Media
Issue Date
1943-02-19
Volume
5
Issue Number
4
Plaintext
r
11
SECSRITY
IN
UNITY
1
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
VOL. V. 280 NEW YORK, N. Y., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1943 No. 4
WSA Speeds New Drive For Power;
Union Security Gravely Threatened
Attempt Use Of Trainees To
Break Union Shop Contract
by John Hawk
The War Shipping Administration, in cooperation
with the Navy, cooked up a deal last week which, it it had
been left unchecked, would have broken open our hiring
halls and nullified our contracts with the shipowners. Here's
what happened:
On Feb. 10, at about a quarter•
to five in the afternoon, I receiv
ed a'telephone call from Mr. Craig
yincent. New York head of the
Recruitment and Manning Office
of the WSA. Mr. Vincent inform
ed me that he was sending us 7
ordinary seamen for a Bull Line
ship and 6 ordinary seamen for an
Eastern Ship. Since our dispatcher
had not requested any replace
ments from the WSA, I couldn't
figure out what Vincent was up
to. But he soon set me straight.
These 13 ordinary seamen, fresh
out of the WSA training school,
were to replace part of the Navy
gun crews. They would according
to Vincent, work under the Gun
nery Officer part of the time, and
under the Skipper the rest of the
time.
Vincent tried to give me the
old rush act, demanding that I
{Continued on Page 4)
One Victoryl
The slick maneuver launched
last month by Hubert Wyckoff,
Director of Division of Maritime
Labor Relations for the War Ship
ping Administration, in which he
sought to disrupt sound labor re
lations between the SIU ancT the
Alcoa and Bull Line, appears to
have prematurely exploded in his
face. Last week the Assistant Gen
eral Counsel for the War Labor
Board" ruled that SIU contracts
with these lines were legal—irre
spective of what Wyckoff thought.
Wyckoff had sought to have the
signed contract between the SIU
and the Bull and Alcoa lines open
ed by the War Labor Board for re
view. His excuse was that the
contracts contained increased pay
for certain ratings and increased
overtime, and was thus subject to
review by the WLB before becom
ing binding upon the contracting
{Continued on Page 4)
Army Draft - A Club Aimed
At Subduing Union Militant
The War Shipping Administration succeeded this month
in obtaining from the War Manpower Commission control
of army draft machinery for merchant seamen. This places
in the hands of the W.S.A. a powerful weapon against
militant seamen and their unions.
The in-S.I.U. has announced
tention of fighting this W.M.C.
directive, and will go to Washing
ton with the demand that deferr-
ment requests for active seamen
continue to originate in the unions,
as they have in the past. All SIU-
SUP branches are wiring protests
to Gommissioner McNutt, and the
AFL is assisting by carrying the
fight to key congressional leaders.
The WMC directive, placing de-
ferrment in the hands of the Re
cruitment and Manning Organiza
tion of the WSA is so sweeping
that if allowed to stand, seamen,
could continue at their trade only
upon sufference of the WSA, and
SIU Buys More Bonds
To Tune Of 25 Grand
SIU Hero Is Decorated
Maximo Murphy, SIU Able Seaman, was decorated Feb. 13
by Captain Edward Macauley of the United States Maritime Com
mission in Washington. Brother Murphy received the Merchant
Marine Distinguished Service Medal, the highest honor to be
" given seamen.
Murphy's ship was sunk last year in the Caribbean. He pulled
21 crew members aboard a raft, navigated It to land, and then
plunged through the jungle for 18 hours to reach civilization and
bring aid to his union brothers.
After being repatriated to the United States, Murphy Jbined
the army "to avenge my father." His father was ship's carpenter
on -a vessel which was lost about the time Murphy viras torpedoed.
SIU men not only deliver the supplies to the fighting fronts, but
they help pay for them as well. Already having invested thousands of
dollars in government war bonds, the membership went on record this
week to spend $2 5,160 more in bond purchases. This total is to be
supplied by withdrawing $15,000 from the Strike and Organizational
fund, and $10,160-from the Hospital and Burial Fund.
The following is the full text of the enabling resolution drawn up
by the last Quarterly Finance Committee, and concured in up and
down the coast.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS: The Atlantis & Gulf District of the Seafarers Inter
national Union of Norlh America has in the Hospital, Burial, Strike
and Organizational Funds, more than sufficient cash to meet the ordin
ary disbursement required of these funds, and
{Continued oti Page 3)
union officials could be jerked into
the Army the minute they incur
red WSA displeasure. In short, the
entire union movement would be
mere appendage to a Government-
shipowner bureau, and incapable of
independent action^—under threat
of army induction.
Shore Time Set
The directive sets up, among
other things, a schedule of work
for the seamen which allows them
"two days on shore" for each week
worked. But no more than 30 days
ashore at any one time. The pen
alty for violation?—the Army!
So that they will have complete
control of the men, the WMC di
rective provides that all seamen
must register with the WSA with
in 35 days after their deferrment
status is questioned by the draft
board. This gives the WSA a com
plete file of all seamen in the
country and makes it posible to
sort out and black ball the militant
union men.
Union leaders are also placed in
a straight jacket by the new regu
lations. The WSA is to inform
the draft boards which seamen are
remaining ashore for "essential ad
ministrative positions" and ask for
their deferrment. Should the WSA
fail to do this, the union official
would have to return to sea in or
der to stay out of the army. Thus
the WSA would be in a position to
{Continued on Page 4)
SUB TOTAL REACHES
601 ALLIED SHIPS
As the Allies girded tliemsclves
for an all-out offensive against
submarines — termed by Admiral
Harold R. Stark of the Navy's
"first enemy"—the announced toll
of Allied and neutral merchant
men sunk in Western Atlantic by
enemy action since Pearl Harbor
rose over the 600 mark.
The announced destruction of
eight vessels, two of them Ameri
can, in the week ended Saturday,
brought the shipping losses to 601.1
Seven of the eight sinkings took
place off South America and in the
raider-ridden South Atlantic. '
SIU Drops United Seamens'
Services; See Charity Set-up
%
The Seafarers International Union has withdrawn
from membership in the United Seamen's Service, has can
celled all financial support and has taken steps to inform
the general public and the American Federation of Labor
as to the reasons which prompted these steps.
This severing of the relationship* , , . i '
^ . I » • structed him to resign ail posts,
between the USS and the Amen- . , u ..u ^ ^ , I This step was taken by the
can Federation of Labor seamen On
all coasts, came on FeB. 5 when membership with reluctence and
Harry I.undeberg, President of the convinced
SIU, informed Admiral Emory S. ^SS had degenerated into
Land, Chairman of the USS and organization providing soft
Chairman of the U. S. Maritime jobs for professiona social workers.
Commission, that the membership accomplished little in actual
of the union had become disillu- merchant seamen, and
sioned w^th the USS and had in-1 {Continued on ha t i)
1 .\'
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Page Two TH E A F A RJE US' LOG
V '• •
Friday, February 19,
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N Pu^lUM By th9
SEAFAHmS" nomNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gu]il>i8tiict
AffOlatta tJi* Am*rioan Fte^naien of Lsb«T
HARRY LUNDEBERQ. IntomoUoncd PMsldcnt
110 Uakst S^sst, Reem 402, Soi FraaciseB, CallL
ADDRXBB ALL OORRBBPONDENOa 00NVERNIV9 THIB
PUBLICATION TO:
"IHE SEAFABEBS' LOG
P. O. 25, Station P, New Yoik, N. Y.
Phone: BOwJing Green 9-8346
Land Lauds Seamens' War
Record, Safety Measures
i'»' •
Feb. y—^America's 70,000 mer
chant sailors, suifering a casualty
toll of nearly 4 per cent of their
number in the first year of war,
have "delivered the goods," and
shown "patriotism, courage and
devotion to duty." Elmer Davis,
Director, Office of War Informa
tion, said today. ^
Davis made public a report by
Rear Admiral Emory S. Land, War
Shipping Administrator, which
was requested by Davis to clear up
rumors and reports of personnel
diflSculties among the crews of the
nation's war cargo carriers.
"Admiral Land's report shows
that American seamen are loyal
and efficient," Davis said.
High points of Land's report
included:
1. Merchant marine casualties
(dead and missing only) have to
talled more than 3200—3.8 per
cent of their total number in one
year of war. Casualties of the
armed services in the same period
amounted to less than one per cent
of their total number.
2. About three-fourths of the
ofif-shore merchant seamen are al
ways at sea—"in the front line."
3. Willingness of sailors to
brave bombs and torpedoes was
shown recently when 100,000 per
sons responded to WSA's call for
experienced seamen.
4. WSA's labor relations divis
ion, which investigates all reports
of infraction of discipline, found
practically all such incidents oc-
cured in port, and were the re
sult of the continued strain under
which seamen work. '
y. Despite an expected increase
in enemy attacks on our merchant
shipping, a greater percentage of
survials is expected in 1943 be
cause of (1) more escort vessels,
(2) better-armed ships, (3) more
and improved safety devices, and
(4) more experienced crews. More
and better-equipped lifeboats are
required under new regulations
just issued.
"Rubber lifesaving suits, requir
ed for every person on board, have
considerably prolonged the length
of time a man can hold out in
northern waters or exposed to cold
weather in a lifeboat. In warm
waters these suits have reduced the
danger from sharks and barracuda.
The red waterlights, with which all
suits and life jackets are equipped,
are effective in locating men in the
water at night. The regulation re
quiring these rubber suits has been
complied with approximately 99
per cent.
{Continued on Page 3)
Out of the Focs^l
by
S"
Four of our members were picked up in the streets of New York
suffering from a bad case of "Torpedo Nerves." Dr. Edgerton of the
Ellis Island Hospital urges all the brothers who have been bombed or
torpedoed, to see him for a general check-up before anything serious
develops. Gene Braden and his shipmates who had to abandon their ship
while under a terrific bombardment from the enemy, arrived safely in
New York. These brothers should 'obey the warning of Dr. Edgerton
and see him for a physical check-up.
AAA
Frank Keaveney has been able to sec his gal, Jazamine several times
while in Port Elizabeth. He sure has it bad. Adalbert Gawronski is
taking a rest after experiencing a bombardment while in the port of
Casablanca. Francis Conleth (CUZ) Murray has spent two weeks at
the Oyster Bay Rest Home. He states that more SIU men should take
advantage of the opportunity. Casdy Jones is now working for WCAU.
Morris Riechelson has retired and is now working his own farm. "We
received a letter from Carroll Quinnt which took four months to ar
rive from Trinidad. Snozzy Gorman was inquiring about Mike Walsh.
A" A A
Now that the torpedo ribbons are out, we wonder how many real
seamen will be wearing them. One brother informed us he can get one
anytime he wishes as he knows the place where they are issued. Roy
McCannone is having a goodytime in New York, after being at sea for
oine months. Joe I. Flynn is on his good behavior these days. Harry
Collins paid a surprise visit to New York last week. We wonder who
the attraction could be? <
Seaman Insurance
Increased By WSA
• — -f
Increase in the amount of insur
ance available to merchant seamen,
together with a reduction In the
premium rate, has been provided
by the War Shipping Administra
tion in its first revision of General
Bulletin No. 10,
In the original bulletin the WSA
provided that it will issue insur
ance to seamen in amoimts of from
$1,000 to $J,000, at a rate of $10
per month per $1,000 of coverage,
in the revision the WSA increased
the permitted coverage t oamounts
of from $1,000 t o$ 15,000, and
prescribed a rate of $7.50 per
month for each $1,000 of cover
age. The revised bulletin reads as
follows:
In accordance with the provis
ions of its General Order No. 6
dated March 16, 1942, the War
Shipping Administration hereby
promulgates the following addi
tional rules relating to war risk in
surance.
The War Shipping Administra
tion is_ prepared to provide war risk
insurances covering the lives of
masters, officers and crews of ocean
going United States flag or United
States owned merchant vessels in
excess of the amounts of insurance
provided by the owner of the ves
sel. This iii:.urancc will be issued
in amounts of from $1,000 to
$15,000 per man and will be issued
at the option of the insured party
for periods of for one to six
months. Officers or seamen desir
ing to purchase such insurance
should make application through
the steamship line by which they
are employed, and the War Ship
ping Administration will issue pol
icies when so applied for in ac
cordance with the procedure set
forth in its General Bulletin No. 1.
Where officers or seamen wish to
apply direct to the War Shipping
Administration, application form
should state name of steamship
line, vessel upon which officer or
seaman is employed, amount of in
surance requested, period for which
insurance is requested "and name
and address of beneficiary. Such
application must be accompanied
by a certified check for premium.
REPORT FROM
Washington
By Matthew Dushane
MONEY DUE
The foliowing brothers have
money coming from the Mississippi
Line on the 8 to 5 beef: James
Crawford, Charles Mischler, Thom
as McLin, Joseph Madrano, Albert
Kinnell, Ralph Piehiet, A. Guidry,
George Ruf, H. A. Drake. Collect
money at Mississippi Line office in
New Orleans.
Crew that made last trip on
BenJ. Harrison and John C. Cal
houn have $125 Bonus money com
ing. Collect at Clamar Line office,
25 Broadway, New York City.
Deck Department, Deck Engineer,
Oilers of S.S. Richard Alvey have
overtime coming. Collect at Bull
Line office, 115 Broad St., New
York.
Grice, Williams, Mathews and
Stafford of the S. &. George Wash
ington have overtime coming. C"!-
ect at Alcoa Line, 17 Battery Place.
Fransieo Antonette, Christopher
Callender, and Edward Simpson
have wages coming from the S. S.
Jean. Collect, Bull Line, 115 Broad
St., New York City.
War Manpower Commission:
The WMC h33 issued -fi» directive whereby the WSA is to act as
agents for handling all merchant seamen claims for deferrment. We
are at present, with the assistance of the AFL, demanding that we be
heard on this directive and state our views on why we are opposed.
We feel that the WSA is assuming authority to order any seaman
who they feel is an absentee worker inducted into the army. This may
well be used to eliniinaie buna fide seamen from the industry in order
to make room for the WSA trainees. . We will fight this to the end.
We have a hard fight ahead of us to stop this directive, but I am
of^the opinion that on the basis of its unfairness, we will have this order
either revised or rescinded. The AFL is behind us 100% on this move
as it establishes an unfair method of inforcing discipline, on absentees.
Victory Tax
I advise all branches to draft a resolution and point out the un-*
fairness and discrimination of the law which deducts the 5% tax from
seamen's wages earned in 1942. Bring this resolution before all the cen
tral labor bodies for their concurrance and send these resolutions to
Chairman Eugene J. Keogh, Committee on Revision of the Laws. If
we adopt this method I believe that we can get this victory tax mess
straightened out to our satisfaction.
War Shipping Administration:
The hot potatoe which the WSA has on its hands regarding put
ting extra ordinaries on ships, part time as crew members and part time
as gunners, is getting the old run around here. No one seems to have
the authority to do the job and do it right.
The Navy is wondering what happened to the clearance. In the
mean time the trainees are slowly getting disgusted with hanging around,
and wondering when they are going to get that $200 to $300 per month
that they were promised when they joined up. More boondogling of
manpower.
Some time ago I requested that the WSA check on reports that I
have received that the Navy was pulling men off of ships in Puerto
Rico. Received an answer from them and they stated that the Coast
Guard had taken off and removed the men from the vessels and that
they had presented all the men with charges. Further advised in a
snotty way that we are to thoroughly investigate all complaints and not
to present any more complaints until we do so. It is certainly reaching
a rotten stage wherein a bunch of freeloaders who are receiving govern
ment pay to do certain work, in turn send out a very snotty answer
to your request. This WSA is certainly a hot set-up. It is trying to
overrule all the unions have accomplished through some who would be
little Caesars.
, Here are some of the figures on how this outfit is expanding. They
had employed in the WSA in March 1942 only 5 employees. In De
cember 1942, they had on their payrolls ONE THOUSAND SE"VEN
HUNDRED AND SEVEN (1707). Been advised that they are re
questing more appropriations as they want to increase their staff.
If the RMO of the are given the authority to act for the
War Manpower Commission, it will mean that they will have the job
of immediately enrolling and registering 100,000 seamen and the
trainees they are training. It will also mean that they will have to set
up a filing system to keep check on these seamen every six months. You
can't do this work with a couple of employees. Then they are hollering
about a manpower problem. This job will require approximately 100
people.
In an Associated Press release here dated February 3rd, 1943, Ad
miral Land is quoted as saying the average pay of Firemen and Abl«
Seamen is Fifty-seven Dollars per week. He had better do some figur
ing. The way we compute our v.'ages including emergency pay is fire
men and able seamen $100 per month and the board and room comes to
approximately $1 per day so that makes $130.00 per month. Certainljr
he does not figure the bonus when his assistant. Captain Macauley is
continually trying to take away our bonus that the union fought so
hard to get. And how about the bonus when a ship is in port and the
men do not receive any bonus and how about the 40% that is paid
when a ship enters a port in South America. I'd advise any of our mem
bers who can swing a nasty pen and are always in the mood to write
letters, drop the old Admiral a letter and ask him to explain why he
made these statements and what is his intention in misleading the public.
Also, why is it that he never mentions the unions and the fight that
they had to put up to get conditions that are passable for the average
American to live under, and the part that tjie organization that he
represents, Martime Commission, had, in bitterly opposing'the present
wages and conditions that he is continually harping about. How well
we remember the fight that we have had with his outfit,
V
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Page Four THE SEAFARERS' LOG Fiiday, February 19, 1943
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WSA Hop^ To Use Draft To
Break All Union Security
{Continued from Page 1)
weed out those officials who op
posed its anti-union policies, and
defer those who were good boys
•sr.d played baM.
Out For Record
Step by step the WSA has been
encroaching upon the authority of
the trade unions. They have
thousands of green trainees which
they must place aboard ships or
face Congressional inquiries. The
use of the draft machinery will
place in their hands a weapon
strong enough to bring the unions
to their knees, force the opening
of their hiring halls to government
finks, and thus create a record of
placement for the WSA.
Aside from the fact that the
WSA has neither the experience
nor the machinery for this super-
regimentation of the seamen—it is
Contrary in spirit to the Statement
of Principles signed by the unions
in Washington—and contrary to
all for which we arc supposed to
be fighting this war.
3,000 merchant seamen have lost
their lives so far in this war. The
great majority of them were union
men who tlxmgbt they were dying
in defense of democracy and the
right to organize into labor unions
without governmental interfer-
rence.
The WSA is out to prove that
they were mistaken and that they
died in vain.
The seamen that live will keep
faith and will fight for their
unions.
, Following is the WMC directive
printed in full:
WAR MANPOWER
COMMISSION DIRECTIVE
•i-, 'ir
Wt;'
SUBJECT: Procedure for Request
ing Occupational Deferment for
, Persons Engaged in W a t e r
Activities.
EFFECTIVE: FEB. 20. 1943
1. Occupational Bulletin No. 7
and Part 2 of Occupational Bullet
in No. 21 have emphasized the
need for protecting the supply of
trained workers in coastal and off
shore shipping, and have supplied
local boards with a list of critical
occupations in these activities.
Part 3 of Occupational Bulletin
No. 21, and earlier releases, have
likewise emphasized the necessity
of protecting the supply of labor
ih river, harbor and lake (includ
ing Great Lakes) shipping. Infor
mation made available to National
Headquarters of Selective Service
indicates that our* expanding mer
chant marine increasingly demands
the services of every available man
with water transportation experi
ence. Therefore, local boards arc
directed to give the most serious
consideration to the occupational
deferment of persons regularly en
gaged on lake, river, diarbor and
ocean ships and persons in approv
ed maritime training courses.
Deep Sea Only
2. In order to provide local
boards with more accurate and
ciiffcnt information on persons en
gaged in active ocean going ser-
vice, the War Manpower Commis
sion has directed the Recruitment
and Manning Organization of the
War Shipping Administration to
act as central agent in the matter
of keeping local boards of the Se
lective Service System correctly
advised regarding activities of such
seamen. The Recruitment and
Manning Organization will not
undertake to file information on
registrants active in shipping on
lakes (including Great Lakes),
rivers or harbors, except when, and
during such time as, persons nor
mally engaged in such shipping are
transferred to active ocean going
service. For all registrants re
maining at their duties on rivers,
harbor and lake ships, employers or
unions will, as at present, continue
to file with local boards such oc
cupational information as is deem
ed necessary, and these registrants
will continue to receive the same
consideration for deferment ac
corded tlieni by previous releases
from this headquarters. Their ex
ception from the procedure des
cribed below means only that the
Recruitment and Manning Organ
ization is not in a position to un
dertake the handling of such cases.
For similar reasons the Recruit
ment and Manning Organization
will undertake to file information
only on persons sailing on ships un
der the flag of the United States,
Panama and Honduras.
Central Agent
3. In its capacity as central
agent for all ocean going shipping
activities, the Recruitment and
Manning Organization, as directed
by the War Manpower Commis
sion, will perform the following
functions:
(a) File a completed copy of
DSS Form 42 and, when necessary,
take an appeal ,in every case of re
quested deferment of a person en
gaged in active ocean going ser
vice. The initial Form 42 will be *
filed by the Recruitment and Man
ning Organization on each such sea
man the first time he ships out af
ter the effective date of this Re
lease. "A person engaged in active
ocean going service," as used in
this Release, shall include:
Classifications
(1) Any person holding a posi
tion listed in Occupational Bullet
in No. 7, or offshore occupations
listed in Occupational Bulleting
No. 21, the duties of which require
actually going to sea,
(2) Any person who docs not
at any time exceed his authorized
shore leave, which, in the absence
of extenuating circumstances, is
limited to two days on shore for
each week of the immediately
preceding voyage, but not to ex
ceed thirty consecutive days ashore.
(3) Any person who temporar
ily remains ashore for the express
purpose of receiving instruction in
a Prosjjcctive Licensed Officer or
refresher course at a school main
tained, or. approved, by the United
States Maritime Service. Requests
for occupational deferment on
other cnrollces of the United Stqtes
Maritime Service shall continue to
be handled under the provisions of
Memoranda to State Directors 1-
343 and 1-373, and Occupational
Bulk-tin No. 7)
(b) File a new Form 42 on
each such seaman every six months,
provided the registrant continues
in active ocean going services
These subsequent Forms 42 need
include only the following infor
mation:
The Check Up
(1) Any changes in the man's
position or status which have oc
curred during the preceding six
months.
(2) A statement to the effect
that during the preceding period
of deferment the man has been
continually engaged in active ocean
going service.
(c) Notify the appropriate lo
cal board whenever a registrant
does not return to sea within a rea
sonable period of time.
4. If after the effective date of
this memorandum a local board re
ceives from an individual employ
er or union a notice of termination
of employment involving a seaman
registered with such board, the lo
cal board shall act as follows:
(a) If a Form 42 has previous
ly been filed by the Recruitment
.and Manning Organizarion on be
half of such seaman, the local
board shall not assume that he has
ceased his seagoing activities unless
the notice of termination is con
firmed by the Recruitment and
Manning Organization.
(b) If a Form 42 has not pre
viously been filed by the Recruit
ment and Manning Organization
and behalf of such registrant, the
local board shall allow 3 J days for
the filing of information by the
Recruitment and Manning Organ
ization. If nothing has been re
ceived from the Recruitment and
Manning Organization at the con
clusion of that period, the local
board may proceed with the regis
trant's reclassification.
Noose For Officials
3. Upon receipt of notice from
the Recruitment and Manning Or
ganization that a registrant has left
active ocean going service, the lo
cal board shall immediately reopen
and consider anew the case of such
registrant. There will, however,
be some instances in which a sea
man will leave active ocean going
service to accept an essential ad
ministrative position related to
ocean shipping which will require
that he remain ashore. In such
cases, the Recruitment and Man
ning Organization, when notifying
a local board that a registrant has
not returned to sea, will indicate
that he is remaining ashore in or
der to accept such an administra
tive position. The local board shall,
in these cases, give most serious
consideration to the registrant's'
new employment in determining j
whether or not he is entitled to
continued occupational deferment.
6. Certain local boards may
have under their jurisdiction sea
men-registrants currently charged
witii delinquency. When a local,
Attempt Use Of Trainees To
Break Union Shop Contract
{Continued from Page 1)
OK this set up over the phone im
mediately. Smelling something, I
went over to Vincent's office, along
with Morris Weisberger and Max
Korenblatt of the SUP who had re
ceived a similar call from the WSA.
When we arrived at his office
Vincent showed us a full program
which had been worked out be
tween himself and the Navy. The
only thing was, it made no pro
visions for safeguarding union
contracts or conditions. The whole
thing looked phoney from begin
ning to end.
After some discussion it appear
ed that the SIU-SUP would not go
for this, and Weisberger suggested
that Vincent call his superiors in
Washington to try to get the set
up clarified.
We got hold of Mr. Pennington,
assistant to Marshall Dimmock,
and he could not answer our ques
tions as to union guarantees under
the plan.
The real stumbling block was
our demand that if these 13
trainees signed on as ordinary sea
men, they should be under the
command of the skipper, and they
should work under the union con
tract.
This did not seem to fit in with
the plans of the WSA. They had
hopes, apparently, that the SIU
would be dopey enough to let their
men sail our ships as scabs.
When Weisberger and myself
demanded that the entire plan be
placed on paper for submission to
our members, Washington sudden
ly lost interest in the plan and
cancelled the call to the training
station at Sheepshead Bay for the
board receives a Form 42, or other
information filed by the Recruit
ment and Manning Organization
on behalf of such a seaman, it shall
either withdraw immediately the
charge of delinquency against him
by notifying the United States
District Attorney and reopen and
reconsider his case on the basis of
the new information submitted by
the Recruitment and Manning Or
ganization or- refer the matter,
through State Headquarters, to the
Director of Selective Service, stat
ing the reasons why it is not in the
national interest to withdraw de
linquency charges in the case un
der consideration.
Round Up Of Seanien
7. When the local board, in
classifying a registrant, learns that
he has had actual sailing experience
in any of the occupations listed in
Occupational Bulletin No. 7 and
No. 21, but has since left such
employment and is not now en
gaged in any occupation which
would warrant his occupational
deferment, the board shall adopt
the following procedure:
(a) Ask the registrant if he
will agree to accept employment in
active ocean going service, or em
ployment as a skilled seaman in
other essential water transporta
tion activities.
(b) If he agrees, refer him to
the nearest United States Employ- j
ment Service Office, and allow him |
thirty days within which tq secure j
such employment. (
necessary men.
And there is where it stands to-
day. No further word from the
masterminds in Washington, and
we continue to man and sail our
own ships. . .
In my opinion, this move was
one of desperation by the War
Shipping Administration, which is
turning out thousands of tin can
sailors every month, and has no
jobs for them. Congress is begin-
ing to question the use of the en
ormous funds granted to the WSAj
and they are desperately trying to
show results, to show jobs filled—
even if it means making union
men unemployed.
As for our part, we say openly
that SIU contracted ships will
continue to be manned by SIU
men. If we run short of our own
men, then we will call the WSA
for replacements. But as long as
union men are available, we will
fight any move to run governrnent ^ .
scabs aboard our ships. This goes
for now-^nd for after the war as
well.
One Victory!
{Continued from Page 1)
parties.
As pointed out by Secretary-
Treasurer John Hawk at the time,
this was a patent falsification of
the facts of the case, and only in
dicated that Wyckoff had a desire
to disrupt SIU relations with con
tracted employers. Hawk inform
ed Wyckoff that the increases
were contained in addendum to the
contract, but that they had been
signed and ratified July 6, 1942, a
full three months prior to the date
set by the WLB as deadline for in
creases without review.
These facts were clear cut and %
extremely simple to understand,
yet Mr. Wyckoff held to his orig
inal position that the contracts de
manded a review by the WLB and
went right ahead with his plan for
appeal. He submitted the contracts
to the WLB on Jan. 23, 1943. On
Feb. 4, he received a letter from
the Assistant General Counsel of
the WLB informing him, in effect,
that the SIU had been correct
from the start and the contracts
did not require review.
Jesse Freidin, WLB Counsel,
wrote (in part), "... all in
creases in wage rates which were
agreed upon on or before October
3, 1942, and made applicable to
work performed prior to that date,
may be made effective without
further approval by this Board . . .
Under the circumstances, pursu-.
ant to the Board's General Order
No. 3 and General Order No. 9,
the agreement need not be submit
ted for Board approval. We are
consequently returning the agree
ment to you herewith and are send
ing copies of this letter to the
parties."
All of which leaves Mr. Wyck
off right on the end of the well
known limb.
We have not yet heard from him
as to his future plans for the Bull
and Alcoa contract. Maybe he can .
think up something else equally
brilliant—but we doubt that any- |1
thing can top his WLB maneuver
for knuckle-headed bungling.
• J,.. -
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Friday, February 19, .1943 THE SEAFARERS' LOG Page
Services; See
* ; ... if \
fe;
{Continued from "Page 1)
was being used by the National
Maritime Union to further its or
ganizational and political ends.
When the Uniied Seamen's Ser
vice was first organized in Sept.
1942, the SIU-SUP endorsed the
project on the basis of a concrete
program; namely, the creation of
rest homes for seamen who were
the victims of enemy action at sea,
and the organization of centers in
foreign ports where the needs of
these seamen could be taken care
of while awaiting repatriation to
American soil.
President Harry Lundeberg said
at the time, "We recognize the
need for rest homes in which sea
men who have been victims of
enemy action can recuperate in
preparation for their return to
duty. Such services would be a di
rect aid to the war effort. We rec
ognize also the need for centers in
fpreign ports to car for American
seamen."
Since the SIU-SUP endbrsement
of the USS, however, the profes
sional charity workers and the po
litical cadres of the NMU have
taken over. Fancy bflfices were
opened, payrolls doubled and
tripled, and the original program
of aid to the seamen was lost in a
maze of tea parties, spot lights and
trumpets, and the "ahs" and "ohs"
of the profesional do-gooders.
In his letter of resignation,
B; ff. Harry Lundeberg wrote, "At the
tirrte the United Seamen's Service
was launched, the financial objec
tive was set out to be the raising
of $2,000,000—and . . . our union
seamen were more than willing to
assume their share of the financing
of rest homes and centers in for
eign ports." Lundeberg then point
ed out that in the past few months
the program and prospectives of
the USS received a decided twist.
"I learned," he wrote, "that the
Unit«jd Seamen's Service had estab
lished a staff of 154 people in the
Port of New York alone on the
payroll, with salaries ranging from
$6,000, $8,000 and up to $15,000
yearly, without the approval of the
Executive Board, and without in
formation as to then qualifications.
Further, that of every dollar col
lected for the merchant seamen,
9pc was being spent on "Adminis
tration" and only 10c was left for
the inerchant seamen."
In his letter of resignation.
President Lundeberg concluded
with the following:
"The project was thoroughly
discussed by the membership in
every port and aboard ships for
well over a month, and the follow
ing action was officially taken by
' the membership, consisting of mer
chant seamen manning ships carry
ing supplies to every port in the
world":
"I was instructed to resign and,
on their behalf, withdraw my name
from any official capacity in the
UNITED .SEAMEN'S SERVICE;
also the name of our Washington
representative, Mathew Dushane,
for the following reasons:
"1. The UNITED- SEAMEN'S
'^^RVICE is now functioning in a
different capacity than that for
which it was intended.
"2. We do not want another
seamen's "charity outfit" as if the
If
seamen need "charity" they can go
to existing organizations which
have been established for that pur
pose, such as the Red Cross, etc.
We do not want the General Pub
lic at this time to be called upon
in our name to support another
"charity" outfit. Due to the
"Statement of Policy" signed be
tween Admiral Land on behalf of
the Government, and the Seamen's
Unions, guaranteeing their collec
tive bargaining agreements for the
duration of the War, the merchant
seamen are able to take care of
their own "hotel" bills, "enterr.ain-
ment" bills, etc., and do not, or
certainly should not, require char
ity.
"3. The seamen in our Union
are absolutely opposed to the estab
lishment of any "clubs" or "hotels"
for merchant seamen in UNITED
STATES PORTS. They feel they
are earning sufficient money to en
able them to pay for their own
hotel rooms and whatever enter
tainment they wish to get ashore,
without taking money from the
General Public for such a purpose.
"4. Our membership is definite
ly IN FAVOR of the establish
ment of REST HOMES for TOR
PEDOED SEAMEN, but we feel
that in order that these REST
HOMES may function for the
BENEFIT of the SEAMEN and
not for a "job-trust" that they
should be put under the control
and management of the UNITED
STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SER
VICE, an old-established Ameri
can institution that has proved
itself many times over, and which
has a QUALIFIED STAFF to ad
minister such a program.
"We trust this clarifies our po
sition relative to the UNITED
SEAMEN'S SERVICE, and we are
advising the American Federation
of Labor and the General Public of
our position."
Sii.ccrely yours,
HARRY LUNDEBERG,
Seafarers Int'l Union of
North America.
Editor's Mail
Editor, Seafarers Log
Dear Sir and Brother:
I just finished a 6 month trip
on the S.S. Benjamin Harrison and
the long days were made much
more enjoyable because of the fact
that we had aboard a new pair of
boxing gloves and a punching bag.
This equipment was donated to
the crew by Nat Fleisher, who is
editor of King Magazine.
I wonder if you would print our
thanks in the Log and then send
a copy of it to him. We sure did
enjoy the things and want him to
know it.
Yours,
"HANK" COHEN
SEAl^EN'^ WAft
Rj^cofip
{Confhtu^ on page 2)
"Despite expected increase in
enemy attacks on our merchant
shipping in 1943, a greater per
cent of survivals is anticipated,"
said Land.
"New regulations (May 1942)
require each vessel to carry a port
able radio transmitting set in at
least one of their lifeboats capable
of sending out an automatic SOS
signal. This regulation has been
complied with (as of December 1)
62%, and the percentage will im
prove as equipment is available.
"New regulations (as of Janu
ary 1, 1943) require approximate
ly a 50% increase in the capacity
of lifeboats—15 cu. ft. per person.
New Liberty ships now .carry six
boats instead of four and two of
these are motor boats. This means
lifeboat capacity for double the
number of the crew or boats for
the full crew on each side of the
vessel. In addition quick releasing
rafts of sufficient capacity for the
entire crew and also additional life
floats are carried.
'Improved lowering and releas
ing gear for lifeboats now make it
possible to launch a boat in half .a
minute or less.
'Contrary to some publicized
but erroneous statements, lifeboats
are the principal means of saving
life at sea. A 1942 survey of a
group of vessels whose crews num
bered 1,756 persons, showed that
81% or 1,432 persons were res
cued. Of these 79% were saved by
lifeboats, 14% by rafts, 1% by
life jackets and the remaining 6%
by remaining on board.
A record of the first 46 of this
group sunk reveals 700 men were
saved by boats and 84 by rafts.
This same approximate ratio holds
true today. These 46 vessels car
ried 115 rafts of which 36 or 30%
were launched. At the same time
46 % of the lifeboats were launch
ed.
"The speed with which lifeboats
are launched is shown by the case,
in the early part of the war, of 'a
vessel with 391 persons on board
which sank in 4 minutes and 20
seconds with a loss of only six crew
members and three passengers.
"A recent survey of the time in
which a torpedoed ship sinks shows
times as widely varied as two min
utes, in an unusual case, to nine
hours, with approximately half
sinking in ^less than ten minutes.
The average sinking time of ships
included in this survey was one
hour and 52 minutes. This is very
much the same as it was last spring
or earlier in the war and therefore
would not indicate any increased
efficiency in enemy attacks. New
er ships of the long-range type are,
however, more capable of resisting
attack as they are faster, better
armed, and in case of torpedoing
sink slower because of stronger
construction arid more bulkheads."
RS' INTf»NA;iiONAL UMJKNS
if* NORiti AMERICAN
ATLANTIC ud CULF DISTRICT
Secretary-Treasurer's Office
ROOM 213 — 2 STONE STREET, NEW YORK CITY
P. O. Box 25, Sution P. Phone: BOwflnc Green
Diretiory of Branches
PHONE BRANCH ADDRESS
NEW YORK. 2 Stone St
Dispatcher'* Office........BOwIlng Green B-S4SC
Agent BOwllng Green B-8437
BOSTON S30 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE 14 North Gay St £a]vert 4539
PHILADELPHIA .6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK .....25 Commercial PL Norfolk 4-1083
NEW ORLEANS 309 Chartree St .....Canal 3336
SAVANNAH 218 East Bay S*- Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA 423 East Piatt St Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 So. Conception St Dial 2-1392
PUERTO RICO..... 45 Ponce do Leon........Puerto de Tierra
GALVESTON 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDA.LE 2021 S. Federal Highway..
.it:
Around The Ports
TAMPA
Business down in this section
has slowed down to a crawl. Ma
jority of the boys are broke and
ready to ship but the only action
around is a few unqualified jobs
and three or four of the local
winos sniping for live ones.
Our honorable and esteemed
agent is in drydock for repairs.
Some dopey dame ran over a stop-
street (and him too) down town
the other afternoon. He had his
one and only suit on at the time
and now both of them look like
they've been run through a cotton
gin. (Anyone not knowing what
a cotton gin is ask some Baldwin
County boy).
For quite some time the officials
of this port have been having
trouble with the WSA Recruit
ment and Manning Branch here.
The old goat in charge of the
thing doesn't know a fid from a
tail shaft and has been refusing to
OK men for their seamen's papers.
He gives some cock and bull story
about having to have three months
discharges or something, which is
a phoney stall to shove MC men,
or some other scrub he's picked up
around town, on the ships. He has
hindered this branch several times
in supplying men on time when
needed. The Govt, would save
some dough by putting him in
charge of an old maids' knitting
club or better yet by buying him
a gun so he can go out behind the
house, and shoot himself.
Here's a hot one—A Ford ship
comes in and the skipper, before
he'll take an AB outa the hall
(don't know whether he called the
WSA or not), sends clear to Jersey
for a man. But don't ^be taken
aback boys,' sooner or later his ex
ecutive ability will be noticed and
he will be appointed to a high
ranking position in the MC, WSA.
We understand that the hall in
Port Everglades is now open.
How's for a piece in the Log, J.K.,
on what's doing down in that
country?
We are in mourning for our
agent in Norfork. We hear he has
outfitted himself with a wife, four
kids, lot, and house completely
furnished with a $4 heater (the
stove is paid for). His headaches
will now shift from the water
front to the home front. Join-the
army, Marty.
Some of the boys note with
some interest that Paul Hall is
Dispatcher in Baltimore. They
orate that it puts therri in mind of
times along during the Alcoa beef
when some of the fair haired suck
ers strayed off the straight and
narrow and reaped a few shiners
for their waywardness. Oh boy,
what was it they called the gang
around Baltimore and Gay, Paul
Hall and his bunch of Tampa
Goons. Water under the bridge,
how it does flow. If it wasn't so
cool a dozen or so of us sunflowers
would ease up to ship but long-
handles are scarce. However, if
any parties commence we'll be
along in time to pay the fiddlers.
In the meantime, keep your hat
from floating, everybody.
STEELY WHITE, 56G
ATLANTIC AND GULF SHIPPING FOR
JAN, 25 TO FEB. 6 INCLUSIVE
,DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
SHIPPED 381 281 296 864
REGISTERED 290 277 200 767
ON HAND 465 643 211 1279
S.I.U. BUY MORE BONDS TO TUNE OF 25 G*8^
(Cbntinued from Page 1)
WHEREAS: this cash is lying idle in the bank, and
WHEREAS: United States Defense Bonds constitute the safest in
vestment in the world, the entire integrity of the government being their
guarantee, and <
WHEREAS: the government has urgent need of this money to
finance a war in which our members are front linfe fighters, therefore
be it
RESOLVED; that the Secretary-Treasurer of the 'Atlantic and Gulf
District be instructed to withdraw $15,000 from the Strike and Organi
zational Fund, and $10,160 from the Hospital and Burial Fund, and with
this money purchase war bonds, and rie it further
RESOLVED: that a banking committee of 3 men be elected at the
New York Branch meeting to go with the Secretary-Treasurer to deposit
these bonds in the safe deposit box. These bonds shall be examined by
each Quarterly Finance Committee.
THOMAS WILHELM, No. 7473 JAMES H. HANNERS, G-256
ALVIN 0. DE WITT, No. 20258 ALFRED STEWARD, No. 764
WM. MURPHY, No. 23194 i
DO NOT SHIP
W. J. HARKINS G-217
RAYMOND GUZMAN 22795
J. 0. BROPHY 2877
ALBERT 0. GODBOLD ..iNo. 4214
RAMON 0CA8I0 P7206
PERSONALS
E. H. P. JENSON:
Your book has be>n found and
returned to the office of the Secre
tary-Treasurer, in New York.
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11
SECSRITY
IN
UNITY
1
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
VOL. V. 280 NEW YORK, N. Y., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1943 No. 4
WSA Speeds New Drive For Power;
Union Security Gravely Threatened
Attempt Use Of Trainees To
Break Union Shop Contract
by John Hawk
The War Shipping Administration, in cooperation
with the Navy, cooked up a deal last week which, it it had
been left unchecked, would have broken open our hiring
halls and nullified our contracts with the shipowners. Here's
what happened:
On Feb. 10, at about a quarter•
to five in the afternoon, I receiv
ed a'telephone call from Mr. Craig
yincent. New York head of the
Recruitment and Manning Office
of the WSA. Mr. Vincent inform
ed me that he was sending us 7
ordinary seamen for a Bull Line
ship and 6 ordinary seamen for an
Eastern Ship. Since our dispatcher
had not requested any replace
ments from the WSA, I couldn't
figure out what Vincent was up
to. But he soon set me straight.
These 13 ordinary seamen, fresh
out of the WSA training school,
were to replace part of the Navy
gun crews. They would according
to Vincent, work under the Gun
nery Officer part of the time, and
under the Skipper the rest of the
time.
Vincent tried to give me the
old rush act, demanding that I
{Continued on Page 4)
One Victoryl
The slick maneuver launched
last month by Hubert Wyckoff,
Director of Division of Maritime
Labor Relations for the War Ship
ping Administration, in which he
sought to disrupt sound labor re
lations between the SIU ancT the
Alcoa and Bull Line, appears to
have prematurely exploded in his
face. Last week the Assistant Gen
eral Counsel for the War Labor
Board" ruled that SIU contracts
with these lines were legal—irre
spective of what Wyckoff thought.
Wyckoff had sought to have the
signed contract between the SIU
and the Bull and Alcoa lines open
ed by the War Labor Board for re
view. His excuse was that the
contracts contained increased pay
for certain ratings and increased
overtime, and was thus subject to
review by the WLB before becom
ing binding upon the contracting
{Continued on Page 4)
Army Draft - A Club Aimed
At Subduing Union Militant
The War Shipping Administration succeeded this month
in obtaining from the War Manpower Commission control
of army draft machinery for merchant seamen. This places
in the hands of the W.S.A. a powerful weapon against
militant seamen and their unions.
The in-S.I.U. has announced
tention of fighting this W.M.C.
directive, and will go to Washing
ton with the demand that deferr-
ment requests for active seamen
continue to originate in the unions,
as they have in the past. All SIU-
SUP branches are wiring protests
to Gommissioner McNutt, and the
AFL is assisting by carrying the
fight to key congressional leaders.
The WMC directive, placing de-
ferrment in the hands of the Re
cruitment and Manning Organiza
tion of the WSA is so sweeping
that if allowed to stand, seamen,
could continue at their trade only
upon sufference of the WSA, and
SIU Buys More Bonds
To Tune Of 25 Grand
SIU Hero Is Decorated
Maximo Murphy, SIU Able Seaman, was decorated Feb. 13
by Captain Edward Macauley of the United States Maritime Com
mission in Washington. Brother Murphy received the Merchant
Marine Distinguished Service Medal, the highest honor to be
" given seamen.
Murphy's ship was sunk last year in the Caribbean. He pulled
21 crew members aboard a raft, navigated It to land, and then
plunged through the jungle for 18 hours to reach civilization and
bring aid to his union brothers.
After being repatriated to the United States, Murphy Jbined
the army "to avenge my father." His father was ship's carpenter
on -a vessel which was lost about the time Murphy viras torpedoed.
SIU men not only deliver the supplies to the fighting fronts, but
they help pay for them as well. Already having invested thousands of
dollars in government war bonds, the membership went on record this
week to spend $2 5,160 more in bond purchases. This total is to be
supplied by withdrawing $15,000 from the Strike and Organizational
fund, and $10,160-from the Hospital and Burial Fund.
The following is the full text of the enabling resolution drawn up
by the last Quarterly Finance Committee, and concured in up and
down the coast.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS: The Atlantis & Gulf District of the Seafarers Inter
national Union of Norlh America has in the Hospital, Burial, Strike
and Organizational Funds, more than sufficient cash to meet the ordin
ary disbursement required of these funds, and
{Continued oti Page 3)
union officials could be jerked into
the Army the minute they incur
red WSA displeasure. In short, the
entire union movement would be
mere appendage to a Government-
shipowner bureau, and incapable of
independent action^—under threat
of army induction.
Shore Time Set
The directive sets up, among
other things, a schedule of work
for the seamen which allows them
"two days on shore" for each week
worked. But no more than 30 days
ashore at any one time. The pen
alty for violation?—the Army!
So that they will have complete
control of the men, the WMC di
rective provides that all seamen
must register with the WSA with
in 35 days after their deferrment
status is questioned by the draft
board. This gives the WSA a com
plete file of all seamen in the
country and makes it posible to
sort out and black ball the militant
union men.
Union leaders are also placed in
a straight jacket by the new regu
lations. The WSA is to inform
the draft boards which seamen are
remaining ashore for "essential ad
ministrative positions" and ask for
their deferrment. Should the WSA
fail to do this, the union official
would have to return to sea in or
der to stay out of the army. Thus
the WSA would be in a position to
{Continued on Page 4)
SUB TOTAL REACHES
601 ALLIED SHIPS
As the Allies girded tliemsclves
for an all-out offensive against
submarines — termed by Admiral
Harold R. Stark of the Navy's
"first enemy"—the announced toll
of Allied and neutral merchant
men sunk in Western Atlantic by
enemy action since Pearl Harbor
rose over the 600 mark.
The announced destruction of
eight vessels, two of them Ameri
can, in the week ended Saturday,
brought the shipping losses to 601.1
Seven of the eight sinkings took
place off South America and in the
raider-ridden South Atlantic. '
SIU Drops United Seamens'
Services; See Charity Set-up
%
The Seafarers International Union has withdrawn
from membership in the United Seamen's Service, has can
celled all financial support and has taken steps to inform
the general public and the American Federation of Labor
as to the reasons which prompted these steps.
This severing of the relationship* , , . i '
^ . I » • structed him to resign ail posts,
between the USS and the Amen- . , u ..u ^ ^ , I This step was taken by the
can Federation of Labor seamen On
all coasts, came on FeB. 5 when membership with reluctence and
Harry I.undeberg, President of the convinced
SIU, informed Admiral Emory S. ^SS had degenerated into
Land, Chairman of the USS and organization providing soft
Chairman of the U. S. Maritime jobs for professiona social workers.
Commission, that the membership accomplished little in actual
of the union had become disillu- merchant seamen, and
sioned w^th the USS and had in-1 {Continued on ha t i)
1 .\'
kl
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Page Two TH E A F A RJE US' LOG
V '• •
Friday, February 19,
f. - • )
[it
Jf r
tK'r-
k
i. m
r
N Pu^lUM By th9
SEAFAHmS" nomNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gu]il>i8tiict
AffOlatta tJi* Am*rioan Fte^naien of Lsb«T
HARRY LUNDEBERQ. IntomoUoncd PMsldcnt
110 Uakst S^sst, Reem 402, Soi FraaciseB, CallL
ADDRXBB ALL OORRBBPONDENOa 00NVERNIV9 THIB
PUBLICATION TO:
"IHE SEAFABEBS' LOG
P. O. 25, Station P, New Yoik, N. Y.
Phone: BOwJing Green 9-8346
Land Lauds Seamens' War
Record, Safety Measures
i'»' •
Feb. y—^America's 70,000 mer
chant sailors, suifering a casualty
toll of nearly 4 per cent of their
number in the first year of war,
have "delivered the goods," and
shown "patriotism, courage and
devotion to duty." Elmer Davis,
Director, Office of War Informa
tion, said today. ^
Davis made public a report by
Rear Admiral Emory S. Land, War
Shipping Administrator, which
was requested by Davis to clear up
rumors and reports of personnel
diflSculties among the crews of the
nation's war cargo carriers.
"Admiral Land's report shows
that American seamen are loyal
and efficient," Davis said.
High points of Land's report
included:
1. Merchant marine casualties
(dead and missing only) have to
talled more than 3200—3.8 per
cent of their total number in one
year of war. Casualties of the
armed services in the same period
amounted to less than one per cent
of their total number.
2. About three-fourths of the
ofif-shore merchant seamen are al
ways at sea—"in the front line."
3. Willingness of sailors to
brave bombs and torpedoes was
shown recently when 100,000 per
sons responded to WSA's call for
experienced seamen.
4. WSA's labor relations divis
ion, which investigates all reports
of infraction of discipline, found
practically all such incidents oc-
cured in port, and were the re
sult of the continued strain under
which seamen work. '
y. Despite an expected increase
in enemy attacks on our merchant
shipping, a greater percentage of
survials is expected in 1943 be
cause of (1) more escort vessels,
(2) better-armed ships, (3) more
and improved safety devices, and
(4) more experienced crews. More
and better-equipped lifeboats are
required under new regulations
just issued.
"Rubber lifesaving suits, requir
ed for every person on board, have
considerably prolonged the length
of time a man can hold out in
northern waters or exposed to cold
weather in a lifeboat. In warm
waters these suits have reduced the
danger from sharks and barracuda.
The red waterlights, with which all
suits and life jackets are equipped,
are effective in locating men in the
water at night. The regulation re
quiring these rubber suits has been
complied with approximately 99
per cent.
{Continued on Page 3)
Out of the Focs^l
by
S"
Four of our members were picked up in the streets of New York
suffering from a bad case of "Torpedo Nerves." Dr. Edgerton of the
Ellis Island Hospital urges all the brothers who have been bombed or
torpedoed, to see him for a general check-up before anything serious
develops. Gene Braden and his shipmates who had to abandon their ship
while under a terrific bombardment from the enemy, arrived safely in
New York. These brothers should 'obey the warning of Dr. Edgerton
and see him for a physical check-up.
AAA
Frank Keaveney has been able to sec his gal, Jazamine several times
while in Port Elizabeth. He sure has it bad. Adalbert Gawronski is
taking a rest after experiencing a bombardment while in the port of
Casablanca. Francis Conleth (CUZ) Murray has spent two weeks at
the Oyster Bay Rest Home. He states that more SIU men should take
advantage of the opportunity. Casdy Jones is now working for WCAU.
Morris Riechelson has retired and is now working his own farm. "We
received a letter from Carroll Quinnt which took four months to ar
rive from Trinidad. Snozzy Gorman was inquiring about Mike Walsh.
A" A A
Now that the torpedo ribbons are out, we wonder how many real
seamen will be wearing them. One brother informed us he can get one
anytime he wishes as he knows the place where they are issued. Roy
McCannone is having a goodytime in New York, after being at sea for
oine months. Joe I. Flynn is on his good behavior these days. Harry
Collins paid a surprise visit to New York last week. We wonder who
the attraction could be? <
Seaman Insurance
Increased By WSA
• — -f
Increase in the amount of insur
ance available to merchant seamen,
together with a reduction In the
premium rate, has been provided
by the War Shipping Administra
tion in its first revision of General
Bulletin No. 10,
In the original bulletin the WSA
provided that it will issue insur
ance to seamen in amoimts of from
$1,000 to $J,000, at a rate of $10
per month per $1,000 of coverage,
in the revision the WSA increased
the permitted coverage t oamounts
of from $1,000 t o$ 15,000, and
prescribed a rate of $7.50 per
month for each $1,000 of cover
age. The revised bulletin reads as
follows:
In accordance with the provis
ions of its General Order No. 6
dated March 16, 1942, the War
Shipping Administration hereby
promulgates the following addi
tional rules relating to war risk in
surance.
The War Shipping Administra
tion is_ prepared to provide war risk
insurances covering the lives of
masters, officers and crews of ocean
going United States flag or United
States owned merchant vessels in
excess of the amounts of insurance
provided by the owner of the ves
sel. This iii:.urancc will be issued
in amounts of from $1,000 to
$15,000 per man and will be issued
at the option of the insured party
for periods of for one to six
months. Officers or seamen desir
ing to purchase such insurance
should make application through
the steamship line by which they
are employed, and the War Ship
ping Administration will issue pol
icies when so applied for in ac
cordance with the procedure set
forth in its General Bulletin No. 1.
Where officers or seamen wish to
apply direct to the War Shipping
Administration, application form
should state name of steamship
line, vessel upon which officer or
seaman is employed, amount of in
surance requested, period for which
insurance is requested "and name
and address of beneficiary. Such
application must be accompanied
by a certified check for premium.
REPORT FROM
Washington
By Matthew Dushane
MONEY DUE
The foliowing brothers have
money coming from the Mississippi
Line on the 8 to 5 beef: James
Crawford, Charles Mischler, Thom
as McLin, Joseph Madrano, Albert
Kinnell, Ralph Piehiet, A. Guidry,
George Ruf, H. A. Drake. Collect
money at Mississippi Line office in
New Orleans.
Crew that made last trip on
BenJ. Harrison and John C. Cal
houn have $125 Bonus money com
ing. Collect at Clamar Line office,
25 Broadway, New York City.
Deck Department, Deck Engineer,
Oilers of S.S. Richard Alvey have
overtime coming. Collect at Bull
Line office, 115 Broad St., New
York.
Grice, Williams, Mathews and
Stafford of the S. &. George Wash
ington have overtime coming. C"!-
ect at Alcoa Line, 17 Battery Place.
Fransieo Antonette, Christopher
Callender, and Edward Simpson
have wages coming from the S. S.
Jean. Collect, Bull Line, 115 Broad
St., New York City.
War Manpower Commission:
The WMC h33 issued -fi» directive whereby the WSA is to act as
agents for handling all merchant seamen claims for deferrment. We
are at present, with the assistance of the AFL, demanding that we be
heard on this directive and state our views on why we are opposed.
We feel that the WSA is assuming authority to order any seaman
who they feel is an absentee worker inducted into the army. This may
well be used to eliniinaie buna fide seamen from the industry in order
to make room for the WSA trainees. . We will fight this to the end.
We have a hard fight ahead of us to stop this directive, but I am
of^the opinion that on the basis of its unfairness, we will have this order
either revised or rescinded. The AFL is behind us 100% on this move
as it establishes an unfair method of inforcing discipline, on absentees.
Victory Tax
I advise all branches to draft a resolution and point out the un-*
fairness and discrimination of the law which deducts the 5% tax from
seamen's wages earned in 1942. Bring this resolution before all the cen
tral labor bodies for their concurrance and send these resolutions to
Chairman Eugene J. Keogh, Committee on Revision of the Laws. If
we adopt this method I believe that we can get this victory tax mess
straightened out to our satisfaction.
War Shipping Administration:
The hot potatoe which the WSA has on its hands regarding put
ting extra ordinaries on ships, part time as crew members and part time
as gunners, is getting the old run around here. No one seems to have
the authority to do the job and do it right.
The Navy is wondering what happened to the clearance. In the
mean time the trainees are slowly getting disgusted with hanging around,
and wondering when they are going to get that $200 to $300 per month
that they were promised when they joined up. More boondogling of
manpower.
Some time ago I requested that the WSA check on reports that I
have received that the Navy was pulling men off of ships in Puerto
Rico. Received an answer from them and they stated that the Coast
Guard had taken off and removed the men from the vessels and that
they had presented all the men with charges. Further advised in a
snotty way that we are to thoroughly investigate all complaints and not
to present any more complaints until we do so. It is certainly reaching
a rotten stage wherein a bunch of freeloaders who are receiving govern
ment pay to do certain work, in turn send out a very snotty answer
to your request. This WSA is certainly a hot set-up. It is trying to
overrule all the unions have accomplished through some who would be
little Caesars.
, Here are some of the figures on how this outfit is expanding. They
had employed in the WSA in March 1942 only 5 employees. In De
cember 1942, they had on their payrolls ONE THOUSAND SE"VEN
HUNDRED AND SEVEN (1707). Been advised that they are re
questing more appropriations as they want to increase their staff.
If the RMO of the are given the authority to act for the
War Manpower Commission, it will mean that they will have the job
of immediately enrolling and registering 100,000 seamen and the
trainees they are training. It will also mean that they will have to set
up a filing system to keep check on these seamen every six months. You
can't do this work with a couple of employees. Then they are hollering
about a manpower problem. This job will require approximately 100
people.
In an Associated Press release here dated February 3rd, 1943, Ad
miral Land is quoted as saying the average pay of Firemen and Abl«
Seamen is Fifty-seven Dollars per week. He had better do some figur
ing. The way we compute our v.'ages including emergency pay is fire
men and able seamen $100 per month and the board and room comes to
approximately $1 per day so that makes $130.00 per month. Certainljr
he does not figure the bonus when his assistant. Captain Macauley is
continually trying to take away our bonus that the union fought so
hard to get. And how about the bonus when a ship is in port and the
men do not receive any bonus and how about the 40% that is paid
when a ship enters a port in South America. I'd advise any of our mem
bers who can swing a nasty pen and are always in the mood to write
letters, drop the old Admiral a letter and ask him to explain why he
made these statements and what is his intention in misleading the public.
Also, why is it that he never mentions the unions and the fight that
they had to put up to get conditions that are passable for the average
American to live under, and the part that tjie organization that he
represents, Martime Commission, had, in bitterly opposing'the present
wages and conditions that he is continually harping about. How well
we remember the fight that we have had with his outfit,
V
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l^'l
Page Four THE SEAFARERS' LOG Fiiday, February 19, 1943
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WSA Hop^ To Use Draft To
Break All Union Security
{Continued from Page 1)
weed out those officials who op
posed its anti-union policies, and
defer those who were good boys
•sr.d played baM.
Out For Record
Step by step the WSA has been
encroaching upon the authority of
the trade unions. They have
thousands of green trainees which
they must place aboard ships or
face Congressional inquiries. The
use of the draft machinery will
place in their hands a weapon
strong enough to bring the unions
to their knees, force the opening
of their hiring halls to government
finks, and thus create a record of
placement for the WSA.
Aside from the fact that the
WSA has neither the experience
nor the machinery for this super-
regimentation of the seamen—it is
Contrary in spirit to the Statement
of Principles signed by the unions
in Washington—and contrary to
all for which we arc supposed to
be fighting this war.
3,000 merchant seamen have lost
their lives so far in this war. The
great majority of them were union
men who tlxmgbt they were dying
in defense of democracy and the
right to organize into labor unions
without governmental interfer-
rence.
The WSA is out to prove that
they were mistaken and that they
died in vain.
The seamen that live will keep
faith and will fight for their
unions.
, Following is the WMC directive
printed in full:
WAR MANPOWER
COMMISSION DIRECTIVE
•i-, 'ir
Wt;'
SUBJECT: Procedure for Request
ing Occupational Deferment for
, Persons Engaged in W a t e r
Activities.
EFFECTIVE: FEB. 20. 1943
1. Occupational Bulletin No. 7
and Part 2 of Occupational Bullet
in No. 21 have emphasized the
need for protecting the supply of
trained workers in coastal and off
shore shipping, and have supplied
local boards with a list of critical
occupations in these activities.
Part 3 of Occupational Bulletin
No. 21, and earlier releases, have
likewise emphasized the necessity
of protecting the supply of labor
ih river, harbor and lake (includ
ing Great Lakes) shipping. Infor
mation made available to National
Headquarters of Selective Service
indicates that our* expanding mer
chant marine increasingly demands
the services of every available man
with water transportation experi
ence. Therefore, local boards arc
directed to give the most serious
consideration to the occupational
deferment of persons regularly en
gaged on lake, river, diarbor and
ocean ships and persons in approv
ed maritime training courses.
Deep Sea Only
2. In order to provide local
boards with more accurate and
ciiffcnt information on persons en
gaged in active ocean going ser-
vice, the War Manpower Commis
sion has directed the Recruitment
and Manning Organization of the
War Shipping Administration to
act as central agent in the matter
of keeping local boards of the Se
lective Service System correctly
advised regarding activities of such
seamen. The Recruitment and
Manning Organization will not
undertake to file information on
registrants active in shipping on
lakes (including Great Lakes),
rivers or harbors, except when, and
during such time as, persons nor
mally engaged in such shipping are
transferred to active ocean going
service. For all registrants re
maining at their duties on rivers,
harbor and lake ships, employers or
unions will, as at present, continue
to file with local boards such oc
cupational information as is deem
ed necessary, and these registrants
will continue to receive the same
consideration for deferment ac
corded tlieni by previous releases
from this headquarters. Their ex
ception from the procedure des
cribed below means only that the
Recruitment and Manning Organ
ization is not in a position to un
dertake the handling of such cases.
For similar reasons the Recruit
ment and Manning Organization
will undertake to file information
only on persons sailing on ships un
der the flag of the United States,
Panama and Honduras.
Central Agent
3. In its capacity as central
agent for all ocean going shipping
activities, the Recruitment and
Manning Organization, as directed
by the War Manpower Commis
sion, will perform the following
functions:
(a) File a completed copy of
DSS Form 42 and, when necessary,
take an appeal ,in every case of re
quested deferment of a person en
gaged in active ocean going ser
vice. The initial Form 42 will be *
filed by the Recruitment and Man
ning Organization on each such sea
man the first time he ships out af
ter the effective date of this Re
lease. "A person engaged in active
ocean going service," as used in
this Release, shall include:
Classifications
(1) Any person holding a posi
tion listed in Occupational Bullet
in No. 7, or offshore occupations
listed in Occupational Bulleting
No. 21, the duties of which require
actually going to sea,
(2) Any person who docs not
at any time exceed his authorized
shore leave, which, in the absence
of extenuating circumstances, is
limited to two days on shore for
each week of the immediately
preceding voyage, but not to ex
ceed thirty consecutive days ashore.
(3) Any person who temporar
ily remains ashore for the express
purpose of receiving instruction in
a Prosjjcctive Licensed Officer or
refresher course at a school main
tained, or. approved, by the United
States Maritime Service. Requests
for occupational deferment on
other cnrollces of the United Stqtes
Maritime Service shall continue to
be handled under the provisions of
Memoranda to State Directors 1-
343 and 1-373, and Occupational
Bulk-tin No. 7)
(b) File a new Form 42 on
each such seaman every six months,
provided the registrant continues
in active ocean going services
These subsequent Forms 42 need
include only the following infor
mation:
The Check Up
(1) Any changes in the man's
position or status which have oc
curred during the preceding six
months.
(2) A statement to the effect
that during the preceding period
of deferment the man has been
continually engaged in active ocean
going service.
(c) Notify the appropriate lo
cal board whenever a registrant
does not return to sea within a rea
sonable period of time.
4. If after the effective date of
this memorandum a local board re
ceives from an individual employ
er or union a notice of termination
of employment involving a seaman
registered with such board, the lo
cal board shall act as follows:
(a) If a Form 42 has previous
ly been filed by the Recruitment
.and Manning Organizarion on be
half of such seaman, the local
board shall not assume that he has
ceased his seagoing activities unless
the notice of termination is con
firmed by the Recruitment and
Manning Organization.
(b) If a Form 42 has not pre
viously been filed by the Recruit
ment and Manning Organization
and behalf of such registrant, the
local board shall allow 3 J days for
the filing of information by the
Recruitment and Manning Organ
ization. If nothing has been re
ceived from the Recruitment and
Manning Organization at the con
clusion of that period, the local
board may proceed with the regis
trant's reclassification.
Noose For Officials
3. Upon receipt of notice from
the Recruitment and Manning Or
ganization that a registrant has left
active ocean going service, the lo
cal board shall immediately reopen
and consider anew the case of such
registrant. There will, however,
be some instances in which a sea
man will leave active ocean going
service to accept an essential ad
ministrative position related to
ocean shipping which will require
that he remain ashore. In such
cases, the Recruitment and Man
ning Organization, when notifying
a local board that a registrant has
not returned to sea, will indicate
that he is remaining ashore in or
der to accept such an administra
tive position. The local board shall,
in these cases, give most serious
consideration to the registrant's'
new employment in determining j
whether or not he is entitled to
continued occupational deferment.
6. Certain local boards may
have under their jurisdiction sea
men-registrants currently charged
witii delinquency. When a local,
Attempt Use Of Trainees To
Break Union Shop Contract
{Continued from Page 1)
OK this set up over the phone im
mediately. Smelling something, I
went over to Vincent's office, along
with Morris Weisberger and Max
Korenblatt of the SUP who had re
ceived a similar call from the WSA.
When we arrived at his office
Vincent showed us a full program
which had been worked out be
tween himself and the Navy. The
only thing was, it made no pro
visions for safeguarding union
contracts or conditions. The whole
thing looked phoney from begin
ning to end.
After some discussion it appear
ed that the SIU-SUP would not go
for this, and Weisberger suggested
that Vincent call his superiors in
Washington to try to get the set
up clarified.
We got hold of Mr. Pennington,
assistant to Marshall Dimmock,
and he could not answer our ques
tions as to union guarantees under
the plan.
The real stumbling block was
our demand that if these 13
trainees signed on as ordinary sea
men, they should be under the
command of the skipper, and they
should work under the union con
tract.
This did not seem to fit in with
the plans of the WSA. They had
hopes, apparently, that the SIU
would be dopey enough to let their
men sail our ships as scabs.
When Weisberger and myself
demanded that the entire plan be
placed on paper for submission to
our members, Washington sudden
ly lost interest in the plan and
cancelled the call to the training
station at Sheepshead Bay for the
board receives a Form 42, or other
information filed by the Recruit
ment and Manning Organization
on behalf of such a seaman, it shall
either withdraw immediately the
charge of delinquency against him
by notifying the United States
District Attorney and reopen and
reconsider his case on the basis of
the new information submitted by
the Recruitment and Manning Or
ganization or- refer the matter,
through State Headquarters, to the
Director of Selective Service, stat
ing the reasons why it is not in the
national interest to withdraw de
linquency charges in the case un
der consideration.
Round Up Of Seanien
7. When the local board, in
classifying a registrant, learns that
he has had actual sailing experience
in any of the occupations listed in
Occupational Bulletin No. 7 and
No. 21, but has since left such
employment and is not now en
gaged in any occupation which
would warrant his occupational
deferment, the board shall adopt
the following procedure:
(a) Ask the registrant if he
will agree to accept employment in
active ocean going service, or em
ployment as a skilled seaman in
other essential water transporta
tion activities.
(b) If he agrees, refer him to
the nearest United States Employ- j
ment Service Office, and allow him |
thirty days within which tq secure j
such employment. (
necessary men.
And there is where it stands to-
day. No further word from the
masterminds in Washington, and
we continue to man and sail our
own ships. . .
In my opinion, this move was
one of desperation by the War
Shipping Administration, which is
turning out thousands of tin can
sailors every month, and has no
jobs for them. Congress is begin-
ing to question the use of the en
ormous funds granted to the WSAj
and they are desperately trying to
show results, to show jobs filled—
even if it means making union
men unemployed.
As for our part, we say openly
that SIU contracted ships will
continue to be manned by SIU
men. If we run short of our own
men, then we will call the WSA
for replacements. But as long as
union men are available, we will
fight any move to run governrnent ^ .
scabs aboard our ships. This goes
for now-^nd for after the war as
well.
One Victory!
{Continued from Page 1)
parties.
As pointed out by Secretary-
Treasurer John Hawk at the time,
this was a patent falsification of
the facts of the case, and only in
dicated that Wyckoff had a desire
to disrupt SIU relations with con
tracted employers. Hawk inform
ed Wyckoff that the increases
were contained in addendum to the
contract, but that they had been
signed and ratified July 6, 1942, a
full three months prior to the date
set by the WLB as deadline for in
creases without review.
These facts were clear cut and %
extremely simple to understand,
yet Mr. Wyckoff held to his orig
inal position that the contracts de
manded a review by the WLB and
went right ahead with his plan for
appeal. He submitted the contracts
to the WLB on Jan. 23, 1943. On
Feb. 4, he received a letter from
the Assistant General Counsel of
the WLB informing him, in effect,
that the SIU had been correct
from the start and the contracts
did not require review.
Jesse Freidin, WLB Counsel,
wrote (in part), "... all in
creases in wage rates which were
agreed upon on or before October
3, 1942, and made applicable to
work performed prior to that date,
may be made effective without
further approval by this Board . . .
Under the circumstances, pursu-.
ant to the Board's General Order
No. 3 and General Order No. 9,
the agreement need not be submit
ted for Board approval. We are
consequently returning the agree
ment to you herewith and are send
ing copies of this letter to the
parties."
All of which leaves Mr. Wyck
off right on the end of the well
known limb.
We have not yet heard from him
as to his future plans for the Bull
and Alcoa contract. Maybe he can .
think up something else equally
brilliant—but we doubt that any- |1
thing can top his WLB maneuver
for knuckle-headed bungling.
• J,.. -
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Friday, February 19, .1943 THE SEAFARERS' LOG Page
Services; See
* ; ... if \
fe;
{Continued from "Page 1)
was being used by the National
Maritime Union to further its or
ganizational and political ends.
When the Uniied Seamen's Ser
vice was first organized in Sept.
1942, the SIU-SUP endorsed the
project on the basis of a concrete
program; namely, the creation of
rest homes for seamen who were
the victims of enemy action at sea,
and the organization of centers in
foreign ports where the needs of
these seamen could be taken care
of while awaiting repatriation to
American soil.
President Harry Lundeberg said
at the time, "We recognize the
need for rest homes in which sea
men who have been victims of
enemy action can recuperate in
preparation for their return to
duty. Such services would be a di
rect aid to the war effort. We rec
ognize also the need for centers in
fpreign ports to car for American
seamen."
Since the SIU-SUP endbrsement
of the USS, however, the profes
sional charity workers and the po
litical cadres of the NMU have
taken over. Fancy bflfices were
opened, payrolls doubled and
tripled, and the original program
of aid to the seamen was lost in a
maze of tea parties, spot lights and
trumpets, and the "ahs" and "ohs"
of the profesional do-gooders.
In his letter of resignation,
B; ff. Harry Lundeberg wrote, "At the
tirrte the United Seamen's Service
was launched, the financial objec
tive was set out to be the raising
of $2,000,000—and . . . our union
seamen were more than willing to
assume their share of the financing
of rest homes and centers in for
eign ports." Lundeberg then point
ed out that in the past few months
the program and prospectives of
the USS received a decided twist.
"I learned," he wrote, "that the
Unit«jd Seamen's Service had estab
lished a staff of 154 people in the
Port of New York alone on the
payroll, with salaries ranging from
$6,000, $8,000 and up to $15,000
yearly, without the approval of the
Executive Board, and without in
formation as to then qualifications.
Further, that of every dollar col
lected for the merchant seamen,
9pc was being spent on "Adminis
tration" and only 10c was left for
the inerchant seamen."
In his letter of resignation.
President Lundeberg concluded
with the following:
"The project was thoroughly
discussed by the membership in
every port and aboard ships for
well over a month, and the follow
ing action was officially taken by
' the membership, consisting of mer
chant seamen manning ships carry
ing supplies to every port in the
world":
"I was instructed to resign and,
on their behalf, withdraw my name
from any official capacity in the
UNITED .SEAMEN'S SERVICE;
also the name of our Washington
representative, Mathew Dushane,
for the following reasons:
"1. The UNITED- SEAMEN'S
'^^RVICE is now functioning in a
different capacity than that for
which it was intended.
"2. We do not want another
seamen's "charity outfit" as if the
If
seamen need "charity" they can go
to existing organizations which
have been established for that pur
pose, such as the Red Cross, etc.
We do not want the General Pub
lic at this time to be called upon
in our name to support another
"charity" outfit. Due to the
"Statement of Policy" signed be
tween Admiral Land on behalf of
the Government, and the Seamen's
Unions, guaranteeing their collec
tive bargaining agreements for the
duration of the War, the merchant
seamen are able to take care of
their own "hotel" bills, "enterr.ain-
ment" bills, etc., and do not, or
certainly should not, require char
ity.
"3. The seamen in our Union
are absolutely opposed to the estab
lishment of any "clubs" or "hotels"
for merchant seamen in UNITED
STATES PORTS. They feel they
are earning sufficient money to en
able them to pay for their own
hotel rooms and whatever enter
tainment they wish to get ashore,
without taking money from the
General Public for such a purpose.
"4. Our membership is definite
ly IN FAVOR of the establish
ment of REST HOMES for TOR
PEDOED SEAMEN, but we feel
that in order that these REST
HOMES may function for the
BENEFIT of the SEAMEN and
not for a "job-trust" that they
should be put under the control
and management of the UNITED
STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SER
VICE, an old-established Ameri
can institution that has proved
itself many times over, and which
has a QUALIFIED STAFF to ad
minister such a program.
"We trust this clarifies our po
sition relative to the UNITED
SEAMEN'S SERVICE, and we are
advising the American Federation
of Labor and the General Public of
our position."
Sii.ccrely yours,
HARRY LUNDEBERG,
Seafarers Int'l Union of
North America.
Editor's Mail
Editor, Seafarers Log
Dear Sir and Brother:
I just finished a 6 month trip
on the S.S. Benjamin Harrison and
the long days were made much
more enjoyable because of the fact
that we had aboard a new pair of
boxing gloves and a punching bag.
This equipment was donated to
the crew by Nat Fleisher, who is
editor of King Magazine.
I wonder if you would print our
thanks in the Log and then send
a copy of it to him. We sure did
enjoy the things and want him to
know it.
Yours,
"HANK" COHEN
SEAl^EN'^ WAft
Rj^cofip
{Confhtu^ on page 2)
"Despite expected increase in
enemy attacks on our merchant
shipping in 1943, a greater per
cent of survivals is anticipated,"
said Land.
"New regulations (May 1942)
require each vessel to carry a port
able radio transmitting set in at
least one of their lifeboats capable
of sending out an automatic SOS
signal. This regulation has been
complied with (as of December 1)
62%, and the percentage will im
prove as equipment is available.
"New regulations (as of Janu
ary 1, 1943) require approximate
ly a 50% increase in the capacity
of lifeboats—15 cu. ft. per person.
New Liberty ships now .carry six
boats instead of four and two of
these are motor boats. This means
lifeboat capacity for double the
number of the crew or boats for
the full crew on each side of the
vessel. In addition quick releasing
rafts of sufficient capacity for the
entire crew and also additional life
floats are carried.
'Improved lowering and releas
ing gear for lifeboats now make it
possible to launch a boat in half .a
minute or less.
'Contrary to some publicized
but erroneous statements, lifeboats
are the principal means of saving
life at sea. A 1942 survey of a
group of vessels whose crews num
bered 1,756 persons, showed that
81% or 1,432 persons were res
cued. Of these 79% were saved by
lifeboats, 14% by rafts, 1% by
life jackets and the remaining 6%
by remaining on board.
A record of the first 46 of this
group sunk reveals 700 men were
saved by boats and 84 by rafts.
This same approximate ratio holds
true today. These 46 vessels car
ried 115 rafts of which 36 or 30%
were launched. At the same time
46 % of the lifeboats were launch
ed.
"The speed with which lifeboats
are launched is shown by the case,
in the early part of the war, of 'a
vessel with 391 persons on board
which sank in 4 minutes and 20
seconds with a loss of only six crew
members and three passengers.
"A recent survey of the time in
which a torpedoed ship sinks shows
times as widely varied as two min
utes, in an unusual case, to nine
hours, with approximately half
sinking in ^less than ten minutes.
The average sinking time of ships
included in this survey was one
hour and 52 minutes. This is very
much the same as it was last spring
or earlier in the war and therefore
would not indicate any increased
efficiency in enemy attacks. New
er ships of the long-range type are,
however, more capable of resisting
attack as they are faster, better
armed, and in case of torpedoing
sink slower because of stronger
construction arid more bulkheads."
RS' INTf»NA;iiONAL UMJKNS
if* NORiti AMERICAN
ATLANTIC ud CULF DISTRICT
Secretary-Treasurer's Office
ROOM 213 — 2 STONE STREET, NEW YORK CITY
P. O. Box 25, Sution P. Phone: BOwflnc Green
Diretiory of Branches
PHONE BRANCH ADDRESS
NEW YORK. 2 Stone St
Dispatcher'* Office........BOwIlng Green B-S4SC
Agent BOwllng Green B-8437
BOSTON S30 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE 14 North Gay St £a]vert 4539
PHILADELPHIA .6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK .....25 Commercial PL Norfolk 4-1083
NEW ORLEANS 309 Chartree St .....Canal 3336
SAVANNAH 218 East Bay S*- Savannah 3-1728
TAMPA 423 East Piatt St Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 So. Conception St Dial 2-1392
PUERTO RICO..... 45 Ponce do Leon........Puerto de Tierra
GALVESTON 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043
FT. LAUDERDA.LE 2021 S. Federal Highway..
.it:
Around The Ports
TAMPA
Business down in this section
has slowed down to a crawl. Ma
jority of the boys are broke and
ready to ship but the only action
around is a few unqualified jobs
and three or four of the local
winos sniping for live ones.
Our honorable and esteemed
agent is in drydock for repairs.
Some dopey dame ran over a stop-
street (and him too) down town
the other afternoon. He had his
one and only suit on at the time
and now both of them look like
they've been run through a cotton
gin. (Anyone not knowing what
a cotton gin is ask some Baldwin
County boy).
For quite some time the officials
of this port have been having
trouble with the WSA Recruit
ment and Manning Branch here.
The old goat in charge of the
thing doesn't know a fid from a
tail shaft and has been refusing to
OK men for their seamen's papers.
He gives some cock and bull story
about having to have three months
discharges or something, which is
a phoney stall to shove MC men,
or some other scrub he's picked up
around town, on the ships. He has
hindered this branch several times
in supplying men on time when
needed. The Govt, would save
some dough by putting him in
charge of an old maids' knitting
club or better yet by buying him
a gun so he can go out behind the
house, and shoot himself.
Here's a hot one—A Ford ship
comes in and the skipper, before
he'll take an AB outa the hall
(don't know whether he called the
WSA or not), sends clear to Jersey
for a man. But don't ^be taken
aback boys,' sooner or later his ex
ecutive ability will be noticed and
he will be appointed to a high
ranking position in the MC, WSA.
We understand that the hall in
Port Everglades is now open.
How's for a piece in the Log, J.K.,
on what's doing down in that
country?
We are in mourning for our
agent in Norfork. We hear he has
outfitted himself with a wife, four
kids, lot, and house completely
furnished with a $4 heater (the
stove is paid for). His headaches
will now shift from the water
front to the home front. Join-the
army, Marty.
Some of the boys note with
some interest that Paul Hall is
Dispatcher in Baltimore. They
orate that it puts therri in mind of
times along during the Alcoa beef
when some of the fair haired suck
ers strayed off the straight and
narrow and reaped a few shiners
for their waywardness. Oh boy,
what was it they called the gang
around Baltimore and Gay, Paul
Hall and his bunch of Tampa
Goons. Water under the bridge,
how it does flow. If it wasn't so
cool a dozen or so of us sunflowers
would ease up to ship but long-
handles are scarce. However, if
any parties commence we'll be
along in time to pay the fiddlers.
In the meantime, keep your hat
from floating, everybody.
STEELY WHITE, 56G
ATLANTIC AND GULF SHIPPING FOR
JAN, 25 TO FEB. 6 INCLUSIVE
,DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL
SHIPPED 381 281 296 864
REGISTERED 290 277 200 767
ON HAND 465 643 211 1279
S.I.U. BUY MORE BONDS TO TUNE OF 25 G*8^
(Cbntinued from Page 1)
WHEREAS: this cash is lying idle in the bank, and
WHEREAS: United States Defense Bonds constitute the safest in
vestment in the world, the entire integrity of the government being their
guarantee, and <
WHEREAS: the government has urgent need of this money to
finance a war in which our members are front linfe fighters, therefore
be it
RESOLVED; that the Secretary-Treasurer of the 'Atlantic and Gulf
District be instructed to withdraw $15,000 from the Strike and Organi
zational Fund, and $10,160 from the Hospital and Burial Fund, and with
this money purchase war bonds, and rie it further
RESOLVED: that a banking committee of 3 men be elected at the
New York Branch meeting to go with the Secretary-Treasurer to deposit
these bonds in the safe deposit box. These bonds shall be examined by
each Quarterly Finance Committee.
THOMAS WILHELM, No. 7473 JAMES H. HANNERS, G-256
ALVIN 0. DE WITT, No. 20258 ALFRED STEWARD, No. 764
WM. MURPHY, No. 23194 i
DO NOT SHIP
W. J. HARKINS G-217
RAYMOND GUZMAN 22795
J. 0. BROPHY 2877
ALBERT 0. GODBOLD ..iNo. 4214
RAMON 0CA8I0 P7206
PERSONALS
E. H. P. JENSON:
Your book has be>n found and
returned to the office of the Secre
tary-Treasurer, in New York.
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