Issue Date
1941-05-22
Volume
3
Issue Number
10
Plaintext
i
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AN^ GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OP NORTH AMERICA
Ljr'
VOL. Ill NEW YORK, N. Y., THURSDAY, MAY 22, 1941 .446 No. 10
WAR BONUS BOOSTED TO $60 PER MONTH
vW
Attempt to Smear SlU Crew
In Naval Reserve Drive
NEW ORLEANS, May 20, 1941. — The papers here in New Or
leans have printed some unfavorable dope regarding The Seafarers' In
ternational Union, in connection with some prankster who took a notion
to paint one or more swastikas in the paint locker of the S.S. Delargen
lino. This brought on an attack in the press to the effect that the Union
had interfered with attempts of a navy officer to enlist the crew as mem
bers of the iiavy'fi merchant marine reserve.
We wrote the following let
ter yesterday, to the Associ
ated Press Office here in New
Orleans:
"Regarding the story in to
day's paper about the Swas
tika being painted aboard the
Steamship Delargentino, Lieu
tenant Bland of the Navy,
who was doing the recruiting
aboard the ship, states that a
'^floating delegate of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor
broke up a meeting and
stopped the unlicensed per
sonnel from joining the Naval
Reserve.
"There has, at no time,
been any delegate of the Sea
farers' International Union,
interfering with any officer
of the navy aboard any ves
sel. If the members of the
crew ask the delegates what
' s
Union Blasts Bill to Continue
Phoney Maritime Labor Board
• \ .
Brothers John Hawk and Morris Weisberger represented
the Seafarers International Union of North America and the
Sailors Union of the Pacific at hearings held last week be
fore the Senate Committee on Commerce, SubCommittee on
Merchant Marine, concerning a bill, H.R, 4107, which pro
poses to continue the agency known as the Maritime Labor
Board. In briefs presented in writing as well as in speeches
at the hearings on May 14, the Union's representatives
blasted the bill as wasteful of the taxpayers' money and pre
senting an unnecessary obstacle to harmonious relations in
the maritime industry. Only the Joe "No Coffee Time" Cur
ranHarry Bridges combination supported the claims of the
threeman Maritime Labor Board in its contention that it was
necessary to be continued in existence.
In a letter addressed to the
to do, they are told that it is
strictly up to the men them
selves, Lieutenant Bland
asked the Acting Agent if he
had any objections to his in
terviewing the members of
the crew. He' was told that
was between him and the
men.
"At the time of paying oft, the
Lieutenant sat with the Company
Officials and interviewed each
man pfirsonaily.
"The May 4th issue uf the
Washington Daily News carried a
story in which our International
President, Harry Lundeberg, stat
ed the viewpoint of the members
of our organization. This is in
no manner Fascist, Nazi or Com
munistic, but just plain Ameri
can.
"The stand of the Sailors' Un
ion of the Pacific (parent organi
(Contimied on Page 2)
Senate committee. Brother
Harry Lundeberg, A c ti n g
NOTICE
A new Post Office Box
has been secured and it is
Box 25, Station P, New
York City.
However, the old Box,
No. 522, Church Street An
nex, is still open and will
remain so until its rental
runs oiit on June 30, 1941.
President of the SIU, pointed
out that on the West Coast
the accredited agents of this
alleged government board
went up and down the coast
working hand in glove with
the 010 maritime officials to
the detriment of the A. F. L.
organizations in the industry.
They flaunted their partiality
to the BridgcsCurran outfit so
openly that it la a matter of pub
lic knowledge that these alleged
government representatives trav
eled together and even slept In
iContinuvd on Piige 2)
Colonial Crews
Get $12.50 Pay
Raise PerMonth
Renewing the agreement
with the Seafarers' Interna
tional Unioh of North Amer
ica this week, the Colonial
Steamship Ca. affrsedto a flat
$12.50 montffiy raise in basic
pay for all unlicensed per
sonnel, the chief demand
made by the Union's negotia
tors. The raise brings wages
on Colonial ships on a par
with the scale of pay which
has become standard on all
SIU ships.
In addition to the wage in
crease, the Company also
granted a number of other
concessions requested by the
Union. Most important among
them was a two weeks' vaca
tion every year or a trip off
every month with pay for
each seaman. The choice is op
tional with the seaman. The
• trip off proposition is not cu
mulative, but begins within
30 days after an SIU man
ships on a Colonial vessel.
SIU Demands Minimum of $75
Additional for Suez; $45 Eoch
For Other Red Seo^ Persion Ports
In bonus agi'eements signed with the Waterman Steam
ship Co., the Robin Line and Bernstein Shipping Co., the Sea
fgarers' International Union obtained a general boost in
bonus pay from fifty dollars to sixty dollars per month on
African and Far Eastern war zone runs, with special stipula
tions calling for additional pay per port if a ship, touches
the ports of Snez and any other port in the Red Sea or the
Persian Gulf.
Negotiations on the exast
amount to be paid for Suez
and the other ports are still
in process, with the Union
demanding a minimum of $75
for Suez and $45 for each of
the others.
The bonus agreements were re
opened when the President de
clared the Red Sea open to Amer
ican shipping recently and after
the rulers of Nazi Germany had
declared that they would consider
the Red Sea a war zone and un
dertake a blockade of it.
A.F.ofL: H^ds
Rap Vicious
Vinson Bill
May Be Reopened
• AIT buuuj qpyrrcrnir'irtip—• <»*«»<>—©«»U
for a provision reauiring that
each unlicensed seaman be in
sured for $5,000 on these runs. In
the case of a decision by Congress
to convoy ships into the war
zones, reopening of all these
agreements for additional in
creases is provided for.
While the SIU obtained those
increases by negotiation and with
precedents of militant action as a
source of pressure, the Stalinite
run NMU officialdom could secure
these same improvements only
at the price of scabbing on their
fellow CIO unionists in tlie. Ma
rine Engineers Export Line.
Judas Gets "Just Deserts"
Interestingly enough, the labor
hating "Journal of Comnierce"
comments on the bonus increases
given the NMU as part of their
sellout of the MEBA strikers un
der the favorable heading "Just
Deserts."
MEBA Lines Hold Tight As
Curran & Co. Continue to Fink
Marine Engineers' Benevo
lent Association picket lines
at the American Export docks
held tight as Curran contin
ued with his policy to fink on
his fellow 010 unionists
among the engineers. Latest
to come in was the M.S. Ex
brook of the Export Line. The
MEBA' reported that the en
gineers walked off her to a
man.
In protest against "No Coffee
Time's" scabherding, the New
York local of the MEBA, No. 33.
pulled out of the New York City
CIO industrial Council last week.
Curran is the president of that
ic:;
• .At', ' .r. Ik '..iffkA!.!
outfit, which is completely domi
nated by his fellow CommuniM
Party st'oogos.
E. P. Trainor, SecretaryTrefls
urer of Local 33, declared that
the MEBA would continue with
the beef to a showdo^vn. Mean
while, the National Executive
Committee of the MEBA was
meeting in Washington, D. C.,
over the weekend to decide on a
further course.
In^a circular addressed to the
National Maritime Union's rank
and file on the Export ships. Lo
cal 33 blasted the lies and slan
ders spread on the waterfront by
Curran and Co.
The circular declared that Cur
{Continued on Page 4)
With the Vinson Bill, caU
ing for 25 days' compulsory
"coolingoff" periods before
Unions can call strikes, due
for hearings this week. Presi
dent William Green and
SecretaryTreasurer George
raeany or Tnc amcncan j ecF
eration of Labor denounced
the measure as a "Hitler
way" of dealing with Amer
ican labor.
The Vinson Bill also calls for
"freezing" the closed shop as well
as the open shop in plants where
they exist. This means that it
would be virtually criminal for a
Union to get a closed shop agree
ment with a company that is at
present unorganized. It has also
been pointed out that companies
under the closed shop could re
organized as a new corporation
with open shop conditions pre
vailing, thus using this measure
to the full as a unionbusting
weapon."
President Green declared that
the Bill is "founded on the prin
ciple that American workers can
be made to work against their
will."
Brother Meany said: "AVe'd be
against such a conipulsory cool
ingofl'" period even if it were
only for ten minutes. If Con
gress can compel our people to
work for twentyfive days
against their will, then they can
compel them to work for twenty.,
five months or twentyfive
years."
"We can get forced labor and
this kind of a bill," he contin
ued, "from Hitler without un
dergoing the cost aiid expanse of
the defense program."
Attacks against the Bill mount
ed in labor. Congressional and
Government circles, the A. F. of
L. reports from Washington.
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ATTENTION!
HENRY KEARNS
Get in touch with your
brother John L. Kearns at
916 North 16th Street,
Philadelphia, Pa. Very im
portant.
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t H E S B A F A R E Ft S> L O d
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Thursday, May 23;, 1941
Published by the
ATLANTIC & GULF DISTRICT
of the
Seafarers^ International Union
of North America
Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG, Aoting International President
110 Market Street, Room 402, San Francisco, Calif.
ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNINO THIS
PUBLICATION TO:
"THE SEAFARERS' LOG"
P. O. Box 522, Church St. Annex, New York, N. Y.
Phone: BOwling Green 93437
More About
TrytoSmearSIU
Here About.
What's Behind
The Deta rgentina Case
In a inoiistroiis attempt to smear tlie Seafareis' International
Union , of North America witii the hrush of "subversiveness," Cap
tain John F. Siiafroth, UnitA'd States Navy, has charged that a
representative of tlie Union on the S.8. Delargentina at. New Or
leans "told tlie nicn not to talk anyone about the Naval Reserve."
Captain Siiafroth, direitor of tiio Naval Reserve Division of
the Bureau of Navigation, implied that the Union jwas interfering
with recruiiment for his department of the services and furtlier
more claimed that "German sympathizers" were involved on the
basis of tlie alleged fact that "tliree swastikas were found painted
in the storerooms of tlie ship."
A. W. Armstitmg, New Orleans Agent of the SIU, immediately
«hallenged the contentions made in this whole smelly affair.
Wh.1t: the brass hats are up to in this case, which has all the
earmarks of a crude frameup, becomes apparent from other in
formation at hand. They need "facts" made to order.
For, it has become known that the notorious Carl Vinson,
Chairman of tjie House Naval Affairs Committee and father of . the
infamous "coolliigoff", bill, is sponsoring another measure which
would "make it unlawful to interfere witii recniiting for the Navy
in time of peace."
Hearings on this latest piece of vicious Vinsonian antilabor
legislation are supposed to open this week. The case of the Del
argentina is obviously cut to fit this measure as "testimony" and
indeed, as was to be eiipected, the Naval Affairs Committee has
ordered an investigation of the case!
According to an announcemejit in the press, the crew members
of the Delargentina are to be subpoenaed when the vessel returns
from South .America and—here Is the rul>—"AN EFFORT WILIJ
..BE MADE TO .DISCOVERWHY the
SEAME.N HAVE .lOlNEii THE NAVAL RE50;ff(MrA.!«EniCAN
.SERVE.
There is the real reason behind the big todo on the Delargen
tina! The brass hats and their reactionary colleagues in Congress
are worried about the lack of enthusiasm of American seamen
for the Naval Reserve. And they are going to investigate what
"subversive" force is behind this lack of enthusiasm. But that
hardly needs an investigation.
Tile reason is plain as day to any man acquainted with condi
tions in tiie merchant marine and their counterpart in the Naval
Reserve. As Brotlier Armstrong put it in his statement to tlie
press:
"Tiie Naval Reserve can blame tlie WAGE SCALE for the lack
of recrnits!"
The scabby wage scale and the nonunion working conditions—
that's the "subversive" force that prevents recruitment for the
Naval Reserve, The brass hjits need look no further than their
nose.s to discover it!
Incidentally, it is highly significant that the SIU is picked on
as the goat for this "subversiveness" drive, while the NMU, whose
leadership has been exposed a hundred times over again as stooges
of the Communist Party under direct orders of Moustache Joe
Stalin, gets only pats on the back from the shipowners and their
press. Is there a move ahead to "appease" Moustache Joe again
with the aim of an alliance? Is that kind of phoney politics to be
played at the expense of the American seamen who exercise their
democratic rights in the SIU?
Tlie SIU lias no use for the totalitarian dictators and has made
tliat stand known more tlian once, both in word and in action. It
has fought what Bloody Joe of the Kremlin stands for since its
inception. It has been and is just as determined to wipe out
Bloody Adolpli and his Nazis. ^ '
If any Nazi stooge, or perhaps a plant of the shipowners and
their agents, managed to smuggle aboard the Delargentina to
paint those swastikas, naturally he should be found, exposed and
dealt, with accordingly. But such an incident can hardly be used
as an excuse to incriminate a whole crew of American seamen.
That's altogether too flimsy a pretext!
The .SIE.^i]|J not allow any alleged drive against "svibversive
in'ti'ie Merchant Marine to be used by the Brass Hats as
means to regiment freeborn American seamen nor will Ameri
can seamen give up tlieir inalienable right to free speech and free
assembly.
We know and we st|y that if recruitment for the Naval Reserve
has been a failure, it is due to the fact that American seamen,
who have fought hard to win Union wages and Union conditions
gnd often shed their blood in this fight, cannot reconcile them
selves to what organized merchant seamen regard as scab wages
g,nd nonunion working conditions, at present in force on auxili
aries and transports under the Naval authorities.
The remedy lies not in Vinson's witch hunts, but in bringing
wages and conditio!^ Navai Reserve on a par with the
Union standards established ip.t]|e Merchant Marine!
Naval Reserve
(Continued from Parje 1)
zation of the Seafarers' Intenia
tional Union of North America)
is too wellknowu to need enlarg
ing upon here. They have been
and are opposed to' all 'isms'
other than Americanism.
"The Naval Reserve can blame
the wagescale offered, for the
lack of recruits. It took seven
long years to raise the seamen's
wages to the American standard
existing at present. By joining
the Naval Reserve the seamen
would relinquish the gains they
have made during the last seven
years. To compare just a few, an
apprentice seaman under the Re
serve earns $21.00 per month;
under the Union, $50,00. A sec
ond class seaman under the Re
serve earns $36:00 per month;
under the Union, $77.50. A first
class seaman under the Naval
Reserve earns $54.50 per month;
under the Union, from $90.00 to
$107.50. The Union figures quoted
herein do not include . overtime,
earned by Union members, which
is not obtainable in the Naval
Reserve."
Thi& attack is in line with the
legislation attempted ta dog col
lar and subjugate the seamen in
the last, few years. It. was no
doubt sired by the same brains.
—• A. W. Armstrong, SIU Agent
Daniel Ring, Regional Director,
NLRB, has sent the following
telegram to Philip F. King, U.S.
Maritime Commission, Washing
Union Blasli Bitt
Bboney Maritime
to Continue
Ldior Board • f
papers;
"CONFERRED WITH A. W.
ARMSTRONG, AGENT FOR SIU,
NEW ORLEANS, AND OTHER
OFFICIALS WITH FOLLOWING
RESULTS: 1. IMMEDIATE AND
FORMAL INVESTIGATION UN
DER WAY BY SIU INTO
CHARGES THAT COVY BLAS
PHEMED GOVERNMENT AND
NAVY. FULC OPPORTUNITY
TO BE PRESENTED TO LIEUT.
BLAND TO GIVE FULL FACTS
TO, INVESTIGATING BODY.
2. OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
IS MADE BY SIU THAT ANY
ONE FOUND GUILTY OF BLAS
PHEMING GOVERNMENT OR
NAVY IS IN VIOLATION OF^
OBLIGATION TAKEN BY ALL
MEMBERS, AND UPON SUCH
A FINDING BY UNION INVES
TIGATING BODY FACES LOSS
OF MEMBERSHIP. 3. INVESTI
GATION WILL ALSO BE MADE
TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER
ANY SIU MEMBER HAD ANY
CONNECTION WITH PAINTING
SWASTIKAS ON DELTAROBN
TINO. 4. SIU POINTS TO FACT
OF CLOSE COOPERATION
WITH RECENT MARITIME
COMMISSION CONFERENCE
ON SHORTAGE OF SEAMEN
AND OTHER STEPS INCLUD
ING FIGHT AGAINST REDS
AND NAZIS AS. BEST EVI
DENCE OF THEIR WHOLE
HEARTED RESPECT FOR AND
LOYALTY TO .GOVERNMENT.
5. ARMSTRONG OFFICIALLY
ANNOUNCBIS FURTHER THAT
UNION HAS NEVER AUTHOR
IZED ANYONE TO PLACE IM
PEDIMENTS IN THE WAY OP
NAVAL RESERVE,RECRUITING
FEELING THAT MATTER IS
PURELY A PERSONAL ONE
FOR MEMBERS IN WHICH
THE UNION AS SUCH HAS NO
PART. WILL ADVISE OF DE
VELOPMENTS.
(Signed), DANIEL S. RING
Dlv, Director.
(Continued from Page ])
the same hotels up and down the
coast with Harry Bridges and
Matt Melian, CIO longshoremen's
official.
In return for sucli services, the
Lundeberg statement charges,
Curran^Bridges and their ^ench
men have undertaken, to sing the
praises of this Board, going so
far as to deliberately create labor
disturbances (some of which Dr.
Bloch, chajrman of the Board;
cites as having been settled by hi.s
board to their "credit") in order
to be able to call on Dr. Bloch, so
the Maritime Labor Board could
make a record for itself and get
established.
. Services Not Needed
One of tlie claims of this pho
ney board. Brother Weisberger
pointed out in speaking at the
hearings, is that if has been and
is sucli a factor of stability in the
maritime industry that the indus
try. would practically fold up if
tlie board were discontinued.. In
reality, Brother Weisberger con
tinued. more than % of the ma
rine industry have clauses in
their contracte which require the
services of the Conciliation Serv
ice of the Labor Department and
completely ignore the Maritime
Labor Board.
Far from being a stabilizing in
fluence in the industry, the con
tinuation of the Board would only
serve to create confusion as well
as unnecessary duplication of
work and, most important, seri
ous disturbances due to the
proved ClOpartiality shown by
its iiieiiibers.
An agency representing the
public in this industry Is neces
nary, Wci.^bcrgGr agreed. But,
sucli an agency, in order to be ef
fective, has to have the confidence
of both labor and management.
Now, botli tlie seamen as well as
the operators liave no use for the
Maritime Labor Board and prefer
the Labor Department's Concilia
tion .Service as the agency repre
senting the public, since the lat
ter has the necessary experience
and the necessary impartiality.
For continued progress towards
harmony, H.R. 4107 should be de
feated, he concluded.
Punctures Claims
Brother Hawk blasted the claims
of efliciency made by the Board
members in their alleged success
in settling some 152 disputes." v;
Lundeberg had already chai
lenged tliis figure as fantastic,In
bis written statement. Hawk •
sfated:
"Ah example of tlie ineflioiency
of this Board was expressed by
Dr. Bloch, a member of the Board.,
. . . He, stated that the Robin.
Line*gave the unlicensed person
nel an increase in the war bonus
to Africa, and the.MEBA In turn. ..
demanded a 50 per cent bonus and
the Maritime, Labor Board was
called in to tiy and Oettie the dis
pute, and it WH.'< referred to the
National Mediation Boards Here
I want to point out that the dis
pute came back to the Labor De
partment, who are the only body
that can refer any matter to the
National Mediation Board. This,
in our opinion, is only an unnec
essary duplication of service.
"Now I would like to call the
attention of this committee that
the statement made by Dr. Bloch
that the Robin gave the unli
censed porsonnel a ?50 bonus a
month going to Africa was true,
but he failed to go into details as
to how it came about.
Pacts in Robin Beef
"Ae a member of the negotiat
ing committee representing the
unlicensed personnel in this dis
pute, I would like to tell this
committee what actually.. took
place. The SIU of. NA demanded
a higher bonus on vessels sailing
to Africa. The Seas Shipping Co.
(Robin Line) refused our de
mands and as it hae always been
our policy when we can't agree
with the company to call in a con
ciliator from the Department of
Labor, this,was done iinmediately.
The employers, tiie conciliator
and the union .sat in conference
and after four and a half hours
we came to a Batisfactory agree
ment a& far as all parties are
concerned.
"In conclusion, our organization
has no need for the Maritime La
bor Board and therefore recom;
mend that it be abolished. We in
tend to use the Conciliation Serv^
Ice of the Department of Labor
as we have done in the pist."
Aside from sending Hawk and
Weisberger to Washington,, the
SIU meuiberBhip flooded the Sen
ate Comfnitt'ee with telegramp dfr
maiiding the discontinuation ot
the phoney Maritime Labor Board.
SEAFARERS' LOO
S.S. SEATRAIN HAVANA $20.75
Deck Dept $1.00 each: H. Winborn, W. Carpenter,, F.
Hennessy, F. Shimelfenig, T. Johansen, M. Knesel, F.
Marquez, Brown; 75c: Wearen; 50c: Forless $9;25
Engine Dept $1.00 each: A. Neal, R. C. Kincade, W. S.
Wiscoat; 50c each; J. R. Evans, H. Killeen,; S. Garcia,
L. Simpson, A. Hardy, H. Nichols, D.Maycox, W.M. Pad
gett,. L. Skinhear $760
Stewards Dept.r$1.'00: F. Williams; 50c each: R. jilo
ria, B. P. Mooney, A. Garcia, G. MJHtar, E.. Spears,
H. Deck • ......$4.00
S.S. ALC0A. FA^THPINDEB
W. E. Farrell, $4; M. M. Pehworth, $4; C. J. Dough
• • erty,, $1.50 — .......
S.S. FLORIDA :
9.50
S.S. RAPHA.EL SEMMES .......
Deck Dept. $14.75
Engine an?! Stpyyards Dept. ... 4.25
as, ANTINGUS
$1.00 each: C. Schultz,, H. Martin, A. Hall, P. Brady,
J. Flynn, P. Acree, T. Morski, L. Chilton, A. Welch, Cal
laghan A. Watts, Treakle, .J. Lord, A, Ayers; EOe each:
O, Sjogren, O. Odinson, Joy, B, Burres..
18.90
19:00
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Thursday, Nfay ^ 1^41
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T HE S E A F A R E R S ' LOG
W^hat* 8 B o in g—
PROVIBENCE
May 5, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir and Biother:
Had a little action in Provi
dence for a change. Paid off the
S.S. Antlnous with all beefs set
: tied, and the painting and fuml
> gating of the sailors' quarters to
be started at once. It sure was a
dirty hole for a man to live in.
« • »
The crevr had four months and
11 days pay coming and hit the
beach with plenty of dough to
spend. All men paid up their dues
to date.
' ^ *
Took all of the men here to
man her. Had to call on Boston
for balance of crew. The crew
gave the master, Capf. Reed, a
vote of confidence for his way of.
'fcelplng the men along.
* • •
The NESSCO men aie getting
a bit aroused with the. fact that
the Company has not agreed to
give them a raise in pay with all
the raises on the coast. But, all
good' things come to those who
wait.
So, until next time.
Fraternally yours,
J. Ei Laphamy Agent.
members to sail only on our
agreement ships, as we have
plenty of jobs at the present
time.
Fraternally,
Youp Boston Reporter.
MOBILE
BOSTON
May 7, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Iiog
Dear Sir, and Brother:
Shipping and business has been
good the past, week, and it is. ex
pected to continue,: so throughout
the supimer months.
So far ail the replacements have
been.filled and. Boston had an op
portunity to help out the Provi
dence Branch in sailing the S.S.
Antlnous. From reports and ac
tion Brother Lapham, the agent
there, is doing a very good job.
Our former Providence acting
agent. Prank Berry, is shipping
out of Providencei, a good man to
have around as he has quite a bit
of organizing experience.
« « «
By the action of the various
weekly, business meetings, held on
.Monday, May 5, the Agents' Con
ference held, in Washington, D. C.,
was a success and all concerned
did a very good job..
» w «
The commie man Friday, Joe
Curran, did a repeat when he al
lowed eight striking CIO engin
eers to be replaced with company
union strike breakers. There must
have been plenty of Green other
than Bowling Green. It sure is a
wonder why the union members
of the NMU tolerate the flnky ac
tions of their hollowchested fig
ureheads. Time will tell.
I believe that some action
should be taken to inform our
NOTICE
Men on the beach at
BEAUMONT, TEXAS, are
advised to get in touch
with W. H. Farley, Secre
tary of HJA Local No. 1610.
Brother Parley is getting
quite a number of calls for
seamen and. has agreed to
ship; SIU men to such
^jobs. Make sure to register
with him if you are on the
beaeh at Beaumont.
May 8, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir and Brotlier:
Shipping continues to be very
good in this port. Today we are
putting a full crew on the S.8.
Alcoa Partner, which has Just
been thoroughly reconditioned by
the drydock. This ship is destined
to be put on the Bauxite run to
the West Indies. This leaves still
another ship in the yard being
reconditioned. This ship, the S.S.
Alcoa Rambler is due to come
out around the end of this month.
The S.S. William J. Salmon
was in the past week with every
thing running along 0. K.. An
other one in was the Alcoa Ma
riner with no beefs on her. The
rumor is that the Alcoa Compa
ny's new superfreighter, the Al
coa Pioneer, will be in: here on or
about' the first of June.
The Agent, Olden Banks, re
turned last. Saturday from the
Agents! Conference, held in
Washington the past week, with
a complete report on the actvi
ties of the Conference. This re
port was well received here In
Mobile by the membership. .The
consensus of opinion among the
members here is that the recom
mendations as submitted by the
Conference spelled definite prog
ress for the organization as a
wholsi
Since we were informed by the
SecretaryTreasurer that the Per^
mit system had been discarded
and the hooks had been opened to
bona fide seamen, we have had no
less than fifty seamen up in the
hall here applying for member
ship in the Union.
Suffice it so say that a majority
of.these seamen were NMU mem
bers. They have been fed up with
the rotten tactics of the NMU,
yet, hesitated to try to get into
the SIU because of the Permit
system.
Now tliaf the books are open
to bona fide seamen we can ex
pect NMU members in increasing
droves to come up and apply for
membership in the SIU, because
they know that the SIU is the
only democratic Union, which ie
run by and for tlie seamen them
selves.
I would like to take this oppor
tunity to inform the membership
afloat of a bit of action by the
membership. At the regular
Branch meeting held in New Or,
leans on February 28, 1941, a mo
tion was passed, "that due to the
financial condition of the SIU, all
members, while working^ shall
keep their dues paid up through
the current, month and no ship
ping cards shall be issued to any
man paying off a ship unless his
dues are paid up through current
month."
Some of the members have
stated that they are unaware of
this ruling. Sonow they won't
have an excuse any longer. This
ruling means that on the first day
of each month, for every man who
is employed, that particular
month's dues are due. For in
stance, on the first' day of June,
a man who le working owes for
the month;of June.
• That's about all for this week
Fraternally yours,
ifob.arfc A. Matthews,
Patrolman. No. 1.
NEW' ORLEANS
May 12, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir and Brother:
Today a wandering brother
came back into the hall and told
a tale that had the men around
the hall ail sobbing into their
shirt tails. Big, hard, husky, 190
pounders broke down and cried
like prima donnas.
Seems that' this young man had
road all about these slilpowners
living in the laps of the Gods
with every luxury, wine, 'women
and song, to mention just a few
of thethings that our noble ship
owners have. He decided that he
should he a shipowner. Now, the
first thing to do was to accumu
late enough gilt to buy uj) a cou
ple of old tubs, then get a subsidy
from the M.C. and after that sit
hack and pull in the cliips. After
due thought, he took out for tlie
land of easy money for a sailor,
Hi, ho, off to the Lakes we, go.
He came, he saw, and he left,
and how! Right back to where he
started. Seems that he shipped
all right, through the Lake Car
riers' hail, after trying and trying
to get on one of three big iron
boats. Success at last crowned his
efforts.
The Richard Trimble was the
name of the ship to be grace^
witli the services of our hero for
the season. He just knew from
now that when this ship was men
tioned, that all hand.s would
think of him.
.The first thing that' slowed him
np was when repoiting foi duty,
he was ushered over the side onto
a stage. No fooling, around, as a
deep water ship does, no sir! The
Mates stand by and lower the
stage, go over at' 7:30 A.M., come
up at noon. If it lakes 1.5 min
utes to climb up the laddei, then
you woiild hit the deck at 12:15.
You would also he back on the
said stage at' 1:00 not 1:05 nor
1:02.
Then she sailed, our hero knew
that things would be much bet
ter at sea when the ship was on
her regular run. All this old hoo
ey would be over. It was. It took
tills scow 1 hour and 40 minutes
to load. It took her 5 hours to dis
charge. Seems like something
wrong some place. Time off was
unheard of. All tliat a man had
to do was to work, then some
more work. All for the large sum
of .$120.00 a month.
Our boy drank a cup of milk
for breakfast one morning and
was informed in no uncertain
terms that milk was supplied for
vcereais not for. drinking. If our
fair haired hero had stayed with
the ship for the whole season, he
would have gotten the large sum.
of ten bucks a month as a bonus.
This only if he had rode the same
ship ail season.
So, about' this.time, a check waa.
made at the local, depots and a
ticket bought for an A.B. back to
where Coffee Time is part of a
seaman's regular day, to whero
Mates act as Mates, to where ihe
Mate won't swoon when asked for
a day off, to WHERE A SAILOR
GETS PAID FOR DOING SAIL
OR'S WORK, WHERE OVER
TIME IS PAID FOR, NOT
WHERE A CHOSEN FEW SET
THE POLICY FOR ALL HANDS
For any further Information de
sired on this subject. Just come
Into any Gulf port and you will
hear our Brother holding forth.
On a clear day you might even be
able to hear him in Baltimore.
The morale of our little story:
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic fif Gulf District
SecretaryTreasurer^s Office
Room 213 — 2 Stone Street, New York City
P. O. Box 25, Station P Phone: BOwling Green 93^37
DIRECTORY OF BRANCHES
BRANCH ADDRESS 'PHONE
NEW YORK 2 Stone St. BOwling Green 93437
BOSTON . 330 Atlantic Ave. ...LIBerty 4057
PROVIDENCE .. 465 South Main St. ..Manning 3572
BALTIMORE ... 14 North Gay SL ... Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA ,6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 60 Commercial PI. ..Norfolk 41083
NEW ORLEANS 309 Chartreg St MAgnolia 3962 "
SAVANNAH .... 218 East Bay St Savannah 31728
JACKSONVILLE .136 East Bay St Jacksonville 51791
TAMPA 206 So. Franklin St. Tampa M1323
MOBILE 56 Soi Conception St. Dexter 1449
TEXAS CITY ... 105 4th St.. N. .....Texas City 722
MIAMI 1348 N.E. First Ave.. Miami 22950
SAN JUAN 8 Cova donga St San Juan 1885
BALTIMORE
News and Views
Don't Quit; That Helps Regimentation,!
What You Can Do to Help the Union
Baltimore, Md.
May 6, 1941
Editor, Seafarer.s' Log
BALTIMORE, Md. — Shipping
continue.s first cla.ss out of this
l)orl; with 92 brothers shipped
during the week, and the beach
list showing a total of 139 await
ing jobs. Wage boosts and an all
around cleaning up of living and
working conditions on many ships
is beginning to pull a few of the
men back from the shipyards and
other shore jobs, and the present
membership seeme to be begin
ning to realize that their future
livelihood depends on keeping
tlie ships moving and many of
them are .cooperating a hundred
per cent in taking jobs when we
get stuck."
Don't Quit; That Helps
Regimentation!
This period is probably the
most crucial in the entire history
of the maritime labor movement.
The Maritime Commission is just
biding its time, quite confident
that the unions will be unable to
keep the merchant fleet moving
and then they can step in and
take over with their trainees.
The men who are deserting their^
jobs and their Union for jobs
ashore now are helping push the
seaman into a regimented Job on
a regimented ship, and if they
think they'll be able to go back
to sea when the boom ashore
flops, they are very sadly and
badly mistaken.
Between NMU's licking the
boots of the Maritime Commission
and the abandoning of ships by
our members, the SIUSUP is be
ing forced into taking in a gang
of new men, and the birds who
are doing the jumping around
from one ship to another and
waiting until a certain very, spe
cial ship comes along are going to
wake up one of these days to find
that' they jumped off once too of
ten and waited just a little too
long.
Switch in Commie "Line"
The switch in the Commie line to
one of ultraconservatism, which
in plain language means under
selling wage scales and kissing
"the shipowners' stern at' every op,
portunity, is going over big with
a lot of dizzy shipowners who can
see no further than the width of
a dollar hill. The pressure being
put on out on the Coast to keep
Bridges in thi<^ country isn't all
coming from the college profes
sors and wouldbe intelligentsia;
a great deal of it is coming from
some of our wellknown economic
royalists and rugged individual
ists who would rather deal with
a consBivallve communist than a
militant American any day if it
would save them a couple of
bucks.
"What You Can Do to Help
Union
We've got to start fighting,
boys, and fight as hard as we did
back in 1937. What can you as
an individual member do? The
first thing you can do is make
yourself a oneman organizer. If
you know of a nonunion, com
panyunion, or dualunion man,
talk up the SIU to him. Get him
up in the Hail. Get the "Log"
aboard nonSiU ships. If there's
an Isthmian ship near you, con
tact her men and sell them your
Union. Get after the tankers esr
peclally.
More than 8,000 seamen aboard
tankers belong to phoney com
pany unions. If you have a beef
that needs settling in the worst
kind of way, hold it until you get.
to a patrolman or other official, if
you have to burst a blood vessel
in the meantime. Crack down on
the performers who are trying to
pin a bad reputation on all sea
men. If you run into a cleaucut
American kid with the makings
of a good seaman In him give him
a pep talk on the sea and .your
Union. If a new man comes
aboard your ship, help him out.
If the dispatcher is in a spot,
forget the ship jou were waiting
for and get the ship that's wait
ing out. Be responsible for your
Union and you will make your
Union a responsible one and a re
spected one. Above all, kcop tha
• ships moving!
Prat'ernally,
Wm. McKay, Agent.
leave the Lakes up there; wages
and conditions in the salt water
buckets are still better than the
dust collectors on the Lakes.
Ftaternally,
Army
Do NOT Ship! ;
The permits of the fol
lowing men have been re
voked and they are not tjo
be shipped under any cof
eumstances:
B. A'. Webel [
Camille Morea'a H ;
Salvatore Frangello ; .
Selden Green Moody r
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T H E ̂ g A F A R E R SV LOG Thiirsday, May 22, 1941 ^
Out of the Mailhag
Warns About Danger in Not
Filling Jobs with Union Men
. f May 2, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Esar Sir d Brother:
There are more ways than one
to skin a cat, and the shipowners,
the Maritime Commission and the
government have learned them all
In long years of practice.
They have failed to skin the
seamen of the union hiring hall
by frontal attacks because the
seamen recognized their enemies
end drove them back each time.
The present building up of the
iXkerchant marine, however, may
become a weapon for weakening
the union hiring hall and then
smashing the seamen's unions
evea more thoroughly than in
1921 if too many of the oldtimers
let themselves and the newcomers
In the deck and engine depart
ments become giddy with their
gains and forget to think cleari>
about how to defend the union
hiring hall in the now—the pres
sntit^situation.
lyhat is the present situation?
Simply this: Every branch has a
lot of A.B. jobs, oilers' jobs, and
firemen's jobe on the board for
which there are no men. Bach
week, that parses more ships are
built, more jobs are there, and
snore men are needed. But skilled
men<are scarcer in proportion to
• what is needed. If this continues,
the union will be losing control of
ilm jobs through not being able
to fill them with union men.
Ultimately, this must lead to
the weakening and destruction of
the union hiring hall and the
union itself. Why? Because the
Strength of the union is the
strength of the union hiring hall.
and this hall stands or falls with
1) union control of the jobs and
2) union control of the men who
fill the jobs.
If union control of the jobs is
weak, men outside the control of
the union will fill them. These
will weaken further union con
trol. They will develop an eco
nomic interest in destroying
union control altogether, so that
they can ship out on all jobs and
on all lines. They will become a
reserve army for destroying the
union. But complete union con
trol of the jobs means complete
union men get them, and the
union jobs and union men
strengthen militant unionism.
If union control of the men
who fill the jobs is weak, it will
matter little if the union has job
control on all the new ships. What
will matter will be that scissor
billB and phoneys. Maritime Com
mission "schoolboys" and belly
crawling scabs will be filling
them. They will undermine union
control of the jobs today and help
smash the union tomorrow or
any other day the shipowners get
readjv Militant union men alono
can safeguard union control of
the job and use it in order to
raise wages and improve condi
tions.
The union hiring hall is where
jobs and union men meet. The
union MUST be able to fill the
jobs with union men. Else it is
heading towards selfdestruction.'
How to do it is the question
that has to be answered sooner or
later. It yrould be best , to answer
it now rather than later.
8. Goldenberg, No. 3769.
Organizers Report On:
More About
ISTHMIANLINE
ORGANIZING
DRIVE
UOVSTON
(The Fraud About "Stable"Prices
MV.
Wji lAmong the cWef "arguments" of the employers whp howl
Against wage increases is tliis: Since prices are being stabilized by
Hie Administration in Washington, wages should also be stabilized
According to these claims, the cost of living is not rising and com
sequently, the government should undertake measures to prevent
the workers from getting pay hikes. What are the facts? Hero
is what the A. F. of L.'s 'Monthly Survey' finds:
l^;;';r';,"According to government figures, living costs in March
i 19,41 were only 1 per cent above the last quarter of 1939,
'5 and less than per cent above March 194(). Nevertheless,
rijworkers who go out to buy find prices up in many lines. Silks
ijare. up; 9 per cent since prewar days, woolens per cent,
{'^.'blankets 14 per cent, furniture 10j4 per cent, foods almost 5
• j^iper cent. Since last fall, dry goods and home furnishings are
jjTip 5 per cent; men's suits may cost |2;50 to |5.00 more in
[ vthe near future. In clothing, lower quality material is being
[ ^substituted to avoid price increases, and workers find a hidden
i i^sB. These things DO NOT APPBAK in the living costs index
!'.vhecause they are outweighed by other items such as staple
; rfkioda and some rents, which have not risen."
other words, the claim that the cost of living is remaining
Otable, that prices of consumers' goods are "stabilized" is a pure
fraud. The only remedy that workers have for this situation is
higher wages.
(Three Gears in AntiLabor Machine
So you want to know whose brainchild the Vinson Bill and
similar antilabor measures are? Well, get a load, of this, from
the "Wall Street Journal," a monthly magazine devoted to the in
jterests of plutocracy and profitgrabbing:
"The $layear business men (better known as the Kntid
isen crowd) . . . have discovered in Wasliington two like
minded groups, one among the army and navy officers, the
other in Congress.
"A coalition of business men, military officials and Con
'igressitien stirred up antistrike legislation, pigeonholed the
'New Deal's' Federal oil control bill, waived the National Ija
bor Belation.s Board compliance as a requirement for defense
contracts and toned down the antitrust case against the oil
h^nstry.
Rr "That is an Impressive list of achievements, as is best
demonstrated by the antistrike legislation. Congress, with
some eacouragcment from the businessmilitary group, is flirt
ing with a bill requiring 'coolingofl' periods."
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir and Brotner:
Well, this will give the mem
bership some Information as to
what Is taking place down here
in the long horn state. I was
aboard one of the Isthmian scows
Monday evening and believe me,
the boys came through 98 per
cent in joining up with the SlU.
Only two of the whole crew re
fused to join up, and from the In
formation of the rest of the
crew, they will know what It is
to pounding the bricks in the
port of New Orleans.
If we can have as good luck
with the re.st of the Isthmian
ships as this one, it won't be
long before we will have them un
der the banner of a democratic
union, the S.IU of NA.
Even the Chief Steward signed
up and he has been In that com
pany for the past eighteen years,
so that goes to show that moat of
the crews of those ships are
learning that the A.F.L. unions
are the best in the long run.
Shipping is too good down here.
Brother Wallace from Texas City
has raided this port of every man
and that leaves me with a zero
list.
The Isthmian Company is go
ing to bring out two more ships
from Galveston by the 13th
this month, and believe me,
will be hard to crew them up, but
we will send out an SOS to all
the ports of the Gulf and see
what happebs.
That's all for this week.
Fraternally,
D. L. Parker, Org.
P.S.—^Another of the Isthmian
ships is on her way to New York,
We have about 90 per cent of
book men on her.' Be sure and
contact them.
MEBA Lines Hold Tight As
Curran&Co. Continue to Fink
(Continued from Page I)
ran's printed claim that the Ex
port Line had offered to reinstate
all engineers on strike, to meet
the MEBA to discuss was bonuses
and not oppose an NLRB election
was "ahsof tely false."
"The NMU circular," the MEBA
said, "makes the statement that
the company union in the Export
Line was certified by the National
Labor Relations Board. This is
another wmc of a lie."
"The members of the NMU
Working on the Export Line may
feel." the statement continues,
"that a company union among
the engineers means nothing to
them, but this is not so.
'The greatest setback suffered
by the. NMU in the maritime in
dustry was in the Tankers and ft
was inflicted by Company Unions,
especially in the Socony,. New Jer
sey Standard, and the Tidewater.
The engineers and the mates in
these three companies were all or
ganized in Company Unions be
fore the unlicensed men were also
organized in Company Unions.
"The strike in the Export Line
to eliminate the Company Union
among the engineers," the state
ment cociudes, "is just as much
to the interest of the NMU as It
is to the MEBA. So we say to all
members of the NMU:
"DON'T GO THROUGH OUR
PICKET LINE.
MEBA—Local 33."
Evidence uncovered by the West
Coast Sailor, organ of the Sailors
Union of~the Pacific, last week
tends to corroborate the belief
that the finking on the engi
neers' is part of Curran's C. P.
inspired scheme to "liquidate"
other maritime unions luto a "one
big union" under the iron heel of
the Stalinists. This evidence is
contained in a letter signed by
Geo. F. B. King, Acting Secretary
of Local 3, American Communi
cations Association, Marine Divi
sion. This outfit is the CIO organ
ization for radio operators and
there appears to be a rift
among the Stalinite stooges in
control o fit. The "Sailor" prints
the letter in full.
Advises Crew Members to
of
It
iVEir YOKE
May 20, 1941
Dear Sir and Brother:
Settled the bonus with Arnold
Bernstein Line for the Namarib,
going to Galveston, Trinidad,
Capetown and Calcutta and back
to New York. Sixty dollars
month from the last port In the
U. S. back to the first. Twenty
five dollars a port for calling at
South and East. Africa ports and
Indian ports, Madagascar, Ceylon,
etc. Articles read that ship could
go only to South East Africa,
India, Ceylon and nowhere else.
Two Isthmian Line ships in.
Twelve SIU men who got aboard
one then let us down by pil
ing off here. THESE SHIPS
MUST BE HELD DOWN BY
STTT MEN IN SPITE OP PINKY
CONDITIONS UNTIL WE CAN
FORCE THE COMPANY TO CON
CEDE TO CONDITIONS THAT
TRUE UNION MEN ARE
WORTHY OF. SO, WE CAN'T
AFFORD TO LOSE A SINGLE
JOB WE'VE GAINED.
We've, been getting the bonuses
increased on them, because our
men aboard have been holding
back and throwing the demand
for the SIU scale just before ink
ing the articles.
SIU men W * Isthmian ships
coming up from the Gulf will
have to contact ~ our halls up
North every day, by telephone
anyway, to keep abreast of the
evermounting bonuses, and to
permit the agents to contact the
unorganized men and NMU men
aboard.
L. Tir, Org.
Get Money Due Unlicensed
Men on the S,5.Shickshinny
May 9, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir .and Brother:
The following men have the
listed amount of money in wages
due them from the S.S. Shick
shinny, which terminated articles
and paid off in the port of New
York on April 7, 1941, here in the
offices of the Strachah Shipping
Co., American Bank BIdg., New
Orleans, La.
« * *
This ship signed articles on
February 3 and the crew was sup
posed to get any increase in
wages granted by this company
on all ships signing articles after
January 9, 1941.
In paying off this vessel, the
company only paid the $7.50 emer
gency increase in wages, which
was granted on February 17 to alJ
ships, but failed to pay the A.B.'s,
Boatswain, O.S. and 2nd Cook the
increase which was granted them
in the new agreement, in addition
to the $7.50 emergency increase.
I would advise these men to
write the following office at once
and have them forward checks to
them:
Strachan Shipping Co.
American Bank Bldg.
New Orleans, La.
• • •
A. A, Theriot, Boatswain. .$21.45
Allan C. Gravely, A.B 21.45
Michael C. Simmons, A.B... 21.45
Peter Arctander, A.B 21.46
James A. Curran, A.B....;.. 21.45
Calvin A. Cole, A.B 21.45
WInthr. 0. Voorhees, A.B...2,1.45
Alfredo.Natale, O.S.;. 6.36
Johnji. Wolfe, O.S. 10.72
William H. Moore, O.S 10.72
Junior Austin, 2nd Cook... 10.72
« « *
The Strachan Shipping Co.
here in New Orleans have in
structions to hold these sums for
IS days and If not claimed within
that time to return same to the
South Atlantic Steamship Co.,
Savannah, Ga. Therefore, It will
be necessary that the men apply
for this money after 15 days to
adress their communications to
the South Atlantic S. S. Co., Sa
vannah, Ga.
Fraternally,
M. D. Biggs,
Gulf District Representative
Bonus Demand Catches On:
Asks War Bonus
For Soldiers
"It ought to give those who
advocate our entrance into
the European war sometliiug
to tliink about," declared
Senator Edwin C. Johnson,
Colorado Democrat, referring
to a bill he had just dropped
Into the Senate 'hooper."
The bill provides that any
soldier or sailor who is sent
to a foreign country tliat is at
war, or is a member of an
airplane or warship crew per
forming convoy duty or act
ing as an armed escort, shall
be paid $100 a month in ad
dition to his regular aimy OE
navy pay.
isfe-
Atte n t io n !
CHANGE OF ADDRESS
All members of the SIU are requested to take notice
of the fact that the Washington office has been rliseoTi
tinued. Ali communications relating to the Atlantic and'
Gulf District directly should henceforth be addressed
dh^^gfedrdtary^TroasUrer's OflSre, Room 213 — 2 Stoae
Street, or P. O. Box 26, Station P, New York XJity;
Bhone: BOwlitig Green 93437.
JOHN HAWK, SecretaryTreasurer
1
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OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AN^ GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OP NORTH AMERICA
Ljr'
VOL. Ill NEW YORK, N. Y., THURSDAY, MAY 22, 1941 .446 No. 10
WAR BONUS BOOSTED TO $60 PER MONTH
vW
Attempt to Smear SlU Crew
In Naval Reserve Drive
NEW ORLEANS, May 20, 1941. — The papers here in New Or
leans have printed some unfavorable dope regarding The Seafarers' In
ternational Union, in connection with some prankster who took a notion
to paint one or more swastikas in the paint locker of the S.S. Delargen
lino. This brought on an attack in the press to the effect that the Union
had interfered with attempts of a navy officer to enlist the crew as mem
bers of the iiavy'fi merchant marine reserve.
We wrote the following let
ter yesterday, to the Associ
ated Press Office here in New
Orleans:
"Regarding the story in to
day's paper about the Swas
tika being painted aboard the
Steamship Delargentino, Lieu
tenant Bland of the Navy,
who was doing the recruiting
aboard the ship, states that a
'^floating delegate of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor
broke up a meeting and
stopped the unlicensed per
sonnel from joining the Naval
Reserve.
"There has, at no time,
been any delegate of the Sea
farers' International Union,
interfering with any officer
of the navy aboard any ves
sel. If the members of the
crew ask the delegates what
' s
Union Blasts Bill to Continue
Phoney Maritime Labor Board
• \ .
Brothers John Hawk and Morris Weisberger represented
the Seafarers International Union of North America and the
Sailors Union of the Pacific at hearings held last week be
fore the Senate Committee on Commerce, SubCommittee on
Merchant Marine, concerning a bill, H.R, 4107, which pro
poses to continue the agency known as the Maritime Labor
Board. In briefs presented in writing as well as in speeches
at the hearings on May 14, the Union's representatives
blasted the bill as wasteful of the taxpayers' money and pre
senting an unnecessary obstacle to harmonious relations in
the maritime industry. Only the Joe "No Coffee Time" Cur
ranHarry Bridges combination supported the claims of the
threeman Maritime Labor Board in its contention that it was
necessary to be continued in existence.
In a letter addressed to the
to do, they are told that it is
strictly up to the men them
selves, Lieutenant Bland
asked the Acting Agent if he
had any objections to his in
terviewing the members of
the crew. He' was told that
was between him and the
men.
"At the time of paying oft, the
Lieutenant sat with the Company
Officials and interviewed each
man pfirsonaily.
"The May 4th issue uf the
Washington Daily News carried a
story in which our International
President, Harry Lundeberg, stat
ed the viewpoint of the members
of our organization. This is in
no manner Fascist, Nazi or Com
munistic, but just plain Ameri
can.
"The stand of the Sailors' Un
ion of the Pacific (parent organi
(Contimied on Page 2)
Senate committee. Brother
Harry Lundeberg, A c ti n g
NOTICE
A new Post Office Box
has been secured and it is
Box 25, Station P, New
York City.
However, the old Box,
No. 522, Church Street An
nex, is still open and will
remain so until its rental
runs oiit on June 30, 1941.
President of the SIU, pointed
out that on the West Coast
the accredited agents of this
alleged government board
went up and down the coast
working hand in glove with
the 010 maritime officials to
the detriment of the A. F. L.
organizations in the industry.
They flaunted their partiality
to the BridgcsCurran outfit so
openly that it la a matter of pub
lic knowledge that these alleged
government representatives trav
eled together and even slept In
iContinuvd on Piige 2)
Colonial Crews
Get $12.50 Pay
Raise PerMonth
Renewing the agreement
with the Seafarers' Interna
tional Unioh of North Amer
ica this week, the Colonial
Steamship Ca. affrsedto a flat
$12.50 montffiy raise in basic
pay for all unlicensed per
sonnel, the chief demand
made by the Union's negotia
tors. The raise brings wages
on Colonial ships on a par
with the scale of pay which
has become standard on all
SIU ships.
In addition to the wage in
crease, the Company also
granted a number of other
concessions requested by the
Union. Most important among
them was a two weeks' vaca
tion every year or a trip off
every month with pay for
each seaman. The choice is op
tional with the seaman. The
• trip off proposition is not cu
mulative, but begins within
30 days after an SIU man
ships on a Colonial vessel.
SIU Demands Minimum of $75
Additional for Suez; $45 Eoch
For Other Red Seo^ Persion Ports
In bonus agi'eements signed with the Waterman Steam
ship Co., the Robin Line and Bernstein Shipping Co., the Sea
fgarers' International Union obtained a general boost in
bonus pay from fifty dollars to sixty dollars per month on
African and Far Eastern war zone runs, with special stipula
tions calling for additional pay per port if a ship, touches
the ports of Snez and any other port in the Red Sea or the
Persian Gulf.
Negotiations on the exast
amount to be paid for Suez
and the other ports are still
in process, with the Union
demanding a minimum of $75
for Suez and $45 for each of
the others.
The bonus agreements were re
opened when the President de
clared the Red Sea open to Amer
ican shipping recently and after
the rulers of Nazi Germany had
declared that they would consider
the Red Sea a war zone and un
dertake a blockade of it.
A.F.ofL: H^ds
Rap Vicious
Vinson Bill
May Be Reopened
• AIT buuuj qpyrrcrnir'irtip—• <»*«»<>—©«»U
for a provision reauiring that
each unlicensed seaman be in
sured for $5,000 on these runs. In
the case of a decision by Congress
to convoy ships into the war
zones, reopening of all these
agreements for additional in
creases is provided for.
While the SIU obtained those
increases by negotiation and with
precedents of militant action as a
source of pressure, the Stalinite
run NMU officialdom could secure
these same improvements only
at the price of scabbing on their
fellow CIO unionists in tlie. Ma
rine Engineers Export Line.
Judas Gets "Just Deserts"
Interestingly enough, the labor
hating "Journal of Comnierce"
comments on the bonus increases
given the NMU as part of their
sellout of the MEBA strikers un
der the favorable heading "Just
Deserts."
MEBA Lines Hold Tight As
Curran & Co. Continue to Fink
Marine Engineers' Benevo
lent Association picket lines
at the American Export docks
held tight as Curran contin
ued with his policy to fink on
his fellow 010 unionists
among the engineers. Latest
to come in was the M.S. Ex
brook of the Export Line. The
MEBA' reported that the en
gineers walked off her to a
man.
In protest against "No Coffee
Time's" scabherding, the New
York local of the MEBA, No. 33.
pulled out of the New York City
CIO industrial Council last week.
Curran is the president of that
ic:;
• .At', ' .r. Ik '..iffkA!.!
outfit, which is completely domi
nated by his fellow CommuniM
Party st'oogos.
E. P. Trainor, SecretaryTrefls
urer of Local 33, declared that
the MEBA would continue with
the beef to a showdo^vn. Mean
while, the National Executive
Committee of the MEBA was
meeting in Washington, D. C.,
over the weekend to decide on a
further course.
In^a circular addressed to the
National Maritime Union's rank
and file on the Export ships. Lo
cal 33 blasted the lies and slan
ders spread on the waterfront by
Curran and Co.
The circular declared that Cur
{Continued on Page 4)
With the Vinson Bill, caU
ing for 25 days' compulsory
"coolingoff" periods before
Unions can call strikes, due
for hearings this week. Presi
dent William Green and
SecretaryTreasurer George
raeany or Tnc amcncan j ecF
eration of Labor denounced
the measure as a "Hitler
way" of dealing with Amer
ican labor.
The Vinson Bill also calls for
"freezing" the closed shop as well
as the open shop in plants where
they exist. This means that it
would be virtually criminal for a
Union to get a closed shop agree
ment with a company that is at
present unorganized. It has also
been pointed out that companies
under the closed shop could re
organized as a new corporation
with open shop conditions pre
vailing, thus using this measure
to the full as a unionbusting
weapon."
President Green declared that
the Bill is "founded on the prin
ciple that American workers can
be made to work against their
will."
Brother Meany said: "AVe'd be
against such a conipulsory cool
ingofl'" period even if it were
only for ten minutes. If Con
gress can compel our people to
work for twentyfive days
against their will, then they can
compel them to work for twenty.,
five months or twentyfive
years."
"We can get forced labor and
this kind of a bill," he contin
ued, "from Hitler without un
dergoing the cost aiid expanse of
the defense program."
Attacks against the Bill mount
ed in labor. Congressional and
Government circles, the A. F. of
L. reports from Washington.
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ATTENTION!
HENRY KEARNS
Get in touch with your
brother John L. Kearns at
916 North 16th Street,
Philadelphia, Pa. Very im
portant.
m
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t H E S B A F A R E Ft S> L O d
• *?^:v,"• v^f"'Trr • ./ :• ^• r^^crs'..,;
Thursday, May 23;, 1941
Published by the
ATLANTIC & GULF DISTRICT
of the
Seafarers^ International Union
of North America
Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG, Aoting International President
110 Market Street, Room 402, San Francisco, Calif.
ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNINO THIS
PUBLICATION TO:
"THE SEAFARERS' LOG"
P. O. Box 522, Church St. Annex, New York, N. Y.
Phone: BOwling Green 93437
More About
TrytoSmearSIU
Here About.
What's Behind
The Deta rgentina Case
In a inoiistroiis attempt to smear tlie Seafareis' International
Union , of North America witii the hrush of "subversiveness," Cap
tain John F. Siiafroth, UnitA'd States Navy, has charged that a
representative of tlie Union on the S.8. Delargentina at. New Or
leans "told tlie nicn not to talk anyone about the Naval Reserve."
Captain Siiafroth, direitor of tiio Naval Reserve Division of
the Bureau of Navigation, implied that the Union jwas interfering
with recruiiment for his department of the services and furtlier
more claimed that "German sympathizers" were involved on the
basis of tlie alleged fact that "tliree swastikas were found painted
in the storerooms of tlie ship."
A. W. Armstitmg, New Orleans Agent of the SIU, immediately
«hallenged the contentions made in this whole smelly affair.
Wh.1t: the brass hats are up to in this case, which has all the
earmarks of a crude frameup, becomes apparent from other in
formation at hand. They need "facts" made to order.
For, it has become known that the notorious Carl Vinson,
Chairman of tjie House Naval Affairs Committee and father of . the
infamous "coolliigoff", bill, is sponsoring another measure which
would "make it unlawful to interfere witii recniiting for the Navy
in time of peace."
Hearings on this latest piece of vicious Vinsonian antilabor
legislation are supposed to open this week. The case of the Del
argentina is obviously cut to fit this measure as "testimony" and
indeed, as was to be eiipected, the Naval Affairs Committee has
ordered an investigation of the case!
According to an announcemejit in the press, the crew members
of the Delargentina are to be subpoenaed when the vessel returns
from South .America and—here Is the rul>—"AN EFFORT WILIJ
..BE MADE TO .DISCOVERWHY the
SEAME.N HAVE .lOlNEii THE NAVAL RE50;ff(MrA.!«EniCAN
.SERVE.
There is the real reason behind the big todo on the Delargen
tina! The brass hats and their reactionary colleagues in Congress
are worried about the lack of enthusiasm of American seamen
for the Naval Reserve. And they are going to investigate what
"subversive" force is behind this lack of enthusiasm. But that
hardly needs an investigation.
Tile reason is plain as day to any man acquainted with condi
tions in tiie merchant marine and their counterpart in the Naval
Reserve. As Brotlier Armstrong put it in his statement to tlie
press:
"Tiie Naval Reserve can blame tlie WAGE SCALE for the lack
of recrnits!"
The scabby wage scale and the nonunion working conditions—
that's the "subversive" force that prevents recruitment for the
Naval Reserve, The brass hjits need look no further than their
nose.s to discover it!
Incidentally, it is highly significant that the SIU is picked on
as the goat for this "subversiveness" drive, while the NMU, whose
leadership has been exposed a hundred times over again as stooges
of the Communist Party under direct orders of Moustache Joe
Stalin, gets only pats on the back from the shipowners and their
press. Is there a move ahead to "appease" Moustache Joe again
with the aim of an alliance? Is that kind of phoney politics to be
played at the expense of the American seamen who exercise their
democratic rights in the SIU?
Tlie SIU lias no use for the totalitarian dictators and has made
tliat stand known more tlian once, both in word and in action. It
has fought what Bloody Joe of the Kremlin stands for since its
inception. It has been and is just as determined to wipe out
Bloody Adolpli and his Nazis. ^ '
If any Nazi stooge, or perhaps a plant of the shipowners and
their agents, managed to smuggle aboard the Delargentina to
paint those swastikas, naturally he should be found, exposed and
dealt, with accordingly. But such an incident can hardly be used
as an excuse to incriminate a whole crew of American seamen.
That's altogether too flimsy a pretext!
The .SIE.^i]|J not allow any alleged drive against "svibversive
in'ti'ie Merchant Marine to be used by the Brass Hats as
means to regiment freeborn American seamen nor will Ameri
can seamen give up tlieir inalienable right to free speech and free
assembly.
We know and we st|y that if recruitment for the Naval Reserve
has been a failure, it is due to the fact that American seamen,
who have fought hard to win Union wages and Union conditions
gnd often shed their blood in this fight, cannot reconcile them
selves to what organized merchant seamen regard as scab wages
g,nd nonunion working conditions, at present in force on auxili
aries and transports under the Naval authorities.
The remedy lies not in Vinson's witch hunts, but in bringing
wages and conditio!^ Navai Reserve on a par with the
Union standards established ip.t]|e Merchant Marine!
Naval Reserve
(Continued from Parje 1)
zation of the Seafarers' Intenia
tional Union of North America)
is too wellknowu to need enlarg
ing upon here. They have been
and are opposed to' all 'isms'
other than Americanism.
"The Naval Reserve can blame
the wagescale offered, for the
lack of recruits. It took seven
long years to raise the seamen's
wages to the American standard
existing at present. By joining
the Naval Reserve the seamen
would relinquish the gains they
have made during the last seven
years. To compare just a few, an
apprentice seaman under the Re
serve earns $21.00 per month;
under the Union, $50,00. A sec
ond class seaman under the Re
serve earns $36:00 per month;
under the Union, $77.50. A first
class seaman under the Naval
Reserve earns $54.50 per month;
under the Union, from $90.00 to
$107.50. The Union figures quoted
herein do not include . overtime,
earned by Union members, which
is not obtainable in the Naval
Reserve."
Thi& attack is in line with the
legislation attempted ta dog col
lar and subjugate the seamen in
the last, few years. It. was no
doubt sired by the same brains.
—• A. W. Armstrong, SIU Agent
Daniel Ring, Regional Director,
NLRB, has sent the following
telegram to Philip F. King, U.S.
Maritime Commission, Washing
Union Blasli Bitt
Bboney Maritime
to Continue
Ldior Board • f
papers;
"CONFERRED WITH A. W.
ARMSTRONG, AGENT FOR SIU,
NEW ORLEANS, AND OTHER
OFFICIALS WITH FOLLOWING
RESULTS: 1. IMMEDIATE AND
FORMAL INVESTIGATION UN
DER WAY BY SIU INTO
CHARGES THAT COVY BLAS
PHEMED GOVERNMENT AND
NAVY. FULC OPPORTUNITY
TO BE PRESENTED TO LIEUT.
BLAND TO GIVE FULL FACTS
TO, INVESTIGATING BODY.
2. OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
IS MADE BY SIU THAT ANY
ONE FOUND GUILTY OF BLAS
PHEMING GOVERNMENT OR
NAVY IS IN VIOLATION OF^
OBLIGATION TAKEN BY ALL
MEMBERS, AND UPON SUCH
A FINDING BY UNION INVES
TIGATING BODY FACES LOSS
OF MEMBERSHIP. 3. INVESTI
GATION WILL ALSO BE MADE
TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER
ANY SIU MEMBER HAD ANY
CONNECTION WITH PAINTING
SWASTIKAS ON DELTAROBN
TINO. 4. SIU POINTS TO FACT
OF CLOSE COOPERATION
WITH RECENT MARITIME
COMMISSION CONFERENCE
ON SHORTAGE OF SEAMEN
AND OTHER STEPS INCLUD
ING FIGHT AGAINST REDS
AND NAZIS AS. BEST EVI
DENCE OF THEIR WHOLE
HEARTED RESPECT FOR AND
LOYALTY TO .GOVERNMENT.
5. ARMSTRONG OFFICIALLY
ANNOUNCBIS FURTHER THAT
UNION HAS NEVER AUTHOR
IZED ANYONE TO PLACE IM
PEDIMENTS IN THE WAY OP
NAVAL RESERVE,RECRUITING
FEELING THAT MATTER IS
PURELY A PERSONAL ONE
FOR MEMBERS IN WHICH
THE UNION AS SUCH HAS NO
PART. WILL ADVISE OF DE
VELOPMENTS.
(Signed), DANIEL S. RING
Dlv, Director.
(Continued from Page ])
the same hotels up and down the
coast with Harry Bridges and
Matt Melian, CIO longshoremen's
official.
In return for sucli services, the
Lundeberg statement charges,
Curran^Bridges and their ^ench
men have undertaken, to sing the
praises of this Board, going so
far as to deliberately create labor
disturbances (some of which Dr.
Bloch, chajrman of the Board;
cites as having been settled by hi.s
board to their "credit") in order
to be able to call on Dr. Bloch, so
the Maritime Labor Board could
make a record for itself and get
established.
. Services Not Needed
One of tlie claims of this pho
ney board. Brother Weisberger
pointed out in speaking at the
hearings, is that if has been and
is sucli a factor of stability in the
maritime industry that the indus
try. would practically fold up if
tlie board were discontinued.. In
reality, Brother Weisberger con
tinued. more than % of the ma
rine industry have clauses in
their contracte which require the
services of the Conciliation Serv
ice of the Labor Department and
completely ignore the Maritime
Labor Board.
Far from being a stabilizing in
fluence in the industry, the con
tinuation of the Board would only
serve to create confusion as well
as unnecessary duplication of
work and, most important, seri
ous disturbances due to the
proved ClOpartiality shown by
its iiieiiibers.
An agency representing the
public in this industry Is neces
nary, Wci.^bcrgGr agreed. But,
sucli an agency, in order to be ef
fective, has to have the confidence
of both labor and management.
Now, botli tlie seamen as well as
the operators liave no use for the
Maritime Labor Board and prefer
the Labor Department's Concilia
tion .Service as the agency repre
senting the public, since the lat
ter has the necessary experience
and the necessary impartiality.
For continued progress towards
harmony, H.R. 4107 should be de
feated, he concluded.
Punctures Claims
Brother Hawk blasted the claims
of efliciency made by the Board
members in their alleged success
in settling some 152 disputes." v;
Lundeberg had already chai
lenged tliis figure as fantastic,In
bis written statement. Hawk •
sfated:
"Ah example of tlie ineflioiency
of this Board was expressed by
Dr. Bloch, a member of the Board.,
. . . He, stated that the Robin.
Line*gave the unlicensed person
nel an increase in the war bonus
to Africa, and the.MEBA In turn. ..
demanded a 50 per cent bonus and
the Maritime, Labor Board was
called in to tiy and Oettie the dis
pute, and it WH.'< referred to the
National Mediation Boards Here
I want to point out that the dis
pute came back to the Labor De
partment, who are the only body
that can refer any matter to the
National Mediation Board. This,
in our opinion, is only an unnec
essary duplication of service.
"Now I would like to call the
attention of this committee that
the statement made by Dr. Bloch
that the Robin gave the unli
censed porsonnel a ?50 bonus a
month going to Africa was true,
but he failed to go into details as
to how it came about.
Pacts in Robin Beef
"Ae a member of the negotiat
ing committee representing the
unlicensed personnel in this dis
pute, I would like to tell this
committee what actually.. took
place. The SIU of. NA demanded
a higher bonus on vessels sailing
to Africa. The Seas Shipping Co.
(Robin Line) refused our de
mands and as it hae always been
our policy when we can't agree
with the company to call in a con
ciliator from the Department of
Labor, this,was done iinmediately.
The employers, tiie conciliator
and the union .sat in conference
and after four and a half hours
we came to a Batisfactory agree
ment a& far as all parties are
concerned.
"In conclusion, our organization
has no need for the Maritime La
bor Board and therefore recom;
mend that it be abolished. We in
tend to use the Conciliation Serv^
Ice of the Department of Labor
as we have done in the pist."
Aside from sending Hawk and
Weisberger to Washington,, the
SIU meuiberBhip flooded the Sen
ate Comfnitt'ee with telegramp dfr
maiiding the discontinuation ot
the phoney Maritime Labor Board.
SEAFARERS' LOO
S.S. SEATRAIN HAVANA $20.75
Deck Dept $1.00 each: H. Winborn, W. Carpenter,, F.
Hennessy, F. Shimelfenig, T. Johansen, M. Knesel, F.
Marquez, Brown; 75c: Wearen; 50c: Forless $9;25
Engine Dept $1.00 each: A. Neal, R. C. Kincade, W. S.
Wiscoat; 50c each; J. R. Evans, H. Killeen,; S. Garcia,
L. Simpson, A. Hardy, H. Nichols, D.Maycox, W.M. Pad
gett,. L. Skinhear $760
Stewards Dept.r$1.'00: F. Williams; 50c each: R. jilo
ria, B. P. Mooney, A. Garcia, G. MJHtar, E.. Spears,
H. Deck • ......$4.00
S.S. ALC0A. FA^THPINDEB
W. E. Farrell, $4; M. M. Pehworth, $4; C. J. Dough
• • erty,, $1.50 — .......
S.S. FLORIDA :
9.50
S.S. RAPHA.EL SEMMES .......
Deck Dept. $14.75
Engine an?! Stpyyards Dept. ... 4.25
as, ANTINGUS
$1.00 each: C. Schultz,, H. Martin, A. Hall, P. Brady,
J. Flynn, P. Acree, T. Morski, L. Chilton, A. Welch, Cal
laghan A. Watts, Treakle, .J. Lord, A, Ayers; EOe each:
O, Sjogren, O. Odinson, Joy, B, Burres..
18.90
19:00
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Thursday, Nfay ^ 1^41
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T HE S E A F A R E R S ' LOG
W^hat* 8 B o in g—
PROVIBENCE
May 5, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir and Biother:
Had a little action in Provi
dence for a change. Paid off the
S.S. Antlnous with all beefs set
: tied, and the painting and fuml
> gating of the sailors' quarters to
be started at once. It sure was a
dirty hole for a man to live in.
« • »
The crevr had four months and
11 days pay coming and hit the
beach with plenty of dough to
spend. All men paid up their dues
to date.
' ^ *
Took all of the men here to
man her. Had to call on Boston
for balance of crew. The crew
gave the master, Capf. Reed, a
vote of confidence for his way of.
'fcelplng the men along.
* • •
The NESSCO men aie getting
a bit aroused with the. fact that
the Company has not agreed to
give them a raise in pay with all
the raises on the coast. But, all
good' things come to those who
wait.
So, until next time.
Fraternally yours,
J. Ei Laphamy Agent.
members to sail only on our
agreement ships, as we have
plenty of jobs at the present
time.
Fraternally,
Youp Boston Reporter.
MOBILE
BOSTON
May 7, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Iiog
Dear Sir, and Brother:
Shipping and business has been
good the past, week, and it is. ex
pected to continue,: so throughout
the supimer months.
So far ail the replacements have
been.filled and. Boston had an op
portunity to help out the Provi
dence Branch in sailing the S.S.
Antlnous. From reports and ac
tion Brother Lapham, the agent
there, is doing a very good job.
Our former Providence acting
agent. Prank Berry, is shipping
out of Providencei, a good man to
have around as he has quite a bit
of organizing experience.
« « «
By the action of the various
weekly, business meetings, held on
.Monday, May 5, the Agents' Con
ference held, in Washington, D. C.,
was a success and all concerned
did a very good job..
» w «
The commie man Friday, Joe
Curran, did a repeat when he al
lowed eight striking CIO engin
eers to be replaced with company
union strike breakers. There must
have been plenty of Green other
than Bowling Green. It sure is a
wonder why the union members
of the NMU tolerate the flnky ac
tions of their hollowchested fig
ureheads. Time will tell.
I believe that some action
should be taken to inform our
NOTICE
Men on the beach at
BEAUMONT, TEXAS, are
advised to get in touch
with W. H. Farley, Secre
tary of HJA Local No. 1610.
Brother Parley is getting
quite a number of calls for
seamen and. has agreed to
ship; SIU men to such
^jobs. Make sure to register
with him if you are on the
beaeh at Beaumont.
May 8, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir and Brotlier:
Shipping continues to be very
good in this port. Today we are
putting a full crew on the S.8.
Alcoa Partner, which has Just
been thoroughly reconditioned by
the drydock. This ship is destined
to be put on the Bauxite run to
the West Indies. This leaves still
another ship in the yard being
reconditioned. This ship, the S.S.
Alcoa Rambler is due to come
out around the end of this month.
The S.S. William J. Salmon
was in the past week with every
thing running along 0. K.. An
other one in was the Alcoa Ma
riner with no beefs on her. The
rumor is that the Alcoa Compa
ny's new superfreighter, the Al
coa Pioneer, will be in: here on or
about' the first of June.
The Agent, Olden Banks, re
turned last. Saturday from the
Agents! Conference, held in
Washington the past week, with
a complete report on the actvi
ties of the Conference. This re
port was well received here In
Mobile by the membership. .The
consensus of opinion among the
members here is that the recom
mendations as submitted by the
Conference spelled definite prog
ress for the organization as a
wholsi
Since we were informed by the
SecretaryTreasurer that the Per^
mit system had been discarded
and the hooks had been opened to
bona fide seamen, we have had no
less than fifty seamen up in the
hall here applying for member
ship in the Union.
Suffice it so say that a majority
of.these seamen were NMU mem
bers. They have been fed up with
the rotten tactics of the NMU,
yet, hesitated to try to get into
the SIU because of the Permit
system.
Now tliaf the books are open
to bona fide seamen we can ex
pect NMU members in increasing
droves to come up and apply for
membership in the SIU, because
they know that the SIU is the
only democratic Union, which ie
run by and for tlie seamen them
selves.
I would like to take this oppor
tunity to inform the membership
afloat of a bit of action by the
membership. At the regular
Branch meeting held in New Or,
leans on February 28, 1941, a mo
tion was passed, "that due to the
financial condition of the SIU, all
members, while working^ shall
keep their dues paid up through
the current, month and no ship
ping cards shall be issued to any
man paying off a ship unless his
dues are paid up through current
month."
Some of the members have
stated that they are unaware of
this ruling. Sonow they won't
have an excuse any longer. This
ruling means that on the first day
of each month, for every man who
is employed, that particular
month's dues are due. For in
stance, on the first' day of June,
a man who le working owes for
the month;of June.
• That's about all for this week
Fraternally yours,
ifob.arfc A. Matthews,
Patrolman. No. 1.
NEW' ORLEANS
May 12, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir and Brother:
Today a wandering brother
came back into the hall and told
a tale that had the men around
the hall ail sobbing into their
shirt tails. Big, hard, husky, 190
pounders broke down and cried
like prima donnas.
Seems that' this young man had
road all about these slilpowners
living in the laps of the Gods
with every luxury, wine, 'women
and song, to mention just a few
of thethings that our noble ship
owners have. He decided that he
should he a shipowner. Now, the
first thing to do was to accumu
late enough gilt to buy uj) a cou
ple of old tubs, then get a subsidy
from the M.C. and after that sit
hack and pull in the cliips. After
due thought, he took out for tlie
land of easy money for a sailor,
Hi, ho, off to the Lakes we, go.
He came, he saw, and he left,
and how! Right back to where he
started. Seems that he shipped
all right, through the Lake Car
riers' hail, after trying and trying
to get on one of three big iron
boats. Success at last crowned his
efforts.
The Richard Trimble was the
name of the ship to be grace^
witli the services of our hero for
the season. He just knew from
now that when this ship was men
tioned, that all hand.s would
think of him.
.The first thing that' slowed him
np was when repoiting foi duty,
he was ushered over the side onto
a stage. No fooling, around, as a
deep water ship does, no sir! The
Mates stand by and lower the
stage, go over at' 7:30 A.M., come
up at noon. If it lakes 1.5 min
utes to climb up the laddei, then
you woiild hit the deck at 12:15.
You would also he back on the
said stage at' 1:00 not 1:05 nor
1:02.
Then she sailed, our hero knew
that things would be much bet
ter at sea when the ship was on
her regular run. All this old hoo
ey would be over. It was. It took
tills scow 1 hour and 40 minutes
to load. It took her 5 hours to dis
charge. Seems like something
wrong some place. Time off was
unheard of. All tliat a man had
to do was to work, then some
more work. All for the large sum
of .$120.00 a month.
Our boy drank a cup of milk
for breakfast one morning and
was informed in no uncertain
terms that milk was supplied for
vcereais not for. drinking. If our
fair haired hero had stayed with
the ship for the whole season, he
would have gotten the large sum.
of ten bucks a month as a bonus.
This only if he had rode the same
ship ail season.
So, about' this.time, a check waa.
made at the local, depots and a
ticket bought for an A.B. back to
where Coffee Time is part of a
seaman's regular day, to whero
Mates act as Mates, to where ihe
Mate won't swoon when asked for
a day off, to WHERE A SAILOR
GETS PAID FOR DOING SAIL
OR'S WORK, WHERE OVER
TIME IS PAID FOR, NOT
WHERE A CHOSEN FEW SET
THE POLICY FOR ALL HANDS
For any further Information de
sired on this subject. Just come
Into any Gulf port and you will
hear our Brother holding forth.
On a clear day you might even be
able to hear him in Baltimore.
The morale of our little story:
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic fif Gulf District
SecretaryTreasurer^s Office
Room 213 — 2 Stone Street, New York City
P. O. Box 25, Station P Phone: BOwling Green 93^37
DIRECTORY OF BRANCHES
BRANCH ADDRESS 'PHONE
NEW YORK 2 Stone St. BOwling Green 93437
BOSTON . 330 Atlantic Ave. ...LIBerty 4057
PROVIDENCE .. 465 South Main St. ..Manning 3572
BALTIMORE ... 14 North Gay SL ... Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA ,6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 60 Commercial PI. ..Norfolk 41083
NEW ORLEANS 309 Chartreg St MAgnolia 3962 "
SAVANNAH .... 218 East Bay St Savannah 31728
JACKSONVILLE .136 East Bay St Jacksonville 51791
TAMPA 206 So. Franklin St. Tampa M1323
MOBILE 56 Soi Conception St. Dexter 1449
TEXAS CITY ... 105 4th St.. N. .....Texas City 722
MIAMI 1348 N.E. First Ave.. Miami 22950
SAN JUAN 8 Cova donga St San Juan 1885
BALTIMORE
News and Views
Don't Quit; That Helps Regimentation,!
What You Can Do to Help the Union
Baltimore, Md.
May 6, 1941
Editor, Seafarer.s' Log
BALTIMORE, Md. — Shipping
continue.s first cla.ss out of this
l)orl; with 92 brothers shipped
during the week, and the beach
list showing a total of 139 await
ing jobs. Wage boosts and an all
around cleaning up of living and
working conditions on many ships
is beginning to pull a few of the
men back from the shipyards and
other shore jobs, and the present
membership seeme to be begin
ning to realize that their future
livelihood depends on keeping
tlie ships moving and many of
them are .cooperating a hundred
per cent in taking jobs when we
get stuck."
Don't Quit; That Helps
Regimentation!
This period is probably the
most crucial in the entire history
of the maritime labor movement.
The Maritime Commission is just
biding its time, quite confident
that the unions will be unable to
keep the merchant fleet moving
and then they can step in and
take over with their trainees.
The men who are deserting their^
jobs and their Union for jobs
ashore now are helping push the
seaman into a regimented Job on
a regimented ship, and if they
think they'll be able to go back
to sea when the boom ashore
flops, they are very sadly and
badly mistaken.
Between NMU's licking the
boots of the Maritime Commission
and the abandoning of ships by
our members, the SIUSUP is be
ing forced into taking in a gang
of new men, and the birds who
are doing the jumping around
from one ship to another and
waiting until a certain very, spe
cial ship comes along are going to
wake up one of these days to find
that' they jumped off once too of
ten and waited just a little too
long.
Switch in Commie "Line"
The switch in the Commie line to
one of ultraconservatism, which
in plain language means under
selling wage scales and kissing
"the shipowners' stern at' every op,
portunity, is going over big with
a lot of dizzy shipowners who can
see no further than the width of
a dollar hill. The pressure being
put on out on the Coast to keep
Bridges in thi<^ country isn't all
coming from the college profes
sors and wouldbe intelligentsia;
a great deal of it is coming from
some of our wellknown economic
royalists and rugged individual
ists who would rather deal with
a consBivallve communist than a
militant American any day if it
would save them a couple of
bucks.
"What You Can Do to Help
Union
We've got to start fighting,
boys, and fight as hard as we did
back in 1937. What can you as
an individual member do? The
first thing you can do is make
yourself a oneman organizer. If
you know of a nonunion, com
panyunion, or dualunion man,
talk up the SIU to him. Get him
up in the Hail. Get the "Log"
aboard nonSiU ships. If there's
an Isthmian ship near you, con
tact her men and sell them your
Union. Get after the tankers esr
peclally.
More than 8,000 seamen aboard
tankers belong to phoney com
pany unions. If you have a beef
that needs settling in the worst
kind of way, hold it until you get.
to a patrolman or other official, if
you have to burst a blood vessel
in the meantime. Crack down on
the performers who are trying to
pin a bad reputation on all sea
men. If you run into a cleaucut
American kid with the makings
of a good seaman In him give him
a pep talk on the sea and .your
Union. If a new man comes
aboard your ship, help him out.
If the dispatcher is in a spot,
forget the ship jou were waiting
for and get the ship that's wait
ing out. Be responsible for your
Union and you will make your
Union a responsible one and a re
spected one. Above all, kcop tha
• ships moving!
Prat'ernally,
Wm. McKay, Agent.
leave the Lakes up there; wages
and conditions in the salt water
buckets are still better than the
dust collectors on the Lakes.
Ftaternally,
Army
Do NOT Ship! ;
The permits of the fol
lowing men have been re
voked and they are not tjo
be shipped under any cof
eumstances:
B. A'. Webel [
Camille Morea'a H ;
Salvatore Frangello ; .
Selden Green Moody r
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T H E ̂ g A F A R E R SV LOG Thiirsday, May 22, 1941 ^
Out of the Mailhag
Warns About Danger in Not
Filling Jobs with Union Men
. f May 2, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Esar Sir d Brother:
There are more ways than one
to skin a cat, and the shipowners,
the Maritime Commission and the
government have learned them all
In long years of practice.
They have failed to skin the
seamen of the union hiring hall
by frontal attacks because the
seamen recognized their enemies
end drove them back each time.
The present building up of the
iXkerchant marine, however, may
become a weapon for weakening
the union hiring hall and then
smashing the seamen's unions
evea more thoroughly than in
1921 if too many of the oldtimers
let themselves and the newcomers
In the deck and engine depart
ments become giddy with their
gains and forget to think cleari>
about how to defend the union
hiring hall in the now—the pres
sntit^situation.
lyhat is the present situation?
Simply this: Every branch has a
lot of A.B. jobs, oilers' jobs, and
firemen's jobe on the board for
which there are no men. Bach
week, that parses more ships are
built, more jobs are there, and
snore men are needed. But skilled
men<are scarcer in proportion to
• what is needed. If this continues,
the union will be losing control of
ilm jobs through not being able
to fill them with union men.
Ultimately, this must lead to
the weakening and destruction of
the union hiring hall and the
union itself. Why? Because the
Strength of the union is the
strength of the union hiring hall.
and this hall stands or falls with
1) union control of the jobs and
2) union control of the men who
fill the jobs.
If union control of the jobs is
weak, men outside the control of
the union will fill them. These
will weaken further union con
trol. They will develop an eco
nomic interest in destroying
union control altogether, so that
they can ship out on all jobs and
on all lines. They will become a
reserve army for destroying the
union. But complete union con
trol of the jobs means complete
union men get them, and the
union jobs and union men
strengthen militant unionism.
If union control of the men
who fill the jobs is weak, it will
matter little if the union has job
control on all the new ships. What
will matter will be that scissor
billB and phoneys. Maritime Com
mission "schoolboys" and belly
crawling scabs will be filling
them. They will undermine union
control of the jobs today and help
smash the union tomorrow or
any other day the shipowners get
readjv Militant union men alono
can safeguard union control of
the job and use it in order to
raise wages and improve condi
tions.
The union hiring hall is where
jobs and union men meet. The
union MUST be able to fill the
jobs with union men. Else it is
heading towards selfdestruction.'
How to do it is the question
that has to be answered sooner or
later. It yrould be best , to answer
it now rather than later.
8. Goldenberg, No. 3769.
Organizers Report On:
More About
ISTHMIANLINE
ORGANIZING
DRIVE
UOVSTON
(The Fraud About "Stable"Prices
MV.
Wji lAmong the cWef "arguments" of the employers whp howl
Against wage increases is tliis: Since prices are being stabilized by
Hie Administration in Washington, wages should also be stabilized
According to these claims, the cost of living is not rising and com
sequently, the government should undertake measures to prevent
the workers from getting pay hikes. What are the facts? Hero
is what the A. F. of L.'s 'Monthly Survey' finds:
l^;;';r';,"According to government figures, living costs in March
i 19,41 were only 1 per cent above the last quarter of 1939,
'5 and less than per cent above March 194(). Nevertheless,
rijworkers who go out to buy find prices up in many lines. Silks
ijare. up; 9 per cent since prewar days, woolens per cent,
{'^.'blankets 14 per cent, furniture 10j4 per cent, foods almost 5
• j^iper cent. Since last fall, dry goods and home furnishings are
jjTip 5 per cent; men's suits may cost |2;50 to |5.00 more in
[ vthe near future. In clothing, lower quality material is being
[ ^substituted to avoid price increases, and workers find a hidden
i i^sB. These things DO NOT APPBAK in the living costs index
!'.vhecause they are outweighed by other items such as staple
; rfkioda and some rents, which have not risen."
other words, the claim that the cost of living is remaining
Otable, that prices of consumers' goods are "stabilized" is a pure
fraud. The only remedy that workers have for this situation is
higher wages.
(Three Gears in AntiLabor Machine
So you want to know whose brainchild the Vinson Bill and
similar antilabor measures are? Well, get a load, of this, from
the "Wall Street Journal," a monthly magazine devoted to the in
jterests of plutocracy and profitgrabbing:
"The $layear business men (better known as the Kntid
isen crowd) . . . have discovered in Wasliington two like
minded groups, one among the army and navy officers, the
other in Congress.
"A coalition of business men, military officials and Con
'igressitien stirred up antistrike legislation, pigeonholed the
'New Deal's' Federal oil control bill, waived the National Ija
bor Belation.s Board compliance as a requirement for defense
contracts and toned down the antitrust case against the oil
h^nstry.
Rr "That is an Impressive list of achievements, as is best
demonstrated by the antistrike legislation. Congress, with
some eacouragcment from the businessmilitary group, is flirt
ing with a bill requiring 'coolingofl' periods."
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir and Brotner:
Well, this will give the mem
bership some Information as to
what Is taking place down here
in the long horn state. I was
aboard one of the Isthmian scows
Monday evening and believe me,
the boys came through 98 per
cent in joining up with the SlU.
Only two of the whole crew re
fused to join up, and from the In
formation of the rest of the
crew, they will know what It is
to pounding the bricks in the
port of New Orleans.
If we can have as good luck
with the re.st of the Isthmian
ships as this one, it won't be
long before we will have them un
der the banner of a democratic
union, the S.IU of NA.
Even the Chief Steward signed
up and he has been In that com
pany for the past eighteen years,
so that goes to show that moat of
the crews of those ships are
learning that the A.F.L. unions
are the best in the long run.
Shipping is too good down here.
Brother Wallace from Texas City
has raided this port of every man
and that leaves me with a zero
list.
The Isthmian Company is go
ing to bring out two more ships
from Galveston by the 13th
this month, and believe me,
will be hard to crew them up, but
we will send out an SOS to all
the ports of the Gulf and see
what happebs.
That's all for this week.
Fraternally,
D. L. Parker, Org.
P.S.—^Another of the Isthmian
ships is on her way to New York,
We have about 90 per cent of
book men on her.' Be sure and
contact them.
MEBA Lines Hold Tight As
Curran&Co. Continue to Fink
(Continued from Page I)
ran's printed claim that the Ex
port Line had offered to reinstate
all engineers on strike, to meet
the MEBA to discuss was bonuses
and not oppose an NLRB election
was "ahsof tely false."
"The NMU circular," the MEBA
said, "makes the statement that
the company union in the Export
Line was certified by the National
Labor Relations Board. This is
another wmc of a lie."
"The members of the NMU
Working on the Export Line may
feel." the statement continues,
"that a company union among
the engineers means nothing to
them, but this is not so.
'The greatest setback suffered
by the. NMU in the maritime in
dustry was in the Tankers and ft
was inflicted by Company Unions,
especially in the Socony,. New Jer
sey Standard, and the Tidewater.
The engineers and the mates in
these three companies were all or
ganized in Company Unions be
fore the unlicensed men were also
organized in Company Unions.
"The strike in the Export Line
to eliminate the Company Union
among the engineers," the state
ment cociudes, "is just as much
to the interest of the NMU as It
is to the MEBA. So we say to all
members of the NMU:
"DON'T GO THROUGH OUR
PICKET LINE.
MEBA—Local 33."
Evidence uncovered by the West
Coast Sailor, organ of the Sailors
Union of~the Pacific, last week
tends to corroborate the belief
that the finking on the engi
neers' is part of Curran's C. P.
inspired scheme to "liquidate"
other maritime unions luto a "one
big union" under the iron heel of
the Stalinists. This evidence is
contained in a letter signed by
Geo. F. B. King, Acting Secretary
of Local 3, American Communi
cations Association, Marine Divi
sion. This outfit is the CIO organ
ization for radio operators and
there appears to be a rift
among the Stalinite stooges in
control o fit. The "Sailor" prints
the letter in full.
Advises Crew Members to
of
It
iVEir YOKE
May 20, 1941
Dear Sir and Brother:
Settled the bonus with Arnold
Bernstein Line for the Namarib,
going to Galveston, Trinidad,
Capetown and Calcutta and back
to New York. Sixty dollars
month from the last port In the
U. S. back to the first. Twenty
five dollars a port for calling at
South and East. Africa ports and
Indian ports, Madagascar, Ceylon,
etc. Articles read that ship could
go only to South East Africa,
India, Ceylon and nowhere else.
Two Isthmian Line ships in.
Twelve SIU men who got aboard
one then let us down by pil
ing off here. THESE SHIPS
MUST BE HELD DOWN BY
STTT MEN IN SPITE OP PINKY
CONDITIONS UNTIL WE CAN
FORCE THE COMPANY TO CON
CEDE TO CONDITIONS THAT
TRUE UNION MEN ARE
WORTHY OF. SO, WE CAN'T
AFFORD TO LOSE A SINGLE
JOB WE'VE GAINED.
We've, been getting the bonuses
increased on them, because our
men aboard have been holding
back and throwing the demand
for the SIU scale just before ink
ing the articles.
SIU men W * Isthmian ships
coming up from the Gulf will
have to contact ~ our halls up
North every day, by telephone
anyway, to keep abreast of the
evermounting bonuses, and to
permit the agents to contact the
unorganized men and NMU men
aboard.
L. Tir, Org.
Get Money Due Unlicensed
Men on the S,5.Shickshinny
May 9, 1941
Editor, Seafarers' Log
Dear Sir .and Brother:
The following men have the
listed amount of money in wages
due them from the S.S. Shick
shinny, which terminated articles
and paid off in the port of New
York on April 7, 1941, here in the
offices of the Strachah Shipping
Co., American Bank BIdg., New
Orleans, La.
« * *
This ship signed articles on
February 3 and the crew was sup
posed to get any increase in
wages granted by this company
on all ships signing articles after
January 9, 1941.
In paying off this vessel, the
company only paid the $7.50 emer
gency increase in wages, which
was granted on February 17 to alJ
ships, but failed to pay the A.B.'s,
Boatswain, O.S. and 2nd Cook the
increase which was granted them
in the new agreement, in addition
to the $7.50 emergency increase.
I would advise these men to
write the following office at once
and have them forward checks to
them:
Strachan Shipping Co.
American Bank Bldg.
New Orleans, La.
• • •
A. A, Theriot, Boatswain. .$21.45
Allan C. Gravely, A.B 21.45
Michael C. Simmons, A.B... 21.45
Peter Arctander, A.B 21.46
James A. Curran, A.B....;.. 21.45
Calvin A. Cole, A.B 21.45
WInthr. 0. Voorhees, A.B...2,1.45
Alfredo.Natale, O.S.;. 6.36
Johnji. Wolfe, O.S. 10.72
William H. Moore, O.S 10.72
Junior Austin, 2nd Cook... 10.72
« « *
The Strachan Shipping Co.
here in New Orleans have in
structions to hold these sums for
IS days and If not claimed within
that time to return same to the
South Atlantic Steamship Co.,
Savannah, Ga. Therefore, It will
be necessary that the men apply
for this money after 15 days to
adress their communications to
the South Atlantic S. S. Co., Sa
vannah, Ga.
Fraternally,
M. D. Biggs,
Gulf District Representative
Bonus Demand Catches On:
Asks War Bonus
For Soldiers
"It ought to give those who
advocate our entrance into
the European war sometliiug
to tliink about," declared
Senator Edwin C. Johnson,
Colorado Democrat, referring
to a bill he had just dropped
Into the Senate 'hooper."
The bill provides that any
soldier or sailor who is sent
to a foreign country tliat is at
war, or is a member of an
airplane or warship crew per
forming convoy duty or act
ing as an armed escort, shall
be paid $100 a month in ad
dition to his regular aimy OE
navy pay.
isfe-
Atte n t io n !
CHANGE OF ADDRESS
All members of the SIU are requested to take notice
of the fact that the Washington office has been rliseoTi
tinued. Ali communications relating to the Atlantic and'
Gulf District directly should henceforth be addressed
dh^^gfedrdtary^TroasUrer's OflSre, Room 213 — 2 Stoae
Street, or P. O. Box 26, Station P, New York XJity;
Bhone: BOwlitig Green 93437.
JOHN HAWK, SecretaryTreasurer
1
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