http://seafarerslog.org/archives/files/original/54f82af97fd2daf5063de8cc484d7170.PDF 347a52982f8202b9e400f583ff9736e9 PDF Text Text SEAE4RERS#LOG OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERWATIONAI. UNION » ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES AND INLAND WATERS DISTRICT « AFL-CIO I PHS Hospitals in Jeopardy See Pages 3-7, 10 See Pages 12-13 Maritime Unity What's it all About? The president of the National Maritime Union, Joseph Curran, recently launched a propaganda barrage aimed, in his words, at achieving "mari­ time unity." Because of the potential impact of these pro­ posals on Seafarers and their union, this issue of the Log carries a special four-page supplement which examines not only Mr. Curran's proposals but also some of the reasons behind them. The supplement also contains the historical record of past efforts to work with the National Maritime Union in achieving common objectives. "[:• /I young trainees at the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship have received their high school equivalency diploma through the GED program administered by the academic staff at HLSS. Mrs. Doro­ thy Forte, a member of the academic staff, is shown preparing trainees for the GED examination. All Seafarers are urged to give special atten­ tion to the material in this supplement, so that they will be fully informed on the issues which are involved. �I 'f 200 Seafarers Confer March 1 Two hundred rank-and-file Seafarers—elected by their fel­ low members—are scheduled to take part in a two-week Educa­ tional Conference at the Harry Lundeberg School of Seaman­ ship, Piney Point, Md., as part of the SIU's continuing effort to keep the membership in­ formed on union and industry activities. Special meetings will be held in all AGLIWD ports at 11 a.m., Feb. 26, for the purpose of electing delegates, with the conference scheduled to open at Piney Point on Mar. 1. (See back page for details.) To assure the greatest parti­ cipation by interested members, and to defer in part the cost to them for such attendance, the Educational Conference will provide for transportation, board and housing for all parti­ cipants and will provide them with, the sum of $8 per day to cover their other expenses for each day of attendance. In a further effort to as­ sure maximum membership participation, the union has re­ quested the contractually pro­ vided Seafarers Appeal Board to adopt a temporary rule pro­ viding that members elected to participate at the Educational Conference who are registered for shipping shall have their cards extended for the period of their attendance at the Con­ ference. ^ Participating in the orga­ nizing and administering of the Conference are the Seafarers Welfare Plan, Seafarers Pension Plan, Seafarers Vacation Plan, Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, and the Seafarers International Union of North America-Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes & Inland Waters District. The purpose of the confer­ ence is to inform and advise the members on: • The various aspects, rules, regulations, responsibilities and issues of the Seafarers Welfare Plan, Seafarers Pension Plan and Seafarers Vacation Plan. • The inter-relationship of each of these plans with the un­ ion. • The union's operations and functions. • Contracted management and its functions. • The maritime industry in general, with particular em­ phasis on its problems and future prospects. In short, the Conference will be designed as a complete edu­ cational program, review, dis­ cussion and recommendations— all of them focused on how all of these activities apply to the rank-and-file member. Delia Steanisliip Lines, Inc., has announced its intention to con;itruct from one to six of these new LASH/ Container cargo vessels which will be manned by SIU members.^^\ch ship would be 772 feet long and would haul 64 barges or 1,500 containers—or a^Smbination of both. Delta Lines Announces Plan To Construct Six Vessels New Orleans to carry up to 64 barges, or, clude the Caribbean ports. Delta Steamship Lines, Inc., alternatively, a maximum of Delta's application requests an SlU-contracted operator, has 1,500 containers or a combina­ specifically that the company be called-upon U.S. shipyards on tion of both. Management re­ granted permission to ship to the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific ported that the vessel design and from all U.S. ports from coasts to submit bids on the contains "highly flexible provi­ Key West, Fla., to the Mexican construction of one to six com­ sions"' for bulk liquids, dry border and the foreign ports in bination LASH/C o n t a i n e r bulk cargoes, refrigerated the Gulf of Mexico, the Carib­ cargo vessels. cargoes and heavy lifts. bean Sea and the Guianas. The Delta's design specifications Asks Route Extension range would include the Virgin call for a vessel with an over­ Delta, which services the Islands, the West Indies, Mex­ all length of 772 feet and a East Coast of South America ico, the Venezuelan ports and displacement of 32,650 tons. and the West Coast of Africa the East Coast Colombian ports. Powering each vessel will be a to and from ports in the Gulf It would not include Panama. turbine propulsion system of Mexico, has also filed an Delta now services Puerto Rico capable of providing a maxi­ application with the Maritime and Barbados. mum service speed of 24 knots. Administration to extend the The company operates a fleet Each of the ships will be able company's trade routes to in­ of 12 cargo vessels. THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT Goals for a New Era by PAUl HAU '^or Seafarers and their industry, 1971 marks a year of change from the narrow, unjust policies of the past to a broad-based, hope-generating program that has become available through the Merchant Marine Act of 1970. A severe mistake was made in 1936 when Con­ gress restricted federal support for the merchant marine to 14 berthline operators. It took us a third of a century to develop the new concepts of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970—concepts that make it possible for the entire maritime industry, and espe­ cially the previously unsubsidized bulk fleet, to share in the nation's plan of help for its merchant marine. While we now have legislation to supply a method to protect seafaring jobs and create new opportunities for Seafarers and ship operators, our problems are far from, being solved. Best estimates indicate that it will take a full five years before any major impact is felt from the pro­ gram outlined in the Merchant Marine Act of 1970— five years before we will be called upon to man any of the 30 new vessels a year called for in the Act. During that time, we'll have to keep pressing for additional laws and policies that will fully utilize the present fleet, and build and protect the cargo rights of ships yet to hit the waves. To take one example, we are going to need a large measure of hard work to convince government agencies that American-flag operators should receive a far greater share of federal government exports. We must persuade the government not only to use American-flag vessels, but to give first preference to ships that have weathered past economic storms with­ out the benefit of construction and operating sub-r, sidies. These operators have earned the right to re­ ceive top priority in shipping federal cargo. To keep our current fleet operationally and eco­ nomically sound during the coming period of mari­ time transition, the government should reverse the all F Page 2 too prevalent policy of sending cargoes in foreign bottoms when U.S.-flag ships are readily available. In addition, it is time for U.S. maritime officials to start getting tough with government bureaucrats who have consistently ignored the order and intent of Con­ gress when it passed laws demanding that a mini­ mum of 50 percent of all U.S. cargo be shipped in American-flag vessels. Even this minimum of 50 per­ cent has too often bee i ignored at a time when the very survival of the An:r.r«iari merchant marine has heen at stake. The new Act provides a system to end this abuse of Congressional intent by giving the Secretary of Commerce full power to regulate federal shipping prac­ tices. With this authority, the Secretary of Commerce can maximize U.S.-flag carriage of government cargo. under the 1936 Act, we must promote safeguards to protect unsubsidized vessels from the unfair competi­ tion of ships already constructed with government help. Maritime Administrator (now Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Maritime Affairs) Andrew E. Gib­ son acknowledged in Congressional testimony that special attention should be given the unsubsidized fleet in the carriage of government cargoes when he said, in answer to a question from Rep. Thomas M. Pelly (R.-Wash.): "... I certainly agree with your concern that during the transition ... a great deal of care has to be taken by the Administration so that there is no undue harm done to those operators who have built bulk carriers today without any subsidy." e will be working to convince the government that, as the nation's largest shipper, it should have as its goal the placement of 100 percent of all cargoes aboard American-flag ships. By establishing this goal, the government would be setting an example of support for the U.S. merchant marine for private shippers to follow. Second preference could be given to the ships of nations receiving assistance cargoes from the Agency for International Development and the Department of Agriculture. The propaganda value of sending U.S. assistance cargoes in U.S. bottoms—or in the ships of nations that are so desperately in need—is so apparent that it is difficult to understand why any U.S. cargo would be transported in third-flag vessels. Only in extreme cases should any U.S.-government cargo be placed aboard ships of other nations, the socalled "third-flag" vessels that have invaded our gov­ ernment-cargo field and bled our own merchant marine of desperately-needed business. While giving top priority to U.S.-flag vessels, and particularly to those which have not received help addition to establishing shipping priorities and Inprotecting the unsubsidized fleet, we will use our W influence to promote a balanced shipbuilding pro­ gram. The American-flag dry-bulk fleet is in trouble. Its ships are old, and many are being scrapped. And while our domestic tanker fleet is in good shape, the Ameri­ can-flag tanker fleet in the foreign trade is virtually extinct. This is of major importance since the overwhelming majority of worldwide oceanbome cargoes is being carried aboard bulk carriers and tankers. If we are to be competitive, we will have to develop a crash pro­ gram of constructing bulk carriers and tankers for the foreign trades. Under the Merchant Marine Act of 1970, we have the chance to return the American merchant marine to a position of leadership on the world's sealanes. For the promise to be fulfilled, our strength should be placed where the action is—on the previously un­ subsidized dry-bulk and tanker fleets which carry 85 percent of our foreign cargo, in spite of the handicap of age and neglect. Seafarers Log �USPHS Hospital Program in Jeopardy Washington, D.C. The United States Public Health Service Hospitals, long safe havens for ill Seafarers, are seriously threatened by a budget study now underway in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. The Seafarers International Union is in the forefront of wide­ spread efforts to protect the eight remaining PHS hospitals and its 30 outpatient clinics. SIU President Paul Hall, in ficiaries of the Public Health a letter to U.S. Senators said: Service." "Closing these hospitals Cites 1965 Hearings would cause immeasurable harm Rep. Garmatz said the com­ not only to the seamen, coast mittee had responsibility for the guardsmen and other govern­ welfare of merchant seamen. ment personnel who are the By law. Rep. Garmatz said, the hospitsds' primary charges, but government is required to pro­ also to the general level of vide hospitals for merchant health care in the United States. seamen, and thus a review of "To even consider closing any the status of PHS hospitals was hospital at a time when so many within the committee's powers. persons have need for a greater He reminded Richardson of medical care than the U.S. 1965 hearings the committee health care system can provide held on the proposed closing of is a paradox that the nation can some PHS hospitals. "As a re­ iU afford." sult of these hearings," Garmatz Closing Imminent said, "the committee concluded Hall said that testimony that whatever justification exist­ given to the House Merchant ed for permitting our PHS pro­ Marine and Fisheries Commit­ gram to pass the danger point, tee by HEW Secretary Elliot it was time to make plans not Richardson demonstrated that to close hospitals, but to up­ "a decision to close these hos­ grade, modernize and expand" pitals is imminent." Hall urged the remaining hospitals. This was necessary. Rep. Senators to join in the effort to keep the hospitals open, "so Garmatz said "to carry out the that the vital medical services statutory responsibility of pro­ offered by the hospitals to sea­ viding the best possible medical men and a wide range of other care and treatment to bene­ ficiaries who are entitled to such patients will not be lost." by law." The secretary replied that Related stories on USPHS no final decision on the future appear elsewhere in this is­ of the PHS hospitals had been sue oi ilM 1X>G. made. He said a decision would P^ies 4-5: A history of be made soon because budget the PHS hospitals. requests for the coming fiscal year would be due at the end Page 7: A personal look of January. at the PHS program. HEW Secretary Critical Page 10: An editorial on Richardson said the PHS the proposal to close PHS hospitals are "underutilized" facilities. and, he added, the hospitals "are becoming increasingly in­ The hospitals are located in efficient in terms of health man­ Boston, Baltimore, New York, power utilization as well as Norfolk, New Orleans, Galves­ dollars, have difficulty in attract­ ton, San Francisco and Seattle. ing and retaining career profes­ Richardson was called to sional staff and in some cases testify before the House com­ are unable to provide the range 1 mittee by its chairman. Rep. of services expected in an acute Edward A. Garmatz (D-Md.), short-term hospital." Richardson told the commit­ who said reports in the press of the department's reap­ tee that in the department's praisal of the PHS hospitals study of the PHS program they necessitated a "progress report had determined that "HEW from the secretary on this very would retain primary responsi­ serious matter affecting the bility for the support of medihealth and welfare of the bene­ (Continued on Page 6) This USPHS hospital in Seattle, Washington, provides medical care for merchant seamen and other groups whenever the need arises. All re­ maining eight PHS hospital may soon be closed down. January 1971 The remaining eight USPHS hospitals like this one on Staten Island, N.Y. are in danger of being closed because of budgetary pressures at the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Murphy Decries Proposal To Abolish PHS Hospitals Washington, D.C. Rep. John M. Murphy (DN.Y.) has labeled a Health, Education and Welfare Depart­ ment proposal to close all eight remaining U.S. Public Health Service Hospitals as "in­ humane." "I say that the proposal is not humane because these aren't just 500,000 faceless beneficiaries of the PHS pro­ gram—they are 500,000 living, breathing human beings who need treatment at time of ill­ ness. They are civilians and government employees who have, since this country began, looked to these safe havens for treatment. To suddenly deprive them of these facilities is, to say the least, inhumane," Murphy said. Murphy, a member of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, addressed a luncheon gathering of labor, business and government offi­ cials sponsored by the AFLCIO Maritime Trades Depart­ ment. A Bad 'Joke' "I am baffled and sick at heart . . . that someone in the bureaucratic caverns of the De­ partment of Health, Education and Welfare may be attempting to write the finishing chapter in the history of the United States Public Health Service hos­ pitals," he said. Murphy said that such an action would be "a joke—a joke that none of us ought to laugh at." "I use the word 'joke,'" he said, "because a proposal to close any hospital at this jimcture in American history is simply a burlesque of reality. It is ludicrous that any serious people would close any hos­ pitals at a time when our hos­ pitals are jammed to over­ crowding and costs have shot up and out of sight." But, he added that some very serious men "including the Secretary of HEW" came be­ fore the House Merchant Ma­ rine Committee and "proposed to do just that." According to HEW Secre­ tary Elliot Richardson, his de­ partment is under pressure from the Bureau of the Budget to cut costs. "Why they decided to wield the axe on PHS hospitals in order to trim their budget is no laughing matter," Murphy said. "It's a matter for tears." Cites PHS Contiibutions The New York democrat pointed out that PHS hospitals (Continued on Page 6) Seafarers Freed From DualTaxes Washington, D.C. Seafarers will no longer face the burden of paying withhold­ ing taxes to more than one state. A new law, eliminating duplicate taxation, has been ap­ proved by Congress and signed by President Nixon. Until now, many Seafarers have been confronted with the possibility of paying taxes to the state out of which their ships operate and the state in which their ships unload. Pay Only One State Under the recently passed law, a Seafarer will be re­ quired to pay withholding taxes to the state in which he earns more than 50 percent of his in­ come or the state in which he lives—but not both. Employers will file informa­ tion returns for tax purposes only with the state in which the Seafarer lives and the state in which he earns most of his in­ come. The tax bill originally did not include Seafarers. It provid­ ed protection for bus, r^road, over-the-road van drivers and airline employees. Rep. Thomas Pelly (R-Wash.) pushed through an amendment that assured Seafarers the same protection provided other inter­ state transportation workers. Unions Point Out Inequities The extent to which revenuehungry states have made non­ resident transportation workers "the target for unfair taxes" was detailed by spokesmen for the Railroad Brotherhoods, the Air Line Pilots and the SIU at Con­ gressional hearings earlier this year. A United Transportation Un­ ion representative said that rail workers are forced to complete as many as 14 different tax forms. Seafarers' officials testified that Alaska has hoimded non­ residents on taxes even to the extent of taking them to court. Congress was told that workers often have to hire accountants to help them out of a tax maze. Rep. Brock Adams CDWash.), who introduced the re­ lief legislation in the House, said the new law helps to cor­ rect an inequity "in an ^ea where correction is long over­ due." Sen. Vance Hartke (D-Ind.) similarly hailed the law's pas­ sage as its chief sponsor in the Senate. �USPHS A ."V- While the Castle Harbor, Boston, Mass., Marine Hospital, pictured here, was the first built by the Marine Hospital Service, the service was operating a hospital bought from the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1799. The Boston hospital opened its doors to merchant seamen in 1804. A fleet of ambulances and other vehicles stands ready near a Public Health Service Hospital. Even in the early days of automhiles the USPHS was well equipped to handle the hospital needs of Seafarers and other beneficiaries of the service. Page 4 Seafarers Log �punjiiiim. . Americans were committeo to the concept of hos­ pital care for merchant seamen long before the 13 colonies became independent. The operation of public hospitals for merchant sea­ men is an unbroken thread olE American history that has survived the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, westward expansion and fluctuations in the wealth of the nation. Termination of the availability of hospitals for merchant seamen—a thing that such dramatic move­ ments of history could not accomplish—is now being attempted by White House budget managers. Established in 1798 The history of the present-day U.S. Public Health Service Hospitals begins with the signing in July 1798 of an act of Congress establishing a Marine Hospital Service. The signature on the act belonged to President John Adams, but the underlying concept of the act stemmed from England's triumph in 1588 over the vast Spanish Armada. A grateful England recognized the contribution of its merchant and naval seamen and established "safe havens" for them at Chatham Chest and at Greenwich. The hospitals provided care for seamen regardless of their financial condition. •i .4n aerial view of the Norfolk, Va., Public Health Service Hospital. Norfolk was the site of the first Marine Hospital built in the United States. Construction of the Norfolk Marine Hospital hegan a year be­ fore the U.S. Constitution was written. To support the hospitals, the British imposed a levy on the salaries of seamen, and as the American colonies grew the idea of a tax for "hospital money" grew along with them. After the Act of 1798, the government of the United States bought the Norfolk Hospital and, thus, began its historic role as provider of hospital service for merchant seamen. In 1742 the Pennsylvania colony began collecting six pence per month from seamen for the support of the Greenwich hospital, and it was not long before the need for health care facilities for seafarers in the colonies became apparent to large numbers of people. The Norfolk facility was soon joined by a hospital built on Castle Island in Boston Harbor. Together they represented the first welfare institutions established by the people of the United States. And they were establishd exclusively for men of the sea. The Boston Marine Society, a group pledged to the promotion of international navigation and to assistance for needy mariners, was formed in 1742. A similar group was formed in New York 25 years later. War Proves Need of Public Hospitals Norfolk Constructs First Hospital As early as they were, it was the oldest of the colonies—Virginia—that made the first provision under law for the welfare of seafarers and the first Marine Hospital in the New World would be built in its great port city of Norfolk. The cornerstone of the original Norfolk Marine Hospital was laid in 1788, a year before the Con­ stitution of the United States was drafted. »Vi Still, these hospitals were versatile enough to be converted to treatment of casualties of the War of 1812, including medical treatment of British prisoners of war. While the name changed, the responsibility for the care of ill seafarers remained vested in the same agency. In 1901, the service reported that there were 13,500 beneficiaries of the service rendered by its 23 hospitals, including one at Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Their role in the War of 1812 advanced the con­ cept of public hospitals tremendously, and when the nation began to spread westward. Marine Hospitals went along. Hospitals were built on the Great Lakes, navigable rivers and along the seacoasts. Much of the nation's commerce then was waterborne, and Marine Hospitals sprang up in nearly every major port. Some were located in temporary quarters such as boarding houses, lighthouses and even in private homes. In addition, hospitals financed by public money were built rapidly during the war and administered by the USPHS. After the war the service turned 57 of them over to the Veterans Bureau and retained 24 for its own primary beneficiaries. At the outbreak of the Civil War, the Marine Hos­ pitals again took the role of havens for the wounded and sick of both sides of the fight. They returned to their primary service of merchant seamen when peace was concluded between the North and the South. These beneficiaries have been served in hospitals and outpatient clinics whose numbers have dwindled in the past 30 years. Services Expanded After the consolidation. Congress added duties and services to the Marine Hospital's role in the nation's health. The service began to regulate quarantine proce­ dures, examine immigrants and make field inspections of public health. And as the area of service widened, the government hanged the method of financing the Marine Hospital Service. Prior to 1884, hospital costs had been met by a tax on the wages of seafarers. In 1884 funds derived from the tonnage tax on every vessel entering an American port were allocated to the Marine Hospitals. In 1906, after several years of deficit financing, the tonnage tax gave way to direct appropriation for the Marine Hospitals. The tonnage tax is still collected and contributed to the general revenue of the govern­ ment. January 1971 Coverage Extended The number of hospitals, and the number of poten­ tial beneficiaries leapfrogged in the World War I era. Coast Guard personnel and their dependents, officers of the Public Health Service and several other groups of government employees were added to the roster of those eligible for treatment at Public Service Hospitals. The Marine Hospital Service was consolidated under a Supervising Surgeon in 1870 and the first over-all regulations for the hospitals were promulgated in 1872. A nurse slls at the wheel of an early United States Marine Hospital ambulance. As a means of clarifying the role of the Marine Hospital service, which had by the turn of the century nearly all public health responsibility, the Congress created the U.S. Public He^th and Marine Hospital Service in 1902. Ten years later the name was changed again to the present U.S. Public Health Service. Number Reduced Greatly In 1921 the USPHS had 24 hospitals. The number had been reduced to 15 by 1955 and it now stands at eight. The operating hospitals are located in Baltimore, Boston, Galveston, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, San Francisco and Seattle. In addition the service maintains outpatient clinics in 30 strategically located cities. Hospitals have closed in Savannah, Chicago, Ky., and Forth Worth, Tex., and the leprosarium at Carville, La., are not included in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare's current study in USPHS hospital operations. Program Threatened By Econoniist Secretary Elliott Richardson said the department is evaluating only the general hospitals, which he described as "under-utilized" and becoming "increas­ ingly inefficient." The secretary said the suggestion for the study comes as a result of budgetary pressures on his department. While no decision has been made, the budget pressures have formed a cloud over a glowing page of American history—the history of the government's concern for the health of the se^arer. Page 5 �Misuse of U.S.-flag Fleet Irritates Rep. Thompson Rep. Frank Thompson found much in common with these young trainees from the Harry Lundeherg School of Seamanship at Piney Point. The future Seafarers attended the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department luncheon as part of their training program at HLSS. PHS in Trouble (Continued from Page 3) cal care in behalf of its bene­ ficiaries. This will not be dele­ gated to any other public or pri­ vate agency." He said the PHS would at­ tempt to have beneficiaries ad­ mitted to veteran's hospitals or to private hospitals under con­ tract to provide such service. Veteran's Hosphals Backlogged The planned involvement of VA hospitals drew angry com­ ments from members of the House committee. Rep. John Murphy (D-N.Y.) said it was "inconceivable" that Veteran's hospitals would be able to take even acutely ill merchant seamen because of the long waiting lists of veterans who would have priority over PHS beneficiaries. And, Rep. Paul G. Rogers (D-Ra.) said that the assigning of ill seamen to private hospi­ tals would be "amazingly cost­ ly in the light of the astronom­ ical cost of a private hospital bed these days." Also protesting the planned liaison with Veteran's hospitals were several veteran's groups including the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Other critics of the contem­ plated closings said that re­ moval of the PHS hospitals from the health care picture of their communities would leave a gap that might not be filled very easily. Bertram Gottlieb, director of research for Transportation In­ stitute, who testified in behalf of the institute and the SIU, raised an economic point il­ lustrating the special needs of Seafarers. "If a factory worker is in­ jured on the job," Gottlieb said, "or if he is ill and goes to a hospital and he is forced to wait an extra day and if it is not a critical medical situation, it may mean he loses an extra day's pay, period. "An American seaman who misses a ship because he can't get medical care may actually, with the condition the Ameri­ can merchant marine is in, may lose months of income," Gott­ lieb said. He added that the primary question was not economic but one of the availability of health care for merchant seamen. But, Page 6 said Gottlieb, if a seaman "does not have priority treat­ ment, he may very well lose months of employment." Testifying with Gottlieb was Robert Vahey, a staff econo­ mist of the institute. Rep. William Mailliard (RCalif.) described the PHS hos­ pital's place in the San Fran­ cisco area. "It is such an inte­ gral part, that if there is any change in the operation of the Public Health Service Hospi­ tal, it would have a tremendous impact on at least a half-dozen other major medical institu­ tions," Rep. Mailliard said. HEWs Authority Questioned And there seemed to be some legal doubt that the HEW had power to close the hospitals. Rep. Garmatz said, "as chair­ man of this committee I have always been under the impres­ sion that to close these hospi­ tals they would need the sanc­ tion of the Congress. But it seems that the only way we can stop them from closing these hospitals is to put some sort of stipulations in the appropria­ tions that none of the money can be used for phasing out any of the hospitals." Others testifying before the committee included Sen. Wil­ liam B. Spong, Jr. (D-Va.), Rep. Jack Brooks (D-Tex.), Rep. Thomas R. Pelly (RWash.), Rep. William Whitehurst (D-Va.) and Bertram E. Gottlieb, research director and Robert Vahey, economist, from Transportation Institute. PAS Support Widespread All of them favored main­ taining the Public Health Serv­ ice hospitals. Rep. Garmatz an­ nounced that several groups had registered their senti­ ments in favor of the PHS hos­ pitals. He identified them as: Rep. Olin E. Teague (DTex.), chairman of the House Veteran's Affairs Committee; the Disabled Officers Associa­ tion; the Maryland Hospital Association; American Hospi­ tal Association; International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots; the National Mari­ time Union; the International Longshoremen's Association and the City Council of the City of Galveston, Tex. Rep. Garmatz said all of them "opposed unilateral action by the Department and the Ad­ ministration to close these hos­ pitals." Washington, D.C. The misuse of America's merchant fleet—^by agencies of the United States government and industrial firms—^has been attacked by Rep. Frank Thomp­ son Jr. (D-N.J.), as a "national disgrace." "American flag ships handle less than five percent of the na­ tion's import and export trade," Thompson told a group gather­ ed for an AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department luncheon recently, "I think that is inde­ fensible." This "pathetic neglect of the merchant marine" has come about in spite of the fact that the U.S. has Cargo Preference laws on the books which re­ quire a minimum of 50 percent of all federal cargoes to be shipped in U.S. vessels, he said. "Somehow, some agencies of government have taken that to be a maximum and actually give preference to foreign bot­ toms . . . they must know how desperately American ships need American cargo." Industry, too, has contributed to the problems of the mer­ chant fleet, by shipping in­ dustrial cargoes under foreign flags, Thompson said. ". . . It is so self-defeating. The dollars they give the ships of foreign nations . . . always return to haunt us," he ex­ plained. "The outflow of cur­ rency weakens American cur­ rency, inflates it and chops into the real profit of these same ex­ porting industries. When these plain facts are known, the ship­ ping policies of some of the nation's industries can be taken to represent only the desire for a quick profit. These policies reflect no long-range thinking about the nation's monetary policy or its economic wellbeing." Signs Hopeful Thompson said he was hope­ ful that the Administration's support of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970 "foreshadows a change of heart in the depths of federal bureaucracy," that would lead to an increase in the tons of cargo shipped imder U.S.-flags. The year of 1970 was a vintage one in many respects, Thompson said, but when the total cargo carried slipped to 4.8 percent, it took the edge off the year. The decline has come rap­ idly, the Congressman noted. "U.S.-flag ships carried al­ most half of our nation's total foreign trade cargo just 20 years ago. Just 10 years ago the U.S.-flag merchant fleet still saUed with more than 10 percent of its nation's cargo." Thompson said encouraging signs for the future were the "Ship American" program launched by the Department of Commerce, and the announce­ ments recently by some auto makers and majpr oil companies to the effect that they will now send their cargoes by Americanflag ships whenever possible. "If this trend grows ... we will again have a merchant marine of first class standing," he predicted. Murphy Decries HEW Idea (Continued from Page 3) impossible irony upon im­ provide free medical care to possible irony." He said that the first almerchant seamen. Coast tenative wouldn't work at all, Guardsmen and a number of the purpose of closing the PHS other beneficiaries covered by hospitals. law, totaling over a half"Veterans hospitals are al­ million men and women. He said that the PHS pro­ ready overcrowded and danger­ grams contribute to the entire ously near a point where their health care picture of the com­ medical care can no longer pro­ munity in which they are vide relief for those who need located. In addition, he noted and qualify for it now. To add that these hospitals are a part another half-million people to of the training ground for that list would so greatly agvitally needed medical person­ nel. "Some attract the most skilled interns and residents because they have facilities second to none in such sophisticated areas of medicine as renal care and coronary care," he said. Scorns Perpetrator "Any proposal to close these hospitals," he added, "is a sin and a national disgrace. Who­ ever came up with the idea that the Public Health Service hos­ pitals are the place to start to Rep. John Murphy cut the HEW budget—^who­ ever he may be—he ought to be taken to a PHS hospital and gravate that already bad situa­ treated for his acute case of tion that I shudder to think of bureaucratic tunnel vision and the consequences," he said. To assign PHS beneficiaries his inhumanity." to a private contract hospital In his testimony before the would be even worse, accord­ House committee Richardson ing to the congressman. offered two alternatives to the "If cost is really the reason PHS programs. One would be for this reappraisal of the PHS to make current beneficiaries of hospitals, isn't it ironic to think the PHS program eligible for that most of their patients would admission to the nation's vet­ wind up in voluntary hospitals erans hospitals; the other would where c;ven the richest of men be to admit them to private now have difficulty meeting the hospitals with which the Public bill for semi-private care?" Health Service would contract Murphy said that he could for treatment if beds could not not see what possible good it be found in the VA hospitals. does the PHS budget to close Rejects Attematives their own beds which cost an Murphy said both sugges­ average of $58 a day, to rent tions "bewilder" him and that space in a private hospital it seems "HEW wants to pile where the per day costs average between $75 and $100. "The monetary gain," Murphy said, "is non-existent, and the discomfort increase is unacceptable." He said it was pitifur^ttor-a country that spends over $60 billion annually on health care, some hatchman could possibly chop out an important part of this nation's medical scene." Alternative to Alternatives He pledged that he would fight the suggested closings and would not sit idly by. Accord­ ing to him there are other al­ ternatives: "If it is true that the PHS hospitals are, in the words of Mr. Richardson, 'becoming in­ efficient and are under-utilized,' then let's make them efficient and let's increase their utiliza­ tion. But don't just wipe them out. "The first and best thing to do is to demand and enforce the demand that the PHS hos­ pitals be updated, renovated, expanded and modernized. "It wouldn't take all that much money to do it. Taking Secretary Richardson's esti­ mate as correct it would re­ quire about $140 million. In a nation that spends $60 bil­ lion nnnually on health care, that $140 million could be the best spent chunk. It may well be the best appropriation HEW will ever make." Human Health Takes Priority According to Murphy this is the alternative that "offers the most for medicine, for PHS and for people, especially those that are beneficiaries of the serv­ ice." He concluded that "as nice as the concept of a manageable budget is, human life and hu- ' man health must be held more dear." Seafarers Log .11 �Spirit of Brotherhood Pervades PHS Hospitals TTaving to spend time on the beach in a hospital be* A cause of sickness or injury can be a difficult task at any time of the year, but it is especially hard for a Seafarer to spend Christmas in a hospital far from family and friends. In order to brighten the holiday season for hospitalized Seafarers, and in keeping with a tradition that dates back to the founding of the SIU, union rep­ resentatives in many ports visited the United States Public Health Service Hospitals to bring gifts and spend time with shipmates. In the port of New York, SIU Welfare Director A1 Bernstein led a Christmas Eve visit to Seafarers in the USPHS hospital on Staten Island. Every Seafarer received cigarettes, shaving lo­ tion and a special gift of $25 in cash for lise in pur­ chasing personal items. This gift was in addition to the regular $8 a day provided by the Union for each day a Seafarer spends in a hospital. In the SIU tradition of Brotherhood of the Sea, there are really no special days for remembering hospitalized shipmates—they are remembered every day of the year. Ho»ipilaIized Seafarer Warren Liesegang (right) receives a carton of cigarettes and holiday greetings from fellow Seafarer Nor­ man Bergeron. Veteran Seafarer Andrew McDonald (left) re­ ceives a carton of cigarettes from Norman Bergeron (right) as Patrolman Red (Campbell counts out a $25 Christmas gift for Brother McDonald. * <. SIU Welfare Director A1 Bernstein (left) talks with deck department Seafarer Clarence Garrabraut. Bern­ stein headed a group of Seafarers on a tour of the USPHS hospital at Staten Island on Christmas Eve, dis­ pensing gifts and good will. An injured arm has placed Brother Charles Hirchfeld on the beach for several weeks, but nurses Gulleksen (left) and Scott are helping to make recuperating a lot easier, and the Christmas Season more pleasant. Personal Reflection To the Editor: Just a few lines of thanks to the SIU. I have a feeling of personal friendship for your continued efforts on my behalf over the past years. It was my intention to send this much sooner, but unfortunately I ran into some health problems which at this time seem trivial to me. Life must go on. I v(rould like to take this liberty of giving my personal testimony with regards to my recent stay at the USPHS hospital at New Or­ leans. As you know, 1 am sure, the large hospital in New Orleans has patients from the SIU, the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, M. E. B. A. and various retired and gov­ ernment personnel. First of all, let me take this opportunity to let you know that this last time, as well as during my two pre­ vious stays there, all the hospital personnel I had the good fortune to come into contact with were more than considerate. Considering the patient load that each doctor must carry and the hours that they are called up on to put in, I do not at all in honesty see how they can do it day after day. Also, let me thank SIU President Paul Hall for the union's fine pension plan. Without this, and Social Security, I do not see how our family of six could have survived. It came to my attention while at the hospital in New Orleans of another important service that is available which many of our members' may not be aware. That is the funds that are donated to the occupational therapy services, which include in­ struction in interesting proj­ ects too numerous to men­ tion. This, in itself, perhaps is unimportant. What is im­ portant is that it allows the medical personnel there to do a job they may otherwise not be able to perform. It is, indeed, a great ges­ ture on the part of Brother Hall that he is trying to broaden the present status of all USPHS hospitals. Again, let me thank the SIU and the personnel in the PHS program and all others that have had a part in mak­ ing my life a great deal more comforting, and perhaps adding a few more years on my life to spend with my family and friends. For all these blessings there are no words to say except: Thank You! Gratefully yours, Brotiier Thomas Diuwiddie Sumner, 111. fmi �HLSS Programs Impress Guests 'Tfie Harry Lundeberg School of SeamanX ship at Piney Point, Md., is attracting the attention of many segments of the maritime world. Recent visitors to the school represented both the academic and business worlds. A group representing the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Va., which features an inter­ nationally known collection of exhibits and books chronicling man's perennial labors to work and survive on the seas, and a large group of businessmen from the shipping companies that own SlU-contracted ships toured the school recently. Both groups were impressed by the complete facilities for academic and vocational education. The fleet of sailing ships and the many models and exhibits especially interested the museum contingent. The library proved another attraction and the Mariners Museum Curator of Exhibits, Robert H. Burgess, a noted maritime historian and writer, auto­ graphed copies of the many books he had authored found in the HLSS library's collec­ tion. The visitors from management were particularly interested in the academic and vo­ cational curricula. They were shown through the classrooms aboard the Claude "Sonny" Simmons and the Charles S. Zimmerman and sat in on classes in session. m All were impressed by the remedial reading classroom where modem teaching aids and individual instruction of small groups of train­ ees with reading deficiences has brought about remarkable improvement in reading skills. Shipping Executives 'I Ti ; HLSS President Robert Matthews, left, shows a group of shipping execu­ tives the library aboard the Charles S. Zimmerman. The school library contains a fine collection of maritime and general interest publications. Mrs. Eve Naill, remedial reading instructor, explains how modern audio-visual aids coupled with per­ sonalized instruction in small classes can raise some trainees reading comprehension by more than three > grades in 12 weeks. ill Trainee Hank Freeman, 17, of Norfolk, Va., demonstrates the ^iise of one of the audio-visual aids to improve reading tech­ nique and comprehension. Free­ man raised his reading level more than two grades during remedial reading classes. Mrs. Eve Naill explains the machine. feCfP.' Representatives of shipping firms visiting Harry Lundeberg' School of Seamanship facilities are from left; Joe Farrell, vice president. Water­ man Steamship Co.; David D. C. Mackenzie, commercial manager. Vic­ tory Steamship Co; Captain Richard Stone, management representative. Transportation Institute; Mike Di Prisco, director of Labor Relations, American Maritime Assocaton; Sd Unger, vice president of Ogden Marine Corp.; Dave Klinges, attorney, Colmar Shipping Co.; and Mike McEvoy, president, Sea-Land Services. HLSS President Robert MatmiMit^ thews, second from right, exSMi plains the school's - commis­ sary where all meat and food supplies are processed. Event.i ually all crops and meat will he raised on the school's 1,000 acre farm, making the school self-sufficient. Commandant of Trainees Ken Conklin, right, shows the clean, modern trainee dining room with part of the fleet of training ships riding at an­ chor in the background. Page 8 Seafarers Log �Mariners Museum Officials SIU President Paul Hall and HLSS Academic Instructor Susan Gary greet Robert H. Burgess, curator of exhibits at the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Va. Burgess was one of a num­ ber of representatives from the museum who toured the Piney Point facilities. Deck Department Instructor Chuck James discusses vocational training for future Seafarers with John L. Lochhead, museum librarian and C. Steven Lace, museum educational director on the gangway of the Claude "Sonny" Simmons. The Simmons is a floating vocational school with classrooms and equipment for teaching deck and engine coiuves. HLSS Academic Education Director Hazel Brown explains the workings of a machine to aid remedial reading pupils in spelling and pronuncia­ tion to Mariners Museum Education Director C. Steven Lace aboard the Zimmerman. SIU International Vice President John Yarmola, center, explains the school's Beading Attainment System to William T. Badcliffe, Museum photograhper, seated, and John L. Lochhead, Mariners Museum librarian. The system offers a course in reading for trainees with reading deficiencies. ^ know your rights •4 . r i FINANCIAL REPORTS. The constitution of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District makes spe­ cific provision for safeguarding the membership's money and Union finances. The constitution requires a detailed audit by Certified Public Accountants every three months, which are to be submitted to the membership by the Secretary-Treas­ urer. A quarterly finance committee of rank and file mem­ bers, elected by the membership, makes examination each quarter of the finances of the Union and reports fully their findings and recommendations. Members of this committee may make dissenting reports, specific recommendations and separate findings. TRUST FUNDS. All trust funds of the SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District are administered in accordance with the provisions of various trust fund agree­ ments. All these agreements specify that the trustees in charge of these funds shall equally consist of Union and management representatives and their alternates. All expen­ ditures and disbursements of trust funds are made only upon approval by a majority of the trustees. All trust fund finan­ cial records are available at the headquarters of the various trust funds. SHIPPING RIGHTS. Your shipping rights and seniority are protected exclusively by the contracts between the Union and the shipowners. Get to know your shipping rights. Copies of these contracts are posted and available in all Union halls. If you feel there has been any violation of your shipping or seniority rights as contained in the contracts between the Union and the shipowners, notify the Seafarers Appeals Board by certified mail, return receipt requested. The proper address for this is: Earl Shepard, Chairman, Seafarers Appeals Board 275-20th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215 Full copies of contracts as referred to are available to you at all times, either by writing directly to the Union or to the Seafarers Appeals Board. January 1971 CONTRACTS. Copies of all SIU contracts are available in all SIU halls. These contracts specify the wages and con­ ditions under which you work and live aboard --ihip. Know your contract rights, as well as your obligations, such as filing for OT on the proper sheets and in the proper manner. If, at any time, any SIU patrolman or other Union official, in your opinion, fails to protect your contract rights prop­ erly, contact the nearest SIU port agent. EDITORIAL POLICY—SEAFARERS LOG. The Log has traditionally refrained from publishing any article serving the political purposes of any individual in the Union, officer or member. It has also refrained from publishing articles deemed harmful to the Union or its collective membership. This established policy has been reaffirmed by membership action at the September, 1960, meetings in all constitutional ports. The responsibility for Log policy is vested in an edi­ torial board which consists of the Executive Board of the Union. The Executive Board may delegate, from among its ranks, one individual to carry out this responsibility. PAYMENT OF MONIES. No monies are to be paid to anyone in any official capacity in the SIU unless an official Union receipt is given for same. Under no circumstances should any member pay any money for any reason unless he is given such receipt. In the event anyone attempts to require any such payment be made without supplying a re­ ceipt, or if a member is required to make a payment and is given an official receipt, but feels that he should not have been required to make such payment, this should immediately be reported to headquarters. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. The SIU publishes every six months in the Seafarers Log a verbatim copy of its constitution. In addition, copies arc available in all Union halls. All members should obtain copies of this constitution so as to familiarize themselves with its contents. Any time you feel any member or officer is attempting to deprive you of any constitutional right or obligation by any methods such as dealing with charges, trials, etc., as well as all other details, then the member so affected should immediately notify headquarters. RETIRED SEAFARERS. Old-time SIU members drawing disability-pension benefits have always been encouraged to continue their union activities, including attendance at mem­ bership meetings. And like all other SIU members at these Union meetings, they are encouraged to take an active role in all rank-and-file functions, including service on rank-andfile committees. Because these oldtimers cannot take ship­ board employment, the membership has reafiSrmed the long­ standing Union policy of allowing them to retain their good standing through the waiving of their dues. EQUAL RIGHTS. All Seafarers are guaranteed equal rights in employment and as members of the SIU. These rights are clearly set forth in the SIU constitution and in the contracts which the Union has negotiated with the employ­ ers. Consequently, no Seafarer may be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, national or geographic origin. If any member feels that he is denied the equal rights to which he is entitled, he should notify headquarters. SEAFARERS POI^ITICAL AdTVITY DONATIONS. One of the basic rights of Seafarers is the right to pursue legislative and political objectives which will serve the best interests of themselves, their families and their Union. To achieve these objectives, the Seafarers Political Activity Do­ nation was established. Donations to SPAD are entirely voluntary and constitute the funds through which legislative and political activities are conducted for the membership and the Union. If at any time a Seafarer feels fliat any of die above rights have been violated, or that he has been denied his constitu­ tional right of access to Union records or infonnadon, he should immediately notify SIU President Paul Hall at head­ quarters by certified mail, rehim receipt requested. Page 9 �Also Recalls 'Old Days' To the Editor: I wish to thank you for keep­ ing my name on the mailing list and forwarding the Seafirers LOG to me. One issue that was of great interest to me was the September, 1970 issue featuring an article on Brother Fred Harvey. Strange as it may seem I also sailed aboard the Fairport and was in Mexillones. I vividly remember the boarding house crimps and the Stephens Bros. Co., ship chandlers. I even have the name Fairport tatooed on my arm. I remember the socalled "good, old days"—c r i m p s, boarding house runners, bunko mates. I am sure that at one time I was shipmates with Brother Harvey. I sailed on the follow­ ing American ships: the Bel­ mont, Howard Troop, Golden Gate, Charles Crockett, and the German four-master Farmar. I think the greatest thing for seamen in my time was passage of the LaFollette Seaman's Act. Old Andy Furuseth waged a great struggle in behalf of sea­ PHS beneficiaries can be treated at either vet­ men. eran's hospitals or in private hospitals under I would very much like to contract. Both are hopeless situations. hear from Brother Harvey if The VA hospitals are jammed to overflowing he can find the time. and Seafarers would have such low priority for I would finish by saying the admission that the real alternative is private hos­ SIU had done a fine job for pital care paid for by PHS. Seafarers sailing aboard U.S. And that's no alternative either, because ships. I hope you are success­ private hospital beds are scarce and very, very ful in your campaign against expensive. In terms of both people and budget run-away flag ships. that alternative does not work. Years ago you could see the We are, of course, primarily interested in the Stars and Stripes flying proudly health care of Seafarers. Until a better alterna­ in virtually all the ports of the tive to the service afforded by PHS hospitals is world you entered. found—one that can be expected to produce the Yours Sincerely, medical care now available to Seafarers—the Ben Bright PHS hospitals ought to be continued. 182 Moriey Ave. To do otherwise would be to place the health Wood Green, London and well-being of Seafarers and other PHS beneficiaries in jeopardy and would reflect very badly on the state of mind of the men in power. People or Money? It is a shame that we have to go through yet another battle to save the U.S. Public Health Service, and it's a shame on several counts. First of all there is an amazing contradiction in the proposed closing: We are a nation starved for hospital beds, and the government wants to do away with the beds in the PHS hospitals. Secondly, with so much useless fat in the fed­ eral budget, the Department of Health, Educa­ tion and Welfare looks to one of its most precious services for a place to cut. And worst of all, the narrow outlook of the budget cutters fails to see that behind the dollar signs there are people ... a half million of them who are eligible for PHS hospital benefits. In­ stead the pencil pushers see money. But money is not the prime business of government. People are. And the alternatives suggested for the PHS program are of no consolation to the people involved. The government says that present Improving the Quality of Life Three young men—standing tall and proud— opened a new era in union education as they received their high school equivalency diplomas at the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. Edward Cox. Martin Stainer. Michael Palmer. Their names are important because they repre­ sent the beginning of a unique and dynamic SIU program of education; a program that will ultimately improve the quality of life through learning for thousands of young men who will join our family of Seafarers. They represent a beginning—and they arc proof that in the face of those who chided us with their doubts—Seafarers today can ac­ complish the dreams of yesterday. Even as these three young men take their first shipboard jobs, five more HLSS trainees were completing their tests for, their high school equivalency certificates. And each week, more will follow—earning their way back into a so­ ciety that for their own reasons wasn't worth the effort before. This event follows Seafarer tradition. It was but a few short years ago that the first SIU mem­ ber earned his third engineer's license through a school developed by the SIU and MEBA Dis­ trict 2. Now nearly 460 men—men like Ed­ ward Cox, Martin Stainer, Michael Palmer—are living the better quality of life that became theirs Page 10 through an educational opportunity made avail­ able by their union. Nor do the benefits stop with the individuals involved. The skills of these engineers made possible the success of the Vietnam Sealift—an operation that was seriously endangered by the potential lack of licensed technicians. The short­ age was filled only because the SIU had a pro­ gram to bring Seafarers from the foc'sle to the ranks of rated officers. Nor does the SIU program to provide the chance for the better life stop now. Indeed, it has just begun. Soon men of all ages, at sea and ashore, will be able to utilize a top-quality correspondence study program being developed by experts from the University of Nebraska—which is interna­ tionally famous for its programs in study-on-thego. High school equivalency certificates will be made available through these courses for every Seafarer. And just a step beyond is another target, one that many will scoff at as being beyond reach. We will have college-accredited courses avail­ able to Seafarers—courses that will help us to help ourselves. There will be no end in the SlU's determina­ tion to improve the quality of life and living. That is why we exist. Concern Aids Grief Relief (The following letter was re­ ceived last month by SIU wel­ fare representative John Dwyer.) Dear Mr. Dwyer, I want to take this oppor­ tunity in letting you know Eustachy Bulik was laid to rest today. It was quite a sad day as you, no doubt, would under­ stand. Words couldn't express our sincerest thanks to you for keep­ ing in touch with us during our bereavement. Your cooperation during those hectic days since "Stash" passed away made it possible to have his body re­ turned. Although it wasn't pos­ sible to see him, we had to bear a stronger sadness in bewilder­ ment looking at a closed casket. Why was such a death meant to be? I guess nobody should question God's call. Thank you again, Mr. Dwyer. My mother, Mrs. Harbet, asked me to write to you. Mrs. Stephanie Snyder Sincerely, Iselin, NJ. Likes Monthly Pension Check To the Editon Just received my December pension check and as I sat watching my TV. I was think­ ing what a lucky day it was for me when I joined the SIU. I want to express my apprecia­ tion for everything the imion has done for me. When I started sailing in 1918 on Lake Ontario condi­ tions were bad and the pay was low. I didn't last long down there so I went up above where it was a little better. We didn't know what real good conditions were until the SIU came in and we had someone to fight for us. I was laid low with angina pectoris and two coronary at­ tacks in 1964 and had to retire on pension. Thanks to the pen­ sion I have been able to keep my home mortgage free and live in comfort. I'd just like to say hello to my old shipmates in the Boland boats. Have a good year. Ralph W. Bocco Oswego, N.Y. Welfare 1*1an Money Helps To the Editor: Just a few lines to thank the SIU Welfare Plan for so promptly sending maximum benefit payments to our doctor and hospital. As we have no medical in­ surance at all, it would have taken us quite a long time to pay these bills in full. I am so glad my husband be­ longs to a union that has a medical and welfare plan such as this one. Once again, thank you on behalf of my husband, Fidel, the children and myself. Sincerely, Marlene De Dios SEAFARER LOG Jan. 1971 Vol. XXXIV. No. 1 Offlcial Publication of the Seafarers International Union of North America. Atiantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District. AFL-CIO Executive Board Paul Hall, President Earl Shepard Cal Tanner Exec. Vice-Pres. Vice-President Lindsey Williams A1 KenVice-President Sec.-Treas. A1 Tanner Robert Matthews Vice-President Vice-President Pubiished monthly at 810 Rhode Island Avenue N.E.. Washington, D.C. 20018 by the Seafarers Internationai Union, AOantlc. Gulf. Lakes and Inland Waters District, AFLCIO, 675 Fourth Avenue, Brook­ lyn, N.Y. 11232. Tel. 499-6600. Sec­ ond class postage paid at Wash­ ington, D.C. POSTMASTER'S ATTENTION: Form 3579 cards should be sent to Seafarers International Union, Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District, AFL-CIO, 675 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11232. Seafarers Log �Rep. Ford Calls for More Cargo on U.S.-Flag Ships Washington, D.C. reasonably self - sufficient in Rep. Gerald R. Ford R- terms of basic raw materials "iviich. said he wants more than lhat time is gone forever." just a minimum of America's Among the essential ma­ foreign trade cargoes carried in terials that the U.S. needs to her ships. have transported by ship. Ford At a luncheon sponsored by said, are "oil, iron ore, bauxite the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades and other raw materials from Dept., with which the SIU is which industry fashions the affiliated, the House minority goods our economy demands." leader said it is bad for this Shipping Is Vital nation to be so dependent on The congressman said that foreign-flag ships for its import demand for raw materials is and export trade. what makes an American-flag Ford said, "if American-flag fleet so vital to the nation as a ships are not built to transport whole. a reasonable percentage of our "A country which becomes expanding foreign trade, we increasingly dependent upon will be totally dependent upon foreign raw materials is in foreign shipping interests to double jeopardy if it loses com­ move those goods. We cannot plete control over the means of afford that dependence." insuring the flow of those raw He said, "there was a time materials," Rep. Ford said. when the United States was "We must, Aerefore, have a merchant marine which insures jhat at least our minimum needs are met, and I will not be satisfied with just that minimum," he added. Thus, said Ford, the nation's new maritime policy, expressed by the Merchant Marine Act of 1970 is important to the na­ tion. Cost Is Justified "Cost of the program over the next 10 years is nearly $2.7 billion. There must be justifica­ tion for such an outlay—and there is," Ford said. Aside from the need for transport of raw materials. Ford cited the nation's need for improvement in the balance of payments. "Something that is generally overlooked is the fact that the direct investment we will make Prior to delivering his address on the slate of the nation's maritime industry at an AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department luncheon, House Minority Leader Gerald Ford posed for this photo. From left; Ford; Phillip Carlip, lobbyist, Seafarers International Union; Andrew Gib­ son, assistant secretary of commerce. in our shipbuilding program over the next 10 years will be almost entirely offset," he said. Ford said the ships will earn roughly $2 billion, "money that otherwise would be paid to foreign-flag carriers." And they will contribute between $500 and $750 million in taxes. "The net co^t of this pro­ gram oven a 10-year period will be minimal," Ford said. In all, he said, "there is good cause for optimism as to the health of this nation's tried and true friend: its merchant marine." Rep. Ford said, "I look for­ ward now to the complete revitalization of the merchant marine and to new days of glory for our gallant men who go down to the sea in ships." Russian Sea Reyolution Threat to Free World BAKERY PRODUCTS— Stroehmann Bros. Bakery, Schmidt Baking Co. (Bakery and Confectionery Workers) BARBER EQUIPMENT— Wahl Clipper Corp., pro­ ducers of home barber sets. (Int'l. Assoc. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) CIGARETTES—R. J. Reyn­ olds Tobacco Co.—Camels, Winston, Salem, Tempo, Brandon, Doral, and Cava­ lier. (Tobacco Workers Un­ ion) CLOTHING—Siegel (H. I. S. brand) suits and sports jack­ ets, Kaynee boyswear. Richman Brothers men's clothing, Sewell suits, Wing shirts, Metro Pants Co., and Dip­ lomat Pajamas by Fortex Mfg. Co. (Amalgamated Clothing Workers) Judy Bond Blouses—(Inter­ national Ladies Garment Workers Union) CASKETS—Capitol City Cas­ ket Company—(United Fur­ niture Workers) f . jk FLOURMILL PRODUCTS— Pioneer Produets, San An­ tonio, Texas (United Brew­ ery, Flour, Cereal, Soft Drinks and Distillery Work­ ers) FURNITURE—James Sterling Corp., White Furniture Co., Brown Furniture Co., (Unit­ ed Furniture Workers) Economy Furniture—B i 11- January 1971 Rite, Western Provinicial and Smithtown Maple. (Up­ holsterers) LIQUORS—Stitzel-Weller Dis­ tilleries products—Old Fitz­ gerald, Cabin Still, Old Elk, W. L. Weller. (Distillery Workers) MEAT PRODUCTS—Poultry Packers, Inc. (Blue Star label products). (Amalga­ mated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen) PRINTING—Kingsport Press "World Book," "Childcraft". (Printing Pressmen, Typog­ raphers, Bookbinders, Ma­ chinists, Stereotypers, and Electrotypers) NEWSPAPERS—Los Angeles Herald-Examiner. (10 unions involved covering 2,000 workers) Britannica Junior Encyclo­ pedia (Int'l. Allied Printing Trades Assn.) RANGES—Magic Chef, Pan Pacific Division. (Stove, Fur­ nace and Allied Appliance Workers) SHOES—Genesco Shoe Mfg. Co—work shoes . . . Sentry, Cedar Chest and Statler; men's shoes . . . Jarman, Johnson & Murphy, Crestworth (Boot and Shoe Work­ ers) SPECIAL—All West Virginia camping and vacation spots, (Laborers) TOYS—Fisher-Price toys (Doll & Toy Workers Union) Washington, D.C. The Russian revolution on the seas will pose a threat to Free World commerce, particu­ larly that of the U.S., for years to come, according to Andrew Pettis, president of the In­ dustrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America. Pettis spoke of the threat of the red flag on the high seas at a luncheon sponsored by the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades De­ partment. He said the Russian Revolu­ tion, "because it is a political revolution, a military revolu­ tion, a technological revolution, an economic revolution," jeopardizes the Free World in many ways. Militarily, Pettis said, "the Soviet Navy today is second •only to that of the United States—a feat undreamed of two decades ago, when you consider the fact that the Soviets have few outlets to the sea." Economically, he said it was "astounding" that the Russian merchant marine "soon will be larger than the present Ameri­ can maritime fleet, which is predominantly over-age. Must Heed History To combat this newest So­ viet menace, Pettis said, "there is a lesson of history which we must heed—that the nation which builds the ships, which carries the cargoes and which keeps the sea-lanes churning with commerce, has, to say the least, a big voice in the world. "The Russians recognize this—and so we have been wit­ nessing a Russian revolution at sea." He said that in the past 10 years the Russians have surged to preeminence as a world sea power while the picture for the U.S. merchant marine has been a "drift toward oblivion on the highs seas. The menace of the growing Soviet fleet is as alarming as the growth of their navy, Pettis said, because a vital merchant marine is any nation's "fourth arm of defense." And, the growth of the So­ viet merchant marine is an eco­ nomic challenge because, ac­ cording to Pettis, "the nation which controls the sea-lanes of the world has its hands on the jugular vein of trade." He said, "the stark fact is that a modem Soviet merchant fleet now confronts us on every sea-lane of the world." It is a modern fleet—80 pereent under ten years old—and it will be doubled in the next 10 years, Pettis said. U.S. Fleet Languishing Yet, the U.S. merchant fleet has been allowed to dwindle from the World War II high of 3,700 ships down to the point where less than 5 percent of this nation's foreign trade is carried in U.S. bottoms. Recognition of this nation's precarious position in sea trade led last year to the enactment of a comprehensive maritime program. "In a period when we are paring other government ex­ penditures to the bone, there has to be enormous justification for that kind of outlay, and there is," Pettis said. The new maritime program will treble the current national output of 10 ships a year, in­ crease the amount of cargo sail­ ing under U.S. flag and will preserve and modernize the aged U.S. merchant fleet, Pettis predicted. Program Must Be Implemented "These basically are the goals of the program, and they form the rationale for embarldng on a maritime program now, in the midst of what is otherwise a move toward greater economy in government," he said. Pettis said, "the Russian menace is very real. It will be with us for a long time to come, for there is a relentless quality to every effort of the Soviets to gain world domina­ tion. But we are a stubborn people too, with our feet planted in a proud history. Our merchant marine is part of that long and proud history." Library Group Requests $$$ An urgent plea for funds has been issued by the Merchant Marine Library Association in an effort to save the public li­ brary of the high seas. Financial problems have forced the clos­ ing of two of the association's eight facilities this year. Mrs. George E. Roosevelt, chairman of the association's board of trustees, said the as­ sociation, nearing its 50th an­ niversary, has been operating on reserves for the past few years. Nevertheles it distributed thousands of hardcover books and over 400,000 magazines on 1,038 vessels during 1969. The library has distributed some 16 million books and magazines to seamen of Ameri­ can-flag vessels since it was first established. Services Appreciated The appeal was made in the association's annual Christmas Sea Letter sent by Mrs. Roose­ velt. The letter stressed that the services of the library are "needed and appreciated—both from the letters we get and from the contributions from the seamen themselves." The library still operates out of the Ports of New York, Boston, New Orleans, Seattle, San Francisco and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. The two facilities that closed were at Norfolk, Va. and San Pedro, Calif. Page 11 /t �11 Three Receive GED Diplomas Martin Stainer, 17, addresses the 200 trainees and more than 100 guests who attended the gradu­ ation ceremonies for the first three Harry Lundeberg Schoo! trainees to success­ fully complete CED training at the school. Stainer told the other trainees: '^Getting this high school diploma is really a great thing. You never know when yon^n need it.** Piney Point, Md. n educational milestone for SIU and the trade union A movement was reached at the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship here when three young high school T Mrs. Ann Thomas, social studies in­ structor, tutors Mi­ chael Palmer, 18, of Baltimore, Md. dur­ ing a geography re­ view. Thanking the teachers. Palmer said, "the teachers here really took an interest and 1 just knew that I could make it." Edward Cox, 16, re­ ceives his high school equivalency diploma from Edu­ cation Director Hazel Brown. Cox said: "Without this pro­ gram 1 would nevmhave had an oppor­ tunity to earn my diploma, and wilhont the tnchers h«« I jasS wosld not have had the interest to go on." Cox dropped of sdtool Honston, Texas, after the ninth grade. dropouts received their high school equivalency diplomas. The three men, Edward Cox of Houston, Tex., Martin Stainers of Baytown, Tex., and Michael Palmer of Bal­ timore, Md., were the first to be graduated from the HLSS program to bring to Seafarer trainees the oppor­ tunity to gain their high school degrees. "You are the first three of hundreds of young men who will follow you in accomplishing a high school edu­ cation," SIU President Paul Hall said during a gradua­ tion ceremony on New Year's Eve. Speaking to an audience of students, faculty and veteran Seafarers, Hall added: "I think the teachers have done an excellent job, and yet they have really only begun. Education is an im­ portant thing, and so is the desire to achieve. And it is to all of you, the young Seafarer and the old, that we are gearing our educational program. "It isn't important that all of you get a diploma," he continued. "Many of you won't qualify, but what is im­ portant is that you strive, to the best of your ability, to improve yourself, each one of you as an individual." T he three who received their General Educational De­ velopment (GED) certificates showing they have the equivalent of a high school education took the statesupervised examinations in December. Their tests came after eight weeks of study and tutoring by the academic faculty of HLSS. Cox, 16, who has since been graduated from the school's third-cook training program, had dropped out of school after completing the ninth grade. Stainer, another third-cook graduate, finished the tenth grade before dropping out of school. He is 17. Reactions of HLSS Trainees Rudolph Shields—"I have already passed high school. But I think it (the HLSS pro­ gram) is a once-in-a-Iifetime opportunity to get ahead. The SIU made it possible for others to go on.' James Beard, a high school graduatethink (the program) is nice for the cats who didn't have a chance to finish high school at home. If I hadn't finished, I would get in the GED." Tony Hutter, who completed eight grades and has taken his pre-tests for the GED pro­ gram—"I figure it would be a wonderful pro­ gram and I love the opporutnity to take it. Others want to go into the program if they �U Palmer, 18, ended his public school training after nine grades. They were presented their diplomas by Miss Hazel Brown, HLSS director of education. "We are very proud of these young men," she said. "They are the first of many more to come." Showing that she and the HLSS faculty shared in the accomplishments of their students, she added: "We feel we have given them a new outlook on life and a new ouiiook on education. They now have every educational opportunity open to them. "Prior to coming here," she said, "they were dropouts from the public school system, and they really thought that education was over for them. But they worked very hard, with far more motivation than, I am sure, they ever had before." Bill Hall, director of trade union education at HLSS, told the assembly that "we are reaching for a higher qual­ ity of life for the sailor, and all of you, by improving your education, will better understand what the sailor is, where he comes from and, more important, where he is going." He noted that the HLSS program is unique in labor his­ tory. It provides, in addition to the chance to gain a high school equivalency certificate, a wide range of academic vocational and union education. "Those (Seafarers) who came before can say with pride that they helped to build what we have today," he declared, "just as the oldtimer can say with pride that he fought the organizing battles which built the SIU. We have come a long way, and we shall go a lot further." any of the young trainees at HLSS have dropped out M of school, for a variety of reasons. Some interrupted their education to take jobs in an effort to help support their families; others simply abandoned a system that had abandoned them. Trainees are given an insight into the future of the maritime industry—an industry that is making rapid technological changes that will require more knowledge of the men who crew the modern ships. This factor contributed to the decision to broaden the educational facilities at HLSS, with a comprehensive re­ medial reading course and the GED programs forming the foundation. A full academic program, together with a broad-based correspondence study system will soon be in operation. A team of professionals from the University of Ne­ braska is now developing the correspondence course— a program that will be available to all Seafarers, ashore and at sea, who want to add to their knowledge. Vocational training has been a keystone in the educa­ tional network at HLSS. Nick Gullo, a graduate of Fort Schuyler Maritime Academy who has sailed as a second mate with MEBA District 2, is director of the HLSS vocational training program. Gullo termed the passage of the GED tests by the three trainees "a remarkable achievement." "But this is only the beginning," he told the audience at the graduation ceremony. "Many of us can recall when we first began our program for upgrading our deck and engine members to censed ratings. "In the beginning, not too many years ago, there was only one," he recalled. "Today, more than 460 licensed mates and engineers have graduated from our school. The GED program is just one more extension of the un­ ion's continuing educational program—a program that seeks to improve the life of the professional seaman and his family." SIU President Paul Hal! told the more than 300 people who attended the graduation assembly that "the achievement of these first three young men in earning a high school diploma while training for a career at sea will rank among the great achievements of any seafaring union, and the direct beneficiaries of this achievement will be Sea­ farers and their families." Edward Cox, 16, of Houston, Tex., (fore­ ground), takes a prog­ ress examination dur­ ing the GED prepara­ tory curriculum. Each candidate was given periodic exams to in­ dicate where individual tutoring would be needed. Michael Palmer receives his diploma from Edu­ cation Director Hazel Brown. Palmer said that he "never would have made it without the SIU." Palmer, 18, finished the ninth grade before he dropped out of school. He encour­ aged other trainees to take the GED study course because "it is really worth it." M ore than 500 active Seafarers and SIU pensioners saw the school in operation during the recent series of SIU Crews' Conferences and SIU Pensioners Confer­ ences. A new series of conferences will start March 1. The back page of this issue of the Log provides the details. SIU has a tradition of giving opportunity through edu­ cation a top priority among union activities. Upgrading programs have produced advancement for thousands of members, ranging from an 18-year-old who qualified for his third-engineer's license to a 60-year-old Seafarer who raised himself from wiper to an engineer. Various SIU programs have resulted in 4,197 Seafar­ ers receiving their lifeboat endorsements; 1,458 qualify­ ing as able seamen; 4,112 receiving the QMED endorse­ ments; 397 qualifying for engineer's license, and 63 gain­ ing their mate's license. January 1971 Remedial Reading Instructor Eva Naill gives individualized instruction to trainee Ernest Johnson in the Remedial Read­ ing Laboratory aboard HLSS's Charles S, Zimmer­ man. Many students advance their read­ ing levels by three grades during the training period.. Page 13 �SlU Ships Committees Serve the Membership S eafarers aboard ship can partake as fully in the affairs of their union as they can while ashore. The opportunity to do this is provided by a six-man ship's committee aboard every SlU-contracted vessel. The committee consists of one elected dele­ gate from each of the shipboard departments, a ship's reporter-secretary, an education direc­ tor, and a ship's chairman. Every Sunday during a voyage it is the re­ sponsibility of the ship's chairman to call a meeting of the unlicensed crew. All subjects related to the union, its programs and activ­ ities may be discussed at these meetings. With the assistance of the elected delegates, ship­ board beefs can also be handled at the meet­ ings. The reporter-secretary has the responsibility of keeping in touch with union headquarters by mail, and passing on to the crew any com­ munications received from headquarters. At the conclusion of each Sunday shipboard meet­ ing, he forwards a copy of the meeting minutes to union headquarters. The education director is responsible for maintaining and distributing all publications, films and mechanical equipment relating to education on such subjects as safety, training and upgrading, health and sanitation. During each shipboard meeting, every SIU member has the right to express himself on any matte- connected with union business. Every Seafarer should take an active part in shipboard meetings and serve if elected to the committee. He will be serving himself as well as his shipmates. sesfspeps -AQTIDN LINE STEEL TRAVELER (Isthmian)—Relaxing in the galley after a smooth voyage on the Steel Traveler is the ship's committee: from left, I. R. Linos, secretary-reporter; Scotty Weems, engine delegate; R. O. Spencer, deck delegate; Robert Black, steward delegate; H. E. Messick, education director and William Hale, ship's chairman. MOBILE (Sea-Land)—Home after a voyage to Puerto Rico, the Mobile't committee takes time out for a photo while awaiting payolT. From left are: John Gibbons, steward delegate; F. T. Di Carlo, secretary-reporter; Brod Finder, education director; Walter Wilson, engine delegate; S. Leknes, deck delegate and H. Libby, ship's chairman. Question: I am retired on an SIU Disability Pension and have been regu­ larly receiving my monthly checks since February, 1970. Please tell me if my monthly Disability Pension is taxable and if it is, under what conditions? Answer: For all disability pensioners, the determining factor governing taxability of their pensions is their age. Government regulations provide that all Normal Pensions (retirement at age 65) are tax­ able by the government. However, in the case of a Disability Pension, pension monies are not taxable until the pensioner reaches age 65, at which time his pension is regarded as a Normal Pension and is then subject to taxes. For example, if a Seafarer retires at age 59 on an SIU Disa­ bility Pension, the pension money he receives each month from age 59 to age 65 is not subject to tax. But, for tax purposes, the disability pension money he receives after age 65 is taxable. Government regulations further provide that there is no re­ striction on earnings for Normal Pensioners, but there is a $1,680 earnings restriction imposed upon the Disability Pensioner until he reaches age 72. After the Disability Pensioner reaches age 72, the restriction on earnings no longer applies. 15 More Seafarers Retire to Shore Irenaus Entringer, 62, joined the SIU in Milwaukee, Wis. and sailed in the deck department as a deck hand. A native of Kewaune County, Wis., Brother Entringer now makes his home in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. He is an Army veteran of World War II. Percy Johnson, 54, is a native of Ellison Bay, Wis. and now lives in Sister Bay, Wis. Brother Johnson joined the union in Mil­ waukee, Wis. and sailed in the engine department. Entringer Johnson James King, 65, is a native of Ireland and is now spending his retirement in Cleveland, O. Broth­ er King joined the union in the Port of Detroit and sailed in the engine department. James OToole, 63, joined the union in 1939 in the Port of De­ troit and sailed in the deck de­ partment. A native of New York City, Brother OToole now spends his retirement in River Rouge, Pesie 14 Mich. He served in the armed forces from 1940 to 1941. O'Toole John Lawrence Mahoney, 64, is a native of Massachusetts and now lives in New Orleans, La. He joined the SIU in the Port of Bos­ ton in 1944. Brother Mahoney sailed in the engine department. William Edward Reynolds, 57, joined the SIU in the Port of Mobile back in 1939 and sailed in the engine department. A na­ tive of Alabama, Brother Reyn­ olds is now spending his retirem.ent in Mobile, Ala. Mahoney Reynolds Joel V. P. Bremer, 53, is a native of Charleston, S.C. and now lives in Savannah, Ga. He joined the union in the Port of Savannah and sailed in the deck department as a boatswain. Brother Bremer served in the Navy from 1937 to 1941. John K. Callaghan, 68, joined the SIU in the Port of New York in 1946 and sailed in the engine department as an electrician. A native of New York, Brother Callaghan now makes him home in De Bary. Fla. He is a Navy veteran of World War II. Bremer Callaghan Rudolph Evans, 59, joined the Union in the Port of New York in 1945 and sailed in the steward de­ partment. A native of the Ba­ hamas, Brother Evans now makes his home in the Bronx, N.Y. Ashhy Homer Sonthers, 65, is a native of Virginia' and now lives in Baltimore, Md. He joined the union in the Port of Balti- more in 1942 and sailed in the engine department. Evans Sonthers Carlos F. Rocafort, 64, is a native of the Dominican Republic and now lives in Hollbrook, L.I., N.Y. He joined the union in the Port of Baltimore in 1941 and sailed in the steward department as a chief cook. In 1961 William E. Swilley, 54, is a na­ tive of Picyune, Miss, and now lives in Pearl River, La. He joined the union in the Port of New Orleans in 1941 and sailed in the engine department. Vincent J. Fitzgerald, 64, joined the union in the Port of New York and sailed in the steward department. In 1961 he wa.s given a safety award for his part in making the Del Oro an accidentfree ship. A native of New York City, brother Fitzgerald now lives in New Orleans, La. Walter Sanderson, '61, joined the SIU in the Port of Baltimore in 1940 and sailed in the engine department. A native of Hono­ lulu, Hawaii., Seafarer Sanderson now makes his home in Balti­ more, Md. He served in the Marines from 1925 to 1928. When Brother Sanderson retired he ended a sailing career of 46 years. Fltzgerald Rocafort Swilley Sanderson Edmund Frank Glowczak, 65, is a native of Buffalo, N.Y. and continues to make his home there. He joined the union in the Port of Detroit and sailed in the steward department. Seafarers log �SEAFARERSmOG OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERWATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES AND INLAND WATERS DISTRICT • AFL-CIO •f MARITIME UNITY: What It's Really All About! The January-February 1971 issue of The NMU Pflot carries a lengthy, signed article by President Joseph Curran which addresses itself to the question of "maritime unity." survive without assistance for a third of a century. (We will have more to say on Mr. Curran's track record on unity elsewhere in this supplement.) Now as everyone knows, there are many different kinds of unity: 4 Then there's the question of unity in a single seafar­ ing union. We're not sure whether or not that is a subject that's also on Mr. Curran's mind, although his editorial does speak vaguely about "unity on the collective bargain­ ing front"—whatever that means. As an abstract principle, one big union of seafaring workers might be attractive. As an actual way of life, it's anything but appealing. Because if you read Mr. Curran's magazine, you'll find out that the companies he has contracts with are in trouble ... the ships which his members used to man are being laid up . . . the members he represents are being beached. So unity into one big seafaring union at tliis point in liistory would bene­ fit jobless NMU members at the expense of employed SIU members. That's hardly a bargain as far as we're concerned. And picking up the NMU's soaring deficit in its unfunded pension scheme would be no bargain, either. 4 There's the question of unity within the ranks of the NMU, itself. This obviously is a problem which concerns Mr. Curran because his editorial contains a bitter attack on the '^dissidents within our own union (who) are continu­ ing their campaign of sniping and harrassment." He attacks these NMU "dissidents" for ideas "they may have picked up from the old Marxist handbooks," for publishing "un­ derground leaflets" and for consorting with "crackpot 'New Left* groups." We wouldn't presume to counsel Mr. Curran on how to achieve unity within his own house, but it does strike us as difficult to achieve if he's going to engage in public name-calling, "Red-baiting," and invective against his own members. 4 There's the question of unity on the part of all of maritime labor in presenting a solid front in support of a viable maritime program. This obviously is on Mr. Curran's mind, too, because his editorial makes reference to the need for unity on "the political and legislative fronts." But, Mr. Curran describes this kind of unity as one in which everyone would join forces to save the 14 fat-cat subsidized shipping operators (some of whose ships are under con­ tract to the SIU and its affiliates), without regard to help­ ing the unsubsidized operators who have been trying to ' January 197f' This question of "maritime unity" deserves careful study by Seafarers. To help them get all of the facts, we are re­ printing in this supplement the entire text of Mr. Curran's editorial. We are also reprinting some of the bleak port reports that appear in The NMU Pilot, so that our mem­ bers can see, for themselves, what's really bugging Mr. Cur­ ran. Finally, we present the SIU's own views on "maritime unity"—what it has meant in the past, and what the pros­ pects are for the future. �^ -'S.- • Passing the word ;; ' ''•• •, •-; O"':' . '', "'V LU:;/. • . • "-'> • :••' ivS-''"'..' Maritime unity is a must in this time of crisis "The one place th from in this indusi and women our uni at stake in the indu they have less to ^ This is a challenge unions—East Coast, shore, every phase o of personal pride b he allowed to interfi rity of American *A other maritime wor By President Joseph Ciirran As we look ahead to the New Year and the critical problems that face our members and the maritime industiy, one factor stands out above all others as an absolute essential to any real progress. That is unity; not only unity of the maritime unions but, as far as possible, of all the elements that make up the U.S. merchant ma­ rine. That is a big order and it has to start among the maritime unions. If we are ever going to get any effective united movement in this industry, it is quite clear the leadership will have to come from the unions. The prospects at this time do not look parti­ cularly encouraging, it is true. We have just had some unfortunate examples of lack of unity on the waterfront. These stem mainly from uncer­ tainty and suspicion about what the conglomer­ ates are trying to do to the industry and about the plans of certain companies and government agencies. Nobody should be surprised with what is happening in the industry, that some unions are operating on a hair-trigger basis. But this is all the more reason why the unions have to get together on the issues and work out a solid, unified approach. On the management side, we never could ex­ pect much. Each segment of the industry has always been out to grab off everything possible for itself regardless of any larger consequences. That is always the way with business unless there is some force strong enough to control it. That force must come either from government or from organized labor. On the government side, we have to recognize that there has been veiy little effective leader­ ship in the administration as far as maritime is concerned. True, a maritime program was enac­ ted this year. To the extent that this new pro­ gram reaffirms that the nation needs a merchant marine and slows down the headlong plunge to the bottom that the U.S. merchant marine is in, we are grateful. But we know ijt is no panacea. It contains no guarantees of a greater share of cargoes for U.S. ships. It provides nothing to stem the oblitera­ tion of U.S. flag passenger service. Yet the same bill provides U.S. subsidies for American opera­ tors of runaway flag ships, giving them the best of all possible giveaways—U.S. subsidies while they can continue to operate their foreign flag ships (some of which have not yet been com­ pleted) for a full twenty years! Page 16 The intentions of the top leadership of the Washington administration may have been sin­ cere but the performance of those in the' govern­ ment directly responsible for maritime has been uninspired, to say the least. The news was just released about how the gov­ ernment is getting up $600-million to enable the Lockheed Company to fulfill its contracts on the C-5A cargo plane. That amount would be all the government help needed to support most of our passenger fleet over the next ten years. Yet the government agency responsible for maritime has not raised its voice to ask for even the most mod­ est consideration for passenger ships. It has stood by and let the rug be pulled out from under ships, jobs, balance of payments, passenger safety and everything else involved in the pas­ senger ships situation. And—if they ever suc­ ceed with that highly speculative C-5A program at a cost of severah billion dollars—the military still is likely to face emergency situations where the giant transport planes will not be enough and they will need passenger ships to get the job done. The fact is, the new maritime program does not even guarantee any new ships. It projects construction of 30 ships a year for the next 10 years but the money will have to be approved year by year and you can be sure we will have to fight for it every year. Since some companies receiving help under the program will continue operating foreign flag fleets, there is going to be some conflict of interest. Some of these com­ panies will not try very hard to see the projected new American flag construction fully realized; they might even, because of their interest in for­ eign flag operations, try to obstruct it. But the people in the administration who had direct responsibility for maritime matters, were reportedly willing to accept a grandfather clause with even fewer restrictions than we finally got. It is on this basis that we say no effective influ­ ence for unifying the maritime industry is likely to come from that source. The one place that leadership has to come from in this industry is the unions. The men and women our unions represent have got more at stake in the industry than anybody else and they have less to gain from cutthroat tactics. This is a challenge to the leadership of all the unions— East Coast, West Coast, seagoing, longshore, shipyard, every phase of the industry. No ques­ tions of personal pride or personal ambition should be allowed to interfere where the jobs and security of American seamen, longshoremen and other maritime workers are concerned. Any differences between individuals are trivial and J must take second place to this task. To achieve maximum protection of the jobs and the wages, hours and conditions which have been won by unions, we need unity on the collec­ tive bargaining front and the political and legis= lative fronts. We need unity in dealing with gov­ ernment and management. With unity in our own ranks, the unions can get the duplication of management associations straightened and unite J all the segments of the industry and keep them united behind sound comprehensive programs. While your Union is working on these basic issues, the so-called dissidents within our Union are continuing their campaign of sniping and harassment. It is unfortunate that in spite of the repeated rejection by the NMU membership of their destructive efforts, there still are enough angles in the law and enough lawyers who spe­ cialize in this kind of thing, to enable some dis- ^ sidents to keep at it full time. Their efforts cost '' the Union time, energy and resources that should , be fully devoted to the battles for ships, jobs, conditions, etc., but that is not an element of concern in the Landrum-Griffin Act. It is interesting to see the kind of "programs" these people advance to cover up their real in­ terest, which is lawsuits of one kind or another. * Their contribution to the passenger ship prob­ lem, for example, is "nationalization." This is an • idea they may have picked up from the old Marx­ ist handbooks on "How to Bring Revolution to' the Waterfront." As a matter of fact, some of the so-called "underground" leaflets put out' around the waterfront by crackpot "New Left" groups called for nationalization several months" ago in connection with our ships. With the positions the government has taken' on our efforts to save passenger ships, anybody who suggests nationalization at this time has to'l be completely stupid or has to want to destroy| any and all hope of ever restoring these ships. For example, one of the factors involved ini the Prudential-Grace decision on their passenger I ships was the $12-million in subsidies that the; government owes the company, which is tiedl up in red tape. We brought this to President I Nixon's attention. If the government is delin- l Seafarers Log �tlie NMU Says ^ iAbout the Problems of Its Members, Its % Norfolk \at leadership has to come ry is the unions. The men ons represent have got more stry than anybody else and [ain from cutthroat tactics, to the leadership of all the West Coast^ seagoing^ long' f the industry. No questions r personal ambition should ere where the jobs and secU' ieamen, longshoremen and hers are concerned." 66 . . . anticipated Christmas vacation replacements did not materialize . . . which was disappointing since it would have alleviated tight shipping . . . Open jobs are scarce these days, and lower group men are having difficulty getting out." Joliet . . Many jobs were lost with the passenger ships laying up. Many of our members are among the unemployed." Mobile 66 ... we feel that things will get worse before they will get better . . . We have had to make cuts (in manning scales) but at least we are maintain­ ing jobs instead of seeing these ships . . . laid up indefinitely." Savannah 66 . . . We all know that (ships) are being laid up . . . people (who) are not doing their work properly . . . perhaps are one of the reasons these ships are laying up . . ." quent and it means a loss of seamen's jobs, we want the government to do something about it. The President put one of his top assistants to work on it. The answer we got from the White House is that the money was not paid because Congress did not appropriate the funds. This is the kind of juggling that can go on indefinitely when you have to deal with govern­ ment. In addition there are the well-known re­ strictions on collective bargaining, contract en­ forcement, no-strike laws and other difficulties when dealing with government agencies concern­ ing seamen on government vessels. NMU has an impressive record of success in this field. We have good relations with the many fair, respon­ sible officials in the agencies; But as you can tell from reading The PILOT, the frustrations and limitations that are put on the Union and the lack of good faith on the part of many govern­ ment people are very, very difficult. Miami 66 . . . our port has been faced with a sad and depressing situation (regard­ ing returning Vietnam war veterans.) In years gone by, we . . . were able to absorb many of these men . . . since we had an adequate amount of ship­ ping and a need for qualified personnel. Today, we are compelled to turn these young men away ..." Chicago 66 . . . Shipping continues to get tight and jobs are getting scarcer and most of the members are bumping the lower groups to secure a berth." New York 66 . . . many men are taking jobs but then are not fulfilling same. This is very unfair to the rest of the members who are waiting for jobs, needing jobs and being beaten out of jobs . . ." San Pedro If there was no privately-owned U.S. mer­ chant marine and if we did not have the policy that government ships will follow the pattern set in private industry, government seamen would be far, far behind where they are today. I am not worried about the NMU membership buying any such "pie in the sky" solutions. That has been tried before. There are no easy solu­ tions to problems such as laidup passenger ships, foreign flag competition, government compla­ cency and disunity in the maritime industry. Ours is not the only industry in which Amer­ ican workers are being displaced by sweatshop competition from overseas, much of it from for­ eign subsidiaries of American companies. Sea­ men were the first to suffer this kind of attack but—as we warned our fellow unionists long ago —it was only a matter of time before others suf­ fered the same kind of competition. And that is the case today in the electronics industry, tex­ tiles, clothes, small appliances, heavy machinery, etc., etc. Unity has to be the key word in our struggle. Unity within the ranks of NMU; unity with other maritime unions. With that kind of unity in our own ranks, we can build a unified effort by labor, management and government to serve the needs of all maritime workers and the U.S. merchant marine. In the year ahead let us all dedicate our strength and our determination to this great effort. .. It is up to each and every one of us to take our vacations when due . . This will assist in giving others employment." Corpus Chris+i . . Shipping is still slow for most ratings ... we have our normal amount of ships calling in the port but the turnover in jobs is slow." Charleston . . Shipping has slowed almost to a crawl with Boatswains throwing in for Wipers and Utilitymen's jobs." San Francisco 66 . . . Shipping has been slow with only a few lower ratings getting out in key ratings. The future does not look much brighter so 1 would not sug­ gest that anyone wanting to get out in a hurry come to San Frahcisco ... I am afraid that someone would be hurting." Galveston . . We are urging every man on board ship with vacation due him to take his vacation and share the work with the men on the beach . . ." (From the January-February, 1971, NMU Pilof) Page 17| January 1971 " '•' "- .-a I' r �* A SEAFARERS^^LOG OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION . ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES AND INLAND WATERS DISTRICT • AFL-CIO The SlU's Position On Maritime Unity The question of maritime labor joining forces in a united front on behalf of the strongest possible merchant marine pro­ gram isn't new. And it didn't originate with Mr. Curran. even attacked the Members of Congress who had rallied to sup­ port of maritime independence—attacked them as "traitors" and as "enemies of their country." As a matter of fact, just for the record, the concept of mari­ time unity dates back at least to the National AFL-CIO Con­ vention in San Francisco, Calif., in December 1965. Then, Mr. Curran decided that it was to his advantage to join forces with shipowners who wanted to build their ships with "coolie labor" in foreign countries. So, without any discus­ sions with the shipbuilding unions which were still aligned with him, Mr. Curran did a 180-degree turn and supported foreign building. That was the year when, for the first time in history, the world's largest trade union body adopted a comprehensive pol­ icy statement dealing with every aspect of American shipping and shipbuilding. All of the unions in the maritime field—licensed and un­ licensed, seagoing and shoreside, longshore and shipbuildingjoined in drafting that AFL-CIO policy position. Mr. Curran happened to have been one of the architects of that maritime policy. There were 17 points in that AFL-CIO policy statement. Three of them bear emphasizing at this point in history: • One of them called for support of an independent Federal Maritime Administration so that we would have a centralized, instead of a fragmented, approach to maritime problems. • Another called for strict adherence to the "build-American" principle with respect to U.S.-flag merchant ships. • Still another called for action to stop the "runaways," and make it worthwhile for them to come back to American-flag, American-manned operations. As we said, Mr. Curran was one of the architects of that policy. He spoke fulsomely on the subject during the floor debate. And the policy was passed unanimously by the convention. What's more, it was reaffirmed unanimously by the AFL-CIO Executive Council (of which Mr. Curran is a member) ori Aug. 24, 1966 in Chicago, 111. So we thought we had "maritime unity" in 1965 and 1966— and we thought Mr. Curran was part of that united front. What happened to that "unity"? First of all, Mr. Curran decided that it was to his advantage to join forces with the Johnson Administration which was op­ posed to the independent agency. So, without consulting his "partners" in the maritime "united front," he did a 180-degree turn and not only came out against the independent agency, but Finally, Mr. Curran decided it was to his advantage to join forces with the 14 fat-cat subsidized lines which have been the sole beneficiaries of the multi-billion-dollar subsidy program in the past, and so he did a 180-degree turn on the question of the "runawaySt^JThe-new maritime program provides for an orderly phase-out of "runaway-flag" operations, and the orderly build-up of American-flag operations. But Mr. Curran doesn't want any­ body to benefit from the maritime program except the subsidized fat-cat ship operators (some of whose ships are under contract to the SIU and its affiliates)—so he fought bitterly, but vainly, against this plan which could eventually put the "runaways" out of business. In other words, with Mr. Curran, it's really always been a question of "unity if . .or "unity but..or "unity maybe .. Now that he has trouble with his own membership . . . now that his pension fund is getting sicker by the day . . . now that the fat-cat shipowners are afraid of the competition from the rest of the industry, Mr. Curran suddenly starts hollering "unity" at the top of his lungs. As we say, we're not opposed to a responsible united front by maritime unions to make sure that the maritime law which some of us fought so hard to win becomes the kind of a program that will keep our members employed and keep our flag flying on the high seas. But the key word is "responsible." It can't be onagain-off-again unity ... it can't be part-time unity ... it can't be the unity of a propaganda barrage which is thrown up in an effort to obscure the troubles that Mr. Curran is having within his own ranks. IJ T ij If Mr. C urran is sincere about all of the unions working to­ gether for the common good, he knows where to find us. And he knows that he can reach us by letter or by telephone—^which, if he's genuinely interested in a united front, is the way to reach us. The quiet, direct approach always seems so much more sincere than a big public relations effort. 1 Ml 'Pigel' Se^firerilbg I �ft"- 'I i' illV w I I'l II TRANSCOLORADO (Hudson Waterways), Nov. 14—Chairman S. R. Mchringer; Secretary Jake Cobb; Deck Delegate William Chap­ man; Engine Delegate Herbert G. Boudroux. $46 in ship's fund. No beefs reported. PENN SAILOR (Penn Shipping), Nov. 8—Chairman Johannes C. S(^; Secretary Raymond Perry. No beefs and no disputed OT. WARRIOR (Sea-Land), Nov. 15 —Chairman C. L. Gonzales; Secre­ tary Esteban Cruz; Deck Delegate Aubrey L. Waters; Engine Delegate F. Alexandro. Everything is run­ ning smoothly in all departments. SEATRAIN GEORGIA (Seatrain), Nov. 22—Chairman J. Melwell; Secretary R. Mills; Steward Delegate R. Mills. $30 in ship's fund. No beefs and no disputed OT. PORTMAR (Calmar), Octi 25— Chairman I. Moen; ^cretary J. Bergstrom; Engine Delegate Thom­ as E. Frazier; Steward Delegate James H. Merk. Motion was made to have the union start negotiations on raising the maintenance and cure payments to a minimum of $15 a day. Everything is running smoothly with no beefs. PORTMAR (Calmar), Nov. 1— Chairman I. Moen; Secretary J. Bergstrom; Engine Delegate Thomas E. Frazier; Steward Delegate James H.» Merk. Everything is running smoothly. AZALEA CITY (Sea-Land), Nov. 8—Chairman J. H. Morris; Secre­ tary J. RoberU; Engine Delegate Jose Pineiro; Steward Delegate Felix G. Quinonez. $251 in ship's fund. No beefs were reported by department delegates. PORTMAR (Calmar), Oct. 4— Chairman I. Moen; ^cretary J. Bergstrom; Steward Delegate James H. Merk. Discussion held on new retirement plan. General opinion is that the Union should have come up with something much better. Everything is running smoothly. PORTMAR (Calmar), Oct. 11— Chairman I. Moen; Secretary J. Bergstrom; Engine Delegate Thomas E. Frazier; Steward Delegate James H. Merk. Motion was made to have the Union and negotiating commit­ tee start improving the present re­ tirement plan. Discussion held on present maintenance and cure pay­ ments. No beefs were reported. WARRIOR (Sea-Land) Oct. 4— Chairman C. L. Gonzales; Secretary E. Cruz. No beefs and no disputed OT. Smooth voyage but very cold in Alaska. CHARLESTON (Sea-Land), Oct. 15—Chairman John C. Alberti; Sec­ retary Guy Walter; Deck Delegate Tony Kotsis; Steward Delegate Ed­ ward Tresnick. $16 in ship's fund. No beefs were reported by depart­ ment delegates. WARRIOR (Sea-Land), Nov. 22—Chairman C. Gonzales; Secre­ tary Esteban Cruz; Deck Delegate A. L. Waters. Discussion held re­ garding retirement plan. Some dis­ puted OT in engine and steward departments, otherwise everything is okay. OVERSEAS CARRIER (Mari­ time Overseas), Nov. 1—Chairman W. B. Chipman; Secretary William H. Thompson; Deck Delegate Mi­ chael Broadus; Engine Delegate J. K. Brannan; Steward Delegate Robert H. Forsbee. No beefs and no disputed OT. Vote of thanks to the steward department for a job well done. CONNECTICUT (Ogden Ma­ rine), Nov. 8—Chairman Carl Lineberry; Secretary T. D. Ballard. $40 in ship's fund. Some disputed OT' in deck and engine departments. COMMANDER (Marine Cairiers). Oct. 4—Chairman A. R. Sawyer; Secretary F. R. Hicks, Jr.: Deck Delegate J. R. Woolford: En­ gine Delegate W. Price: Steward Delegate Linwood Price. Good January 1971 crew on board. No beefs. Hearty vote of thanks to the steward de­ partment for the good food and service. EAGLE TRAVELER (United Maritime), Nov. 15—Chairman J. L. Bourgeois; Secretary A. W. Hutcherson; Deck Delegate Eugene Dakin; Engine Delegate Frank B. Cako; Steward Delegate James Carter. Jr. No beefs and no dis­ puted OT. CONNECTICUT (Ogden Marine) Nov. 15—Chairman Carl T. Lineberry; Secretary T. D. Ballard. $40 in ship's fund. Some disputed OT in deck and engine departments. COMMANDER (Marine Car­ riers), Oct. II—Chairman A. R. Sawyer; Secretary F. R." Hicks; Deck Delegate J. Wollford; Steward Dele­ gate L. Price. Some disputed OT in deck department. Discussion held regarding pension plan and other items. Everything is running smoothly. EAGLE TRAVELER (United Maritime), Nov. 22—Chairman Jo­ seph L. Bourgeois; Secretary A. W. Hutcherson; Deck Delegate E. Dakin; Engine Delegate Frank C. Cake; Steward Delegate James Carter. $8 in ship's fund. Some dis­ puted OT in deck department. ANCHORAGE (Sea-Land), Nov. 15—Chairman Barney E. Swearingan; Secretary William Nihems; Deck Delegate Robert G. Mason; Steward Delegate Robert Lee Scott, Sr. $20 in ship's fund. Disputed OT in deck department. Everything is running smoothly. CALMAR (Calmar), Nov; 15— Chairman Elbert Hogge; Secretary Howard Flynn; Deck Delegate John Dunne. Everything is running smoothly. Vote of thanks to the steward department for a job well done. STEEL KING (Isthmian), Nov. 15—Chairman John N. Crews; Sec­ retary Leon W. Franklin; Deck Delegate L. Koo; Engine Delegate Herbert P. Calloe; Steward Dele­ gate LeRoy V. Hansen. No beefs and no disputed OT. Vote of thanks to the steward department for a job well done. STEEL KING (Isthmian), Nov. 22—Chairman John N. Crews; Sec­ retary Leon W. Franklin; Deck Delegate L. Kool; Engine Delegate H. P. Calloe; Steward Delegate LeRoy V. Hansen. Few hours dis­ puted OT in engine department, otherwise no beefs. $30 in ship's fund. MANHATTAN (Hudson Water­ ways), Nov. 22—Chairman Willis Gregery; Secretary Jack E. Long; Deck Delegate John J. Naughton; Engine Deelgate Jack Wells; Stew­ ard Delegate W. Neal. Some dis­ puted OT in each department. A hearty vote of thanks to the stew­ ard department for a job well done. WESTERN CLIPPER, NoV. 8— Chairman Charles V. Mojett; Deck Delegate Joseph Olson; Engine Delegate Joseph Arpino; Steward Delegate L. C. Melanson. Few hours disputed OT in deck and steward department. $21 in ship's fund. AZALEA CITY (Sea-Land), Nov. 15—Chairman J. H. Morris; Secre­ tary J. Roberts; Engine Delegate Jose Pineiro; Steward Delegate Fdix G. Quinnonez. $251 in ship's fund. No beefs and no disputed OT. NATIONAL DEFENDER (Na­ tional Transport), Nov. 15—Chair­ man R. Johnson; Secretary L. A. Behm; Deck Delegate Donald Rundelard; Engine Delegate Wil­ liam Calefato, Steward Delegate J. V. Johnson. Some disputed OT in' Deck Department. MOHAWK (Ogden Marine), Nov. 20—Chairman P. C. Adkins; Secrefarv F. Canonizado; Deck Dele gate C. Marriner; Engine Delegate W. R. Shoun; Steward Deelgate R. Rowe. Few hours disputed OT in deck and steward departments was settled by boarding patrolman. MT. WASHINGTON (Victory Carriers). Nov. 22—Chairman H. I. Pousson; Secretary Oliver P. Oak­ ley; Deck Delegate Edward F. O'Brien; Engine Delegate V. L. Meehan. Various matters were dis­ cussed. It was requested that Frank Boyne meet ship to settle problems. MANHATTAN (Hudson), Nov. 11—Chairman Willis Gregery; Sec­ retary Jack E. Long; Engine Dele­ gate Jack Wells. No beefs were re­ ported by department delegates. OAKLAND (Sea-Land), Nov. 22 —Chairman Albert Ahin; Secretary J. Doyle; Deck Delegate Arthur L. Patterson; Engine Delegate John Nouwen, Steward Delegate Oriville L. Arndt. $3 in ship's fund and $57 in movie fund. CHICAGO (Sea-Land), Nov. 29 —Chairman John Alstatt; Secretary F. Hall; Deck Delegate H. Pedersen; Engine Delegate James R. Al­ len; Steward Delegate J. L. Jack­ son. $15 in ship's fund. Everything is running smoothly with no beefs and no disputed CT. NEW YORKER (Sea-Land), Dec. 13—Chairman A. McChoskey; Sec­ retary Henry B. Donnelly; Engine Delegate Salbata Serio; Steward Delegate John Robinson. Discus­ sion held regarding Union contract. Discussion held regarding relief crew aboard in New Orlean-,. $13 in ship's fund. Everything is run­ ning smoothly. PONCE (Sea-Land), Dec. 26— Chairman Dan Butts; Secretary Alva McCullum; -Deck Delegate R. J. Edwards; Engine Delegate M. Andrew Thomas; Steward Delegate Oscar W. Sorenson. $228 in movie pool. Vote of thanks was extended to the three departments for a job well done. SEATRAIN MARYLAND (Hud­ son Waterways). Nov. I—Chairman Enos Allen; Secretary James B. Archie; Deck Delegate David H. Ikirt; Engine Delegate Jose Guz­ man; Steward Delegate L. Glendenning. Few hours disputed OT in deck department, otherwise no beefs. LONGVIEW VICTORY (Victory •Carriers), Sept. 13 — Chairman Francisco Caspar; Secretary Geronimo Gotay; Deck Delegate R. Ben­ jamin; Engine Delegate Henry Crean; Steward Delegate Henry N. Milton. No beefs and no disputed OT. Vote of thanks to the steward department for a job well done. STEEL VOYAGER (Isthmian), Nov. 8—Chairman A. Harrington: Secretary J. W. Sanders. Everything is running smoothly. Vote of thanks to the steward department for a job well done. PRODUCER (Marine Carriers). Dec, 6—Chairman Karl Hellman: Secretary L. D. Pierson; Deck Dele­ gate James L. Hornby; Engine Del­ egate Che,ster L. Tillman; Steward Delegate Jefferson D. Buchanon. Some dispute OT in deck depart­ ment. Everything is running .smoothly. TRENTON (Sea-Land), Nov. 15 —Chairman Floyd Selix; Secretary Andy Johansson. $6 in ship's fund. No beefs and no disputed OT. BEAUREGARD (S e a-L a n d). Nov. 23—Chairman B. Hager; Sec­ retary John S. Burke, Sr.; Deck Delegate Thomas J. Henry; Engine Delegate A. R. Fry; Steward Dele­ gate J. Keames. $9 in ship's fund. No beefs. Vote of thanks to the Captain for a wonderful one-year trip. Discu.ssion held regarding mail service. ,MARYMAR (Calmar), Nov. 29 —Chairman Billy Harris; Secretary Nick Kondyias. No beefs were re­ ported by department delegates. Discussion held regarding division of port time. MARYMAR (Calmar, Dec. 6)— Chairman Billey E. Harris; Secre­ tary Nick Kondyias; Deck Delegate Clyde A. Kent. Nothing special to report. Everything is running smoothly with no beefs. Vote of thanks was extended to the steward department for a job well done. STEEL TRAVELER (Isthmian), Dec. 6—Chairman C. Jordan; Sec­ retary Iluminado R. Llenos; Deck Delegate Frank Gages; Engine Del­ egate Arnold Alemin; Steward Del­ egate Robert G. Black. $16 in ship's fund. No beefs were reported. Ev­ erything is running smoothly. HOUSTON (Sea-Land), Dec. 5— Chairman E. Andrade; Secretary A. Argones; Deck Delegate M. Seliva; Engine Delegate James O'Donnell: Steward Delegate Marshall Hillson. No beefs and no disputed OT. SEATRAIN CAROLINA (Hud­ son Waterways). Nov. 22—Chair­ man R. Todd. Everything is running smoothly. STEEL TRAVELER (Isthmian). Nov. 8—Chairman C. Jordan; Sec­ retary Iluminado R. Llenos; Deck Delegate Frank Gages; Engine Del­ egate Arnold Alemin; Steward Del­ egate Robert T. Black. $ 11 in ship's fund. Few hours disputed OT in deck department. Everything is running smoothly. EAGLE TRAVELER (United Maritime), Dec. 6—Chairman Jo­ seph L. Bourgeois; Secretary A. W. Hutcherson; Deck Delegate E. Dakin; Engine Delegate Frank Cake; Steward Delegate J. Brill. $7 in ship's fund. No beefs re­ ported. SEATRAIN NEW JERSEY (Hudson Waterways). Nov. 29 — Chairman Edward Ellis: Secretary Herbert E. Atkinson. No beefs re­ ported. ALBANY (Ogden Marine), Nov. 22—Chairman O. O. Elliott; Sec­ retary John E. Samuels; Engine Delegate Joseph J. Logan, Jr.; Steward Delegate Ronnie Rogers. No beefs reported. LA SALLE (Waterman). Nov. 22—Chairman W. MacArthur; Deck Delegate Eugene O. Conrad; Engine Department J. Gutman; Steward Delegate Ahmedma Ishao. Discus­ sion held regarding repair list. No beefs and no disputed OT. SEATRAIN NEW JERSEY (Hudson Waterways), Nov. 22— Chairman Edward Ellis: Secretary Herbert E. Atkinson: Deck Dele­ gate I. V. Brown; Engine Delegate J. M. Castell: Steward Delegate Louis B. Williams. Everything run­ ning smoothly. Some disputed OT in steward department. Vote of thanks to Brother Neville Johnson, baker, for job well done. STEEL SURVEYOR (Isthmian), Nov. 29—Chairman William Bushong; Secretary John Reed; Engine Delegate Robert F. Ellenson; Stew­ ard Delegate Antonio P. Trinidad. $23 in ship's fund. No beefs re­ ported. SEATTLE (Sea-Land), Nov. 29— Chairman Z. R. Rivera; Secretary J. B. Davis. No beefs reported. Vote of thanks to steward department for job well done. JAMES (Ogden), Nov. 29— Chairman Francis D. Finck; Secre­ tary Frank L. Shackelford; Deck Delegate Joseph Ryan; Engine Dele­ gate Joseph C. Wallace: Steward Delegate Bert Winfield. Some dis­ puted OT in each department. Vote of thanks to steward department for job well done and a wonderful Thanksgiving Day Dinner. OVERSEAS ROSE (Maritime Overseas), Nov. 1—Chairman John D. Hunter; Secretary Sam Conway; Deck Delegate Jerry C. Peterson; Engine Delegate William Hart; Steward Delegate James P. Lilly. No beefs reported. OVERSEAS ROSE (Maritime Overseas), Nov. 8—Chairman John D. Hunter; Secretary Sam Conway; Deck Delegate Jerry C. Peterson; Engine Delegate William Hart; Steward Delegate James P. Lilly. Disputed OT in Engine Department, otherwise no beefs. TAMPA (Sea-Land), Nov. 8— Chairman G. Castro; Secretary E. B. Tart; Deck Delegate S. Ruzyski; Engine Delegate R. Moran; Steward Delegate H. Downes. $2 in ship's fund. Discussion held on various subjects. Everything in order. No beefs. TAMPA (Sea-Land), Nov. 22— Chairman G. Castro; Secretary E. B. Tart; Deck Delegate S. Ruzyski; Engine Delegate R. Moran; Steward Delegate S. Kemp. $2 in ship's fund. Some disputed OT in engine and steward department. Everything else in order. BETHFLOR (Bethlehem Steel). Nov. 8 — Chairman B. Browning; Secretary W. W. Reid; Deck Dele­ gate R. Hipp: Engine Delegate Johnny H. Nettles; Steward Dele­ gate Bruce E. Webb. $9 in ship's fund. Everything running smoothly. STEEL TRAVELER (Isthmian). Nov. 22—Chairman C. Jordan; Secretary Iluminado R. Llenos; Deck Delegate Frank Gages; En­ gine Delegate A. Alemin: Steward Delegate Robert G. Black. $11 in ship's fund. Everything is running smoothly with no beefs and no dis­ puted OT. Steel Surveyor Cooks Praised An the Stefl .Sr/rr«>ror (Inthmian) hama, Japan, Chief Cook Moises nando Znvala hegin preparations department has received a 'well out so far sails for Pusan, Korea from Yoko­ Asinas (left) and Third Cook Fer­ for the evening meal. The steward done' for the food they've turned this voyage. Page 19 �•r Meany Sees '71 as Year To Better American Life A Common Cause SIU President Paul Hall welcomes Paul Bellesen to the Harry Lunde­ herg School of Seamanship. Bellesen is the director of North By North­ west Adventurers, Inc., an organization that offers hasic seamanship training to underprivileged youngsters in Seattle, Wash. Bellesen visited the school for a month to observe the vocational training tech­ niques employed at HLSS. • Earn Lifeboat Endorsements Nine more Seafarers earned lifeboat endorsements from the U.S. Coast Guard last month after completing the lifeboat training course at the SIU's Harry Lundeherg School of Seamanship in Brooklyn. From the left, seated are: Robert Martinez, Joseph Bonefont, Michel Le Files and John Weil. Standing are: SIU Instructor Len Decker, James Spell, Harold Medons, John Donovan, Bruce Beattie and Earl Adams. s T w J T A R s 1 A r 2 N to 14 IS It l7 '1 It •a J* as AA as as al A? at ai s* Schedule A7 SIU-AGLIWD Meetings New OrleansFeb. 16—2:30 p.m. Mobile Feb. 17—2:30 p.m. Wilmington ..Feb. 22—^2:30 p.m. San Fran Feb. 24—2:30 p.m. Seattle Feb. 26—2:30 p.m. New York ..Feb. 8—2:30 p.m. Philadelphia..Feb. 9—2:30 p.m. Baltimore ....Feb. 10—2:30 p.m. Detroit Feb. 12—2:30 p.m. Houston Feb. 15—2:30 p.m. United Indnstrial Woikers New OrleansFeb. 16—7:00 p.m. Mobile Feb. 17—7:00 p.m. New York ..Feb. 8—7:00 p.m. Philadelphia..Feb. 9—7:00 p.m. Baltimore ....Feb. 10—7:00 p.m. ^Houston ....Feb. 15—7:00 p.m. Great Lakes SIU Meetings Detroit Feb. 1—^2:00 p.m. Buffalo Feb. 1—7:00 p.m. Alpena Feb. 1—7:00 p.m. Chicago Feb. 1—7:00 p.m. Duluth Feb. 1—^7:00 p.m. Frankfort ....Feb. 1—7:30 p.m. Great Lakes Tug and Dredge Saetion Chicago Feb. 16—7:30 p.m. tSault Ste. Marie Feb. 18—7:30 p.m. Page 20 of Membership Meetings Buffalo Duluth Cleveland Toledo Detroit Milwaukee Feb. Feb. ..Feb. Feb. Feb. ..Feb. 17—7:30 19—^7:30 19—7:30 19—7:30 15—7:30 15—7:30 p.m. p.m. p.m. p.m, p.m. p.m. SIU Inland Boatmen's Union New Orleans Feb. 16—5:00 p.m. Mobile Feb. 17—5:00 p.m. Philadelphia Feb. 9—5:00 p.m. Baltimore (li­ censed and unlicensed)Feb. 10—5:00 p.m. Norfolk Feb. 11—5:00 p.m. Houston ....Feb. 15—5:00 p.m. Railway Marine Region Philadelphia Feb. 16—10 a.m. & 8 p.m. Baltimore ....Feb. 17—10 a.m. & 8 p.m. •Norfolk ....Feb. 18—10 a.m. & 8 p.m. Jersey City ..Feb. 15—10 a.m. & 8 p.m. ^Meetings held at Galveston wharves. t Meeting held in Labor Tem­ ple, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. •Meeting held in Labor Tem­ ple, Newport News. Washington, D.C. AFL-CIO President George Meany said that 1971 will be a year when workers will look to the new Congress to "develop programs to improve the quality of life for all Americans. "American workers have set high goals for 1971 because they have faith in America and its future," Meany said in his annual New Year's message. Meany asserted that workers believe in investing in America and that the legislative program they will seek this year will be an extension of that belief. . "The dividends of this in­ vestment will be prosperity, hu­ man dignity and a better life for all Americans," he said. NHI Top Goal Topping the workers' list of legislative goals, Meany said, is national health insurance. The American health care system is on the verge of breaking down, he continued. "The cost of medical care is the fastest growing item in fam­ ily budgets," the AFL-CIO president declared. "Americans demand good health care . . . because good health care is a right of all free men." A major attack on poverty is another item high on the AFLCIO's list of goals. Meany has called upon Congress to in­ crease the federal minimiun wage to at least $2 an hour and to extend this law to 17 million workers who are not protected. A third legislative target is the passing of a strengthened Family Assistance Plan, pro­ viding jobs at decent wages for those able to work. Other 1971 labor goals in­ clude the enactment of laws that will extend the right to bargain collectively to all fed­ eral govermnent employees; legislation that will provide fed­ eral protection for workers' pen­ sion funds, and a foreign trade bill that will help preserve U.S. jobs "from being swept away in a flood of imports." Economy Major Problem Meany noted that the "state of the economy is uppermost in the minds of workers. Workers will continue to seek their fair share at the bargaining table." Meany said that he thought the trade imion movement had made its position "abundantly clear" as far as seeking solu­ tions to the nation's economic problems. "We accept the policy of equal sacrifice, applied across the board," he said. But, Meany continued, the American worker will not carry the burden alone. Meany contended that our economy will be healthy again when there is full employment. "America has the resources for full employment," he con­ tinued. "The one thing the econ­ omy cannot afford is mass un­ employment. "When everyone is working, ihen serious undermining of the tax revenue base, caused by the present recession, will be over. And consumers will once again have the purchasing power to keep the economy going," Meany explained. Meany charged that the Ad­ ministration's economic "game plan" has "flopped," and that the new "game plan" will bring about little more economic suc­ cess. Instead, Meany offered three "musts" for a healthy economy: • Faster growth in available money supplies and lower in­ terest rates. • Full funding of programs already authorized by Congress. • New legislation to create jobs and provide essential serv­ ices and facilities. Navy Shelves Sealab; Adopts Mark I System Washington, D.C. at the San Francisco Naval The Navy has announced that Shipyard. it has replaced the $20-million 'The Sealab III hardware, experimental project, Sealab said Rear Admiral Maurice III, with a new deep-diving Rindskopk, coordinator for project, Mark I. Sealab III has Deep Submergence Systems Programs "will probably never been permanently shelved. Navy officials say that the be used." Mark I system will carry divers to a depth of 850 feet and en­ able them to survey the con­ tinental shelf. The program is aimed at developing a deep sea rescue and salvage capability. The Mark I's diving equip­ ment and personnel transfer capsule, a sphere that carries aquanauts to and from the depths of the sea, is far Washington, D.C. superior to Sealab Ill's gear, AFL-CIO President George the Navy reported. The capsule Meany has called for union is also more comfortable. member support of the Ameri­ Easily Transported can Heart Association's fund Another advantage of the campaign scheduled for Febru­ Mark I system is its portability. ary. It can be moved on giant air­ Meany has been a sponsor of craft to any part of the world. the drive to raise money for It can also be used as gear on a scientific research, education wide variety of ships. programs and community serv­ The Navy reported that the ices for heart patients for 18 Mark I system, a technological years. He will again serve in man-in-the-sea program, is this capacity during February, more in line with current Navy American Heart Month. requirements, while Sealab III Thousands of union mem­ was a bold stab at a purely bers and their families will serve scientific goal. as Heart Fund volunteers, dis­ The Navy has put the Sealab tributing literature and calling III living capsule in mothballs on neighbors for contributions. AHA Drive To Enlist Union Aid SIU Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes & Inland Waters Inland Boatmen's Union United Industrial Workers PRESIDENT Paul Hall EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Cal Tanner VICE PRESIDENTS Earl Shepard Al Tanner Lindsay Williams Robert Matthews SECRETARY-TREASURER Al Kerr HBADQUARTEBS ..076 4th Ave., Bklyn. (212) HY 0-0000 ALPENA, Mich. .. ...800 N. SMoad Ave. (617) EL 4-3016 BALTIMOKE, Md. ..1216 E. Baltlmora St. (301) EA 7-4900 BOSTON, Mass. .. 663 Atlantle Ave. (017) 482-4710 BUFFALO, N.V., 290 Fiaaklln St. SIU (710) TL 3-9269 IBU (710) TL 3-9269 CHIOAOO, ni 9383 EtvlaF Ave. SIU (312) SA 1-0733 IBU (312) ES 6-9670 CLEVELAND, O. 1420 W. 26th St. (216) MA 1-6460 DETROIT, MIob. 10226 W. JeSeTMn Ave. (313) VI 3-4741 DULUTH, Minn ..Z014 W. 3d St. (218) BA 2-4110 PRANKFOKT, Mlcll P.O. Boot 287 416 HiOn St. (618) EL 7-2441 HOUSTON, T»x. .6804 Canal St. (713) WA 8-3207 2608 PeaH St. JACKSONVII.I,E, Fla. (904) EL 3-0087 JERSEY CITY, N.jr. ..09 Montcomery St. (201) HE 6-9424 MOBILE, Ala 1 South Lawrenee St. (206) HE 2-1764 NEW ORLEANS, La. ....030 Jackson Ave. (604) 628-7640 NORFOLK, Va. .. 116 3d St. (703) 822-1892 PHILADELPHIA, P*. 2604 S. 4th St. (216) DE 6-3818 PORT ARTHUR, Tex A34 Ninth Ave. SAN FRANCISCO, CnUf. 1321 BHsslon St. (416) 826-0783 SANTURCE, P.R. ..1313 Femnndea Jnneos Stop 20 724-2848 SEATTLE, Waah. 2606 FInt Ave. (206) MA 3-4334 ST. LOUIS, Mo. .. ..4677 Qravois Ave. (314) 762-0600 TAMPA, Fla. 312 HarrisoB St. (813) 229-2788 TOLEDO, O 936 Sninnri* St. (419) 248-3091 WILMINGTON, CaUf. ....460SeaaUeAve. Tetmlnal Island. CnUf. (213) 832-7286 YOKOHAMA, Jnpan Iseya Bldr., Room 810 1-2 KnlKan-Dort-Naknka 2014071 Ext. 281 Seafarers Log �Final Departures Marion D. Green Marion D. Green, 43, passed away Oct. 17. 1970 of heart disease at Pointe-aPierre, Trinidad, while on board ^ the Western Plan­ et. A native of Texas, Mr. Green '4^.,. was a resident of Wir/ Mobile, Ala. ' when he died. He joined the union in the Port of Philadelphia in 1946 and sailed in the steward department. Among his survivors are his wife, Sadie. D I Lin S. Ferris Lin S. Ferris, 45, died October 14, 1970 of heart disease in the Veterans Admin­ istration Hospital in Charleston, S.C. He joined the SIU in the Port of Norfolk in 1969 and sailed in the steward de­ partment. A na­ tive of Orangeburg, S.C., Mr. Ferris was a resident there when he passed away. He was a Navy veteran of World War II and served in the Navy until 1967. During the war he was wounded while in the South Pacific. Among his survivors are his son, Wil­ liam A. Ferris of Orangeburg, S.C. Burial was in Memorial Park in Orangeburg. Alois Scharf Alois Scharf, 62, died Sept. 19, 1970 of heart disease while aboard the Sabine at sea. He joined the un­ ion in the Port of *• NewYorkin 1955 and sailed in the steward de­ partment. A na­ tive of Germany. Mr. Scharf was a resident of Pittsburgh, Pa. when he passed away. Among his sur­ vivors are his sister, Mrs. Marie Stockert of Pittsburgh. Mr. Scharf's body was removed to St. Mary's Cemetery in Pittsburgh, Pa. DISPATCHERS REPORT Edward M. Howe Edward M. Howe, 59. passed away Sept. 16, 1970 of heart disease in Homestead. Pa. He joined the union in the Port of Buffalo in 1961 and sailed on the Great Lakes as a tugman. A native o f Homestead, Pa., Mr. Howe was a resident of Munhall, Pa. when he died. Among his survivors are a neph­ ew, William A. Ruske of Mun­ hall, Pa. Anthony Robert Faust Anthony Robert Faust, 43, passed away Oct. 27, 1970 after an illness of some months at the USPHS Hospital in New Orleans, La. A native of New Orleans, Mr. Faust was a resi­ dent of that city when he died. He Atlantic. Gulf & Inland Waters District December 1,1970 to December 31,1970 DECK DEPARTMENT TOTAL REGISTERED Port Boston New York Philadelphia ....i... Baltimore ...... Norfolk Jacksonville ........ Tampa Mobile ................ New Orleans ........ Houston .............. Wilmington San Francisco ...... Seattle Totals .... r:;| J ll> All Groups Class A OassB 9 14 133 123 20 27 53 25 25 21 39 52 8 7 44 17 99 64 98 87 51 41 136 128 28 44 651 742 TOTAL SHIPPED REGISTERED ON BEACH All Groups Class A ClassB 7 16 171 194 14 20 50 95 44 52 44 47 22 0 70 22 62 89 135 140 35 44 107 129 46 " 22 735 942 All Groups QassA ClassB ClassC 8 6 3 78 27 93 5 9 11 4 43 21 10 2 14 9 27 23 6 0 3 1 20 20 38 1 61 8 48 - 50 4 655 51 18 105 90 7 29 14 94 519 417. ENGINE DEPARTMENT TOTAL REGISTERED TOTAL SHIPPED REGISTERED ON BEACH AU Groups Ail Groups ClassA ClassB Class C Class A ClassB Port 3•• 3.'; ,3 2 6 Boston • 30 57 160 96 98 New York 5 11 16 10 17 Philadelphia : 25 14 23 39 iBaltimore 2 25 • 6 22' 14 Norfolk 16 9 40 62 22 Jacksonville .......... • 0 3 3 -• 2• ' 5 ' Tampa' 0 . 15 38 37 r V; 19 Mobile ' 39 81 :.;v37 65 New Orleans 7 w®"". 28 60 93 73 . Houston 47 55 25 Wilmington 3-" 16 86 12 San Francisco ...... 91 141 21 J7'44 : Seattle 29 100 459 301 740 522 ^Totals .......a.........'' Ail Groups ClassA OassB 11 5 179 148 14 21 40 93 40 31 49 27 15 2 47 ' 59 t 70 91 101 82 21 20 86 63 22 • 31 716 652 STEWARD DEPARTMENT TOTAL REGISTERED ,n. AllGronps Class A ClassB 2 3 ||Boston . 59 97 ^iNew YoriC' 9 ^ 7 ®l»hiladelphla ....... 64 •; 35 Baltimore • 16 13 Norfolk 25 20 Jacksonville 2 7 ' Tampa 20 Mobile ; 30 39 81 New Orleans 34 37 Houston 12 17 Wilmington 75 91 San Francisco ....... 10 34 Seattle 367 472 .Totals I'teyrwwB'Ct January 1971 TOTAL SHIPPED AU GiroBps: : daw A Class B CUM C 7 •' 5 1 35 V51 ' 67 9. 6 ' 5 :• 15 13 20 8 6 15 -'• : • 12 .C; 14 3 0 0 17 18 0 24 32 25 34 ;.:r: 37 8 12 45 65 61 6 20 166 271 280 R^ ON BEACH AilGrnujM Class A ClassB 4 61 15 51 33 33 8 23 45 0 151 14 58 29 19 10 64 55 38 6-':;vvV^ 46 : 6 "W 369 X - 73 28 95 27 623 .*• • t ' : V • H-• 1 - /.jy joined the union in the Port of Wilmington in 1968 and sailed in the steward department. He was was a Navy veteran of World War II. Among his survivors are his sister, Geraldine Gorum of Los Angeles. Calif. His body was removed to Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, Calif. Frank E. Gardner Frank E. Gardner, 70, was an SIU pensioner who died Aug. 22, 1970 in Highland General Hospital in Oakland, Calif, as the result of injuries received when he was struck by a car. Mr. Gardner *•* joined the SIU in the Port of New York in 1941 and sailed in the steward de­ partment as a chief steward. A native of British Guiana (now Supinam), Mr. Gardner was a resident of Oakland when he passed away. Among his survivors are his daughter, Bernadette La Roche of Brockton, Mass. Crema­ tion was in Mount View Crema­ tory. Shefield Nerldtt Shefield Nerkitt, 65, died Nov. 11, 1970 of natural causes in the USPHS Hospital in San Francisco, Calif. A native of the Virgin Is­ lands, Mr. Ner­ kitt was a resi­ dent of San Fran­ cisco when he passed away. He joined the SIU in the Port of New York in 1945 and sailed in the steward department. In 1960 he was given a safety award for his part in making the Choctaw an accident free ship. Among his survivors are his wife, Fujiko. Burial was in Santa Clara Catho­ lic Cemetery. William B. Gardner William B. Gardner, 64, died Aug. 8, 1970 after an illness of some months in the USPHS Hos­ pital in San Fran­ cisco, Calif. A native of South Carolina, Brother Gardner was a resident of San - Francisco when he died. He joined the SIU in the Port of Norfolk in 1956 and sailed in the engine department. Among his survivors are his brother, Thomas J. Gardner of Kershaw, S.C. Burial was in Pleasant Plain Cemetery in Lan­ caster, S.C. William Larry Kalman William Larry Kalman, 21, died Nov. 13 in Putnam Valley, N.Y. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Mr. Kalman was a resident there when he passed away. He joined w the SIU in the _ PortofNew ^ York in 1968 and graduated that same year from the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. Mr, Kalman sailed in the deck department. Among his survivors are his father. Jack Kalman of Brooklyn, N.Y. Burial was in New Montefiore Cemetery in Pinelawn, N.Y. Eugene Charles Hood Eugene Charles Hood, 63, died Nov. 9, 1970 of a heart ail­ ment in Manhat­ tan, N.Y. A na­ tive of Kansas, Mr. Hood was a resident of Man­ hattan when he passed away. He joined the union in the Port of New York in 1948 and often served as a department delegate aboard ship. He sailed in the en­ gine department. In 1961 and 1962 Mr. Hood was issued picket duty cards. He was an Army vet­ eran of World War II. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn, N.Y. Abram Vercber, Jr. Abram Vercher, Jr., 37, passed away October 23, 1970 of heart disease in the USPHS Hospital in New Orleans, La. A native of Shreveport, La., Mr. Vercher was a resident of New Orleans when he died. He joined the SIU in the Port of New Or­ leans in 1958 and sailed in the engine department. Among his survivors are his sister, Mary L. Patterson of New Orleans. Burial was in Fern Park in Natchitoches, La. Henry Valentine Keane Henry Valentine Keane, 70, passed away Mar. 26, 1970 of a heart ailment in Seattle, Wash. He joined the union in the Port of New Orleans in 1945 and sailed in the steward de­ partment. A na­ tive of Massachu­ setts, Mr. Keane was a resident of Seattle, Wash, when he died. At the time of his death he had been sailing 43 years. Cremation was in Central Crematory in Seattle. Anchovies Spawned In Lab La Jolla, Calif. Roderick Leong, a biologist at a marine laboratory here has succeeded in reproducing an­ chovies, an oceanic fish, under artificial conditions. Scientists have been attempt­ ing to do this for a century. Now they will be able to study in great detail the age, growth and the physiology of young anchovies. 'Potentially, the methods de­ veloped by Leong may be used for more important species such as jack mackerel, hake, pompano, perhaps even tuna," said Dr. Reuben Lasker, a phsyiologist at the marine lab. Dr. Lasker added that the anchovy feat is a major ad­ vance toward practical mariculture—oceanic fish farming— and could lead to production of ocean fishes in hatcheries. Page 21 �Scienfisfs Find: Whales Sing LOUD Lifeboat Class Passes Exam Lifeboat Class 61 stands on the deck of the Claude "Sonny" Simmon* after successfully passing their Lifeboat Certification examinations. They are, from left, kneeling: James Quinn, John Brancoccio, Edward White, Clyde Taylor, Michael Mason, Willie King. Standing, first row: Roy Grondal, Paul Conte, Richard Mclntyre, Robert Solis, Tony Hutter, John Cerami. Standing, second row: Mik? Donnelly, Jay Sherbondy, Charlie. Lehman, Eamon Kelly, Monte Grimes and I^rry Miizia. Standing, rear row: John Reed, Esau Wright, Cyrus Michiel, Patrick Bourgeois, Michael Holland, Frank Adams, Barry Saxon, and Howard Lazzarini. They are flanked by Lifeboat Instructor Bruce Simmons, left and Trainee Bosun Robert Sharp. SECTION 43. ROOM AND MEAL ALLOWANCE. When board is not furnished unlicensed members of the crew, they shall receive a meal allow­ ance of $2.00 for breakfast, $3.00 for dinner and $5.50 for supper. When men are required to sleep ashore, they shall be allowed $10.50 per night. Room allowance, as provided in this Section, shall be allowed when: 1. Heat is not furnished in cold weather. When the outside tem­ perature is sixty-five degrees (65°) or lower for 8 consecutive hours, this provision shall apply. 2. Hot water is not available in crew's washrooms for a period of twelve (12) or more consecutive hours. Heat beefs must be reported immediately to the Department Delegate and Chief Engineer. You must keep a written record of the beef including: • Date • Time of Day • Temperature All heat beefs should be re­ corded and submitted on on Individual basis. Housewrighf Honored James T. Housewrigbt, left, president of the Retail Clerks Interna­ tional Association, receives a plaque following a speech at a weekly luncheon of the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department. Presenting the plaque is Peter M. McGavin, MTD executive secretary-treasurer. Page 22 SlU Member Seeks Post Louis N. Cirignano, an ac­ tive member of the SIU since 1944 and a teacher of mental­ ly retarded children, is running for re-election on February 9th to a three-year term as a mem­ ber of the Board of Education of Passaic, New Jersey. Brother Cirignano has sailed in both the engine and steward A team of oceanographers be the "right" whales to go has discovered that whales not after) repeat a complicated 12only have something to say, but minute stanza of signals in when they decide to say it, their exactly the same way, signal for underwater voices can be heard signal. as far as 100 miles away. Even more precise are the During a recent six week voyage, scientists from the San Diego Natural History Museum chased several blue whales ^ First ^ through Southern Pacific waters off the coast of Chile. When the distance between the whales and the research vessel was nar­ rowed, a hydrophone, or tmderwater microphone, was lowered into the water behind the giant mammals. Powerful Murmurs Tape recordings of the sotmds picked up by this imderwater electronic apparatus were ana­ lyzed by the oceanographers, and the whales were found to have voiced "powerful half- so-called "songs of the hump­ minute long murmurs, capable back whale." The "songs" of of traveling over 100 miles this underwater vocalist have throughout the depths of the so much captured the imagina­ ocean." tion of those who have heard Dr. William Cummings, head them, that a full album of the of the whale-chasing adventure, sounds of the humpback whale is convinced that the sounds is close to being a best seller manufactured by the whales in record shops across the represent a basic form of com­ country. munication between the huge Intelligent Communication mammals and have definite In the opinion of Dr. Cum­ meaning to others of the same mings and others, the sounds species. of these underwater big mouths "An interesting fact is that are "intelligent phonations" the blue whale produces these clearly understood by other signals at very standardized in­ marine mammals. tervals, There is a precise dura­ In a related research project, tion of 100 seconds from the the eerie recorded screams of beginning of one voice se­ the killer whale, a predator of quence to the beginning of the other whales, caused gray next," said Cummings. whales and beluga whales to Further Fuidiugs flee in panic from the origin of Other species of whales have the sotmds. also been found to be under­ The next time a Seafarer en­ water chatterboxes. counters one of these talkative Five years ago. Dr. Cum­ creatures at sea, he might do mings found that right whales well to start a tape recorder— (so named because old-time the sound may someday be whalemen considered them to number one on the hit parade. Lakes' Shipping Hurt By Inland Freight Rates departments during his seafar­ ing career. He logged many Washington, D.C. months of seatime during Cargo diversion caused by World War II, including a thir­ inland freight rates that "dis­ teen month voyage on the criminate against the Great Thomas Wolfe before and after Lakes" was decried at the an­ the ship took part in the in­ nual meeting of the Great vasion of Normandy, Lakes Task Force here. He has participated in many Other goals adopted by the SIU organizing drives and beefs task force include freeing all and served on a number of un­ inland waterways from dis­ ion committees. criminatory tolls, the extension His desire to broaden his ed­ of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence ucation prompted his choice of Seaway shipping season to seafaring as a career and has 11 months by 1973 and to 12 also led to BA and MA de­ months' per year by 1980. grees in education. Louis C. Prudey, chairman An Army veteran of the Ko­ of the task force and executive rean War, Brother Cirignano director of the Toledo-Lucas has demonstrated a broad in­ County Port Authority, said terest in the affairs of his com­ discriminatory inland freight munity, but his deepest interest rates are forcing exporters in is centered in helping young­ the Great Lakes region to send sters with their education. cargo to the Atlantic Coast for "The youth of this nation overseas shipment instead of hold the keys to our nation's through the lakes system. future in their hands," says The Task Force labeled the Cirignano. present inland rate structure as "A system of quality educa­ "chaotic, hopelessly obsolete tion for all should be the fore­ and distorted" to the point where exporters are forced to most goal of the 1970s." ship their goods "in the most costly possible way." The Task Force also con­ demned the failure of several agencies of government— nota­ bly, the Department of Defense and the Department of Agri­ culture—for not shipping in the Great Lakes. They said that the govern­ ment could .have reaped a sub­ stantial saving by shipping cargo in the Great Lakes, but had "misrouted" 84,500 meas­ urement tons in 1969, The group called for compliance with cargo preference laws. Woman Gains Liberation Bridgeport, Conn. * Superior Court Judge An* thony Grillo has "struck a blow for women's liberation." He granted a divorce on grounds of misconduct by the wife and her former husband for child support. Seafarers Log �Columbia Rose Makes Brief Stopover ver 10,400 tons of raw cane sugar were delivered to Brooklyn's Rich­ ards Street dock last month by the SIUcontracted Columbia Rose (Columbia Steamship Co.) after a voyage from Hilo, Hawaii. The sugar was shipped in bulk to a New York sugar refinery. The vessel is the former Alcoa Com­ mander and was built in North Caro­ lina in 1945. Before loading sugar in Hawaii, the ship made an out-bound voyage from San Francisco to the Far East, calling at such ports as Midway Island, Pusan, Korea; Subic Bay, Phillipines; Manila and Saigon. After off­ loading her sugar cargo, the Columbia Rose sailed to Montreal, Canada to load bulk grain for delivery to Constantza, Romania as part of the U.S. foreign aid program. O Bulk raw sugar is transferred from the hold of the Columbia Rage to a silo hy a heavy-duty crane at the Richards Street dock in Brooklyn. Able body seamen J. Palega, left, and C. Smith discuss the voyage just concluded as they relax on the stem. Messman Edward Herrero, right, receives an answer to a question from SIU Patrolman E. B. McAuley. The ship's payoff went smoothly. C'l - C. Mujica, ordinary seaman, did not forget family and friends while sightseeing in Far East ports. While awaiting payoff, he shows some of the gifts he bought for them. Carlos Bonefont sails as wiper aboard the Columbia Rose. While the cargo is being unloaded, he checks engine room equipment. Pressure gauges in the engine room are checked by fireman-watertender N.W. Jorgensen after the ship docked in Brooklyn. <•» I t Visala Tui waves to shipmates as he heads down gangway to spend some time on the beach. Brother Tui joined the SIU in the port of San Francisco. He is a native of American Samoa. ¥ I* ¥ I 4)' January 1971 Page 23 �••• •„:;,,, •''i' -c^-'." - ''•;-i • i;, .\. ,U'. .v:'5f--- Birds at Sea Mean Land. Is Near ^eafarer Edward Doruth was standing watch one night aboard a ship in the Atlantic when he saw two orange lights in the sky heading for the ship. He first thought it was a plane some quarter of a mile away. But he realized he had misjudged distance when suddenly he heard what he described as "a great whooshing sound." He looked up in time to see a huge, white bird curl his claws around the rail of the ship and sit there quite content. Doruth focused his flashlight on the creature. Slowly the great bird began to move and Doruth heard the rush sound of air as the animal spread his wings to a length of more than seven feet and took off. After talking to seafarers who knew a little about birds, Doruth realized that what he had seen that night was the fabled albatross. In Samuel Coleridge's poem "Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" writ­ ten over 150 years ago, a seaman encounters terrible hardship and bad luck after he has killed an albatross. Many seamen still believe that the fnendly looking bird should be alowed to fly his graceful flights in perfect peace, not only because he harms no one but also because there is that slim possibility that the legend may be true. '' •' p • '''.I Perhaps, however, the story began hundreds of years ago when mariners realized that the appearance of birds could mean that land is nearby. In fact, seamen started the tradition that to harm an albatross was to "spit in the face of welcome." For the past two decades and a half, this big bird has become a very hot news topic on the Pacific Island of Midway, the creature's second largest nesting ground. Long before the Navy built an airstrip on the island in the late 1930's, the albatross had come there to spend nine months out of every year in mating, giving birth to young, and then rearing them. After the war, the island continued to be a military base and the* birds continued to make it their nesting ground, and the result was a conflict of interests. The brown pelican is one of the more familiar birds of the sea. The sea guU is a picture of gracefulness in flight. etween late October and early July there are over 200,000 albatross on the island. While one mate stays with the offspring the other searches for food, and so thousands of the big birds have collided with the military.planes that land and take off constantly. Both suffer from the encounter. The bird is usually killed and the plane damaged. On the island, by the way, people call the birds "goonies" instead of albatross. The Navy has tried countless meas­ ures to alleviate the gooney problem to planes while still not harm­ ing the birds extensively. Nothing has worked. B These birds that are so graceful in flight and so awkward on land, just won't budge from their nesting ground. They keq) com­ ing back each year, falling over themselves as they land because they've apparently forgotten what solid ground was like after three months at sea. And they just accept these strange creatures called man and the big birds they ride as another part of nature. Though very interesting, the albatross is just one bird of the sea that the seafarer encounters on his travels. As Ray Rives writes in his arti­ cle "Birds at Sea" in Lookout magazine: "Waterfowl, swallows, pigeons, doves. Mother Carey's chickens, and even the rarer macow" are seen when a ship nears the tropics. Of course among the seabirds easily recognized even by the land­ lubber are the gulls and the. pelicans. Gulls seem to be quite rivalrous birds and when one has some food, he'd better watch out for his fellows who feel they should have a share. In an article in National Geographic magazine about the "Sea Birds of Isla Raza" in Baja California, the author writes: "Generally, the gull family is notorious for nest robbing and will usually eat the eggs or young in any unguarded nest. Gulls even raid nests of their own species." However, he continues, "the Heermann's gulls of Raza . . . seem to have a code of ethics which prohibits them from eating eggs or young of their own kind/' There are also many pelicans on the island and the author notes that both the male and female help to hatch the eggs to feed their young. adly enough, many sturdy seabirds that can withstand fierce natural elements are being threatened by man's unnatural pollu­ tion. Some are near extinction while others lose thousands of their species each year because of oil spills or the myriad other effects that pollution can have on their bodies, their food and their off­ spring. To watch a seabird struggling to do something so natural as spreading his wings because black oil has slicked them down, is a very sad sight. Though man is not using a bow and arrow or a gun, he may, in a much more modem fashion, be "spitting in the face of welcome." S Two gooney birds survey their homeland, Midway Island in the Pacific. Page 24 ^ Seafarers Log ,•... ,•-• �ni The legendary albatross, some with a wing span over eight feet, glides gracefully through the air. t ,,5^', -.,1 ;j - 11 '" • ; > A mother albatross keeps close watch over her offspring on Macquarie Island in the Antarctic. Split-second camera work caught this sea gull plucking its dinner from the air after it was thrown from a fish­ erman's haul. -*». k- lil II; Hf - I-I -h . ttf *f> % ¥ m Two sea gulls wait at Boston fish pier for the boats to arrive with their daily catches. January 1971 Page 25 �Four Groups Complete HLSS Training Program Members of Class 55 at the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship get a sendoff from two veteran Seafarers as they prepare to leave Piney Point to go aboard their first ship. From the left are: Boh Jordan, patrolman from Mobile; John Gilliam, Glen McDonald, Pat Mattingly, Chris Devonish, Rick Juzang, Ralph Mills, Sandy McKeithan, James Col­ lins, Boh Long, and Tony Kastina, patrolman from Baltimore. Graduates of HLSS Oass 56B make ready to depart from Piney Point for their first ships out of New York. Flanked by Houston Port Patrolman Gene Taylor, left, and San Francisco Port Patrolman Robbie Robertson, right, are: Jerry Rash, David Reeves, Amett Moomaw, Ken Keeling, Dave Westfall, Jerry Rogers, Gary Williams and Ray Qemente. iillllllllllll . HLSS graduates of Oass 55B are congratulated by New Orleans Port Patrolman Louis Guarino before leaving Piney Point for their first ships. From the left are: James Welsheimer, David Park, Leigh Rockwell, James Robak, James Watson, Guarino, Gary Sizer, David Doherty, Roland Mason, Michael Hoctor and Peter Wojtiuk. Oass 57B missters with Houston Port Patrolman Gene Taylor before boarding buses for New York and assignment to their first ships. From left are: Fritz McDuflie, Sidney Alford, Milton Fairchild, Taylor, Richard Heustis, William Erody and Douglas Knittel. 1971 Family Economic View Not All Rosy By Sidney Margolius What kind of year will 1971 be for your family? It will be a difficult year fi­ nancially for most working fam­ ilies, but offering a better chance to catch up on purchas­ ing power than in 1970. Prices probably will not go up as sharply as the severe jumps of 6 percent in both 1969 and 1970. But working people are starting the new year behind in buying power. Workers took a real beating in 1970. By October, despite wage increases, higher living costs have reduced real spend­ able earnings of the average workers by $1.59 a week from October, 1969. This is a loss in purchasing power of about 2 percent. Workers in manufacturing industries did even worse, giv­ ing up $3.20 in real spendable earnings in the 12-month pe­ riod, a loss of 3.7 percent. The average working family actually is right back where it was in 1964. Then, average spendable weekly earnings after taxes of a production worker with three dependents were $76.38, in terms of 1957-59 dollars. Even though gross av­ erage wages have gone up 34 percent to the current $122 a week before taxes, in terms of the same buying power that worker now has only $77 a week of purchasing power. Page'26 In manufacturing industries, a worker with three dependents averaged $85.27 a week in spendable dollars in 1964 and in late 1970, only $84.43. But the disastrous inflation since 1968 will level off this year. Here is what you can ex­ pect in specific expense items: Lower Finance Charges: It will cost a little less in the new year to finance a car or get a personal loan. Some banks around the country have cut loan rates by 25 cents per $100. This is the equivalent of a re­ duction of about one-half of 1 percent in the annual percent­ age rate, the true cost of bor­ rowing the money. Credit un­ ions still usually are lowest on loans, especially for used cars. Higher Car Prices: The car itself will cost more. In fact, price tags on 1971 models proved to be higher than ex­ pected and were responsible for part of this fall's rise in the cost of living index despite the leveling off of food prices. Manufacturers suggested prices on new cars after adjust­ ments for quality changes av­ eraged $226 above a year ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. That's an increase of 6 percent. Actual average dollar in­ crease was $220, and added safety features had an average value of $10, the BLS estimat­ ed. But these improvements were more than offset by elim­ ination of the five-year 50,000mile warranty; changes in some equipment from standard to op­ tional, and various other chang­ es. Note that prices of full-size cars have been raised more than those on the compact and sub-compacts which compete with the imports. Prices of op­ tional equipment also have been increased. Used-car prices have gone up too but only about half as much as the hike on new cars. Prices of used cars are usually lowest in February. Mortgage Rates: A mortgage will cost you just a little less than last year's impossible rates of 8.5 percent and more. The new FHA and VA rate has been reduced to 8 percent— still not low enough to enable many working families to buy houses. Higher Housing Costs: Ris­ ing homeowner expenses have become the largest single fac­ tor in the jumping cost of liv­ ing. Homeowner costs leaped 10.55 percent in 1970. Major factors have been in­ creases in property taxes, prop­ erty insurance and maintenance and repair costs. Property in­ surance rates have gone up an average of 50 percent since the 1957-59 base period with further increases in sight this year. Temper the rise as much as you can by taking the largest deductible available since you can afford to pay at least the first $100 or so of any damage yourself. You should carry in­ surance of 80 percent of the replacement value of your house (not the lot), in order to be paid the full cost of any damage. But avoid the tenden­ cy of brokers and agents to over-insure houses. Rents went up less than half as much as homeowner costs this past year, but are begin­ ning to catch up. You can ex­ pect rents to go up significantly in 1971. New houses actually will be a little cheaper at the beginning of 1971 than in 1970. Asking prices are a little more than a year ago. But as higher mort­ gage and carrying costs have pushed moderate-income fami­ lies out of the market, a wide disparity has developed between asking and actual selling prices. Last fall, the average intended sales price was $27,100, in­ cluding land. But the actual av­ erage selling price was $22,500, lowest since 1966. More Reasonable Food Costs: In early 1971 food costs will be more reasonable, or at least close to 1970 levels. The big jump in prices last year was largely due to higher prices of red meats, fish, fresh vegetables and coffee. But more recently meat prices have been restrained by larger supplies of pork. Actually prices should have come down. Farm prices have dropped. But processors and stores are pocketing extra prof­ its. You would not think it to look at the prices in the stores, but the Dun & Bradstreet wholesale price index current­ ly is the lowest in 22 months, down almost 9 percent from a year ago. Even the U.S. Agriculture Department officials have criti­ cized the reluctance of stores to pass on the lower prices. Don Paarlberg, USDA economics di­ rector, has pointed out that re­ tail pork prices have come down only about 8 cents a pound in recent months. But the farmer's share of retail pork prices has dropped about 18 cents a pound. Our own survey of three cit­ ies shows that prices of pork loins are about 2-to-5 cents be­ low last year; and of fresh hams, about 3 cents less. But there is a wide disparity. In some areas you can find specials on rib-end pork roasts as low as 43 cents compared to the more typical 69 cents. Curiously, turkey production is up 8 percent but retail prices are even higher than a year ago. But here too stores are offer­ ing specials sharply below typi­ cal prices. Outstanding food value this winter is eggs. They are 20 cents a dozen less than a year ago. Seafarersib| �Safety Bill Becomes Law; Safety Act Rules Enforcement Next Objective Protect All Workers • f If/ •i' I f h . i t ,r ; I * h^ If ^ •0 il- i Washington, D.C. One of the major problems in implementing the recentlypassed Occupational Health and Safety J-aw will be to "find and train a staff of qualified in­ spectors," according to Secre­ tary of Labor James D. Hodg­ son. "There are not an adequate number of trained people in this field. This is one of the lessons we learned from the Federal Mine Safety Act," Hodgson said. The Labor Department is asking for $11 million for fiscal 1971, but Hodgson said more will be needed for proper en­ forcement of the law. Union safety experts said they hope the Department asks for considerably more. They estimated that the $11 million would only be "a drop in the bucket" for effective enforce­ ment. The new Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Health and Safety, Hodgson said, could come from either in or out of government. He would have to be an "ac­ complished executive," familiar "with the world of work" and be able to get along with such groups as labor and manage­ ment, Labor Department and Health, Education and Welfare and the states and the Federal government. Another by-product of the bill was that it would enable the Labor Department to col­ lect sound statistics on the num­ ber of job casualties, Hodgson said. Currently neither the De­ partment nor the National Safety Council has the facilities, he said. The Act was signed by Presi­ dent Nixon in the Inter-Depart­ mental Auditorium. A special backdrop was set up with a picture of James A. Mitchell, Eisenhower's Labor Secretary, looking down on the proceed­ ings. Among the union officials present were AFL-CIO Presi­ dent George Meany, Steelworkers and Industrial Union Department President I. W. Abel. Nixon acknowledged that the bill was "different in sub­ stance" from the bill urged by the Administration but it "at­ tains the same goals." He said he would not have signed it if it did not have the support of both industry and labor. "All groups cooperated in making this bill possible," he said. Actually, the final product was largely a victory for or­ ganized labor over the Ad­ ministration-business proposals. A major battle took place over who should set the health and safety standards. The business-Administration side wanted to give the power to independent boards. Orga­ nized labor said these boards too often have become the pawns of business. Labor was successful in making the Labor Secretary responsible for setting the standards. Labor won another impor­ tant battle in giving worker representatives the right to ac­ company inspectors whether or not employer representatives go along. Organized labor wanted the Labor Secretary to be the final enforcement authority with em­ ployers free to go to the courts. The final bill gave a threemember panel final enforce­ ment power prior to going to the courts. The final bill also weakened the "imminent danger" section which requires the Secretary to seek a court order to restrain imminent danger practices. At the time the bill passed Congress, AFL-CIO President Meany called it "a long step down the road to a safe and healthy workplace." He stressed that the AFL-CIO would closely monitor the law to see that it is carried out. Abel, in his statement, de­ clared that Senator Harrison A. Williams (D-N.J.) and Rep. Dominick Daniels (D-N.J.), sponsors of the law, and all their co-sponsors "deserve the gratitude of all trade union members." "This law is an epochal event in our national effort to im­ prove the quality and safety of life in America," Abel declared. Williams said the Act "rep­ resents a landmark protecting the health and lives of Amer­ ica's working men and wom­ en." Dependents May Qualify For Social Security Benefits I' By A. A. Bernstein Thirty years ago, less than 55,000 children were eligible to receive Social Security bene­ fits. But, over the years. Social Security laws have been broad­ ened. Today, nearly million Americans under 18 are re­ ceiving monthly Social Security benefit payments. Social Secur­ ity programs offer assistance to students up until the age of 22 years. Over half a million stu­ dents age 18 to 22 and another quarter of a million people who became disabled in childhood get monthly benefits as the children of retired or disabled workers. Many SIU members and their families are unfamiliar with the various Social Security benefits available to their chil­ dren. But these benefits help protect the Seafarer and his family. The SIU Social Security staff is ready to answer any question regarding Social Security bene­ fits to children, students, chil­ dren who are disabled, etc. Seafarers and their families should address their questions to A. A. Bernstein, director of January 1971 Social Security and Welfare Services, Seafarers Welfare and Pension Plans, 275 20th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215. Q: I've been getting Social Security since my father had a stroke and had to quit work. I'm 17 now. I heard there is some way I can keep getting the checks even after I'm 18. Is this true? A: Yes. If you're not married and you stay in school full-time, you can get Social Security un­ til you're 22. Or if you are so disabled that you can't work, your checks would continue for as long as the disability lasts. Q: A fellow student tells me that Social Security has the right to grant or withhold our student benefits if our money needs are adequate. Is he right? A: No, he isn't. Chances are your friend has Social Security mixed up with public assistance payments which are based on actual need. Your right to stu­ dent benefits and the amount of the payments are based on jrour parent's record of work—^^and earnings—under Social Security. Q: As a college student, I work part time each semester and full time dming college vacations. The Social Security contributions coming out of my pay could help me meet ex­ penses. Why deduct from my earnings now, considering the number of full-time years in the future I'll have to pay? Will I really get my money's worth over the long run? A: You and other young workers—part time or full time —are earning valuable Social Security retirement, survivors, and disability insurance protec­ tion worth more than the Social Security contributions you pay. Q: My mother has been re­ ceiving benefits for me since my father died in 1968. My college work starts in Septem­ ber, and, since I'll then be 18, I prefer to receive my own pay­ ments. Is there anything special I need to do after I start getting payments? A: Yes. You must report to the Social Security people if any of the following occur: (1) you drop out of school, transfer to another school, or reduce your attendance to jess than full time, (2) you get married, (3) you earn or expect to earn $1680 or more during this year, aiid (4) you get payments from an employer for attending school. Washington, D.C. Following are the major provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970, which was a top labor priority in the 91st Congress: Purpose. The Act provides for the setting and enforce­ ment of nationwide occupation safety and health standards. Coverage. The Act applies to any business affecting interstate commerce. It is estimated that the Act will cover approximately 57 million wage earners in 4.1 million establishments. Effective Date. This Act is effective 120 days after sign­ ing by the President. Standard-setting. The Act establishes a procedure whereby the Secretary of Labor sets safety and health standards with the assistance of advisory committees where appropriate. Any interested person is afforded an opportunity to present his views in this proceeding. Employer Duty. Employers must comply with specific standards set by the Secretary of Labor. In addition, the Act contains a "general duty" provision requiring employers to furnish a place of employment free from recognized haz­ ards causing or likely to cause death or serious harm to employees. Inspections. A labor or a management representative or both may accompany a Federal official on an inspection of a factory. When an employee representative reports a viola­ tion of a standard and the Labor Secretary finds such viola­ tion likely a special investigation can be ordered. Enforcement The Secretary of Labor will conduct in­ vestigations to determine employer compliance with safety and health standards. Where a violation of the standards is found, the Secretary will issue a citation to the employer specifying the violation and giving a reasonable period to correct the violation. If the employer desires to contest the Secretary's findings, he may do so by means of an appeal to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission which will cause an administrative proceeding to be held to determine whether the employer has violated the stand­ ards; the final judgment of the Commission being appealable to a Federal Court of Appeals. Penalties. The bill provides for civil penalties for viola­ tion of a standard and a criminal penalty—a fine up to $10,000 and up to six months imprisonment or both—is pro­ vided where there is a willful violation which results in death. Other Provisions. The Act provides for rapid court procedures to remedy conditions or practices which con­ stitute an imminent danger to the safety and health of em­ ployees. In addition, the bill authorizes the states, after submission and approval of a state plan, to assume responsibility for the development and enforcement of standards. It requires the heads of all Federal agencies to establish and maintain safety and health programs consistent with standards issued under the Act. It provides for the conduct of research; the establishment of a National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health; the establishment of a National Commission on State Work­ men's Compensation Laws; and the provision of economic assistance to small businesses to better enable them to com­ ply with the Act. SIU Welfare, Pension and Vacation Plans CASH BENEFITS PAID REPORT PERIOD NOVEMBER 1, 1970 TO NOVEMBER 30, 1970 NUMBER OF BENEFITS AMOUNT PAID Scholarship 4iospital Benefits Death Benefits Medicare Benefits Maternity Benefits Medical Examination Program Dependent Benefits (Average $478.50) Optical Benefits Meal Book Benefits Out-Patients Benefits U 1,507 18 666 34 81 2,193 620 312 4,275 $3,744.05 36,331.44 52,276.40 3,533.60 6,799.85 2,422.50 104,909.43 9,155.39 3,115.90 32,188.00 Summary of Welfare Benefits Paid Seafarers' Pension Plan—Benefits Paid Seafarers' Vacation Plan-—Benefits Paid (Average—$489.60) 9,717 1,653 254,476.56 397,067.80 1.285 629,133.72 SEAFARERS' WEI.FARE PLAN Total Welfare, Peiision & Vacation Benefits Paid This Period 12,655 1,280,678.08 Page 27 �Many Enjoy SlU Christmas Dinners At Various Ports o nee again this year- -just as it has for over 30 years- -the Seafarers International Union went all out to make Christmas as enjoyable as possible for its members. In ports all over the world bounteous holiday meals were prepared and served to members, their families and guests. The 1970 festivities were attended by record crowds in virtually all ports. SIU halls became centers of joviality and good cheer as the members gathered to­ gether in the true spirit of the season. Port officials reported that "compliments on the meals and arrangements were many," and extended "thanks" to^all who participated. PORT OF YOKOHAMA In Yokohama, Seafarer Fred Mayer and SIU secretary Keiko Nakategawa are served some punch by a Seamen's Club waiter. Mrs. Joe Meyrchak (left) and Seafarer and Mrs. Michael Klepeis celebrate the traditional Christ­ mas dinner in Yokohama. Mrs. Meyrchak's husband is aboard the Beauregard in Vietnam. • •-•i • Third Cook John Bove didn't have to cook the meal this time as he celebrates Christmas Day in the Port of New York. - -VvV-" PORT OF NEW YORK Christmas is really a time for children and these youngsters of Seafarer Dominic Brancoccio make the most of it at the hall in New York. From left are: Jim; Maryann, and Thomas. Dorothy and Tony Zemuna are served Christmas dinner by the cafeteria workers at the hall in New York. Seafarer Freddie Borentz and his wife (left) celebrate Christmas Day with some friends in the Port of Nor­ folk. ^•>6Rt OF NOkFOLK . vv'- • " . . Seafarer and Mrs. Charles CralTord, their daughter and a guest (left) enjoy some fruit and dessert after a tasty meal in the Port of Norfolk. Page 28 Seafarers Log �At the dining hall in the Apostle Ship of the Sea in San Francisco, Felix Amora and his family enjoy Christmas Day with the SIU. I h' * » I < Ir r>- 11 ^ Looking happy about spend­ ing the day at the Trade Winds restaurant in Seattle are Seafarer and Mrs. Gus Skendelas. Able seaman Joe Schoell celebrated Christmas with his family in the Port of Seattle, enjoying "the great meal and good spirit.'' The traditional meal in the Port of Houston is enjoyed by Seafarers Anthony Denddo (center) and W. H. Stovall. Seafarer Denddo's sister, Mrs. D. E. Collette also enjoys the feast. if^: The children of SIU member Abraham Almendarez and his wife can barely get their heads above the table at the hall in Houston, but that didn't stop them from enjoying the delicious food. January 1971 Page 29 �Red Beans and Rice Popular Repast at New Orleans Hall New Orleans An excerpt from the newlypublished restraurant review, The New Orleans Underground Gourmet, by Richard H. Collin: . . . HARRY LUNDEBERG SCHOOL OF SEAMANSHIP CAFETERIA, 630 Jackson Ave., Tel: 529-4453. Hours; Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, 8-11 a.m. This busy and bustling cafe­ teria run by the Seafarers' Un­ ion serves cheap and quite palatable food. Just a few blocks from the Jackson Avenue ferry, the cafeteria is operated as part of a school for mer­ chant seamen and mainly serves seamen passing through the port. It is also open to the pub­ lic and one could pay a lot more elsewhere for food not nearly as good. ... One particularly satisfying main dish . . . was red beans and rice with ham (recom­ mended), which at 45 cents for a heaping plate is one of the great buys in town. The good Comestible Cuisine Red Kidney Beans 1 lb. CAMELLIA Red Kidneys 1 toe garlic chopped Vi lb ham or seasoning meat 2 Tbs. celery chopped 8-10 cups water 1 onion chopped 2 Tbs. parsley chopped 1 large bay leaf salt to taste Cooking Directions Rinse and sort beans. Cover with water, start to cook over low fire in covered pan. Render meat and add to beans. In meat drippings saute onion, garlic, celery and parsley, add this with bay leaf to beans and cook for Wz to 1 VA hours. Add water if necessary while cooking. 15 minutes before done mash 4 or 5 tablespoons beans through strainer, stirring into liquid. This makes liquid creamy. Serve over fluffy rice with hot crisp French bread covered with onion butter, water cress and French Dressing salad. USCG Evaluating Unique Lifeboat' Washington, D.C. A new flying-saucer-like life­ boat may soon appear on board U.S. merchant marine vessels if the U.S. Coast Guard finds it meets Marine Safety Law re­ quirements. Testing of the device, known as the Brucker Survival Cap­ sule, will continue for several months. The Coast Guard, by law, must determine that. the lifeboat is "at least as effective as that required by present reg­ ulations." Initial Coast Guard tests have shown that the capsule provides a high degree of protection against the elements. It can keep Personals Carl B. Tanner III Your father, Carl Tanner Jr., would like to hear from you as soon as possible at 2316 Palos Verdes Drive West, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. 90274. Ernest Byers All is well with your parents and they would like to hear from you soon at 614 Alvarez Ave., Whistler, . Pa. 36612. Tony Nottumo Pete Prinski asks that you call him at 201-YE-1-8185. If you can­ not call, his address is 145 Dobbs Ave., Bellmawr. N.J. 08030. Also, there is a letter for you at the Sea­ men's Division. Rinco Annex, San Francisco. William C. Besselievre Your son, William Jr., would like to have you contact him at Stratford, 433 Prospect Ave. Staten Island, N.Y. 10301. Page 30 28 occupants dry and warm be­ cause the vessel is entirely en­ closed. Its rugged construction makes swamping and capsizing relatively unlikely. It can sur­ vive 200 mile-per-hour storm winds and 50-foot seas with "virtually no damage," the Coast Guard added. Used On Olf-Shore Platforms The Coast Guard has already approved the capsule's use on off-shore platforms. It has been widely accepted on off-shore oil rigs because It can protect oc­ cupants from fire—throwing off flames and recirculating a fresh supply of oxygen. But lifesaving equipment standards are stringent for mer­ chant ships. The unique design and size of the capsule—WA feet in diameter and 9 feet in height—does not meet the cur­ rent standards of the Coast Guard and the 1960 Interna­ tional Convention for Safety of Sea. (The capsule can't be rowed by conventional means, it can­ not travel at a speed of 6 knots as the safety laws now require, nor is it 24 feet in length—a re­ quirement set for lifeboats used on board most merchant vessels. Acceptance Good Possibility The Coast Guard says, how­ ever. that the Brucker capsule has .so many positive lifesaving assets it may still qualify. If it does meet qualifications, the Coast Guard added, it will be the first time that a vessel so markedly different has "merited consideration as a lifeboat." and inexpensive red beans were not the gummy and unseasoned boiled mess served by too many of New Orleans' cheaper lunch places. Good red beans have become increasingly rare these days. . . ." Richard Collin's best-selling book only verifies what people who like "in" places have al­ ways known: The SIU cafeteria is THE place for the traditional New Orleans fill-up meal, red beans and rice. In Great Demand The demand for this Southern specialty is amazing. On Mon­ day, Nov. 30, the SIU cooks prepared 18 pounds of beans— enough to serve more than 100 people. They could have served more, but they ran out mid-way through the lunch hour. The shortage was especially significant because the menu that day included other very appetizing entrees: • Roast young tom turkey, with cranberry sauce, southern dressing, cut green beans and snowflake potatoes. • Grilled smoked ham steak, with pineapple garnish, buttered asparagus and snowflake potatoes. • Grilled golden cheese om­ elette, french fried potatoes with lettuce and tomatoes. Of course, the turkey, ham and omelette all ran in the $1.25 to $1.40 price range—hardly competitive with the 45-cent tab for "stewed Creole red beans with ham and steamed rice." Collin's comments were tak­ en from his book and printed in a weekly column that appears under his by-line in the New Orleans States-Item. Receives Highest Rating The three marks preceding the review (• • •) were in­ dicative of his rating system: three dots is the highest under­ ground restaurant rating. "I find the character of this establishment charming," Collin said. He especially like the cap­ tain's chairs, around the mas­ sive tables and sea motifs decorating the dining room. "Part of the Seafarers' union hail, the dining room combines the bustle of the hiring hall with the knowledgeable patronage of a poor-working class neighbor­ hood that appreciates this inex­ pensive restaurant," he said. "The real tour-de-force of the Seafarers' cafeteria is the last five-cent cup of coffee in town. The coffee here deserves a spe­ cial word. The blend is a first rate variety of good Northern coffee." From Turkey to Beans Word of the SIU's tasty cuisine has become legend. The winner of the annual Turkey Bowl—a match between two New Orleans football teams— is traditionally served red beans and riqe at the Turkey Bowl Banquet at the SIU hall. This year the two teams tied, 6-6, so both teams were treated to the spread. The red bean rage is some­ thing else! Pensioners at Piney Point Pension Conference 8 participants are flanked by SIU Representative Frank Monitelli, left and Director of Union Education Bill Hall, right. From the left are; C. Izquierdo, J. Shea, A. Boyer, W. Morris and B. Batema. SIU pensioners who attended Pension Conference 9 were from the left: J. Crivas, James Bussel, W. McNeil, T. Urhina, L. Eilorin, A. Platis, O. Edwards, A. Langley and F. Mazet. Jobless Rate Hits Nine-year Peak Washington, D.C. Unemployment soared to a nine-year high of six percent across the country in Decem­ ber, despite Administration talk of better economic times ahead. The six percent level, called "substantial unemployment" in economic terms, has long been used to indicate a serious job­ less situation. On an annual basis, 1970 was a disastrous one for work­ ers. • At a four year low of 3.5 percent when the year started, unemployment climbed to an annual rate of 4.9 percent. • In numbers, the jobless ranks increased by 2,000,000— from 2,628,000 in December of 1969 to 4,636,000 in Decem­ ber of 1970. • Long-term unemployment continued to rise during the year, with the number unem­ ployed 15 weeks or more now over a million. • Whit e-collar unemploy­ ment, at 3.7 percent was at its highest level since 1958 when current statistics were started. Even worse, blue collar unem­ ployment rose during Decem­ ber from a 7.3 percent rate to 7.7 percent. • As of December 26, initial claims for unemployment com­ pensation rose "sharply" in 28 states. Almost 500,000 claims were made, an increase of 94,000 over the previous week and 129,000 hi^er than dur­ ing the same week a year ago. • While the American labor force grew by nearly 2,000,000 during 1970, the economy was able to absorb only 730,000, leaving a deficit of roughly- 1,200,000. • While weekly earnings rose 3.4 percent over the year for the average worker, his "real" earnings were down 2.1 percent. Meany Praises Yarborough's Senate Work Washington, D.C. The retirement of Sen. Ralph W. Yarborough (D-Tex.) was called a sad occasion by AFLCIO President George Meany who said Yarborough's ac­ complishments will be grate­ fully remembered. Yarborough, chairman of thi Senate Labor and Public Wel­ fare Committee, was defeated in the Texas Democratic pri­ mary. Meany said Yarborough's record was one of "true mean­ ing—the meaning of human respect and dignity; the mean­ ing of a better life for all Americans." Seafarers Log ^ I �it The captain ha» radioed ahead to the lock, to the Hilo, to the tugboat dispatcher. In the back­ ground, t>vo tugs can be seen reporting for work. V rt V A- Largest Carrier on Lakes r 9* 4 > ;c r- About 26 times a year, the Chicago River lock opens for the Medusa Challenger coming in from the north. rrihe SIU contracted ship^ Medusa JL Challenger, is a modern" cement carrier on the Great Lakes. She is owned by Cement Transit Company, a subsidiary of the Medusa Portland Ce­ ment Company in Cleveland, O. The Medusa Challenger services the com­ pany's distribution terminals in Chi­ cago, Milwaukee, Wis., Manitowoc, Wis. and Detroit, Mich, bringing ce­ ment from the Charlevoix, Mich, man­ ufacturing plant. The ship is the largest cement carrier on the Great Lakes with a capacity of over 60,000 barrels of cement. The company has purchased a second vessel and anticipates convert­ ing it to another cement ship in the near future. H SE i I �/li SEAFARERS«LOG OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS IWTERWATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES AND INLAND WATERS DISTRICT > AFL-CIO An Informed Membership... Education of the membership has been a continuing goal of the SIU—because education and training mean better-paying jobs for Sea­ farers, and a stronger, more active, more effective union working on their behalf. The union's entry-rating school, its upgrading program and its training for men who want to sit for their licenses have been the key­ stones of this training program. And the SIU's policy of shipboard meetings, port meetings, crew conferences and publications also have been part of this philosophy of keeping the members informed of what their union is doing, and how events in the industry and actions by the government affect them and their union. In this continuing tradition, the SIU is planning a two-week Educa­ tional Conference for rank-and-file members on a wide-range of issues that will present an opportunity for review, discussion and recom­ mendations as to how the SIU can continue to best serve the members. Here are the details: J. THE DATES March 1-14, 1971. THE PLACE The Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, Piney Point, Md. THE PARTICIPANTS T Two hundred rank-and-file Seafarers, who will be chosen by thenfellow SIU members as delegates to the Conference. THE ELECTIONS Special meetings will be held in all AGLIWD ports at 11 a.m., Feb. 26,1971 for the purpose of electing delegates. THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS To assure the greatest participation by interested members, and to defer in part the cost to them for such attendance, the Educational 1. Conference will provide for transportation, board and housing, and will provide each participant with $8 per day to cover other expenses for each day of attendance. In addition, the union will request the contractually provided Sea­ farers Appeals Board to adopt a temporary rule for the period of the two-week Educational Conference to provide that members elected to participate, and who are registered for shipping, will have their cards extended for the period of the Conference, provided they are in attendance. THE PROGRAM CONTENT The purpose of the Conference will be to inform and advise the members as to the various aspects, rules, regulations, responsibilities and issues of the numerous plans and their inter-relationship with the union; the union's operations and functions; contracted management and its functions; and the maritime industry, in general, including its problems and its future. The Confereiice will provide delegates with the opportunity to thoroughly discuss, analyze and make recommendations in depth. THE SPONSORS The participants in organizing and administering this Conference will be the Seafarers Welfare Plan, Seafarers Pension Plan, Seafarers Vacation Plan, Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, and the Sea­ farers International Union of North America-Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes & Inland Waters District. * * * V ,• Seafarers are urged at the Feb. 26 AGLIWD port meetings to make their voices heard in the selection of delegates—and those who are elected are urged to make the maximum contribution to the success of the Conference by their active and involved participation. REMEMBER: The SIU is your union. It functions best when the members con­ tribute their time, their interest and their ideas on behalf of the brother­ hood of the sea. t • � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 1970-1979 Description An account of the resource Volumes XXXII-XLI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource January 1971 Description An account of the resource Headlines: DELTA LINES ANNOUNCES PLAN TO CONSTRUCT SIX VESSELS USPHS HOSPITAL PROGRAM IN JEOPARDY MURPHY DECRIES PROPOSAL TO ABOLISH PHS HOSPITALS USPHS – A HISTORY OF CARING MISUSE OF US-FLAG FLEET IRRITATES REP THOMPSON SPIRIT OF BROTHERHOOD PERVADES PHS HOSPITALS HLSS PROGRAMS IMPRESS GUESTS REP FORD CALLS FOR MORE CARGO ON US FLAG SHIPS RUSSIAN SEA REVOLUTION THREAT TO FREE WORLD SIU SHIPS COMMITTEES SERVE THE MEMBERSHIP MARITIME UNITY: WHAT IT’S REALLY ALL ABOUT WHAT THE NMU SAYS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF ITS MEMBERS, ITS UNION THE SIU’S POSITION ON MARITIME UNITY MEANY SEES ’71 AS YEAR TO BETTER AMERICAN LIFE BIRDS AT SEA MEAN LAND IS NEAR 1971 FAMILY ECONOMIC VIEW NOT ALL ROSY SAFETY BILL BECOMES LAW; ENFORCEMENT NEXT OBJECTIVE DEPENDENTS MAY QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS LARGEST CARRIER ON LAKES Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 01/1971 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. XXXIII, No. 1 1971 Periodicals Seafarers Log