Seafarers Log: Vol. 19 No. 23 (1957-11-08)

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SEAFARERS LOG
• OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT • AFL-CIO •

RSgm Pavg%44 Harry, SIU-HIWD member in New Orleans,
" f • (center) receives $710 in cash benefits from SIU-

HIWD welfare plan as Mrs. Harry looks on. SIU-HIWD patrolman
Martin Gould (left) presents checks. Harry underwent surgery and
specialized treatment for a stomach ailment. A variety of welfare
benefits are provided under HIWD contract.

Lundeberg Statue On Viay
Completed clay model for monument of Harry Lundeberg, founder of
the SIU of North Amercia, is displayed by sculptor Edwin Hurt. The
statue will be cast in bronze and installed outside Sailors Union head­
quarters in San Francisco. Dedication ceremonies will be held next
January 28, the first anniversary of Lundeberg's death. Hurt also did
the Furuseth statue in 1940. (Story on Page 2).

SIU Fishermen Win:

COAST SIU
ROUTS RAID
BY BRIDGES

-Story On Page 3

Senators Assail
Union-Busters

-Story On Page 3

Ship Engineers
Plan To Merge

Committees representing the SlU-affiliated Brotherhood of Marine
Engineers and the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association have
reached an agreement which would lead to merger of the two AFL-
CIO marine engineer unions by 1960. The agreement is subject to
membership vote.

^ Story On Page 2

SECOND OF A SERIES

'UNIONS ./AMERICA'

• THE OIL, CHEMICAL & ATOMIC WORKERS >
1 INTERNATIONAL UNION-AFL-CIO |

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Pace Two SEAFARERS LOG November 8, 195Y

Engineer Unions To Vote
On Plans For Merger

The first concrete merger plan in maritime was disclosed in a joint announcement
last week by the SlU-affiliated Brotherhood of Marine Engineers and the Marine En­
gineers Beneficial Association, the two engineer unions in the industry.

A target date of January 1,
1960, has been set for com­
pletion of the merger, pending
ratification of final terms by mem­
bers of both AFL-CIO unions at
that time. A membership referen­
dum on the interim agreement just
reached will be conducted by the
BME for a 60-day period starting
December 1, 1957. Voting by the
MEBA membership will begin
about the same time.

Preliminary arrangements for
the trial period were wound up
after a series of meetings in Tampa
last month between committees
representing both unions. These
followed in the wake of an MEBA-
BME no-raiding pact signed a year
ago. A similar pact covering rival
unions of radio officers was reached
In September.

Seek Standard Fact
Terms of the BME-MEBA interim

agreement call for close coopera­
tion in future negotiations leading
to a standard working agreement
for licensed marine engineers;
effoi'ts to achieve reciprocal ship­
ping rights and pension and wel­
fare eligibility, and joint steps to
stabilize manpower and jobs in the
industry. The two unions also
agreed to work jointly in organiza­
tional drives to bring "all marine
engineers within our jurisdiction
into a single union."

During the trial period, "the two
organizations will retain their
identity and autonomy, with the

BME affiliating with the MEBA as
an autonomous division, and retain
ing its ties with the SIU of NA,
according to the joint announce
nient. However, BME will have
representative on the national
MEBA executive committee and
the national sub-committee of the
MEBA. It will also have represen­
tation at the national MEBA con
vcntion.

On the organizational level, BME
will pay no per capita dues to the
MEBA during this period, but will
assign a fulltime paid organizer to
the MEBA, whose expenses will be
paid by the MEBA.

Uniform Procedures
With a view to establishing re

ciprocal shipping rights and port
payoff procedures in both organiza­
tions, the trial agreement provides
that "MEBA and BME may each
call on the other to service their
respective vessels, which request,
wherever practicable, shall be
honored. In addition, either or­
ganization may call on the other
for engineers to fill jobs on their
respective vessels . . . (and) .
shall . . . indicate whether the job
is on a temporary or permanent
basis."

Announcing the agreement,
MEBA President Herbert Daggett
and BME President Raymond T.
McKay called it "a sound trade
union approach to the problems
facing licensed engineering offic­

ers and the maritime industry, and
we think it will be beneficial to
the members of both organiza­
tions."

Steps leading to the merger pact
got underway last November with
the signing of the no-raiding agree­
ment ending a seven-year split be­
tween the two unions. Terms of
the no-raiding pact were reached
shortly after the MEBA severed its
connections with the National
Maritime Union and the so-called
"AFL-CIO Maritime Committee."

This break came after the NMU
backed the independent United
Mine Workers' District 50 against
the MEBA and the Masters, Mates
and Pilots in the American Coal
beef. The MEBA previously had
a close alliance of 20 years' stand­
ing with the NMU. The SIUNA
charter for the BME was issued in
May, 1949, granting jurisdiction
over marine engineers.

Dedicate Lundeberg
Memorial Jan, 28

SAN FRANCISCO—A bronze memorial bust of the late
Harry Lundeberg, founder of the Seafarers International
Union of North America, will be dedicated at Sailors' Union
of the Pacific headquarters on-*-
January 28, the first anniver­
sary of his death.

The statue will be placed in front
of the headquarters building op­
posite the monument to Andy
Furuseth. The bust had been au­
thorized by members of the Sailoi's
Union in memory of the late secre­
tary. Both statues are the work of
sculptor Edwin Hurt.

The monument will bear the in-
Eci-iption, "He was indeed a man
who crowded into a short life no

'Trade Unionist' Curran Okays
Bull's Anti-Strike Injunctions

The strange spectacle of a maritime union official applauding anti-strike Injunctions
against three other unions involved in a beef with a contracted company came to light
last week. The "NMU Pilot", official NMU organ and mouthpiece of NMU President Joseph
Curran, gleefully chortled that-^
the "SIU was forced to fold a
'strike' against the Bull Lines,
Seamen, mates, engineers and

glittering promise but unselfish
service and general achievement
for the cause he called his own."

Work on the statue is progressing
rapidly, reports Morris Weisberger,
SUP secretary-treasurer. The clay
model has been completed and
the plastic mold is expected to be
finished in the next few weeks. The
statue, which will be the same size
and shape as the Furuseth memo­
rial, was made from enlarged pho­
tographs of Lundeberg.

Veteran Union Man Visits SIU

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longshoremen lost 64 days' work
in the desperate maneuver."

In effect then, Curran derived
vast satisfaction from the fact that
the Federal courts, at the request
of the employer, issued injunctions
forbidding employees of a shipping
company to strike or picket in the
course of a contract dispute.

Curran's pro-shipowner and an­
ti-union stand reveals how far he
is willing to go in efforts to under­
mine the SIU and the officers
unions and destroy growing mari­
time unity which he preaches but
does not practice.

This isn't the first time Curran
has gone for anU-strike injunctions.
He also applauded similar moves
against the mates and engineers
when they were picketing Ameri­
can Coal ships in their organizing
beef. At that time Curran was or­
dering NMU members through the
picket lines, in support of the com­
pany and District 50, United Mine
Workers, which "represents" the
company's officer personnel.

On the coal ships, Curran's ex­
cuse was that there was a union
contract existing for mates and en­
gineers with District 50 and for
unlicensed men with NMU. In the
Bull Line fleet, all the unions in­
volved have had contractual rela­
tions with the company for years
and the dispute arose in the course
of a contract reopener. The NMU,
contractual-wise, has no interest in
what goes on in Bull Line and, as
a trade union, would be expected

to support other unions in their
beefs with contracted shipping
companies. But that's not the way
Curran reacted. He made no se­
cret of the fact that his sympathies
He with the shipowner.

In the same issue in which this
pro-shipowner, anti-union blast ap­
peared, Curran had no compunc­
tions about appealing for "Unity
of Seamen" in bold headlines on
the front cover.

Curran's pitch on anti-strike in­
junctions makes it understandable
why the NMU lacks the friendship
and support of a single AFL-CIO
maritime union with the exception
of the American Radio Association
which is taking a neutral tack In
Curran's disputes with mates, en­

gineers and the SIU. The only
outfit actively in Curran's comer is
District 50 of the United Mine
Workers, a company union of the
purest kind.

What it all boils down to is that
there is only one obstacle to marl-
time unity and that obstacle is Joe
Curran.

It again emphasizes the simple
fact that Curran is a most noisy
proclaimer for "unity" among sea­
men, but'at the same time is the
outstanding disrupter of marine
union relationships. Likewise, his
positions at odds with AFL-CIO in
longshore matters and jn respect
to the officers unions clash violent­
ly with his service on the AFL-
CIO Ethical Practices Committee.

Gov't Will Scrap 100
Reserve Fleet LIbertys

WASHINGTON—The Maritime Administration has started
a scrapping program which will send 100 Liberty-type vessels
now in the reserve fleets to the scrap pile within the next

Watching o job call in heodquarten It Charles Salisbury (left)
and his son-in-law, bosun Fred Hartshorn. Salisbury, who recently
celebrated his 80th birthday, is a former president of ITU Local
212, Pawtucket, RL. He had worked in New England from 1896
to 1955 when he retired.

Union Has
Cable Address ^

Seafarers overseas who want
to get in touch with headquar­
ters in a hurry can do so by
cabling the Union at its cable
address, SEAFARERS NEW
YORK.

Use of this address will assure
speedy transmission on all mes­
sages and faster service for the
men involved. .

12 months.
The program, initiated by

Clarence Morse, Maritime Ad­
ministrator, is supposed to result In
bigger and better US reserve
fleets. First to go will be thfe oldest
and most badly deteriorated ves­
sels held in the fleets on the three
coasts.

Under the MA's present ship re­
placement program, new and faster
ships will be placed into active
service with the current operating
vessels being used as trade-ins.
These ships, Morse said, are far
better than the Libertys in reserve
and will materially upgrade our
fleets.

The MA cpast directors have
been directed to select two Liberty
ships from each of the reserve fieets
in their area for the pile, as a be­
ginning of the program. Any suit­
able equipment on these vessels
will be removed and stored before
bids will be accepted, Morse or--

dered. The MA will publicly invite
bids for the sale of these vessels
when they are selected.

SEAFARERS LOG
Nov. 8, 1957 Vol. XIX No. 23

PAUL HALL. Secretary-Treasurer
HERBERT BRAND. Editor. BERNARD SEA.

MAN. Art Editor. HERMAN ARTHUR, IRWIN
SRIVACK, AL MASKIH, JOHN BRAZIL, Staff
Writers. BILL HOODY, Gulf Area Repre­
sentative.

Publlshtd blwDDkly at tha haadquartara
of tha Seafarars International Union, At­
lantic A Cuif District, AFL-CIO, *75 Fourth
Avenue. Brooklyn 32, NY. Tel. HYaclnth
t-i600. Entered as second class matter
•t the Post Offica In Brooklyn, NY, undar
'ha Act of Aug. 24, 1*12. .

. 120



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iiotemher 8, l95T SEAFARERS LOG Pace Three

Clean Bill Of Health

Seafarer Antonia Suarez Martin is all smiles as Dr. Joseph Logue,
SlU Health Center Director, shows him the medical report on his
son Ramon. Ramon, dressed in navy blues, had plenty of moral
support from his mother and brother Antonio, Jr., as he went
through the examinations at the center.

ers, turned up as one of the
interesting sidelights of an in­
vestigation of union-busting prac­
tices. These practices have been
denounced by Senate investigators.

James Donaghue, a Sears sales­
man, testified before the Senate
Labor-Management committee that
he knew beforehand that his car
would be damaged so that the
blame would fall on the Retail

' Clerks. The tires on his car were
punctured and a brick was thrown
through his windshield. Sears
obligingly took care of the repairs
free of charge. The incident took
place in 1956 during an all-out
drive by the Clerks union to organ­
ize the company's Boston employes.

Further investigation revealed
that James E. Nielsen, an employe
of Nathan Shefferman's Labor Re­
lations Associates of Chicago, Inc.,
acknowledged using some five or
six different aliases when "coun­
seling" Sears employes in forming
anti-union committees.

Shefferman's firm has been re­
tained as a labor consultant by
Sears since 1939. It specializes in
supplying "counselers" who advice
clients on forming plant commit­
tees and company unions to fight
union organization.

During organizing efforts in 1939,
Sears sponsored an "Employees
Council," an independent, to offset
the AFL drive. In 1953 the Council
at the Boston store voted to affili­
ate with the AFL Retail Clerks Un­
ion. The Council chairman who
recommended affiliation, Roy Web­
ber, had his salary cut $20 a week
after advising union members to
Join the federation.

Webber turned down company
offers of a "transfer to South
America" and promotions if he
would turn against the Clerks. He
was later dismissed by Sears in
1953 after 24 years with the com­
pany.

Another official of the "Em­
ployees Council" said that a com­
pany officer asked his aid in an
antl-AFL program which had been
set up in the Council after a major­
ity of' its members voted in favor

of affiliation. He was later sent to
meet Nielson who was then using
the name of "Mr. Guffey." "Guf-
fey" told him: "If it takes two and
one-half years to break this thing,
we'll do it."

Nielsen contended that he was
merely "advising and counseling"
Sears employes when he used the
aliases because the employees did
not want a union to represent
them.

"I feel I'm rendering them real
advice and service," he told the
committee. "You should see the
faces on those people when they
meet me."

Shefferman's firm has been the
subject of other committee in­
quiries. It was paid over $12,000
to send two "counselers" to start
an anti-union campaign among
workers at Morton Packinghouse
Company of Iowa when the United
Packinghouse Workers Union tried
to organize. After the UPW was
defeated in the election, the firm
was paid $8,000 more to supply

(Continued on page 15)

SCHEDULE OF
SlU MEETINGS

SlU membership meet­
ings are held regularly
every two weeks on Wed­
nesday nights at 7 PM in
all SlU ports. All Sea­
farers are expected to
attend; those who wish to
be excused should request
permission by telegram
(be sure to include reg­
istration number). The
next SlU meetings will be:

November 13
November 27
December II

' December 26

Wesf Coast Routs
Bridges' Raid On
SlU Fishermen

WILMINGTON—Another effort by Harry Bridges to raid SlU-affiliated fisher­
men here has ended in defeat as the SIU Pacific District, SlU-affiliated fisher­
men's unions and the local Maritime Trades Port Council struck back hard at th«
raiders. Just as in similar'*

Senators Told How
Unions Are Broken

WASHINGTON—A company employee who admitted he
allowed his car to "be wrecked" in order to discredit organ­
izing efforts by the Retail Clerks International Union among
Sears, Roebuck Boston work

beefs in the past Bridges
was forced to withdraw
after counter-pressure was
applied on his longshore
union.

As a result, members of the
Seine and Line Fishermen's
Union are now taking out
their boats again after Bridges'
roving squads withdrew from the
piers. However, the fishermen suf­
fered loss of half their season as a
result of Bridges' action.

The dispute began after the SIU-
affiliated fishermen had signed a
contract for the fishing season
after winning a $55 per ton rate
on the price paid by canneries. The
International Longshoremen's and
Warehousemen's Union then put in
a bid for an $80 tonnage rate which
was described by SIU fishermen
here as "ridiculous." As it turned
out, the demand was a cover for
an open raid on the SIU Fisher­
men, with one of Bridges' repre­
sentatives boasting that they would
take over both the fish and can­
nery membership.

When roving squads of Bridges'
longshoremen started putting the
squeeze on SIU fishermen who
wanted to take their boats out, the
affiliated unions of the SIU Pacific
District promptly voted a "no over­
time" policy on ships in port. This
effectively cut off overtime earn­
ings for longshoremen in the Los
Angeles area.

Boats Sail Again
Bridges' spokesmen then blus­

tered that longshoremen would
"tie up the coast," but that was the
last gesture. The fishing boats
went out again and the ILWU
"pickets" folded their tents.

Hailing the effectiveness of the
countermove, SIU of NA President
Paul Hall declared: "Any time
Bridges thinks he wants to pick a

quarrel with any section of the
Seafarers International Union he
is going to find himself faced with
the full strength of the Interna­
tional and the Maritime Trades
Department."

Mrs. Andrea Gomez, SIU of NA

4 ACS Ships In Lay-Up
In Coal Shipping Slump

NORFOLK—The continuing slump in coal shipments is
further beclouding the situation in the American Coal beef.
Two more vessels of the seven ship fleet are in inactive
status, one as a "temporary"
lay-up and the other classified
as "indefinite." That leaves
three of the company's ships still
in operation.

The Casimir Pulaski is the vessel
classified as in temporary lay-up.
The Walter Hines Page joined the
Cleveland Abbe and Martha Berry
in indefinite lay-up. The Berry and
the Abbe have been out of action
for two months now.

Apparently the coal fleet is be­
ing affected by the general slump
in bulk cargo business that is also
idling tankers and tramp operators.
Normally this is the busy season
for the tanker and coal trades as
consumers here and abroad lay in
stocks of heating fuel for the win­
ter months. This year though, both
ends of the business have been in
the doldrums, with coal rates hang­
ing around their midsummer lows
of $4 per ton.

Of the three ships still operating,
one, the company-owned Coal
Miner, is carrying tramp cargoes.
The company has asked the Fed­
eral Maritime Board for permission
to put some of the other ships in
its fleet in a scrap haulage run,
but is running into opposition on
this bid from tramps and other

original terms of the coal ship
charters specifically limited them
to the coal-carrying trade.

Meanwhile, the National Labor
Relations Board is continuing its
investigation of unfair labor prac­
tice charges filed by the SIU
against the company. These charges
specify numerous instances of job
discrimination against Seafarers,
including unjustified firings of SIU
members on the ships.

OldtimCrs from the Sailors
Union, Marine Firemen, Marine
Firemen, Marine Cooks and Stew­
ards and the SIU A&G District are
continuing to man the three re­
maining ships in the fleet that are
still active. It is not known whether
or not the company plans to recall
the original crews should the laid
up ships go-back into service.

It did call the old crew hack
when the Coal Miner was reac­
tivated in September after a long
lay-up, but the precedent may not
be followed again.

American Coal originally ob­
tained charters on six Government
ships a year ago during a cargo
boom. The FMB held back tha
breakout of 24 other ships because

privately-owned US flag ships. The of the company's labor policies.

New Recreation Room in SUP Headquarters

Members of the Sailors Union of the Pacific take time out between calls to enjoy the pool tables in
the new SUP San Francisco headquarters building. The building abb features a barber shop, smok-

. '"SL rooMi classroptn gp^vo complete up-to-date gymnasium. - -

vice-president and representative
of the fish cannery workers unions,
John Hawk, SIU of NA secretary-
treasurer and representatives of all
SIU of NA affiliates in the Loa
Angeles area all pitched in on the
beef.

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Page Four SEAFARERS LOG November 8, 195?

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SlU-MAWD Plant Uses Salimakers' Skills
The days of tl:^e commercial

sailing ship are gone forever,
but there is still plenty of de­
mand for the sailmakers' art.
The Paulsen-Webber Cordage
Corporation, organized by the
SIUs Marine Allied Workers Divi­
sion, has built a thriving trade in
canvas and cloth specialties as
part of its sail and wire rope busi­
ness.

Several A&G Plants
Pictured here are some of the

activities of the company's New
Yoi'k plant, one of a series of
MAWD-contracted Paulsen-Webber
plants in various Atlantic and Gulf
ports.

Produced at the New York plant
are such items as canvas windsails
to ventilate tanks, ship's awnings
and the huge tents used to cover
cargo hatches and shelter long­
shoremen during bad weather.
Other products include tarps of
various kinds, windbreakers, vent
and instrument covers.

Nylon, Dacron Too
Today's sailmaker works with a

variety of mMerials, in addition to
conventional canvas. Nylon and
dacron combined with various
other synthetic products are in big
demand. The Navy is making use
of a Paulsen-Webber nylon cargo
net which weighs only 30 pounds
compared to the 120 pounds for a
manila net, yet has far greater
•trength than manila.

Shipping is just one of the in­
dustries supplied by the company
which sells many of its products to
the aircraft industry and others.
It makes cables for arresting gear

Paulsen-Webber employees Sverre Paulsen and Steve Kowalski
wrestles with huge hatch tent. Company makes tents like these on
special order. They're big enough to cover two hatches on
Mariner-type cargo vessels.

on Navy aircraft carriers so high­
speed planes can be stopped when
they touch down on the flight deck.

Paulsen-Webber was organized
by the Marine Allied Workers Di­
vision last spring and contracts
signed with its various divisions
then. The Union agreements called
for wage increases, job seniority,
welfare benefits through the
MAWD welfare plan, grievance
procedure, up to three weeks' an­
nual vacations, five and ten per­
cent late shift differentials, eight
paid holidays, overtime provisions
and many other gains.

The nature of the shipping bus"
ness is such that much of the can

. .vas and similar production is cus-

P. Crosbie (left) is shown
finishing off zinc sockets at
end of heavy rubberized
cable. Below, sailmaker puts
finishing touches on windsail
used to ventilate tankship car­
go tanks. Variety of canvas,
nylon and dacron products
are still, used aboard modern
ships even though steam has
has long since replaced sail.
Company also is a big pro­
ducer of wire rope products in
another one of its plants. It
has installations in various At­
lantic and Gulf ports covered
by MAWD pacts.

tom-made for specific needs. Re­
cently, for example, the company
designed a huge hatch tent big
enough to cover two hatches on a
Mariner ship.

Another special order was for
nylon balloons which were used to
salvage oil rigs blown over in the
Gulf of Mexico during Hurricane
Audrey. The balloons were filled
with air and used to help refloat
the rigs.

Another cornpany product now being used by the Navy is a nylon
cargo net. Nylon nets are far lighter than the conventional manila
nets ond can handle heavier cargo loads. They have more dur­
ability and are easier to use.

Bait. Cheers ACS Crew
BALTIMORE—The membership here extended a vote of

thanks to all the old timers fighting for jobs on the American
Coal ships. Two of the Seafarers from the Cleveland Abbe
were at the last meeting, re--*'
ports port agent Earl Shep
pard. The Abbe is laid up right
now and these men are stand

Ing by to bid for jobs on the other
vessels.

Shipping Picked Up
Shipping has picked up a good

deal during the past period. It
ran ahead of registration despite
the fact that two Calmar ships
were laid up.

There were 13 ships paying off,
10 signed on and, nine were in
transit during the past two weeks.
The SS Chilore, Cubore, Venorfe,
Marore (Ore); Chickasaw (Pan-At­
lantic); Marymar (Calmar); Alcoa
Planter (Alcoa); Council Grove
(Cities Service); Plymouth Victory
(Isthmian); J. B. Waterman (Water­
man) and: the Seagarden (Penn.
Nav.) paid off while the Baltore,
Chilore, Cubore, Venore, Marore
(Ore); Chickasaw (Pan-Atlantic);
Alcoa Planter (Alcoa); Winter Hill
(Cities Service); Plymouth Victory
(Isthmian); and the Emilia (Bull)
signed on.

In transit were the Steel Scien­
tist, Steel Flyer (Isthmian); Alamar,
Bethcoa.ster, Seamar (Calmar);
Alcoa Partner, Pilgrim (Alcoa);
Feltore, Baltore (Ore) and the
Citrus Packer (Waterman).

Crosbie ond shop-steward Steve Kowalski (top) discuss detail of-
SlU-MAWD agreement. Below, Jim Barton (left) helps feed
canvas to sewing machine operator. When finished, the canvas
will be usffi OS a lifeboat cover.

Pick Up 'Shot'
Card At Payoff
Seafarers who have taken the

series of inoculations required
for cei'tain foreign voyages are
reminded to be sure to pick up
their inoculation cards from the
-.iptaiii or the purser when tliey
•"v off at the end of a voyage.

The card should be picked up
by the Seafarer and held so that
It can be presented when signing
on for another voyage where the
'shots" are required. The ino­
culation card is your oniy proof
of having taken the required
shots.

Those men who forget to pick
up their inoculation card when
they pay off may find that they
are required to take all the
"shots" again, when they want
to sign on for another such voy-^
age. ;•

, W f-



November 8, 1957 SEAFARERS LOG Page FIvo

Clipping from "NMU Pilot" shows typical excerpt from "The
Law er s Corner," column by Cooper which deals exclusively
with Jones Act cases.

Canada 51U Offering Reward
For Copy Of D/sf. 50 'Pact'

MONTREAL—$200 award has been offered by the SIU Canadian District for an.
authentic copy of the alleged "contract" between Clarke Brothers, Ltd, of Canada and
District 50 of the United Mine Workers, The "agreement," which recognizes District 50
as representative for the rtien-^

4-

manning Clarke's ships, was
signed at a time when the
company's fleet was in winter
lay-up.

The award was posted after In­
quiries among the seamen on
Clarke ships, including some of the
officers, failed to produce a copy
of the contract, or even a complete
outline of its terms. The only
actual copies known to be, in ex­
istence are two special ones made
for the Canadian Labour Board in
May, 1957, The SIU has offered
free legal assistance to any Clarke
sailor who will exercise his right
to obtain a copy of the agreement.

No Fixed Hours
The terms of the agreement, as

pieced together by SIU organizers,
are very vague. So far as can be
ascertained there is no fixed work
week and the men are subject to
call at any time. Only nominal

overtime is granted and then only
after the sailor can prove he has
worked more than 10 hours in one
day. But little is collected because
of the company's broken time work
system.

In addition, Clarke crewmem-
bers have to double up as steve­
dores. For doing this type of work
they are allowed $30 a month, pro­
viding they work more than 10
tons of cargo at every port of call.
Not many men are eligible to col­
lect this "bonus" $30. For exam­
ple, the SS North Pioneer on its
regular 12-day run hits 28 ports of
call. Sixty percent of these take
only six or eight ton assignments.
In short, there is very little over­
time and almost no cargo handling
penalty paid to Clarke Brothers
seamen.

One of the reasons for the
scarcity of Clarke-UMW contracts,

The NMU And Herman Cooper
Herman E. Cooper is the attorney for the National Maritime Union, one of severaKslantiai

unions his law firm reprefsents. In the NMU, Mr, Cooper obviously has been accorded a
number of striking privileges which are very rare or non-existent in other unions. Some
of these privileges are obvious^
ones. Others are more subtle,'
The privileges apparently de­
rive from Cooper's position of in­
fluence in the NMU,

Among the more obvious privil­
eges are those which are exempli-

The September 27, 1957 is­
sue of the SEAFARERS LOG
announced that the LOG would
discuss Herman Cooper's role
in the trade union movement,
Mr, Cooper is an attorney for
the National Maritime Union
and several other organizations
as well. Shortly after the an­
nouncement was published, the
SIU received a communication
from Mr, Cooper, warning of the
existence of libel laws and of
his intent to hold the SIU ac­
countable.

The SEAFARERS LOG wishes
to state it is well aware of its
responsibilities and feels It has
demonstrated its reliability over
the years as an organ of infor­
mation and reporting. In the
past, efforts have been made to
dissuade the LOG from discus­
sing matters and subjects of in­
terest to seamen and other trade
unionists. These efforts were un­
successful.

In dealing with the subject at
hand, the LOG is drawing from
the record for its material. The
adjoining article is the first of a
series on Mr, Cooper's role,)

fled by his freedom to participate
actively in internal union matters
generally restricted tO a union's
rank and file" membership. An ex­
ample of his participation was re­
ported in the NMU "Pilot" of July
6, 1956, in the official ship chair­
man's report of a ship's meeting
on the SS United States, There
are 1,000 NMU men on the ship;
22,000 men voted in the NMU elec­
tions.

The report stated under the
headline "Cooper Tells 'Big U' Cur-
ran Action Saved NMU Hiring
Hall" that, early In May. Mr,
Cooper, returning from a European
trip on the US Lines' flagship, ad­
dressed a crew meeting, Mr,
Cooper was reported to have, in ef­
fect, electioneered for NMU Pres­
ident Joseph Curran, specifically
defending Curran's handling of the
'Hiffng half fs'sue, It-^ill bd recalled

that Curran's handling of this
problem was the key political issue
in the elections which were under­
way in the NMU at that time.

In those elections, Curran was
attempting to defeat several NMU
officials, among them M, Hedley
Stone, long-time secretary-trea­
surer of the organization, who had
opposed the Curran-Cooper posi­
tion on the hiring hall issue.

This was one expression of
Cooper's activity that made him a
storm center of NMU internal po­
litical affairs. In fact, the slate 'top-
posing Curran in the 1956 elections
campaigned on the slogan "A Vote
for Cooper's Rulto is a vote against
membership rule. Vote down the
Curran slate."

At the recently-concluded NMU
convention, a resolution was
adopted lauding Cooper and his
firm. The resolution pointed to the
attorney's "resolve to stay clear of
union policy and program, for
which your officers are solely re­
sponsible."

Among the more subtle in­
fluences Mr, Cooper exercises is
his position as a columnist for the
NMU "Pilot," the union's official
publication. Only two other signed
columns appear in the paper, the
others being those of Curran and
Hoyt Haddock, the NMU's Wash­
ington representative.

Mr, Cooper's column, which in­
cludes his photograph, is entitled
"The Lawyer's Corner" and has
appeared regularly for the past five
years. In his column, Mr, Cooper
discusses in great detail various
types of seamen's lawsuits under
the Jones Act, These Jones Act
cases have been the regular sub­
ject matter dealt with in issue after
issue since it became a feature in
}952, As Seafarers know, the
Jones Act is the statute under
which seamen who fall ill or are
injured aboai-d ship can sue their
employers.

Customarily, columns by special­
ists in any particular field are-de­
signed to acquaint the readership
with information to benefit their
everyday living. For example, sea­
men and their families are con­
cerned and interested in other
matters of a legal nature such as
rent control laws, tenant's legal
rights, loan and installment buying
regulations, tqx laws, voting rights.
Immigration gnd citlzensWp lawsj

and regulations. Coast Guard re­
gulations and the effect of the
Taft-Hartley law on union collec­
tive bargaining and contracts.
Such subjects have not been dealt
with in Mr, Cooper's "The Law­
yer's Corner," only Jones Act cases.

Readers of the "Pilot" have
often expressed curlousity about
another preferred position which
Mr, Cooper enjoys in the pages of
the NMU publication. Because of
the nature of the industry, sea­
men's publications devote sub-

win ««

Lull tfc* Chirf CWJMU

s8 WO*-

MXCBKEP S3 UPA^*^

83 SEA Z.OTZU

VICTORV

"See your lawyer"
head (above) only re­
fers to NMU members
who deal with Cooper.
Notices to members
using other attorneys
are buried in 'Notices'
column.

I !

'Ie»ie contact
I your attorney'in New Orleane,
k Louisiana.

space to communications
between people ashore and men
aboard ship or in other ports, be­
cause the crewmembers' where­
abouts are not always known. These
take the form of notices to crew-
members to get in touch with in­
dividuals who wish to communicate
with them,

Mr, Cooper's preferential treat­
ment in this respect is pointed up
by the special space which has
been set aside for his exclusive use
in communicating with NMU mem­
bers as contrasted to the treatment
of notices to members who utilize
the services of other attorneys.

Here is how the "Pilot" handles
this material; Notices from the
Cooper firm to the membership
appear under the heading "See
Your Lawyer" (see reproduction).
Underneath, in boldface, the in­
dividuals concerned ai'e instructed
to communicate with the firm of
Cooper, Ostrin & DeVarco, "NMU
Chief Counsel," giving the address,
zone number and telephone of the
firm,
"What about members who have

attorneys other than Cooper, Ostrin
& DeVarco? They do not appear
under the heading "See Your law­
yer." They are dropped in another
section containing general personal
notices and are immersed among a
wide variety of communications in
light face type (see reproduction).

Examination of all "Pilot" issues
for the year 1957 to date shows
that when a notice specifies an
NMU member is to get in touch
v/ith another attorney, the name
and address of the attorney is not
given. The notice usually reads
"get in touch with your attorney"
in a certain city with no street
address or phone number. This is
the way this type of notice most
generally appears. In some in­
stances the name and address is
given, but if so, the individual is
not identified as an attorney.

As a result of this pattern of
handling such notices, readers of
the "Pilot" have become aware of
the distinction in treatment of
notices for the NMU general coun­
sel's firm and those of other at­
torneys.

Apparently this is among the
reasons the NMU administration
felt a lengthy, profuse resolution
was necessary to attempt to reas­
sure its membership, with respect
to the scope of the Cooper firm's
influence and activity in the inter­
nal affairs of the National Mari­
time Union,

is because of the manner in which
they were accepted. District 50
had stepped into the picture after
an attempt to oust the SIU via a
company union had failed. The
company and the UMW jointly re­
leased a statement, some three to
four weeks before certification, an­
nouncing the recognition of Dis­
trict 50 as representative of
Clarke's seamen and the accept­
ance of an agreement made in an
"atmosphere of good will and
friendly cooperation." But this
recognition, supposedly the free
ehoice of the Clarke erewmembers,
eame about when the fleet was in
winter layup.

Not long after the "agreement."
two UMW-manned Clarke vessels
started carrying copper mined by
strikebreakers in the Gaspe Copper
Mines in Murdochville, Quebec,
even though the United Steelwork-
ers strike against Gaspe has had
the solid support of every legiti­
mate labor union in Canada,

LABOR
ROUND-UP

Miami teamster local 290 has
climaxed a 10 year struggle for rec­
ognition with operators of Maula
Industries., Inc, one of the world's
largest producers of concrete prod­
ucts. A contract was signed two
months after an NLRB election vic­
tory by the teamster local. The
election followed a vicious anti­
union campaign in which alleged
racketeering charges against the
IBT were stressed by company of­
ficials. Maule wages previously
ranged from $1.27 to $1.50 cents an
hour for drivers and helpers.
Some 300 workers effected by the
two-year contract will get wage in­
creases of 12 to 20 cents an hour.

The. Postal Workers Union has
accused the Eisenhower adminis­
tration of having a double standard
of value—"one for its employees
and one for its big business
friends." E. C. Hallbeck, the un­
ion's legislative representative,
said that the President's "alleged
reasons" and "excuses" for vetoing
the pay bill passed by Congress
were written "to support a previ­
ously conceived position, entirely
without regard either to facts or
justice." The President's argument
that a pay raise for Federal work­
ers would contribute to inflationary
pressures, "overlooks the fact that
immediately after the (President's)
plea to hold prices and wages
steady, the cost of steel rose $6
per ton." The postal workers hav#
earned a raise, Hallbeck said, be­
cause they have greatly increased
their productivity, and wage in­
creases in private industry for
equal skills have been far greater,

t t 3«
Free Asiatic flu vaccine shots

will be given to some 3,000 mem­
bers and families of the Hudson
Valley District Council of Carpen­
ters under a program approved by
trustees of the council's welfara
fund. An allowance will be paid
covering each insured member's
entire family to pay for inocula­
tions from local family doctors.
The fund, covering members in
nine New York State counties, was
set up- in 1952.- - . - -



Aggressive Pro-Red
Machine Still Active
In West Coast Ports

The recently-concluded efforts of Harry Bridges to raid
SIU fishermen in the Los Angeles area point up a fact that
has been lost sight of recently—that there is still an active,
energetic pro-Communist or­
ganization operating in the
labor field.

The general assumption on the
part of the public is that Commu­
nist activity in the trade union
movement has been completely
crushed. This is true to some
degree in that the Communists and
their allies can no longer count on
a sizable assortment of unions in
various industries as they could
a dozen years ago. At that time, for
example, they had considerable
power and influence in such di­
verse industries as electrical prod­
ucts, mining, communications and
transport, retailing, fur manufac­
turing and particularly in maritime
where Bridges and Joe Curran led
a strong combine that included the
Marine Cooks, the Radio Operators
and others.

Today unions like the United
Electrical Workers and the Mine,
Mill and Smelter Workers, once
CP powerhouses, are on the defen­
sive with their membership dwin­
dling away. Other party-infiltrated
unions like the farm equipment
union and the National Union of
Marine Cooks and Stewards have
been broken up. But Bridges con­
tinues to press pro-Soviet policies
Inside and outside the union move­
ment as aggressively as ever.

Not that he hasn't taken a few
beatings in the last few years. One
of the most severe defeats he suf­
fered was at the hands of the SIU
Pacific District when he attempted
to sustain the Communist-domi­
nated National Union of Marine
Cooks and Stewards. He took a
trouncing on that one with the
result that the SIU Marine Cooks
and Stewards Union now has clear
sailing in its field. In other ac­
tions, such as the Pacificus and the
Aleutian beefs, he has also been set
back by the West Coast SIU affili­
ates. However, that hasn't stopped
him from trying.

As Aggressive As Ever
In fact, at a time when other

pro-Communist outfits are pulling
In their horns, soft-peddling the
"line" and keeping on the defen-

PHOTOS

RTiCLB

m

ve WelcoinedW
your

rfii-c

sive. Bridges is as aggressive as he
ever was. He still spouts the pro-
Soviet line on foreign policy and
is a particular booster of Red
China. On the union front, he loses
no opportunity to try for spheres
of influence in other outfits.

From time to time he has made
polite approaches to the Interna­
tional Longshoremen's Association,
the Teamsters, and other groups,
and he is still working away tire­
lessly in these areas. Despite all
the hue and cry, he still looms as
an influential political figure in
Hawaii where he occasionally gets
a local politico to lend respecta­
bility to one of his gatherings.

The fishermen's situation is typi­
cal of many Bridges' operations in
the past. The bare-facedness of the
Bridges' raid was demonstrated
when one ILWU official declared
openly that the ILWU would "take
over the Seine and Line Fisher­
men's Union" and that "These tac­
tics would continue until . . . Fish­
ermen and Fish Cannery Workers
locals were brought into ILWU."

Roving Squads
The tactics in question include

picketlines in front of all SIU. fish­
ing boats plus the usual roving
squads and strongarming which
have been employed in the past on
various occasions.

Of course, SIU Pacific District
unions reacted strongly to the
latest Bridges' move and forced
him to withdraw.

In light of the present political
climate and the tremendous decline
of Communist and fellow-traveler
strength in the US and in other
western countries, it is a point of
curiosity as to just why Bridges
feels confident and secure about
being able to expand his opera­
tions.

One reason, in the eyes of many
observers, astonishingly enough, is
that he has the support of employer
groups as well as undercover politi­
cal backing. These groups find it
convenient to call Bridges a "re­
sponsible trade unionist." Among
them are some of the same indi­
viduals who would support further
legislative restraints on unions.

As was reported in previous is­
sues of the SEAFARERS LOG,
Bridges is quite ready to repay In
kind for this support, as witness
has backing of a bill which would
have weakened the Jones Act.

This readiness to "go along" is
one reason for Bridges' "respecta­
bility" in employer eyes. Another
one comes to mind readily—namely
that the existence of Bridges' imion
Is a handy tool with which to dis­
rupt and divide the labor move­
ment. Knowing that AFL-CIO
unions could never swallow unity
with Bridges, these groups find it
to their interest to support his at­
tacks on other unions and overlook
his consistent pro-Soviet policy.

Bridges has also been successful
in playing on the shippers' and
operators' desire for greater earn­
ings by his constant din in behalf
of greater trade with Red China.
This is one party-line pitch which
has great appeal to West Coast
businessmen.

Under the circumstances, the
brunt of fighting Bridges—as it
always has been—rests on the SIU
Pacific District and its affiliates,
including the local Maritime Trades
port councils. They are stiU the
only groups aggressively combat­
ing the last pro-Communist center
in the Idbor movement. ^ *

h,.

h,- • sfcC-?, isiiq
- •• •' ^ F i- :

. :> > - : ;i:-

. '.v

It pays to be
V ^ \ t

COOL-HEADED
"Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon­

day sun" as the song goes. So do seamen in
such super-heated spots as the Persian Gulf when
they have to go to work out on deck.

If your duties call for you to sizzle under a
tropic sun, it's only sensible to keep your head
covered at all times. Sun stroke is dangerous
enough of Itself. Injuries that might be suffered
In passing out from the heat can compound the
difficulty. Wearing a little headgear can make
all the difference.

j An SIU Ship is a Safe Ship |

•1 { >»V

' T I i I ir r 1 I -I I f I li
• y-:iF (' T:»-:yv-f' Vsi*'*



\

November 8. IfliT SEAFARERS LOG Par* fliinreii

TOUR DOLLAR'S WORTH
Seafarer's Gnide To Better Buying

By Sidney Margolius

Should You Pay Debts In Advance? '
Installment buyers often are mystified by the surprisingly small

amount of refund they get when they pay their debts ahead of time.
A woman in Washington state reports she didn't get inuch refund

when she paid ahead of time the balance on her car, and complained
to the finance company. An official replied the company "used
standard refunding system used by all major finance companies," but
ignored her request for a detailed statement of the credit charges.

She wrote, "This whole expensive fRfair has taught us onfr thing—in
the future we'll certainly look over the credit dealers and their charges
before we sign."

In Illinois, another family bought a car last year for $2,691. It got
a $739 allowance for Its old car and paid $1,150 cash. Even though
she paid the $802 blaance in only ten months and cancelled the insur­
ance, the finance company charged $168.80 for insurance and $18.20
for finance fee.

The facts are, only 23 states regulate the amount of rebate the fi­
nance company must give you if you pay your debt ahead of time. In
the other unregulated states, the charge can be whatever the dealer
or finance company's conscience decides.

Rebate Always Small
But even in regulated states, the rebate is never as large as buyers

without financial experience sometimes expect. A buyer who is charged
$500, say, on a debt to be repaid within two years, assumes he would
get back $250 if he paid up within a year. But what he doesn't realize
is that even a properly proportionate rebate won't return him this
much. That's because he owes the larger part of the money during
the first year.

The stales that regulate rebates generally require that finance com­
panies use the "78th method of refund." This is used by the more
reputable finance companies and banks even in unregulated states.

Assume that you owe $1,500 to be repaid in one year. At a typical
charge for a new car of 6V^ percent on the original balance, which is
a true per-annum rate of about 12 percent, your finance charge on
$1,500 for a year would be,$97.50. But if you paid up the debt in six
months, you wouldn't get $48.75. Even in the regulated states and
among the most reputable lenders, you'll get back only $26.25.

This bit of mathematical magic performed at your expense actually
is correct. It's based on the fact that the sum of all the digits from 1
to 12 is 78. Thus the first month the finance company earns 12/78ths
of your fee. The second month it earns ll/78ths; third month, 10/78ths,
and so on. When you prepay your debt, the lender adds up the number
of 78ths it has earned, and credits you with the rest. In our example
of the 12-month debt paid in six months, the lender gets 57/78ths of
the original finance charge.

On a 24-month contract, the formula for figuring a properly pro­
portionate rebate changes. The sum of the digits, from 1 to 24 is 300.
The finance company earns 24/300ths of the original finance charge the
first month, 23/300ths the second month, and so on.

Unconscious Act Pitchmen Coming
. You yourself soon may be subjected to the hidden advertising method
balled "subliminal perception" when you watch movies or TV. Vickary

and Forrest, the promoters of this
selling scheme, have revealed they
have contracted with a chain of
movie houses and also are planning
a network TV test. Their spokes­
man, however, refused to tell this
department what movie houses are
Involved. -

As you know, your mind often
can receive messages you don't
realize you see. In a test in one
theatre, the promotelrs kept flash­
ing' the words" "eat popcorn" on the
screen at five-second intervals. The
message appeared so briefly people
weren't aware they were seeing it.
But, the promoters claim, popcorn
sales increased.

Can advertisers really persuade
you to buy goods or take other ac­
tions without your awareness of
being persuaded? The most au­
thoritative answer this department
has been able to get, is that if all

the factors can be controlled, it might work oa.some people, especially
those already disposed to buy or to do what the message-senders want,
and who also have a high "threshold of awareness.

The Institute on Motivational Research told the labor press that
there have been many successful laboratory experiments in perception
"below the tlireshold of awareness." There are two "thresholds," the
conscious and the psychological. The laboratory experiments found
people do react to ads even if they can't remember seeing them.

Still, the Institute considers it "highly unethical to use a technique
of which people aren't aware." Jane Bedell, of the Institute, said,
"Interviews with thousands of consumers Indicate people generally
would resent any effort to manipulate them through sublimal percep­
tion or any other technique which deprives them of their free choice.
Advertising must be based on a right to listen or not to listen."

Congressman William A Dawson of Utah already has warned of the
dangers. He told this department that because little information has
been disclosed by the promoters, a full study of the effectiveness and
implications is needed.

Meanwhile your best self defense may,be to have a couple of beers
t¥:fvi;c. yqq waJcIi M ippvLe. or J.V. id Jower yoiu Ahcesbeld of awareness,,
and restrain any buying impulses for a few dgys after.

Ex-SIU Man, City Engineer
BALTIMORE—former seafarer who was a Navy boxing champ, an infantry officer

in two wars and today holds three university degrees is now a sanitation engineer for
the City of Baltimore.

The wide-ranging career of
onetime SIU man Honorato
S. Echavez came to light re­
cently when Seafarer Charles E.
Rawlings ran into his old shipmate
and "swapped old war stories"
while the SS Michael was in port
here. Rawlings also makes his home
in Baltimore.

One of the first ships sailed by
Echavez was the old SS Elizabeth.
He shipped as a member of the ISU
and joined the present-day SIU in
December, 1938, less than two
months after the Union was estab­
lished.

A native of the Philippines,
Eschavez, now 49, went Into the
Navy shortly after he graduated
high school in Manila and came on
to win the Pacific Fleet flyweight
boxing championship and the US
fleet championship in 1932. The
next year he captured the Atlantic
Fleet title as well.

In 1935, he enrolled at the Uni­
versity of Kansas to study electri­
cal engineering but financial diffi­
culties cut his stay short. He then
went into the merchant marine,
sailing in the deck depaftment,
eventually saved enough money to
return to Kansas to try for a degree
in mining engineering but had to
return to sea again for additional
funds.

By this time World War II had
begun. Echavez shipped to the Mid­
dle East, survived the first bombing
of Vizagapatam, India, in April,
1942, and was appointed 3rd mate
in Durban, South Africa, when the
regular mate became a casualty.
After getting a license and sailing
some more, he returned to the Uni­
versity of Kansas for the third
time, graduated from the ROTC
course there and found himself at
the Infantry School at Fort Ben-
ning, Ga. Two years after Pearl
Harbor he had a 2nd lieutenant's
commission and was in New
Guinea.

As leader of the* Alamo Scouts

Hub Stresses
Yf elf are Info

BOSTON—The membership was
advised at the last meeting to
make sure they keep a copy of the
revised SIU Welfare Plan and Sur­
gical Schedule as it appeared in
the last edition of the SEAFAR­
ERS LOG. It could come in
handy and save time if there is any
sickness in the family while the
seafarer is at sea.

There was a big turnout of Sea­
farers at the wake and funeral of
Brother James M. Enwright who
passed away on the night of our
last meeting. Brother Enwright
had been a member of the SIU for
approximately three years and has
put in most of the time on Cities
Servce vessels.

Shipping has been fair for the
past period. The Government
Camp, Bradford Island (Cities
Service) paid off and signed on
while the Natalie (Interconti­
nental), Mankato Victory (Victory
Carriers), Little Rock (Fairfield),
Cantigny (Cities Service) and Steel
Admiral (Isthmian) were in port to
be serviced.

Ex-Seafarer Honorato E. Echavez is shown (top) on the deck of
the old Elizabeth which was sunk in World War II. Below, he poses
with his three children on the steps of his Baltimore home.

under General Kruger, he took part
in the landings on Leyte and Lin-
gayen in the Philippines, as well as
other actions, totalling up 49
months overseas before he was dis­
charged In May, 1948.

Echavez now returned to Kansas
for the fourth time and, by 1950,
was married and had two degrees
in mining engineering. Meanwhile,
he had been promoted to captain
in the Army Reserve and returned
to Fort Benning for another 13-
week course. He completed that
four days before the Korean War
broke out in June, 1950, while
gaining admission to the Graduate
School of Sanitation Engineering at
Johns Hopkins University, Balti­
more.

A few months later he was re­
called to active duty in Korea
where he commanded an infantry
company in the famed attack on
"Heartbreak Ridge." He later at­
tended the Far East Command
Chemical School at Camp Gifu,
Japan, and served as a liason
officer for an ROK division and as
intelligence officer during 21 more

Echavez strikes fighting pose
for picture taken when hf |was
Navy flyweight champ.

months overseas.
In mid-1953, Echavez resigned

his commission and returned here
to complete his education. He ob­
tained a master's degree from
Johns Hopkins and eventually ob­
tained the city post. Settled down
now, he has three youngsters and
would like to hear from^ny for­
mer shipmates who want to talk
over "the old days," Rawlings
reports. His home is at 1505 Mount
Royal Ave., Baltimore.

Collision In
Canal Scars
Mafson Ship

There was extensive damage re­
ported on the SIU Pacific District
ship Hawaiian Tourist "after her
collision with the New Zealand
passenger ship'Rangitane in the
Panama Canal last month.

The collision occurred in the
canal during a heavy rain squall
while the Tourist was enroute to
Cristobal. According to reports,
her port bow was ripped open and
the plating torn away, exposing the
No. 1 'tweendecks and the bulwarks
sheared off back to the No. 3
hatch.

The Rangitane then smashed
into the bridge wings, lifeboats,
davits, and hit again at No. 5 push­
ing the bulwarks tlie length of the
hatch. The Tourist barely made
it into Cristobal where she almost
sank when the engine rooms start­
ed taking water.

It is estimated that she will be
in Cristobal some two or three
weeks for temporary repairs.

This was one of the biggest ship-
to-ship cOllfsictn^t ev^r kDported In
the Canal.



Pac« Eishi SEAFARERS LOG November 8. 1957 \» r<v

UNIONS
This Is »he second of a series of articles on American trd4f >
unions to appear In the SEAFARERS LOG.-The serlet J
will present a cross-seictlon of America's union member­
ship and their unions'accomplishments. /

of AMERICA
Oih Chemical & Atomic Workers International Union j

The Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union was formed on
Morch 4, 1955, through the merger of two CIO unions, the Oil Workers Inter-
notionol Union ond the United Gos, Coke ond Chemicol Workers Union. The
union's present membership of 210,000 consists of workers in oil production,
tronsport ond refining; chemicol ond petrochemicol plonts; phormoceuticol
monufocture; coke ond gos production ond reioted industries. With o heovy
concentrotion of membership in Texos^^ Colifomio, Oklohomo ond the Middle
West it hos its heodquorters in Denver ond 16 district offices.

The union hos 600 locols which hold 1375 controcts with 625 componies. Its
officiol publicotion, "Union News," is published twice o month.

The chief officer of the internotionol is O. A. Knight who worked for Shell Oil
in Indiono before becoming o union orgonizer. He wos elected president of the
Oil Workers in 1940 ond of the combined union whbn it wos formed in 1955.

Union's nienibership Includes men like this highly skilled research
technician measuring efficiency of diesel fuels in company lab.

ONE of the youngest interna­
tional unions in the AFL-
CIO by virtue of its forma­

tion in 1955, the Oil, Chemical and
Atomic Workers International Un­
ion has a bright future ahead of it
as its jurisdiction covers areas of
potentially-huge economic growth.

While just two years old in its
present form, the international's
history actually dates back to World
War I. It was at that time that the
AFL chartered the original Inter­
national Association in the oil in­
dustry. But after some initial suc­
cess, the union's strength gradually
declined in the anti-union atmos­
phere of the 1920's, ^y 1933, there
were only 350 members left.

With the passage of the Wagner
Act, organizing activity revived
strongly. In 1937, the union re­
ceived a CIO charter as the Oil
Workers International Union and
made rapid headway.

Coke and chemical workers came
Into the international via the Gas,
Coke and Chemical Workers Union.
This was the original core of Dis­
trict 50, United Mine Workers, but
when that organization was con­

verted into a "catch-all" outfit, the
gas, coke and chemical workers
broke away and received a CIO
charter in 1942.

Dealing as it does with many
giant companies such as Shell Oil,
Union Carbide, Cities Service and
others, the union has placed strong
emphasis in its contracts on senior­
ity provisions along with other un­
ion benefits. It is also proud of its
superior pension plans which range
from $125 to $200 a month in addi­
tion to Social Security.

The internal structure of the un­
ion is noteworthy for str,ict mem­
bership controls on union activity.
All strikes have to be authorized
by a three-fourths' secret ballot -
majority. Union conventions are
held annually and strict financial
controls are imposed on disposition
of local and international union

'funds.

••

f

Nearly hsllf of the international's membership Is employed in elaborate refinery installations such as this one on the- Texas Gulf coast,.'Here union
diesel fuel* heating ^oils jand^other^esSential products. « V-r. -



SIU got plaque from NJ local
for aiding oil workers beef.

O. A. Knight, International's
head, was refinery worker.

Close relationships are maintained with foreign oil workers unions. This
shows Pres. Knight at an international conference in Rome.

Drug manufacture is a major area of representation. Culture for a
vaccin*is?prepared by injectloii4ht6«ggife'^« Ht t tUi; ? v* ^^ u.

:5r^

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'W.

itP

.1;

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Union, has had share of bitter strikes. Here police used tear gas on
fi^^Spidtetsiat a Richmond, Califomiaj plant u ; .

•1-

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11



Paf« Tea SEAFARERS LOG NovembeE i, i957

i;..

Seafarers Star In TV Cig Ad
SEATTLE—one-night stand as reading clerk at an SIU membership meeting here

last August has helped catapult Seafarer F. "Whitey" Johnson into a featured spot on
television screens all over the country.

Johnson is one of Chester­
field's "secret weapons"
against the tattooed "Marl­
boro man" ballyhooed by a compet­
ing cigarette brand. The LOG car­
ried a story on the tattoo ginunick
(July 6, 1956) when the "relaxed,
rugged he-man" approach In cigar­
ette advertising came Into piay.

Now a new series of commercials
filmed here in the Pacific North­
west area showing loggers, seamen
and other "he-man" types working
and relaxing with a Chesterfield is
hitting the TV networks. Johnson
and another SIU man, John F.
"Knobby" Eustace, AB, are pic­
tured in some of the "seagoing"
sequences.

Switched To Bosun
Although he ships regularly as

steward or cook, "Whitey" took on
the role of a brawny bosun for his
acting career. From the ad-man's
point of view, the galley or the
messhall is not quite as aesthetic
as the open deck with clouds all
around and breezes lapping in
everybody's hair.

An Italian ship was the setting
for most of the action with John­
son working the Italian crew on a
trip up Puget Sound. Another
"deep-sea" sequence covered h
ferry trip across the sound from

Seafarers F. "Whitey" John­
son,. steward (top), and John
F. "Knobby" Eustace, AB.
make like he-men (or Chester­
field TV cigarette ads.

Seattle to Bremerton. After the
"work" is over in each case, our
heroes are seen lighting up a

WC Trallership Program
Killed Off By Red Tape

WASHINGTON—After being enmeshed in red tape for
almost 26 months, American-Hawaiian Steamship Company
has announced cancellation of plans to build a fleet of trailer-
ships for intercoastal trade.

In August, 1955, A-H asked
the Maritime Administration
for approval of plans to build an
ultra-modern trailership fleet. It
was not until June, 1956, that the
MA got around to approving the
plans and specifications.

Three months later the Defense
Department informed the company
that it had reviewed the plans and
requested an increase in the speed
of the vessels to 25 knots.

The MA also stated that in con­
sideration of these changes the
Government would pay the cost of
the increased speed and other na­
tional defense fealui'es.

The company then redrew its
plans and submitted two sets for
the construction of both 18 and 25
knot vessels. But it was not until
February, 1957, almost 18 months
after the company's first request,
that the plans cleared all the reg­
ulatory bodies and agencies and
bids were requested.

The company noted that five
shipyards were anxious to bid on
the proposed 18-knot ships in 1955,
but when the bids were opened in
April, 1957, only two firms tend­
ered offers.

Construction costs had so sky­
rocketed fiom August, 1955, to
April, 1957. that the estimates were
far in excess of those contemplated
at the start of the program.

The bids were from $22,200,000
for the 18-knot ship to $28,575,000
for the 25-knot vessel. The cost of
each ship was lower according to
the number ordered.

On submitting the bids to the
MA, American - Hawaiian officials
were informed that the Adminis­
tration no longer could see any
basis for granting a national de­
fense allowance for the 25-knot
vessel. Plans for that type ship,
originally requested by the Gov­
ernment, were dropped. ' ' '

^After reconsidering plftnf for the"

18-knot fleet, the company decided
that the number of cost changes in
construction during the 26-month
period were far too excessive and
decided to scrap the entire inter­
coastal program.

Seattle Shows
Improvement

SEATTLE — Shipping for this
area, as for most of the West Coast
ports, has picked up over the past
period. Registration ran only
slightly ahead of shipping in the
steward and engine departments,
while it trailed in the deck depart­
ment.

The Wild Ranger (Waterman)
and Producer (Marine Carr.) paid
off and signed on while the John
C. (Atl. Carr.), Calmar, Flomar,
Kenmar (Calmar), Armonk (NJ
Ind.), Jean LaFitte, Choctaw
(Waterman), Grain Trader (Grain
Fleet) and Alcoa Pointer (Alcoa)
were in transit. All were in good
shape with no beefs reported.

Throw In For
A Meeting Job

Under the rules of the SIU,
any member can nominate hifn-
self for meeting chairman, read­
ing clerk or any other post that
may be up for election before
the membership, including com­
mittees, such as the tallying
committees, financial commit­
tees and qther groups namied by
the membership.

Since SIU membership^ meet­
ing officers are elected at the
start of each meeting, those who
wish to run for those meeting
offices can do so. [ .

smoke to "relax" and live a little.
.Johnson, Eustace and a third

SIU man were originally iselected
for roles in the commercials when
the TV men visited the hall here
on meeting night. The third man
later backed out, so the "maitre d'"
at the Hotel Washington was rung
in and became a "sailor" instead.

Aside frona the notoriety, the
boys earned some of those husky
TV acting and rehearsal fees for
the original filming and will pull
down more each time one of the
films shows up.on the screen.

Johnson is well known to Sea­
farers for his pithy observations on
foreign port J which have appeared
in the LOG.

Tug Salvage
Jobs Boost
Port Mobile

MOBILE—There were a couple
of tugboat accidents around the
harbor during the past week which
resulted in salvage jobs for the
men on the beach. Seafarers work­
ing on one of those jobs have been
putting in 16 hours a day for the
past ten days trying to refloat and
repair a sunken barge loaded with
asphalt.

MB Flu Epidemic
There was also a mild epidemic

of flu in the area during the past
two weeks. A considerable number
of men on the beach were-hit by
It but are all now on the way to
recovery. Vaccine shots are being
distributed throughout the port
and it is expected that the epi­
demic will soon be over.'

Although shipping has been on
the slow side, class "C" men were
able to land berths in every de­
partment. The port had to send
some of the jobs to outports to be
filled. Perhaps the increasing num­
ber of relief Jobs in and around
the harbor accounts for the "A"
and "B" men wanting to take it
easy on the beach for awhile.

Shipping will probably continue
to be slow for at least another pe­
riod, But it is expected to pick up
then as two coastwise tanker-box
ships are coming in for repairs and
the third trailership is expected to
take on a full crew.

Mobile men figure that the
trailership run will be a steady
source of good jobs in this port.

Plck-Up Cheers
San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO — Shipping
improved greatly during the past
period with class A and "B" men
taking all of the available jobs.
Shipping ran far ahead of registra­
tion, especially in the deck depart­
ment where the dispatcher was
hard put to fill some class "A"
berths. •

There were nine vessels in port
within the last two weeks. One,
the Ocean Eva (Ocean Clippers),
paid off and signed on. The John
C. (Atlantic Carriers) also signed
on. The Calmar, Pennmar (Cal­
mar); Choctaw, Jean LaFitte,
Aioundria, Wild Ranger (Water­
man) and Steel Director were in
transit. /

There'were no mtijor beefs to
be disposed of on these vessels. <

STIIL FLYIR (Icthmlin), taat. M
—Chalrmaii, J, Morrlw Saeratary, M.
•urna. Nat anoufli branda of cigar-
attea. Wipar nilaaed ahip—tumad inta
haadquartara. Ship'a fund *40. Short-
ago of glaaaaa and apooni. 400 qta.
wera-aboard at aaillng. Staward dept.
maatlng hald ta inatruct man in their
respectiva Joba. Ship to ba fumigated
for roaehaa—auggaat apraylng every
weak. Baafa to ba brought to dela-
gateai maaanuui not aarving properly.
Beef about the baker, complainta
about baUng. Diiputa about night
lunch. Cota to ba taken care of. Un­
derwear not to ba worn in messhall.

PINNMAR (Calmar), July l»—Chair­
man, V. Mantai Saeratary, J. Oold.
Soma disputed ot. Report accepted.
New delegate'elected.

Sept. If—Chairman, J. Bawdan; Sae­
ratary, V. Mania. Foc'alea to ba

paintsd. Rapalra being made. Soiled
linen to ba turned in. Steward
thanked mcmbera for making thia a
tine trip. Good crew. Report ac­
cepted. Lockera and bunka to ba
atripped when leaving ahip. Proper
attire to ba worn in meaa haU.

ALCOA RUNNER (Alcoa), Sept. 2f
—Chairman, C. Hammla; Secretary, R.
Hall. Delegate reported on BuU Line
atrika. flu vaccine—urged men to get
ahota. Ship'a fund $5.50. Some dis­
puted ot to ba taken up with patrol­
man. Reporta accepted. Request
cleaning fresh water tank, and better
slop cheat.

FLORIDA STATE (Ponea), Sept. If
—Chairman, H. Will; Secretary, M.
Caddy. No beefa—everything running
smoothly. Ship's fund $14.60. New
delegate and secretary - treasurer
elected. Suggestion to alternate cold
suppera in different ports. Vote of
thanks to steward dept. for fine Job.
Pantry and recreation all to be kept
cleaner. Repair lists to be made up
and submitted in quadruplicate with
copy to headquarters minutes.

OREMAR (Ore Nav.), Sept. If —
Chairman, C. Webb; Secretary, R.
Mason. Check for additional repairs.
Ship'a fund $35.16. Report accepted.
One member to ba brought up for
disciplinary action for failing to at­
tend general business meeting on
Sept. 29. Keep noise down in passage­
ways. Lounge to ba cleaned after
using. Vote of thanks to steward dept.
for fine Job.

SAMUEL F. MILLER (Boston Ship­
ping), Sept. If—Chairman, H. Hlggln-
bothyn; Secretary, W. O'Connor. New
dele^ta elected. Ship'a fund S47.
Will purchase books and magazines
In Calcutta. One man m. to be flown
back to States. Some members hav­
ing dental work done—do not feel
too good in hot weather. Discussion
on shore leave and cups left on decki
S26 to ba used for .purchase of books.

NATIONAL LIBERTY (National
Shipping), Sept.- 22—Chairman, S.
Walls; Secretary J. Knight. Few turn­
overs in all depts.: no beefa. New
delegate elected. Repairing of fans
to be reported to delegate. Cups to
be returned to pantry. To discuss
cleaning of laundry and recreation
room.

VALLEY FORCE (Penn. Nav.), Aug.
31 — Chairman, (none); Secretary,
(none). Vote of thanks to patrolman
for excellent service while ship was
docked In Boston. Unsafe condition
of ship pointed out—dunnage on
decks—no provision made to remedy
condition.

STEEL ARTISAN (Isthmian), Sept.
28—Chairman, O. Grant; Secretary, R.
Brown. Ship won $250 Safety Award
Contest. No decision as to disposal.
Motion to have banquet for crew with
safety award money, after clearing
through hall. Painting quarters to ba
cleared up before sailing. New dele­
gate elected. Each dept. to alternate
in cleaning of laundry. Worn mat­
tresses to ba replaced. \

WARRIOR (Waterman), Sept. 22—
Chairman, B. Anderson; Secretary, M.
Elliott. Everything running smoothly.
New delegate elected. Discussion on
American Coal beef and other Union
affairs; care of washing machine;
linen changes: use of coffee percola­
tors Instead of urna. Return cups to
pantry after using.

ARLYN (Bull), Sept. 30—Chairman,
J. Bednar; Secretary, F. Collins. Cash
payment for breakfast and lunch.
Captain to put out small draw. Re­
pair list submitted to captain. Ship's
fund $1.30. Many hours disputed ot.
Something to be done about unsafe
working conditions In engine room—
wire brushing; secure dark glasses for
fire room. New treasurer elected.
Steward passed away at Madiera la-
land—plana made to take up donation
for widow—a committee of two to
hamUg aamo.

rotary, F. Oemez. Report on man lost
in Mississippi River. Shlp'g fund
$33.34. Report accepted.

ALCOA PIONEER (Alcoa), Oct. J-
Chalrmsn, D. Parker; Eecretary, O.
Gregory. Some disputed ot for Trini­
dad workers. Report-accepted. New
delegate elected. Need new refrigera­
tor for mesa room. Officer pantryman
to see patrolman about lieing fired.

. ••P*- »•—Chairman,
A. Richards; Secretary, H. Treddln.
Ship'a fund $76.28. Need new wash­
ing machine. Need wind chutes
Wringer on washing machine to be
repaired. New treasurer elected. To
purchase more chairs from fund.

FBLTORE (Ore Nav.), Sept. 31 —
Chairman, E. i King; Secretary, Wf.
Strickland. Man removed from ship
at San Salvador to hospital in Miami.
New delegate elected. One man missed
ship, replaced in Bait. Crew request­
ed not to use galley as passageway.
Too much noise in passageway at
night. Washing machine to ba re­
paired.

MICHAEL (Carres), Sept. 34—Chair­
man, c: Yeager; Secretary, O. Mc­
Lean. Few hours disputed ot. Re­
quest variety of menus. Lettuce, to­
matoes and juices to be served more
often. Pantryman to help messmsn
during ru.sh Iiour: steward to check
messhall during meal hour.

ALCOA RANGER (Alcoa), Sept. 24
—Chairman, P. Perez; Secretary, J.
AAaldonado. Report on sanitary men's
failure to pcrroim duties. Reports
accepted.

IRENESTAR (Triton), Sept. 2f —
Chalrm.an, B. Hay; Secretary, L. Rob-

.arts. One man missed sliip in Brazil,.
All beefs to be taken up and dis­
cussed at meeting and not to com­
plain to pa(ro1inaii Individually. Dele­
gate to refer beefs to patrolmen in
proper manner. Ship's fund $11.52.
One man paid off by mutual consent
In Brazil. One man shipped aboard.
All rooms were painted. Discussion
on cooking of potatoes—there is to bo
no waste—all potatoes to be utilized
before 48 hrs. Vote of thanks to
steward dept. for fine Job. Vote of
thanks to delegate for excellent job.

COEUR D'ALENE VICTORY (Vie.
Carriers), Sept. 24-Chairman, A. An­
derson; Secretary, F. Hicks. Repair
list requested. Man logged. ifew
hours disinitcd ot. Safety meeting
held. Gangways in poor condition.

LA SALLE (Waterman), Sept. 13—
Chairman, G. Bales; Secretary, G.
Bales. Two men short leaving NO.
$8 missing In .ship's fund. Skyli.ght to
be opened: medical supplies .to be
cheeked.

PACIFIC OCEAN (World Tramping),
Sept. 1—Chairman, J. Stevens; Stcre-
tery, B.; Amjiberry. New delegate
elected. One man missed ship'in Bos­
ton. Report accepted. Keep all screen
doors clo.scd while in India. Washing
machine to .be kept clean and turned
off after "Use. Magazines and books '
to be relumed to library.

ALCOA RANGER (Alcoa), Sept. 32—
Chairman, J. Rueda; Secretary, A.
Carpenter. One man injured and taken
to hospital. Report made. Messhall
needs painting—.see patrolman about
same. Delayed sailing disputed. LOGS,
ship's minutes and OT sheets received.
Request automatic washing machine.
Discus.sion on sanitary work. Need
lome mattre.sscs.

DEL VIENTO (Miss.), Sept. I—
Chairman, C. Johnson; Secretary, W.
Creel. New delegate elected. 18 hrs.
disputed OT. Di.scussion on drunken-
ne.ss.

Sept. 26—Chairman, B. Spears; Sec­
retary, J. Beasley. One man missed
ship in Sanlos. 18 his. disputed OT.
Reports accepted.

ALMENA (Pan-Atlantic), Sept. 23—
Chairman, C. Doggett; Secretary, M.
Eschenko. Letter received from un­
known ch.nracter. to Ije turned over
to patroiinnn. .Some di.sputed O'f, Two
men leaving ship. Two men missed
ship since payoff; one man short.
R^orts accepled.

STEEL ARTISAN (Isthmian), Sept.
15—Chairman, C. Hasz; Secretary, D.
Clifton. Beef regarding chief engineer,
to be taken up with patrolman. Water
tanks to he cleaned. Ilcav.v duty wash­
ing machine to be ordered. Vote of

-thanks to .steward dept. for good food
and service.

DEL AIRES (Delta), Sept. 14—
Chairman, J. Davis; Secretary, A. May,
New delegate elected. Ship's fund, $78.
One man missed ship. Some disputed
OT. New secretary-reporter elected.
Discussion on slusiiing decks: new
food plan by stcwa'rd to be put into
effect. Better grade of meat received.
Vote of thanks to Union for assistance.

MICHAEL (Carras), Sept. S—Chair­
man, C. Rawlings; Secretary, / M.
Beaching. Beef concerning menu. Del­
egate to take care of ship's business
for Individuals. Discussion on steward
dept. member driiikin.g and perform­
ing and causing dis.scnsion among
crew members. Man was warned.

AMBS VICTORY (VIcterv Carriers),
Aug. 34—Chairman, C., f^t^filngi ^ac^ ^

OCEAN ULLA (Maritime Ovarsaai),
Sept. 14—Chairman, J. Smith; Sacra-:
tary, G. Darners. One man failed to
Join ship in Brazil. Captain cut stew­
ard's requisitions, ship is now short
fresh fruits, vegetables and fruit
Juices. Minor beefs. Retiu-n coffee
cups to sink. Recreation room to ba
kept clean. ^

Sept. 22—Chairman, C. Damara; Sae­
ratary, J. Cummins. Minor beefs. Few
hours disputed OT. Vote of thanks to
•delegate and steward dept. I , I > 1 • . , V j



.-•
• November 8, 1957 SEAFARERS LOG Fere Elevea

'Automation 1957'

Robin Men
Rap NMU
Contract

NEW YORK—Headquarters has
been receiving a number of in­
quiries from delegates on the Rob-
In Line ships, reports Bill Hall,
assistant secretary-treasurer. Most
of them want to know who wrote
the NMU agreement under which
they are sailing, the NMU or the
company? No matter who made it
up, they say, it certainly can't com­
pare to SlU standards.

Headquarters would like to ex­
tend its thanks to the delegates on
the various ships arriving in this
port. They are doing a good job
clearing up small beefs and repairs
before arriving. This helps the
patrolmen pay the ship off faster
and gives him more time to work
on any major beef that might have
come up.

Shipping for this port has taken
a strong turn for the better. Book
men are not finding it too difficult
to ship out regularly if they are
not waiting for a special run.

During the past period 20 ships
paid off, four signed on and ten
were in transit. The Steel Scien­
tist, Plymouth Victory, Steel Voy­
ager, Steel Flyer (Isthmian); Coal-
inga Hills, Maxton (Pan-Atlantic);
CS Baltimore, Bent's Fort (Cities
Service); Alcoa Roamer, Alcoa
Partner (Alcoa); Seatrains New
York, Texas, Louisiana, Savannah,
New Jersey (Seatrain); Evelyn
(Bull); Mankato Victory (Victory
Carriers); The Cabins (Terminal
Tankers) and the Natalie (Inter­
continental) paid off while the
Steel Voyager (Isthmian), Mankato
Victory (Victory Carriers), Natalie
(Intercontinental) and the Andrew
Jackson (Waterman) signed on."' °'

^ The Rube Goldberg contraption pictured above is an over­
simplification of the kind of union-busting rigs at work in
today's push-button world. For a price, you can walk up to a
shiny machine and get a pack of smokes, coffee with one or
two lumps, a shoeshine and a host of other conveniences.

Union-busting has been developed into a machine type of
operation in the same way. For a fat fee, the employer who
wants to push an existing union out of his plant or to keep an
aggressive one out can get the services of "experts." The
apparatus is tailor-made to each company's needs, and besides
it's a "legitimate" business expense like the rent each month.

The gimmicks range from the sudden appearance of the
"XYZ Employees Association" and, coincidentally, job pro­
motions for a couple of ringleaders, to the start of low-cost
cafeterias for employees right on the premises. Lush com­
pany-paid parties and five and dime pay increases on the eve
of union bargaining elections are standard equipment as well.

Since the boss has called in "labor experts" to handle his
"union situation" it's a cinch his accountants have doped out,
for example, that it's cheaper to set up a cafeteria and charge
15 or 25 cents a day for roast beef dinners than to pay the
workers the 15 to 25 cents an hour more in hourly wages the
union would fight to get for them.

There are unions that have been guilty of phony practices
and the AFL-CIO and President Meany have spoken and
acted in clear and specific fashion in these instances. At the
same time, Meany has pointed out management's culpability.

It is unfortunate that management has shown none of the
zeal in rooting out union-busting rackets that the AFL-CIO
has shown in handling phony unions in some segments of
labor.

4 4 4

Delayed To Death
A classic example of how not to promote a modern mer­

chant marine is the snafu over the American-Hawaiian trail-
ership program. The program has now been abandoned be­
cause of a series of conflicting Government decisions which
so delayed matters that the ships became uneconomical to
build.

Of course, any shipowner who goes to the Government for
aid has to expect some delay because no agency can make
snap decisions on matters involving large sums of money.
Putting it the other way, it would be nice if the shipowners
would, or could go ahead on their own when they have a
project of this kind in mind.

At the same time, hanging up a shipbuilding program for 26
months, as in this instance, is the surest way to kill progress
in ^afitifidfe. • v • ' < i i i i

'V- ft--' )

t 'i 9 I •

22 Seek 14 Posts
In WC Cooks' Vote

SAN FRANCISCO—Voting is now underway to fill 14
offices of the Marine Cooks and Stewards Union in the union's
first election. Of the 22 candidates running, six are un­
opposed.

• • •

Five of the six unopposed
nominees are incumbent of­
ficers. They are H. A. Robinson,
Portland agent; Charles Green,
Seattle patrolman; Wilmington
agent Joseph Goren; New York
agent Louis Foyt, and Wilder
Smith, New York patrolman. Fred
Hansen Is the only candidate for
the position of assistant secretary-
treasurer.

As for the other officers, Ed
Turner and Walter Chamberlain
are competing for the position of
secretary-treasurer. Competition Is
heaviest for the position of San
Francisco dispatcher. Pete Blanchi,
Louis Kurtz and William Rennle
will vie for that post. Five mem­
bers are trying for the three posi­
tions of San Francisco patrolmen
while the positions of Wilmington
patrolman, Seattle agent and Port­
land patrolman each have two can­
didates.

Balloting which started on No­
vember 1st will continue through
December 31st.

Also on the ballot for the mem­
bership Is a proposal for a $20
yearly assessment to help repay the
union's indebtedness to the Sailors
Union of the Pacific.

The MC&S had received loans
from the SIU Atlantic and Gulf
District, the California State Fed­
eration of Labor and the SUP to
finance Its extensive organizing
campaign to oust the Communist-
dominated National Union of Ma-

Ax 'Settles'
Squabble On
Liberia LSI

Life on a Llberlan-flag ship very
often has Its hazards In the form
of low pay, undermanning and un­
safe working conditions. But the
LST Alberta had more than her
share of excitement on a recent
voyage between Nova Scotia and
New York.

As reported In the Boston press,
a salvo of frantic radio messages
brought the Coast Guard on the
run while the ship was passing the
Massachusetts coast en-route to the
Cape Cod canal.

It seems that the skipper and
the second mate had been at log­
gerheads over various Issues all
through the trip. When the vessel's
steering gear broke down It was the
last straw. A heated argument
broke out between the two which
ended with the skipper assaulting
the mate and biting the radio op­
erator. Crewmembers parted the
combatants but the skipper wasn't
ready to fold up that easily. He got
a carving knife and a fire ax and
went after the mate again.

Crewmembers again Intervened
and hustled the captain off to his
cabin, where. It was reported, he
calmed down. When the Coast
Guard came aboard, the gang was
anxious to clear up matters so that
they wouldn't be accused of mu­
tiny.

The Coast Guardsmen, a police
chief, state police detective and an
FBI agent straightened out the beef
after a four-hour argument. The
captain agreed to hold his peace
and the first mate took charge of
the ship for the rest of the run In-
ii| New York. *'= ^

rlne Cooks and Stewards from con­
trol of the West Coast ships.

The union had repaid Its debt to
the A&G early this year, and is
currently paying off Its loan from
the State Federation. The yearly
assessment Is to be put Into a fund
to repay the more than $300,000
borrowed from the SUP.

Monte

A varied menu helps keep the
men happy, and the crew of the

Pennmar wish to
nominate their
steward, Vincent
Monte, as tops In
keeping a con­
tented crew. "We
extended a vote
of thanks to the
steward," writes
John B o w d e n,
ship's delegate,
" for feeding the

crew plenty of fresh fish. Although
a picture could not be supplied, the -
crew can verify that a lot of salmon
and stripped bass has been coming
to the tables and enjoyed with
great relish."

4 4 4
Realizing that men hospitalized

In a foreign port will need enough
money to tide them over. Seafar­
ers on th Del Mar have passed a
resolution Increasing the donation
paid out of the ship's fund for a
man getting off the ship sick to $50.
This should help him buy any Items
that he might need, writes ship's
delegate G. W. Duncan.

4 4 4
Other food departments came

Into the limelight for their share
of praise. The
stewards on the
SS Florida State
are doing a fine
job and with a
little cooperation
from the rest of
the crew In keep­
ing the mess-
rooms In shape.
It will be a very
enjoyable trip,
writes ship's reporter
Gaddy.

Gaddy

Monroe

Wanted; Seafarer
Sputnik Spotters

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Sea­
farers on vessels in the North
Atlantic have been requested to
aid In tracking down Sputnik,
the Russian earth satellite.

Dr. Armand Spitz, co-ordl-
nator of "Operation Moon-
watch," reported that Sputnik,
which lost Its "beep" last week,
has not been spotted In this area
for several days. The "moon,"
he said, passes over this part of
the country during the daylight
or pitch darkness and is oblit­
erated from telescopes.

But vessels in latitudes be­
tween 50 and 70 degrees east of
Newfoundland, he said, are in
a good position to see the object
during the twilight hours. He
has requested that men on ships
in that area make observations
of the moon and Its rocket dur­
ing Its travel for "Operation
Moonwatch."

•1 {

"a
Ml

it]

TTr
I J.I
' 'n ;

, ,y

'•3



Pagm Twelvg SEAFARERS LOG Norember t, H&l

Good Lesson
Can Y Bring
Books Back

They're brewing the prover­
bial "tempest in a teapot" on
the Wang Pioneer these days
over the disposition of the ship's
library of paper-bound books sup­
plied by the Union.

The fracas erupted after the
steward brought back a stack of
overtime sheets, SIU agreements
and a ship's library package from
the New Orleans hall. The ship is
now in Karachi, Pakistan.

At the following ship's meeting,
the steward suggested that the li­
brary books be passed around so
each man could exchange his book
for whatever he wanted. That way,
he contended, they could bypass
the problem of having the whole
package lie around in the recrea­
tion room where the local people
in foreign ports could make oif
with them.

This idea seemed to meet gen­
eral agreement until a few men
raised objections. The steward ex­
plained why he thought the books
should be kept in a place where
they could be watched, and that it
was funny how everybody was con­
cerned about a few dozen little
books but undismayed by other
beefs. However, when the vote
came he was overruled and all the
books were put in the "rec" room.

Needless to say, he adds, "there
is not one of the new books in the
recreation hall now, since the sea
lawyers won out." Despite the "I-
told-you-so" nature of his com­
ment, this at least may prove to be
a good lesson for the future. If
something can't be tacked down
where restless hands can't get to
It, don't leave it lying around. The
dough you save may be your own.

'Sea-Spray' By Seafarer "Red" Fink

Hil I'm the new fireman!'

Happy Days

Glad its all over, Patrick
Henry Hulcey, 5, is fit again
after undergoing o tonsillec­
tomy. SIU port officials In
Seattle and welfare benefits
helped ease things while dad,
David S. Hulcey, FWT, was
away at sea. The family lives
in Tacoma.

mimS, IN THt HOSPITALS
USPHS HOSPITAL

BOSTON. MASS.
Lawrencs CampbeU Aaron Sasser
Georga D. Rourk* Zachariah WUliami

USPHS HOSPITAL
.MEMPHIS, TENN.

Charles Burton
SAILOR SNUG HARBOR

STATEN ISLAND, NY
victor B. Cooper

USPHS HOSPITAL
FORT WORTH, TEXAS

Benjamin F. Deibler W. E. OrzechowsU
Siegfried Gnittke John C. Palmer
James R. Hodges August J. Paneplnto
EASTERN SHORE STATE HOSPITAL

CAMBRIDGE, MD.
Thomas R. Lehay

VA HOSPITAL
HOUSTON, TEXAS

John P. Williamson
USPHS HOSPITAL

NEW ORLEANS, LA.
George Armstrong Hubert Pousson
William Bargone Winford PoweU
Marlow C. Barton Randolph RatcliS
John W. Bigvvood Toxie Samford
Claude Blanks H. Leonard Shaw
Wesley Cimningham TocBI Smigielskl

Wert A. Spencer
Chas. H. Summerell
Nicholas Tala
Gerald L. Thaxton
Lucien Therlot
Houston Thomas Jr.
Ruben Vance
James E. Ward
George Wendell
Ronald Wilcox Jr.
Harry Wolowlts
Clifford Wuerts
Jacob Zimmcr

Adelin Fruge
Leon Gordon
Theodore Guidry
James Hudson
Eugene B. Hunt
Edward G. Knapp
L. LachapeU
Antoine Landry
Leo Lang
E. Leon Lawson
Iluminado Llenos
Simon Morris
Michael Muzlo
Charles Nicholson

VA HOSPITAL
NEW ORLEANS, LA.

Allen Ritchie
USPHS HOSPITAL
SAVANNAH, GA.

Edward E. Carter Angelo Martins
Chas. E. Joyner R. C. Shedd
Jlmmle Littleton

MONTEBELLO
CHRONIC DISEASE HOSPITAL

BALTIMORE, MD.
Francisco Bueno

USPHS HOSPITAL
BALTIMORE, MD.

Rosario Copani
G. C. Culpepper
Flnnie Davis
Ciarence Frits
Thomas F. Galvia
Jose Garcia
Gorman T. Glaze
Burl Halre
Walter Jackson
Norman W. Kirk
WiUiam Kovamees
Jan S. Kozerski

James E. Lavelle
James McFarlin
Joseph Novak
Roy R. Rayfield
Stanley Rodgers
Joseph Roll
Thomas Rowe
Mack B. Singleton
Wm. J. Stephens
Clem Thompson
Archie Wright

Editor, !
SEAFARERS LOG. ' i
675 Fourth Ave., !
Brooklyn 32, NY i

1 would like to receive the SEAFARERS LOG— |
please put my name on your mailing list. ;

(Print Information) \

NAME i

USPHS HOSPITAL
GALVESTON. TEXAS

Marvin P. Bennett Nighbert Strator
Maurice N. Gendron WUllam Walker
B. F. Grlce V. E. Wilkerson

USPHS HOSPITAL
NORFOLK, VA.

Francis J. Boner George R. Trimyer
Frank T. Campbell Joseph C. Wallace
James T. Moore

USPHS HOSPITAL
MANHATTAN BEACH

BROOKLYN, NY
Manuel Antonana Archibald McGuigan
Eladio Aria
Fortunate Bacomo
Joseph Bass
Melvin Bass
Juan Denopra
John J. Drlscoll
Fabin Furmanek
Joseph M. Gillard
Bart E. Guranick
Everett Haislett
Percy Harrelson
Taib IIa«sen
Billy R HUl
Antonio Infarte
Ira H. Kilgore

H. C. Mclssac
Albert Martinelll
vie Milazzo
Joaquin Iliniz
Joseph B. Murphy
W. P. O'Dea
C. Oslnsky
George G. Phifer
G. A. Puissegur
Winston E. Renny
G. E. Shumaker
Kevin B. Skelly
Henry E. Smith
Michaei Toth
Harry S. Tuttia

Ludwig Kristiansen Virgil E. Wilmoth
Frederick Landry Pon P. Wing
Leonard Leidig Dexter Worrell
Patrick McCann

USPHS HOSPITAL
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.

Wm. N. Thomas S. J. Guiirre
Thos. Hanklns P. N. Hierro
S. H. Sun N. J. Wert
J. H. Berger M. MichaRx
Jos. C. Marso Roy J. Barker
S. C. Wang

USPHS HOSPITAL
SE.ATTLE, WASH.

M. A. Jaeger G. R. Stanley
A. M. MUefskl A. A. Franklin
M. Dellano

USPHS
STATEN

M. Makatangay
W. CoUazo
S. Swlenckoskl
D. Hetherlngton
H. Kay
W. Sarrano
D. Trevisan*
G. WUIIams
O. Adams
W. Harell
P. Seidenberg
B. SmoUan'
B. Estrella
J. Declnque
J. Stanton
R. Gresham

HOSPITAL
ISLAND. NY

W. Henny
I. DeNobrega
W. Vaughan
F. ViUacorte
F. Stephen
J. Williams
J. Mozden
D. Furman
C. W. White
R. Quinn
J. Logan
H. Sleley
R. Parker
A. Androh
W. Smith

STREET ADDRESS

ZONE STATE i CITY
TO AVOID DUPLICATION: (f you arc an old lubieribar and hava a ehanga '
of addrats, plaata qiv# your fonnar address below: J

ADDRESS i

CITY ZONE. STATE

LOG-A-RHYTHM;

Travel!!
By David Grossman

I sit at home thinking
All about the sea.

And lands across the ocean.
That I would like to see.

Now Holland has the windmills,
German beer is swell,

Norway, has the sardines,
France has the Chanel;

Russia has the vodka,
Italy has its wine,

Africa has the diamonds,
Swiss watches tell the time.

But of all the lands I've mentioned
Which are so far away.

The best place to come home to
. Is still the U S A.

Welfare Helps
Get Allotment
To the Editor:

On Sept. 26 I wag injured on
the Orion Planet while standing
watch and wai hospitalized at
Bahrein Island in the Persian
Gulf.

While there, my wife wrote
that she hadn't received an
allotment from the company and
was destitute. I couldn't notify
the agent to do It so it cost me
money to exchange the local

Letters To
The Editor

All letters to the editor for
publication in the SEAFAR­
ERS LOG must be signed
by the writer.- Names will
be withheld upon- request.

currency into dollars and sfend
it on to her.

Finally I was able to contact
the SIU welfare department,
which contacted the company
and got it to allow some of my
pay to go to my wife. She final­
ly received some money from
them on Oct. 21 after missing
two allotment payments.

I would like to thank the SIU
welfare office for looking into
this matter and getting some
action on it. My wife would
have been in bad shape without
the Union's help. I myself will
probably be out of action for
some time. Thanks to all for
their assistance.

Jim C. Whatley
4" 4" t

Nixes Change
On Job Calls
To the Editor:

A few weeks ago some men­
tion was made in the LOG con­
cerning the changing of the job
call hours in our shipping halls.
I wish to add my views, if I may.
I am definitely not in favor
of the hours of the calls being
changed.

One brother offered the ex­
planation that the hourly calls
interfere with his ability to
conduct personal or private
business such as visits to the
unemployment office. I say that
when a man is ready to ship
he will have taken care of all
his personal business before he
starts attending the job calls to
try f or a .ship.

Anyway, it takes only • half
hour to check with the unem­
ployment offices in most states
as far a seaman. Is concerned.

Besides, if we cut the calls
down to three or four a day it
is going to cause unnecessary
.jams of men in our halls when
all of them pack in to make the
call. We also must look at it
from the companies' viewpoint.

They place an order for a
man in the morning expecting
him to arrive aboard at least by
noon. As it is now some guys
take most of the day they
shipped to get aboard even
when they've already got their
working gear on.

No, I think things should be
left as they are. A change will
lead to abuses and only put
added pressure on the dis­
patchers.

Backa Revised Pension
Another subject calls for

some study and remedy, and
that is our retirement plan. We
truly have a fine one when a
man is able to retire at any age
if he is disabled and has the
required years of seatime. But

I think we should go this one
better if our plan can afford it.

I think a man should have
the voluntary right to retire at
60 years of age with a threa-
quarter pension and at 65 should
be able to draw his full pension
if he desires. All of this is con­
tingent on the ability of the
plan to swing it, if not now, then
sometime in the near future.

Paul Arthofer
SS Del Mar
$1 $1

Del Norte Aid
Lauded By Wife
To the Editor:

1 wish to express my thanks
and gratitude to the members
of the SIU and the crew of the
Del Norte who were so nice to
me during the illness and death
of my husband, Clarence Thi-
bodeaux. \

1 also want to thank the staff
at the USPHS hospital in New
Orleans for everything it did
to help during his illness. Many
thanks and God bless all of you.

Mrs. Clarence Thibodeauz
4 4" 4

Wacosta Crew
Haiis Skipper
To the Editor:

The Wacosta has just made a
run from Gulfport, Miss., to
Kunsan, Korea. We are now re­
turning to the Gulf via Moji,
Japan, and San Pedro. The ship
will probably go on the East-
Coast - Gulf-California-Far East
run.

Enclosed is a picture of our
skipper, H. M. Samuels. He's
the best skipper anyone wants
to sail with. He will do anything
and go out of his way for any­

one if he pos­
sibly can. If
anyone fouls
up he gets a
good^ talking-
to on the first
go-round. But
when a guy
continues get-
ting in trou­
ble, well then
he's . got no­

body to blame but himself.
Once the ship leaves port the

skipper passes out a draw list
and, after it is returned, he puts
out the draw. Everyone on
board just couldn't believe get­
ting a draw in the middle of tha
Pacific Ocean. Every couple of
days in port you naturally have
it coming to you.

Captain Samuels is a wonder­
ful man to sail with and sure
likes the food. So anyone who
wants to sail on a good ship with
a fine skipper would do well
sailing the Wacosta. But anyone
who continues to foul up should
beware of her.

Eugene Rajr
4i 4 4

Ship Sanitation
Poses Problem
To the Editor:

Is it possible to take any or­
ganized action to prevent steve­
dores and unauthorized natives
In foreign ports from coming
aboard ship and invading the
crews' quarters, messhall, recre­
ation room and toilets, thus
leaving them in a most unsani­
tary condition?

1 have observed the reluc­
tance of most crewmembers to
participate in correcting this sit­
uation. They seem to ignore it
or run away from it. Why?

Sanitation is of prime im­
portance both at sea and in port,
not to mention peace and quiet
so a man cap sleep when off
watch. After all, the ship is our
home.

John Geese, OS
SS John B. Kuiukundie

Samuels



N*Tcmber g. 19S7 SEAFARERS LOG Pac* Thirteen

* v.:-v

%

. STIIL ARCHITICT , (Islhmlin),
••Irt. •—Chairman, V. Rlzxute; Sacra-
tary, O, Sauar. Dlaciused milk altua-
Mon. Ona man mUaed ahlp Long Beach,
waa turned in at San Fran. hall.
Crawa foc'alei and meaehall to ba
painted. Keep bathrooma clean. Glaiaes
and allverwara to be kept separately
ao no ona will ba cut.

STEEL VOYACER (Isthmian), Sept.
35—Chairman, E. Atkins; Secratary, K.
Juachtar. All keys to be given to dele­
gate before leaving ship at payoff.
Ship's fund, S9.82. Delegate said a
check will be made, about subsistence
while in drydock, June 24. Steward
to check on poor grade of coffee and
meat.

In galley also leak in galley. One fire­
man alek. A ahip't treasury waa aug-
pested and donated at SI per member.

WESTPORT (World Tramping
Agency), Sept. 32—Chairman, R. Crat-
tky; Secretary C. Stack. Ship's fund,
$9. Repairs In deck dept. Glasses and
dishes are ordered. Delegate to see
captain for Union news. Radio oper­
ator said he will not cooperate.

DEL CAMPO (Mist.), Sept. 14
Chairman, H. Karitan; Secratary, C.
Braaux. All repairs made. Ship's fund,
SB.IO. New delegate elected. Take bet­
ter care of washing machine. Do not
empty coffee grounds in pantry sink.
No beefs.

CHiWAWA (Cities Service), Sept. 2«
—Chairman, F. Raid; Secretary, L.
Hagmann. Crew to strip bunks and
leave rooms in clean condition. Aleet-

MARORB (Ore. Nay.), Sept. 17—
Chairman, F. Stone; Secretary, A.
Murry. Ship's fund, $3.02. One man
hospitalized in San Juan, PR. Patrol­
man to see steward about cooperating
with ship's delegate. Ice water to be
put on tables. All hands to donate Si
to ship's fund.

SEATRAiN NEW JERSEY (Seatrain),
Sept. 21—Chairman, R. Bruden; Sec­
retary,' J. Lahwyk. Steward to put
more crackers and dinner plates out.
Coffee cups not to be left on fan tail.
Delegate elected for • Safety Commit­
tee program. Steward to see patrol­
man at payoff.

SEATRAiN SAVANNAH (Seatrain),
Sept. 23—Chairman, J. Ciovani; Sec­
retary, W. Logan. Ship's fund, $44.22.
Ships delegate elected. Motion made
to have poop deck washed every day.
and steward to see about getting more
stores. Steward to get more glasses
for mcssroom.

SHiNNECOCK BAY (Tank Ship),
Aug. 25 — Chairman, G. Skendeias;
Secretary, none. Delegate G. Skendeias
resigning. New ship's delegate elected.
Repair list to be mhde, new wash­
ing machine to be bought.

JEFFERSON CITY VICTORY (Vic­
tory Carriers), July 4—Chairman, E.
Wright; Secretary, C. Makuch. New
delegate elected. Speak to captain
about opening slop chest so new men
may purchase cigarettes. Membership
to refrain from throwing things out
of portholes. Also, to put garbage
and trash cans over stern. Recreation
hall to be locked in port. Library to
be kept in good condition by mem­
bership and cleaned by deck, eng. and
stew. dept. on alternate weeks. Gang­
way watch to have keys.

Sept. 21—Chairman, R. Danville;
Secretary, E. Wright. Three new hos­
pital slips at Long Beach. Motion
made that crew of Jefferson City Vic­
tory go on record as retaining the
hourly job calls as at present. New
debarkation ladders needed for ail
life boats. Wooden covers needed on
No. 4 hatch.

STEEL DIRECTOR (isthmian), Sept.
14—Chairman, J. Rose; Secretary, J.
O'Neii. Repair lists turned in. Vote of
thanks to cooks for good work and
cooperation. Ship's fund. $13. Acquaint
ship's delegate with beefs. Electrician
thanks crew for flowers sent to sick
mother. To keep foc'sles tidy. H eard
aliens requested to abide by shipping
rules.

WACOSTA. (Waterman), Sept. 5—
Chairman, H. Graham; Sacratary, E.
Ray. One man was logged, excessive
drinking aboard. One man hospital­
ized at Honolulu. Secretary-reporter
and treasurer elected. Ship's fund,
S17.60. Expenses $3.40. Man promoted
to 4th mate due to mate getting off
sick at Panama. Some overtime dis­
puted. "Beef about thickness of steaks.
Outside passageway to be kept clear
and no dumping of garbage overside.

JOHN B. WATERMAN (Waterman),
Aug. 4—Chairman, N. West; Secre­
tary, G. Thornhiil. Chief mate spoken
to about putting hospital in shape,
and about more equipped slop chest
which was promised to be taken care
of very soon. Black gang and deck
dept. needs ' escape ' panel* repaired.
Keya.for wipers foc'ale. First aid kit

KYSKA (Waterman), Sept. 15 —
Chairman, J. Touart; Secretary, J.
Thomas. Alcn on voyage 61 to inquire
about lodging while ship in Osaka,
Japan; also men to collect lodging
this voyage from shipyard in Alemeda,
Calif. Film* purchased. Ship's fund,
$21.29. Valve in pantry coffee urn to
be repaired. Vote of thanks to stew­
ard dept. for fine Job; also vote of
thanks to men taking care of movies.

Ing chairman gave vote of thanks to
ship's engineers on Installing addi­
tional ducts to make quarters cooler.
A vote of thanks also by membership
to ship's delegate on job well done.

DOROTHY (Bull), Aug. 1$—Chair­
man, G. Bremman; Secretary, T.
Greaney. Everything running smoothly
all departments. Need fans in mess
hall. Communications posted. Repair
list to be submitted so necessary re­
pairs can be made in port.

STEEL ARTISAN (Isthmian), June
23—Chairman, A. Magdiriia; Secre­
tary, D. Grant. Members warned not
to distribute beer to Arabian natives
due to strict liquor law. Mall to be
given to agent. All doors to be locked
along, passageways. One man missed
ship. Vote of thanks to steward dept.

WELLESLEY VICTORY (Isthmian),
Sept. 12—Chairman, C. Parker; Sec­
retary, L. Banks. Keep doors locked
in order to keep natives and flies out
of passageway. Messman became ill tn
Sept. 8 in Colombo, Ceylon. It was
Sept. 9 before doctor came to ship.

MASSMAR (Calmer), Sept. 19 —
Chairman, W. Zaieski; Secretary, F.
McCaii. New locks on repair list. Food
has improved since being at sea. Ef­

fort made to maintain quality while
In port.

FLOMAR (Calmer), Sept. 23—
Chairman, G. Stanley; Secretary, J.
Rockko. All companies to post on
board any special agreements in con­
tracts with Union.

July 14—Chairman, J. Dawlee; Sec­
retary, J. Gallagher. Repairs made.
Report accepted. Need some cots.
New delegate elected. Need fan* and
washing machine.

August S—Chairman, J. Gallagher;
Secretary, T. Lampheat. One man
missed ship. New delegate elected.
Better preparation of food; spot
sougee recreation room; obtain more
cots en east coast.

PAN OCEANIC TRANSPORTER
(Penn Nav.), Oct. 11—Chairman, A.
Hoag; Secretary, F. Neeiy. Three
men fired—too much di'inking and
performing. Ship's fund $6.80. New
delegate elected. General discussion
re: drinking on board.

TOPA TOPA (Waterman), Oct. 17—
Chairman, L. Wing; Secretary, F.
Kustura. Two men missed ship in
San Pedro. Ship's fund $33. Few
hours disputed ot. To be settled at
payoff. Repair lists to be submitted
to delegate. Vote of thanks to chief
rook for delicious pizza pie.

HASTINGS (Waterman), Sept. 2»—
Chairman, B. Winborne; Secretary, J.
Weils. New delegate elected. Chair­
men for each department to be elect­
ed for safety committee. All beefs to
be referred to dept. delegate. Pump
on washing machine to be repaired.
First meeting this trip—ship in idle
status 15 days—new crew aboard and
some old Union men—delegates' Job
ail taken care of—should have a good
trip.

CHOCTAW (Waterman), July 13—
Chairman, A. Louavet; Secrotary, P.
Mapes. Gear of man who missed ship
in Inchon taken to hall in Frisco.
Meeting held in Frisco concerning
food. Ship's fund 7.00 and 200 yen.
Some disputed ot. One man missed
ship in Campbell River. $10 from
arrival pool placed in ship's fund.

August 11—Chairman, W. Lewis;
Secretary, P. Mapes. Two men'missed
ship in Moji. One man sent to hospi­
tal in Pu.san. Captain states there is
a question concerning bonus in For­
mosa. $17 and 200 yen to man in
Inchon trip before he came out of
hospital on short funds. Two men
missed ship in Moji. 16 hours dis­
puted ot.

Sept. 21—Chairman, C. Kozioi; Sec­
retary, J. Katsos. Good food. Must
write to company for bonus in For­
mosa for last trip. Excellent food
prepared by cooks. New delegate
elected. Vote of thanks for retU-ing
ship's delegate.

Oct. 5—Chairman, F. Gesse; Secre­
tary, J. Katsos. Request change of
soap in pantry; larger bath towels.
One man missed ship In Yokohama
and re.loined at Inchon. Ship's fund
$7.84. Some disputed ot. Complaints
about chief mate working. Scupper
in pantry to be repaired. Engineer
to comply with request.

SEATRAIN LOUISIANA (Seatrain),
Oct. 20—Chairman, V. Whitney; Sec­
retary, C. Kreiss. Some disputed ot.
To be taken up with patrolman. Ship's
fund $79.19. Reports accepted. Dis­
cussion on coffee situation. Need
larger blankets, more fresh fruit. Vote
of thanks to' steward dept. for job
well done.

COALINCA HILLS (Pan-Aiiantic),
Oct. 12—Chairman; F. Leonard; Sec­
retary, H. Orlando. Some disputed
ot. Reports accepted. Two men
missed ship In Corpus Chrlsti, to be
turned over to patrolman. Repair list
to be submitted. Discussion on new
washing machine—present on* in very
bad condition.

MAXTON (Pan-Atlantic), Oct- 22—
Chairman, J. Leikun; Secretary, P.
Cathcart. Everything running smooth­
ly. No beef*. Ship'* fund $24.30. One
man missed ship. Some disputed ot.

SlU Tanker men: SS Mermaid

Close-up views of SlU crew-
members on the tanker Mer­
maid catch this trio in vari­
ous moods while they take in
the sun on deck. Those pic­
tured (I to r] ore identified
only OS "Aussie," "Dayman"
and Finnian "Preacher"
Davis. The photos ore the
work of Seafarer John F. Wun-
derlich, who takes his cam­
era hobby seriously.

Leg In Cast
Cuts No Ice
With Mate

The value of immediately
contacting the Union follow­
ing any injury or accident was
dramatically pinpointed recently
by the case of an SUP brother on
the Steel Surveyor.

After a bad fall on some cobble­
stones near the guard gate at Mas-
savva, Eritrea, Jack Dykes, AB, was
neglected almost two weeks before
he was finally taken to the Seventh
Day Adventist Hospital in Karachi,
Pakistan, for X-ray and treatment.
The ship had left Massawa the eve­
ning of the accident, by which time
his left leg had already become
swollen.

Five Days at Anchor
The Surveyor subsequently spent

I five days at anchor in Karachi and
then two more tied up at a dock
until Dykes was taken ashore for
treatment. This was 13 days after
the accident. He was hospitalized
there overnight, treated for a

I fracture and then fitted with a cast.
Only six days later, at Bombay,

[India, he was asked by the mate
if he "thought" he could turn to
"on light duty." He was told to
"think" it over and "talk" it over
before giving an answer. Dykes
then spoke to the captain, who ap-
pai-ently felt he was "able" despite
the cast. The skipper said the "re­
quest" to turn to amounted to an

I order.
Union Contacted

SIU welfare services came into
I the picture, once the ship's dele­
gate contacted Union headquarters
in New York. The union contacjied
the company and thereafter Dykes
was not bothered about turning to.
He later returned from Colombo,
Ceylon, to the States on the Steel

I Traveler.
Had Union eiforts not be(?n

[brought into play. Dykes might
have been forced to do even worse
damage to his leg than the original
injury and the 13-^ay delay in get­
ting it treated. "I felt It would be
a detriment to my own safety and
certainly the safety of the crew if
I were required to stand even

I gangway watches in that condi­
tion," he added..-

'Vizag' Layover Makes
Steel Age Lots Older

Vizagapatam has taken its toll again. The Steel Age has
aged considerably since it got to this antiquated Indian port,
also known as "Vizag" to its intimates, but better known
for long, dreary delays,

"After laying at anchor out­
side of Indian and Pakistani
ports for interminable periods, we
really got it at Vizagapatam," re­
ports Carl von Herrmann, chief
electrician. "Arriving Sept. 18, we
anchored three miles out and broke
sea watches. For the next several
weeks we studied the general to­
pography of our surroundings or
speculated about the comings and
goings of the ships.

"After three weeks native canoes
appeared, and the more daring —
or to be exact, the most thirsty—
rode through the surf to land on
the beach below the town. T. W.
Little Red' Sinson, DM, and Jesse

T. Green, OS, built a canvas-cov­
ered boat for their own transporta­
tion, but then the mate wouldn't
let them lower it.

On Oct. 13 we entered the port
to refuel andHhen left. Oct. 22
we reentered to anchor in the river.
It is hoped we may leave Nov. 7
for Baltimore with a full load of
ore. '

'Vizag' is a small industrial port
with the social and amusement
possibilities of a dry North Dakota
hamlet," von Herrmann pointed
out. "There is a seaman's club
where you can buy beer for $1.50 a
bottle—and little else.

"Considering that this will be a
trip of 27 weeks with very, very
little overtime and lots of time on
our hands, the morale of the men.

is outstanding," he said. Wayne
Webb, ship's delegate, was credited
with "a fine job" of soothing over
personal differences, etc.

An appreciative note was also
directed to the crew of the SUP-
manned Pacificus, which lent a
hand when the Steel Age ran out
of smokes and provided 500 packs
of cigarettes.

Show Seatime
To Enter PHS

The US Public Health Serv­
ice hospitals wish to remind
Seafarers that it is necessary
to show proof of eligibilty in
order to obtain treatment at
any PHS facility.

Such proof should show 60
days of seatime, time which is to
have been completed not more
than 90 days before applying
for treatment. Extensions on
the 90 days are permitted un­
der special circumstances such
as in times of shipping slump
or maritime strikes. It is
waived where a seaman is
taken off a vessel because of
illness or injury suffered while
on duty.

The PHS announcement re­
minds Seafarers that discharges
alone are not sufficient evi­
dence of seatime but are help­
ful in establishing time along
with other evidence.

Last Rites For A Brother

Heads bowed, crewmen on the Ocean Eva listen silently as Copt.
W. E. Badeou intones burial service for Searforer Leonard Marsh,
who passed oway in Japan. The Eva conducted the buriol at sea
on Sept. 21 after Marsh's body was delivered to the ship in Yoke-



Pag* Fonrteea SEAFARERS LOG November 8, 1957

m:..

All's Well On Losmar

Pictures from the eastbound
voyage of the Losmar on the
Intercoostal run show bosun
Lorry Tryon (top) trying to
light a smoke while the ship
takes on a starboard list.
Above, steward A. W. Per­
kins (left) and Francis Alcain,
chief cook, take it easy in
foc'sle during work lull. Bobbie
Glenn, AB, (right), is the man
at the wheel trying to make
the helmsman's job look easy.
Around the life-ring (below,
I to r), ore Tony Evonosich,
wiper; an unnamed fireman,
and Lester Dick, wiper. All
photos by William Thompson.

iiiii*
>

I'/JW

SiU, A&G District
BALTIMORE 1216 E. Baltimore St.
Earl Sheppard. Agent EAstern 7-4900
BOSTON 276 State St.
James Sheehan. Agent Richmond 2-0140
HOUSTON 4202 Canal St.
Robert Matthews. Agent

Capital 3-4089; 3-4080
LAKE CHARLES. La.
Leroy Clarke. Agent

1419 Ryan St.
HEmlock 6-5744

MOBILE 1 South Lawrence St.
Cal Tanner. Agent HEmlock 2-1754
MORGAN CITY ...
Tom Gould. Agent

912 Front St.
Phone 2156

NEW ORLEANS 523 BleilvUle St.
Lindsey Williams. Agent . Tulane 8626
NEW YORK 675 4tb Ave.. Brooklyn

HYacinth 9-6600
NORFOLK 127-129 Bank St.
Ben Rees. Agent MAdlson 2-9834
PHILADELPHIA 337 Market St.
S. CarduUo. Agent Market 7-1635
PUERTA da TIERRA PR 101 Pelayo
Sal CoUs. Agent Phone 2-5996
SAN FRANCISCO 450 Harrison St.
Marty BrelthoH. Agent Douglas 2-5475
SAVANNAH 2 Abercorn St.
E. B. McAuley. Agent Adams 3-1728
SEATTLE 2505 1st Ave.
Jeff Gillette. Agent EUiott 4334
TAMPA 1809-1811 N. Franklin St.
Tom Banning. Agent Phone 2-1323
WILMINGTON, CalU 505 Marine Ave.
Reed Humphries. Agent Terminal 4-2874
HEADQUAKTERS....67S 4th Ave.. Bklyn.

SECRETARY-TREASURER
Paul HaU

ASST. SECRCTARY-TREASURERS
J. Alglna. Deck C. Simmons. Joint
J. Volplan, Eng. W. HaU, Joint
B. Mooney. Std. R. Matthews. Joint

SUP
HONOLULU 16 Merchant St.

Phone S BITJ
PORTLAND 211 SW Clay St.

CApital 3-4336
RICHMOND. CalU....510 Macdonald Ave.

BEacon 2-0925
SAN FRANCISCO 450 Harrison St.

Douglas 2-8363
SEATTLE. .2505 1st Ave.

Main 0290
WILMINGTON 505 Marine Ave.

Terminal 4-3131
NEW YORK 675 4th Ave., Brooklyn

HYacinth 9-6165

Canadian District
HALIFAX. N.S 128^ HoUls St.

Phone 3-8911
MONTREAL 634 St. James St. West

PLateau 8161
FORT WILLIAM 408 Simpson St.

Ontario Phone: 3-3221
PORT COLBORNB 103 Durham St.

Ontario Phone: 5591
TORONTO. Ontario-. 272 King St. E.

EMplre 4-5719
VICTORIA. BO 61714 Cormorant St.

EMpire 4531
VANCOUVER. BC ....298 Main St.

PacUlo 3468
SYDNEY. NS 304 Charlotte St.

Phone: 6346
BAGOTVILLE, Quebeo 20 Elgin St.

Phone: 645
THOROLD, Ontario 52 St. Davids St.

CAnal 7-3202
QUEBEC 44 Sault-au-Matelot

Quebeo Phone: 3-1569
SAINT JOHN 177 Prince WUllam St.

NB OX 2-5431

Great Lakes District
ALPENA 1215 N. Second Ave.

Phone: 713-J
BUFFALO. NY 180 Main St.

Phone: Cleveland 7391
CLEVELAND 734 Lakeside Ave.. NE

Phone: Main 1-0147
DETROIT.. 1038 3rd St.

Phone: Woodward 1-6857
DULUTH 621 W. Superior St.

Phone: Randolph 2-4110
SOUTH CHICAGO 3261 E. 92nd St.

Phone: Essex 5-2410

Urges Interest
In Sea Tradition
To the Editor:

In recent years, I feel, too
little attention has been paid to
the tradition of the sea by the
average seaman. I also fee! that
a great deal of the basic pride
in going to sea Is bound In this
tradition.

The LOG did run a fine series
or articles describing the devel­
opment of the modern sea union
and the part played in this by

Letters To
The Editor

All letters to the editor jar
publication in the SEAFAR­
ERS LOG must be signed
by the writer. Names laill
be withheld upon request.

Andrew Furuseth and many
others. These articles were ex­
ceptionally good.

There are other broad areas
In the siea tradition which I feel
should be brought more to the
attention of the seaman. The
technical and fictional writings
of such men as Thomas WoHe,
Robert Louis Stevenson, Na­
thaniel Bowditch, Jack London
and many others have devel­
oped Into a large and readable
field of literature which the
average seaman should have
more access to.

Also to be considered are the
poets, artists and dexterous
craftsmen who have added a
vast wealth of material from
which the average seaman
would benefit if he examined
some of their work. There is a
great amount of literature based
on the true and fictional adven­
tures and exploits of seamen.

Of course, as Important as the
forementioned sources, are the
men who developed and handed
down from generation to gener­
ation the basic elements of good
seamanship in sketches, notes
and articles.

I think you would find a great
deal of interest aroused If you
would carry a series of articles
In the LOG explaining to the
average seaman the interest,
benefit and pleasure to be
gained by examining some of
this material. You might also
tell of the various libraries, mu­
seums, public buildings and
shore points where they might
get books and examine some of
these things.

Bob Parker

LOG Makes Hit
At VA Hospital
To the Edltori

I see from the LOG that
things are still going along In
SIU style. My wife gets the

LOG but It is sometimes slow
In getting to me at the hospital
so I'd appreciate getting one
separately. All the fellows here
enjoy reading it.

The way I feel today I would
ride any SIU ship afloat, even
the Ore Line. I also would be
very glad to hear from any ship­
mates, especially Bill Schaffer.
I'm at the VA Hospital, Brecks-
ville, Ohio.

Llndell B. Morgan

4- 4"

Thanks Director
For Fiorai Gift
To the Editor:

I'd like to thank the crew of
the Steel Director for their
thoughtfulness in sending flow­
ers to my mother while she was
hospitalized.

She is out of the hospital now
and recuperating very satisfac­
torily. The kindness of my ship­
mates was deeply appreciated.

Leon White

4> 4 4>

Purser Lauded
As Ship Medic
To the Editor:

We'd like to extend a word of
thanks to the purser, John Cole­
man, of the apparent hospital
ship, M/V Del Oro.

The Del Oro took on the ap­
pearance of a hospital ship on
her last trip to South America.
The casualty and sick list in­
cluded a back injury, a broken
foot, a broken arm, two eye
Injuries, four cases of Asian flu,
a case of severe neck arthritis

and a brother
repat riated
from Rio with a
broken- leg.

The steward,
"Hungry" Hen­
ry, was put
ashore in Maya-
guez, PR, on
the way south

Coleman with a nasal
hemorrhage. He later joined
the ship in Belem, Brazil, and
still later became one of the:
victims of the flu. We lost our
2nd electrician in Porto Alegro,
Brazil, with a possible case of
tuberculosis. However, we hope
this proves untrue.

But back to our purser and
medical officer, who has dis­
played competence more than
equal to the situation. He has
been up all hours administering
treatment and medication to his
many wards. The ex-patients
express nothing but praise for
him.

Plenty more—all good—could
be said about him by the crew
of the Del Oro, for he does his
best without complaint. So any
brother shipping aboard this
ship In the future may rest well
assured that he will receive ex­
cellent medical attention thanks
to "Doc" Coleman.

The Crew
SS Del Oro

I

f

NUTSY, Y'KNOW SOMETHIN'
ABOUT mis NBW, qUICK'
PRYIAI' PAWT...

. •

veAH" IKNOM//!
IT X»tfFsctUk:Kll



November 8, 1957 SEAJFARERS LOG Pare FIftfca

All o1 the following SW families have received a |200 maternity
benefit plus a $25 bond from the Union In the baby's name:
Archibald William Bell, born

October 8, 1957, to Seafarer and
Mri. Archibald Bell Jr., Jenkin-
town, Pa.

Steven Maltin, born September
1, 1957, to Seafarer and Mrs. Raul
M. Maltin, Brooklyn, NY.

Mark Joseph Campbell, born
September 11, 1957, to Seafarer
and Mrs. Joseph L. Campbell,
Oklahoma City, Okla.

Rhonda Wynatti Morris, born
September 23, 1957, to Seafarer
and Mrs. Richard M. Morris Jr.,
Vinemont, Ala.

Jimmy Narvaez, born September
8, 1957, to Seafarer and Mrs. Felipe
Narvaez, Hotfcton, Texas.

Gary Lamar Pryor, born October
14. 1957, to Seafarer and Mrs.
Clarence Pryor, Crighton, Ala.

Ginger Ellen Sullivan, born Sep­
tember 10, 1957, to Seafarer and
Mrs. Robert L. Sullivan, Wiekiffe,
Ky

Michael Patrick Takacs, born
October 7, 1957, to Seafarer and
Mrs. Joseph M. Takacs, Philadel­
phia, Pa.

Wanda Jean Allen, born July 23,
1957, to Seafarer and Mrs. James
C. Allen, New Orleans, La.

Cheryl Lynn Faihi, born October
11, 1957, to Seafarer and Mrs. Vin­
cent'Faini, Norristown, Pa.

Cynthia Anne Kolenovsky, born

October 3, 1957, to Seafarer and
Mrs. Edward H. Kolenovsky, Gal­
veston, Texas.

Painted Ships
Move Faster,
English Report

A recent English survey has re­
vealed that a good paint Job on
a ttoip's; hull will not only
add to Its appearance, but may
increase Its spend by as much as
one<rhalf a knot.

British National Physical Lab­
oratories have been conducting in­
vestigations on the effect of the
surface resistance of a ship and
found that a well painted vessel,
which'Can normally do 15 biots,
may save seven and onerhalf hours"
on a trip from Southampton, Eng­
land to New York. This Is tjie
equivalent of a steady speed of 15
and one-half knots.

They also discovered that there
is less surface resistance on a ship
that has been welded than'on one
that is riveted, and the bigger the
ship, the greater the difference.

Greeting Dad Right On The Ship

Seafarer Alex McElhenny's daughter Barbara Diane, SVz, waits
for him to pack his gear after signing off the Josefino. Ship hod
been out on 11-month voyage.

I
EVERY I

SUNDAY I DIRECT VOICE
BROADCAST I

I
I

TO SHIPS IN ATLANTIC EUROPEAN
AND SOUTH AMERICAN WATERS

"THE VOICE OF THE MTD V?

iVERY SUNDAY. 1620 GMT 111:20 EST Sunday)

WFK-39. 198S0 KCs Ships in Caribbean, East Coast
of South America, South Atlan­
tic and East Coast of United
States.

WFL-85, 15350 KCs Ships in Gulf of Mexico, Carib­
bean, West Coast of South
America, West Coast of Mexico
and US East Coast.

WFK-95, 15700 KCs

\

Ships in Mediterranean area.
North Atlantic, European ana
US East Coast.

Meanwhile, MTD 'Round-The-World
Wireless Broadcasts Continue . . .

El cry Sunday, 1915 GMT
(2:15 PM EST Sunday)
WCO-13020 KCs
Europe and North America

WCO-16908.8 KCs
East Coast South America

WCO-22407 KCs
West Coast South America

Every Monday, 0315 GMT
(10:15 PM EST Sundoi/)

WMM 25-15607 KCs
Australia

WMM 81-11037.5
Northwest Pacific

MARITIME TRADES DEPARTMENT

FINAL DISPATCH
James F. Kane, 43: Brother Kane

was lost at sea on
February 6, 1956,
while aboard the
SS Ocean Debo­
rah. He became a
full member of
the Union on No­
vember 17, 1947,
and sailed in the
steward depart­
ment.

t t
Clarence Crevier, 54: Brother

Crevier died on September 19,
1957, in Oakland Beach, RI. Death
was due to a heart ailment. Surviv­
ing is his sister, Agnes B. Paren-
teau, of Providence RI. He became
a full member of the Union on
September 18, 1947, and sailed in
the engine department. Place of
burial is unknown.

t.
Robert P. McDonough, 22: Broth­

er Robert P. McDonough died
on August 10, 1957, in Puerto Rico.
He became a full member of the
Union on March 8, 1957, and sailed
in the deck department. Brother
McDonough is survived" by his
father, Daniel F. McDonough, of
Jamaica Plain, Mass. Burial took

Senators Hear
Union-Busters

(Continued from page 3)
another "counseler" tp counteract
the anti-union feeling and help in­
stall a company-picked organiza­
tion without an election.

Testimony was brought out that
the firm prevents union organizing
by threatening to dismiss and
actually dismissing union em­
ployees, and by offering union or­
ganizers high paying jobs if they
would quit the union. Then it sets
up an "independent" union or com­
mittee and1)ersuades reliable em­
ployes to run for offices in it.

A St. Louis industrial relations
consultant testified that he had
turned down a salary "in the high
five figures" to take assignments
with Shefferman in advising clients
on "how to set up an independent
union." The consultant, who had
worked for many years for federal
agencies, refused the job because
his reputation "just couldn't take
It."

place in St. Joseph's Cemetery in
Jamaica Plain, Mass.

4" 4
John W. Smitii, 38: Brother

Smith disappeared at sea while a
crewmember of the SS Iberville on
April 7, 1957. He became a full
member of the Union on August
20, 1956, and sailed in the engine
department. He is survived by his
mother, Mamie Beck of Absecon,
NJ.

4" t
August Schroter, 63: A cerebral

hemorrhage was
the cause of death
of Brother
Schroter on Sep­
tember 24, 1957,
in Funehal, Ma­
deira. He became
a full member of
the Union on
May 10, 1944, and
was sailing in the
steward department. Brother Schro­
ter is survived by his wife, Johanna
Schroter, of Hoboken, New Jersey.
He was buried in English Ceme­
tery, Funehal, Madeira.

4" 4" 4
Jerome D. Moynihan, 48: Broth­

er Moynihan died
due to a disorder
of the circulatory
system on Sep­
tember 10, 1957.
Death took place
in San Francisco,
Calif. He became
a full member of
the Union on De­
cember 21, 1943,

and was sailing in the deck depart­
ment. Brother Moynihan is sur­
vived by his wife, Dorothy Moyni­
han, of Hopkinton, Mass. He was
buried in St. John's Cemetery,
Hopkinton, Mass.

Make Checks
To 'SlU-A&G'

Seafarers mailing in checks
or money orders to the Union
to cover dues payments are
urged to be sure to make all of
them payable to the SIU-A&G
District.

Some Seafarers have sent in
checks and money orders in the
names of Individual headquar­
ters officials. This makes for a
problem in bookkeeping which
can be avoided if checks are
made out to the Uiiion directly.

Personals
And Notices

Alexander Potorski
Headquarters has your gear and

membership book.
4" 4 4*

Martinez
ex-Ocean Deborah

Contact Ed E. Cooper, SUP, 2701
Flannery Road, San Pablo, Califor­
nia, concerning money.

4 4 4
Eric W, Johnson ,

Richie is very anxious to hear
from you. Please write or phone
collect.

4 4 4
Benjamin Mignano ^

Contact Robert Benedict, 115
Pelif-astie Street, New Orleans
15, La.

4 4 4
Stanley Newman

Please get in touch with your
wife, or her brother-in-law, H. M.
Fox, at 31 Lyttleton Ave., Charles­
ton 34, SC.

4 4 4
Headley F. White '

Contact Princess Hotel, PO Bbx
998, Dar Es Salaam, Tanganyika.'

4 4 4
Phillip Giordano

Anybody knowing whereabouts
of this man please contact Mrs.

" • • I'

Odessa Giordano, Route 2, Pelzer,
South Carolina.

4 4 4
Ex-City Of Alma

Whoever picked up Erling John-
sen's suitcase by mistake on Oc­
tober 8 is asked to please leave it
at the headquarters baggage room.

3,000 Paid
SlU Baby $
Since 1952

SIU maternity benefits paid to
Seafarers on the birth of their
children passed the 3,000 mark
last month. As of October, 25 the
Seafarers Welfare Plan had paid
out over $604,000 for this.benefit
alone in 5ii years since it was
instituted.

The maternity benefit provides
$200 for each child born to a Sea­
farer with additional benefits for
multiple births. The SIU also chips
in a $25 US defense bond for each
child from the Union's own funds.
Bonds issued thus far under the
program have a maturity value of
more than ,$75,000.

Other benefit figures released
by the Plan show death benefits
nearing the $2 million mark and
hospital benefits paid directly to
Seafarers standing at $1,189,000.
All told, the Welfare Plan has paid
out over $4,300,000 in direct cash
benefits to Seafai'ers, not counting
expenditures fm- meal books, lodg­
ing facilities, recreation and train­
ing.

X



•

SEAFARERS LOG
• OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT • AFL-CIO *

Scientist Doubts
Commercial Use
Of Atom Ships

Strong doubt as to the possible commercial usefulness of
an atom-powered ship was implied in a magazine article by
Dr. Edward Teller, widely-known - as the "father of the
hydrogen bomb." Writing in^
the fall, 1957, issue of "The
Lamp," official publication of
the Standard Oil Company of New
jersey. Dr. Teller expressed skepti­
cism over use of atomic energy in
any but large stationary shoreside
power plants. Meanwhile, the Mari-

. time Administration announced
that the first atom-powered mer­
chant ship will be named the Sa­
vannah and revealed it is planning
a second such ship with a gas tur­
bine plant.

Previously, the US atom ship
project had come under sharp at­
tack in the "Pacific Shipper," a
West Coast maritime magazine. The
magazine called expenditures on
the subject "a wild goose chase but
dimly related to the American mer­
chant marine" and said that such
ahips are in the "kindergarten
atage."

Dr. Teller's article dealt gen­
erally with the prospects for atomic
energy as compared to oil, coal and
other conventional fuels. He
pointed out that all atomic reactors
require "intricate machinery" for
long distance handling of the
highly-radioactive contents. This
machinery is "not much more ex­
pensive for a big unit than for a
amall one."

100,000 Kilowatt Minimum
He continues, "Therefore, the

best use of atomic energy will be in
operation where great amounts of
energy are required. At the present
time 100,000 kilowatts would seem
to be a fair figure."

Translating kilowatts Into horse­
power means a plant of that size
would put out 134,000 electrical
horsepower, according to engineer­
ing manuals. Allowing for the in­
evitable loss of efficiency between
the reactor and the prop, even a
relatively inefficient plant could be
expected to salvage about 65 per­
cent of the initial horsepower out­
put.

That would mean that an eco­

nomical unit for a ship would put
out at least 87,000 shaft horse­
power, or roughly ten times the
amount ol power needed for a con­
ventional freightship in the C-3
size and speed class.

What about bigger ships? The
giant supertanker Universe
Leader rates at only 19,259 shaft
horsepower, and It is an 85,000-ton
vessel, although admittedly a slow
one with a cruising speed of 14
knots. The 32,000-ton Cities Service
Baltimore, which can do around
I6V2 knots, has 15,000 shaft horse­
power. The 45,000-ton World Glory
also gets by on 15,000 horseS.

Extremely High-Powered Ships
It doesn't take much figuring to

see that such a plant would be use­
ful only in an extremely-large high
speed passenger ship or on naval
vessels. The carrier Forrestal, for
example, puts out an enormous
250,000 horsepower from its plant,
but nobody pretends the Forrestal
is run on a profit or loss basis. The
Cunard Queens lun on 160,000
shaft horsepower each, but nobody
except Cunard contemplates pas­
senger ships as large as these.

As Dr. Teller puts it, "it" is less
likely that atomic energy will
become very important in the
heating of dwelling . . . Atomic
energy is even less likely to be
widely used in transportation . . .
It has been demonstrated that ships
can be propelled by atomic energy.
Eventually this kind of propulsion
may be rather generally accepted,
(our emphasis) athough ex­
treme precautions will be neces­
sary . . . The first applications are,
of course, those where expense
does not count, and that means
military applications."

As for atomic locomotives. Dr.
Teller called such a device "a most
ingenious solution of the question
how to combine minimum utility
with maximum danger."

Port

Boston
New York ...
Philadelphia

October 16 Through October 29
Registered »###••••••

Tampa
Mobile

Lake Charles
Houston
Wilmington

t e e e e e e e «

0*ck Dane Bns. •ng. Staw. Staw. Total - Total Total
A • . A B A B '^A ' ' B'

"5"4 6 3 6 , 3 5 1 17 7 , "5"4
66 17 46 14 49 9 161 40 201
21 1 14 5 9 6 • . 12 56
46 19 23 18 19 11 88 44 132
11 6 4 9 2 7 17 18 35
3 0 6 2 3 1 12 3 15
4 0 i 1 8 1 13

69
2 19

28 5 • 28 3 13 11
13
69 19 88

45 15 40 15 ^ 33 11 118 41 159
10 7 9 8 , 10 5 29 .20 49
23 ' 10 23 11 13 5 59 26 85
20 11 13 19 7 8 40 38 78
13 7 16 4 15 7 46 18 64
30 7 19 15 17 8 66 30 96

OccK Daca •ng. Bng. Staw. staw. Total Total Total
A B' A B A B. A ' B' . Sag.

1097 328 104 248 123 203 91 779 318
. Sag.

1097

Port Oack. Dock Dock
Shipped

Ing. Eng. Eng. Staw. Staw. Staw. Total Total Total Total

Boston
A ' B C A B. C A ' B c A • B c • Ship.

Boston 1 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 5 4 0 ; 9
New York ........ 12 7 73 21 9 72 5 3 242 38 19 299
Philadelphia 1 0 12 3 0 6 3- 0 34 7 0 41
Baltimore 15 3 42 26 4 35 14 1 146 55 8 209
Norfolk 3 2 3 4 1 2 5 1 14 12 4 30
Savannah 0 0 3 2 0 2 0 1 8 2 1 11
Tampa 2 2 7 0 3 5 1 1 20 3 6 29
Mobile 3 3 14 5 2 7 1 2 33 9 7 49
New Orleans 12 2 39 10 4 39 7 2 131 29 8 168
Lake Charles 5 0 12 6 0 5 6 0 27 17 0 44
Houston . 9 0 12 6 0 11 4 0 39 19 0 58
Wilmington 0 0 2 3 0 4 0 0 12 3 0 15
San Francisco 1 0 15 7 0 21 9 0 61 17 0 78
Seattle 15 0 22 15 0 15 4 1 59 34 1 94

Deck Deck Deck Eng. Eng. Eng. Staw. Stow. Staw. Total Total Total Total
A B c A B C A B C A B C Bhip.

Total 79 19 258 110 23 224 60 12 831 249 54 1134

one-day waiting period in the case
of an injury, and eight days for
those who take sick while away
from their ship. Benefits will be
paid for as long as the disability
lasts, up to 26 weeks.

All Set For The Seaway

Officers of Duluih Maritime Trades Council gather before map of
Great Lakes with Harry O'Reilly (2nd, left) Maritime Trades De­
partment secy-treas. Others ore (l-r) Harold Schneider, secy-
treos, American Federation of Groin Millers; Matt Anttila, Duluth
port agent, SlU Great Lakes District; E. L. Slaughter, secy-treas.
International Brotherhood of Longshoremen.

The end of the Bull Line strike boosted shipping last period to the highest point since
July. Total job activity also topped registration for the first time in four months and,
in the case of class A only, for the first time since April.

A total of 1,134 men were • — •
dispatched; registration fell
off to 1,097.

The resumption of Bull Line op­
erations and recrewing of idle
ships was felt principally in New
York and Baltimore, which listed
sharp gains in shipping. On the
West Coast, San Francisco bounced
back, and slight gains were also re­
ported for"~t»hiladelphla, Norfolk,
Savannah, Tampa, New Orleans
and Lake Charles.

Mobile and Houston were way
off during the period, which also
showed declines in Boston and
Seattle. Wilmington held to the
status quo

The ratio of men registered to
jobs was fairly constant in all three
departments. The number of men
shipped in the steward department
was only two more than the stew­
ard registration. In the deck and
engine departments, the gap be­
tween jobs and registration wag 20
or less.

Clas^ A's proportion of the total
jobs shipped rose to 73 percent,
while the ,«lass B total fell off to
22 percent. Class C also gained,
and accounted for five percent of
the total jobs. Six ports, Boston,
Philadelphia, Lake Charles, Hous­
ton, Wilmington and San Francis­
co, shipped no class C men at all.

The following is the forecast
port by port:

Boston: Slow . . . New York:
Good . . . Philadelphia: Good . .
Baltimore: Good . . . Norfolk: Slow
. . . Savannah: Slow . . . Tampa:
Fair .. . Mobile: Good . . . New Or­
leans: Good . . . Lake Charles: Fair
. . . Houston: Steady . . . Wilming­
ton: Slow . . . San Franelseo: Good
. . . Seattle: Good.

BME Sets Up Temporary
DisabiUty Benefits Plan

Benefits under the Brotherhood of the Marine Engineer's
Welfare Plan have been extended to provide payments to
engineers disabled because of an off-the-job accident or ill­
ness. Engineers who are un-v
able to return to work will'
be eligible for payments of
$30 a week for a maximum period
of 26 weeks.

The benefit is designed primarily
to provide income for engineers
who are temporarily disabled and
unable to receive benefits under
the union's welfare plan. Those
confined to a hospital are eligible
for payments under the plan's in-
hospital benefit. But when they
leave the hospital and are home re­
cuperating, they will be eligible
for this new sickness and accident
benefit.
"The new benefit will supplement
the plan's total disability payments
by providing payments when a man
is laid up for a relatively short pe­
riod of time.

To be eligible for the benefit the
engineer must show proof of the
standard seatime requirements on
BME contracted vessels. In addi­
tion to this, he must also produce
a doctor's report as to his disabil­
ity.

Payments will be made after a

Lake Charles
On Upgrade

LAKE CHARLES — Although
shipping picked up during the past
two weeks, reports Leroy Clarke,
there are still enough of men on
the beach to take any jobs that
might come up.

The Chiwawa, Cantigny, Royal
Oak, Government Camp, Bents
Fort, Bradford Island, CS Balti­
more and Winter Hill (Cities Serv­
ice); "Val Chem (Heron), Coalinga
Hills, Maxton (Pan-Atlantic) and
the Steel Traveler (Isthmian) called
into port during the period. AU
were in good shape with no major
beefs reported.

Stay Put For idle Pay
Seafarers who are collecting state unemployment benefits while

on the beach waiting to ship are urged to stay put and avoid
changing their mailing addresses if they want to continue re­
ceiving their checks regularly. Several Seafarers have already
experienced interruptions of from three to five weeks in getting
their next check after they notified the state unemployment
offices that they had moved and changed their mailing address.

An average delay of a month is reported in most cases, causing
considerable hardship to the men involved.

J: