Seafarers Log: Vol. 15 No. 4 (1953-02-20)

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SEAFARERS U>G
• OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT • AFL •

WAGE CDUNG OFF:

Jinx Ship Hard aground off Low­
er California coast, the

Waterman ship Fairhope awaits tugs that
pulled her back to Los Angeles. Ground­
ing followed mysterious disappearance of
steward, believed to have been murdered.
A grand jury and Coast Guard are inves­
tigating. (Story on Page 3.)

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Story On Page 3

-Story On Page 2

Juicy Payoff.
One of first ships pay­
ing off on new scale is
the Azalea City on
coastwise run. Here
Seafarers C. T. Briggs
(L.) and A. M. Velez
have their. OT sheets
checked by Tom
Gould, patrolman, be­
fore collecting pay.
(Story on Page 3.)

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ChaUencinr the AMEU to "pnt up or Ant up," Seafarers St the resular membership meetinc In New ToA vote unanimously In faror
of uslnff |10,0M to. back Ae SW'a claim of one lob or more for CTcry actlTC bookniember during 1P52. Seafarers at memberAlp meet­
ings In other ports also gave unanimous approval. Keith Terpe, SIU Director of Organization is at rl^t, holding mike.

S/U's $10,000 Calls AMEU Bluff
Calling an AMEU bluff, the SIU has posted $10,000 to back

its claim that the SIU b^k to job ratio was one to one or
better throughout 1952. It acted after unanimous member­
ship action in all ports last-
week called on the AMEU to

The SIU Offer...
SIU claim of one.job or

more per active bookmember
is challenged by AMEU.

• SIU puts up $10,000 to
back its claim.

• AMEU challenged to put
up $10,000.

• $20,000 to be put in trust
for "Atlantic Seamen's Widows
and Childrens Fund."

• American Arbitration
Ass'n be asked to name ac-

' countant(s) for impartial audit
of SIU records. -
• Accountants to certify ra­

tio of SIU active books to jobs
during 1952.
• $10,000 of whoever is

proved wrong becomes payable
as "Atlantic Seamen's Widows
aiid Childrens Fund." The
other $10,000 is returned.
• "Atlantic Seamen's Widows

and Childrens Fund" pay out
$300 to every bona fide bene­
ficiary of Atlantic seamen to
match $300 now paid, until it
is used up.

1

SEAFARERS LOG
Feb. 20, 1953 Vol. XV. No. 4
As I See It Page 4
Crossword Puzzle Page 12
Seafarers In Action Page 16
Editorial Page 13
Foc'sle Fotographer Page 19
Galley Gleanings Page 20
Inquiring Seafarer Page 12
In The Wake Page 12
Labor Round-Up Page 13
Letters Pages 21, 22
Maritime .Page 16
Meet The Seafarer Page 12
On The,Job ........Page 16
Personals ..-.Page 25
Quiz Page 19
Ship's Minutcfs..... .Pages 24, 25
SIU History Cartoon Page 3
Sports Line.. Page 20
Ten Years Ago Page 12
Top Of The News Page 7
Union Talk Page 9
Wash. News Letter.. Page 6
Welfare Benefits .. . .Pages 26, 27
Your Dollar's Worth Page 7

PUMicHod Wwoofcly of Hio iiMdoiMuftr*

Untie A OtfW OUtrIcA AFL, *75 Pourtli
AVMUO. Srooklyn M. NY. ToL STorilns
MS71. enUrod OS locoMi CUM mottor

SH55S:'

"put up or shut up" on its
challenge of SIU job figures.

The AMEU challenge, issued in
a handbill called "AMEU bulletin
No. 8," claimed that job opportu­
nities for SIU bookmembers were
far fewer than the Union indicated
to Atlantic seamen. It stated that
"if the SIU accepts our challenge
and puts up 10 Gs, we will give
the* money to the Seamen's Church
Institute to provide a fund for
needy SIU Seafarers who are
broke, between jobs."

No AMEU Cash
Taking up the challenge, by giv­

ing overwhelming approval to a
proposal embodying the Union's
answer. Seafarers noted that the
AMEU had nowhere mentioned
anything about putting up $10,000

to back its claim of "SIU misrep­
resentation," and had in fact al­
ready decided on a "use" for the
money.

Impartial Audit
In voting the appropriation, the

membership challenged the AMEU
to put $10,000 of its own on the
line, with the understanding that
whoever was proven wrong by an
impartial audit to determine the
SIU's 1952 book-to-job ratio would
forfeit his $10,000 into a special
"Atlantic Seamen's Widows and
Childrens Fund."

It was emphasized that the $10,-
000 each put up would be held in
trust by a bank or responsible pub­
lic official for this fund, which
would pay out an additional $300
to match the small $300 death
benefit paid to the beneficiaries of
Atlantic seamen, until the fund
was used up. "The widows and

cbildrieo of Atlantic seamen are
the ones who really need help,"
the SIU Tanker Organizing Com­
mittee stated, "because the death
benefit they receive is way below
the $2,500 SIU death benefit."

Accountants Will Check
In fairness to both sides, under

the terms of the SIU proposal, an
impartial organization, the Ameri­
can Arbitration Association, will
be asked to name one to three cer­
tified -public accountants to con­
duct the audit of Union, records
and certify what was the actual
ratio of jobs to active SIU book-
members, as defined by -law, dur­
ing all of 1952. It was noted that
although the AMEU had challenged
an SIU daim of 1.2 jobs per active
bookmember during one particular
period of the year, the SIU was
willing to do better than that and

(Continued on page 17)

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The SIU's check which throws down the challenge to the AMEU.

Special Run Co Signs Contract
Another of the Union's specialized operators, the Ocean Tow _ Steamship Company of

Seattle, has signed new agreements with the Union covering bot£i its offshore and Alaskan
operations.

The offshore agreement is
the same as the standard
freight contract. It covers the
Liberty ship Seacoral which Ocean
Tow is currently operating under
bareboat charter from the SlU-con-
tracted Coral Steamship Company.
All standard provisions on wages,
retroactivity, welfare and vacation
provisions are incorporated.

For the company's ships .on the
Alaska run, in which the company
operates three motor vessels a spe­
cial agreement has been signed to
deal with the coastwise type of op­
eration in udilch the sMp's crew
also does the cargo handling.

Basic wages on the Alaska run

are higher than on the offshore
ships, being $308.82 a month for
AB's, oUers and watertenders.
Deck department scales go to a top
of $431.79 for bosuns. In the en­
gine department the spread ranges
from $296,03 for wipers up to
$483.49 for chief electricians, while
steward department wages are
$247.07 up to $418.16.

Three OT Categories
In addition the Alaska agreement

sets up three categories of over­
time payment, on duty, off duty
and the cargo handling rate. On
duty overtime, desllng with work
performed during regular weekday
working' hours is paid at $1.80,
$144 ABd $1;79 a» hpur, Woi^ at

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other hours is paid at $1.80, $2.35
and $2.50 an hour, while the cargo
handling rates are $2.20 and $2.35.
The bulk of ratings get the me­
dium and high overtime payments
except on cargo handling where
the dividing line is $330 a month,

r New Rules Included
Many of the new generkl rules of

the standard freight agreement
have been added to the Alaska con­
tract, including the new' repatria­
tion provision. Handling the nego-
^tions for the Union was Seattle
port agent Jeff Morrisson.

The company's ships on the
Alaska run are the Gadsden, Alaste
Cedar and Alaska Spruce, all mo­
tor vcsBcUii :

AFL Onlers
dean-up Of
Waterfront

An ultiniatum to th« Inter­
national Longghoremen's As­
sociation to abandon the
shape-up and clean up condltlona
in the port of New York has been
issued by the AFL Executive Coun­
cil. Failure to correct conditions
by April 30, the Council said,
would result in the expulsion of
the ILA from the federation.

The Executive Council state­
ment read that "clean and whole­
some free trade unionism must be
immediately restored within your
organization and all semblance of
crime, dishonesty and racketeering
be forthwith eliminated. ...

In addition, the Council said,
union representatives \vith crim-
inri records must be removed
from office in the organization. .

MTD Role Seen
While the AFL has not publicly

stated what it would do. in the
event the conditions set down by
the Executive Council are not met,
indications are that it plans re­
organization of the ILA. It Is
known that the Council had before
it the recently-passed program of
the New York Port Council, Mari­
time Trades Department, when it
issued its order to the ILA. That
program, as reported in the SEA­
FARERS LOG was aimed at elimr
inating abuses on the watei-frimi
and ensuring democratic proce­
dure in all affiliated unions.

Consequently it 'has been^ir^;'
ported that the MTD will playH$i;
large part in .any contemplated rW
organization of dockworkers, with
the powerful International Broth­
erhood of Teamsters participating
with the program, either through
membership In the MTD or as a
cooperating union on the water-
front.

New Inquiry
Meanwhile, the much - investi­

gated waterfront situation in New
York is .about to undergo another
inquiry. Senator Charles Tobey,
Republican of New Hampshire, haa
scheduled a Senate investigation
of conditions to be conducted by
a' subcommittee of the Senate In­
terstate And Foreign Commerco
Committee, beginning February 23.

Senator Tobey, a former mem­
ber of the Kefauver committee, is
expected to use the same tech­
niques of publicity and television
hearings that. were used by the
Kefauver group in its crime in­
vestigation. The Tobey inquiry la
expected to be broader than thai,
conducted by the New York State
Crime Commission, since it will
take in New Jersey as well as New
York piers.

Among Senators who will par­
ticipate in the Tobey hearings la ,
Senator Warren Magnuson, Wash­
ington Democrat, who has long
played a leading role in merchant
marine legislation.

Put Number On
Meeting Excuses

Seafarers sending telegrams
or letters to the New York

, headquarten dispatcher asking
to be excused from attending
headquarters membership
meetings must include the reg-.
istration number of their
shipping card In the message.

From now on, if the number
is not Included, the excuse cap-
not bp Accepicd by the dls-:
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Pebniarr 20. lOSt SE APARVRS LOG Pare Thre*

Back Pay Speeded
9

As Controls Die
SlU-manned ships are now paying off at the full rate of wage and overtime in-

creasy won in the last contract as the result of last week's order hy President Ei­
senhower suspending all wage controls. In addition, men on the freight ships are
now in line for a large chunk of retroactive pay, since the money provisions of the
contract were made effective as of November 18,1952, in the negotiations.

Similarly, the President's^
action makes it unneces-

The rocks and shore loom close by the Fairhope when seen from
the vessel's bridsre in the photo by a crewmember. The ship at
the iline ivas hard ayround off the coast of Mexico.

Jury, CG Investigate
Mystery On Fairhope

LOS ANGELES—A Federal grand jury and the US Coast
Guard have opened hearings into the mysterious disappear­
ance at sea of Seafarer Carl Thurmond, steward, of the Fair-
hope (Waterman). At the-t
same time, the Coast Guard
has placed charges against the
ship's skipper. Captain Harold T.
Hallman, for negligence leading to
the grounding of the ship on San
Benito Island off Lower California.
January 30.

FBI agents investigating the pos­
sibilities of murder turned up ad­
ditional evidence of difficulties
aboard the ship when narcotics
were found, on board.

Commenting oh the case, SIU
Secretary-Treasurer Paul Hall de­
clared: "From the few facts we've
learned there's no doubt that there
were foul-ups In that crew who
we're responsible for all the goings
on aboard. When a crewmember
disappears and dope is found
aboard a ship it gives a bad name
to all Seafarers who are doing their
jobs in a proper manner.

Union Action Forthcoming
"We're withholding judgement

until we get all the information,
but you can rest assured that the
Union will take action against all
foul-ups according to the previous
decisions of our membership."

The Fairhope was on its way
back to Mobile, Alabama, after a
trip to the Far East when the stew­
ard disappeared. The ship had
stopped at San Pedro on January
29, en route to the Panama . Canal.

Bloodstains On Portj|^ole
On departure night, according

to the skipper, there was a fight be­
low in which the steward took part.
Shortly afterwards he disappeared.
Examination of his foc'sle showed
bloodstains all around the inside
of the. porthole as well as down the
side of the ship to the waterllnc.

Authorities have theorized that
the 56-year-old' steward, who was
tall and thin, was stabbed to death
and then pushed through the

- Inch porthole.
Hiat aam'e' night, the Fairhope

ran aground off the coast of Lower
California.

The grand jury has subpoenaed
19 crewmembers, including the
captain, for testimony. SIU Wil­
mington port agent Sam Cohen is
attending both Coast Guard and
grand jury hearings as observer
for the Union.

Early reports on the Grand Jury
hearings throw little light on the
mystery. US attorney Walter Bings
said that a bloodstained mattress
and other evidence was being
analyzed by the FBI lab in Wash­
ington.

sary to get Government ap­
proval for the increases in
payments to the S!U Wel­
fare and Vacation Plans.
These increases, an additional
ten cents on Welfare and 15
cents more on vacation had
been held aside for the time be­
ing pending Government action on
the contract. No steps could be
taken to apply these increases in
the form of new benefits until such
approval was won.

Withheld From WSB
Actually, as has been explained

at SIU membership meetings, the
SIU had never formally submitted
its contract to the Wage Stabiliza­
tion Board in the expectation that
wage controls would be dropped
by the incoming administration.
Previously the WSB had been
stripped of its industry members
by resignation after the coai wage
dispute and a tremendous backlog
of several thousand cases had piled
up. This made it impossible for
the SIU to get early action in any
case. By holding off, the SIU
avoided the risk of losing'some of
the monetary gains of the contract
through WSB action..

This course of action was taken
earlier by the SUP, which withheld
its petition from the WSB when
it appeared that the agency would
deny, benefits won after a 63-day
long strike last spring and summer.
SUP secretary - treasurer Harry
Lundeberg took a "wait and see"
position on wage controls rather
than risk losing wage gains. An
unfavorable WSB decision would
have hindered SIU negotiations
that were going on with the ship­
owners this summer and fall. The

R. Rutledge, FWT, signs re­
ceipt for his first payoff under
the new wage scale as P. K.
Murdock (seated), 2nd mate,
and F. Strelitz, steward, await
their turn.

SUP policy paid off with the end of
wage controis last week.

Union Asks Early Payment
As soon as the President's order

was ann mnced the Union took
steps to assure immediate payment
of the new wage and overtime
rates. A telegram was sent to all
the Union's contracted companies
reading as follows:

"On February 6, 1953, the Presi­
dent of the United States issued
an executive order abolishing the
Wage Stabilization Board, thereby
decontrolling all wage and salary
contracts. The Union therefore re­
quests that all ships now pay off
under the new wage and overtime
scale . . . We would appreciate

your cooperation in having retroac­
tive wages computed as soon as
possible ..."

58c OT Increase
The removal of the wage ceiling

lid means that increases of from
five to 15 percent, ranging up to
$42.63 a month are now in effect.
In addition the new high overtime
rates of $1.48 to $1.87 an hour will
prevail, along with the new divid-

(Continued on page 17)

LSf^t
Purchases
A Liberty

Entering the general freight
field for the first time, the
Southern Trading Corporation
has purchased a Liberty ship and
put it under SIU contract. Previ­
ously the company had been oper­
ating exclusively with four LSTs,
which it uses as bulk cargo carriers
in the coastwise trade.

The latest addition to the list
of SlU-contracted ships is the
George Uhler. It took on a full
crew at Norfolk and then came up
to New York to load cargo under
charter to the US Navigation Com­
pany for one voyage. After the
charter, the ship will be operated
directly by the Southern Trading
company.

A standard SIU freight contract
has been signed by the company to
cover this vessel and any other
standard freight ships it may ac­
quire.

Vacation Pay 1.8 Million Isf Year
One of the Union's most>-

successful operations, the SIU
Vacation Plan, breezed by its
first birthday last week with almost
$2 million paid out to Seafarers.
It was just a year ago on February
11, 1952, that the fund started pay­
ment of cash benefits. The year
closed with $1,815,719.12 going into
the pockets of SIU men.

When the plan got underway,
SIU officials estimated that in any
given year, benefits would be paid
at the rate of $2 million. The first
figures come fairly close to the
original estimate. ^

First in Maritime '
For practically all Seafarers, the

revolutionary Vacation Plan, a
trailblazer in maritime, provided
vacation pay for them for. the first
time. Previously it was necessary
to stick with one company for
months in order to quaiify for any
kind of benefits. .

All that was Changed under the
Plan first adopted by the SIU.
Shipowners began contributing to
ji central kitty, so much for every
day worked. That way^ a Seafarqr
,. (CpRtinued on page 17) . ;.,1

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Allen Batqh«lod, pumpman, and H. E. Grant, AB, left to right, celebrate the first birthday of the SIV
Vacation as tiie^ line np in Hew Voyk headquarters te accept vacatien money from headquarter^
clerk Al Bernstein,

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Vai* FMT SEiiyilitERg LOG rcteaaty M> 18M

Upgradlils Booklets Avallablie m

Shown fanwlse above are the booklets prepared by the Union's
education department and available in all ports for the upgrading
of Seafarers. The pamphlets include questions and answers for
ABS, firemen, watertenders, oilers and electricians.

LOG Weieomes
StorieSf Pica

With the LOG now contain-
ing 28 pages, the biggest ever,
there is more room now than
ever bef^ for stories, photos
and letters sent in by the Sea-

~farers. Several pages of each
Issue are devoted to the ex­
periences of Seafarers-and the
ships they sail as they describo
it themselves.

If you run across anything
of interest on your voyages, or
just want to let your friends
know how you're getting aiong,
drop a few lines to the LOG.
Don't worry too much about
literary style. We'll patch it
up if it needs patching. And
of course, photos illustrating
the incidents you describe
make them more interesting
for the readers.

Send your stuff to the LOG
at 675 Fourth Avenue, Brook­
lyn, NY. H you want any­
thing returned after we use it,
we'll do that too.

SUP's Xalculated Risk' Pays Off
SUP Secretary-Treasurer Harry Lundeberg rode in on another long shot last week when

President Dwight Eisenhower abolished wage controls. The order upheld the SUP's de­
cision to withhold its contract from the WSB in the gamble that the wage lid would be
removed. As a result, SUP-
members will collect the full
amount negotiated in base
pay, overtime and penalty rates
back to April 27, 1952, a huge
chunk of back pay for every man.

The SUP contract case is an il­
lustration of Lundeberg's ability to
take calculated risks for greater
gains, in the face of strong oppo­
sition from all sides. When the
SUP membership voted over­
whelmingly on May 26 to go out
on strike, it faced the united op­
position of the Pacific Maritime
Association, Harr^ Bridges long­
shore union and its Communist
satellite, the Marine Cooks' and
Stewards throughout the 63 days
of the walkout. A hostile press in
California added to the unsuccess­
ful hue aind cry against the SUP.

SUP Went It Alone
This has been a long-standing

situation whereby for years the
SUP has "gone it alone" on the
West Coast but has managed to
win out every time. Fortune maga-
2ine, spokesman for the business
point of view, stated frankly that
given the choice between the
"strongly anti-Communist" SUP
and "a notorious party line union,"
the ILWU, "the Pacific Maritime
Association picked party - liner
Harry Bridges over anti-Commun­
ist Harry Lundeberg."

While Bridges, the MC&S and
the shipowners joined hands in ac­
tively attacking the strike, the'
other West Coast Union, the Ma­
rine Firemen, Oilers and Water-
tenders, piped up that the strike
was a bum beef. But as in the
past, when it was all over, the "me
too" MFOW dropped its hands-off
attitude and jumped right in to
grab a slice of the melon won by
the SUP.

Too many seem to have forgotten
that at issue in the strike were jobs
of SUP members. The ship owners
wanted to take maintenance work
which- had traditionally belonged
to the Sailors and ,give it to
Bridges. The commies criticized
the SUP for hitting the bricks

Harry Lundeberg

criticized the Sailors for fighting
to preserve their jobs. If the Sail
ors hadn't fought for their i^ht to
the work, these jobs would not ex­
ist today. Proof of the soundness
In the SUP's determined stand is
borne out by the figures lowing
the ; number of men shipped to
these jobs daily.

Being under fire ttdm tSl sidek
fc nothing new for Lundeberg. He'e
been accused bjt both- right- and
left of beingifceiiPH^in^
Mr bdUtdscy obT to be
iB the interests of bis memberdilp

and in response to the member­
ship's needs and demands. He's
never hesitated to stick his neck
out and take an unpopular position
on behalf of that membership,
come what may.

A couple of years ago, for ex­
ample, when both AFL and CIO
were demanding outright repeal of
the Taft-Hartley law, Lundeberg
brought a storm down on his head
by meeting with Senator Taft on
the subject. He secured assur­
ances at that time that the mari­
time hiring halls, the key to mari­
time trade unionism, would not be
disturbed. Today, organized labor
has come around to Lundeberg's
position and has abandoned rigid
and unrealistic demands for repeal
in favor of a more flexible ap­
proach of securing the best pos­
sible deal under the circumstances.

Despite Labor's hostile attitude
to Taft, Lundeberg met with the
Senator for one reason: to protect
his membership and save the
union.

It would have done the SUP lit­
tle ̂ good if Lundeberg had shouted
"repeal" and stood by while the
hiring hall was undermined. The
membership wanted assurance that
T-H would not destroy their hiring
hall and that's what they got.

Similarly it was with the mem­
bership in mind that. Lundeberg
rejected an invitation to serve in
the Eisenhower cabinet as Secre­
tary of Labor. _ His first choice was
to work for the Sailors. He felt he
coiUd best do that j by staying
where' he was and leaving the
honora to othen;

Anofter , "unpopular' positipn
Lundetierg has. held through the
years has ,been his uncompromja-
ing atmd egainst'^ tlie CommiinUit

untuiu,,,
pmiht ftont" Otm
4it tbr latA i^W's and during the

wartime "honeymoon" ne main­
tained his stand despite strong
criticism. At the same time it
helped save the SUP from being
swallowed up by the various "fed­
erations" and "unity committees"
that the Party was always setting
up to take over the waterfront.

Few realize that while Lunde­
berg has left the spouting of the
"progressive" line to others, the
SUP was the first maritime-union
to negotiate successfully fw a
shipowner-paid welfare fund. The
pattern established h.as been bene­
ficial to both shoreside and sea­
going maritime unions. Then too,
there has been much noise from
the left as'well as other groups
about the McCarran Immigration
Act, but it- was Harry Lundeberg
who went to Washington and did
something for alien seamen.

Secret Ballots
Since Lundeberg has long been

a conunanding figure in maritime,
those who attack him overlook the
fact that he has a membership to
answer to for all his doings. The
SUP constitution provides for se­
cret referendum ballots on impor­
tant issues like constitutional
changes and union elections. On
these ballots as well as in carrying
out policy, Lundeberg has had
the consistent support of the men.

The SUP Internal set-up is a
far cry from that in the left-wing
West Coast outfits such as the
Marine Cooks and Stewards. Here
a Senate subcommittee recently
reported that the Communist lead­
ers stay in power by a "rule" of
terrorism, and discrimination
against all elements who dare op­
pose its CommQnist policies."

Reporting to the SIU member­
ship recently on the SIU contract,
Secretary-Treasurer Hall credited
the SUP with setting the pattern
of dealing with wage stabilizaztlon.

"We've worked closely w^,th the
SUP on this and other policy
questions," H^ said, "and Lunde­
berg has given us solid support
on every beef we've worked to­
gether on. The A&G District
always found Lundeberg ready to
go to bat for us jUst as we've g:o!ie
to bat for him.

"It's a known fact that out on
the West Coast the iSUP leads tlip
field. Undef. Lundeberg's leader^
^p the SUP has bscome the
wealthiest unton'witb tlfe best con­
tracts and the finest halls, just ar
the SIU is «Hit in front here. The
result bas toeen tbat the whole SIIT-
SUP iiMmbairtihk has goBo ahead
larther- and Ihstec^ thalr dai^bedr
els«'hi inarttinMi?!^t> •

OUT ON THE WEST COAST OUR BROILERS IN THE SAILORS
Union of the Pacific have been battling around the clock for quite

a few years against Communist leadership in other maritime ufiions
there. Few people realize that this fight is just as important today as
it was a few years back when the Communists had enbenched them­
selves v^ strongly in many organizations. Now that our Government
has taken action against the Communist Party and the Kremlin Is very
unpopular in this country, people wonder what all the noise is about.
They ,seem to think that the Communists have been-licked for good
and are no problem in the unions any more.

The facts don't square with this kind of thinking. Far from pulling
in their horns the Communist leaders in the Marine Cooks and Stewards
and in the International Longshoremen and ^Warehousemen's Union
have been putting the steady squeeze on their membership to retain
power.

If anybody doubts that they can read a nice fat hook of testimony,
245 pages worth, that's been Issued by a subcommittee of the Senate
Labor Relations Committee. This group, headed by
Senator. Humphrey of Minnesota, heard dozens of
witnesses testify how the Communist leaders of the
Marine Cooks and 'Stewards kept a Moscow-style
dictatorship going in that union.

Members who opened their mouths against Com­
munist control were dumped on the ships or ashore.
If they refused to kick in to a Communist fund drive
or openly supported this country's policy in Korea
they were brought up on trial and blackballed out
of the Union. And when they tried to ship, the
MC&S would then pressure the operators to fire them. " ''

In other words, loyal working guys were being deprived of their
livelihood unless they knuckled under to the Communist leaders of
the MC&S and their Russia-first policy.

The operators out on the Coast aren't free of blame either. These
fellows have been doing business with the Commie-led. unions for years.

On occasion they've played footsie with them to
lick the SUP. So when the MC&S came round and
fingered a man for making anti-Communist state­
ments the shipowners couldn't wriggle out. This
condition isn't limited to maritime. It exists else­
where in this country where there are strong Com­
mie line outfits in control.

In some quarters the feeling is that more-Govern­
ment regulation is needed to lick this problem. But
we already have Coast Guard screening and a-non-
Communist oath on the books. These things haven't

slowed down the MC&S in the slightest.
The real fight on Communist control can only cqme from inside

the labor movement. The SIU has been committed for years past to
driving the Communists from the waterfront. We propose to continue
on this course to protect -waterfront workers and guarantee their rights.

YOUR UNION'S SECOND ANNUAL ART CONTEST IS NOW OPEN.
We hope all those brothers who have talent along these lines will

turn to and display their stuff.
We remember that last year the fellows who put in for this contest

got a big kick out of it, especially those who won the prizes.
This contest is set up to give them a chance to show their shipmates

and also shoreside people what a seaman can do. It's part of your
Union's program to acquaint the public with the Seafarers and give
them an idea of the kind of men we have manning our ships.

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rebnury U, IftSS SEAFARERS LOG Page Fin

SlU's Infl
Convention
Next Month

The SIU A&G District was
officially informed this week, that
the sixth biennial convention of
the SIU of NA will bcr held in
San Diego, beginning March 23.
Procedure for nomination and elec­
tion of delegates from the District
was simultaneously announced as
follows:

In accordance with the procedure
of the Union and also in accord­
ance with the provisions of the
SIU Atlantic and Gulf District con­
stitution, (Article XIV, Section 7)
the following recommendations are
therefore made:

A. Nominations shall be de­
clared open at the regular mem­
bership meeting of February 25 in
ail A&G District ports;

B. Any man may nominate him­
self for a position as convention
delegate;

C. All members who are nomi­
nated shall have in headquarters
notification of his acceptance, as
per the constitution, no later than
12 noon, Monday, March 2, 1953;

Special Meeting
D. A special meeting to elect

a six man credentials committee
shall be called in headquarters,
Monday, March 2 at 12 noon, such
committee to survey the qualihca-
tions.of the nominees for delegate;

E. The qualifications for such
nominee shall be thd same quali­
fication as are required by our
new constitution for running
nominees for tmy elective office
in the District, i.e. two years in
continuous good standing, US
citizenship and three years' sea-
time;

F. This committee shall pre­
pare a ballot in accordance with
our constitution; and as soon as
possible shall make ballots avail­
able in all ports;

G. Voting shall commence im­
mediately upon receipt of ballots;

Vote Deadline
H. Voting shall end on Wednes­

day March 11, at which time a
tallying committee shall be elected
in ali ports;

I. Reports of tallying committee
shall then immediately be wired to
headquarters and those nominees
who have won the election shall
then be certified as the Atlantic
and Gulf District delegates, to the
International convention;

J. The number of delegates
elected shall be four. These four

(Continued on page 17)

Throw in For
A Meeting Joh
Under the rules of the' SIU,

any member can nominate
himself for meeting chairman,
reading clerk or any other
post that may be up for elec­
tion before the membership,
including committees, such as
the tallying committees that
will be chosen at the next
membership meeting.

since SIU membership meet­
ing officers are elected at the
start of each. meeting, those
who wish to rup for Jhose
meeting offices can do so.

The Union also welcomes
discussions, suggestions and
motions on the business before
the meeting. Seafarers are
urged to give the membership
the benefit of their opinions so
that the membership, can act
S|ccordingly. .

Seafarer A. Ballnt, oiler, watches while M. C. Stachiira, oiler, left,
points out announcement of the second annual Seafarers Art Con­
test. The deadline for entries is April 30, 1953.

Seafarers Prepare
For 2nd Art Contest

Spurred on by the announcement of the second annual SIU
Art Contest, Seafarers on the ships and in various ports are
preparing their entries in the hope of winning one of the 12
prizes offered. The contest is^7
open to all Seafarers for

Tugboatmen
Win 10-Day
NY Strike

The 10-day strike of tugboat and
oil barge workers in New York
ended this week, with the members
of the United Marine Division of
the-ILA winning a 17-cent an hour
pay increase as well as overtime
and fringe benefits.

The SIU, as well as the Greater
New York Port Council of the AFL
Maritime Trades Department, gave
the tugboatmen all the assistance
possible during the strike, morally,
physically and fincineially. Captain
William V. Bradley, president of
United Marine Division, Local 333,
ILA, which held the strike, has
already expressed his member-^
ship's appreciation for the help the

*SIU gave.
Among the fringe benefits the

men gained are: $8 per day main­
tenance and cure, stipulation of
travel payment for certain outly­
ing jobs, higher payments for
cooks aboard small vessels, and
higher payments for watch stand­
ing and for holidays, and higher
welfare benefits.

The 3,500-member local has also
agreed to go into arbitration on the
one remaining question, the mini­
mum manning scale, on small tugs
and barges. However, the arbitra­
tion proposal was rejected by the
employers, and this question is
now being settled.

» On February 5, when the strike
was underway, the tugboatmen tied
up the entire port of New York
by throwing picketlines in front
of every pier on the waterfront.
The longshoremen refused to cross
the picketlines, and the port was
completely tied up.

However, the employers went
into court immediately, and got an
injunction that night which pre­
vented any further mass picketing
of piers. ' The injunction was
based on the contention that it was
a secondary boycott, illegal under
the Taft-Hartley Act, since the
striking .tugboatmen were not
directly employed on - the .piers
they were picketing.

entries in four categories: oils,
watercolors, drawing and handi­
crafts, with three prizes offered in
each category.

To spread the word about the
contest, the Union is sending post­
ers to all outports and to SIU ships
at sea announcing the contest and
giving the details on how to enter
it. The deadline has been set well
ahead, April 30, 1953, to give Sea­
farers everywhere a chance to gel
their entries in. Last year's con­
test attracted over 80 entries and
it's expected that as many or more
will participate this time.

Experts Will Judge
As in the previous year a panel

of judges consisting of well-known
art experts, including the SEA­
FARERS LOG art editor, will pass
upon the entries and award first,
second and third prizes in each
category. The judging will take
place on May 5, with all entries
on exhibition the week of May 4.

Seafarers who have a handicraft
hobby are being especially encour­
aged to enter this year's contest.
Any kind of woodwork, metalwork,
jewelry, fancy knot work, leather
goods, weaving or modeling would
be eligible under the handicrafts
section. The important tning about
the work is that it must be hand
made by the Seafarer.

Wrap Carefully
All entries should be sent in to

the Art Editor, SEAFARERS LOG.
675 4th Avenue, Brooklyn 32, New
York. When sending them by mail,
it's advisable to use special de­
livery of registered mail and wrap
all items carefully to guard against
damage.

It's very important to attach the
contestant's name and return ad­
dress to each entry, so that the ma­
terial can be returned to the own­
ers when the contest ends.

Since some Seafarers will be do­
ing their work on ships and won't
have the materials to frame or
mount paintings and drawings,
these entries wilKbe accepted un­
mounted. The first prize winner
last year in the drawings section, for
example, consisted of a colored
chalk drawing on a torn sheet of
black paper, the only materials the
contestant had available to him.

Seafarers who might be inter­
ested in selling their work should
inform the LOG accordingly and
specify the price sought. • ... . ^

Draft Hiring Hall Bill,
Curbs On Bargaining

A bill to legalize the maritime hiring hall, and another
measure that would outlaw industry-wide bargaining have
been submitted to Congress as part of a general moVe to make
changes in the Taft-Hartley-4 ^
Act. Reports coming out of
Washington indicate that the
act will definitely undergo amend­
ment this year. Consequently pro­
posals are being submitted from
both sides—those who -would re­
move curbs on Unions and those
who want to* make the law still
harsher than it is.

The hiring hall bill has been in­
troduced in the Senate by Senator
Warren Magnuson, Washington
Democrat. It states simply that it
shali not be considered an unfair
labor practice to establish a union
hiring hall and to give employment
preference to union members and
those referred by the union.

Ban On Standard Pacts
On the other hand, the proposed

ban on industry-wide bargaining
would be a severe blow to all un­
ions, particularly large industrial
unions. It is contained in a bill
that has been submitted by Rep­
resentative Fisher, Democrat of
Texas, and would make it illegal
for employers to get together with
other employers as a negotiating
group that would negotiate a stand­
ard contract with a union.

Would Affect Maritime
The SlU, like many other indus­

trial unions negotiates its contracts
on an industry-wide basis and re­
cently completed standardization of
all clauses in its freight and tanker
contracts. A ban on industry-wide
bargaining would be a serious
hindrance to orderly labor rela­
tions in maritime because it would
open the door to a wide variety of
wage standards and working rules.
It would appear certain to cause
great confusion and unrest in the
industry.

Another feature of the Fisher
bill would prohibit unions from
limiting their membership in pro­
portion to the number of jobs
available, despite the much-publi­
cized abuses that have developed in
some areas as the result of an un­
limited membership policy.

Boycott Restrictions
While Fisher's bill is the first

comprehensive legislation to be in­

troduced thus far, the Republican
leadership headed by Senator Taft
has come up with some ideas that
v/ill probably be submitted in the
form of a bill shortly. These would
include some mild easing of the
Taft-Hartley restrictions on sec­
ondary boycott and on the right of
strikers to vote in NLRB elections.
The non-Communist oath require­
ment will probably be changed to
include employers as well as union
officials, even though it's pretty
well agreed that this provision is
largely meaningless now.

Union proposals for Taft-Hartley
changes include legal recognition
of the closed shop and the elimina­
tion of injunctions powers in the
act.

Wage Hike
Gained By
Piiot Crews

MOBILE — Crewmen employed
by the Mobile Bay Bar Pilots As­
sociation won a 43 percent month­
ly wage increase in their initial
contract just negotiated by the
Marine Allied Workers, an SIU
affiliate.

The pilot boatmen chose the
SIU-MAW as their collective bar­
gaining representative in a recent
election conducted by the Nation­
al Lalipr Relations Roard.

In addition to the wage increase,
the pilot boatmen's first contract
contained provisions for job se­
curity, regulation of hoifrs and
other benefits.

It was an unusual contract nego­
tiation in that the pilots, this time
acting in the role of employers,
are union members themselves, be­
ing affiliated with the Masters,
Mates and Pilots Association, a
brother maritime union.

Ate.

THESE-:

From Article XXVU
Section 1

proposed .^lotion form.
Conditvrtion

The SIU Constitution, like any
document designed to preserve
the democratic ^irocess, atlovrs
for changes of its provisions.
Members who have ideas on how
to improve the Constitution can
hit the deck at any regular mem­
bership meeting and offer them
in the form of resolutions. If the
resolution is adopted, the amend­
ing procedure will follow.

,-A :



S'MF^liWSL

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M'-I ".r'

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! A -.

SEAWAYS- > BOX list ^ > BALTIMCmE 3, MARYEAN^

Plretent§ ihe

"iSEAFARERS GVIDE"

A GATEWAY TO WORLD-WIDE TKAVBU ADVENTURE AND ROMANCE!

Here's seductive cover of "Seaways" leaflet which promises to open the gate to a life at sea.

Want To Go To Sea?
Just Pay'Em $ 2 And...

A small-time sucker game aimed at gullible men who want to go to sea has been turned
up by the SEAFARERS LOG. Preying upon poorly-paid or unemployed shoreside work­
ers it milks the customers of $2 a head by implying that it will show the \^ay to a high-
paying job in maritime. "t

The enterprise, which calls
itself Davenport Seaman's
Service, is apparently only one of
several such promotion outfits. It
is operated by a retired NMU book-
member, Rodney Davenpoi-t Turner
who seems to have found the busi­
ness preferable to working for a
living, at sea. It first came to the
attention of the Union when the
Union office received several stand­
ard forms from various sections of
the country headed "Application
for Employment as a Merchant
Seaman."

Leads Cnstomers On
Scrutiny of the operation and an

interview with the owner has not
turned up anything that appears
to be in violation of the law. The
literature distributed carefully
avoids an out-and-out promise of a
job, but leads the customers on to
believe that the so-called seaman's
service is the key to travel, adven­
ture, excitement and lots of money.

The operations of the service are
simple. Ads are placed regularly in
about 60 assorted pulp magazines
that have wide circulation. They
call on both men and women to
join the merchant marine. "Experi­
ence unnecessary," they say. "Ex-
celllent pay, fascinating foreign

DAVENPORT SEAMEN'S SERVICE
'Mftt—t Htri— I r em»r OlfUM- H70 8NOADWAV

MEW YORK C»TV

MSf BiPAlP font?

Davenport Marine Guide offers everything:—except a

SIU Towmen
Gain $40
Pay Raise

MOBILE — Monthly wage in­
creases averaging about $40 a man
were won for all unlicensed per­
sonnel employed by the Mobile
Towing and Wrecking Co. in a
new towboat agreement just ne­
gotiated by the SlU-affiliated Ma­
rine Allied Workers here.

The increase in the monthly base
rate was only a part of the mone-
tai-y gains won by the SIU-MAW
negotiating committee, however.
The agreement also included pro­
visions for a liberalized overtime
rate and for a shorter work week.

Under terms of . the agreement,
the monthly base rate was in­
creased from $255 to $294 and the
hourly overtime rate' was upped
from $1.34 to $1.87 an hour.

The work week was fixed at 40
hours.

Members of the negotiating com­
mittee were Cal .Tanner, SIU
agent for the Port of Mobile, Har­
old Fischer, Louis Neira and Qttp
Swendson.

travels, excitement . . . free In­
formation."

Once the potential customer
writes for the free information, he
receives a set of leaflets, headed,
"See the World and Be Paid for It,
Experience Unnecessary." The
leaflets paint merchant marine em­
ployment in glowing terms. Their
main pitch is that the customers,
by sending cash, check or money
order of $2, will receive the "Mer­
chant Marine Enrollment and
Career Guide," plus a set of appli­
cation forms for jobs. The Guide is
said to be written by "experienced
men of the sea."

No Ontrigfat Job Promised
While implying that "world

travel and a healthy bank account"
is within the grasp of all who send
in their $2' the literature is care­
ful not to promise a job outright.
Money back is promised within
seven days if not satisfied.

In return for- the $2, the cus­
tomer receives a 23 page booklet,
which outlines the duties, qualifica­
tions and wages of various ratings,
where to go for seamen's papers,
plus the names and addresses of
maritime unions and a lengthy list
of American shipping companies.

The Guide is much more con-
seiwative in tone than the come-on
literature. Along with it are" sent
two cautiously-worded bulletins.
One of them says that jobs are
scarce now and steers men to for­
eign flag ships. The other warns
that it may be difficult to get sea­
men's papers and disclaims connec­
tion with any union dr shipping
company.

A LOG representative posing as
a customer applied for the service
and received the literature and the
booklet. When he returned the
booklet saying he was not satisfied
he received a refund check from
"RD Enterprises Inc." of Portland,
Maine. The check was drawn on
a Massachusetts bank.

Went To Office
Subsequently he went up to the

New York address of the outfit and
found it located in a small room
that served as a mail drop and
switchboard for two dozen different
people. When he asked for the

owner he was steered into a dif­
ferent office where he met Turner.
In that office three girls were
working, busily stuffing copies of
the "Guide" in envelopes.

Turner admitted that he was the
"staff of experienced men" who
wrote the guide. He said he had
been working on colliers with an
AB ticket and started the, busi­
ness while he was shipping out. He
claimed he quit shipping because
the mail would pile up in his ab­
sence and he didn't want to get
into trouble by not answering it.
Anyway, he said, he didn't like
shippipg.

He conceded that the so-Callcd
service was little more than sucker
bait, btit claimed that other opera­
tors wouldn't refund the money,
whereas he did. When questioned
about the extent of his operations
he showed figures ostensibly cov­
ering the month of January to the
effect that he had sent out 1,040
guides at $2 each and made eight
refunds. However, with three girls
working at handling mail, that
number of guides could be sent out
in a single day.

Getting Oat Of Business
Turner denied that he was mak­

ing any big money out of the busi­
ness, saying that he was averag­
ing about $100 a week. H^ de­
clared that as soon as-he sold out
his present stock of guides he was
getting out of this particular busi­
ness.

Turner is hot the only ohe to
find the merchant marine angle a
profitable orie. . Another outfit.
Seaways, in Baltimore, putsi out
a similar pitch even more extrava­
gantly-worded. Seaways offers a
Seafarers Guide for $1.98, two
cents cheaper than Turner's, but
doesn't provide •'liny money. back
guarantee.

A sontewhat more expehsive^
"service" along the same lines is
the Seamen's Service in Trucks-
viUe, Pa. This one charges $3 plus
mailing and COD costs to get the
poop from "an ex-merchant marine
officer who will explain in Retail
how to get a job ... No mbney
back guarantee .here, either, |

SIU NEWSLETTER
from WASHINGTON > •

Unless the House Merchant Marine Committee once again becomes
an active group on Capitol Hill, the American merchant marine stands
to lose what once was a powerful friend in the US Congress.

If the Committee does not squarely cope wit^i the enormous legis­
lative problems now confronting the nation's fourth arm of defense,
the chalices are that the House Merchant Marine Committee will be
abolished as a Standing Committee and, in effect, be relegated to an
inferior position as Subcommittee of the House Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee, In which event maritime pi'oblems would be
snowed under numerous other problems of that Committee.

As it now stands, the House Merchant Marine Committee has full
jurisdiction to review merchant marine matters—its authority is prac­
tically unlimited in connection with maritime and closely related sub­
jects. The question remains, will the Committee become interested
enough to bring up legislation and report out such bills that will aid
in the development of the US merchant fleet. Many people are noting
the lack of Committee activity and are beginning to wonder just how
interested the group is in establishing a healthy maritime fleet.

Authority of the Attorney General of the US to exclude an alien
seaman, who has been previously admitted into the country for perma­
nent residence, on the ground that his entry is deemed prejudicial to
the public interest, and without giving the seaman a hearing, has been
overturned by the US Supreme Court.

In a decision of the High Court involving an alien seaman who Was
admitted to the US for permanent residence, signed on an American-
flag ship for a round voyage, and who was "temporarily excluded" at
San Francisco and later excluded when the ship reached its home poit
of New York, the Supreme Court said that, in effect, the seaman re- '
mained "physically present" in the US. The court said the seam^
was entitled to notice of the nature of the charge against him and al'so
to a hearing at least before an executive or administrative tribunal.

The Attorney General, in excluding the seaman, had relied on a
prior case where an alien, with an immigration visa, who never had
been in the US, sought entry but was excluded as an alien whose entry
w«« deemed prejudicial to the public. .

In the case of the alien seanian, the Supreme Court said he ^ready
was in the couutry and, therefore, had a right to be heard. , • -.j

t t
The US Coast Guard, during the tast fiscal year period, issued to'

individuals 170,328 merchant mariners' documents bearing evidence,
of security clearance, and granted security appeal hearings in 775 cases
considered to be poor security risks.

In the category of longshoremen, warehousemen, pilots, and water-
front workers, 196,951 persons were screened and 188,301 port security
cards were issued, while 827 hearings were granted upon appeal by
persons who had been found to be poor security risks.

As to merchant marine personnel, the Coast Guard issued a total of
144,602 documents, of which number 48,551 were issued to persons
who had no previous service in the merchant marine and 950 were li­
censes issued to radio officers.

During the year, in the interest of national defense, 7,941 individual
waivers of manning requirements for merchant vessels were issued,
while shipping commissioners supervised execution of 17,650 sets of
shipment and discharge shipping articles.

ill ii>
In the domestic trade, freighter employment postwar has been much

less than prewar. Whereas in 1937 about 450 ships were engaged in
these trades, only 164 were employed the latter part of 1952. This
is not due to a decrease in the volume of traffic, but rather to the in­
ability of domestic freighters to regain their prewar competitive status,
particularly along the US Atlantic and Gulf coasts and in the inter-
coastal trade.

4 i HI
As to coastwise shipping, while it is not believed it will regain its

prewar position in the foreseeable future, it is not too optimistic to pre­
dict that 1952 employm.ent of ships will be increased by 25% in the
years ahead by proper application Sf modem break-bulk cargo handling
methods and equipment both on ships and ashore.

t,
The Treasury Department estimates that the tax benefits of the

American subsidized operators over the past 15 years have totalled
about $155,533,084. This figure represents the difference between the
amount of taxes actually paid by the subsidized lines over the period
and the amount they would have paid in the absence of the present tax
benefits in the 1936 Merchant Marine Act.

4" 3^ t
A bill that is sure to be passed by the Congress is the one recom­

mended by the Treasury Department recently under which certificates
of service for entry ratings on US flag ships would riot be issued be­
fore the applicant had demonstrated that he had sufficient knowledge
of the English language, written and spoken, adequately to perform
all duties required of him and to carry out orders of superior officers.
Existing law has been construed to require only that oral orders in any
language be understood by 75% pf the crew, and Treasury believes
this should be corrected. «

"It is believed," Treasury Informed the Congress, "that any member
of the crew of a merchant vessel of the US is not competent to carry
out the normal duties expected of him unless he can speak and under­
stand the language sponkcn by officers of the vessel, which is normally
English."

J" '' i 3>
Senator Magnuson, Washington, has introduced a bill (S. 838) amend­

ing the National Labor Relations Act in order to legalize maritime hir­
ing halls. Under the measure, the term "maritime industry" would in­
clude all industries employing personnel'engaged as licensed or un­
licensed members of the crews of ishlps or .barges engaged in offshore,
coastal, intercoastal, or inland transportation, or in longshore opera­
tions seivicing such ships or bargee.



tehruvr 2*, IfSS SEAFARERS L O G Fare Seven

COAL, STEEL POOL SET VP—Operation of the Schumann plan for
Europe's coal, coke, iron ore and steel began last week, with a common
market in six countries for these products. All duties, customs and
quotas have been eliminated. From now on, these items can be bought
and sold in the open market as if there were no national boundaries.
Participating in the agreement are France, West Germany, Belgium,
Netherlands, Luxemburg and Italy. The plan is expected to be of
great benefit to the economies of the countries involved.

4. . Ji
ROSENBERGS DENIED CLEMENCY — President Eisenhower has

turned down the appeal of convicted atom> spies f thel and Julius
Rosenberg to set aside their death sentence. The President said that
"the nature of the crime for which they have been found guilty and
sentenced-far exceeds that of taking of the life of another citizen . . .
and could very well result in the death of many, many thousands."
The Rosenbergs' attorney has announced' another appeal to the Su­
preme Court but it is not expected to make any change in the death
sentence verdict.

4.
_ RUSSIA SEVERS RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL—The Soviet Govern­
ment has broken off relations with Israel as the aftermath of the anti-
Zionist campaign undertaken in Russia and the satellite countries.
The immediate reason for the step , was the bombing of the Soviet
legation in Tel Aviv, Israel, that came as the climax of rising ill
feeling as a result of arrests and spy trials in Iron Curtain countries
of Jewish leaders and charges that the Zionist movement is a tool
of "American imperialism."

t ^
WEST GERMANS ARREST NAZI PLOTTERS—The West German

government has arrested four leaders of a neo-Nazi group called the
German Free Corps and accused them of planning the overthrow of
the government. The arrests by the German officials follows last
month's round-up by British occupation forces of seven former Nazi
leadgrs on charges of a similar plot. The German government indi­
cated that it was going to take action against other neo-Nazi groups
in the near future.

EX-GI CONVICTED OF TREASON—Former" Army sergeant John
D. Provoo has been found guilty of treason while a prisoner of the
Japanese after the fall of Corregidor. The Federal Court jury held
that Provoo had offered his services to tne Japanese after being taken
prisoner and had informed on an American Army captain to the
Japanese, thus causing his'death. He was also found guilty of making
radio broadcasts on behalf of Japan.

% if ISf
ENGLAND, EGYPT AGREE ON SUDAN—The Governments of Great

Britain and Egypt have reached agreement on the future of the Anglo-
Egyptian Sudan, the huge block of territory extending southward
from the borders of Egypt proper. The agreement provides for a three-
year period of transition after which the Sudan would be given self-

.govcnment. In the meanwhile, Britain and Egypt will continue to
supervise that area's affairs.

4 t
PRICE CONTROLS LIFTED—^The Government has lifted price and

wage controls on practically all items except for important metals
used in defense and other materials in short supply. Items still left
under controls are cheese, dry groceries, steel, aluminum, copper,
nickel, lumber and much machinery and equipment including major
household appliances.

Bare New Baggage Racket
A clever scheme to defraud Seafarers of their valuables was turned up recently in the port

of San Pedro. A self-styled travel agency representative, using the nam^ of one of the
reputable agencies in the area, has been offering "to "take care of" the forwarding of Sea­
farers' baggage for a small fee. 1 —— ^—
Subsequently, several Seafar=
ers found to their sorrow that
the baggage had been rified be­
fore being shipped.

One of the victims of the swin­
dle, Seafarer John Flynn of New
York,, said he had paid off the
Mankato Victory (Victory Carriers)

December 17 af­
ter a Far Eastern
trip. He and
other crewmem-
bers were anx­
ious to arrange
for transporta­
tion back East
as is provided
them under con-
tract. Along
came one Mr. "T.

Davis," a self-styled representa­
tive of the San Pedro Travel Agen-'
cy, saying that he had plenty of
plane seats available on non-sched­
ule four engine flights if the men
wanted them.

Forward Baggage
Davis" further offered as a spe­

cial service, to forward the men's
baggage collect lor a slight fee of
$2. Seven or eight of the men, in­
cluding Flynn; took advantage of
the "service" so that they would
not have to waste time lugging
their sea bags and suitcases around
and arranging for mailing.

After Flynn got home he re­
ceived his baggage in due time.
When he opened his bags he found
that everything of value including
personal possessions of sentimen­
tal importance had been cleaned
out.

On learning of the incident, the
Union agent in Wilmington con­
tacted the travel agency, which in­
formed him that Mr. "Davis" was
in no way connected with their
outfit. Further, the agency doesn't
contact ships to sell airline space.

Seafarers are warned that any
"Mr. Davis" or for that matter
anybody else contacting ships who
offers to "take care of" baggage is
out to no good and should be
treated accordingly.

Here's bird's-eye view of the new six-bladed propeller that has
been installed as an experiment on the Cities Service tanker Paoli.

CS Tanker Tries Out
Six-Bladed Propeller

Experiments with a new, six-bladed propeller are now being
carried out by Cities Service with the Paoli.
. Seafarer Lewis Savoia reported that the six-bladed screw
was put on the Paoli at the-* on
Newport News, "Virginia, Ship­
building and Drydock Com­
pany along with fitting ceremonies
and a number or spectators.

"We believe," he said, "that the
Paoii is one of the first large tank­
ers in the world to be equipped
with a six-bladed propeller."

The company said that the Pa­
oli had been fitted with the new
propeller so that it could get some
idea of how the new screw would
work during regular tanker opera­

tions. However, said the company,
the ship has not yet been in service
long enough with the new pro­
peller to show any conclusive re­
sults.

The company was non-committal
about whether other of its vessels
will be equipped with the new six-
bladed screws. It said that it was
waiting to see what happened with
the Paoli before making any deci­
sions about its other vessels.

The Paoli is a standard T-2
tanker.

YOUR DOLLAR'S WOl HTH Written exclusively for
THE SEAFARERS LOG.
by Sidney Margolius,
Leading Expert on Buying SEAFARERS GUIDE TO BETTER BUYING

Written exclusively for
THE SEAFARERS LOG.
by Sidney Margolius,
Leading Expert on Buying

Best Quality For Your Money
Learning how to buy the best-quality goods for your

money is an art that can save you and your family many
dollars in this period of high prices and inflation—and
also save disappointments and grief. Many a Seafarer
has learned this the tough way—by spending his hard-
earned dough for goods that failed to givft satisfactory
performance for the price paid.

For example, one man reports he bought a pair of wing-
tip shoes for twenty-two good solid bucks. Within three
weeks they cjime unsewed and had to be repaired. Now
he wonders if he wouldn't have done as well buying a
cheaper pair.

What every man or family that wants the most for its
money should know, is that a liigh price doesn't neces­
sarily mean best quality. It may merely mean extra
trimming or decoration which may actually be a weak
point. In the case of the shoes our pal bought, a plain-
toe type not only would have cost less than the wing-tip,
but has fewer seams to come apart.

Simple Lines Best
In many instances, you'll find- that simply-designed

goods are qpt only less expensive but more durable and
easier to care for. In inen's clothing, solid-color socks
are more durable than those with clocks and other fancy
designs. Solid-color shirts cost less than fancy patterns
and are less likely to fade. End-to-end madras shirts are
more expensive than plain madras but are less durable.

The same situation is true for the things a family buys.
Muslin sheets are stronger and last longer thaii the more
expensive percale sheets. Pillow cases and sheets with
plain hems not. Qhly cost less than hemstitched ones but
grb more durable. Wbite towels cost less than colored

ones and dry you off quicker (because the dye reduces
absorbency). Children's and women's dresses with gored
skirts cost less than pleated ones.

Does that mean it's always best to buy the lowest-priced
article? Not necessarily. The way it works, merchandise
generally falls into three price classes: the so-called "low-
end" goods, the medium priced lines and luxury lines.
In a period of high prices, any reduction of quality in
the lowest-priced lines means the manufacturer must re­
duce the basic quality; he must use cheaper materials
and skimp on construction. But reducing the quality
of medium-priced goods may merely mean eliminating
the frills; eliminating the perforations on shoes; for ex­
ample. But the basic quality is still good. So in times
like these it's generally the medium-priced lines that offer
us the best quality for the money. The highest-priced
lines are rarely worth buying anyway, because they are
basically the same as the medium-priced goods with a few
frills added.

Frills Cost Extra
Take refrigerators. Most brands feature a standard

and a deluxe model. They're basically the same boxes
with the same motor, insulation, capacity, etc. But the
deluxe model costs you much more because it has -everal
added features, such as a larger freezing compartment
which you may or may not want—and certainly don't if
you have a separate freezer—or an additional vegetable
crisper, etc.

Some Basic Qualities
Here's a list of standard-quality, medium price type

of goods which this writer has found offers good basic
serviceability for the price:

Men's shirts: 2x1 broadcloth of" ISfix'ii thread count;
oxford cloth (must be cut roomy because of tendency to
shrink); chambray ahd poplin.

Men's suits: 'Worsted cheviot, serge, homespun, also
tweed and covert Uf closely woven).

Work clothes and children's wear: Cotton gabardine,
twill, jean cloth and similar materials with a ribbed weave.
- Men's and boys' coats: Melton cloth, cheviot aqd tweed.

Women's coats: Cheviot, venetion, jersey, tweed, home­
spun, covert and mouton fur.

Cotton dresses: 80-square percale, gingham, chambray.
Rayon dresser: Gabardine, sharkskin, faille and other

ribbed materials.
Hosiery: 30-denier nylon in 45 or 51 gauge.
Sheets: 140-count muslin; or 128 count as second choice.
Notice the omissions from this list too. Flannel, for

example, is perishable unless it's worsted flannel, which
is very expensive. Cashmere is another costly but non­
durable material, and not recommended for suits, coats
or sweaters. Rayon crepe wears well but requires great
care in cleaning and laundering.

4. 4*
Since this column is written with the buying problems

of Seafarers and their families in mind, the LOG will
welcome suggestions as to the subjects that readers would
like to have discussed in future columns. If there are any
suggestions that you have on this score, send them in to
the editor of the LOG.

In addition, readers are asked to pass along any ques­
tions about material that has appeared here, or about
specific problems they've run into in purchasing any type
of goods and services.

Those who may want to obtain back copies of these
columns that have already discussed subjects they art
interested in can do so simply by dropping a line to the
LOG and asking for that particular issue.

• >•••



S]6''ArARERS 104 Vclwaanr 20, 195S

Jos Bums <2na from left), beson, points out a special article in
the bound volume of 195? LOGs, now on sale through head­
quarters.. Left td right are; Lionel Cormier, BB; Bums, Robert
WanBi»ii, carp.; Gumbald Kalland, bosun, and George Liebers,
steward. Volumes can be ordered through malL

'52 LOGs Available
In Handy Bound Book

Bound: volumes of the SEAFARERS LOG covering the
entire year of 1952, have just been received from the bindery
and are now available for sale at the cost price of $4. They
are on sale at New York head-"*
quarters or by mail.

Chronicling a twelve-month
period which saw the Union make
great strides in an era which has
been one of the most climactic in
US history, the bound LOG should
be a welcome addition to every
ship's library and to every book­
shelf in the homes of Seafarers,
The bound edition of the LOG con­
tains every issue of the newspaper
put out in the year just ended. In­
cluding supplements containing
freight and tanker agreements and
the new constitution.

Contained within the covers of
the latest bound edition of the
Union's newspaper,' the 14th such
since the inception of the SlU,
are the many 'firsts' scored by the
Union in the past year. Among
the many advancements are the
new and better contracts, the new
constitution of the SIU, the inaug­
uration of scholarship, maternity
and disability benefits plus the be­
ginning of the 1st vacation plan
In maritime history.

Included also, are the many
news stories concerning the weck-
to-week affaii*s of the Union, as
well as feature items about Sea­
farers, their families, and places
of interest to men of the sea. Also,
1952 was the year in which the
LOG gained three prize awards
for excellence in the field of labor
journalism and was acclaimed the
best labor paper in the country.

For those Seafarers who are
building a SEAFARERS LOG li­
brary, bound volumes back through
1946 can be purchased for $4 each.
The 1952 bound volume can be
purchased through the mail by
using the coupon on the back pag9
of this issue.

Report liOst
Baggage Cheek

Seafarers who lose baggage
Checks for gear checked at any
SIU baggage room should
notify that particular hall
right away so that no one can
Improperly claim the baggage
with that check. Headquarters
officials advise you to do this
immediately to avoid loss of
your gear and/or trouble
claiming It later on. Make
sure you notify the hall where
the baggage was checked as
soon as you find out you've
lost the check

-if' •

'Happy Hew
Year, Harry'
-Conilnform

It's going to be a Happy New
Year after all for Harry Bridges
and the International Longshore­
men and Warehousemen's Union.
There may have been no holiday
greetings In the mall from the
SIU, SUP, or for that matter from
his former pals in CIO maritime
luiions. But Bridges Is still re­
membered with affection In cer­
tain quarters—behind the Iron
Curtain of course.

The ILWU Dispatcher, official
organ of Bridges outfit, reports
that Bridges' Bulgarian, Czecho-
slovakian, Rumanian and Hungar­
ian pals didn't forget him come
tlie hoUdays. The dummy imions
in those countries all sent their
best wishes in the ILWU's "strug­
gle for world peace."

Mass Produced Propaganda
To nobody's surprise, the mes­

sages coming from-four different
countries all contained the same
phrases and catchwords, proving"
that mass production of propa­
ganda has now been achieved in
Communist countries, no matter
where. The Bulgarian unions
wished Bridges "success in your
gallant fight for democracy and
peace," while in Czechoslovakia
they made it "success .. in their
struggle for better economic con­
ditions. and In defense of demo­
cratic rights and liberties." They
must have had a few more capital­
ist dollars to spend on cablegrams
than the Bulgarians did.

Chief 'Mighty Peace Camp'
The Hungarians had another

way of putting It, "success In your
struggle for better living condi­
tions and peace," and concluded
"long live mighty peace campl"
(Sounds like Bridges has an In­
dian chief's name). The Ruman­
ians wound theirs up In a fiorid
burst of rhetoric, "success for
building up action unity In the
struggle waged in defense of your
vital Interests, for democratic lib­
erties, for preserving manklnfi's
most pireclous gift. Peace."

SEA¥ CASH BENEFITS

SEAFARERS WELFARE, VACATION FLANS
REPORT ON BENEFITS PAID

From ••••

No. Seafatetg ReceiTing Benefif this Period I W77
Average Benefits Paid Each Seafarer

Tcral Benefits Paid this Period 3 m
WELFARE, VACATION BENEFITS PAID THIS PERIOD

Ss:io
Path Bcacfttf ysosi
Dioahaitv Bcnefito
Maternity Bcaefita
Vacation Benefita

Tftltlt
AiLLki

OO

±L

WELFARE, VACATION BENEFITS PAID PREVIOUSLY

HoaBital Benefita Paid Since Tulv 1. 19S0
Denth Benefita Paid Since T«dv 1. 1950
DianbiUtv Benefita Paid Since May L 1952
Mntetaitv Benefita Paid Since Aptii 1. 1952
Vncimoil Bcocfitf Pidd SMCC F^h, IL Wl'

Tffial ;
pate Beftffif

-jMfl

If iiAf 97/

oo

2L

e»o

2A

WELFARE, VACATION FLAN ASSETS

Vacation
Cash on Hand KRTffBCH

Vacation
Estimated Accounts Receivable — .^£eUa
us Govetiment Bonds (Vellsre)
Real Escace (Vellsre)
Other Assets — Training Ship (Welfare)

TOTAL ASSETS

So

Commentst
For some time past It has been the practice, for

a great many of the eliglbles under the Plan, to sign a
new Welfare Flan beneficiary card each time they sign on
for a new voyage, regardless of the fact that they do hot
change the name of the beneficiary.

It is only necessary to fill in and sign a new
beneficiary card idien it is the intention of the member
to change the name of the beneficiary. A great deal of
time and filing space will be saved if members will keep
this in mind.

SuhmittmA February 14. 1953
M /W

Al Kotr, jinMsirMfor

...and, remember tbis..•
All these are yours without contributing a single nickeLon your part ̂ Collecting SIU bene­
fits is easy, whether it's for hospital, birth, disability or death-^ Ycu get first rate personal ; ; •
service immediately through your Union's representatives; ^



rebroary SO, USt SEAFARERS 100 Pare Nina

UNION TALK
•y KEITH TERPI

Now that the second batch of unfair labor practice
charges has been filed by the SIU against Atlantic
Beflnlpg, tiiere's no question In the minds of Atlan­
tic seamen that the company will have to do some

fancy footwork to explain away its shady discrimination tactics. Both
Atlantic and the AMEU tried their best to minimize the importance
of the first barrage of charges specifically levelled against the company,
and by indirection, at the AMEU as well, but they'll be hard-pressed
if they try this a second time.

A good indication of the way the wind is blowing lies in the reports
of several onetime AMEU stalwarts who folded their tents and silently
removed themselves from the scene of the crime rather than face up
to realities. One of them has even added a prophetic note to the pro­
ceedings. He's currently reported taking a turn at the tombstone busi­
ness, and if he's good and .sticks at it, may win the lucky assignment
of carving one reading "R.I.P.—^AMEU" before long.

She men in the fleet know that the filing of additional charges—
which may prove even stronger than the heavily-documented ones we
threw at the company before—^plainly indicates that we mean to stand
by pur own pledge to go all the way to back up any unorganized seaman
who is discriminated against because he supports the SIU. That's been
the foundation beneath our success in former organizing drives, and
our policy hasn't changed a bit since then.

The company's public reaction to the charges, like the AMEU's,
has been to try and laugh them off as something that just didn't happen.
Actually, the creation of its special trials and appeals board is Atlantic's
off-hand attempt to illustrate its "democratic" nature, as it goes through
the motions of judging charges brought against the men by ships'
officers and then "democratically" renders a decision. We spoke of
this tactic a few weeks ago, and nothing has changed our original
estimate..

The pattern is all too clear in this whole sham "kangaroo court'
arrangement. Since we have charged Atlantic with discrimination In
firing, the company now seeks to show it fires for good cause, not a
result'of a man's being openly pro-SlU aboard ship. This "good cause"
stems from a stated Ust of reasons for discharge which are part of the
AMEU-Atlantic "agreement" and over which the company (naturally)
has< sole control. Of course, in order to insure that the average Atlantic
seaman gets a fair shake at bis trial, the panel is rigged with company
offipials from t<q> to bottom. Two AMEU officers usually sit in on the
panel, but it's difficult to see how they represent anything but man-
ageinent again, since they are both admittedly on the payroll of the
company with whonr they "bargain" as the "representatives" of its
employees!

Now of course we also 'made a careful survey of the company's
hiring practices, so that we were able to docuhient for additional
charges the fact that Atlantic discriminates in hiring as well as in
firing. Atlantic's answer to this has come easily. Just last week it set
out to show how "democratic" it was in not practicing any discrimina­
tion in hiring by running a former employee seeking reemployment
before this same trial board! Since the functions of this^ panel had
never been defined, ft appears it can do anything, and do it better
than anybody. In this Instance, you have a situation where a man has
to have a trial before he can even set a job. It'll be interesting to see
what they try next.

Since the rumors abont a renewal of "negotiations" between the
company and the AMEU got started about three weeks ago, little
actual information has filtered out from the undercover goings-on. We
do know, however, that Atlantic has already come through with «r 60-
day annual paid vacation for its licensed engineers, which we pointed
out was one of the items also being considered for the unlicensed
personnel. Of course, the price the engineers had to pay for this bonanza
was to give up all their overtime, so anybody going to sea for a living
today knows who came out on the short end at that deal.

The point is that this latest gimmick may wind up to be the pattern
forced on the unlicensed men as well.

In Mexico, shrimp boats are coming in, but under the armed eyes of Mexican gunboats which are
patrolling the offshore waters. Shown above is an SIU shrimp boat, typical of those involved in the in-
tematiohal controvert.

Shrimpers Face Mexican Guns
More trouble loomed for Gulf Coast shrimpers as the Mexican Navy ordered two gun­

boats to back up its regular patrol of coastal waters, and gave them orders to fire at any
foreign fishing vessels working in Mexican waters if they don't obey instructions to pull
into a Mexican port.

The shrimpers in the area,
which include many shrimp
boats manned by- SIU affiliates,
lave long been the subject of a

controversy between the US and
Mexico. Mexico claims her terri­
torial waters extend nine miles
from shore and that she has com­
plete jurisdiction over these wat­
ers, while we have claimed that
deidcan jurisdiction extends only

the usual three miles from shore.
As a result, many US and Cuban

shrimpers caught in the disputed
waters have been boarded by Mex­
ican patrols, and forced into Mex­
ican ports where they were held
for varying lengths of time. In
answer, the shrimpers had said
that they would arm their boats.

This apparently happeped, be­
cause recent reports said a Mex­
ican Inspector, with an armed
I luard, boarded a US shrimper, but
was unable to order her into a
Mexican port because the shrimper
was "better armed than my pat­

rol." Apparently, the heavily armed
gunboats are Mexico's answer to
this.

Mexico claims that the shrimpers
are "stealing" her "national
wealth," and has estimated that
the "illegal" shrimping operations
have "cost Mexico about $3.5 mil­
lion thus far this year."

Shrimp boats manned by SIU
affiliates sail from Mississippi,
Texas, Alabama and a number of
other southern states. One of the
largest of the SIU organizations is
the Gulf Coast Shrimpers and
Oystermen's Association, which Is
a branch of the SIU's Fishery and
Allied Workers Union.

The US State Department has
said that it has "been discussing
this situation with the Mexican
authorities"'for some time now, but
that it has "failed to reach an
agreement thus far."

The shrimpers, on the other
hand, hold that Mexican territorial
waters extend only three miles

from her coast, and that the main
fishing grounds, about nine miles
out, are international waters, and
thus are open for fishing.

The shrimpers also claim that to
keep them out of these waters
would deal a near-fatal blow to
their industry, and would mean the
loss of many jobs and' many ships.

Sign Name On
Letters

For obvious reasons the LOG
cannot print any letter or
other communications - sent in
by Seafarers unless the author
signs his nar^e. Unsigned,
anomynious letters will only
wind up in the waste-basket,
if circumstances justify, the
LOG will withhold a signature
on request, but if you want it
printed in the LOG, put your
name on it.

Cartoon History Of The SIU Thf Communlats' Raids 2Vo. 31

After failing in an attempt to control the East
Coast waterfront, the commies under Bridges tried,
to move in on the NY longshoremen in 1946w;
Smarting under defeat by Uie SIU, the NMU—i
under commie control—attempted a demonatrg-

Baids by the NMU and Bridges were the order
of the day, taking place in Phila. and New.Orleans.
In one of Bridges' most ambitious moves, he tried
to raid the SUP in the Coos Bay area. The SIU
answered with » plcketline of the NMU ships on

The Communists were thoroughly discredited in
their raids. Worst of all was their raid on a strike
meeting oi- the MMP in New York. Led by die­
hard commies, they tried to take over, but SIU
aid beat them back. It was the beginning of the

•T /

/



m

SEAFARERS 10 & -„.•> . .V...... nbtaiutv-.M,

PtUtTHEPmXS
Wilmington:

Smshine, Minor Beefs
Make Things Pleasant

Shipping has been moving along
at a fai.' rate in this port, with 17
ships in-transit. We figure that
things may be picking up a little in
the future.

The in-transits included that
W. E. Downing (States Fuel), Wa-
costa, IVsrhawk, Arizpa, Yaka and
Bienville (Waterman), Seacoral
(Ocean Tow), Pennmar, Portmar
and Calmar (Calmar), Shinnecock

Bay (Mar-Trade),
Barbara Fritchle
(Liberty Naviga­
tion), Steel Age
(1sthmian), St.
Lawrence Victory
(Missis sippi),
Greece Victory
and Carroll Vic­
tory (South At­
lantic), and the
Omega (Omega). Wolfe

There were some minor beefs on
some of the ships, but they were
all squared away to the satisfaction
of the crew while they were in port
here.

We had the Fairhope (Waterman)
towed in here recently. She ran
aground about 375 miles from here
and had to be towed back. Her
double bottoms were ripped open
and her shaft alley was flooded.
There's also some mystery about
her chief steward, Carl "Pop"
Thurman missing after he was
proved to have been aboard when
the ship sailed. A grand jury is
holding hearings about the missing
steward and the Coast Guard is
holding hearings about the ship
running aground. We, of course,
will be attending, both of these
hearings.

Just now, we've got Joe Stenne-
beck, Okie Jones, Les Wolfe,
Jimmy Wilson and George Craggs
among the men on the beach here.
They're just taking it easy and en­
joying this wonderful California
sunshine, before they take one of
the Far East runs, which usually
mean some time over in Yokohama.

As you know, that run to Yoko­
hama has fast been becoming one
of the favorites among the men.
They tell me that it's a great place
to visit, and that it's the big 4it-
traction over in the Far East right
how. That's why we've, got a lot of
the boys from this neck of the wood
homesteading those shuttle runs
over to Yokohama.

Sam Cohen
Wilmington Port Agent
ti t> t'

New York:

Tagboalmen Thank SlU

Grove (Cities Service), Taddei
(Shipenter), Sweetwater (Mar
Trade), Mother M. L, (Eagle
Ocean), Michael and Trinity (Car-
ras), and George A. Lawson (Pan.
Oceanic).

SIgn-Ons Strong
The Taddei, George A. Lawson,

Monroe, the Steel Executive, Steel
Navigator and Steel Designer
(Isthmian), the Hurricane (Watei>
man), the Robin Grey (Robin), and
the Seavigil (North Seas), ail
signed on. The in-transits included
the Amberstar (Traders), the Ala=
miar, Yorkmar and Seamar (Cal­
mar), Seatrains Texas, Georgia and
Louisiana (Seatrain), the Alcoa
Pointer and Roamer (Alcoa), and
the Antinous (Waterman).

There were no major beefs on
any of the ships, and all were
smooth payoffs.

The Seamagic came in from an
11-month trip and the boys who
had been on for the entire voyage
had a real fat payoff. The only sad
part, of it was that there were only
15 of the original crew left aboard.
The rest has paid off in foreign
ports and were replaced by aliens,
who were not,' members of the
Union.

We've had a few ships re-routed
from New York due to the tugboat
strike that was held in this port,
but many of them entered and left
under their own power, so it
didn't make too much difference.
As you know, we gave the tugboat-
men bur full support, and so did
the Greater New York Harbor Port
Council of the AFL Maritime
Trades Department, of which we
are a member. The tugboatmen
have already expressed their ap­
preciation to us for the support
that we gave them, and have also
thanked the MTD for its support
during their beef.

We-have been informed that the
SS Seamagic of the Colonial
Steamship Co. is being transferred
to Panamanian registry. However,
in order to get an okay from the
Government to do this, they had to
contract to build a new supertanker
to go under American registry. So,
if we get this new supertanker un­
der an SIU contract, we will not
have lost out on the deal.

As most of the men know, the
Wage Stabilization Board has-been
abolished by PresidentiM order.
We have already advised all our
companies to start paying the new
v/age scale at once. Those men who
have retroactive pay coming under
the new scale, which goes back to
November 18, 1952, can get their
money by writing to the companies
with which they have been sailing
since that date.

(Ilaude Simmons
Asst. See-Treas.

New Orleans:

Coagress Stadias Bill
For Short Cut To GHH

Shipping was kept at an even
pace during the last two weeks by
jobs being opened up by New Oiv
leanians who followed their cus­
tomary practice of coming a.shore
to spend the Madri Gras season
with friends and relatives. No
boom in shipping is expected in
the immediate future with only
seven ships due for pay-off in this
port.

During the last two weeks we
had seven payoffs, three ships
signed on and 19 called in transit.

Payoffs were on the Del Viento,
Del Norte, Del Oro (Mississippi);
the DeSoto and Iberville (Water­
man); the Carabulle, (National Na­
vigation) and the Genevieve Peter-
kin (Bloomfield). Sign-ons were
Mississippi's Del Santos and Del
Norte and Victory Carriers' Long-
view Victory. Those in transit were
Alcoa's Clipper, Patriot, Corsair,
Polarus, and Pioneer; Isthmian's
Steel Maker, steel Advocate. Steel
Surveyor and Steel Flyer; Missis­
sippi's Del Santos and Del Norte;
Seatrain Lines' Seatrain New Jer­
sey; Waterman's Maiden Creek,
Morning Light, Monarch of the
Seas and Andrew Jackson; Victory
Carriers' Longview Victory; South-
em Trading's Southern Counties
and Philadelphia Marine Corpora­
tion's Potrero Hills.

Watch Congress

made by St. Lawrence Seaway ad­
vocates to trade for support on the
two proposals. Isidore Newman II,
new president of the New Orleans
Chamber of Commerce, said the
New Orleans-to-the-Gulf channel
should be a top priority project for
all New Orleans business interests
who, he said, should raise the
money and put it over themselves
if Federal financing is not forth­
coming.

Meanwhile, the Army Engineers
held public hearings here on an-

i«ther plan to improve the main
channel of the Intracoastal Water­
way between Harvey, Da., and
Brownsville, Texas.

Shipping and industrial interests
are keeping a
close eye on
progress of a bill
Introduced
by Rep. F, Ed­
ward Hebert of
Louisiana
providing for a $1
million appropria­
tion to finance
planning of a
short cut tide­

water ship channel from'New Or­
leans to the Gulf. A similar meas­
ure passed the House last session,
but died in the Senate.

Gardner

Already approved by Army Engi­
neers, the proposed channel would
shorten the distance to the Gulf
by 45 miles. It also would eliminate
navigational hazards presented by
the tortuous Mississippi River
route now used. The project also
includes a proposal to improve the
intracoastal waterway between
New Orleans and Mobile.

Rep. Hebert said he expected
some opposition to the measure
and predicted efforts would be

Controversy Develops «
A controversy over whether it is

safe to handle cargoes of ammo­
nium sulphate nitrate and calcium
ammonium nitrate in this port had
its repercussions when one ship­
per said henceforth he would have
his vessels unloaded at Gulfport,
Miss. The New Orleans Fire Pre­
vention Committee ruled it was
safe to handle the cargoes here.
The Coast Guard agrees with the
committee. Safety Commissioner
Bernard J. McCloskey has dis­
agreed, however, and has carried
on a running argument with the
Mayor and the committee over the
question.

Pat Donohue, a retired Seafarer
and former Southern welterweight
champion who is well known to old
timers here, is making a reputation
as a manager and trainer of ama­
teur boxers. One of his charges.
Bob Morgan, 16-year-old high
school student, recently won the
lightweight championship in the
mid-South Golden Gjoves Tourna­
ment at Memphis. Newspapers here
and in Memphis conjmented on
Morgan's remarkable victory in the
finals over Paul Manai, a Marine
Corps boxer, who was six years
older than the New Orleans lad.

Seafarers recently admitted to
the USPHS hospital here include
Salem Cope, Robert Butler, Larry
Eiland and Jack Gardner. Gardner
underwent an operation for hernia,
but is expected to be back in cir-
culat^n soon.

We have been enjoying the finest
of mild. Spring weather here dur­
ing the last few days, and Sea^
farers at the hospital have taken
advantage of it to spend as much
time as possible sitting in the sun­
shine on the spacious grounds sur­
rounding the building.

Since our last report, Dan Mel-
nik, A1 Guidry, Lawrence Talley,
Homer Mayes, Irby Dufour and
Charles Bennett have applied for
maternity benefit checks.

Lindsey J. Williams
New Orleans Port Agent

Lake Charles:

For

kii.fr

We've had more than the usual
number of-ships paying off in New
York during the last period, but it
still didn't develop into the ship­
ping boom that we had expected.
It looks as if many of the boys must
be staying on those ships until
after the cold weather is over.

In all, we paid off 33 ships in the
past two weeks, signed 9 on ar­
ticles and had 10 in-transit ships.
The payoffs included the Beatrice,
Marina, Suzanne, Ann Marie, Eliza­
beth, Puerto Rico, Frances, Ines,
Monroe, Kathryn and Edith (Bull),
Seatrain New Jersey, New York
and Savannah (Seatrain), Afound-
ria (twice), Mobiliap, Azalea City,
Stonewall Jackson, Hurripane, and
ikeystone - Mariner ; (Waterman),
Steel Architect and Sbel Bxe$:utive
. (Isthmia^^, -Seac^gt and JS.eamag/c

Sm HALL DiRMCrORY
SIU, A&G District

BALTIMORE 14 North Gay St.
Earl Sheppard. Asent Mulberry 4540
BOSTON Z76 State St.
James Sheeban, Agent Richmond Z-0140

Dispatcher Richmond 2-0141
GALVESTON 30SV4 23rd St.
Keith Alsop. Agent Fhone 2-8448
LAKE CHARLES, La 1413 Ryan St.
I^oy Clarke. Agent Phone 6-5744
MOBILE 1 South Lawrence St.
Cal Tanner, Agent Phone 2-1754
NEW ORLEANS 523 BienvlUe St.
Lindsey Williama. Agent

Magnolia 6112-6113
NEW YORK 679 4tb Ave., Brooklyn

STerUng 8-4670
NORFOLK 127-129 Bank St.
^enRees, Agent Phone 4-1083
fHILAJJ^PHlA ^.337 Market St
S. Cardulio Agent Market 7-1635
PORT ARTHUR .411 Austin-^
Don Hilton, Rep. Phone 4-2341
SAN FRANCISCO 450 Han^^t.
Jl DouBlae 2-5475
SAN JUAN, PR ... 253 Ponce de Leon
Sal Colls. Agent
SAVANNAH ... ...... 8 Abercom St.

Mowlfott. Agent >Ay*-
^A..1809-1811 Nk

Ray White. Agtn% Phone 2-1323
WILMINGTON. CaUl.... .505 Marine Ave.
Sam Cohen. Agent. Terminal 4-2874
UEADQUARimS... .679 4tb Ave.,' Bkiyn.

SECBETAEy-TRBASURER
Paul HaU

ASST. SECRETARY-TREASURERS
Lloyd Gardner

Robert Matthew* ClaUde Simmons
HEADQUARTERS REPRESENTATIVE

Joe Aigina

SUP
HONOLULU 10 Merchant. St

Phone 6-8777
PORTLAND ...522 N. W. Everett St.

Beacon 4336
RICHMOND, CALtr 297 Sth St.

* Phone 2599
SAN FRANOSGO 450 Harri(on St

DougU* 24363
....2700 1st Ave.

M«tii oiM
WU-MSNGTON ,.....,., 505 Marine Ave.

Terminal 4-3131
NEW YORKi 67S-4tb ^e..^JBrooMgn

Canadian District
MONTREAL.;.... ..634 St Jame* St. Wert
HAmxX NJii.i......

SEA'vi'LS... •..

FORT WILLIAM.... 118'A Syndicate Ave.
Ontario Phone: 3-3221

PORT COLBORNB 103 Durham St.
Ontario s • Phone: 5591

TORONTO. Ontario 86 Colbome St
EUUn 8719

VICTORIA. BC......617<A Cormorant St.
Empire 4531

VANCOUVER. BC........S69 HamUton St.
Pacific 7824

SYDNEY. N8 304 Charlotte St
Phone 6346

BAGOTVILLB. Quehce 20 Elgin St.
Phone: 845

THOROLD. Ontario 37 Ormont St
Phone: 3-3202

QUEBEC 113 Cote De La HonUgne
Quebec . Phone: 2-7078

SAINT JOHN 177 FrinceWiUlam St.
NB Fhone: 2-3049

Great Lakes District
ALPENA ......133 W. netcher

Phone: 133aW
BUFPALO. NY....;.. 180 Main St.

Phone: Cleveland 7391
CLEVELAND 734 Lakeaide Ave.. NE

Phone: Main 1-0147
DETROIT .....1038 8rd St.

Headouartet* Phones' Woodward 1-6BS7
DULUTU .......831 W. Mlchlfu St.

80UTB-cmCA60«.T?^2^i^rM»e*^°

CaRdldates Plesflfal
For Local Eleeflons

Shipping in this lovely town has
been fair during the past two
weeks, with quite a few rated men
getting out, although some of the
non-rated men have had to wait
a little while before getting a
berth. However, we look for bet­
ter things to come.

Calling in here during the past
two weeks were the Cantigny, Gev-
ernment Camp, Chlwawa, Archers
Hope, Bents Fort, Winter HUl, Pa-
pli and Council Grove (Cities Serv­
ice), and the Colonel (Mobile Tow­
ing and Wrecking). The Colonel
is a tug towing between here and
Cuba. When the Colonel called in
for some men,
everybody in the
place threw in
for her. It looks
as if they all
w a n t e d to go
calling on the
fair maids of
Cuba, or perhaps
it was the rum
and coke that
did it.

On the labor front,, we had a
small strike by the iron workers,
but it only lasted a couple of hours
before the contractors caved in.
There wasn't any need for toy
help, since the iron workers had
the situation well in hand All'the
whlie.

On the political front, things are
really boiling down now. The dead­
line for filing for office is past,
but it looks as if everybody and
his brother has thrown in for one
of the jobs. We'll be electing a
mayor, five councilmen and a
school board. As far as labor is
concerned, we haven't backed any
of the candidates yet, but are
studying their records and plat­
forms.

We will probably be meeting in
the near future with the rest of
labor around here to decide on
whether to back any of the candi­
dates. However, anyway it turns
out, it sure looks as if we're going
to be having an interesting elec­
tion.

Fishing Good
The finny tribe in the nearby

waters is starting to nibble, now,
and just about everyone on the
beach is borrowing some fishing
tackle and taking advantage of the
situation. We may have to call the
jobs down where the fishing is best
if this keeps up. and the fish bite
any better.

One. of the oldtimers, W. J. Con­
nors, breezed-in here and regis-;
tered: He says he's looking for a'
coastwise trip right now. Some of
the other, men oh the beach here
right now include A. Ben Kori,
Jimmy Parker, J. R. McCain, R.
Koch, A. Hebert, L. McAdams, Lb
Boren, J, H. Patton, A. Doucette,
L. ,Albritton and A. Fruge.

And, sailing out of here on a
Cities Service tanker we have ono
of the best known local citizens.
Slim "Honest Ed" Parsons, who, at
present, is sailing as lubricating
engineer aboard one of the tank­
ers. Ed says that the thing h«
likes best about the benefits we
liave, is the Vacation Plan. He says
he likes the idea of being able to
work for Go days and then collect
vacation; money and take a rest
whenever he feels like it instead
of haying: to tike the time off when
the comptoy says so. '

Clarke
CiHarle^ .



Febmrr 29, IjISt SE'AF'ARERS LOG Par* Elerea

I; V

.... PORT MtEPORTS

• 'V Stevens

Mobile:

Mora Military Cargoes
Proiniso SMppiag Rise

Prospects are bright for an up^
turn in shipping- in this port. The
US Naval Magasine at nearby
Theodore, Ala.,.has been reacti­
vated and shipment of militai^ car­
goes bound for Europe and the Far
East has been resumed through
this facility. Grain shipments in
SlU-contracted bottoms are ex­
pected to increase soon. Shipping
interests look for several ships to
be taken oiit of the Mobile bone-
yard and put back in service in the
near future. -

> As for the immediate future, nine
ships are due for payoff and one
is scheduled to arrive here in
tran^t.

During'^the last two weeks, we
had 10 payoffs, five ships signed-on
aiid seven called here in transit.
Payoffs were on the Patriot, Cor­
sair, Planter, Polaris, Cavalier and

Banger (Alcoa),
the Morning
Light, Monarch
of the Sea and
Lafayette (Water­
man), and the
Wanda (Epiph­
any). The Patriot,
Planter, Polaris,
Ranger and
Lafayette signed
on. The Steel Ad-

. yocate, .Steel Surveyor and Steel
Flyer .(Isthmian); Del Norte (Mis-

.. $issippi); . D e S o t o (Waterman);
, Sweetwater (Metro Petroleum) and
LongvieW; Victory (Victory Car­
riers) stopped in transit.

< W* contacted Waterman and
Alcoa officials and were informed
that both companies- would imme­
diately start paying the higher
wage scales provided, in the new
centracti Payroll department of
both companies started work on
figuring retroactive pay due to
men who have been employed since
Nov. 18, 1952, effective date of the
contract.

Hospital Problem
Mobile's USPHS Hospital figured

in the news again when the Federal
Security Agency let it be known it
is looking for a place to locate the
out-patient clinic which has' been
maintained in the building since
other departments of the hospital
were closed several months ago.

FSA officials said the clinic will
be moved out of the hospital as
soon as another location is foimd
and then "presumably the place

^ wUI be declared surplus." In such
, event, the building would be of­

fered to other Federal agencies. If
none want to use it, the state will
have first call on its use.

Some civic interests here,, includ­
ing the Chamber, of Commerce, are
seeking to have the state or local
agencies obtain the building for
use of a tuberculosis sanitorium.
Veterans organizations, maritime
labor organizations and shipping
interests want it reopened as a full-
fledged USPHS hospital.

More encouraging news about
our proposed harbor improvement
project was-received from Wash­
ington last week. Sen. Lister Hill
said he will Introduce in the Sen­
ate a bill to authorize $5,778,000

. for deepening and widening the
' ship channel and enlarging the
turning basin in the Port of Mo-
bile.

The project already has been
Okayed by the Army Corps pi Engi­
neers and the Bureau of the Budget

• ancl the Army is ashing Congress to
_ improve the impiwement program.

Of cpurse, tte way most people
hero look at the things' is that it
will mean a better harbor for the

more iddpping here and increase
shipping activity and the amount
of cargo handled through the port,
u well, of course, as increasing
the business carried on by the
businessmen In this city. However,
an increase in shipping and an
improvement in facilities never
hurt any port.

What will happen to the bill
when Congress acts upon it,
naturally, is something that very
few people can say, but one thing's
sure; Just about everybody here is
pulling for it to pass.

Tj^o oldtimers swapping yams on
the beach her* now are Bosuns
S. P. "Pete" Morris and Oscar
"Blacky" Stevens. Both are what
might be termed "charter mem­
bers" of the SIU, and they can tell
"sea stories"' from their voyages
to all parts of the world that will
stack up with the best.

Cal Tanner
Mobile Fort Agent

.X. t

Galveston:

Boston:

Shipping Continnes
At Same Fair Pace

Shipping continues fair around
this port, and it looks as if it
might stay that way for a while
yet.

We had, the Steel Surveyor
(Isthmian), Northwestern Victory
(Victory Carriers), Federal (Trafal­
gar), and the Seacloud (Seatraders)
as payoffs. The Northwestern Vic­
tory and Federal signed right back
on again.

As in-tmnsits, we had the
Maiden Creek
and Andrew
Jackson (Water­
man), Julesburg
(Terminal), Sea-
trains Georgia,
Louisiana, New
Jersey and Texas
(Seatrain), Coun­
cil Grove, Lone

Funtillo and Royal
Oak (Cities Serv­

ice), Neva West (Bloomfield),
Southern Districts and States
(Southern Trading), Sweetwater
(Metro Petro), Trinity (Carras),
Steel Advocate (Isthmian), and
Mae, Bui.

Things are pretty quiet around
these parts right now. We'v*»got
Emmo PuntiUo oh the beach tak­
ing it easy. Emmo joined the SIU
back in 1943, when the going was a
bit on the rough side. He's been go­
ing to sea for' the past 14 years,
however, and he said that if he
couldn't sail SIU, he'd stop going
to sea.

Keith Alsep
Galveston Port Agent

Sams

Bssfi Seilied Here
In Reaj Quick Order

Shipping has been taking a lei­
surely pattern here lately, but
things may be picking up a bit in
the future. We had two payoffs,
and both signed right back on,
and also had five in-transits.

The payoffs included the Jules-
berg (Terminal Tankers) and the
Robin Doncaster (Robin). Both of
these ships signed on again. The
in-transits were the Chickasaw and
Antinous (Waterman), Lone Jack
and Paoli (Cities Service), and the
Steel Recorder (Isthmian).

We had a couple of beefs on
these ships, but they were all
settled to the satisfaction of the
crew. On the Robin Doncaster, we
collected 123 hours overtime for
the crew. There was disputed
overtime for
working on holi­
days, securing
booms, ' and for
two men using
the large type
spray guns. All
of this was col­
lected, as well as
20 hours overtime
for the bosun to
bring him up to
high man.

On the Lone Jack, the chief
cook, second cook and one mess-
man had been fired. We took up
that beef right away, since the
crew said the men had been doing
a good job, in fact, the chief cook
has been sailing for 17 years in
Uiat capacity, and this is the first
time he's ever had a complaint.
The result was that we collected
all the back wages for these men
until they were reshipped, since
they had been fiied'for insufficient
reason. The crew told us that the
cooks in question had been some
of the finest cooks they had ever
sailed with.

Men Cooperative
The men on the beach in this

port have been very cooperative
about helping us keep the hall
clean and -tidy, and have been
helpful whenever they got a
chance to do anything for us.
We've had a good bunch on the
beach lately. ^

Contacting Atiaatio
We've been contacting the At­

lantic ships as they hit this port,
and so far the response has been
terrific. All the reports that we've
gotten from the'men on the ships
show that we've got the Atlantic
fleet in the bag, but th^ no ex­
cuse for taking it easy, we've got
to keep plugging, and see how high

a percentage we can rack up in the
election. This is not the time to
sit back and start taking it easy as
far as our organizing efforts in that
fleet is concerned.

Leo Rams was called up < into
the Army, but they have been kind
enough to give him a one-month
extension to take care of his per­
sonal business. Tom Flemming,
Bob Murphy, L. Dixon, Don Oman,
Staniey Greenridge, Robert Lee,
and C. Murphy are among the old-
timers who have been on the beach
here lately.

Tim McCarthy is back in the
hospital here and will be undergo­
ing an operation shortly. He called
for blood donors here a short while
ago, and we had a fine turn-out,
but then he wasn't operated on,
so the blood was put in the blood
bank over at the hospital for some
other Seafarer who may need it
later. Donald White is back in a
cast after another operation, but
he's still smiling and cheerful, and
always has a smile for everybody.

It's getting so around here now
that we've got to send out a spe­
cial notice whenever we've got
some jobs going up on the board.
The fellows are either shooting
pool or watching TV in the new
recreation facilities that we have
in the hall now, and don't pay
ui'ucli altenlion to lite boaid.

What with the cold weather
still with us, the new TV room
has become just about the most
popular with the men on the beach.
It's the place where they can just
sit back and watch a free show
while thej^re waiting for their
particular ship to come along.

That's one of the things that
the fellows tell us they really like
about our Union, the way that the
SIU takes care of its members,
both on the ships and on the beach.

But then, the men who are on
the beach here are usually a good
bunch. They realize that this is
their Union, and that the hall is
their's. Then, they are more agree­
able about helping to keep it clean
and in good condition so that they
can enjoy it when they are on the
beach.

None of us wants to spend his
time on the beach in a dirty,
crummy building. And all of us
like to have some decent recrea­
tional facilities around, so that we
can have something to do with our
time while we're on the beach or
waiting for a ship we want.

The only way to be sure of hav­
ing these things, is to take care of
what we have, and to leave it in
good condition for the next man
who comes along. If everybody
does the same, it wiil be that way
when we're ready to use It again.

James Sheehan
Boston Fort Agent

San Francisco:

AO c sHippme
Shipping Figures, January 28 to February 11

BEG. BEG. REG. TOTAL SHIF. SHIF. SBIF. TOTAL
PORT DECK ENGINE STEW. REG. DECK ENG. STEW.SHIFFED

Boston 18, 15 22 55 8 , 21 3 23
New Fork 168 154 111 434 120 134 115 369
Philadelphia 41 28 25 94 38 38 34 108
Baltimor# m .104 78 326 134 93 87 314
Norfolk 29 23 17 69 26 20 14 60
Savannah.... IS 11 9 36 12 7 6 25
Twpa ...................... No figures received'

• Mobil* 55 43 48 146 22 32 33 87
New Origan*. ..... 89 72 83 244 (» 44 68. 173
Oalvestoa ^ ' 228 38 39 30 107

,:Wert ^ ;,:;29j .28 >7 83 , 47 88 / 198

SIU Leads The Way
In Banking Members

The shipping picture in these
parts has picked up quite a bit in
the last two weeks, and it looks a
little better for the next couple of
weeks.

We had the Madaket and Topa
Topa (Waterman) in to pay off, and
we signed on. the Madaket and the
Fairisle (Waterman). The in-trans­
its included the Bienville and Kys-
ka (Waterman), Greece Victory
(South Atlantic), Stee! Chemist
(Isthmian), Shinnecock Bay (Veri­
tas). Pennmar and Portmar (Cal-
mar).

After making a couple? of the
Calmar ships as they hit port here,
it sure looks as if the new a,gree-
ment is doing them a lot of good.
The general opinion is that the
men on these ships are eating a
lot better than before, and it looks
as if the company is making an
effort to get its feeding back up to
the regular SIU standards.

Some Choosy
Some of the oldtimers are still

hanging around the hall waiting
for their favorite runs, as usual.
They could ship jii.st about any
time that they wanted to, but some
of the boys get their hearts set on
a particular run, and then they
just wait until that run comes
along.

The aliens out here have cen-
tainly gone all out in favor of the
Union's action in their behalf. The
SIU, as usual, was right there to
protect the interests of its mem­
bers, and leading the way for th*
rest of the industry. As usual, the
SIU was the first to meet with th*
Immigration authorities in Wash­
ington and get some assurance that
more will be done to help out th*
bonafide alien seamen who have
been sailing American ships.

As you know, the membership
out here went unanimously in
favor of calling the bluff of th*
phoney AMEU and putting up the
money to prove tliat the jobs are
there. So far, the AMEU has been
like the guy who is always play­
ing "light" in a poker game and
trying to play with everybody,
else's pioney without risking any
of his own. They keep saying "let
the SIU put up 10 grand," but
never mention anything about
backing their play with their own
money. Well, now they'll see the
color of our money. Let's see the
color of their dough.

We know that we have the jobs,
and that we're not making any
claims we can't back up. We've
nothing to hide. Let's see if th*
AMEU is as quick to back up all
the noise that it's been making.

T. E. Banning
San Francisco Port Agent

Be Sure to Get
Dues Receipts
Headquarters again wishes

to remind all Seafarers that
payments of funds, for what­
ever Union purpose, be made
only to authorized A&G rcpre-
sentatives and that an official
Union receipt be gotten at that
time. If no receipt is offered,
be sure to protect yourself by
immediately bringing the mat­
ter to the attention of the Sec-'
retary-Treasurer's office.

Tlie Union's word of advice
is to insure that all monies
paid are credited to your SIU ~
record. Insi.stence on an offi­
cial receipt will prevent "can
shakers" from soliciting fimds
for tinauthorized purposes, and
will bar any foul-ups later on. '*3



Vac* Twelv* SEAFARERS LOG Febrowy S«, ,195S

r-I m

IN THE WAKE
Some seaweeds arc the tallest

plants to be found anywhere in the
world. Seaweeds more than 600 feet
fall have been found in the ocean
at the southern tip of South Amer­
ica, and this height is greater than
that of the tallest trees in the
world—the giant sequoia trees of
California and the eucalyptus trees
of Australia. By way of comparison,
the top of the torch in the Statue
of Liberty in New York harbor is
Just a little more than 300 feet
above the water line.

t
Hie first time radio was used in

a sea rescue was in 1909, when the
White Btar liner Republic was
rammed and sunk by an Italian
vessel; the Florida, off Nantucket
light. All but six of its passengers
were saved by the "CQD," sent by
the Republic's radio operator.
"CQD" was an early danger signal
used in radio, before SOS became
the international danger signal • • •
Salt concentration in the ocean is,
in general, fairly uniform with
latitude. Maximum values, which in
some locations are in excess of
more than 36 parts of salt to 1,000
parts of water, occur at about 20 °N
«nd 20'^S.

4. 4-
Among Seamen in many coun­

tries of the world, the belief in
lucky and unlucky days still pre­
vails. There originally were sup­
posed to be 28 lucky and 54 un­
lucky days in a year, but most of
them have been lost to the records.
Superstitions concerning the days
of the week held that all days but
Tuesdays and Fridays, which were
traditionally considered "unlucky,"
would bring good fortune... Al­
though the records are faulty, the
Virginia, built at Popham, Maine,
in 1608, is believed to have been
the first ship built in America. She
was an inauspicious 30 tons.

4. 4. t
Native to Portugal, Spain and

other countries bordering the Medi­
terranean Sea, the buoyant mate­
rial called cork comes from the
outer part of the" bark of the cork
oak, an evergreen tree which grjws
in that region. The cork is first re­
moved from the tree when-it is 20
years old and can be harvested

about every ten. years after that...
Blue point oysters drere originally
so ca^ed from Blue Point, a village
on Long Island, in the vicinity of
which deliciously flavored oysters
of a small variety were found in
natural beds. Nowadays any similar
small round oysters suitable for
being served raw are known as
blue points. There are altogether
about 190 different species of
oysters known to science.

t t
Tin was one of the earliest

metals discovered and is mentioned
several times in the Old Testament.
In Biblical times the Phoenicians
scoured the shores of the Mediter­
ranean in search of tin with which
to hai^en copper and produce
bronze. Ancient historians wrote
that the Greeks obtained their tin
"from the ends of the earth," a
reference to the Cassiterides, or
"Tin Islands," which were sup­
posed to lie north of Europe. It is
supposed that the Tin Islands of
the Greeks might have been the
British Isles, since there is evi­
dence that the tin mines in south­
west England were worked during
the Bronze Age long before the
Roman conquest under Julius
Caesar.

tit
One of the peculiar advantages

of the fine natural harbor at
Southampton, England, is supposed
to be that it has two high tides
rather than one high tide a day.
But this same condition exists right
across the channel at Le Havre,
France, as well as on the coast of
Holland... Since the deepest spot
in the ocean is 35,640 feet below
sea level (located about 200 miles
southwest of Guam), and the high­
est mountain, Mt. Everest in Tibet,
is over 29,000 feet hi'gh, there is a
range of 64,781 feet, or over 12
miles, between the bottom of the
sea and the top of the land, as we
know them today.

i i i
Neptune was not the only god of

the sea known to. seamen, since
mythology placds Oceanus, an
older god who held powers over all
waters, as coming before him.
Neptune came to power, with his
brothers Jupiter and Pluto, after
they conquered the older gods...

What features do you like best
in the SEAFARERS LOG?

Paul Oakley, steward: The per­
sonals column is one thing I read

very' carefully. I
also read Paul
Hall's report and
I like the Log-
A-Rhythms. The
port reports al­
ways catch my
eye because I'm
interested in
what's going on
in the other

ports. I go through the ship's min­
utes thoroughly too.

4> V *
C. Hettinger, AB: I like the

comic strip "Burly" and the port
reports that the
agents send in
because that way

can find out
what's going on
in the other SIU
ports. Besides
that I like to
read the general
news about what
the Union is do­
ing.

. t 4> t
Paul Whitlow, AB: I'm interested

most in the letters to the editor
and in Paul
Hall's column,
"As I See It."
The other things
I go for are the
"Labor Roundup"
and the ship's
minutes t o find
out what's hap­
pening on the

MEET THE
SEAFARER

ANDREW ANDERSON, bosun

"Washington
other column

ships.
Newsletter"
I follow.

The
is an-

1.

12.

13.

14.
15.
17.

18.

19.
SO.
22.

24.
26.

30.

S3.
34

36.
37.

40.
41.

44.
46.
47.
so.
SI.

«2.

Adkoss
Chest that
sells things
The MeCar-
ran ——
Port In Nor­
way
Cape .
Newf.
New Guinea
port
First murderer
An Ore ship
Boxing's old­
est living
ex-champ
Island in Gulf
of Bothnia
Fishes
Shut out
Dredge, as a
harbor
Cuchoos
A Mississippi
ship
Good place to
return to
Pier supports
Where Saint-
Louis is
Grade
The Amazon
has the
delta
Nights: Abbr.

del Tore,
Panama -
Make happy
Always
Voyager
Take care of
Last book In
Bible: Abbr.
Kind of gin

ae,....
Lemon drink
Newcastle'^:
river i-

. c ' r >i r

1.
2.

3.

4.
5.

6.
7.

a'.

DOWN
Seniors: Abbr.
Latitude:
Abbr.
South Sea
islander
Orange skin
Without com­
pany
Combed wool
Shirt sold by
Sea Chest
Good thing to
breathe: 2
wds.

9. Channel Is­ 31. Shield
land 32. Sack

10. Towing rope 35. Ogled
11. $ bUls 38. Coast,
16. Boy Guinea
19. SIU does this 39. Hebrew letter

for us 41. Greek letter
20. Gamy fish 42. It's watched
21. Poker stake by cook
23. Footlike part 43. Small coin
25. They get $1.87 45. Pass this for

overtime higher grade
27. Port In Wales' 47. la, la
28. Twisted 48. Long time
29. Inquires 49. Female ruft

(Puzzle Answers on Page 25)

/: 4 AM ' • ' ' , • ' '

4f
Nick Boosanque, wiper; I usual­

ly like to read the letters and sto­
ries that people
write in. There
should be even
more of this type
of stuff about a
guy's personal
experiences. Also
I like the stories
and pictures
about the for­
eign ports, es­
pecially if I've been there before.

S>
Jerome Fine, MM: I like to read

the minutes of ship's .meetings of
the ships I sailed
on on previous
trips. Also I go
for the "Burly"
cartoon strip, but
generally speak­
ing I read the
whole LOG from
cover 10 cover
and find it a
very interesting

newspaper.

4f
Alex Stevenson, MM: I like Paul

Hall's column. It usually has some
interesting stuff.
The maritime
column is good
because it tells
you what's hap­
pening on ships
and in the indus­
try, and the let­
ters always have
an old shipmate
writing in, or
something about ships I once was

Sailing for nearly 30 years has
not dimmed the lure of the sea for
Seafarer Andrew Anderson who be­
gan his salty career as a broth of
a 14-year-old deckboy aboard a
Norwegian freighter.

Since that time Andy has visited
just about every major port in the
world and has had a tourist's eye
view of every country worth men­
tioning on the face of the. earth.
He's a shutterbug along withjnost
of his shipmates, but he say.s"that
he takes the pictures nAore for his
own enjoyment and record of his
travels than for perfect photo­
graph reproduction. He does not
even admit to being an amateur
camera fan, but takes pictures only
when the spirit moves him. His
subjects are varied as the lands he
visits, but he expresses preference
in shooting sporting events.

Favorite Subjects
Some of his favorite shutter sub­

jects are the native games of the
countries of the world. Andy pre­
fers, however, the American game
of baseball as camera fodder to the
national game of his native Nor­
way, soccer. On the other hand, he
is quite adept at the foot-is-faster-
than-the-ball spoft and owns sev­
eral medals and rings won in com­
petition on the soccer fields of New
York City.

Andy sports a championship ring
bearing the inscription of the Met­
ropolitan District Soccer League
title for 1946-47, in addition to
owning two medals for the semi-
professional soccer championship
of the same district in 1932 and
1934. He prefers to play the half­
back position in a game which is
commonly given partial credit as
an ancestor of American football.
"I still like to get out once in a
while and teach the neighborhood
kids how to play the game," Andy
said.

World Traveler
In addition to his athletic ex­

ploits, Andy likes to travel via the
sea and SIU ships around the
world. "I guess I have visited every
country in the world," the tanned,
blond Seafarer said. "But that is
not unusual. It is true of most sea­
men, especially from the Union.
Even then, most SIU men don't
touch Australia iii the normal

course of their trips, nut i nav*
been down there several times. I
find the people are especially nice
Down Under.

"Of course, there is much to be
said for many countries of the free
world from a tourist's viewpoint.
Not only are the people hospitable,
in mbst cases, but each land seems
to have its own fiavor and scenic
wonderland to please the taste of
even the most wary traveler. Ship­
ping as a Seafarer is probably the
best way to see these once-strange
nations.

"Whenever I hit a country,"
Andy continued, "I do quite
a bit of sightseeing. I take
my camera along in order to record
the people as I actually see them.
It is a fascinating experitace."

Married for 20 of his 43 years,,
with an 18-year-old daughter who
just graduated from Fort Hamilton
High School in Brooklyn, Andy has
been a member of the SIU since
1947. He thinks he has come a long
way with the Union since shipping
as a deckboy for $8 a month on that
Norwegian vessel.

' " Ship Anywhere
Andy likes the Isthmian, Water­

man and Bull lines for - shipping
conditions, but as long as it is a
SIU ship he will go anywhere for
any outfit. His last ship was the
Trinity on a coastwise run.

"I prefer the European runs
more than the Far East, let us
say," he said, "because I know the
people Over there and I cart speak
a few languages. I speak a little
German and I am completely at
home with some of the Scandina­
vian tongues. I can't estimate the
number of European runs I made,
but they have been quite a few.
My first one was when I was 14."

Andy served in the Navy from
1942-46, firsf in Naval Aviation and
then in & ship repair unit stationed
Stateside. During the fighting, he
spent most of the time in coastal
runs or ashore. His one trip of
four months' duration to the Pacific
war zone, stopping at Guam, came
after the cessation o' hostilities. He
spent the war years of 1941-42 in
a shipyard, helping to build the
vessels which he later manned in
the Navy and as a merchant sea­
man.

TEARS
Prime Minister Churchiii re­

turned to London from his extend­
ed trip through North Africa and
the Near East...A daylight raid
was" made on Naples by United
States B:^24 heavy bombers oper­
ating from North Africa. Direct
hits were scored on three mer­
chant vessels... President Roose­
velt by executive order established
a minimum war-time work week of
48 hours in 32 areas, which had
been designated as having critical
labor shortages ,.. Results of ballot­
ing in the A&G election were an­
nounced and the officials elected
were installed in office . . . United
States Flying Fortresses dropped
bombs on 20 to 25 Axis planes
parked on enemy airfields around
Kairouau in Tunisia. Direct hits
were made on rail installations in
the same district.

The United States.Senate con-
firiqed Lieut. Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower a full general of the
United States Army and Primd
Minister Churchill announced thk
Eisenhower would be supreme
commander of all Allied operas
tions in Northern Africa from the
Atlantic to Egypt ... Japanese
forces on Guadalcanal ceased all

organized resistance, but patrol-
operations against isolated enemy
groups continued, Washington re­
ported... The House, 302 to 94,
gave its Special Committee Inves­
tigating Un-American Activities a
two-year lease on life, making it
the fifth renewal of the commit­
tee's life...The SIU was repre­
sented at the Southern War Labor
Conference attended by more than
3,000 American Federation of La­
bor union officials from 12 south­
ern states... Crash of an Army
plane in the Pacific, one mile off
shore, killed 18 persons.

4 » *

British planes again raided the
German submarine nest at Lorient
and other objectives in Northern
France, the Netherlands, Belgium,
and Northwestern Germany.. .SIU
men went on record to buy an ad­
ditional $25,160 in war bonds.'^
They believed in not only delivering
the supplies to the ironts, but
helping the Government pay for
them as well...The United States
Supreme Court affirmed a lower
court ruling dismissing the Govern­
ment's anti-trust suit against the
American Federation of Musicians,
AFL, and its president, James C.
Petrillo, after the union imposed
a ban on new recordi9(gs,.y>..



rebmrr t#; list

SEAFARERS ̂ LOG
iBJtfAKsms the Puce TUrtttm

Mrrary 20, YtSI V«I. XV. N«. 4
Published biweekly by the Seafarers International Union. Atlantic

& Gulf District, AFL, 675 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn 82, NY. Tel.
STerlinY 6-4670.

PAUL HALL, Secretary-Treasurer
editor. HKHISBT BIAKD: . Managing editor, RAT OENISON; Art EdUor. inri

SCAM^; PAoto Kdltor, DAMSEL NILTA; Stag Writtrt, HERMAM AsiKtrs, Iswat ARTA
An PtarALL. Jsnr tanaau Gulf Area Reporter, BILL HOODT.

*!•!

Weleome Birthday
Any way you look at it, $2 million is a lot of money. The

news that the SIU Vacation Plan has paid out close thai
sum in just one year is a pleasant reminder. For without the
SIU's revolutionary Vacation Plan, Seafarers would have
gotten only a small fraction of that $2 million, or of the many
millions more that will be paid out in the future.

The Vacation Plan, like all other benefits, was designed so
' that Seafarers would not be tied down to any one company
. ,tp get full ^vantage Of all SIU gains. The SIU was aware

of the danger this entails. A man tied to one company and
obligated to that company for benefits is going to be imder
the company's thumb. By setting up its Plms so that s!
owners' contribute to a central fund, the SIU preserved the
Seafarers traditional freedom of choice of jobs and independ­
ence of any ship operator.

Next to the money .Seafarers like best the speed with which
the Plan operates. The absence of red tape contrasts Sharply
with the one-company fund type setup. And with the Owners'
contributions having been increased under the new contract.
Seafarers can look forward to bigger and better vacation bene-

, ; fits in the future.
^ t

There's No Regret
There were no mourners at the funeral when the WSB was

buried along with most price controls. Few regretted the
passing of the wage agency, not even those who were on the

*' • board and had the unhappy task of making arbitrary decisions
. Oih thousands of complicated labor contracts.

Actually, except for certain critical raw materials the
whole-price-wage control program had become a solemn
farce. 5'he law was so written that an industry could secure
price increases for its products just as if there were no legal
regulations at all.

; The only ones who lost out through controls were the union
members. Many collective bargaining gains were denied, and
others were delayed for months while the WSB tried to make
up its mind. Goodbye WSB. You'll never be missed.

( 4" 4 ' it

Chips Are Down
Two sayings that everybody has heard are, "talk is cheap,"

and "money talks." The Atlantic Maritime Employees Union,
self-styled "independent union" on Atlantic Refining Com­
pany ships, has been doing a lot of cheap talking lately. In
an effort to stymie the SIU's continued progress in the com­
pany, the AMEU is trying to knock the SlU's job security. In
the face of the well-known SIU policy of maintaining a ratio
of One job per member or better, the AMEU deftly put both
feet in its overly-spacious mouth when it challenged the SIU
to put up ten grand to prove this policy.

Well the SIU has called the bluff. The ten grand has been
put up to back the SIU's claim, and further the AMEU is
challenged to match the bid with an equal sum of its own.
If the SIU is proved wrong, the money will go to Atlantic
seamen's widows and orphans.

Unfortunately for the widows and orphans, they'll have to
struggle along oh Atlantic's meager $300 benefits. The SEU
has the royal flush in its hand. We doubt if Atlantic is going
to match our bid to see it.

4 4 4

New Sneker CSamea
There just doesn't seem to be any limit to the number of

sucker devices that can be dreamed up by s^b-talldng slickers.
; Two new schemes thSit prey upon seamen or would-be seamen

have come to light recently. One is the "111 forward your
baggage" routine, whereby the baggage is forwarded minus
valuables. The second one is "I'll show you how to go to sea
and get rich for a couple of bucks."

Unfortunately as fast as the Union, or some other reputable
agency turns up these gimmicks, the slickers invent ten new

, ones. There's only one way to keep these Brookljrn Bridge
salesmen under control. Check with the Union, if in doubt,

fi^vvand let the Union know if you or your shipmates are vi<s

LEHER
of the

WEEK
AU Must Guard
Untou^s Gains

Wert

Ta The Editor:
A few months «go we eon-

itnieted, revised and adopted
new constitution. We also recently
Mgotiated and won a new con­
tract.

Both of these measures have
further strengthened the structure
of the SIU aud is proof of what
can be accomplished by solidarity
of membership and honest and
competent leadership.

Ail these conditions, these wages
and the Welfare Plan have com­
bined to make the SIU one of the
best on the seas today, if not the
best. Today we are looked upon as
leaders.

Small Minority
However, there are those in the

organization who seem to- take the
Union for granted
and who, by their
very actions and
attitudes, tend to
undermine that
organization. Of
course, these
characters form
*a very small mi­
nority. Big or
small though this
minority may be,

it poses a serious threat to the en­
tire organization. Most of us are
familiar with the tactic of bringing
the actions of the minority to the
fore when it suits the employers'
purpose. Therefore, it is obvious
that the actions of the minority
can and sometimes does over­
shadow the good done by the rest
of the membership. -

The actions 1 refer to. here are:
idle and irrelevant talk at meet­
ings, drinking to the point of being
unable to turn to on ship, flagrant
missing of watches and missing
ship, drinking while at sea to the
annoyance of shipmates, sloppy
and inexpert performance of
duties, and even destruction of
ship's property.

Brothers, these action's cannot
and will not be defended by any
labor organization, least of all by
the SIU.

Fought Too Hard
We have fought too hard for the

conditions we have today to throw
them away on some few who feel
no responsibility toward anything.
Merely keeping our books in good
standing, attending meetings, vot­
ing and pulling occasional strike
duty is not enough. We must make
our organization work at all times
while we are employed. This can
only be done by diligence to duty,
by sober and competent perform­
ance of those duties, by taking
only those Jobs we can handle, by
maintaining a clean and coopera­
tive ship, and most of all, by see­
ing that those around us Ci^;serve
the same rules.

The SIU is a powerful and effi­
cient organization, but it will re­
main that way only if all of us
work to keep it that way, and also
that we see to it that each and
every member works the same way.
There ir no room for those who
are not with u» all the way. Ae-
tnember, we didn't klways have it
this good. Also ; remember that
you only get from aA organization
what you put int9 it.

; .,A.N. Wert' 'i

'—And Only I Year Old!'

The CIO Economic Outlook offer­
ed its own proposals for changes in
the Social Security Act in which
it fears the Republican Congress,
as it did in 1947-48, will whittle
Oid-Age and Survivors Insurance
coverage without increasing bene­
fits. The CIO urged substantial im­
provement in the benefit levels un­
der the OASl program, making
social insurance payments high
enough to maintain an American
standard of living. In addition to
advocating universal coverage, the
Outlook felt the "average monthly
wage" should be calculated on
earnings in th^ highest three
month periods of the five years
which produced highest total earn­
ings.

4 4 4
A Senate Labor subcommittee re­

port credited the labor movement
with doing more to destroy Com­
munism "than any other single
force in American life." At the
same time, the report denounced
employers who tried to use rivalry
between a Communist and non-
Communist union to their own-pur­
poses. Such tactics, it said, made
"no contribution to the common
welfare." The report was issued by
the subcommittee headed by Rep.
Hubert H. Humphrey (D. Minn.)
during tlie last Congress.

4 4.4
President Anthony Vaiente of the

AFL Textile Workers asked all
UTW locals to call special meetings
immediately to consider the effects
of price and wage decontrol and
the efforts of textile employers to
slash wages and other benefits. Va­
iente stated he believed the end of
controls means « sharp increase in
the cost of livinjg. He called on all
UTW locals to "re-examine the
wage structures at the plants they
represent and take appropriate ac­
tion to prevent any lowering of
their wages and standards of living
as a result of higher prices."

4 4 4
President Elsenhower in ending

all wage controls also directed the
Office' of Price Stabilization to re­
move price controls on all meats,
furniture, apparel, restaurant
meals, and most of the items usu­
ally sold in department stores. Of­
ficials estimated resulting price in-
creases would come to (500 million
to (1 billion in « year.

• 4- ^.4^ 4
The teaohera of liinden, NF, bak­

ed the school board for -a bonus

and salary increase that would
have come to $800 in 18 months
The board, in adopting its 1953-54
budget, voted for a $600 across-the-
board pay hike for all employees ot
the school system, plus a $300
bonus, giving the teachers more
than they bargained for.

4 4 4
Wholesale food prices dropped

nine cents in the week ending Feb
3, 1953, Dun and Bradstreet report­
ed. Its index was $6.13, or 7.3 per­
cent under the same week in 1952.

4 4 4
An Increase in men's clothing

sales has led the CIO Amalgamated
Clothing Workers to ask wage in­
creases from 850 companies repre­
sented- by the Clothing Manufac­
turers Association of the USA. The
ACW board of directory presented
its requests to the CMA board at a
meeting in New York. CMA repre­
sents 90 percent of the manufactur­
ers in the industry. Last fall ACW
and the industry signed a five-year
contract with no wage increases be­
cause of the depressed eoudition of
the clothing business. However, the
contract can be reopened once a
year for adjustment of wages and
working conditions.

4 4 4
The Bureau of Labor Statistics

reported hourly earnings of the na­
tion's 13.5 million factory workers
increased an average of 12 percent
during the past two years. The
hourly wage, including overtime
and other premium pay, was $1.78
in December 1952, compared with
$1.54 two years earlier. Most of
the increases resulted from cost-
of-living wage hikes, but part was
also due to more employment in
better-paying industries and more
overtime work. The average work
week at the end of the past year
was 41.8 hours, almost half an hour
longer than in December, 1950.

4 4 4
An advisory committee consisting

of 15 public, industry and labor
representatives has been appointed
by . Secretary of Labor Martin P.
Durtcin to make recommendations
on the Taft-Hartley law. The com­
mittee includes AFL President
George Meany and CIO head Wal­
ter Renther in its five lat'oi mem­
bers. Others in the group are John
L. Lewis, David McDonald, hea6 of
the Steel workers Union, and
qeorge Harrison, Railway Clerks. ,



Fat* FowicM SEAFARERS LOG iJehnuucr itO, 195S

'J'-

p^;

I'
P-
%'
•c _-

l-" • . &':• •
fp"

•li:

M-y
M':'

^- ¥" '•

;<;-.r: • • •; !t;•; ;! tW-V'"t-' P '•*• i
•:••'•-•. ^ I/-/--f i'' d I-.!-* t---.^7!?:

; ̂.: •, -v,..

:•'• '•.' . :- 'i'*-
:r p >., : V'

Even with locks, the builders had to slice through massive hills. Above is
the Culebra cut, below, the Miraflores locks, as in 1913.

A temporary retaining wall, the Gamboa dike, goes up in a big puff of smokt,
as it is dynamited by construction workers, October, 1913. ••M-,.

V

Few engineering achievments of modern times rank with
the construction of the Panama Canal. Building of the Canal
took 34 years of work, shot through with heartbreaking set-

: backs; floods, earthslides, hurricanes and raging epidemics.
Successful completion of the Canal ranked as a great for­
ward step in medicine as well as in engineering, because it

.was at Panama that the first ^ttle against yellow fever ^and
malaria was fought and won.

In order to build the Canal engineers had to excavate 240
million cubic yards of earth to make-a cut slightly over. 40
miles long and at least 41 feet deep overall. Th^y had to
create an artificial lake and construct three massive sets of
locks to lift ocean-going vessels 85 feet across the conti­
nental divide in the midst of a steaming jungle.

While Panama is known affectionately as the "Big Ditch"
that nickname could, better.be applied to Suez. The latter
is a huge sea level d|tch/whereas PanamS is a liquid step-
ladder climbing the hills. ^

It was the attempt by the French promoter, deLesseps, to
build a "big ditch", at sea level as he did at Suez that held
up completion Tor many years. The French struggled val­
iantly for Seven years, from 1880 to 1887. They excavated
72 milliom cubic yards in their yain attempt.

What began as a champagne celebration when the first
shovelful of Panamanian isoil was turned oh Janury 1, 1880,
soon ran into difficulties. A yellow fever epidemic struck
in 1881, the forerunner of sicknesses that took 5,527 lives.in
eight years. An earthquake in 1882, floods and periodic rock
slides dropped tons of earth and rocks back into the excava­
tion. -

When the Americans took over it was decided to build a
lock canal. Congress authorized the work in 1900, but it
wasn't until Aprib 1907, when a commission headed by Lieu­
tenant Colonel George Goethals took charge, that work pro­
ceeded at a fast clip. The Gatun Dam, 1% miles long and
500 feet thick through the bottom, was completed in 1913, as
were the locks. Meanwhile Dr. William A. Gdrgas attacked
medical problenis with such effect that there was not one
ijase of yellow fever after November, 1905.

Opening of the canal was scheduled for October, 1913, but
two million cubic yards of earth and rock avalanched into
the channel and had to be cleared. The first commercial
passage was in May, 1914, months before the official opening.,

Building of a lock canal reduced the threat of landslides in
that the canal is 85 feet higher than it would have been other­
wise. But the lock construction is vulnerable to air attack.
As a rbsult, alternate sets of locks were built during World
War II.



First boat through Gatun locks, a tug, goes under its own steam, Septem­
ber 26, 1913. Vessels are regularly hauled through here by locomotives.. Be­
low, dredges clear a slide from the Culebra cdt.

Gatun spillway dam (above) on upstream side, shown under
construction, January, 1913. Below are upper Gatun locks
clearly showing tracks for the ship-hauling locomotives.

- ' •
>y't ^ • >• v;' ' uy •,? t J.. •• . ,'i',

•> '• V,: i 'r "i •>'•' - ' • . : i

First official passage of the Canal is made by the SS Ancon on August 15,
1914, climaxing 34 years' work by French and American canal builders.
She's shown here in Culebra cut near Cerro Luisa.

v3_, • ^ ,

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S^EAFMKERS laG t/ii Wtiwutr f», Rii

Port officials anaouaecd the value of forei^ commerce passing
through the Port of Houston during 1952 passed fl million for'the
first time. Total commerce, both foreiga and domestic throii^. the
port, surpassed the $2 million mark, making it the first time in the
port's history that the figure had been surpassed. Tonnage values
showed a big increase, but the port's total tonnage showed only an in­
crease of 1 percent. The value of foreign trade tonnage through the
port alone accounted for a 43.5 increase over 1932.

21 • 3^ *
The government of El Salvador announced six Amerloan engineering

concerns had shown inierest -in a contract to check the study made' vt
toe feasibility of toe f45 mlHlon Port Acajntla project. The govern­
ment plans to seek a loan from the IntemaMonal Bank In order'to
proceed with toe project. . . The Queen Elfatabeto, toe world's largest
passenger liner, came out of Idlmiess after Its annnal seven-week over­
haul. Southampton police still are Investigating a mysterious fire which
broke out aboard the vessel while it was in drydock, suspecting some
possible sabotage ... The Navy's Military Sea Transportation Service
announced that six freighters would be returned to private ownership
In the next two months upon expiration of their charters.

$> 2> 2l
A bomb scare delayed the sailing of the Constitution from New York

as the 29,500-ton ship was ready to leave for a 55-day Mediterranean
cruise, with 513 passengers aboard. A four-hour search by scores of
federal and municipal investigators turned up no evidence of the
bomb . . . Customs collections in the Port of New York for January
Were $2 million more than the previous January, but $3 million dol­
lars less than for the month of December, 1952. Collectors reported
that 25,522 passengers arrived in New York aboard T72 ships last
month, while 23,247 steamed out of the city on 807 ships . . , Officials
of Tacoma, Washington's Martinac Shipyard are noMn the least super­
stitious. 'The 13th minesweeper in the 13th Naval District's shipbuild­
ing program was launched there on Friday the 13th by a woman with
13 letters in her name wielding a 13-year-old bottle of champagne
over the prow.

3i > S.
New York Shipping Association member companies announced that

payment would begin "as soon as possible" on an estiffiated il2 mil­
lion in retroactive pay due 40,000 New York longshoremen under an
arbitration award made November 23. A rise of 17 cents an hour re-
troactive'^to October 1, 1952, was the top gain won in the agreement,
along with $4.44 for a straight time hour and $6.66 for an overtime
hour for handling explosives «and damaged cargoes.

t 3.-4.
Freak maritime mishaps continued to plague, shipping in the US.

A tanker ran aground in Grays Harbor, near Seattle, Wash.; a crippled
fishmg boat had a broken rudder off the Washington coast; a coal-
laden freighter ran aground on a sand bar at the entrance of Beaufort
Inlet in North Carolina; and a tug off the Washington coast towed 500
tons of explosives on a leaking barge, playing put-and-take with Davey
Jones ... A new type of gyroscopic compass for ships is being manu­
factured. The new compass operates on the same principle as- the
older models but it embodies lower installation costs and reduced
maintenance. The new model is the Mark 14 Mod 2 Gyro-Compass
. . . Shifty fogs continued to clog the sea lanes around New York har­
bor for a part of the past two weeks, but London's leadership in this
department remained unchallenged.

t> HSi ii
A fire- in a forward hold of the Chilean freighter AconcaghU 1ni8|

brought under control by city firemen ds the ship lay at anehor In
Gravesend Bay . . . Chairman Charles W. Tobey of the Senate Com­
merce Committee, and of Kefauver Committee fame, announced his
committee would hold on-the-spot hearings within the next few weeks
on racketeering along the New York-New Jersey waterfront ... A
three-masted schooner owned by two officials of a beer eompany was
given to the Texas A&M Research Foundation for service as a float­
ing marine laboratory.

t
A heavy blanket of fog covering most of the California coastal re­

gion disrupted shipping in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Ships
negotiated the Golden Gate only with the aid of radar. The going was
haprdous and accidents included two ferry crashes, suspension of
service on another ferry line, a crash of a sugar boat an^a barge in
San Pablo Bay, and a rough docking by a freighter which tore a
12-foot gash in a municipal pier.

2^
Admiral John M. Will, USN commander, announced that the New

York area commercial shipyards received more than a half-million
dollars worth of contracts from the Military Sea Transportatkm Serv­
ice from January 13 to January 30. The largest of 11 contracts went
to the Bethlehem Steel Company's Brooklyn division for tor annnal
overhaul of the Gen. LeRoy Eltinge, including safety-at-sea and fire
contror work.

SEAF

ACTION
ProbfMis 0f f^Jgiitfits Flr«s

vexing problem of how to
deal' with the man wbw leaves toe
washing machine
running, or fdihi'
fo clean up when
he gets through
is On its way to
a solution aboard
the Steel Maker
(Isthmian). Ship's
delegate James
Shipley has sug­
gested that a
card be posted by SWpley
the machine and each man using if
be required tb put his name on It.
That way, if the machine was left
running too limg, or was left far a
dirty conditfon, the creW would
ImoW who was responsible. Also if
somebody else wanted to use the
machine while it was going they
could get hold of the crewmember
who' was hol(fing them up.

Shipley is an engine department
man who has been sailing SIU
since he joined up in the port of
Boston in December, 1945. He's 26
years old and his home town is
Marshall, North Carolina.

ft ft .ft
The subject of crew '^harmony

also was taken up aboard the
Steel Traveler (Isthmian). Sea­
farer Arthur Thompson spoke at

length on the im­
portance of har­
mony particular­
ly on a long trip.
When mien are
living and work­
ing together 24
hotu-s a day in
close quarter^
for ft couple of
months they
should go out Of

their way to get along with each
.other. •

Thompson is one of the Union's
earliest members, joining up in
December, 1938, a few weeks after
the SlU was chartered. He's 56
years- old and a native of Tennes­
see. He sails in the engine depart­
ment and served the Union as
agent in Savannah.

ft ft ft
Soldiers in the Korean front line

bunkers are supplied with a wide
variety of g®r and equipment, but
sometimes they tend to run short
of the little things that are impor­
tant. The crew of the Seatrain
Louisiana (Seatrain) decided to do
its bit toward the purchase of writ­
ing paper and Candles, two humble
items that are very welcome on
the Asiatic peninsula. The crew
delegated Seafarer Paul Utrich to
purchase the items and take care
of the necessary details.

Ulrich is a Brooklyn boy who
has been sailing with thg SiU for
the past six years; He was born hi
the borough in 1928; and Is a- mem­
ber of the stewards department.

Thompson

The recent Citation of the Angelina crew by the Coast Guard for the
-cre-wmembers' effective and courageous firefijtoting was » happy end­
ing tb What might have been a serious tragedy. Fortunately, in the-
ea^e;of toe Angelina, the officers and men knew toeir business. But
theire have been other occasions when erewmembers were not so ex­
perienced despite repeated fibre drills. The Question has been raised'^
as tb whether present fire ibriU procedure' is adeqoafe to fully toain
men in toe proper handling of flre^fightlng ecpiipnient. It does little
good to- equip ft ship with up^to-date portable, extinguishers and fixed
fire-fighting and fire-smotherhig Systems if their operation is not
properly understood.- . '

Some authorities feel that in this respect fire manuals and
dummy drills aren't enough to properly acquaint erewmembers with
the' hantfiing at equipment. The best way to train men is under con­
trolled conditions where they could actually Undergo the experience
of fighting • fire.

Praetiee On Flre-FIghtlng
Unfortunately this isn't practical with a fixed fire system, but it

can foe done with portable extinguishers. In this connection the Coast
Guard conducted a series Of tests a while agb with recruits in which

; standard test fires were set up similw to those thai might take place'
on small boats. The men were given portable extinguishers with which
to put out the fires'.

In most cases- on the first try the men stood too far away from the
; fire fm? the extinguishers to have any effect. On the second and third
i fry, they all learned how to handle the extinguishers properly. Also
in some instances the men forgot to> pull locking pins which are in­
stalled on certain typeis of extinguishers. This recalls the sad story
of ft shoreside factory which had a large number of carbon dioxide
extin^ishers on hand all equipped with these loekiug pins. 'When a
fire broke out, workers' at the plant tried to operate the extinguishers
not k^wing the pins-had to be removed. When the eAuuguisiieis
didn't work, they read the instructions- and discovered that the pins
had to be takra off. But in many cases the pina had been bent by the
men in their attempts to operate the equipment with the result that
toe extinguishers were made useless.

Leeward Approach

Aside from the question of getting up close enough to a fire, the re­
cruits learned, among other things, to approach fires from the leeward
side when using carbon tetrachloride extinguishers. Those who ap- ^
prdached from the windward side soon found that the irritating vapors
from these extinguishers made it impossible to continue fire fighting.
Another important fact learned was the limitations of hand extin­
guishers when fighting any but a very small fire. The men found that
they had difficulty putting out a fire as small as a foui' foot square
spill. When larger fires are met, they will'know not to waste time
using portable extinguishers but will bring fixed equipment into play
immediately.

TeYai City Disaster , _

Some notable instances where Inadequate fire-fighting knowledge
proved disastrous include the Noronic fire apd the blaze on the steamer
French Grandcamp which was responsible for the*Texas City explosion. In
the Noronic case, the fire started in a linen locker and valuable time
was lost when It was fought unsuccessfully with a carbon tet extin­
guisher, which was too small to begin with and tl<6 wrong type of
extinguisher for that kind of fire. In the Grandcamp fire, the officers
attempted to smother an ammonium nitrate fire by closing all vents
and hatches and introducing live steam into the fire area. This only
succeeded iff bottling up the heat of the nitrate. With th^increase
in heat, the nitrate decomposed into explosive gases which finally
blew the vessel to bits, taking the lives of 552 people and injuring
3;000 others.

Because of the chemical nature of the nitrate, this fire should have
been fought with water hoses •^hich would have cooled off the cargo.
Here's an instance where an up-to-date smothering system actually
made the fire worse than it would have been otherwise.

Then there's been other cases on record of disastrous fires resulting
simply because the engineers didn't know how to operate the ship's
fire-smothering system, or because they thought they had opened all
the valves in the system when they actually hadn't. Fortunately these
instances are rare, but they have happened.

The construction and design of ships has improved considerably in
recent yews as far as fire' safety is concerned. But there are' some
authorities vdto believe that ihore could be done in tratning erewmem­
bers- and officers to handle the modern equipment they haye and to
know how to deal with vairious types of fires as efficiently as the
priffesslonale who flight to^es ashore.

Bfifty

um

NewtTtOAmi Bn Bernard Seanutn



»3^ a-,;- • !^- -rr^pr

.Fcbniuy 2«. i98S SEAFARERS LOG Page ScTcntecB

Swap yarns or watch th« fights
on television with your old ship*
motes ot the Port O* Coll—YOUR
union-owned ond union-operated
bor. Bring your friends — where
you're olwoys welcome. And the
fab won't frocture thot poyoff.

OWNED AND OPERATED
by HI*

SEAFAhERS INTERNATIONAL UNION
X ATIANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT A.F.U

At SiU HEADQUARTERS
4tb Ak i 20th St. • Breehlye

Vocdf/dn P/on I Year Old
(Continued, from page 3)

could workiof any number of SIU-
contracted Companies in the course
of the year and still collect bene­
fits for every day of seai and port
time worked.

Operators' Payments Up
While the present maximum pay­

ment imder the Vacation Plan is
$140 a year, it is expected that
this sum will be. increased in the
future.. The $140 maximum was
based on operator payments of 50
cents per man per day into the
Plan. This payment has been in­
creased to 65 cents per day per
man under the new SIU freight
and tanker contracts.

Just how many Seafarers actu­
ally collected in the Plan's first
year of operation is hard to deter­
mine because the Vacation Plan
will pay a man benefits every time
he has accumulated 90 or more
workdays. Consequently a great
many Seafarers have collected
more than once in the couise of the
year, instead of having to wait to
get all the money in a lump sum
at the end of six months or a year's
service.

Speedy Service
From the very beginning, the

SIU Vacation Plan emphasized

Seafarer Surveys Campus Life
By GEORGE BONEY

(This is the second of two articles on the SIU scholarship plan by Boney, an SIU mem­
ber currently attending the.Harvard Law School. He had-previously worked his way
through the University of Georgia.)

Seafarers or their children who are award winners under the SIU scholarship plan will
find that the plan provides the best undergraduate grants available in America's colleges,.
The $1,500 annual grant, adding up to $6,000 for a four-year course will be sufficient for
both educational and complete
living expenses at many
schools. Even in the high-
priced private universities in the
East, the $1,500 will cover basic
needs—board, room, tuition and
books.

From my college experience I
have not seen any undergraduate
scholarships to match these. Most
scholarships available cover only
tuition or a little more. As for
the professional schools, like law
and medicine, scholarships are

rare if they are to be found at
all. A child of a working man, no
matter how bright really has
little chance to go on to profes­
sional schools without substantitil
scholarship aid. Yet under the Sea­
farers' plan, the winners will be
eligible for further assistance after
four years, if they want to go on to
a professional school.

Costs Vary
Of course with education as well

as other things, our Seafarer-

New Orieans In Hassle
Over Proposed Bridge

NEW ORLEANS—Business and shipping interests here are
sharply divided over a controversial proposal to build a new
Mississippi River bridge which its opponents contend will
affect shipping adversely.

The bridge proposal, backed
by the State Department of
Highways and some business
leaders and opposed by the New
Orleans Dock Board, is before the
US Engineers for approval.

The bridge plan advanced by the
Highways Department calls for a
bridge across the Mississippi from
Thalia St. in New Orleans to Brin-
gier St. in Algiers on the west
bank., This plan calls for a struc­
ture having a vertical clearance of
135 feet above the, river and would
rest on one fRer in the Mississippi
740 feet out from the east bank,
which is the New Orleans side.

The' Dock Board, headed by
President Harry S. Hardin, opposes
the brige plan on grounds that the
pier in the Mississippi would con­
stitute ah undue hazard to naviga-

^ tion in the harbor and- that the
i'" proposed vertical clearance of 135

feet is inadequate. A.clearance of
175 feet is essential, I^rdin con-

i , tends. . •'v-':.
:JTlie ;Dock Eoard la c^rfylhg,ita

fight to the public and is seeking
to marshal shipping interests in
support of its contention.

State Highway Director George
S. Covert said New Orleans must
accept a bridge with a pier in the
river, or no bridge ,at all. He in--
dicated willingness to compromise
on the clearance feature.

The bridge is to be financed by
revenue certificates to be issued
against earnings to be derived from
tolls to be charged op the struc­
ture. Covert argued that a suspen­
sion type span with no river pier
would be so costly that his depart­
ment would be unable to finance
its construction.

Automobile and pedestrian traf­
fic across the Mississippi now is
served^ at this" point by a ferry, line.
Everyone involved in the contro­
versy agrees that a bridge of some
type is needed. The toll-free Huey
P. Long Bridge, only span conni^t*
ing New Orleans with the west
bank, admittedly is Inadequate to
s^rvo the hbeds of this' fast-grow-^
'liig.locaUtjtv^ r '•

scholar will find that some colleges
cost less than others. State univer­
sities and colleges supported by
municipalities like those in New
York and Los Angeles are much
less expensive than private institu­
tions. Tuition in these schools run
from almost nothing to rarely over
$200 per year. Living costs in
Southern and Western colleges and
universities are about 15 percent
lower than those in the Ivy League
Schools.

Basic expenses in state support­
ed schools range from $800 to
$1,200 annually. On the other
hand, in the large private univer­
sities of the East, basic expenses
are in the neighborhood of $1,400
to $1,650 per year.

Ivy League In Reach
A word of caution should be

added here. Our seafarer scholar
should not choose his college be­
cause of the cost alone. Many of
the older private institutions have
excellent faculties, great lib­
raries, and fine facilities for men­
tal- development. The Seafarer
scholar will not find the expensive
Ivy League college out of his reach.
These institutions offer a number
of smaller scholarships available to
good • students who need them.

Part-time work is usually avail­
able to provide additional income.
In the summer male students^ can
add to income by taking a trip and
seeing how the SIU works.

In a college community, social
life can be rather inexpensive. The
fellow who has gone to sea for any
time at all will miss the waterfront
clip joints which often take the
poor seaman for a ride. In most
colleges there are plenty of free
movies, dances, concerts and ath­
letic events. In all schools use of
swimming pools, tennis courts and
gyms is free, or available at nom­
inal cost. In short, these fine SIU
scholarships offer the ambitious
student the opportunity of four
years of wonderful living—lUnpar-
aUbledJa the history of maritime.:

speed of service to the member­
ship, in contrast to the delays and
.red tape involved in collecting
vacation money from companies.
The procedure was designed to get
the cash into the hands of the
membership in the shortest pos­
sible time. All a Seafarer has to
do to collect vacation pay is to fill
out a form, available in all SIU
halls, listing his discharges and the
number of days worked on each.

Check Made Out
The total number of days is

added up and checked by Vacation
Plan employees and a check for
the amoimt due is immediately
written. In headquarters this means
that Vacation Pay is collectible
within 15 minutes, while in the
outports, the payment is limited
only by the speed of Uncle Sam's
airmail service.

Recently the Vacation Plan has
added, a new procedure which
makes possible filing of applica­
tions by mail. In that way, men on
the ships or away froqi the ports
can file on basis of their old dis­
charges and get their check the
minute they hit the beach after
paying off.

Board of Trustees
The Vacation Plan operates

under the supervision of a six-man
board of trustees—three from the
Union and three employer repre­
sentatives. Union trustees are Paul
Hall, Bob Matthews and A1 Kerr.
Alternates are Lloyd Gardner, Joe
Algina and Lindsey Williams.

An imusual feature of the Vaca­
tion Plan is the provision that

Decontrols
Free Wages;
Pay Begins

(Continued from page 3)
ing line of $298.49 per month. This
means that practically every rated
man on the ship, including AB
oilers, FWTs, cooks, bakers and
others, as well as the higher rat­
ings are now receiving the $1.87
overtime rate. Since these men
received the lower rate of $1.29 in
the old contract, the new agree­
ment >^represents an OT rate in­
crease of 58 cents an hour for the
great majority of the men on the
ships.

Retroactive Wages
A spot check with several of the

major shipping companies on the
question of retroactive wage pay­
ments shows that payment should
be forthcoming in a few weeks in
most cases. Mississippi Shipping
Company will begin payment on
February 18 for its ships, and re­
quests that Seafarers apply for
their money by mail at the com­
pany's New Orleans headquarters.
Robin Line and Seatrain both ex­
pect to start payments on or about
March 15. They will handle either
mail or in person applications. Bull
Line will begin payment on a ship
by ship basis, running down the
list alphabetically. They will noti­
fy the Union when each ship's re­
troactive payroll is completed, be­
ginning within the next couple of
weeks.

Isthmian is now setting up its
payrolls and expects to be able to
make payments in the near future.
Lists of voyages and payoffs will
be sent to the Union as soon as
they are, prepared. Victory Car­
riers expects to have Its payrolls
ready in six weeks to two months.

More complete information on
the payofil dates and the arrange­
ments of the various companies
will be carried in the subsequent

Jssuer M the .SEAFARERS LOG,

makes a Seafarers' widow or other
beneficiary eligible for the bene­
fits due him if he dies. This is in
addition to the $2,500 death benefit
provided by the Union's Welfare
Plan.

SIU Calls
AMEU Bluff
With lOG's

(Continued from page 2)
prove a one to one or better ra­
tio for the entire year.

No Restrictioii|i
No restriction would be placed

upon the examination of Union
records by the accountants, except
for an oath to respect the confi­
dence of Union records. There­
after, once the certification of the
job ratio was made, whoever was
proven wrong would forfeit the
$10,000 posted to the "Atlantic Sea­
men's Widows and Childrens
Fund," while the other would get
his money back. The fund would
then become liable to make $300
payments upon proper claims by
beneficiaries of Atlantic seamen.

"We don't intend to look like a
bunch of number-jugglers to Atlan­
tic seamen or anybody else," SIU
Secretary-Treasurer Paul Hall
commented. "If the AMEU is so
sure they have us on the run and
we can't prove we had the job
ratio we say we had in 1952, and
that's something we've successfully
maintained for many years, we
want to hear from them. Our $10,-
000 is on the line."

Acting on the authorization in
the original proposal, a special
meeting held at headquarters a
week ago to elect a six-man com­
mittee to assist the Director of Or­
ganizing in arranging for the post­
ing of the check and other proce­
dural details. Members of the com­
mittee were William Frank, Jack
Horn, Roderick Smith, Adolf Iver-
son, William Thornton and M. C.
Strachura.

SlU's Int'l
Convention
Next Month

(Continued from page 5)
delegates shall be elected to rep­
resent the four major ports of the
Union — New York, Baltimore,
Mobile and New Orleans. They
shall be known as the New York
delegate to the International con­
vention, Baltimore delegate to the
International convention. Mobile
delegate to the International con­
vention and New Orleans delegate
to the International convention;

K. Any man, regardless of the
port he may be located in, may be
nominated for any one of these
delegate jobs. However, in his
acceptance of the nomination, for
any of these delegate jobs, he shall
specify which of the port delegate
jobs, he is accepting the nomina­
tion for. Any man who does not
specify the port shall not. be eli­
gible for a place on the. ballot;

L. In the event that there are
not morfe nominees qualifying .for
the ballot than the required num­
ber of delegates as set forth herein,
the. credentials committee shall be
empowered by the membership, to
declare the Qominees as. elected.

-.il
M

•^1
/:



I Ir-. ^9at» ISfliteea

_ . . ^ "'»•'.•* • . "' , • ci '• .'.yf'^

vV " , • , "• ' -•'••

SEAFARERS LOG Fefenurr *t, 1»51

\p

Seaman Sets Sights Gn Big Game
In Cross-Country Hunting Trip
. Seamen who are partial to rod and reel, like a rowing sailor on a holiday shore leave, are

not unusual, but when a Seafarer plays tag-youVe-it with a full-grown moose, that's an
avocation of another stripe.

Paul Oakley, 24-year-old
Seafarer who has been sailing
in the steward departmen
with the SIU for six years, enjoys
just such a hobby, as big game
hunting in his leisure moments.
Perhaps it is not uAusual,. after
all, since he is believed to be a
distant relation of the fabulous
Annie Oakley of sharpshooting
fame. Nonetheless, Oakley bagged
three deer in 1952, in addition to

" the moose the previous year, and
has his gunsight set on bigger
game in the near future.

Hitchhiking Hunt ^
Shooting split seasons in Califor­

nia and Pennsylvania, the Scran-
ton, Pa., marksman covered 6,000
miles in his hunting q^uests in 1952,
with 2.900 miles comprising *a
unique hitchhiking hunt he under­
took up and down the length of
the Golden State. Leaving Los An­
geles on Sept. 20, Oakley hitched
for- two days by means of pick-ups
by private cars, mostly other hunt­
ers, up to Modek County near the
Nevada-Orgeon border. He arrived
in time for the Sept. 22 opening
of the hunting season and bagged
his four-point buck on his fourth
day in the field. The blacktail mule
deer weighed 196 pounds,. with
Oakley bringing down the swiftly-
running forest elf with a heart shot
100 yards away. He bagged it, as
he did all his game, with a .32
Remington repeater pump.

Moving southward into zone two
after getting his legal deer in the
first California area, since the state
is split for hunting purposes, Oak-

p- ley concluded his hitchhiking trip
on Oct. 9 in San Dimas. Two days

• later the not-so-fabulous Oakley
sighted his second deer and
squeezed the trigger three times
on a six-point, 168-pound buck,
killing it at a distance of 250 yards
as it ran

Living in the brush most of the
time, Oakley bad good reason to
take a full field pack with him on
the hitching-hunting trip. In ad­
dition to carrying an eight pound
rifle, the 78-pound pack toted by
the huntsman contained an army
pup tent, sleeping bag, rubber air
mattress, mess kit, toilet gear, two
boxes of cartridges, and other field
necessities for the intrepid hunter.

Generou-s drivers picked up all
that and a deer, too, as Oakley
flushed the thickets of California
in search of his big game.

Getting his fill of Far West deer.

Seafarer Paul Oakley is shown at left as be 'displays one of the
deer that he bagged in Pennsylvania. At iight« he's all set to start
on his California hitchbikiug-hunting trip, earrying his rifle, a
bedroll and a pack. This trip, too, was successful.

Electrician Beams

my-:'
Busy aboard the Itobin Lock-
sley is Thcnnas Hoar, chief

Oakley drove cross-country to
Pennsylvania to hunt in the Key­
stone State. On Dec. 2, the second
day of the season, the sharpshooter
brought down a five-point buck
with one shot at a distance of 75
yards, downing the 140-pound
brown forest runner on a difficult
shot as it dodged through the un­
derbrush.

Hunting Family
Annie notwithstanding, the Oak­

leys have a long line of hunters in
the family. Paul's father, in his
50's, gets his deer every yeat, and
his younger brother, at 14, has
bagged a deer a year since he was
12. A 68-year-old aunt in Montana
brought down a deer last year as
a matter of course, and her son
got himself an elk and a deer on
the same hunt. It was a good hunt­
ing year for the Oakleys.

The latest Oakley sharpshooter
has a trophy' room in which he
places all his prizes, but in order
to make room for a coveted' Alas­
kan bear rug, he is anxious to
present his moose head to any)
lover of the American fauna. The Topa.

17-point Newfoundland bull moose
has a spread of four feet, one and
three-quarter inches from tip to
tip on its headgear. Oakley finds it
a little bulky to have "^around tlie
house, so he would like to present
It to the Union as a gift, or to any
other takers.

Paul spent about six weeks hunt­
ing in 1952,. considerably more
than his yearly average of 15-20
days. Most of it was for big game,
but now an then he'll take a pot
shot at a swift-running rabbit.
Now, he has his gunsights set for
the biggest game of all on the
American continent—^the Alaskan
brown grizzly bear, and the bfg
Kodiak bears. Paul figures that
he'll be making a special trip up
to Alaska one of these days on an
SIU ship, and one# he gets there,
those bears better look out, be­
cause Paul will be gunning for an­
other trophy among what are con­
sidered to be the top game animals
»n North America. He hopes to

make the trip sometime this spring.
Paul's last ship was the Topa

Spider Disbelieves Tales
Spun By Seafaring Weavers

. That ff you hold your foot on the
loud pedal of the piano and then
sing a steady tone,, the piauo will
also begin to sing? The singing
sets waves of sound moving
through the air, and there is one

-particular string, on the piano of
the right length to-correspond with
the tone of the song.

Thai the official length of the
yard was' established when a man
stretched out his arm at shoulder
height and the distance between
his nose and the end of his thumb
was measured? The man was
Henry" 1 (1068-1135) of England.
The yard had no uniform length
until he determined it by royal
decree as 36 Inches.

4. 4
That the SIU can assist you in

upgrading to a higher rating with
specially-prepared booklets of
sample questions and answers for
the various examinations? Book­
lets to prepare Seafarers for up­
grading to oiler, firematl, electri­
cian, AB and other ratings can be
obtained at SIU headquarters, as
well as most Union halls.

4> 4)
That all paper currency issued

by the US Government contains
the seal of the "Treasury of North
America," although no such or­
ganization exists? The front side of
each bill has a seal with a Latin
inscription Thesaur. Amer. Sep-
tent. Sigil., abbreviated for "Treas­
ury of North America.'* Why North
America was used instead of
United States is not known, but
the reason may have been that, at

the time it was designed, in 1778,
hope of getting^ Canada to join the
loose confederation of newly-inde*
pendent states had yet not been
abandoned, and the seal was one
way of keeping the door open.

l" t
That a billion ta a thousand mil­

lion in the US, but l&s a million
million in England? In the US,
Canada and France, 1,000,000,000
is the figure recognized as a bil­
lion, but in England and Germany,
it is 1,000,000,000,000,

4, $ ^
That the SIU now has offices in

Port Arthur, Texas, to serve Sea­
farers passing through , that port?
Located at 411 Austin Street in
Port Arthur, the offices are also
serving as organizing headquarters
at the southern end of the line for
Atlantic tankers.

t 4., t
That under the new freight

agreement the base wage of an
AB is over four times what it was
in 1939 when the SIU began collar­
ing the top conditions in the mari­
time industry? The AB scale on a
typical freight agreement then was
$72.50 monthly compared to the
rate of $302.32 in the 1953 stand­
ard freight pact,

t J- 4-
That basketball was originally

played with seven men, then nine
and later with eight players? Now
each team puts' five players on
the court. In Holland, however, the
size of a basketball court is twice
the size of ours and 24 players
take i>art instead of ten.

General Patton Crew Congregates

Some "of the boys aboard the General Patton enjoy a ^y -out in
the sunshine and in front of the camefa. Photo sent In by Buddy
Cousins.

In all his years of making the
run from New Orleans to South
America, writes Spider Koralia
aboard the Robin Kettering, he has
run across some fabulous' liars in
his time, but none so brazen as a
certain electrician of whom he
makes note.

Koralia has known a wiper who
claimed the daughter of the presi­
dent of Wyson ahd Co. ag his girl
friend, another brother whose girl
was the offspring of the head of
the Singer Sewing Machine Co. in
Brazil; bankers' daughters, super­
intendents of nurses, and assorted
femininity added up the score.
However, Koralia drew the line re­
cently when he refused to believe
the electrician when the latter told
him his wife was the secretary of
Juan Peron, Argentina's head of
state.

This brother also told the crew
that if any of tbraa worked late
and were going adiore after

electrician wwild ,

drive them to town. One night,
Koralia reports, he worked a little
OT and went ashore about 9:00 PM.
Whom did he see at the gate but
the electro—alone. Koralia asked
him what was the matter and the
seaman reported that the car
broke down.

Gets Off Bus
Later, Koralia saw him getting

off a« bus and was content to leave
well enough alone^ but the electri­
cian called to him to explain the
situation. His wife, he said, called
him up to. tell hina the chauffeur
came down with a case of 3t. "Vitus
dance and was too broken up to
sit behind the wheel of the car.
Spider didn't like the stoty one bit.

Spider said he is getting back to
more believable yarns like the one
about his friend who was caught
with his band in. another man's
pocket at the race track. Indignant,
the man gemanded to- know what
the' band was doing px his pocket.
Just .maklpg change of 0 quarter^

Beware Of Florida Cracke/
When He's Been ""Insulted'

The boys from down Texas way may make, a lot of noise
about their home state, but you haven't seen anything until
you've seen a 'Florida Cracker" who's on the warpath because
he figures his sunny homeland'
has been insulted. And if you
add in the fact that he figures
the Yankees are in back of the
whole thing, you've really got a
problem on your hands.

W. W. Moore was like most
"Florida Crackers," Just taking it
easy and knowing that there j^ust
ain't no Sun like the one down in
Florida, until he read an article by
Jaimes Street in "Fortune" maga­
zine. THeh, his temperature ran
so high it even topped the Florida
mercury.

Moore ^ured ihat the article
Implied that "Florida Crackers"
were sort of lazy poor relations,
and^ as Moore says, it hinted "that
some of-us want the Taiikees to
send their money down to Florida
and stay home ̂ enuelves."

Nothing of the sort- is true, says
Moore. "I'm a Florida Cracker,
and I'm proud, of it Sure, I'll ad­
mit" said he, "that some Florida
Crackers in the /resort towns are

When I was a boy, I shined their
shoes, delivered their newspapers,
milk and telegrams, and even cut
acres of swamp cabbage and
chased 'gatoi-s, but at least I
worked for my money."

Moore says that he figured out
the answer after a while, :gnd "I
Invaded New York, home of the
Yankees." Then, he set to earn­
ing some of the Yankee money,
and sent it right on back to
Florida. . -

After that, said US, he "joined
the SIU, where I can make good
money and It doesn't matter wheth­
er you're' Yankee or Bebel." So
right now, he's back F^crkia,
and enjoying the place the way it
should be.

Just as a final reminder, bow-
ever, he warns that "the Yankees
Can stay at home knd keep their'
monc; with them, uniess they can
learn how to act like Americans
and Democrats, Ond not treiit us
FloridA Cracker! like' poor rela­
tions," .> /; • -



• ~i^(Aroary iSltf,'iflSS SEAFARERS LOG Page Ninetem

Sailor Rags Sacrifices For Art Siibmiffcd By E. Reyes

By SEAFARERS LOG Photo Editor

Judging from a number of photos sent in to the LOG by oiyr Seafar­
ing shutter-clickers, our boys like to move in close with their cameras.
However, many cameras are not equipped to take sharp photos- when
the subject is very close. No one will deny that one of photography's
most fascinating abilities is to move in close on subject matter to re­
veal minute detail and texture. And, oddly enough, almost any
camera can be used to take close-ups. The catch is that something
must be added, and the addition is a supplementary lens to slip over
the normal lens of your camerqi

With most cameras you can't get closer than three to six feet from
an object without getting an out-of-focus image. That's a limitation
in lens design. No lens has yet achieved the miracle of universal focus.
All require correction of one degree or another for extreme close-ups.
That's where supplementary lenses, sometimes called "portrait" lenses,
come in. Slipped over your camera's lens they bring a whole new
world range. Of course, if you've just come back from an 18-month run
with a couple of hundred bucks jingling very loosely in your jeans, you
can buy a 40-inch telephoto and settle the problems in that fashion.
But with Income Tax day so close, we'd better settle in a cheaper
fashion.

These supplementary lenses are extremely simple to use, quite inex­
pensive (under |2) and are available in three powers, rated in diopters.
They are made to fit most cameras, with or without the aid of adaptors.
These lenses permit you to move closer to your subject than your nor­
mal lens would allow and thus fill more of the negative area with a
liu-ger image of the subject. Each diopter rating, beginning with plus-1,
allows you to come closer to your subject. The exact lens-to-subject
distance for each camera lens is specified by the manufacturer in the
instruction sheet.

Must Measure 'to Subject
When using these lenses the normal focusing characteristics of your

camera are changed. The focusing scale no longer holds trqe. You
now have to focus by accurately measuring the correct distance for the
diopter lens you are using. The simplest way is with a tape measure.
If your camera Is equipped with a ground glass focusing screen you
can see the effect of the lens and then focus as usual by inspection.
With a twin-reflex camera it is necessary either to buy two supplemen­
tary lenses or to focus first with the lens over the viewing lens, and
then transfer to the taking lens when you are ready for the exposure.
It's a good idea to rdst the camera on something steady when using
these close-up lenses so that you can keep your subject in view accu­
rately. No increase in exposure is necessary. If you are not using
these simple lenses you're limiting the scope of your picture-taking
activities.

Seafarer-Relatives Await
Return Of Gl To SlU Ship

Whenever the subject of seafaring families comes up, one
that has to be considered is the family of Daniel J. Biedronski,
who's wearing Army kahki right now, but expects to be sail­
ing SIU again in a very short
while.

Dan is still over in Germany
with the Army, but he figures that
he'll be getting his discharge very
soon, and one of the first things
that he plans to do is to get his
SIU book out of retirement, and
start sailing again. *

When he does get back to the
SIU, there'll be plenty of Seafar­
er-relations to greet him. Bight
now, Dan's got two uncles and a
cousin all sailing under the SIU
banner. One uncle, Fred B. La-

Proper Repair
Lists Help All
The settlement of repair

lists means a lot to the men
who stay aboard a ship, and to'
the new crgw that comes
aboard, just as the repair list
made out by the previous
crew means a lot to you.

Because repairs mean a lot
to your comfort and living
conditions aboard ship, they
should be handled in the

. proper fashion.
..Each department delegate

must make out three copies of
bis repair list.

I The ship's delegate should
gave one copy to the head of
the department concerned, one
cppy to the compaify represen­
tative, and one copy to the
Union patrolman.

In this .way, everyone has a
jcopy o£ the repair list and

,1 there is a check to make siire
the work is done;

Plant is aboard the Anniston City
just now, while the other uncle,
Adam C. Buchacz, is sailing aboard
the John B. Waterman. Dan's cous­
in, William D. Wiley, is on the
Holystar.

All of them reported that they're
waiting to get the news about just
when Dan expects to get out of
the Army and start sailing again,
and maybe even arrange some sort

Daniel J. Biedronski.

of get-together to celebrate Dan's
return to the sea.

Dan, who is 24, joined the SIU
back in 1947, and sailed steadily
on SIU. ships until the draft caught
up with him about two years ago,
and, from what his seafaring rel­
atives say, he's anxiously waiting

•'#' get 'ka^'

Ship's Steward doses' Five Dollars, But,
Gets Good Food And Crew's Thanks

The crew of the Seatrain New York (Seat rain) gave a vote of thanks for the excellent
food they got on their last trip, but they also gave a special vote of thanks to the steward,
who "lost" $5 on the deal, but made the good food possible.

According to Ray Sweeney,"*'
one of the vessel's crewmem-
bers, the ship's steward. Gene
Auer, is the kind of guy who
"checks his stores, rips open boxes,
sacks of spuds, looks at the fish
and everything else that he re­
ceives."

He's also the kind of steward
that won't accept any stores that
are not up to top SIU standards,
says Sweeney, and because of that,
the crew was able to eat only the
best during the entirfe tx-ip.

Sweeney says
the first indica-
tioa of the type
of food came
shortly after he
boarded the ship.
Auer had just re­
ceived a load of
shrimp, and, as
usual, he ripped
open the boxes,
saw that the

shrimp inside was dry and shriv­
elled up, and told the truck driver
to take them right back.

The truck driver put them back
on the truck and left, but came
back to the ̂ ship a short while
later with "another batch of
shrimp." Auer ripped open t^e
boxes once more, and then said
that they were the same shrimp,
but had just been turned over a
little bit so the same ones weren't
on top. They went back to the
supplier again, and on the third
delivery the New York got "as fine
a shrimp as anyone would care to
eat, what the company was paying
for in the first place."

A short while later, Sweeney re­
lates, Auer got a shipment of beef.

Auer

says Sweeney, "and Auer says the
meat has got to go back.

"Only this time the driver hends
Auer an envelope. Auer told him
he wasn't interested in the enve­
lope, but was just interested in
getting top quality beef. However,
the driver insisted, so Auer opened
the envelope, and there was a big
$5 bill for Auer."

After taking one look at the $5,
Sweeney reports, Auer threw the
driver, the beef and the $5 right
off the ship, and^told him to get
back to the ship with some decent
beef.

"It wasn't very long," says

Sweeney, "before the driver was
back with some different beef, and
after inspection, it turned out to
be the finest meat you could get.
The kind that anyone would feel
proud to serve on their table."

Sweeney reports that the crew
also "brought out the point that
the shipowner is paying prices for
good stores anyway, so why
shpuld'nt we get what is coming
to us? This trip was a lot happier
and a lot more pleasant because of
a little effort in checking the
stores when they came aboard the
ship, and insisting upon the top
quality to which we are entitled.

Quiz Corilti
(1) In a Mercator's projection map, are the meridians and paiallels

straight or curved. lines?
(2) New Year's Day 1939 was a Sunday. What day of the week

was Christmas 1938?
(3) What two fractions are missing from the following series:

1/2,1/10 ,1/1250?
(4) Name two of the three state capitals whose first letter is the same

as that of the state of which they are the capital?
(51 What measurement of time is reckoned by the time it takes the

earth to turn on its axis? Is it a (day), (week), (month), (year)?
(6) Which of the early American states adopted the Code Napoleon

Instead of the Ckxmmon Law of England as its basic law? Was it (Texas),
(California), (Louisiana), (Alabama)? .

(7) Which much-married king of England had three wives named
Catherine, two named Anne and one named Jane?

(8) A woman in a totally dark room wanted to pick out a pair of
stockings that matched. There were two colors in the .idrawer, contain­
ing a jumble of 16 stockings.. What would be the smallest number of
stockings she would have to bring to the light to be sure she had a pair?.

(9) Broccoli and cauliflower are foims of, what common vegetable?
(10) More than half of the fresh water of the world is collected in

what connected bodies of water?
</'Qulzr Answers-PnfPago.^2fi-v. •. ^



Pa*e Twenty SEAFARERS LOG

- •• • :?':.4i...' •" ''' . .•...

Febroary 20, 195S

Have Fish Deserted The Pacific ?
There used "to be a time v/hen the Pacific was known for the various extra-large types

of sharks, whales and other fish which inhabited it, but since that time, something must
have happened. When two crews, on different ships, drag baited hooks all the way across
the darned ocean and don't

By Spike Martin

even get a nibble, there must
be something wrong—with the
fish, the crew, the bait, the ship,
the ocean, or something.

Ju.st which one it is in this case,
we're not quite prepared to say,
since the complete facts of the
episode have not yet come to light.
However, preliminary reports in­
dicate that the Christine (Carrasi
and the Burbank Victory (Eastern*
are both involved. Both of them
are running under MSTS, which
might have something to do with
<he explanation, too.

Well, anyway, both of them were
heading for the direction of Korea,
witli one going to Formosa and
the other on her way to Japan.
The- crews on both ships had
pretty much the same idea, how­
ever, since the Christine was ex­
pected to be at sea for about 45
days, and the Burbank Victory ex­
pected to take 33 days to reach its
destination.

Drop The Hook
What with the blue Pacific wat­

ers. the fellows decided to fish,
and so they bailed a line and
threw it over the stern, along with
visions of hoisting aboard a 15-foot
shark, or perhaps even having to
use the jumbo boom to bring a
big whale aboard. Anyway, as any
good sports fishermen, they de­
cided to troll the baited hook
along behind their ships, and take
whatevey came along. They figured
that perhaps. even some tuna
steaks or a nice, big swordfish
would go pretty well.

They waited patiently for the
sea monster to strike their bait,
then they began to wait not-so-

^-patiently, finally most of the crew
just walked away and ignored the
wliole thing. There were a few
aboard who refused to give up,
and kept a watch on the lines.

On last reports from the vessels,
the lines were still dragging along
behind the ships, but no bites. In
fact it looked as if the line from
the Christine was going to spend
43 days in the water, and the one
fiom the Burbank Victory, 33 days
—^without a nibble. The Pacific
just ain't what it used to be.

Carrabulle Crew In Curacao

Ready for a swim in Caracas Bay, Curacao, are some of the Carra­
bulle crew. Left to right, top: B. Jerakowski, Don Hewson, Ed
Mishanski. Bottom: A1 Page, Ed Hamlin, Clyde Krei.ss.

Seafarers Crave Comfort
Comfort has long been a sought-after commodity by man.

Long before the days of the height of Roman splendor when
luxurious comfort was commonplace among the populace,
men had been trying to im--^
prove their lot in ways which
would bring comfort to their
weary bones.

Before the dawn of history man­
kind was striving to keep out the
cold with animal skins draped
about the body and the cave. Later,
fires warmed the hearts of men
and the meat they no longer ate
in its raw state. Much later, came
the steam bath.

Today, aboard several ships of
the deep sea, comfort has come
down to a clear case of linen. The
situation was not nearly so dire
before, according to reports re­
ceived from two vessels at sea, but
it is rapidly approaching that state.
The sailors won't argue with the
lyrics of the song which says it
takes two to tango, but they are
disturbed when it takes two sheets
to make a bed.

.Not only are the sheets smaller

AT mn
SimcEl

fOUR U^IQAi
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YOU HELP

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PERSomu
MATmRS,S^

j"rHE S/U WELFAPP

t 1 full ft" SI f.il 'H Ji I 1 I'i >1,1

than usual in the present crisis,
but they have linen and spreads
to match, which is triply discon­
certing to the Seafarers of the
Council Grove. The Cities Service
seamen claim the linen situation
is keeping them awake nights and
adding to their discomfort. The
company, however, claims it isn't
the linen. They say It's all the
bunk.

Similar discomfort rears its tired
head from the pillow case aboard
the Potrerp Hills (Philadelphia Ma­
rine). Sailors, aboard the vessel
are looking for ne^v pillows for
their head-rests. There is.no in­
dication that the last pillows-issued
got away, but one typewritten line
in the ship^'s minutes flatly declares
that the piUow cases are open on
both ends.

When the ships pay off company
heads will surely rest heavy on
their pillows.

Everybody can 'remember the
neighborhood kid who got himself
a reputation as a shrewd traden
He was the one who swapped you
searchliglits with dead batteries,
cap pistofs whose triggers fell off,
bicycles with broken frames clev­
erly soldered together, footballs
with air leaks and the like.

It was generally predicted by
grayer heads that the boy would
be quite a success when he grew
up, which he did by becoming a
used car dealer or a furniture
salesman.

Steadies Get Smart
These David Harums usually

manage to get by very well be­
cause there is a regular turnover
of customers. They get in trouble
when they have to depend on a
steady clientele because people get
wised-up to them. That's why
Branch Rickey is having a tough
time unloading Ralph Kiner on
some other National League club. -

Rickey's fame as a trader of
slightly moldy baseball beef is
not without justification. His most
famous deal wgs the one which
sent Dizzy Dean, sick arm and all,
to the Chicago Cubs for a healthy
stack of pre-war folding money.
Subsequently he unloaded a whole
series of faded heroes and would*
be starlets around the League.

Bug His Own Pii
Ironically enough, it was Rickey

at Brooklyn who helped bring
Pittsburgh to its present sorry
state by homswoggling Preacher
Roe and Billy Cox from the Pirates
for the Ukes of Hal Gregg, Vic

Lombard!, Stan Rojek and that;
well-known Brooklyn pensioner,
Dixie Walker.

• In the past Rickey was able to
operate the way he did because he
had a corner on young talent. He
got the players and cash he want­
ed by disposing of tlie synthetic
rookie sensations in large num­
bers. Now the spikes are on the
other shoe. It's Rickey who is ovCn
the "barrel because Pittsburgh is
desperate for ballplayers.

Rickey is trying to wriggle out
of his present plight by dangling
his only valuable baseball property
under the noses of tlie clubotvners.
Unfortunately for him he seems to
have made his move just a couple
of seasons too late. For a fellow
^ho was touted as another Babe
Ruth a few year back, -Kiner hit
the skids with a vengeance last
year. A batting average under
.250 doesn't impress anybody even
if there are 30 or more home runs
in the assortment.

Big Stick Only
Despite his outstanding four-

bagger totals, Kiner never had
much to offer in any other depart­
ment. Nobody would look at him
twice other than the fact that he's

big stick man. He won't help
any club defensively, on the base-
paths or as a hit and nihner. His
lifetime average hoveia around
.280. a very ordinary mark.

As far as Rickey is concerned
Pittsburgh will be the gainer if it
can get two or three professionals
for his high-salaried fence-buster.
The bait is out, but it remains to
be seen if the fish will bite.

Headaches Of
The Delegate

The following statements
are drawn from several ship's
minutes and da not comprise
the activities aboard any one ves­
sel. The italicized answers are
from a somewhat helping, offstage
voice:

There are a few heads which
need fixing aboard this ship , . .

(Starting at the top, perhaps.)
The life boat did not lower or

hoist propwly. Crew had to bring
up life boat with hand crank.
Motor will not start In life boat...

(Otherwise, it's in top shape.)
Water Everywhere

The / second electrician asked
that there should be water put in
the washing machine^ when it is
in use . . .

(Despite claims, HUz cannot 'do
everything.)

Motion: That there be no gam­
bling allowed in messhall. Amend­
ment: That we stop all gambling
run by "the house". ..

(Conclusion: Let's keep it on
its professionally amateur basis.)

Delegate reports five men in
the steward department in one
room ...

(Get a pepch basket and a ball,
boys, charge admission, and toe
cau maksHa

Old Sailing Adage Still Goes
The old sailing man's adage of "one hand for the ship and

one hand for yourself," is still good advice to follow, even on
modern steamships, the crew of the Robin Goodfellow was
told recently. > — —

The captain of the vessel
told the crew that since the
ship had been hitting some pretty
rough seas, it would be a good idea
to remember that advice, and tise
one hand for the ship and one hand
for personal safety when carrying
stores and equipment up ladders,
on deck, and when in rough seas.

From the response of the oew
to the advice, it looks as if they
figure thNi the old saying still holds
true, even though it originated in
the days when the sailors were
working aloft In the rigging, and
used one hand to work while hang­
ing onto the rigging with the other
in rough seas.

The LOG opens this column as an exchange for stewards, cooks,
bakers and others who'd like to share favored food recipes, little-known
cooking and baking hints, dishes with d national flavor and the like,
suitoble for shipboard and/or home use. Here's chief cook Ramon
Aguiar's recipe for "pizziola sauce."

Doing the extraordinary thing is ordinary for Ramon
Aguiar, who has been an SIU man since 1944, which comprises
practically all of his seafaring life. He prefers freight ships
—his last ship being the Steelf
Chemist '(Isthmian).

Married for 11 years, the 32-

Agulstr

year-old galley magician has-a wife
and three chil­
dren to practice
his art upon
when he is home
and not sailing
aboard some SIU
vessel. When he
is, he says, he
"prefers the in-
tercoastal . runs.
You do not run
short of food,

such as meats and perishable vege­
tables."

Sauce Supreme
^ Aguiar's sauce supreme, used to
give the flavor of the gods to
meats, especially. veal cutlets and
moat loaf delicacies, is a touch of
this and a dash of that blended per­
fectly to make the mouth water
and the salivary glands work.

First, .^'o pounds of onions are
cut fine and placed in « large, deep

celery cut into small pieces, fol­
lowed by three to four ounces of
parsley for garnishing.

Salt and Pepper
Hard upon the heels of the pars-

4ey 'comes two cans of plain toma­
toes, without Juice, followed 'by.^
three small pieces of garlic- com-
poimded from the tiny, bulbous
heads of the pungent flavoring. A
dash of salt and a similar amount
of pepper is added at this point of
the concoction to bring out the
highlights of the flavoring. Then
oregano, a small leaf used in flavor­
ing highly spiced foods, is added
before the usMce is braised with
cooking oil.

After tomato paste is added to
the sauce at this point, tomato-
puree comes into the culinary pic­
ture. Then, finishing up with a
flourish, the sauce is cooked for
three to four hours on a slow flame.

Follow these directions, says
Aguiar, and you will find the 47
men which the recipe serves. Tirais-
Ing your .Mtcben talents to the



•yy«iK- -

Fcbnurr M. '195S SEAFARERS LOG Pace Tventf'ene

Captain Takes On
Chief 9iate*s ̂ ab
Te the Editor:

The crew of the Greenstar would
like you to get in touch with the
owners of this ship and have them
notify the captain of this ship that
we have a new contract and would
like to start working by it.

I am. the ship's deiegate, and
upon receiving the new agreement,
went to see the oid man to ask him
If he was going by the new agree­
ment. He said "he would start
when the company informed him
that the new contract had been
signed."

Bosun Powerless
Things are far from smooth

aboard this ship. To begin with,
the old man is
also the chief
mate. All orders
pertaining to the
work on deck
come from him.
The mate doesn't
have much to say
about it. The bo­
sun is Dave Bar-

Andrews ry- ®"® Andrews

business when it comes to the work
on deck, but it doesn't do any good
to make any suggestions to the
mate, because he already told us
his hands are tied and all orders
come from the old man.

We sailed from Naha, Okinawa,
on January 5, 1953. There was a
full gale biowing and real heavy
seas, but the old man wouldn't let

' us lower the cargo gear before
leaving. Then he put out an order
for the standby on each watch to
check the gear every 15 minutes at
Bight to make sure everything was
OK. All of the guys on this gear
are rotten and the only way they
get replaced is for one to part. To
save money, the old man had the
longshoremen replace guys and
cargo runners.

Booms Not Secured
Leaving Yokohama, Japan, the

deck department was called at 9:30
PM; at 9:45 PM we were told to
secure No. 2 and No. 3 cargo gear.
At 10 PM we let go all lines and
got under way for Korea. At this
time. No. 2 cargo booms were not
secured and the only thing holding
them was a rotten midship guy.
Again, with all gear flying, we sail­
ed into a heavy sea and winds of
gale force. The bosun and the
watch on deck really had to fight
the No. 2 booms to prevent them
from going adrift.

The old man completely disre­
gards the international safety rules
by going to sea with the gangway
hanging on the forward lifeboat
fall on the starboard side. In addi­
tion, the gangway was over the side
and not secured. When this was
brought to the mate's attention, all
he said was, "The captain said the
ship was secured for sea."

Captain Limits Stores
We have a good steward, Andrew

Strom, who also knows his busi­
ness, but every time he puts in a
store list to the old man, the latter
immediately breaks out his pencil
and scratches out at least half of
anything Strom orders. I contacted
the old man to see about fresh
milk in Japan, and it is readily
available for all ships, but all I got
was a hard time. The same applies
to the other times I have contacted
him.

Member Dies in Okinawa
The ship lost tiie third cook in

Okinawa. Brother Raymond Saund­
ers was found dead by the MPs.
Only recently did we find out that
his body had been claimed and
would be sent home for buflal. The
old man sore didn't go out of his
way to get a replacement. After a
couple of weeks, we got a new
thii^ cook—an NMU man.

We would like to have the latest
issue ef the LOG sent to us, es
welP as a few col>ies of the new

L E TIER S
agreement and some overtime
sheets.

CarrolL IL Andrews
(Ed. note: The LOGs, the new

agreement and the overtime sheets
are being sent to you regularly,
via the company's office. Since
this material is sent in bulk
through MSTS, the company claims
they are unable to'prevent the de­
lay in the LOGs reaching the
ships.)

* * *

Crossing Record
Set by Captain
To the Editor:

I thought the Christmas season
would be a good time to drop a
short note to the LOG from the
Hurricane, a Waterman scow on the
romance run (some boys on the
West Coast-Yokohama run may dis­
pute this), commanded by Captain
Robert F. Goodman. The captain,
who is rapidly becoming known for
his longevity records in crossing
the Atlantic (average trip, 13 days),
boasts about the time it took him
20 days from Bremerhaven to New

York on another
Waterman rust
bucket.

We also have a
chief mate, Rob­
ert Stanage by
name, who not
only carries the
ship on his shoul­
ders but acts as
if he bears the
burden of the

world, too. Poor fellow, see what
the sweater with the big W on it
does to a specimen of humanity.
The radio operator, another genius,
is one of the few people on this
universe who understands Einstein.

On the brighter side, we have a
chief engineer by the name of Mr.
Crane who is a gentleman to every­
body and who was the only officer
on board who had the decency to
come to the.messhall on Christmas
Day and wish the crew a Merry
Christmas, which was nothing to
write home about on this ship and
which made one long for one of

James

. Hurricane crewmembers find
the hatch cover a convenient
place to listen to the radio
at sea.

these ships you read about where
the captain and the mate or the
company sends along a couple of
cases of beer and a couple of bot­
tles of whiskey for the crew to
commemorate the occasion.

The baker made a farewell cake
the night before arrival in New
York and he performed some of
his impersonations for the crew in
the messhall.
_ Regards from the crew of the
Hurricane to aU the boys around
the hall, also the compliments of
the Season to the officials and
members of a swell Union, and hop­
ing for a very successful 1OT3 for
the SIU of North America and all
its affiliates.

Alexiamet

Alien Act Hurts
American Indians
To the Editor:

The McCarran Act;—strange as it
may seem—is doing an injustice to
American Indians who have resided
upon this continent before Senator
McCarran or any of his forefathers
ever set foot on this soil. The act
contains a blunder that forces my
people to register as aliens when
exercising their treaty rights stip­
ulated in the Jay treaty.

This treaty, signed in 1812, gave
ail Indians residing in Canada or
the United States the title of North
American Indians with the privi­
lege of unrestricted border crossing
and the right to live in either
country. According to their desires
they can be classified as wards of
Canada or of the United States.
This is because their tribal areas
crossed the borders of the two
present-day countries.

Brooklyn Indians
As a result. North American In­

dians of the Mohawk tribe residing
in Brooklyn who were born in
Canada or classify themselves as
Canadians have been stopped from
entering and working in Govern­
ment shipyards as well as defense
plants'and other places where the
secui'ity of this jountry is at stake.
Other North American Indians
have been denied entrance to Oak
Ridge where the atom bomb plants
are. If there are any North Ameri­
can Indians sailing on American
ships I imagine they are in the
same fix.

Why should we want to sabotage
our own country? Who is qualified
to be classified as citizens if we are
not? This provision of the act is
definitely a violat^'on of the Jay
Treaty and should be amended..

Wallace (Mad Bear) Anderson
t 3)

Too Many Cooks
Spoil The Broth
To the Editor:

I've had experience on some
ships where the messmen or galley-
men have tried to give orders to
the chief cooks and the stewards.
It seems that these fellows always
claim that they have endorsements
as cooks and stewards, but they
never show the endorsements.

It is annoying to have one of
these fellows coming aroimd all the
time and trying to tell the cook
what to do and how to prejwre
food when the cook knows his job,
and is busy putting out the food for
the crew. It holds him up, and just
causes a lot of trouble for every­
body.

If these fellows claim they know
so much about stewards' and cooks'
work, then I say, let them ship as
rated men and do the jobs them­

selves, instead of giving the cooks
on board a hard time, and just
fouling everything up.

Frank Soriano
3^ i i«

Crew Approves
Fair Water Taxi
To the Editor:
' Of interest to all Seafarers who
go to the Port of Hamburg is the
launch service of Hans Hahn, Ferry
7, Baiduinstrasse 21, Hamburg 4,
telephone, 42 59 77. This man's
prices are: Day — 6 marks a trip
or, if more than four persons, 2
marks; Night — 8 marks a trip or,
if more than four persons, 2 marks.

We have found him honest,
obliging and about the only one to
keep his prices. Our experience has
been that other taxi launch prices
soar to an all-time high, especially
at night. We believe that this man
should get our patronage.

If you see fit to put his name in
the LOG, with prices, would you
please send him a copy of the LOG.
Thank you for your cooperation
and good work.

Crew of Maiden Creek.
(Ed. note: A copy of this issue

of the LOG is being sent to Mr.
Hahn, as you requested.)

if i, i,

lOG Welcome In
Ryiha^ Yugoslavia
To the Editor:

I received the LOG here at
Ryiha, Yugoslavia, and was verj'

glad to know how
the Union is
progressing. It's
the only paper I
have received to
read. Othenvise,
I'm on the move.
Maybe I will be
home ' in about
three months, if

Godfrey "P-
^ Keep the LOG

coming; I will let you know when
to stop.

Estell Godfrey
4 4 4

Ex'GI Has Plans
Of Sailing Again
To tiie Editor:

I'm writing this letter to ask you
to discontinue sending the LOG
to my address in Germany, where
I was stationed with the Army. I
was discharged on February 13,
and I'm ready to go back to sea
now.

The LOG always reminded me
of the days when I was sailing and
of all my good shipmates. Thanks
again for sending the paper. I
hope-to be sailing soon.

Manuel* Marines

Gay Nineties Seafarers

Johnson

Three crewmembers of the Cornhugker .Mariner Lice behind handle­
bar mustaches in the Gay NineUey in New York. Left to riglit are:
A. Leva, wiper; A. Melanson, filler, and P. Jomldes, eng. malnt.

Michael Thanks
Agent For Help
To the Editor:

The crew of this great ship, the
Michael (Carras) would like to give
a vote of thanks to Brother Leroy
Clarke, agent in Lake Charles, for
a job well done.

Our ship hit Port Arthur, Tex.,
on January 30th at 9:00 PM. Since

it was night time
and they only
had a few hours
in port, the crew
was anxious to go
ashdre. We were­
n't expecting any­
one from the haU.
No sooner had
the deck gang
lowered the gang­
way than the re­

placements were on board with the
new agreements — tanker and
freight — Union papers and the
Atlantic Fleet News.

Permitmen Kept Posted
We have permitmen on board

who are interested in organizing,
and the Atlantic Fleet News was
read with great interest. We are
trying to keep these men posted
on all new developments.

Our Union has come a long way
since 1946 in the field of organiz­
ing. We look back and all we can
see are gains, as we have never
been defeated; this all goes to show
what a well organized and militant
Union can accomplish when the
membership looks to the future. A
word of thanks to the negotiating
committee for the best wages and
conditions in the maritime field.

Atlantic Organizer Aboard
We have aboard ship a new

brother whom we take pleasure in
welcoming into the SIU. His name
is A. L. Johnson and he has just
completed seven months and 23
days on the E. H. Blum, organizing
the Atlantic fleet. He has come on
here to see for himself the Union
way of operating, before heading
back to Atlantic to finish the job.
At our recent shipboard meeting, -v."
Brother Johnson saw for himself
the correct procedure and the SIU
way of getting things done.

We posted our repair list at the
same time and Brother Johnson
asked for a copy so he can have it
printed in the Atlantic Fleet News
so the men sailing Atlantic ships
can see for themselves the SIU
way of getting things done. He is
on his way back to Phiily to rejoin
the E. H. Blum to put the finishing
touches on a little unfinished busi­
ness. The crew of this vessel wishes
Brother Johnson all the luck in
the world. He earned his book for
a job well done.

Bill Padgett
4 4 4

Thanhs Union For
Aid To Husband
To the Editor:

This is to thank the SIU's entire
Welfare Department for their aid
in getting my husband's mainten­
ance during the time he was dis­
abled.

It seemed like a loSt cause until
Paul Sanford recalled having
checked to locate his gear and hav­
ing spoken to the mate about his
being injured. The Union was
working on it, and legal action was
being prepared but this might have
meant months and maybe even
years of futile effort, as there was
no guarantee that in the end he
would collect, since there was no
witness to the permission given
him to go to the hospital for treat­
ment and no one seemed to recall
the accident.

I also hope this wiil give warn­
ing to other seamen injured aboard
ship to get written approval from
the officer in charge, and if tbat
is not p<;K»ible, to get a witness to
the fact,^so there can be no ques­
tion as rto there ever having been
an accident.

May I again extend our thanks
to the Welfare Department.

Mrs. Walter McNaliy

u

m I* •sWs-' 'yrt-wja »>• A — -w .. y r. :>•



I V;'/ Fag* Twenty-tw* SEAFARERS LOC ' ' Fehnuiry 29, 1951

[f'-

Buzelewski

they foul up

Non'Union Man
Is Troublemaker
To the Editor:

I am now on the Fort Bridger,
and we have been over in Sete,
France, for about 14 months.

I wonder if you could do any­
thing to stop foreign seamen from
shipping on US ships unless they
have clearance from the SIU hall.
One man came on here and started
to agitate, so our crew got dis­
gusted and started leaving. This
man also started writing letters to
the Coast Guard, trying to foul up

t our own crew-
members, so he
can get his own
buddies on board
the ship.

Men like this
ship on SIU ships
and get SIU con­
ditions, but they
don't pay a cent
of dues to the
SIU, and then if
they expect the

delegates and the Union to back
them up. Here is one incident
involving Jack Hatty of Australia,
who claims that he is a member of
the SIU, but never showed his book
to any of our brothers on board the
ship.

Challenged Captain
He had an argument with the

captain about some disputed over­
time. Instead of having the dele­
gates see the captain, he saw him
himself and wanted to fight him.
The captain fired him, and since
he left the ship it has been very
peaceful and quiet. I think if peo­
ple like this were kept off the ships
they would keep American crews
on those ships that ship from the
hall.

There is another incident about
this man. Jack Hatty is trying to
organize all the American tankers
that come over here. I guess he
doesn't know that the SIU has the
tankers contracted. I would very
much like you to notify some of
our ships over here to beware of
this man.

I also would like you to check on
Lewis King, who is supposed to be
a book man of the NMU, Howard
Levine and Wilbur Houghton of
England, who claim that they had a
book in the SIU but do not want
to abide by Union rules.

We regret to inform you that the
chief steward, Walter Marcus, has
to leave us. He , has been ill for
the past month. We are very sorry
to lose him as he was cooperating
with the crew 100 percent and we
can honestly say that he rates tops
with all of us. We hope that he gets
well soon and comes back to sea
again.

John A. BuzelewskI
(Ed. note: The company has

been contacted with regard to al­
ien seamen, and has been instruct­
ed to have skippers use Amer­
ican seamen aboard wherever pos­
sible. The Union is taking up the
investigation of the two men you
mentioned.)

- Thirsty Crew
Sails To Korea
To the Editor:

The Seanan sailed from Port­
land, Ore., for Pusan on Decem­
ber 14, 1952. There was little
water aboard as the first assistant
pumped out all fresh water except

Meeiing Night
Every 2 Weeks
Regular membership meet­

ings in SIU headquarters and
at all branches are held every
second Wednesday night ' at
7 PM. The schedule for the
next few meetings is as follows:
February 25, March 11, March
25, AprU 8.

All iSeafarers registered on
r. tlie shipping list are required

to attend the meetings.

-LETTERS'
Arabian Traveling Salesmen

Seafarer C. Bettinger took this picture of the native bumboats,
which offer everything from "hand worked" tapestries to shoe
laces and canned goods, while the Steel King was in Arabia.

the after peak, thinking it was full,
even though the tanks were not
sounded before or after sailing or
pumping out same. The engineers
in charge pumped out the iore
peak and double bottoms over­
board about three days at sea. This
left the ship with little or no water
whatsoever aboard.

Then, instead of putting into a
port, the chief engineer, Geo^e P.
Harper, decided to gamble on mak­
ing it all the way to Pusan, Korea,
about 30 days away, without ask­
ing the crew. On Christmas Day,
the washing and drinking water
was loaded with salt. Still, nobody
made any effort to get fresh water
at any port. This chief engineer
was depending on the one evap­
orator for continuous water for
every purpose of the ship. Drink­
ing and washing water was very
salty.

Captain Drunk
The captain, H. G. Trim, was

drunk right after the payoff and
for five days out at sea. In Port­
land he was so drunk he could not
open the safe to give the BR his
money, and had to call the num­
bers of the combination off to the
company agent, so that the agent
could open the safe.

I turned the men to sougeeing
in the passageway and the captain
disputed it and marked the sheet
"interfering with deck department
work and unauthorized." I told
the captain I wasn't out here to
argue with him, but that I have a
Union to take my beefs to if they
can't be settled on the ship.

Second Mate Sick
The captain signed on the sec­

ond mate, who seemed to be in a
drunken condition, but who was
sick and was removed to a trans­
port one night. The crew lowered
their own lifeboat at 2 AM in rough
seas to transfer him. It was later
radioed to the ship that he had died
after an operation.

Chief Mate Nasty
"nie chief mate, Henry G. Wil­

son, Jr., is the most egotistical per­
son that I have ever sailed with. He
came to my room demanding that
I retijrn a shelf that was taken
from the second mate's room.
(This room had not been used
since the death of the second
mate.) I told him that I do not take
orders from him; I have one boss
and that is the captain. I asked
him and also ordered him to get
out of my room. He refused to do
so. He stated that if I tried to
put him out, it would be too bad
for me. He knew he could get me

in trouble with the Coast Guard
if I did-put a hand on him. The
chief mate then went to the cap­
tain and squealed to him. The
captain came down and upheld the
mate's order.

All the dissension on this ship is
in the deck department. The
stewards departments and the en­
gine department, ontside of dis­
puted overtime, get along better
than any ship I've ever been on.

We are leaving this hell-hole,
Pusan, with no shore leave and
about 40 tons of water. I guess
we'll be using the good old evap­
orator again.

Here's hopihg the SIU can
straighten these characters out. 1
have copies of this letter signed by
the other delegates.

Louis E. Meyers
X

Urge Tight Rein
On Foreign Ships
To the Editor:

In the December 12, 1952 issue
of the LOG, the "Letter of the
Week," stating that the crew of
the Raphael Semmes unanimously
passed a resolution calling for the
SIU representative in Washington
to place before the House and Sen­
ate of the US Congress a "resolu­
tion for the protection of our
country and our jobs" interested
quite a few of us aboard the Steel
Recorder. This writer for one Is

in complete agreement with that
letter and its recommendations,
with the suggestion that the sooner
these efforts ai'e started, the better
for all of us in the SIU.

Every Port Is Home '
However, one "big gun" that

seemed to be missing from the ar­
gument of that letter was how
Congress can decisively and im­
mediately aid seafaring personnel
and companies as well. Basically
it boils down to this: Foreign ship­
ping companies, not touching ports
within their own country during
the life of one voyage, or six voy­
ages, for that matter, are in direct
and unfair competition with Ameri­
can operators and I am not refer­
ring to Panama or other phony
"maritime" nations in mentioning
this. To cite examples: Bucknall, El-
lerman and Company, Limited, a
British outfit, has certain vesesls
that continually run between the
United States and Far East ports
and at the least, hit their home
port (usually London) every two
years or so, which is quite an op­
eration for a so-called British com­
pany. And the Maersk Line, run­
ning out of New York, is another
notorious example of -a company
whose ships call every port in the
world "home" except Danish ones.

This letter may sound like a plea
for American companies, and,that
is what it is meant to be, since the
more American flag vessels operat­
ing the more jobs available to all
of US.

Congress Should Step In
Maybe the solution is not easy,

but certainly a step in the right
direction would be to have Con­
gress, through legislation, force
foreign companies whose vessels
call in Stateside ports regularly, to
return these vessels to their ports
of registry at least once a year.
This law should be strictly en­
forced, regardless of conditions
(vessels under charter to American
companies, etc.), with the stipula-*
tion that foreign vessels not com­
plying would be denied reentry to
the United States.

More Business For US
The result would be like a blood

transfusion to American shipping,
since during the time that the for­
eign vessels were returning to
their home ports, American car­
riers could bid more favorably for
available cargoes and place them­
selves in a much better competi­
tive position.

Here's hoping that the SIU rep­
resentative in Washington can pre­
sent the above along with other
plans as to ways the US merchant
marine can be saved. Also, let's
Hope that during 1953 many other
ships' crews will express them­
selves on this very vital issue.

David W. Ciark

Locksley Crew Looks At Lens
/

iiiiii
I

;

Some of the deck gang on the Robin Locksley include, left to right
top: Paul Souza, AB; A. Rosenblatt, OS; Ray Brown, AB; Vhice
Walrath, OS. Bottom: Bob Morgan. Ed Carroll, Manuel Cotty.
Photo sent in by "Doc" Watson.

Iliff

Signs On Tuxiord
—He If us Pushed
To the Editor:

Blacky Colucci, one of the Brook­
lyn dispatchers, twisted my arm
a little and old man Economic Ne­
cessity gave a shove, so here I am
back on the Robin Line. It was an
emergency call and no one wanted
to throw in for it, so I was sort
of drafted, which is a much better-
sounding word than "shanghied."

I took a cab to Pier 3, Columbia
Street, where the Tuxford was
tied up and went aboard to flnd
Steward Bill Nesta up to his el­
bows in suds and dirty dishes. He
seemed overjoyed to see me, which
I hope was on account of my spar­
kling personality but which was
probably due to relief relinquish-'
ing the pearl diving.

Harried by Harrys
When we went coastwise there

were eight Harrys in the crew,
which made for a certain amount
of confusion. The
number lessened
during the trip
and at present
there are but
two of us left—
me and . the
bosun. Curly
Jaynes, and. his
name is actually
Harold. Can't
blame him for
shortening it to Harry.

Former chief cook, Oliver
Thompson left us to go to th*
hospital. His replacement Is Clar­
ence Daire, also a flne cook. Night
cook and baker is Julian "Dick"-
Dedicatoria, and the second cook
is jovial Georgie Oinas, the old
Maine fisherman. A picture of
him, holding a five-pound square-
tail recently ran in the LOG. Ac­
cording to George, the picture was
wrongly captioned. He clsims he
was using the five-pounder for
bait. , ^

The Bounding Main
So far we've had a nice trip, al­

though for the first three days out
I thought I had inadvertently
stepped into a Bendix washer. Tho
crew seems' to get along very well,
which is a change from the Kirk.
Sometimes there was very little
difference between the Edrk and
Stillman's gymnasium.

We have the usual quota of
glamour boys, or lovers. Eddie
Apel, crew mess from Baltimore,
is leading in this class but will
either have to shave or relinquish
his title to Jerry Brand. Jose Me-
gron is also an aspirant but the
other two have too long a lead on
him. Dark horse here is Small
Sam Erlitz, handicapped by age
but still a threat if past perform­
ance is considered.

If that pay raise is okayed I will
see you in the Port O'Call some­
time in May and buy you the best
bottle of Budweiser in the joint-
pardon me—establishment.

Slim Iliff

Money Exchange
Rates Listed

The following is the latest
available listing of official ex­
change rates for foreign cur­
rencies. Listings are as of
February 20,1953 and are sub­
ject to change without notice.

England. New Zealand, Soutb AXrlcat
S2.80 per pound iterllng.

Australia; $2.24 per pound aterUnC,
Belgium; SO francs to the dollar.
Denmark; 14.49 cents per krone. ~
France; 350 francs to the dollar.
Holland; 3.80 guilders to the dollar.
Italy; 625 lire to the dollar.
Norway; 14 cents per krone.
Portugal; 28.79 escudos to the dollar.
Sweden; 19.33 cents per krone.
India; 21 cents per nipee,
Pakiirtan: 30.2 cents per rupee.
Argentina; 14.2 pesos to the dollar.
Brazil: 9.4 cents per cruzeiro.
Uruguay; 92.63 cents per peso.
Venezuela; 29.89 cents per bolivaf,



FMar^ '21, TWT ' sm'i^w'^uiew't Vintis^'
i~.

Page Twenty-thre*

On display at the Peabody Museum in Salem,
Mass. is a collection, of nautical valentines which
Indicate that in the old days of sail, a century or
more ago, it was the custom of sea-going tars and
their girls ashore to exchange letters in the form
of tender sentiments.

These old greetings are replete with gay pictures of
sailor lads about to depart for far places and of tall ships
under sail.

Says one lonely lass trying to stay her lover from the
sea, while a chubby cupld (Hymen—The god of marriage)
looks on from the sidelines in the hope that trde love
will win:

"Stay on shore—oh, stay with me;
Trust no more the boisterous sea.
Oh. attempt the Main no more
Stay with me. and live on shore.
Shall I say my heart is thine?
Wilt thou be my Valentine?
Then stay thee on thy native Land
And accept thy true-love's Hand"
In those days when seamen were supposed to be rough,

tough characters whose sentiment was expended mainly
In the grog shops, this verse also was Intended to touch
the salty heart:

"Oh! true 'tis Jndced I would taste of the lip
That flies from the cottage and Ventures the Ship.
For she who inclines to a sailor's own heart.
In the gales of adversity never unll part.

"Let it blow and blow hard; my own fond one believe,
I will ever be faithful and never deceive.
In Hymen's own bonds no intruder should sever.
And living, love on. yes for ever and everl"

The Yankee Whose Cargoes Of lee
Cooled The Heat Of The Tropics

One of the most unusual cargoes that American ships have ever carried was ice, a com­
modity that provided freight for many a ship and was sailed long distances by Yankee
barks, brigs and schooners during the greater part of the 19th century.

It was back in 1805 that a^ ~~~~
young merchant adventurer
named Frederic Tudor of
Boston thought that other parts
of the world might enjoy the re^
freshing, cold ice that Yankees
sawed from their rivers and lakes
In the winter and packed In Ice
houses for use in the summer
months.

Mr. Tudor put 130 tons of ice
In the brig Favorite and dispatched
it to Martinique in 1805. He lost
$4,500 on this ventime although the
cargo sold well. It proved to Tu-
dor's satisfaction that Ice could
be carried successfully by ship and
he ignored the jest and ridicule of
the public who predicted that the
idea was foolish and impractical.

Two years later young Tudor
lost more money sending ice to
Havana In the brig Trident, but the
sagacious British were impressed
by. his projects and some years
later, .despite the advent of our
naval war with England, offered
Tudor a monopoly in the ice trade

Have Your Hating
MAsted In Booh

Bosuns and stewards receiv­
ing the new membership book
now being issued by the Union
are cautioned to make sure
that their ratings are stamped
into the book.

If the book is not stamped
accordingly, the dispatcher
will not ship the man for that
rating. As a result, some men
holding those ratings might
lose put on jobs.

with the West Indies. His cargoes
proved such a blessing to Euro­
peans in the West Indies that the
Spanish were- duly impressed also
and gave lilm a monopoly for the
ice trade with Havana.

Defeat No Barrier
After losing money on a succes­

sion of lee cargoes he was ui-ged to
give up the trade before he lost so
much money he would be forever
hopelessly in debt but the young
merchant replied that anyone who
gave up after three or four unsuc­
cessful starts "should be ashamed
of himself" and continued to line
up foreign customers for his Bos­
ton ice.

This fellow Tudor was an enter­
prising fellow, for besides having
to intei'est foreign merchants in his
novel product, he had to create
customers for the merchants to
whom he sold It so they would not
be left with a pile of melting mer­
chandise on their hands.

He advertised ice as a cooler for
drinks and, strange as it may seem
to us today, his proposal created
great excitement in places where
people had never tasted a opld
drink. #

Tudor believed in promoting ice
for the "common" people—not jiist
for the moneyed rich, and this
philosophy of selling "to the
masses" enabled him eventually to
pay back his many losses and see
the ice trade become a profitable
buisiness.

It is interesting to note that he
recommended ice for hospitc^ls and
suggested its use for making ice
cream.

The fame of Tudor's ice spread
'round the world and a group of
English and American merchants
In 1833 urged him to ship some of
his ice to them, swellerlng as they
were in the humid climate of Cal­
cutta. Not one to hesitate at taking
a chance—even one of shipping ice
half way around the world In a
slow-moving windjammer — Tudor
obliged and sent a load in the ship
Calcuttaf which crossed the equator
twice enroute, but still landed two-
thirds of Its cargo Intact. »

It Is said that some of the con­
signees demanded their money
back when the merchandise melted,
but this cargo made Iced^drlnks
popular In India and was the fore­
runner of mai^ more cargoes ear-
rlcd In several big ships built
especially for this trade.

With typical Yankee sagacity,
he shipped Baldwin apples packed
among the cakes of ice!

In South Carolina In 1834 Tu­
dor's ice sold for VA cents a pound
and for two cents a pound in New
Orleans, while the price was only
three cents a pound in Havana and
12 cents a pound in Rio de Janeiro,
whei-e quite a few cargoes were
sent.

By this time a number of other
firms were in the business, too.

Gage, Hittlnger and Company of
Boston in 1842 sent the bark Shar­
on from Boston to London with ice
but although the British liked the
"taste" of Yankee lee, the venture
lost money.

In 1857, some 10,000 tons of Ice
was exported, from Boston and in
the. year ̂ before one firm alone sent

A chunk of ice to cool a drink was worth a sultan's purse.

146,000 tons coastwise from ther
Boston area to cities of the South
Atlantic seaboard.
'In the latter days of the Ice

trade, Kennebec and Penobscot
River ice supplanted that of Bos­
ton pi-etty much because it was
\ bicker and clearer. There were
more than 200 ice plants on the
Maine coast from which vessels
loaded for the Caribbean, South
America, India and domestic ports.

During the winter the frozen
rivers and lakes were marked off
like huge checkerboards by hoi-se
drawn cutters. These checkers or
stiipcs were then sawed through
and men with poles moved the Ice
inshore to. the steam powered con­

veyor, which carried It up into the
huge warehouses to he stowed In
layers with sawdust for insula­
tion. About May 1, the Ice ships,
which included two to four masted
schooners, brigs, ships and barks,
came up the rivers and loaded from
200 to 1,000 tons each.

Ships built for the ice trade were
double sheathed to protect the
cargo from melting. Ice was packed
with wheat chaff, hay, coal dust,
tan bark or sawdust, pine sawdust
being the favorite packing material
because of Its cleanliness, ease of
handling, and Insulating qualities.

The Ice trade prospered until the
general Introduction of manufac­
ture^ ice in the early 1900s.

/

AU



Wi'-

-

PaffC Twenty-foor SEAJF ARERS LOG Ftbnurr 20, 195S

. DIGEST ot SHIPSMMEETINGS ...
CLAIBORNE (Waterman), January 11—

Chairman, A. Lanaro; Secretary, J. E.
Thomas. Ventilation system in the crew
messhail should be repaired. Sanitary
work is not being done properly. Baker
should try and improve his work, and
try and make better bread. Patrolman
will be asked to settle the fight between
two members. Member claimed he missed
his watch due to a misunderstanding.
Each department should clean the laun­
dry and slopsink for a week.

SEAPENDER (Orion), December it—
Chairman, W. Pozen; Secretary, Al M.
Clunlen. Recreation room should be kept
clean by all hands. Members should
wash and replace cups after using them.
Ship's delegate should contact the mate
about portholes. Two fans are needed.
Ship's delegate will see the chief mate
about sougeeing all passageways, crew's
messhail and recreation room. •

egate will get a new library in New
Orleans.

December 7—Chairman, Donald Alt;
Secretary, Carroll H. Andrews. One man
fell and was Injured when a board broke.
Any replacements who come aboard in
Honolulu should be checked. Steam lines
on coffee urn should be changed. Trash
should not be dumped out of portholes.
Dangerous working gear on the ship will
be reported to the patrolman. - Patrolman
will also be contacted about men work­
ing aloft. /

SOUTHPORT (South Atlantic),- January
II—Chairman, William J. Thompson; Sec­
retary, R. E. Pierce. Patrolman will be
asked to take action on the repair list
at the end of the voyage. Siopchest
should be checked; medical supplies
should be gone over too.

m.
lif'r

I ̂

[fe--
m
I £ •:

m'

!>

BINCHAMTON VICTORY (Bull), Janu­
ary 4—Chairman, Louis Martoncsik; Sec
rotary, Charles Stambul. Repairs were
completed with the exception of the
drinking water, which is still rusty and
will be taken care of in port. New repair
list wiU be taken up with the patrolman
Motion was passed to have the three san­
itary men clean up the laundry and rec­
reation room for the first time; there­
after. one man from each department
•will clean twice weekly. Washing ma
chine wringer wiU be repaired. Crew
messhail needs a new toaster as the old
one cannot be repaired. Vote of thanks
went to the stewards department for a
Job weil done and to the purser for a
nice Job.

MOBILIAN (Waterman), January 4—
Chairman, Charles ColettI; Secretary, Ed­
ward Zebrowski. Ship's fund totals $24.
Ralph Hayes was elected ship's delegate.
Motion was passed to appoint men to
clean the laundry weekly. Lockers in
deck foe'sles need repairing as well as
benches. Dirty linen should be placed
In the laundry bag. Library doors should
remain closed.

STEEL RANGER (Isthmian), January 4
—Chairman, J. Wagner; Secretary, B. C.
D'Ornellas. All repairs were taken care
of. Coal stored above the galley ven­
tilators should be placed somewhere
else, as this is very unsanitary. Fans
in each department should be checked
before the hot weather starts. Vote of
thanks went to the stewards department
for a wonderful Job In the performance
of their duties. Deck department will put
garbage cans midship while the ship is
in port.

!»•

BLUESTAR (Traders), December 7—
Chairman, J. Anderson; Secretary, J. Gal­
lagher. Frank Keely was elected ship's
delegate. Motion was passed to collect
$10 from each man to send to the next
of kin of J. Marques with a letter of
condolence from the crewmembers. Stew­
ards department will clean the recreation
room; deck and engine departments will
alternate the cleaning of the laundry.
One washing machine will be used for
work gear, the other for white clothes.
Last standby will wash cups for the
watch. Repair list wUl be made up.
Ship's delegate will take charge of a
ship's fund.

STEELORE (Ore), December 22—Chair­
man, Charles L. Jacques; Secretary, Ar­
thur A. Mosblack. Charles L. Jacques
was elected ^p's delegate; Sam J. Ka-
sonovich. deck delegate; William Turpin.
engine delegate: Samuel Disharoom. stew­
ard delegate. Each man should bring his
own soap to the washroom, and not walk
out with someone else's. Ship's delegate
will request the captain to post siopchest
prices. Vote of thanks was given to the
entire stewards department for the qual­
ity of food and the efficient manner in
which it is served.

Get New Books
Through Agents

Seafarers who applied for
new membership books in
New York but are now sailing
from outports don't have to
come to this city to get their
new books.

If the men involved will
write to headquarters and tell
the Union which port they are
sailing out of, the Union will
forward the book in care of
the port agent.

Under no circumstances
however, will the books be
sent through the mails to any
private addresses.

into the passageway to get to the pantry.
Galley sink faucet and porthole gUss in
the messman'a foc'sle should be replaced.

BINGHAMTON VICTORY (Bull), De­
cember 17—Chairmen, Rex J. O'Connor;
Secretary, .Charles Stambul. Elections
were held. Charles Stambul. ship's del­
egate; Vincent J. Stefanick. deck dele­
gate; Ebnest Lee Waters, engine delegate;
Louis Martoneslk, steward delegate.
Three men from each department will be
appointed to' clean up the recreation
room.

HASTINGS (Waterman), January 17—
Chairman, H. Bode; Secretary, J. Neaca-
les. J. Turner was elected ship's dele­
gate. New innerspring mattresses were
requested for the deck engineer, bosun,
electrician, steward and day men. New
pillows and covers are needed for the
entire crew. Department delegates wiU
make up a repair list. Mechanical can
opener is needed in the pantry. Vote of
thanks went to the stewards department
and the baker for the good food and
service.

PUERTO RICO (Bull), January 18—
Chairman, Ed Caudtll; Secretary, Jim
Murphy. All hands are requested not to
ruin the paint job aft. to respect the
signs placed there by the deck gang, to
watch the petty larceny ashore in St.
Thomas and to return towels which are
taken ashore for swimming. Patrolman
should check the quality of meat served
aboard this vessel. Motion was passed
to chip in $1 to the ship's fund. After
some discussion, it was decided to check
with the pursers on the possibUity of
paying off the stewards department sep-
arateiy and at the same time as the
other departments. Payoff should be ro­
tated to give each department a chance
to be paid off fir.st. Mike Amato was
elected ship's delegate at a meeting held
for this purpose on.January 11.

SWEETWATER (Metro), January 14-
Chairman, J. Dawson; Secretary, C. W.
Burns. Repair list wlU be made out. Pa­
trolman will be cotntacted about bad
eggs. Motion was passed, unanimously to
have the ship fumigated. Patrolman wiU
be contacted on this. More milk should
be supplied. Frank V. Fromm was elect­
ed ship's delegate.

ANDREW JACKSON (Waterman), Jan­
uary 21—Chairman, R. Berryman; Secre­
tary, A. J. Kuberskl. R. Berryman was
elected ship's delegate. All hands will
keep the laundry clean. All clothes
^ould be secured in the fidley. Patrol­
man In Mobile will be contacted on the
repair list and siopchest.

messroom portholes will be fixed. Glasses
should not be left in the sink. Galley
drain Is stopped up and will be fixed.

January 2S—Chairman, Walter Sibley;
Secretary, Thomas A. Jackson. Motion
was passed that no one is to pay off in
San Juan unless he is sick. Men who
would have stood gangway watch in San
Juan will get the overtime. Better grade
of food should be put on board. Repair
lists WiU be made out by the three de­
partment delegates. Discussion was held
on the member who has been perform­
ing on board ship and not doing his work.
Charges will be drawn up against him.
Men who miss ship in San Juan wUl be
turned over to the Union. Members
should keep their feet off the messroom
chairs.

OMEGA (Omega), January 17—Chair­
man, Suit; Secretary, Olvln. Most Im­
portant repairs were done In Portland.
Me. Ship WiU be cleaned out. as asked.
Brothers were asked to unplug the wash­
ing machine after using it. Steward
asked all brothers to strip their bunks on
Unen' day and not store linen in lockers.
AU liands were asked to cooperate wltli
wiper and OS.

MARY ADAMS (Bleomfleld), .December
7—Chairman, Douglas Claussen; Secre­
tary, Robert M. Douglas. There is $42
in the ship's fund. Charles Dasher was
elected ship's delegate by acclamation.
Ship's laundry wlU be kept clean by aU
brothers. There should be less noise in
the aUeyways. Lockers need repairing.
Foc'sle doors should be kept locked in
foreign porta.

ROBIN TRENT (Seas Shipping), Decem­
ber 7—Chairman, J. C. Reed; Secretary,
John W. Parker. Men should be properly
dressed when they go vo the messroom.
There Is $1.50 In the ship's fund. Old
washing machine wUl be sold for $25
and the money put in the ship's fund.

December 2$ —Chelrman, John W.
Parker; Secretary, John C. Reed. There
was a discussion on the baker not clean­
ing up the gaUey. Vote of thanks went
to the stewards department for the won­
derful Christmas dinner and for the way
It was served.

clarification en the making of ice foe
cold drinks. Ship's delegate should checle
stores with the steward before sailing;
Motion was made to have the old wash­
ing machine thoroughly overhauled, of
else to get a new one. Bunks should bo~
stripped and cleaned, lockers cleared
out before leaving the ship. Ship needs
fumigation. Vote of thanks went to ths'
stewards department for a Job weU done.
All hands were asked to' be sober at the
payoff. Patrolman wUl be contacted
about the captain's treatment of the men.

EDITH (Bull), January 1—Chairman,
not listed; Secrstsry, Louis S. Rlzze.'
Washing machine has been left nihning;
delegate wiU try to find out who has
done this.

CALMAR (Calmer), December 27—
Chairman, A. F. HIert; Secretary, W.
Ekins. Second cook was elected steward
delegate. James Archie was elected ship's
delegate. Messman complains that the
pantry sink wUl not hold water. There
is not enough night lunch or a great
variety. The lack of fruit Juice and ham
was brought up; steward will take care
of this. Wiper has no keys to foc'sle.
Sanitary claims he does not get enough
soap and soap powder; mate will be con­
tacted. .

GENEVIEVE PETERKIN (Bloomfiald),
January 4—Chairman, T. J. Schultz; Gsc-
relary, C. W. "Bill" Champlln. Stewards
department will care for the recreation
room; deck and engine department men
wUl clean up the laundry. Repair lists
will be made up by the department dele­
gates and turned over to the ship's del­
egate.

PENNMAR (Calmar), January 20—Chair­
man, Red GIbbs; Secretary, T. E. Frazier.
Red Gibbs was elected ship's' delegate.
List of repairs was turned over to the
chief engineer to be done when there
Is time. Motion was passed to contact
the captain about moving members about
to provide ample living space. Hooks
should be put on icebox doors.

ROSARIO (Bull), January 14—Chair­
man, M. Richardson; Secretary, M.
George Whale. Charges against two men
who paid off will be forwarded to head­
quarters for action. Special note will be
made on repair list of the lack of port­
hole screens and wind chutes and the
bad condition of the screen doors. Steam
valves on most of the radiators need ad­
justment and repair. Deck and engine
departments will clean the laundry; stew­
ards department will clean the recreation
room. Anyone with a beef should go first
to the department delegate; under no cir­
cumstance Ut it proper for a Union mem­
ber to overlqpk the correct procedure
and go to the mate and the captain first.
Library will be changed at the first op­
portunity.

r>

GREENSTAR (Triton), November 2—
Chairman, Dave Barry; Secretary, Car­
roll H. Andrews. Carroll H. Andrews
was elected ship's delegate. Men were
cautioned to pull -the plug on the wash­
ing machine to prevent the motor from
burning up. Department delegates
should check all mattresses. Steward
should double check ship's stores for a
long trip. Recreation room and laundry
should be kept clean at aU times; Ship's
delegate and • steward will see the cap-

IBERVILLE (Waterman), January 23—
Chairman, Jamdl McRae; Secretary, How­
ard Menz. .Ship's delegate talked with
the captain about the ship leaving on
Posted sailing time. Captain is pleased
with the crew; there are no beefs. There
is a balance of $22.64 in the ship's fund.
A total of $g.84 was spent on books and
magazines. Messhail is being kept clean.

EVELYN (Bull), January 24—Chair­
man, W. Raid; Secretary, E. C. Dacsy.
Brother Whitlow was elected ship's del­
egate. Crew was asked to keep the
messroom clean and to return cups to
pantry. Ship's delegate will see the chief
engineer about getting cold water In the
new drinking fountain. Ship's delegate
will speak to the patrolman about get­
ting crew's quarters painted. Steward
will buy playing cards out of the ship's
fund and see about getting a' dog for
the ship. Ali new crewmembers were
asked to donate $2 to the ship's fund.

MARY ADAMS (Bloomfiald), January
11—Chairman, Charles Dashar; Sacratary,
Robert M. Douglas. There is a balance of
$28 in the ship's fund. Motion was passed
not to sign on for the next trip until all
repairs have been completed. AU hands
should be sober at the payoff. All the
brothers expressed their gratitude to the
•entire stewards department for their ef­
forts during the trip. Repair lists wUl
be turned over to the ship's delegate.

ALCOA PARTNER (Alcoa), October 12
—Chairman, F. (Red Sully) Sullivan; Sec­
retary, L. Franklin. Crew will contact
the port agent to see the captain about
the draws. Each department delegate
will make up a repair list before the
ship's arrival in port. Misunderstanding
between two members was straightened
out. First assistant wiU be contacted
about needed repairs on the washing ma­
chine.

November 15—Chairman, John Malcom;
Secretary, Olus McCann. Captain wiU be
contacted again about getting new parts
for the crew's wa'sldag machine. Sugges­
tion was made to put a new hasp on the
night cook and baker's locker. Brothers
are to be quiet when others arc sleeping
and to clamp down on aU drinking on
board. Deck department members are to
be back in sober condition to secure the
ship. When a member is a little under
the weather and the bosun says go be
low, he means off the deck. That goes
for everyone.

January 15 — Chairman, Joseph P
Shaughnetsy; Secretary, Leon W. Frank­
lin. Two brothers missed ship, one at
Montreal and another at Quebec City, due
to failure to post saUing time. Crew wUl
take action on two performers. Patrol­
man will be contacted on this in San
Juan. Department delegates will draw
up a list of performers. Night lunch
should be issued only to the crew. Nec­
essary repairs should be done on board
by the crew.

ALCOA POLARIS (Alcoa), January 1—
Chairman, Earl Ds Angalo; Sacratary,
Barnay Kally. There is $36 in the ship's
fund. John Norton was elected ship's
delegate. All passageways should be
kept clean, doors closed dqring loading
and unloading. Vote of thanks went to
the stewards department.

CHIWAWA (Cltlas Service), November
22—Chairman, M, O. Brlohtwell; Secre­
tary, K. P. Goldman. There is $12.32 in
the ship's fund. Discussion was held on
the washing machine.

WILLIAM H. CARRUTH (Trans-Fuel),
December 14—Chairman, Hans M. Scaale-
aaard; Secretary, William Bause. Vincent
Genco was reelected ship's delegate by
acclamation. There Is $11 left in the
ship's fund, $9 having been spent for the
purchase of various games. Previous
trip's repair list was taken care of. Paint­
ing of messhail, pantry, recreation room,
galley and passageways was approved by
the captain. Crew was asked to cooper­
ate in keeping the messroom, pantry and
recreation room clean. All hands agreed
to do their part. Watches on duty will be
given priority during mealtime.

JOHN B. WATERMAN (Waterman).
January 10—Chairman, Walter Sibley; Sec­
retary, Thomas A. Jackson. Capitano was

. ....... — — — — elected ship's delegate. Door on mess-
tain about additional stores. ; Ship's.^ del-' man's room needs fixing. Hooks on the

CHICKASAW (Waterman), January 24
—Chairman, Freddy Cock; Secrotary, V.
P. Agostlno. Steward put in a requisition
for 31 Innerspring mattresses to be sent
from Miami. There is a balance of $20.9.1
in the ship's fund. Discussion was held
on donating to the March of Dimes.
Washing machine will be repaired.

LONE JACK (Cities Service), January
If—Chairman, N. P. Gllllgan; Secretary.
William S. Claymore.. Ship's fund was in
arrears $26.05. $55 was collected and
these debts paid. Radio aerial was pur­
chased for $1.77. Ship's fund now has
$27.18 in assets. Ship and department
delegates should speak to the steward
about improvement and greater variety
of food. Pork and bacon were - reported
In bad condition by the chef. Request
was Made to have cornbread for break­
fast occasionally. Patrolman should see
that a good brand of coffee is provided.
There is no change in the milk situation.
New York will be called on this.

STEEL ADVOCATE (Isthmian), Novem­
ber 2—Chairman, W. MItchall; Sacratary,
T. Thompson. Beef about a member not
turning to. was straightened out. Steward
will inspect the messhail before meals.
Crewmembers should try not to bang
doors. Radios should be played low. Sug­
gestion was made to have keys made for
the messhail end the pantry, so doors
can be locked in port.

November 23—Chairman, A. McArlher;
Secretary, Tommy Thompson. Linen mat­
ter was straightened out. Suggestion was
made to have cold drinks twice a day
and put fruit 'in the ic-;- box at night.
Garbage bucket will be placed in the pas­
sageway during mealtimes.

January 24—Chairman, W. Mitchell;
Sacratary, Joe Kramer. The painting
beef will be taken up with the patrol­
man. Sheets are too small for the mat-,
tresses. Second cook, who took over the
chief cook when he took sick in Alexan­
dria, Is recommended by the crew to
sail as chief cook, with the approval and
clearance of the liall. Ship heeda fumiga­
tion, wooden foot stands for showers and
chairs for the recreation room. Door
should be cut'from the messhaU to the
pantry, M messman will not have to go-

J^AN LAFITTE (Waterman), July 5—
Chairman, Walter J. Brown; Secretary,
E. P. Moran. Van Alstine was elected
ship's delegate. Patrolman will be notified
of shortages in the siopchest. There is
a shortage of soap powder In the deck
department. Sanitary pump will be re­
placed. Cups and glasses should be re­
turned to the pantry.

December 7—Chairman, Nelson King;
Secretary, Walter J. Brown. Discussion
was held on the water cooler in the
recreation room. This was fixed, but two
days out of port it was out of order
again. Chief engineer will be contacted
on this. Chief engineer will he asked
about the. faulty operation of the sani­
tary pumps, All members of the crew
should help keep ihe recreation room,
pantry and messhail clean. Stewards de­
partment will be asked not to dump gar­
bage on the lines aft. Laundry should
be kept clean.

ARIZPA (Waterman), December 21—'
Chairman, Herb Knowles; Secretary, R.
B. Charroln. Delegates will turn In re­
pair lists. One brother missed ship In
Kure, Japan. One brother thanked the
deck department for splitting their gang­
way watches while he was unable to
work, since he had a broken hand. Stew­
ards department got a vote of thanks for
some first-class chow.

SEATRAIN NEW YORK (Seatrain), De­
cember 17—Chairman, Ray Sweeney; Sec­
retary, E. W. Auer. There is S21.95 in
the ship's fund. Motion was passed to
haVe the deck department foe'sles sou-
geed before arrival in Edegwater. Repair
list will be posted on the bulletin board
for additional notations. Motion was
passed to take up a collection for Christ­
mas decorations. In case the company
does not supply them. Extra money will
go in the ship's fund.

MONROE (Bull), Dacembar 21—Chair­
man, Battia; Sacratary, S. Barnas. Barnea
was elected shin's delegate. AU standbvs
on watch wiU clean up the messhail.
Ship's delegate wlU ask the mate for
keys for crew's quarters. Day workers
were asked to go easy on the night lunch.
Laundry wUl be cleaned In rotation.

LIBERTY BELL (Dovar), January 10—
Chairman, F. P. Flanagan; Sacratary, H.
R. Hutchlns. Motion was passed to paint
one room hi the stewards department.
There is a $16 balance In the ship's fund.
A suggestion was made that the crew
take it easy on ' drinking and conduct
themselves in an orderly manner in
Japan,

ALCOA PURITAN (Alcoa), January 11
—Chairman, P. A. TaurasI; Sacratary, J.
Strlngfsllow. John Mehalow was elected
ship's delegate.

OCEANSTAR (Triton), January 1—
Chairman, J. D. Baugher; Sacratary, N.
L, Ramlay, Most of the beefs wpre taken
care of in port. H. D. Carney was elected
ship's delegate unanimously. Members
were asked to come to meetings prompt­
ly. Deck engineer said there would be
a fan in every room as soon as he can
ge} them repaired and installed. Crew
de'clded to put in for eleven days sub­
sistence since there was no hot water
in the crew's heads and. showers for that
time.

SOUTHERN CITIES (Southern Trading).
December 27—Chairman, c. L. Parish,
Jr., Secretary, C. Frost. There Is con­
fusion on the deck because the mate
claims to have a different working agree­
ment than that used by the crew; he has
not yet produced a copy of this agree­
ment. New repair list will be submitted
through proper channels. Greenwald was
elected ship's delegate by acclamation.
No one is to enter the nicssroom unless
properly dressed. Butt cans will 1>e pro­
vided for aUeys and companionways.
Crewmembers will cooperate in keeping
messhail, recreation room and heads
cleaner. All departments wiU clean laun­
dry and recreation rooms.

K
YOUNG AMERICA (Waterman), Janu­

ary 28—Chairman, Larson; Secretary, F.
Arana. Motion was passejl to have the
whole crew back up the steward In se­
curing proper provisions for the next
voyage. Steward wiU notify delegates If
he Is denied any stores he considers nec­
essary. Vote of thanks went to the
stewards department, which has done Its
best to make the past trip a pleasant
voyage. AU extra linen should be turned
in to the steward. MeshaU and pantries
should be kept clean and coffee mugs
washed after use.

BALTORE (Ore), November 30—Chair­
man, Mack Singleton; Secretary, George
Prota. No action was taken on last voy­
age's repair list. Motion, was made to
have meeting time announced in advance,
in order not to Interfere with stewards
department work. There Is a general
beef about the lack of mop buckets.

FAIRLAND (Waterman),*November 1—
Chairman, Slgmund Rothschild; Secre­
tary, Alfredo C. Irlzar. Nothing has been
done about last trip's repair Ust. Papers
and garbage should not be thrown on
the deck. AU' bands were requested to
bring dirty Unen In exchange for clean
on Wednesday, the Unen day. and not to
wait for another day or two.

PAOLI (Cities Service), January 11—
Chairman, Peter V. Hammel; Secretary,
John F. Brady, .All hands should coop­
erate in turning In old Unen for dean
Unen, and should hot leave It ' lying
around ihe passageway. One man left
ship. Vote bf thanks went to the stewards
departmenif for a job weU done. All del­
egates will hand repair Usts ta:the ship's
delegate. .Ship's delegate will' see the
captain about sailing foreign. Crew Was
asked to cooperate with the messman in

igard to keeping the messroom clean.

CARROLL VICTORY (South Atlantic), If-^halrman,
January d^halrman, Eddie Burton; Sec f;
rotary, J. F, Barrett, Jr. Two men
missed ship In'Ban Pedro, one in Leon­
ardo. personal belongings were taken
care M. Patrolmaa will be gsked .about'

POTRERp HILLS (Mar Trade), Keither
C. Smith; Secretary, Frank Flanagan.
Ladder from gangway is now ready for
use.. Two men who missed ship wiU be
entered into the minutes. Chief mate wUl
be reported to the patrolman for negU-
gence and failure to live up to the con­
tract. Stewards department should be
notified of time changes and late meals.
Vote of thanks went to the stewards de­
partment for exceptionaUy good Christ­
mas chow. Chief pumpman got a vote
of thanks for bringing Christmas tree
and decorations aboard. New mattresses
are of inferior quality and should be
shown to the patrolman.

STEEL MAKER (Isthmian), January IB
—Chairman, Tom Kuhn; Secretary, P.
Rubli. Union wUl be asked to clarify the
posting of the saUlng board during week­
ends in port. Every man wiU be asked
to siip a card posted near the washing
machine, so that the rest of the crew
will know i#ose laundry Is In the ma­
chine. This way aU ipen wiU know who
Is responsible for letting the machine
wn and for leaving It dirty. A member
WiU be appointed to clean and straight--
en out the Ubrary, discarding aU unread­
able books and magazines. ,

'Of*)' January 11—Chairman,
Elder; Secretary, HInnant. Watch should

Dl»cussion was
held on the care of the washing machine.
There are not enough coffee cups and
spoons; they should be setumed to the
pantry _ after use. Crew should help to
keep the recreaUon room clean at aU

Slat"^ '

Mit.egtiise.elia 1 i .-w,

Anderson, Crew siioulS keep feet olt
chMrs and tables and keep the lounge
in better shape. Craw was warned against

, j[ Continued. p% page 25) — •-



Febmary U, 1959 SEAFARERS LOG Pare Twenty-llv*

... DIGEST of SHIPS' MEETINGS ...
(Continued from page 24)

•yittinr la paMaaeway* and on th« deck,
laundry ataeuld be cleaned up after use.
Notlca waa taken that the food Uikproved
cenilderably. Wind ctautei should be pro­
vided for the crew.

MARORI (Ore), January 1»—Chairman,
W. Caint Socratary, J. A. Merln. There
la iS.50 in the ship's fund. Man whe
missed the ship will be reported to the
Baltimore patrolman. Beef on fixing the
range light on Sunday will be referred
to the patrolman. Suggestion was made
to paint' the new recreation room. San­
itary man was talked to about his work.
Steward wiU buy tP.SO-worth of stamps
from the ship's fund. Delegate will see
the first assistant about squeeze mop
buekst for the wiper to clean foc'slea
with.

SEAViaiL (Orion), November f—Chair­
man, C. Thobe; Secretary, V. Wilton.
Jolin Oudshoorn was-unanimously elected
ship's delegate. Ship's delegate wiU con­
tact the chief mate to arrange for paint­
ing of the stewards department foc'sles

NOTICES
James Francisco

Your discharge from the Carolyn
has been found and is being held in
the LOG office.

4 4; t
George Barena

WUUam F. MacDouald
The NLRB office at-2 Park Ave.,

NY, is still holding checks for you
from the Cities Service case. Please
contact them.

, 4> 4.
" Anthony J. Riley

Please contact Mr. D. Orren, Ch.
Accountant, Waterman SS Co., 61
St. Joseph St., Mobile, Ala., con­
cerning an overpayment when you
were utility on the Stonewall
Jackson.

4* 4r 4«
Louis Ballestero

You have a letter wailing for
you at headquarters mail room.

4i t ft
The following men can pick up

their 1952 Withholding Tax Forms
at the company indicated. All of
the companies listed are located at
17 Battery Place, New York, NY.

Seatraders: Mahrie W eIIis ,
Charles Lewis, Nick Grumdahl,
Fred. Hauser, James N e 1 s^o n,
George Saldlvar, James Andres
Heffiey, Earl Tuttle Congleton,
Louis Deckelmann, Charles E.
Wells, William Gray.

W. Lewsessyy, Kenneth Budlow,
Daniel Bis.sett, Donald Edward
Zweep.

American Mer. Marine SS; Ju­
lian Sawyer, Joseph Taylor, Mateo
Ramirez, Edmund Smercyzancki,
Terrel McRaney, Lewis Thomas
Fitton, Samuel Tolcha, James Joe
Connors.

Fpancis O'Brien, James D. Fran­
cisco, Manuel Olvera, Guy New­
man, W. Melntyre, Jack Arellanes,
Francisco Areemal, Lawrence Bi-
ondo, Thomas Biackledge.

Walter Clark, F. DiGavanni, Hai>
old L. Gidding?, William Gilstrop,
Charles Harrow, P. Hunt, N. Hurt,
Jacob Meyboom, George F. Miller.

Zenith SS Co.: Robert Milton
Moots, Michael Arthur Servine,
Robert Stanson, John J. Bidere,
Michael Stanton, Howard Le-
compte, Hugh Mansfield.
' Lawrence Branch, Joseph Bule,
William Cladwell, David Donavan,
William Bllger, Leo Gillis, Robert

. Wi'liams.
Ocean Carriers, Inc.: J. W. Wed-

dle, Antonio A. Blais, William M.
Ward, Jose Rosa, Eug. F. Hernan-

. dez, BenJ, Bellamy, Mike E.
LaSoya, James Kirchner.

K. Htasen, H. Hurlburt, Rosco J.
Jampton.-'JVilliam Garrison, Ed­
ward Falvey, Lewis Everett, Victor

' Escobar, Edward Contoral. ^
H, E. Tyske, Louie Santo, Wil­

liam T. Atchason, Charles Austin,
R. Beattie, Robert Seliveaii, Rafael
Cuevfis, E. Ldngacre.

Luis Martinez, W. Longacr4w,
J. Magyar, Demenico Masello,
Thomas Miinge, William Murray.

jr. Paseo, Ed. A. Rfaed*. Edwai^
Thomm Ritey, Edward Robinson,
Llttir WettB, Tiburein C.
Jnhn Karplnskyw

at an early dat*. Soma membar* com­
plained of unnecoefery noleo about the
decks. Shlp'a dclesate k^ould see the
captain about posting slopchest price list.
Recreatien ream and laundry should bo
cleaned dally by a department sanitary
man, with the detaU rotated weekly.

January IS—Chetrman, •. Potis; Sec­
retary, T. ^Oaylt, Jr. Suggestion was
made that the washing machines be re­
paired. Suggestion was made to remove
thd' washing machine's stcsm line (which
causes noise while members are sleeping)
and replace It with a hot water Une.
Vote of thanks went to the stewards de­
partment ' for A Job wall done.

STKIUOllK (Oro), Docombar 90—Chair­
man, Cborloo L. JosquoN Socrotahr, Ar­
thur Moiblocfc. Captain wiU post slop-,
chest prices outside of the slopchest door.
Delegate has spoken to the chief engi­
neer about installing a drain hbsc on
the washing" machine. Chief en.clneer
will order shower heads. Delegates win
turn in repair lists before the ship
reaches Sparrow's Point. Silverware beef
was referred to the steward for settle­
ment, as it concerns his department.

January 9 — Chairman, Chsrloi L.
JaequMj Socroiory, Arthur Motblock.
Ferry Parson was elected deck delegate.
"Unfinished repairs wUI be kept on the
repair list: some of them have been done.
Bosun will put a drain hose In the wash­
ing maehino. Water foundation needs
fixing. Patrolman will be notified about
men missing slUp. All hands were asked
not to keep cups out of the messroom.
Engine room, door should not b( slammed,
as this wakes up men Who are sleeping.

•

GRgENSTAh (Triton), January 27—
Chairman, MIko Sikorsky; Secretary, C.
H. Andrews. The body of Brother Ray­
mond Saundsrs. who died in Okinawa,
was claimed and will be sent home. Chief
mate wiU be contacted about having car­
go vents removed.- greased and chipped.
Ship should be properly secured and
lifeboats clear for launching at aU times.
Crew had only 13 minutes lu secure
booms. Any performing .will be 'orought
to the attention of the patrolman. Stew­
ard says can replace missing sUver-
ware and glasses. Laundry will be cleaned
up. Headquarters should inform the cap­
tain that the crew is working under the
new agreement. Fresh stores, including
milk, are obtainable in Japanese ports,
so beefs on this will be referred to the
SUP patrolman in Yokohama. Company
representatives will be Informed on the
captain's cutting down the steward's re­
quisitions. Steward received a big vote
of thanks for the stores fought for.

ROBIN LOCKSLBY (Ses* Shipping),
January 12—Chairman, M. E. Watson;
Sscrstary, Alfrsd A. Barnard. Antonio
Sciiiavoue was elected ship's delegate.
Since brothers have complained about the
noise, members voted to stop using the
clothes dryers at 8:00 PM. Captain has
complied to the showing of movies to
the crew. This is very satisfactory. Ship's
delegate will see the chief rnate about
Chips making shelves in the lockers on
the main deck for the ship's library.
Ship's delegate wUi apeak to the chief
engineer about putting a light back aft
on the resistor house, so that the broth­
ers ran see where to dump garbage wlth-
uut bieSHing a' leg.

^Can'Shaker^
Have iVo OK .

The membeiifaip is again
cautioned to beware of persons
Eoliciting funds on ships in be­
half of memodais or an;; etbw
so-called "worthy causes."

No "can-shakers" or solicit
tors have received authoriza­
tion from SIU headquarters to
collect funds. The National
Foundation for Infantile Pa­
ralysis is the only charitable
organization which has re­
ceived membership endorse­
ment Funds for this cause
are collected through normal

.Union channels at the pay-off.
Receipts are issued on the spot

machine was not repaired in port, though
company and officers were informed and
premised to fix It. Toih. Maher was
elected ship's delegate by acclamation.
MoUon was passed to have sanitary mtm
get linen for their departments. Captain
should post slopchest hours. All mat­
tresses should have mattress covers. Two
seats in the messroom should be set
aside for men going on watch. Washing
machine should be cleaned after use.

January 3—Chairman, Author Thomp­
son; Socrctory, Mlchaol Masofc. Member
was taken ashore in Bombay after an
accident In the engine room. Michael
Maaek'was elected ship's delegate by ac­
clamation. Steward should be contacted
by men who have no covers on their
mattresses.

STEELORE (Ore), January It—Chair­
man, Charles L. Jacques; Secretary, Ar­
thur A. Moehteck, Ship has been without
hot water for several days. Refrigerator
has been fixed. There are "no portholo
gaskets and fire plugs are not numbered.
Clothes are being left in the washer too
long. Coffee should be made In urn
when watches below and daymen are
called out in the mornings.

captain about a catwalk en the deck
over the lumber cargo. There should bo
less noise in the passageways and mess-
room, Innerspiing mattresses should be
gotten and stewards department quarters
should be painted (they have not been
painted for over a year). Dates T.:hen
showers and sleeping quarters are paint­
ed wiU be entered in the crew log for
future reference.

CHRISTOS M (Msrino Shipping), Jan­
uary.. 24—Chairman, J. Smith; Secretary,
Tony Watlluk. Captain was asked to is­
sue mme .cigarettes per week; crew is
willing to pay the increased price. One
man whS faUod to loin the ship in Kobe,
Japan, will be reported to the boarding,
patrolman on arrival in the States. Cool-
ey was elected new ship's dlele.>:ate. There
was no milk in Kobe, since the steward
explained Its bacteria count waa too high.
Men are to turn in lists of the gear they
want in the slopchest to the ship's del­
egate.

cusslon was held en. the men missinc
ship, dirty drinking water.

'MASSILI.OM VICTORY (Bastorn), Janu­
ary' 25—Chairman, Jamos C. Flanagan!
Sacratary, Charlas H. eiltoy. MoUon wag
passed to get a new library. »

SOUTHERN COUNTIES (Southern Trad-
Ing), February 9—Clialrman, R. L. Cutfi-
roll; Socratary, L. F. Draw. Motion wao
passed to have delegates get together
and make up a repair list to be pre­
sented to the mate. Vote of thanks went
to the stewards department ^r the fine
food and good service. Mail u not being
received regularly.

AMES VICTORY (Victory), Janbary 11
—Chairman, William J. Smith; Sacratary,
H. Stivars. If sinks in the pantry and
galley are not fixed in Japan, the crew
will go on subsistence all the way back
to the States. Crew's ice t>ox in the
pantry should also be fixed. Each de­
partment will take turns keeping the
messrooms and recreation and laundry
rooms clean.

FORT BRIDOER (US Petroleum), Jan­
uary IS—Chairman, Buzalawski; Sacra­
tary, John Oatos. Six new men were
signed on in Marseilles. Discussion was
held on the men who missed watch in
Sate. Men elaimed the launch left early
and the fauH is net theirs. A list of re­
pairs will be drawn up and given to the
chief mate.

STEEL TRAVELER (Isthmian), Novem­
ber 90—Chairman, Arthur Thompson;
Socratary, MIchaal Paul Masak. Washing

Quiz Amavperg
1) straight.
(2) Sunday. Christmas and New

Year's always come out on the
same day a week later.

(3) 1/50 and 1/250.
(4) Dover, Delaware; Indian­

apolis, Indiana; Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma.

(5) Day.
(6) Louisiana.
(7) Henry VIII.
(8) Three. "
(9) Cabbage.
(10) The five Great Lake&

Pmxzle Amgwmr

ssaa aaa aanca
aHfiraasBii aaiiia

QHtJcaa fflaaaa 10012] Esaaas] ECEna aaii0a00 aaQaasi aagnaa Bassaaaa osisa iiziDEaaa isoa aaaaa aaoaa afflaa GSGffliiaas
03!^ Bama

WARBAWK (Waterman), February 1—
Chairmen, Jose Famandoz; Secretary,
Oaerga J. Smith. Delegates will see the

Charles T. Hal!
It Is urgent that you contact

j'our mother. Mrs. George D. Hall,
321 South Pearl Street, Youngs-
town, Ohio.

ft ft ft
Harold George Releford

Important. Contact your sister-
in-law. Your wife is very ill.

ft ft ft
Thurston Lewis

Call Jimmy Stewart in New York
at MU 9-6510.

ft ft ft I
Lyndon G. Wade

Contact Sterling and Schwartz.
42 Broadway, New York 4, NY,
phone DIgby 4-7830.

ft ft ft
Effie "Suede" Regnor

Contact Edward Fields, 3301
Florida Ave., Naval Base, Charles­
ton, SC.

ft ft ft
Dale Lueia

Contact your mother, Mrs. Ted
Burgess. 441^^ Smith St., Provi­
dence, RI.

ft ft ft
Max Byers

Get in touch with Herbie imme­
diately. Urgent.

ft ft ft
Earle Harrison

Contact your wife immediately.
Urgent. Ginger is sick with rheu­
matic fever.

ft ft ' .ft
Charles J. Smith

- Urgent that you contact your
mother at H No. 2, Box 368, Green­
ville, NC.

• ft ft ft
John Winn

Please contact. Thomas M. Breen,
220 Broadway, New York 38, NY.

- ft ft ft
Robert Hlllman

Please contact Mrs, Delia R.
Hart, 891 Vance Ave., Memphis,
Tenn. •

ft ft ft
~Luts Gonialek, G-31t

Urgent that yvm contact imme-
diately Children's Plocemeat Serv-
kts, Church St., NY^ Mrs.
Hiiies,

SEA OALS (Soafradars), January It-
Chairman, Snow; Socratary, Lynch. Snow-
was elected ship's delegate by acclama­
tion. Each department wiU take care of
the recreation .room for a week. Night
lunch should be replaced in the refrigera­
tor. Request was made for hard boiled
eggs in the night lunch. Minor repairs
should be listed and turned ev'er to the
bosun for repairs. Crew is very well
pleased with the baking, to they would
like the baker to put out larger portions.

PENNMAR (Calmar), February 1—
Chairman, Carl Olbbi; Secretary, T. E.
Frazior. Chief mate'has been working
on deck: overtime has been turned in
for this. Captain was contacted on the
steward* department's living quarters.
Engine department quarters have been
painted, with the exception of the 4-8
watch, who refused to move out. Pa­
trolman will be contacted about the
beef on the stewards department quai>
tcrs. which the captain says were buUt
for four men, but which the crew main­
tains does not have, enough space for
three. Stewards department got a vote
of thanks for a weU done job so far.
Each delegate will collect a SI donation
for the ship's fund from each man,
which will be turned over to the ahlp'a
delegate.

ALCOA POLARIS (Alcoa), February T—
Chairman, Earl Do Angola; Secretary,
Barney Kooly. All repairs vriU be turned
in before reaching the next port of pay-
ofi. All will cooperate lu keeping foc'sles
clean and in order.

ARIZPA (Waterman), January 25—
Chairman, L. Leidig; Sacratary, Don Col­
lins. Don Wagner was elected ship's
delegate by acclamation. Discussion was
held on opening the stopchest and why
there are no salt tablets aboard. These
should be put in the water cooler fore
and aft.

SIMMONS VICTORY (Bull), January 25
—Chairman, Pat Robertson; Secretary, A.
A. Kessen. The man who missed ship in
Yokohama will be turned over to the
Baltimore patrolman. Men should leave
rooms neat and orderly for the next
crew, with all repairs turned, over to the
ship's delegate as soon as possible.

BETHORE (Ore), January 4—Chairman.
E. A. Boyd; Secretary, J. R. Avery. E.
A. Boyd was elected ship's delegate. Men
have been complaining about missing ar­
ticles. Sinks and showers should be re­
placed or repaired. One brother was
severely burned on exposed steam pipet
when the ship lurched and he wa.s
thrown against them. Rotted and rusted
lockers should be replaced by the spare
lockers in the steering engine room.

STEEL MAKER (Isthmian), December
7—Chairman, John Trantacesta; Sacra­
tary, P. Rubls. J. Shipley was elected
ship's delegate. There should be cold
juice at breakfast every day. Crew was
asked to cooperate on linen change. Chief
mate has been working on deck since
articles were signed in Baltimore. At
the advice ef the patrolman, overtime
was put in by deckmen; thi* is being
disputed by the mate. One man failed
to return to the ship in New Orleans. A
replacement will be obtained in Honolulu.

WINTER HILL (Cities Service), Janu­
ary a—Chairman, Honest Ed Parsons;
Secretary, C. Hensley. C. Hensley was
elected ship's delegate by acclamation.
Sanitary men of each department will
take turns cleaning recreation room. Gas-
hounds and performers must go. Vote of
thanks went to the stewards department.

January 20—Chairman, H. Whisnant;
Sacratary, Andraw Danlluk. Repair list
will be turned ever to the patrolman.
There Is a balance of $34.77 in the ship's
fund. Vote of thanks should go to the
ship's cook.

MAIDEN CREEK (Waterman), January
14—Chairman, Barney' Kinter; Secretary,
W. C. Carneil- Ship's fund has a l>al-
ance of S9.78. Motion was passed to re­
fuse the S15-per-man draw offered by
the captain and demand that the draw
in Tampa be governed by each man's
individual wishes. Suggestion was made
that the crew put in for innerspring mat­
tresses for all hands and that an iron
be bought out of the ship's fund. Dis-

FELTORE (Oro), February 2—Chair­
man, Elder; Secretary, HInnant. Sugges­
tion was made to have all bunks checked.
Each delesate siiouid tum in a repair
list, and a requisition for wind chutes.
Suggestion was made to see that the
crew gets the same sauces as the offi­
cers. Steward reported that more stores
are being sent aboard, and agreed to
leave cornflakes in the ni.ght pantry for
the 12-4 watch. Water tank and pantry
should oe kept clean.

MADAKET (Waterman), December 22—
Chairman, J. Nelson; Secretary, R. P.
Doran. Ship's delegate asked the crew
to tum in linen on the appointed day,
with each man taking care of his own
linen. Ship's delegate checked on re­
pairs that were supposed to have been
done. Each man was asked to turn in.
his key at -the end of the trip. Crew was'
asked to take care of preserves in the
messhall. Steward will give the ship's
delegate a requisition for 60 days' stores
and additional cleaning gear at the end
of the trip,

January 24—Chairman, J. Nelson; Sec-
rotary, R. P. Doran. Two men were
logged for being absent from duty 'and
missing ship: six others were logged.
Steward asked the crew to cooperate in
keeping the messhall and pantry clean:
he also wanted to go on record as de­
siring a better grade of meat aboard
all SiU ships. AU dele.gates will, turn in
repair lists. Crew was asked to clean all
foc'sles. Beef about officer's remarks
was settled. Wiper's duties wiU b^ taken
up with the patrolman.

CORNNUSKER MARINER (Seas Ship-
pine), January 25—Chairman, Jack Hlg-
gins; Secretary, John Kavanagh. Steward
was transferred to MSTS transport at
sea for treatment of a crushed finger.
One-OS was taken off sick in Panama.
Night cook and baker was replaced in
New York. Crew was asked to cooperate
in keeping the lanndry clean and cutting
down on noise in the passageways at
night. Patrolman wiU he contacted on the
lack of hooks to hold open many of the
doors, particularly the doors to the show­
er and head, which cau.sed the accident
to the steward when a door slammed on
him in rough weather.

Editor,
SEAFARERS LOG,
675 Fourth Ave.,
Brooklyn 32. NY

I would like to receive the SEAFARERS LOG—please
put my#Nime on your mailing list, (Print Information)

NAME

STREET ADDRESS

CITY .ZONE ......STATE

TO AVOID DUPLICATION: If you ar* an oiti lubtcrlbar and hav» a ohango
addrott, )»lgaia fIva y«ur formar 4ddr«tt balowi

ADDRESS B«ag«B#»Maa«aagBO«RBM«ffogaaat«ga«*aaa«a«Maeaqt4

CITY

4: J 1



ill"'

Pag* Twenty-six SEAPARERS LOG • ' 40 • rbbnurr to, V'.'
Thf^e Women In The Family -Thf^e Women In The Family - 1

Seafarer Francis Reyes doesn't seem to mind being outnumbered three to one. Latest addition to his
family is another daughter, Rose, who brought with her the usual $200 welfare benefit plus $25 defdnse
bond from the SIU. •

All of the following SIU families
vrill collect the $200 maternity
benefit plus a $25 bond from the
Union in the baby's Tiamc.

Richard Nien, bom January 13,
1953. Parents, Mr. and MK. Chen
Ken Nien, 1075 Pacific Avenue,
San FranciS(.o, Cal.

jji
Emily Eileen Fason, bora De­

cember 29, 1952. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Joseph S. Fason, 8203-Ninth
Street, Tampa, Fla.

4" 4" 1"
Deborah Marie Ghuste, born De­

cember 17, 1952. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Herman William Ghuste, 260
Lincoln Street, Allston. Mass.

4.
Robert Allen Hammac, born

January 10, 1953. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Albert Hammac, 3904 West
Marino Street, Pensacola, Fla.

4" 4" 4"
Margaret H. Nicholson, born De­

cember 28, 1952. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs, William J, B, Nicholson, RFD
No. 2, Box 62, Jackson, SC.

t t
Pamela Marie Smith, bora De­

cember 30, 1952. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Oscar B. Smith, 204 Sumpter
Street, Brooklyn, NY.

t
Marilyn L. May, born January

22, 1952. Parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Norman C.' May, 940 Baldwin Ave­
nue, Chickasaw, AJa.

Merry Cluese Burford, bora Jan­
uary 26, 1953. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. James H. Burford. 110 West
Taylor Street, Savannah, Ga.

^ ^
Robert Clinton Gilbert, born

Jauuaiy 16, 1933. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Earl C. Gilbert, Route 2,
Haleyville, Ala.

t t 4.
Martha Susan Guidry, born Jan­

uary 21, 1953. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Albert R. Guidry, 3016li St.
Peter Street, New Orleans, La.

4i 41
Glendon Alfred Bane, Jr., born

September 29, 1952. Parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Glendon A. Bane, 4115
North Albina Street, Portland 11,
Oie.

4" 4" it
Jane Marie Galas, born January

24, 1953. Parents, Mr. and Mrs.
John M. Galas, 334 East 82 Street,
New York 28, NY.

t it 4^
Ilaven Elaine Ong, born Decem­

ber 26,1952. Parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Ching Song Ong, 167 Havemeyer
Street, Brooklyn, NY.

t 4> 4^
Joyce Ljmn Shirley, born Janu­

ary 25, 1953. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Charles D. Shirley, 672-45th
Street, Brooklyn 20, NY.

4> 4> ^
Adrian Whitman Jones, Jr., born

January 21, 1953. Parents, Mr. and

Oceans Prove No Barrier
To Union's Helping Hand

All Seafarers are well aware of the assistance that Welfare
Services gives men Stateside when they are hospitalized or

'^In difficulties in other ways, but few realize that it can help
men who are in trouble over--*^
seas as well.. The combination
of the new SIU contract and
the Welfare Services set-up means
that neglect of ill or injured Sea­
farers by company agents in for­
eign ports can now be put to an
end.

Previously a Seafarer who was
forced to leave a ship in a foreign
port because of illness or injury
was pretty much at the mercy of
the company agent in that port.
Now the contract provides safe­
guards on this score and on repa­
triation procedure. These clauses
obligate the company or its agents
to take care of the men properly.

Airmail Assures Aid
The best way for a Seafarer to

assure that this is done is to notify
,.^elfare Services if he has to leave
^"^is ship overseas^ Ah airmail letter,

to the Union froin any part of the
worl^ takes a coupiii of days and
Is assurance &at maintenance and

cure and repatriation provisions of
the contract are lived up to. In
serious emergencies, cablegram or
wireless messages can be sent.

Aside from meeting the needs
of the hospitalized Seafarer, Wel­
fare Services jan be useful in help­
ing care for his personal affairs
back home. Most Seafarers pfhn to
take care of their personal busi­
ness when they get back at the
end of a trip and sometimes these
unexpected delays can cause a
great deal of inconvenience and
hardship.

Where there is a family involved
in certain instances. Welfare Serv­
ices can arrange for the wife to re­
ceive • advances dri wages already
earned by the hospitalized Sea­
farer. Since the regular allotments
are cut off automatically when a
man .leaves the ship for whatever
reasp.n, this can prove of great as-
aistdnce to his family.

Mrs. Adrian W. Jones, 34 Sanford
Street, Bangor, Me.

4" t 4"
Dathard Val Jon Steele, born

January 21, 1953. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Gary L. Steele, Ansted, WV.

« 4^ a-
George Englehard, Jr., born Jan­

uary 10, 1953. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. George Englehard, 108 Harri­
son Street, Milford, Conn.

4^ i 4
Carlos Cuevas, born January 25,

1953. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Maxi-
miliano Pitre Cuevas, 710 Kerlerec
Street, New Orleans, La.

4 4^ 4"
James Michael Collins, born

January 22, 1953. Parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Malvin Collins, 574-92d
Street, Brooklyn, NY.

-4^ t 4^
Joanne Mercedes Onofrichuck,

born January 28, 1953. Parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Onofrichuck,
102 Kent Street, Brooklyn, NY.

4 $ i
CheiyI Gaboree, born January

29, 1953. Parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Harold iF. Gaboree, 8 Oakland
Avenue, Somerville, Mass.

4" t 4-
Kenneth Stanley' Mayes, born

January 24, 1953. Parents, Mr. -and
Mrs. Homer S. Mayes, 1829 An­
nunciation Street, New Orleans,
La.

4^ 4J' t
Lawrence G. Talley, Jr., born

January 28, 1953. Parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Lawrence Gerald Talley, 2362
Laurel Street, New Orleans, La-

4> 4> 4^
Michael Dufour, born December

4, 1952. Parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Irby P. Dufour, 15 Versailles Bou­
levard, New Orleans, La.

How to Apply
For Birth Pay
Applications for the mater­

nity benefit must be supported
by the following documents:
• Your marriage certificate.
• Baby's birth certificate dat­
ing birth after April 1,1952.
• The discharge from the last
ship you sailed on before the
baby was born.

Processing of all appUca*.
tions can be speeded U]p by, at
least three days if photostatic
copiea of the threet documents >
are sent inJ Applications
should be inade to Union Wei;
fare Trustees^ c/d SIU head­
quarters, 675 Fourth Avenue,
B'klyn 32, NY.

asaaaasBaaBBBaoasBBmaoa

In the HOSPITALS
The following list contains the names of hospitalized Seafarers who

are being taken care of by cash benefits from, the SIU Welfare Plan.
While the Plan aids them financially, all of these men would welcome
mail and visits from friends and shipmates to pass away the long days
and weeks in a hospital bed. USPHS hospitals allow plenty of time
for visitors. If you're ashore, arid you see a friend's name on the list,
drop in for a visit. It will be most welcome.

VSPHSt HOSPITAI.
GALVBSTON. TEX.

WUliam Bargon* Paul J. Tate
R. M. Crabb
W. W. Currier
C. E. Dudley
J. L. Hayea
Robert T. Puckett

Henri J. Robin
John N. Crewa
M. A. Dodge
1.60 A. Dwyer
Earl G. Griffin

USPHS HOSPITAI.
MANHATTAN BEACH. BROOKLYN. NY
James H. Ashurst John W. Keenan
Robert Atmore Leo Kulakowski
Claude F. Blanks Frederick Landry
Edmund C. Blosser Martin Linsky
WUson O. Cara
Walter Chalk
C. M. Davison
Emio Delgado
Antonio M. Dial
John J. Drisccm
Jose G. Espinoza
Enrique Ferrer
Robert E, GUbert
Bart E. Guranick
John B. Haas

GRACE-NEW HAVEN COMMUNITY
HOSPITAL

NEW HAVEN. CONN.
Clifford Middleton

USPHS HOSPITAL
STATEN ISLAND, NY

Francis F. Lynch
Harry F. McDonald
Dayid Mcnreath
Claude A. Markell
Clifford Middleton
Vic Milazzo
Lloyd Miller
Pedro O. Peraito
G. E. Shumaker
Henry E. Smith

John C. MitcheU .
John B. MoUni
Harry Morton
Alfred MueUer
Leonard Murphy
Francis J. O'Neill
Olav B. Pedersen
WUliam E. Pepper
C. R. Roberts«i .
Carlos Rodriguez

Victor Arevalo
W. T. Atchason
Malvin Bass
Joseph T. Bennett
ArdeU Burkett
Maurice Burnstine
Roy W. Corns
Yanas DaUal
Guiseppe Galliano
Charlie A. Gedra
Nathan Goidfinger Vernon Rush
Joe Carl Griggs Virgil Sandberg
WUliam Herman Ture Sandstrom
Chang King Jose A. Siiva
L. Kristiansen James Tarrant
Thomas J. Kustas Alfonso Vallejo
William E. Logan Paul J. Wilkinson
W. McCuistion Obcrt J. Morgan
E. R. Mastrianni Joseph Kurosz
Charles G. MUler L. A. Ziembka
Michael MUler ' Joseph F. Goude

GREENPOINT HOSPITAL
BROOKLYN. NY

August Valentine
USPHS HOSPITAL

SAN JUAN. PUERTO RICO
G. O. Rosado

USPHS HOSPITAL - "
BALTIMORE. MD.

T. L. Ankerson Ralph L. Nixon
Earl R. Bink Faustino Orjaies
D. B. Browniee Robert C. Pierce
Carl E. Chandler W. H, Puchinisky
Clayton G. Costlow AUan Reese
Coley F. Crockett George E Renale
Edgar W. Dodds
Donald Duvall
John Ferreira
John HiU
B. Klakowitz
Marvin W. Lee
Jennings J. Long

Robert Rogers
A. B. Seeberger
WUUam R. Smith
Joseph O. Snyder
David F. Sykes
John F. Thommen
A. A. Voyevotski

H. E. McConnaughy George Warrington
WiUiam MeUon John R. Wisloff
Frank Nappi J. Berkenkemper

Carl J. Biscup
Archie W. Bunn
Suleman M. Harb
Arie A. Hoornweg

George B. Little
John N. Thompson
Charles BouskUa

USPHS HOSPITAL
BOSTON. MASS.

John A. Duffy J. E. Leston.
John J. Flaherty Raymond Harris
Edward K. Harding J. Preshong '
John J. Kuias Donald, S.'White

USPHS, HOSPITAL 5
NEW ORLEANS. LA.

C. D. Anderson
Henry A. Anderson
Sidney' J. Anderson
AUen P. AntiU
P. BiackweU
J. L. Buckeiew
Frank Carroll
N. R. Cartwright
Herman H. Casas
R. E. Charroin
Richard Ciearman
S. Cope
Rogelio Cruz
Leon DUiberto
Ray L. EMison
B. D. Foster
M. W. Gardiner
T. Glen
Ernest E. Gross
Samuel Guess

K. Gimderson
E. Ei Johnson
Leonard Kay
Leo H. Lang
Domingo Marte
E. Myers
C. Nicholson
T. W. Nicholson
Herman F. Ostberg
G. H. Robinson
Wilbur H. Scott
Luther . C. Seidle
E. C. Shaffer'
T. R. Stanley
T. R. Terrington
Alfred Throne
Lonnie R. Tickle
W. C. VandersaU
Jesse D. Wiggins

_VA HOSPITAL
NEW ORLEANS, LA.

Frank J. GrlliettB

KINGS COUNTY HOSPITAL
BROOKLYN. NY

James W. HamUton Eugene T. Nelson

USPHS HOSPITAL
NORFOLK. VA.

William Guthrie ' Luis Lopez
Marinus Hansen S. E. Roundtree
Leslie M. Jackson James M. SneU
Joseph A. Long

USPHS HOSPITAL
SAN FRANCISCO. CAL.

Solomon M. Brian
SAILORS SNUG HARBOR

STATEN ISLAND, NY
M. R. Chapman ' NorvUle Sikes
George W. Crosby Peter ' Smith
George B. Dunn D. K. T. Sorensen
F. J. Haigney Joseph Koslusfcy
James McLeod

USPHS HOSPITAL
SAVANNAH, GA.

Warner W. AUred Jimmle Littleton
Raymond D. Clark J. T. Moore
Earl R. Ferree' J. D. Morrison
George R. Fowicr M. C. WeUs
N. D. Gllilkin

USPHS HOSPITAL
SEATTLE, WASH.

W. Fernhout John Petusky " •'
E. A. Marteil Henry J. Tucker
WlUlam J. Mehan WUliam Utosh
Alonzo Milefski Steven Zubovich -
Joseph Neubauer

USPHS HOSPITAL
DETROIT. MICH. .. ,t

Tim Burke

tongue Out Of Cheek

Louis AnthonY Serpe doesn^t seem to give a hang as he sticks^
tbngue but Wt the wortd. His mom, hfcsi Anthony Herpe, holds tha' " siS? ;
iort at home in Brooklyn while dad's away at sea*^ ; ' v

4;vV.



V.r-' • ^.:-

Fcbnuuy M. UM SEAFARERS LOG Paf« Twenty-MTca

SEEIN* THE
SEAFARERS

With WALTER SIEKMANN

Spear

(News about men in the hospitals and Seafarers receiving SIU Wel­
fare Benefits will be carried in this column. It is written by Seafarer

Walter Siekmann based on items of interest turned up while he makes
his rounds in his post as Director of Welfare Services.)

From our Tucson, Ariz., correspondent, Bill "Gimp" Taylor, comes
the nuptial news of another brother Seafarer who has gone the way
of all flesh and taken unto himself a blushing bride. Brother Alonzo
D, Sistrunk wed the former Blanche Jinks on January 11 of ttiis year
in Reno, Nevada. Congratulations are in order for the lucky Seafarer.

An oldtime SIU man who sails regularly as ship's cook and steward
is Earl Spear, one of the first Union men back in
the days when the SIU was young and testing out
its strength. Back in the war year of 1945 Earl
shipped out of New Orleans. He was captured in
the Far East by Japanese forces and has had pbysi-
ca). trouble ever since because of the inhuman treat­
ment be suffered at the hands of our former enemy.

Now, Earl'is convalescing at bis sister's home in
Pawling, NY, after a sojourn in the hospital. His
last job was on the Gateway City as steward. Earl
sends his best regards to everyone and hopes that
he'll be back soon again and. shippit^ out with his

buddies.
Eddie Enrico, known to many of his seafaring friends as "Eddie

Tirelli," just got off the Puerto Rico a while back and is laid up in the
Veterans' Hospital at Fort Hamilton. Eddie has had a little tough
luck of late and is bedded down in the hospital while at home there is
» brand new baby waiting to see its daddy once again.

After Eddie came down with his confining illness, his dog died to
make matters worse for (he head of the Enrico household. Eddie would
appreciate a kind word directed his way either in person or In written
furiii. While on the Queen of the Bull Elbe's passenger fleet, the
Puerto Rico, Eddie sailed as AB.

Tim ftleCarthy, an Irishman from up Boston way,
the land of the bean, the cod, and the cream pie,
sends along a picture of his fair daughter. The tiny
miss, a freckled, fiery red head, is a nine'^car-old-
or-thereabouts fair Irish colleen.' Her mother, as
well as her father, is Irish, accounting for her red
hair and her Gaelic beauty.

Her father, Tim, is lately of the Seamagic where
he shipped in the deck department. At the moment
he is still confined to the Brighton, Mass., Marine
Hospital. The elder McCarthy is justly proud of his
young daughter, who brightens up his days while
he is convalescing.

In a letter written to the Welfare Department of the SIU, Donald
Whittaker thanked the officials of the Union for helping him out of
some minor trouble into which he had fallen. Don, until recently a
cook on the Pennmar, ran slightly afoul of the immigration authorities.
With the help of the Union the matter has been squared away and Don
is still sailing on SIU vessels.

In his letter Don writes that he will be back
around this coast in a month or so. He sends his
regards to everyone and especially to the alien sea­
men who need a helping and guiding hand at this
critical time. He urges them and everyone, as we do,
to bring in any problem which may arise at any time
for easier solution with the help of the Union. It is
not too difficult to see that two or more heads are
better than one when it comes to working out
troubles. In cases such as this, too many cooks can­
not spoil the broth.

Among the men in the Staten Island USPHS
Hospital is Frank Neiring. Niering is off the Potrero Hills on which
he sailed as a fireman before getting laid up and necessitating a recall
to the hospital; Charles Gedra, off the Robin Line's Robin Tuxford, is
in the same hospital and doing well.

Mafernify Benefit Totols Soar
Recently in one two week period the SJU Welfare Plan handled 46 Claims for maternity

ben«^s, which mwns that 46 Seafarers each got |200 plus a $25 defense bond on the occa-

"CoUeen"
McCarthy

Sistrunk

FINAL DISPATCH
The deaths of the following

Seafarers have. been reported to
the Seafarers Welfare Plan and
$2,500 death benefits are being
paid to .beneficiaries.

Charles H. Joncs, 49: On Novem­
ber 30, Brother Jones died at his
home in Norfolk, Va-^ a victim of a
heart disorder. He had been a
member of the ,Unipn since 193(3,
sailing in the engine department.
Burial took place at Virgilinia
Cemetery, Virgilinia, Va. Brother
Jones leaves his mother, Viola M.
Jones, 1005 Logan Street, South
Boston, Va.

^ $
William W. Evans, 44: Brother

Evans died of a back injury at
Anne Arundel, Md., on December
22. In 1943 he joined the SIU, sail-
ing as'i nii!.-iiber of the deck de­
partment-Burial took place at Ce­
dar Hill Cemetery, Baltlmorei Md.

He is survived by his wife, Lillie
Evans.

$ $ $
James M. Cates, 59: Brother

Cates was drowned in Brooklyn, at
the foot of 18 Street and Gowanus
Canal on December 10. He had
been'a member of the SIU since
1939,. sailing in the deck depart­
ment. Burial took place at New
Crown Cemetery, Indianapolis,
Ind. Brother Cates is suivived by
his sister, polores Gabbard.

$ $ $
David Levert Bass. 18: Carbon

monoxide poisoning caused the
death of Brother Bass on the high­
way near Lake Charles, La., on
January 6. He had been sailing in
the engine department since last
year. Brother Bass was buried in
Roselawn Cemetery, Sulphur, La.;
he leaves a brother, S. L. Bass,
Jr., Huntington Street, Sul­
phur, IA."

a out* ctiUVi tiMl. lifc JWOi

«ion of the birth of a baby. *•
Just how important this

SIU maternity benefit is was
pointed up by the fact that
four Seafarers in the past two
weeks told the Welfare Services
office that without the $200 they
wouldn't have been able to pay all
their hospital bills. Seafarer-bache­
lors may not realize it, but the
business of having a baby can
prove to be a very expensive propo­
sition, particularly if its the first
one. And though most men set
aside money to meet the emer­
gency, the bills always seem to be
bigger than expected.

Many Items Needed
By the time they get through

paying the doctor, the nurse, the
hospital, buying a crib, carriage,
sterilizing kit, diapers, sheets,
blankets, pads, sweaters and other
necessary items they find them­
selves a little hard-pressed for cash.

The majority of maternity bene­
fits offered by group insurance
plans and other funds average
around $50 to $60. Usually they all
require a 12 month waiting period
to be eligible, in contrast to the
SIU requirement of one day on a
ship in the previous year. That's
why the SIU benefit is so superior
to all others.

Can Stay Ashore
The size of the benefit supplied

by the SIU, far in excess of the
conventional maternity benefit,
makes it possible for the Seafarer
to take time off when he is needed
at home. He doesn't have to
keep on working~at the time of the
baby's birth, and at the same, time
there is enough money available to
pay the bills.

If it should be impossible for the
Seafarer to get back home in time
for the baby's birth, he can make
arrangements with Welfare Serv­
ices for his wife -to get the benefits
check. In that way his wife doesn't
have to wait until he gets paid off
to take care of the emergency ex­
penses.

Since the SIU staited payment of
maternity benefits the number of
claims that has been handled has
far exceeded all expectations. The
Uni6n was aware that in the past
few years more and more Seafarers
were becoming family men because
of the steady improvement in
wages and conditions .on tke ships.
The very large number of ma­
ternity benefits paid shows that a
much greater proportion of sear

In every port wherever there's a« SIU hall, a representative is
handy to give personal service on Union benefits. Here Welfare
Seiviees representaHve Bill Frederick (right) chats with Mr. and
Mrs. Leonard (Barney) Brown. His youngest daughter, Myra, was
horn December 12. Janet, the older one, is 2Vi.

men are establishing homes and
families than had first been
realized.

Increased Prestyre
The maternity benefit like all

other SIU welfare gains, has done
a great deal to increase the pres­
tige of the Union anong shoreside
people. In many instances that have
come to the attention of Welfare
Services the in-laws and relatives
of Seafarers have expressed their
appreciation of what the Union is
doing to help out the family. Con­
sidering the fact that many shore-
side people look upon seamen a

little doubtfully and want them to
go to work shoreside as soon as
they get married the Union's as­
sistance does much to explain why
a Seafarer sticks to his Union and
his job.

And just to finish off the job the
Union is doing in proper style, Wel­
fare" Services pays the benefit di­
rectly in the home of the Seafarer
wherever possible. In many in­
stances it arranges to take pictures
of the new arrival for the family as
a start on their family album. Its
another Union service—^free of
charge.

USPHS Doctors Have Last Word
On Seafarers' Fitness For Duty

Recently a Seafarer came out of the Staten Island USPHS
hospital after being treated there for an eye condition. He
registered to ship out and threw in for a job. However, when
he went to the company to"^ company
sign on, the company doctor
turned him down as a "prob­
able liability."

Ordinarily this could have been
serious for the man, for if the
doctor's decision had gone unchal­
lenged it might have meant bar­
ring him from that company's

Another SIU Service

Welfare Services representative Tom Gould proves' equal to the
task as he temporarily takes over job of feeding Diana Marie
Westlake, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Westlake-of New
York City.
' aid. u)

ships indefinitely. The Seafarer in
question didn't let the matter
slide. He notified the dispatcher
immediately that the company doc­
tor had turned him down although
he had a "fit for duty" slip from
the hospital. The dispatcher turned
the matter over to Welfare Serv­
ices for action, and in the mean­
while didn't ship anyone else in
the man's place.

Speedy Action Needed
In a case like this speed was im­

perative because the ship was set
to go out shortly. According to the
Union contract, the company has
to accept the decision of the
USPHS as final authority. To make
sure. Welfare Services speedily
arranged for another examination
by an eye specialist at the hospital.
The specialist cleared him for
duty again and the company had
to ship the man under the contract.

This incident is one of several
similar cases jivhich have taken
place from time to time because
of different standards set up by
the various companies. If the
Union permitted the companies to
have the final say on medical
standards, the companies could
use a doctor's exam as a means of
blackballing certain men from
their ships.

Notify Union
That's why its important to no­

tify the Union immediately when
anything like this turns up. The
Union can arrange for a fast check­
up by the USPHS to find out what
the score is. If the man is in good '
skape, the Union will see to it that
he ships. If something is wrong
,with him. then he can get treat­
ment he needs right away.

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• Or'FICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT • AFL •

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An entire year's supply of the SEAFARERS LOG
bound in one sturdy, handsome volume Is now available
to LOG readers. Each volume contains 26 issues of 28
page# or better, complete with all special supplements,
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The bound volume of the LOG will enable readers to
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