Sea­ farers iri the Savannah hospital haven't a single kick with the treatment they're getting. In fact,' when Frank left Sa­ vannah, the boys a.sked him to pass the world along to the LOG. They want to» go on record as thanking the doctors, nurses and the rest of the staff for the "ex­ cellent attentipn, good show and all around cooperation" given to patients in the Savannah hospi­ tal. The^^SlU men in the hospital are visited weekly by a Union representative and they say the hospital benefits come in handy for cigarettes and other jwrsonal comfort items, Frank added. 'The Voice Of The Sea' By SALTY DICK Frenchy Lipari, AB, was tak­ en for $72 in a cognac deal by crewmembers of a foreign ship. Leo Morsette celebrated his Received a letter from Ed L. E. Wessels, Book No. 1. I A few of the boys are singing 42nd birthday on board ship with Grothus in Iowa. He reads the understand 26 No. 1 books were "Bongo, Bongo, Bongo, We Don't a big party. He had everything LOG weekly to keep in touch issued at the time. Any more Want To Leave The Jungle;" including nuts. The Baker, Dick With- hi& friends. He bought a dround? From New Orleans I'll others are singing "UkulelsJi Hamsperger presented him with car and made a 11,000 mile trip. go to Tampa (my home-town) Askima Kukuzibulala," which, a cake which he had to cut with Ten to one the sea will call him to see the boys and enjoy a translated from the Zulu, means: a cleaver. Walter Orman, Ray back... Who is the bellboy who much-needed rest. I haven't seen "Gee, I Want To Go Home." Fljmn and others kept .the party brings his home-made pepper the Gasparilla Fair in years. going by telling jokes... Some­ sauce to the mess table every­ Henry Cordes is around here, On January '23, 25 of the crew how the Robin Sherwood always day? He's the same fellow who and by the way he is talking chartered a motor launch and went up the* Buzzi River into comes to my mind. We sailed takes a box limch from the ship he's ready to take anything. the heart of the hippo country. her in 1942 on a 28,000 mile trip and spends the day in the park I read about the death of Louis Galvani. I knew him personal­ Among the cheerful participants to Persia. Joe Algina was her listening to the birds. Tony Pisarii is here in New ly and I must say he was a were Frank Paschang, Mike So- Bosun. Some of the fellows have Orleans, but his heart is in Mom's good SIU man. ' vich, David Gilmore, Cyril. Wgenfe, John Davis, Ed Carlson, War­ been talking about long stays Place in Brooklyn. Rumor has Hank Lae was hospitalized and ren Hodges, T. Dickerson, J. Gill, in Buenos Aires. The longest it that Jose Castellon, former now has an eye on the black­ Gilberty DeJesus, Cassimer Wod- I stayed there was 64 days butcher on a Delta scow, has board at the Hall. He has what ka, Ed Albinski, Red Leidemann, while aboard the Cuba Vic­ opened a hash joint here in New is known as "blackboard, blues." Bill Ammerman, and R. Pomer- tory. What's your record?... Orleans. Our present butcher has Zoller, Jr. was walking down St. lane. The boys enjoyed them­ Seldom do I see anything in found an unfurnished apartment Charles Street when I piet him. selves even though we didn't the LOG about the Del Mar. but now needs some furniture. I also met his mother and dad. She's a fine ship, so why Paul Marino has quit the Alcoa If you need any clothes go to dine on hippo steaks. doesn't some member of her run and has returned to the iZollers Clothing Store. The New In conclusion, I'll say that if crew give the LOG a story? Coffee Trail. His brother-in-law, you throw in for a job on the ... Can you name five auto­ Ralph Domminici, is also trying Orleans Seamen's Town House played host to a lot of hot dog Robin Trent, and you are an all- mobiles that begin with the to get back here. eating and coffee drinking sea­ around athlete, you're in for a letter "P?" men. Looking over the SEAFAR­ good time. Rumor has it that in order to ERS LOG of 1946 I came .across pictures of Jerry Rosen­ be a good waiter on passenger thal and V. Meehan. I saw ships a man must have worked Jerry in New York last Oc­ on Bourbon Street. Don't believe tober. He looked good. I spent it. One of the boys read in Life a couple of hours seeing a magazine about rockets flying to movie High Seas. Glenn Ford the moon at the speed of 25,000 had a hard. time convincing mph. He wants to volunteer for the shipowner about condi­ the job. The same lad likes a tions on board. Nowadays we liberty ship because it's a slow call up the SIU Hall and the mover. situation is fixed up in a mat­ ter of hours. Don Short has quit the sea af­ ter sailing "for eight years. He Don't hold your peclures plans to stay home in Canton, and stories of shipboard acti- ; Ohio, and read the LOG. Angelo vities. Mail them to the Sea-/ Gonzalez took a vacation to farers Log, 51 Beaver St., Cuba, and while there he fell New York 4, N. Y. If you in, love. Now he's looking for haven't the timer>r don't feel an apartment in New York. in the mood, just forward de-' Someone once asked, why I tails. We'll do the rest. Picdon't write about oldtimers. tures will be returned if ybu The entbre crew of the Robia Trent pose under the South Okay, Brothers. While talking to wiilu African sun for the camera of crewmember Edward AUnnski. Bidl Shepuard recently, i met Send 'En In .1 �Friday, February 25, 1949 THE SEAFARERS LOG Digested Minutes Of SlU Ship Meetings Page Seven 6am Says: squared away by Agent McKay PURDUE VICTORY, Jan. 30— G. G. Williams elected ship's A. Thomas, Chairman; Richard delegate by acclamation. Motion E. Weaver, Secretary. Delegates carried that each department reported that there are no beefs make up a repair list. Under pending in any of the depart­ Good and Welfare it was sug­ ments., Ship's Delegate advised gested that the messhall be all book men of the importance cleaned thoroughly. Ship's dele­ of knowing the proper way to gate is to see the Captain about conduct a meeting. He sug­ painting the messroom. Discus­ gested that diiferent men be sion on foc'sle occupied by the nominated for the chaiman's and Wipers. Also discussion on sani­ secretary's job at each meeting. tation. Each man using the laun­ Under Good and Welfare it was dry is to leave it in clean con­ recommended that all fans be dition. Steam tables topside are checked and repaired, if neces­ to be repaired. sary. All hands advised to turn in any linen they might be hold­ cially on night watches. Galley 4 t i YOUR FlGHT POR SlU blower system is to be checked, CLAIBORNE, Jan. 23—J. Bis­ ing. REPRESEMTATIOM and coffee urn is to be repaired, sonnet. Chairman; H. Ridgeway. 4. . 4. POES MOT END WHEN i CLAIBORNE, Jan. 16 — J. YDU HAVE CAST'JOUR. Secretary. Ship's delegate re­ CATAHOULA, Jan. 30— ported that nothing could be VOTE. Bissonnet, Chairman; H. Ridgeway. Secretary. Ship's delegate Thomas F. Freeman, Chairman; done about hanging clothes in reported that all repairs had Elmer Sexton, Secretary. Every- fidley. He said he was going been made. He said that all thihg was reported to be running to talk to Skipper about giving cigarettes turned in for Bremen smoothly in the three depart­ us cigarettes due us before ar­ P. J. Walsh, Chief riving in Hamburg. Discussion would be returned before dock­ ments. ing in Hamburg. There were no Pumpman, moved that delegates on cleanliness in laundry and beefs in the deparlnients, ac­ ch^ck all store.s both up North messhall; cooperation of all cording to the Delegates. A and down South to make sure hands was requested. question was raised about col­ Chief Steward is gejtting enough 4 4. 4. lecting overtime for delayed fresh fruits and vegetables. The WILLIAM H. CARRUTH, Jan. sailing and lodging. This matter Fireman made an amendment to 9—William Kane, Chairman: will be straightened out when the effect that Chief Steward be Blackie Connors, Secretary. Mo­ we hit the States. Several needed notified of this action -and that tion carried that ship's delegate repairs wUl be made. One min­ he be shown clause in agreement ute of silence in memory of our that is authority for such action. prepare a letter to the Union By HANK Suggested by William Mansfield asking that an organizer be at departed Brothers. that all men. cooperate in keep­ the ship, and a Patrolman be on While Brother Alex "Ski" Janowski is down there in Balti­ ing recreation hall clean. Ed­ hand to bring members up to more, his brother. Steward Eddie Janowski, is up here visiting the ward Hunt advised that delegates date. night-spots. After hitting many Irish ports, which in his opinion see Purser about getting a slopweren't lively enough, the scow Eddie is on is now heading for chest on board. Antwerp. And is Eddie happy! ... Steward James Hand, champion 4, 4. 4. , 4. t 4. dog-breeder and Florida citizen, anchored into town. After men­ GOVERNOR GRAVES, Jan. 2 ST. AUGUSTINE VICTORY, —William McKenna, Chairman; tioning the rock ships (those carrying phosphate), which now and Dec. 26—Jack Bertie, Chairman; John R. Tilley. Secretary. Ship's then come into Tampa, he revealed hov/ he'll be doggedly trying 4 4 4 H. Kirkel, Secretary. Deck De­ delegate reported no beefs pend­ to splice himself to an Electrician's endorsement. Even if he has BEATRICE, Jan. 5^—A. Lolect, partment recommended Captain ing and expects a clean payoff. Chairman; Juan R. Olivo, Secre­ to wear out the books. Tis true, James. There's no short (cir)cuit be asked to allow painting galley Other delegates reported their tary. M. Saliva reported a few to getting those tough endorsements. with spray guns. Galley stove departments in order. New hours of disputed overtime in 4 4 4 -was repaired. Ship's- delegate Business; Recording secretary the deck department. A. Melensaid there were no major ship­ read correspondence from Paul Flash News: George Pasinosky. the oldtimer, was seen dez reported all working okay in board beefs. Department dele­ Hall concerning letter sent by last week squeezing somebody's accordion. And George, who engine department. C. E. Grell gates gave their reports. As previous crew on transportation has handled those so-called portable pianos, is now thinking reported no beefs in stewards de­ ship left Frisco without Chief ruling. Letter was accepted as of buying an accordion.. Say, fellas, imagine a guy going to partment. Good and Welfare: Cook, Steward requested the job read. Motion carried that no sea with an accordion. How good would those barbershop Discussion on lack of laundry be filled. Chief Mate is to be one payoff until any* and all quartets be without barrels of beer to keep the music going facilities aboard ship. asked not to handle booms as Deefs are cleared by Patrolman. and the voices in tune? 4 4 4 this is Bosun's work. Promotion Giszczak reported that library BRET HARTE, Dec. 26—Vin­ of Wiper approved, provided he hias been crated for exchange. cent Kuhl, Chairman; Frank Brother Tom Hamond, Electrician and New Jersey citizen, gets endorsements. Lookout tele­ Mitchell, Secretary. Delegates' has a good shipping card and figures he'll be sailing soon. No phone on bow to be repaired by reports accepted. New Business: doubt he has good reason in singing the popular sea-song "Faraway Electrician. Procedure for pay­ Suggestion .that committee see Places"—although we don't know if _ Tom can sing... Brother ing off discussed by ship's dele­ Captain about ample draw in Joseph Demuth had a humorous argument last week with two gate. One minute of silence for Japan as previous draws were Massachusetts Seafarers, Brothers Murray and Lafrance. The beef Brothers lost at sea. insufficient. Comments made on was whether or not the textile towns of Massachusetts could or t i ^ condition of meat and committee could not be called part of the sticks. We don't know either. We're ST. AUGUSTINE VICTORY, was appointed to investigate sit­ strictly from the beery and baseball country of Brooklyn ... Brother Jan. 23—John Devine, Chairman; uation. Recommendation made Roy White, Jr., keeps collecting his mail faithfully every day. Malcolm Cross, Secretary. Status that data on slopchest be up at Wonderful invention these letters... Last week James O'Connell of permits and book men in each 4 4 4 next meeting and be posted for department reported by dele­ SANTA CLARA VICTORY, oncoming crew. One minute of grabbed his gear and grabbed a ship... The ship Brother L Flaherty is on must have sailed since last week. gates. Brothers Cross, Devine, Jan. 22—Kelley, Chipirman; AlGuntlier nominated for ship's vin Carpenter, Secretary. Deck silence for Brothers lost at sea. 4 4 4 delegate, with Cross being delegate reported disputed over­ 4 4 4 Whether he uses elbow-grease, hammer-lock or a threeelected. Brother Millbrooks time. Mate refused to give per­ SEA TRADER, Jan. 7—J. Car­ quarter-Nelson with his brain muscles, we do say that Frank elected deck delegate by ac­ mission for sougeeing and paint­ roll, Chairman; G. Meltzer, Sec­ Boyne, the ex-wrestler, sure can bend a tine salty poem for clamation. It was recommended ing foc'sles. There were no beefs retary. Delegates reported on the LOG to print. that Bosun get permission from in the engine department, and number of books and permits in Mate to repair deck cargo as none in the stewards depart­ their departments. New Busi­ 4 4 4 safety precaution, inasmuch as ment, except for - tWb hours of ness: Nicholas L. Mark elected Brother W. L. Hammock, of Georgia, writes from aboard the cargo is lumber and is unsafe disputed overtime. Motion car­ ship's delegate by acclamation. SS Fairisle that the crew enjoys the LOG in almost every port to walk on. Brother Breda, a ried that copies of the repair list Motion carried to check repair in the world... Thomas Add Gilham, the Cook, in from a Robin permit, pointed out the several be posted and kept for the next list before returning to the Line voyage ... Joe Wread just sailed into town ... So have Harvey ways in whicii a crewmember crew. Other copies, are to be States. Motion made that foun­ Hill> Franklin Smith and John Bove, the last named is one of the can establish himself as a good turned over to department heads tain midships be fixed as pres­ finest bakers in the SIU... Frank Devlin and Beecher Hardacher Union man. Crew agreed to and Patrolmen. Suggested that sure is low. Education: Short are in town. keep messhalls cleaner, espe­ ship's delegate get in touch with talk by Bock on conduct aboard 4 4 4 New Orleans Hall regarding con­ ship in reference to performers. The weekly LOG will be sailing free of cost .to the homes dition of foc'sles. The foc'sles of the following Brothers—Albert Doucette of Massachusetts, are to be cleaned for next crew, THEMEMBEBSHIPSAVS; A SlU Herbert Leavelle of Texas, P. J. Causey of Alabama, Philip as per agreement. Suggestion Livingston of Virginia, Donnie Stokes of Texas, Rudolph made that Patrolman be in­ SHIP MUST BE Schmidt of Mississippi, Frank Guarascio of Wisconsin. Albert formed of condition of topping BEfORE iTPA^drF/ Isaac of California, Dickinson Ellsworth of Maryland, O. W. gear, which Mate has made no Bariield of Florida, Luige lovino of New York, D. Jartin of effort to improve. Crew gave a New York.. . Brothers, where is the most beautiful street in vote of thanks to -the stewards the world? And what is the most beautiful port in the world? department. Adfiress your answers fo this column in care of the LOG 4 4 4 Editor...The transportation clause will be voted on shortly. TWIN FALLS VICTORY. Feb. Study it and then vote. Every good SIU man votes... Mean6—G. G. Williams. Chairman; A. whita keep those ships clean and happy. Hold those meetings A. Smith, Secretary. Delegates often. reported all beefs had been STAY ON yam SHiPAFTBN TNBBND OFTHBBtBCTiON, i/NTiLpye^ ernes seN\yices SiemroReM AN SiUA6m€M€NrJ CUT and RUN GlfAHSrtlf, �Page Eight THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, February 25, 1949 THE MEMBERSHIP SPEAKS Bid For Power Seen In CG Order To Radio Operators To the Editor: FORMER SEAFARER AND SHIPMATE This is just another means for the Coast Guard brass hats to get complete control of the Am­ erican. merchant marine, thereby keeping their useless, high sal­ aried plush jobs. Steel Director Crew Lauded By SIU Passenger To Ihe Editor: How is the Coast Guard go­ ing to explain the reason for the Observations as a SIU mem­ ber-passenger enroute from Port delay in ship sailings on or Said, Egypt Hospital to the US about April 1? The CG has pass­ aboard the Steel Director: ed a- rule that all Radio Opera­ The first thing that made me tors on merchant ships must As all Seafarers know, the feel good was the traditional have a new document, a Radio Coast Guard has been trying all good fellowship among our Un­ ion Brothers in making every­ Officer's license, by April 1. kinds of phony moves to con­ thing as comfortable as possible solidate its position. In 1946, the for me. Second: the cleanliness Coast Guard issued a mandate of this ship. that all seamen must carry new I was amazed how clean the ID cards. Only a few of our men messrooms were and asked how fell for this line. Most kept sail­ it was done. Each watch cleans up the messrooms and has a ing on their old papers issued fresh pot of coffee for the watch by the Department of Commerce. To the Editor: coming off. I was invited to at­ In the past year, the Coast tend a meeting, which I had The Brooklyn Kid has gone Guard has issued a mandate to quite a job- doing on account of south for the winter and can be Eubie Flowers (left), former Seafarer, is now wearing the my crippled leg, but I made it seen every day between calls the effect that wartime' AB tic­ at the Astoria in New Orleans. kets would then be considered blue of the US Navy, his mother reports. Seafarer at right and was surprised at how well regulated the meeting was car­ If you're interested, here's the as blue tickets and all deck sea­ is unidentified. ried on—no jumping jacks or story of some of the Brothers: constitution stiffs. Just a regular George Curry and David Cin- men with 36 months discharges business meeting well carried care are on a Far East jump should apply for green tickets. out. All messrooms should be aboard the Gateway City; Sonny PRESSURE MOVE kept as clean as this ship. There Rankin is in Galveston on the To the Editor: minds me "of those old days go­ is no excuse for dirty messrooms. This was plainly a move to Topa Topa; Nick Juzand has an­ ing to sea when some shark I retired my book recently More should be printed about make more seamen carry these swered the call to arms and is picked up a poor guy on the now referred to as Private Nick, little cards bearing the CG seal. and took a shoreside job at the waterfront and collected two cleanliness in forecastles and J. R. Porter Of course, all men wanting to request of my wife. Being a months advance in pay for a messrooms. c/o US Army. Bosun for five years it was rather Chief Steward protect their jobs and the hir­ Last week the New Orleans donkey's breakfast and a suit of heartbreaking to leave my ship­ ing hall applied for the tickets Hall looked like a bit of Beaver oilskins. mates and the SIU. Street moved south. Orville in order to continue sailing. •If any of my old shipmates see WISE SEAFARERS Here I have plenty of work Payne, John Gibbons, Leopold Now the CG feels that the this note, I wish they'd drop me HAVE HOBBIES, Faulkner, Pluck Oliver and many Radio Operators; should be un­ to do in holding down a half- a line. SAYS SEAFARER others out of New York. der their thumb as well. The dozen jobs as building superin­ M. van Ryswyk tendent of a building on Com­ Tell Hank the reason there is CG brass hats must figure that 1125 Commonwealth Ave. To the Editor: no mail from the Knot boats on they know more about radio and monwealth Avenue in Boston. _ I Boston. Mass. A seaman has much spare time the ri^ and bauxite run is that radio maintenance than the FCC work seven days a week from 6 after his working hours, and he AM to 10 PM for $120 a month they have all been laid up. Joe and other government offices do. would be wise if he used that Thomas is requested to drop me Not only is this a useless and four free rooms with heat, RETIRED SEAFARER spare time to work at some electricity and water. I do all a card at the New Orleans HaU. move, as is proved by the fact PUSHED PAY RAISE hobby. It makes a long trip Jamaica Whitey is still beach­ that the Radio Operators must the repairing, and serve as IN CHICAGO PLANT short and gives the man a clean combing down here along with also hold other licenses as weU, Electrician, Carpenter, Plumber, and sober mind in addition to Fireman, Watertender, Oiler, John Kennedy and Sam Packer. but the men must also wait To the Editor: the gaining of knowledge. James Allen is in towA fresh sixty days before their applica­ Coal Passer and Porter, so you Take a hint from an oldtimer I don't know where to send my from a West African run aboard tions can'be fully processed. It can see I am not running short called "The Professor." At the of work. I am going to or­ correct address to receive my W2 the Del Viento. smacks of a phony move all the ganize if I can to get better con­ statements from Alcoa Steam­ present timp, he, is making an way through. Dennis Saunders ship Company. I would appre­ SIU rung in silver. The reason ditions from these landlords. (The Brooklyn Kid) Milton Williams Working for these birds . re- ciate the company's headquarters he is called Professor is because he also wrote a book during his address. spare time on graphology. I am working here in Chicago PASSING SCENE IN INDIA Again I say that spare time in a plastic molding plant. The weU spent is an asset. There­ Union in the plant has just won fore, do not bend too many a raise. I am a molder steward elbows getting tanked and end­ on the day shift, and found my­ ing behind the eight ball. A self in hot water when I made hobby may save many Brothers the motion and spoke in favor from becoming performers. of pressing for the wage boost. BUI McKay Despite some dirty looks it paid off. " Enclosed is a copy of our un­ GLASS BLOWERS' ion paper (Mine, Mill' and Smel­ UNION OFFICIAL ter Workers) which has a picture PRAISES LOG you might like to see. How many white caps can you see? To the Editor: (Ed. Note: Picture showed SIU I want to take this opportun­ men being clubbed by New York ity to say that I read -the SEA­ police in last year's strike of the FARERS LOG with interest. I Stock Exchange.) think the Hiring Hall is very P. A, Carlson good. It is. democratic and gives the seamen an equal chance for work. After I am through read­ ing the LOG I take it to the fac­ tory and have my fellow shop­ Aboard ship Ihe arm of the men read it. Among the work­ Union Is the Ships and De- ers are a couple of ex-seamen piurlment Delegates. A good and they sure enjoy the LOG. crew, for 'its own protection, .1 wish you and your organiza­ picks its Delegates early, and tion all success in your under­ carefully. Have you and your taking. Fingal Sterling Seafarer. Norman MaRie had his drawing materials all set up a* an Indian boat passed shipmates elected your Dele­ Secretary, Local 20 beneatli the stern of bis ship, the Santa Clara Victory, in Bombay. Above cut is his record gates? Af not, do U now! Flint Glass Blowers of the scene. Union The 'Kid' Likes Wintering In New Orleans Bar Retired Bosun Now Stoking Fires Ships Delegates �Friday, February 25, 1949 THE SEAFARERS Don't Bite A Dog! A Prayer By WANDERING SEAFARER Upon the problems of our day Oh Lord, let there be light, Let the grief of men be lifted And our sorrows put to flight. • We do not shirk the sweat or toil, This we all understand. For our labor's consecrated To the building of our land. Let simple urge for work and rest Be ours in this life; We do not fear the perils without When our homes are peace and light. What happens to Seafarers while taking the ships to the far flung ports of the world makes interesting reading to the rest of the membership. There is an old saying that if a dog bites a man, that's not news but if a man bites a dog, that's news. Were not suggesting that you go out and bile a dog; however, if you've had an interesting ex­ perience on your trip thai was a little out of the or­ dinary, share it with your fellow Seafarers through the pages of the SEAFARERS LOG. You don't have to be a Jack London to knock out the details of the experience. Just give us the facts and well do the rest. Pictures, too make a story more interesting. If you. or a fellow crewmember, are lucky enough to have a camera along — send your Protect the poor, the weak, the aged, The widow and her kin; May love and brotherhood rule our lives To chasten this world's din. May foolish mighty ones of earth Who revel in false pride Bow down before their unseen God And in his purpose bide. We are the creatures of his will. However great we plan, The great pass on, shorn of their wealth. And leave the working inan. All those who toil are in his care; And heart of his great plan Are those who work for man and God— All this we understand. Page Nine LOG Red Finds Refuge On Ship After Rough Shoreside Job Loyola Victory crewmen snapped by Seafarer Red Fisher as they sunned themselves while the ship passed through the Panama Canal. Left to right—Singleton, Wiper; S. W. Woomer, Wiper; Lloyd Gunnells. Oiler. of what an AB would make for the same hours. While on the behch after a Ontra's Cafeteria was my next three month trip to the Persian stop. I hired on as busboy and Gulf on the Mission San Fern­ stayed there almost two months. ando, I was forced to take a job The eats were good and there because of the West Coast strike. was plenty of work to be done. I accepted a job in the. Park­ The" manager, however, was a After busboys quit view Hospital, but lasted only chiseler. one week and quit. I didn't like right and left, the board had a the pay and the working condi­ meeting and raised the wages 50 tions. Extra "work and low pay cents a day. This happened in Los Angeles, was the rule, although they told us the wages were good. Ac­ a city known for its low wages. tually the pay was less than half The wage standards here are much lower than in San Fran­ cisco and other strong union cities. OUT OF PORT I was getting a bellyful of the rough conditions of working ashore in two-bit eateries when , I am interested in matters of the strike ended. I immediately the kind mentioned in the LOG headed for "Wilmington, and took letter, not only because I am the a job on the Loyola Victory, wife of an SIU member but be­ which took five weeks of load­ cause I am always having to ing and getting her schediole argiae with Some damn fool who ready before she finally sailed. is ever ready to give a seamen a Most of her crew had bee* good kick. flown in from the East Coast. I thank you very much for After running up and down your trouble in sending me the the West Coast for over a month back issues. we finally headed south on the Mrs. P. M. (Pat) Robinson run to New York. The crew(Ed. Note: No trouble at all. proved to be a tip-top gang of The LOG' you requested is on men and all beefs were ironed the way. And we hope you'll out in meetings held aboard ship. Red Fisher keep on.blocking those kicks.) To the Editor: snapshots to the LOG. We'll take care of the developing and printing and the return- ' . ing of the negatives and prints to you. Send your bits of news and snaps to: SEAFARERS LOG, 51 Beaver Street, New York. N. Y. ' Seafarer's Wife Staunchly DefendsMember's Viewpoint To the Editor: The men who sail the ships at sea . Are children on his breast, Who see the mirror of God's face In calm or white tossed crest. Would you be so kind as to send me a few copies of the LOG in • , which there is a letter from an SIU seaman concerning the American Red Cross that quite a few of the so-called great be­ lievers would say is not true, Upon the problems of our day unless they read it themselves. Oh God, vouchsafe us light I don't remember if it was the last issue of November 1948 or That men may walk with heads held high the first issue of December 1948. In peace instead of strife. I do know this, however, that the seaihan who wrote it surdy would not come out with a state­ ment like he did, and the LOG To Ihe Editor: you know, Seatrain vessels are wouldn't print it, if there was no the best feeding ships afloat. foundation for it. (Letter by This is to let the Brothers Jack Procell Frank Bose told' how German aboard Seatrain vessels know Ship's Delegate trollops rated over seamen in the To the Editor: that you can get anything done, Seatrain New Orleans Bremen Red Cross.) We the crew of the SS Thomas within reason, to improve living Cresap, Isthmian, wholeheartedly SEAFARERS' HOUSTON HAUNT conditions on your ship, if. you endorse a procedure which we go about it in the right way. feel should be passed on to all SIU members to mull over. "Knowing that you have only The Captain purchased for us 24 hours in port you naturally five million units of penicillin to want to get ashore in that time. be used for our personal needs. But if you will give just a few We in turn assessed ourselves hours of time to bring your re­ $1.38 to be paid in the first Am­ pair list to the Union Patrolmen erican port. Every man in the crew from the Captain down to and company officials, your re­ the Dishwasher donated to this pairs will be made. worthy cause. We believe that if Enclosed are the minutes of this example were followed on the meeting called aboard the all SIU ships it would save a lot of grief and misery to our friends Seatrain New Orleans. The re­ and ourselves. pairs deemed necessary at that We have also adopted a plan meeting have since been ap­ whereby at the end of this cruise proved with the help of New we shall get two receipts for Orleans Port Agent Bull Shepthe amount left aboard. One to pard and Patrolman Buck Step­ go to the Patrolman when we hens. Crewmembers of the Steel Age, Isthmian, pause in a payoff, the other to a responsible There was nothing wrong with Houston ginmill for a few cool ones before shoving off for member of the new crew signing feeding conditions because, as their ship. No names were enclosed with the pic. on. Thus, for a minimum amount. Says Seatrain Repairs Easy To Get Cresap Men Map Health Protection • ^ .. . • .cor-. • /• ,, ..J, •' 'i the new crew can replenish the stock, keeping a certain amount aboard at all times. If this could be done on all ships before leaving the con­ tinental limits of the US, even­ tually there would be no cause for a long drawn out case of VD arising. We hope that this will be discussed by all Seafarers throughout the A&G District, and that appropriate action wiH be taken by all members o* their next ships. The Crew Thomas Cresap ATTENTION! If you don't find linen when you go aboard your ship, notify the Hall at once. A telegram from Le Havre or Singapore won't do you any good. It's your bed and you have to lie in it. �Page Tea Seafarers Put End To Era Of Blue Linen And Bum Chow NOTICE! Crewmembers who were on the following vessels at the time noted are urged to contact Abe Rapaport, in the offices of Ben Sterling, Room 1711, 42 Broad­ way, New York, By LOUIS COFFIN In the Jan. 21 issue of the faring men of which I am proud liOG, we traced the conditions to say I was one- whose princi'prevailing on the American pal purpose was to unite the waterfront from 1919 until 1934. American seamen to secure econ­ During that time the life of a omic betterment. This group was NEW YORK seamen was a veritable hell on affiliated from time to time with miilVlDUAL PONAtlONd earth, with the waterfront work­ one or another of the unions of S. N. Lukey, Jr., fl.Oft: 8. ScRtfwehyk, ers plagued by a three-pronged the American Federation of $3.00; W. T. Elwood. $2.00; J. J. Lykke, $1.00; A. SarK, $1.00; D,,R. Reynolds, scourge—the communists' propa­ Labor. $5.00; D. D. Molter. $1.00; W. Dennis, ganda, the shipowners' stooges $2.00; D. A. Marcaly, $10.00; C. E. SIU IS BORN and the depression. Harper. $1.00; Andrea Lala, $5.00; W. T. Hunter, $5.00; J. M. Nazarlo, $2.00; Finally, in November of 1938, In 1934, action started on the A. E. Anderson, $2.00; R. J. Foelster, West Coast. The much abused the greatest thing that ever hap­ $1.00; F. D. Wall. Pedrol Agtucca, seamen rose up in an attempt -to pened on the American water­ $1.00; J. J. Justus, $1.00; R. Bell, throw off the yoke of their op­ front came aboui—the SIU was $1.00; N. E. Fappas, $25.00: A. C. $5.00; H. D. French, $2.00; W. pressors. As the move took shape born. It was small, but it was Beck. F. Coker, $5.00; V. B. Ybarra, $5.00; compact and of a thriving nature, on the West Coast, seamen in the P. Sosa. $5.00; T. H. Spicht, $5.00; M. Gulf and East Coasts likewise as the period since its birih has M. Manning, $5.00; C. Rivera, $5.00; began to clear the decks for ac­ proved. It has grown into what H. E. Laird, $5.00; A. F. Cairns, $5.00; is now the toughest, most re­ E. R. Hulet, $5.00; F. E. Harper, $5.00; tion. spected maritime union in the W. J. Goss, $2.00; R. P. Barron, $5.00; The ship operators, however, world. O. Seara, $5.00; W. Gardner, $1.00; S. T. McKinney, $2.00; F. L. Webb, $1.00; began to see the handwriting on With the coming of the SIU, R. A. Garcia, $1.00; E. M. Domthe wall. They marshalled their $3.00. forces for counter-action. As a the era of sub-standard condi­ browski, H. E. Dick, $1.00; J. Bendnar, $1.00; tions for American seamen came result, the old ISU came back on E. W. Fowler, $1.00; Samuel F. Brunthe front as the so-called repre­ to a halt. son, $5.00; G. Condos, $4.00; Jesus D. The SIU sealed off the days of Hernandez, $5.00; David B. Albright, sentative of the seamen. blue linen, biifkets for bathing, $5.00; J. G. Mariartz, $6.00; G. Ruf, Immediately, contracts were $1.00; M. M. Iturrino, $1.00; J. Raztin and enamel plates, and crum­ muaz, signed with many companies and $1.00; J. C. Reed. Jr., $5.00; A. Weir. $2.00; G. A. Lindfaro, $2.00; J. the same old labor fakers who my foc'sles."' It wrote finish to long hours, B. Wilson, $6.00; Burton A. Owen, were responsible for the loss of field days without payment of $5.00; T. B. Mendoza, $1.00; Antonio the 1921 strike were back in the R. Des Santos, $5.00; Fred Fannin, overtime, bully Mates, Skippers $5.00; M. R. BaBtista, $1.00; Lam saddle. and Engineers. Ching, $1.00; E. Dakin, $1.00; Ed­ SHORT SPAN Out went the infamous black­ ward F. Lamb, $5.00; Chen Sze Yu, $1.00; W. Kovamees, $1.00; J. P. But the power of these alleged lists and the multitude of other Schaefer, $5.00; Billy Sing, $5.00; seamen's representatives was sordid devices the shipowners Sung M. Hsu. $5.00; August A. Laudi. short-lived. The 1936-37 water­ had employed to beat the Ameri­ sio, $3.00; Philip Guarisco, $5.00; Carol front strike put the boots to the can seamen out of a better way L. Lowell, $5.00. M. U. Ryswyk, $2.00; Earl L. Mor­ of life. ISU forever. ris, $5.00; John Arabasz. $1.00; R. In the place of all these McManus, $1.00; M. H. Babb. $2.00; J. Out of this strike emerged sev­ blights, the SIU brought top Connors. $25.00; Richard Ramsperger, eral organizations. Those seamen wages, unexcelled shipboard $5.00; George A. Riehm, $5.00; Feilden who were stricken with the com­ working and living conditions, J. Folse, $5.00; John C. Jackson, $5.00; pany horrors followed the vari­ and unsurpassed on-the-spot rep­ Trial Committee, $2.00; Jesus Garcia, ous "unions" which were formed $5.00; F. P. Kustura, $6.00; J. F. solely to grab off contracts with resentation. The SIU made sea­ Bishop, $1.00. faring a respectable profession. Gerald F. Porter, $1.00; Edward F. their favorable companies. Coming into being at this time, too, was the communist-inspired National Maritime Union, which was loaded down with long­ haired characters whose only connection with the deep blue tvas through reading sea stories. The NMU was primarily Sn in'Strument of the communist party aimed at gaining control of the vital American waterfront for benefit of the international com­ munist movement. On a smaller, but tougher, Scale was a group of commiehating, independent, active sea- PERSONALS CHARLES PETERS Your mother is anxious to hear from you at • 2953 Fulton Street, Brooklyn 8, N.Y. S; t 4.' HERBERT G. WHITE Dorothy asks you to write her immediately. Her address: 776 East Fifth Street, South Boston. Smdkey Grabenauer, at 412 W. 14th Street, Joplin, Mo. Phone 6941-M. ft ft AUSTIN J. O'MALLEY Communicate with Mrs. R. H. Moore, 234 Charles Street, Waltham 54, Mass. Urgent. * ft ft ft ALVIN L. HARRELL ERNEST '^AUSSIE" KEIST Your wife wishes you to con­ You are asked to contact Mrs. tact her at once. She has' im­ portant papers for you. Her ad­ l ———1 dress: 3004 Central Avenue, Tam­ pa, Florida. Phone: M54684. ft ft ft The SEAFARERS LOG as the official publication of the Sea­ DUKE HOOD and RAMSEY farers International Union is- available to all members who wish \ fo have it sent to their home free of charge for the enjoyment of Anyone knowing the where­ their families and themselves when ashore. If you desire to have abouts of Duke Hood and his the LOG sent to you each week address cards are on hand at every buddy Rantsdy is asked to con­ SIU branch for this purpose. tact G. "W. Poole, Route 3, Box However, for those who are at sea or at a distance from a SIU 189, Mount Pleasant, Texas. Also hall, the LOG reproduces below the form used to request the LOG, anyone who was aboard the Cor­ which you can fill out, detach and send to: SEAFARERS LOG 51 nelius Ford between November Beaver Street, New York 4, N. Y. ' 1946 and January, 1947, is asked to contact G. W. Poole. PLEASE PRINT INFORMATION ft ft ft CLEMENT HOSPIDALES fTo the Editor: . Contact Jack M. Dalton, U.S. Marine Hospital, Ward No. 1, I would like the SEAFARERS LOG mailed to the Galveston, Texas. jaddress below: ft ft ft JUAN VAZQUEZ DE LA CRUZ Name Your mother is very anxious that you get in touch with her Street Address at Ponce,. Puerto Rico. ft ft ft City Zone.. State CLIFFORD NEWTON You are asked to communi­ Signed .... cate at once with "V. L., P.O. Box 317, Pasadena, California. . i Book No. Phone: Sy. 2-8288. Office address: 501 E. Walnut Street. Notice To All SIU Members It Friday, February 25, 1549 THE SEAFARERS LOG MY Moose Peak on Dec. 9, 1946, when she salvaged the SS Sjjetsae. Gibbs, $15.00; J. A. VanDusen. $5.00; J. A. Philips, $5.00; H. C. Coroneas, $1.00; J. J. Stoddard, $2.00; Wasile Kovamees, $25.00; R. H. Daniets, $5.00; W. B. Smith, $5.00; E. Emcken, • $2.00; T. Masalsky, $5.00; P. V. Reyes. $5.00; C. Seng, $5.00; W. A. Guernsey, $25.00; J. Matkoski, $5.00; J. Katz, $5.00; R. M. Katz, $5.00; L. Clarkson, $1.00; L. W. MacDonnell, $2.00. G. R. Breitweg, $1.00; Edward W. Parsons. $5.00; David L. Williams, $5.00; Martin H. Munster, $5.00; Francis Pastrano, $5.00; Paul B. Davis, $5.00; Harold P. Strehle, $5.00; FeUon McK. Baker, $5.00; Leonard J. Garrett, $5.00; Robert C. Drain, $5.00; Mh. Hare, $5.00; Philip F. Ackroyd, $5.00; Thomas M. White, $5.00; Edward C. House, $3.00; Jack Lundy, $5.00; John Roman, Jr., $5.00; James J. McPolin, $5.00; Jacobus Nagels, $5.00; Patrick J. Griffin, $5.00; Joseph V. Sullivan, $5.00; Anthony Debelich, $5.00. SS SUZANNE F. Mateo, $2.00. SS MAIDEN CREEK H. Adamowicz, $2.00; A. T. Dalin. $5.00; J. Popa, $2.00; N. R. Tatr, $2.00; J. Milukas, $2.00; F. E. Perry, $2.00; L. J. Salakos, $2.00; F. G. Vandusen, $5.00; D. L. Hunlon, $2.00; C. C. Kenny. $1.00; P. M. Mariand, $2.00; C. J. McDonough, $3.00; C. Tufaro, $2.00; B. Dollak, $2.00; D. C. T. Pople, $2.00; C. A. Ross. $2.00; A. C. Beck, $5.00; G. Hudanich, $2.00; S. W. Kliderman, $2.00; T. J. Bourse, $2.00; E. B. Youngblood, $2.00; B. Santos, $2.00; F. A. Arana, $2.00; J. Zeschitz, $1.00; E. E. Trainer, $2.00. SS SANTA CLARA VICTORY J. V. Stephens, $2.00; F. V. Regalado, $2.00: J. J. Doherty, $2.00; W. B. Honeycutt, $2.00; N. MafTiS, $1.00; J. Morawski, $1.00; J. A. Vazquez, $5,00; J. P. Forget, $5.00; L. E. McGuade, $5.00; R. B. Radovitch, $5.00; E. E. Casey, $1.00; E. Bocchino, $2.00; Q. Wilde, $3.00; C. J. Huebner, $2.00; R, Rae, $3.00; G. A. Dittman, $2.00; T. J. Hoer, $2.00; S. V. Ortiz, $5.00; B. Benigni, $3.00; N, Whipple, $5.00; A. M. Espy, $1.00. SS SEATRAIN NEW JERSEY S. Aleieda, $1.00; J. Bourg, $1.00; R, Hueford, $2.00. SS BEATRICE F. Camacho, $1.00. SS SEATRAIN NEW YORK A. Schiavone, $1.00; C. E. Sanchez, $2.00. MONEY DUE SS JOHN HANSEN The following men, who paid off in New Orleans after Yoyage No. 3, have money coming in amounts specified: J. K. Gromsland, $2.28; Jack McCarthy, $3.62, and Lee F. Seleskie, $1.89. Apply at company office, 21 West St., New York City, ft ft ft Checks which have been held for the following Brothers in the fourth floor baggage room. New York SIU Hall for several months, have now been returned to the companies^^ indicated: Olies W. Orr, American Pacific; Angeles Z. Dehesa, Pacific Tank­ ers; John D. Livingston, Pacific Tankers; Sterling P. Mauser, Am­ erican P.^dflc; F. J. Keen, Paci­ fic Greyhound Line; Arlihur Mahood, Delta Line; Joseph Czerwinski, Pacific Tankers. ft ft ft SS STEEL RANGER The following men have 50 hours of overtime money due theni. Contact A. F.- Kane, Marine Department, Isthmian SS Com­ pany, 71 Broadway, New York: Leon Boone, Hipolio Reyes, Eddfews, Fred S. Yelarde, Clarward H. Denchy, Carroll H. Anenee M. Smith, Charles Peters, Harry D. Johnson, Kenneth Reed, Harold R. FaD, Cecil Stapleton. The MV Farallon in February, 1947, when she salvaged the SS W. C. Latta. The MY Great Isaac in March, 1947, When she salvaged the SS John Dickinson. The MC Point Yincente in May, 1947, when she salvaged the SS Kern Hills. The MY . Trinidad Head in July, 1947, when she took the Kern Hills in tow from the Point Yincente. The MY Trinidad Head on January, 1948, when she salvaged, the SS Sinclair Opaline. The Point Yincente in August, 1947, when she salvaged the SS Evergreen State. The MY Great Isaac in De­ cember, 1946, when she salvaged the SS Casa Grande. SIU HRLLS SIU, A&G District BALTIMORE 14 North Gay St. William Rentz, Agent Mulberry 4540 BOSTON 276 State St. E. B. Tilley, Agent Richmond 2-0140 Dispatcher Richmond 2-0141 GALVESTON 308Vi—-2-3rd St. Keith Alsop, Agent Phone 2-8448 MOBILE 1 South Lawrence St. Cal Tanner, Agent Phone 2-1754 NEW ORLEANS 523 Bienville St. E. Sheppard, Agent Magnolia 6112-6113 NEW YORK SI Beaver St. Joe Algina, Agent HAnover 2-2784 NORFOLK 127-129 Bank St. Ben Rees, Agent Phone 4-1083 PHILADELPHIA.. .614-16 No. 13th St. J. Sheehan, Agent Poplar 5-1217 SAN FRANCISCO.. 85 Third St. Frenchy MicKelet, Agent Douglas 2-5475 SAN JUAN, P.R 252 Ponce de Leon L. Craddock, Agent San Juan 2-5996 SAVANNAH 2 Ahercorn St. Jim Drawdy, Agent Phone 3-1728 TACOMA 1519 Pacific St. Broadway 0484 TAMPA 1809-1811 N. Franklin St. Ray White, Agent Phone M-1323 WILMINGTON, Calif., 227'/i Avalon Blvd. Terminal 4-2874 HEADQUARTERS. . 51 Beaver St., N.Y.C. HAnover 2-2784 \ SECRETARY-TREASURER Paul Hall DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZATION Lindsey Williams ASST. SECRETARY-TREASURERS Robert Matthews J. P. Shuler Joseph Volpian. SUP HONOLULU 16 Merchant St. Phone 5-87t7 PORTLAND Ill W. Bumside St. Beacon 4386 RICHMOND, Calif • SAN FRANCISCO SEATTLE. . WILMINGTON 257 5th St, Phone 2599 69 Clay St. Douglas 2-8363 86 Seneca St. Main 0290 440 Avalon Blvd. Terminal 4-3131 Canadian District MONTREAL 1227 Philips Square Plateau 6700—^Matquette S90d PORT ARTHUR 63 Cumberland St. Phone North 1229 PORT COLBORNE 103 Durhqm St. Phone: B59F TORONTO Ill A Jarvis Street Elgin 6719 VICTORIA, B.C^ 602 Boughton St. Empire 453f VANCOUVER 568 Hamilton St. Pacific 7824 �Friday, February 25, W49 y THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Eleven GS Used Every Trick To Bilk Its Crewmen to fight certification, election or strated. Meanwhile, the SIU pro­ proved more than equal to the for CTMA. In fact, one CTMA (Continued from Page 1.) meeting aboard a Cities Service obstacle course in their path. tested. "^he voting period was ex­ no election. ship turned spontaneously into At the end of August and In the end. Cities Service came When the SIU was certified on tended 60 days through January an SIU rally, so convinced were through the early weeks of Sep­ 20, 1948 at the company's re­ up with the gimmick that forced Isthmian ships, SIU organizers tember, scores of seamen who the men that CTMA -wss a com­ quest. Then the Board itself ex- the second bargaining election pointed out, all the ships owned had sailed in the disputed rat­ pany trick which would give tended the period another 10 this week although it finally or operated by Isthmian became ings on Cities Service ships ap­ them nothing in the end. days to vote the French Creek failed to block a certification or­ part and parcel of the bargaining peared before the NLRB in New imit. Yet, during the voting VOTE ORDERED due in Philadelphia on January der for the ships voted. York to demonstrate that they The gimmick was in the form period, Isthmian had both ac­ On December 30, 1148, the SIU 22. were not supervisors within the The - representatives of the of eight new ships. But before quired and gotten rid of a num­ meaning of the Taft-Hartley Act. received a communication from NLRB and the SIU went to the the question of the new bottoms ber of ships. The company had raised a bogus the NLRB orderir^g an election • dock in Philadelphia prepared came up, the company protested HOUSE DIVIDED issue, the Union contended and in the nine unvoted ships. The to vote the ship, but the com­ the election results. The Union filed a brief with went on to prove its point. SIU was to be the only Union On February 12, three days on- the ballot which would offer pany had a different idea. after the vote's were counted, the the NLRB petitioning the Board Meanwhile, to keep the ball roll­ a choice between the Seafarers BLUNT DEFIANCE company's first protest was to amend its certification order ing the Union was making an and no union at all. A meeting The Cities Service agent in denied by the Board. On Feb­ by including all unlicensed per­ effort to induce the company to was to be held on January 5, Philadelphia flatly refused to let ruary 18 and March 5 the Board sonnel in the bargaining unit as negotiate a contract for the 1949 to organize the voting ma­ either the Union man or the denied, second and third pro­ it had done in the Isthmian case. seven certified vessels. chinery. Unlicensed crewmen, Board's official ivear the vessel. tests. Cities Service then filed Essentially, the situation was the Both Union and company were except Bosuns and Stewards, on supposed to file briefs on the The NLRB representative pointed what, the company lawyer same. the nine ships as of December out that the Board had extended termed "exceptions to the or­ Cities Service had 11 vessels' bargaining unit issue with the 29 were to be eligible to cast the voting period, adding that if der." On March 23, the NLRB when the Union first 'petitioned NLRB within seven days after their ballots. the period had not been ex­ denied the "exceptions," saying, for an election. It had disposed the hearings ended. This gave Once more Cities Service weatended the vote would not count. "the Board having duly consid­ of some and acquired others, and the company the opportunity it seled. No notice had been re­ The company's Philadelphia ered the matter and it appearing eight ships had been in the fleet wanted to stall things along for ceived by the company, the law­ agent bluntly defied the Govern­ that the Exceptions are lacking when the voting order went out, another six weeks. The company yer, claimed. Company stalling ment agency, acting, it was re­ jn merit for the reasons stated in the SIU demonstrated. Seven of lawyer wrangled two extentipns, continued until the afternoon of ported, on express orders he had the aforesaid Order of March 5, these Ivid been voted, "and eight the second one until October 29. Thursday, February 17. In fact, received by telephone from 1948, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED new ships had been acquired COMPANY UNION the company hasn't stopped stall­ Cities Service headquarters at 70 that the said Exceptions be, and during the voting period, the By this time, the Cities Serv­ ing yet, as the stories of the vot­ Union- showed, adding that partial Pine Street in New York. they hereby are, overruled." ice lawyer had thought of a new ing and the injunction in this certification created a house di­ The ship was eventually voted trick, a company union. It was issue indicate. TAFT-HARTLEY TOO vided in which the employers in Jacksonville, but by that time On February 16, at a final The New York Regional Direc­ could play one set of ships too late for hini to get a second the company had managed to cut meeting of the 'Union, the com­ union on the ballot in any elec­ the number of personnel eligible tor of the NLRB recommended against another. pany and the NLRB in New tion, but he apparently thought to cast ballots to sevbn. The to the Board's -national head­ The NLRB in this instance that if Cities Seiwice seamen York, the company first refused quarters iri Washington that the Lone Jack, which was running agreed with the company's posi­ could be lured by extravagant to cooperate in any way until on charter in the Pacific, never SIU be certified as the bargain­ tion and refused to reverse its promises into supporting a com­ the 10-year old Feder.al Court was voted in the first Cities ing agent for Cities Service sea­ peculiar decision. The Union pany union they would vote to writ ordering Cities Service to . Service election and for that rea­ men in the voting unit. The immediately petitioned for rec­ reject the SIU. Moi'eover, any­ allow NMU organizers aboard its son was included in the present company's objections were im­ ognition on the nine unvoted body who failed to join could be ships was rescinded. When it material, the regional office de­ ships which were as overwhelm­ voting unit. blacklisted. It was quite an idea, was explained that rhe NMU clared. With the obvious intention of ingly pro-SIU as the balance of but it didn't work. had withdrawn all interest, the And then came another wait­ the fleet. But there was littlp keeping the Lone Jack away The new organization was company lawyer finally said that from an American port as long ing period as the SIU and the question but what the compahy called the Citco Tanker Men's he would bring in the terms on as possible to the discouragement Cities -Service seamen waited for would force an election order, Association, quickly shortened to which Cities Service v/ould co­ and demoralization of the crew, the heavily burdened Washing­ then stall the voting off as long CTMA. It first came into being operate on Thursday morning. the company then demanded that ton headquarters of the NLRB as possible. around October 1, 1948, and was STILL MORE TRICKS the voting period be extended to issue the certification order. At the end of June, the Union obviously a company lawyer Not until the order came could moved again, asking that the another 75 days. On Thlirsday morning, the scheme from the beginning. The company also had the gall further steps be taken. Mean­ NLRB conduct a bargaining elec­ company said it would cooperate CTMA's headquartei's was in a to present additional demands while, the Cities Service seamen tion on the nine unvoted ships. building in Linden, New Jei'sey, if the vote were put off imtil which would have wiped the en­ continued to ride the ships. It was this petition which finally where notbody but attorneys had after February 23. The Board tire election off the x-ecord book. One thing that slowed up the resulted in this week's balloting, offices. One of its first functions turned this down. Specifically, the company NLRB was the Taft-Hartley Act. the Cities Service company hav­ The company said it would co­ was to cii'culate propaganda operate if there no voting on asked: Under the act, the Board had be­ ing managed to stall for time smearing the SIU which was That the eligibility clause be come badly disintegrated or­ through seven and a half long Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. identified only as an "outside changed to allow voting by ci-ew- ganizationally speaking with all months. The company still had The Board also rejected this. xmion." men employed immediately be­ responsibilities The company also proposed divided. The plenty of tricks. The SIU at once exposed fore the balloting date instead backlog of cases had more than that all voting be done between*^ CTMA for what it was, a com­ OBSTACLE COURSE Of as of the original eligibility doubled. And all manner Of sit­ Boston and Baltimore, a re­ After an informal hearing pany creation, and showed its quirement the Board turned date; that all proceedings stop uations had to be re-valued to similarity to company unions in until the eligibility was changed; accord with the obnoxious early in July, the NLRB an­ Standard Oil's and Sun Oil's "no down later. nounced that the voting unit in that it be allowed other relief measure. What the company was up to overtime" fleets. In the LOG, seemed clear enough to the SIU. and alternative, a sort of omni­ 'Finally, on May 24, the NLRB such an election should include it was pointed out that legitimate bus clause; that the original elec­ issued its certificatiorj order. And "All unlicensed personnel on unions arose as rank-and-file Eight Cities Service ships were tion order be rescinded; that pro­ it struck the SIU like a bomb­ board vessels owned or operated movements. They, did not have due to hit American ports over by the marine division including ceedings be remanded for fur­ shell. the weekend. Some of these deck, engine and stewards, ex­ headquarters in the offices of were to run into Gulf ports. ther hearing; and that still other In a ruling which shattered the cluding radio operators, pursers slick lawyers, the SIU paper Tuesday, February 22 would be relief be granted. precedent it had set in the Isth­ and unlicensed personnel aboard said, but they did have demo­ a holiday. The Union organizers SIU. 5 TO I mian case the year, the Board those vessels of which the Union cratically elected officers, consti­ said that it looked as if the com­ This meant another election certified the SIU as bargaining tutions and regular meetings. pany might fire the crews, sign with the company hand-picking agent for the seven ships which has been certified by the NLRB." CTMA'S JOKER new crews and get the ships out The company lawyer walked •the crews. Naturally, the SIU; had actually been voted, but not before the deadline. Or there Exposure stimulated the com­ out of the meeting when the -remembering that the Votes on for the Lone Jack which had the Isthmian fleet had been been in foreign waters through­ NLRB refused to let him have a pany lawyer into actually pro­ might be so few men eligible counted before all the vessels out the voting period, and not stenotypist take down minutes. ducing a constitution. It wasn't to vote left when the balloting After this preliminary meeting, much of a constitution, if indeed began that the company could had voted, protested strongly for the eight new ships which the Cities Service company found it was a constitution at all. The claim that the entire election was against any further delays. The the company had acquired. another gimmick under the au- biggest joker was that the chief "not x'epresentative," and try to NLRB agreed with the Union. This meant that nine ships tiiority of the Taft-Hartley Act executive of CTMA, and the have the result thrown out. On February 9, the votes were were not certified. And this in tallied. The results were what turn meant many other things. whose hidden dangers were only judge and jury in all grievance A suggestion that one ship, the any Cities Service seaman could It meant, to sight an extreme just becoming apparent to or­ procedures was to be a person SS Government Camp, be voted have predicted a year earlier. possibility, that Cities Service ganized labor. Under the union- outside the union called the "Ad­ abroad under consular supervi­ Preference ran five to one for could sell the seven certified smashing law, the company visory Counselor." It took a sion was agreed to by all parties. claimed, Stewards, Bosuns, minimum of imagination 1o see This is the background of the the SIU. ships, replace them with seven Despite firings and "threats of more and say "Phooey" to the Pumpmen and Machinists were that the counselor would be the Cities Service election. It is supervisors, and covild- not vote company lawyer himself or at the story of the fight of the firings, -vicious anti-Union pro­ Union. Certainly, there was in a bargaining election con­ least a henchman. Citids Service seamen to obtain paganda and other company ac­ nothing the labor-hating Cities The SIU met the company representation on wages and con­ tivities, more ihan 83 percent of Service officials would have pre­ ducted by the Board. "Taft-Hartley or no Taft-Hart­ union unwaveringly. All Sea­ ditions through the Seafarers In­ the CS tankermen eligible to ferred to say. ley, it's the same old story," SIU farers or pro-Seafarers men in ternational Union. Their deter­ cast their ballots named the Sea­ REPEAT BATTLE farers as their bargaining agent. organizers said. The company Cities service crews were di­ mination and the determination There were 153 votes for the The order also meant that the was continuing its policy of seiz­ rected to sign up for CTMA so of the SIU to give them the pro­ SIU, and only 30 against. * men on the nine pn-certified ing upon one petty legal ob­ that the company would be un­ tection afforded by a Union con­ Meanwhile, the NLRB still had ships would have to go through stacle and setting it up to ex­ able to find who exactly was tract, are the core of an impor­ tant struggle in the history of to certify the SIU as bargaining the entire process their Brothers haust the Union organizers and who. It was clear that Cities Service maritime labor. That stx'Uggle is agent for the unlicensed person­ on the certified ships had ex­ the majority of Cities Service nel on Cities Service ships, and perienced. If they had to they seamen who wanted a Union men themselves were unim­ not yet over, but a great advance the company could be expected had to, as they have demon- contract. However, the seamen pressed by the shrill claims made has been made. �Page Twelve - T BE S E AF A R E R S' LOG Friday, February 25» 1949 \ Fired For Union ArtivitVr Sny CS Sotnndn 'Was Canned For Union Activity' By CHAS. R. GARNER, DM This week the SIU filed charges of unfair labor practices against the Cities Service Oil Company in behalf of 15 men who were fired by the company because of their union affiliation. As the company vainly sought to stem the rising tide of pro-Union sentiment aboard its ships it swung the axe even more violently and arbitrarily than ever before. To the long list of men who have been made victims of the company's in­ famous system of firing and blackballing, there have been added in the past few months the names of many who have dared protest the abusive shipboard conditions and who have indicated pro-union sentiment. Among the victims of company abuse and discrimination are more than 100 Cities Service tankermen who have come to SIU Halls and re­ ported their plight. They also described conditions and treatment of*men on Cities Service ships that were wiped out long ago on other ships when Union contracts went into effect. Among these blackballed Cities Service seamen are those for whom the Union filed charges with the NLRB this week (see story on page one). On this page are statements from some of these Cities Service sea­ men, just for the record. While I was working in the rain on Saturday night, Febru­ ary 19, the Skipper of the Fort Hoskins put it to me bluntly: "Mr. Garner, you have made me very unhappy about missing the shifting of ship in Texas. So, your services will no longer be required." That was his way of telling me I was canned for Union activity. The incident he referred to happened a week earlier in Cor­ pus Christi, Texas, and from which I had been excused. Inas­ much as I was a day worker I was not required to be aboard. The Mate had told me at the time that I could go ashore while the vessel shifted. As far as I could determine I was accept­ By ROCKY MILTON. AB diplomat, but 1 don^t think able to the ship's officers and there's one in the company's was okay for another trip. In Cities Service came up with fleet who could fill the bill. Of­ fact, the Mate had asked me on a phony excuse for firing me off ficers are jumped up, not on their the morning of the 19th to stay the Fort Hoskins in New York ability, but for their loyalty to on Feb. 19, but they fired me the company. The company re­ aboard for another trip. At the time I was fired we for nothing but Union activity. wards its officers according to were taking stores aboard while When the company let me go— the nuniber of rings in their at the very last minute without noses. even five minutes' notice — they The Chief Mate on the Bents claimed that I missed shifting Fort, Woodrow Holler, was more of ship in Corpus Christi. I a chain gang supervisor than a wasn't even on watch at the ship's officer. On the last, trip time, nor were any of us in­ I made on that ship, he threat­ formed that the ship was to be ened the whole crew with firing shifted. The same charge was "When this ship gets home," he rigged on the other men who said, "I'm going to fire everyone were fired along with me for of you..." the same reason—Union activity. As for the Fort Hoskins, Cap­ I had been aboard the Fort tain Flaniken and Chief Mate Hoskins since Dec. 7. Previously "Hurricane" Hall are the two I sailed aboard the Archers Hope best organizers for the Union on and the Brents Fort, also Cities the ship. ROCKY MILTON Service ships. I worked hard. I did my job on all these ships. I couldn't have lasted so long if I hadn't. On the Fort Hoskins, Captain Flaniken and Chief Mate By E. W. BAMBERGER, FWT The ship's anti-union grape­ Hall led me to believe that I vine had cooked my goose. Re­ 1 have joined the ever-growing marks I had made to the Chief was a good worker. CHARLES R. GARNER But nobody in his right mind ranks of seamen fired from Cities Engineer and Second Assistant, can expect a decent, square deal Service ships for pro-SlU senti­ both of whom were loud in their * we lay at anchor. We still car­ from Cities Service. To the com­ ments. praise of CTMA, had been passed ried oil from Corpus Christi. The pany, the men are just scum. In In my case they made no pre­ along to the Skipper. After company paymaster and port the past six months there have tense as to the reason for my months of soaking up their steward came out to the ship been 10 Bosuns on the Fort Hos­ discharge—1 had been found CTMA ballyhoo, I told the Engi­ guilty of praising the SIU. At neers that there was no compari­ on a launch, and after they left kins. Why? the ship I was told I was can­ Besides firings right and left, the payoff of-the Archers Hope son between the CTMA and the ned. Somehow my name must particularly for Union activity, at Petty's Island near Camden, SIU. have gotten on their blacklist. conditions on Cities Service ships N. J., 1 was told by the Captain They had no grounds for fir­ They wasted no time in tell­ are crummy." The chow is no that my services were no longer ing me. Union activity was my ing me I was through, as the good. But dare open your mouth needed. When 1 pressed him ship was scheduled to vote that about anything and your num­ for details he said, "You are a only sin. Before working on the evening outside the company ber is up. little bit overly excited about Arches Hope, I had sailed on the Cantigny and Bents Fort, gates. A ship's officer should be a union activities." both Cities Service ships. On these vessels my work was satis­ factory. Prior to my la.st trip on the Archers Hope I received a letter By GIL VILA, OS and stood my watch on time. No from the Skipper recommending mention was made of the inci­ me for further employment. The After almost eight months dent at the time, for it had the letter said in part: "He has been aboard the Cities Service ship full approval of the entire top­ at all times sober and cohcienFort Hoskins 1 got the boot— side gang. tious and ai credit to this ship... they learned 1 was a pro-SlU In canning me, the Skipper Should he desire to rejoin this men. Only hours before our must have had a tough time vessel, it is recommended that he ship docked in New York 1 re­ keeping a straight face, as earlier be reassigned as Oiler." ceived a wire from the SIU noti­ he had given me a letter of fying me that voting was going A few weeks after that rosy recommendation for re-employ­ to begin. That tipped off the ment. 1 had intended to go endorsement I was axed, along Captain that 1 was pro-SlU. Of home to Oklahoma for a short with eight other pro-SlU men, course they had a fish around visit and his letter was a guar­ all for union activity, although for another reason to fire me, so antee of re-employment in Cities they dug back and came up with Service. The letter noted that 1 various other reasons were given a phony excuse. by the company in their cases. had performed my work in a In Corpus Christi a week commendable manner and had There is no security for the earlier I was excused from shift­ his wholehearted recommenda­ seamen, and life aboard ship is ing ship at 1 AM as I was on the tion for a new job upon my re­ made intolerable. No repair lists 4 to 8 watch. At the time the turn. 1 wonder what the com­ are allowed—just the suggestion Chief Mate okayed me to go pany would say if 1 took his that repairs are needed is enough ashore while the ship shifted. I letter to their employment office returned after the job was done today, GIL VILA to get a man fired. Talks Pro-Union, Makes Blackllst By WILLIAM FRANK. FWT , I have sailed oh the Cities Service tankers Lone Jack, Gov­ ernment Camp and the- Archers Hope. I signed on the Archeirs Hope on Oct. 31. Then I was in­ jured in a shoreside accident and had to be hospitalized for a short time in New York in November. . .1 M 'Open Your Mouth And Your Number Is Up' Gets Ax Despite Skipper's Praise Gets Telegrum From SIU — And Is Fired WILLIAM FRANK Since that time 1 haven't been able to get a job aboard a Cities Service ship. The big reason why I'm black­ balled by Cities Service is- that they've got me on the books as being pro-Union. On the Archers Hope, shortly before I was hos­ pitalized, I had arguments with the Second Assistant about unions. I said just what I thought. Since that time they've had no use for me. I've waited around the offices on Pine Street for months. I've seen guys conie in get a job in the space of a few minutes. The Government Camp is si good example of the way things work on Cities Service ships. Guys get fired at the drop of a hat. When I went aboard they had taken a whole new black gang except for four or five guys. Of the men kept over one was a Wiper who had been do­ ing clerical work for the Engi­ neer. He had a car. 'When we were in Lake Charles, he and the Engineer drove down to Corpus Christi. When they came back, the Wiper had a FWT's ticket. They fired me and he took my place. This was typical of the "fair­ ness" that practically all. men grew to look for from the hands of Cities Service. •.' iiiii iliilii EDW. W. BAMBERGER � 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 February 25, 1949 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. XI, No. 8 Description An account of the resource HEADLINES CITIES SERVICE MOVE TO HALT ELECTION IS BLOCKED BY NLRB CS USED EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK TO DENY MEN SIU REPRESENTATION COMPANY SNEAK INJUNCTION IS MODIFIED BY COURT ORDER;SIX CREWS ALREADY POLLED CITIES SERVICE VIOLATES LAW,SIU CHARGES SAYS CS INJUNCTION VIOLATED LAW SIU CHARGES'UNFAIR PRACTICES' CS SNEAK INJUNCTION IS BLOCKED ALEIN WAIVERIS EXTENDED UNTIL JULY 1 EXPECT BLAND BILL TO BE OUT BY MARCH 1 RULE RELAXED ROBIN TO RESUME AFRICAN TRADE SEAFARERE GIVES AID TO TEACHERS GUILD IN CAMPAIGN FOR HIGHER PAY,MORE SCHOOLS GOOD SHIPPING PERIOD CLEARS FRISCO OF AVAILABLE MANPOWER TUG,SHOREGANG JOBS BIG HELP TO PORT MOBILE SHIPPING AND SHOREGANG JOBS TAKE CARE OF SAN JUAN SEAFARERS PORT SAVANNAH HAS BUSY WEEK ROBIN TO CARRY GRAIN TO EUROPE UNTIL SOUTH AFRICA RUN RESUMES CAPE COD CANAL BOASTS COLORFUL HISTORY HARDWORKING TRENT CREW OVERCOMES MANY SETBACKS SEAFARERS PUT END TO ERA OF BLUE LINEN AND BUM CHOW CS USED EVERY TRICK TO BILK ITS CREWMEN FIRED FOR UNION ACTIVITY,SAY CS SEAMEN 'WAS CANNED FOR UNION ACTIVITY' TALKS PRO-UNION MAKES BLACKLIST 'OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND YOUR NUMBER IS UP' GETS AX DESPITE SKIPPER'S PRAISE GETS TELEGRAM FROM SIU- AND IS FIRED Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 02/25/1949 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text 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 1949 Periodicals Seafarers Log