http://seafarerslog.org/archives/files/original/6221d107fc9c72d5841aee1d6ccf2fe9.PDF b34f90cb57f625b36f5315d873357a1d PDF Text Text I' •>v • 1- SECSRITY IN ^ URITY VOL. V. if. OFFICIAL OSOAN OF THE ATLAHTIC AND GOLF DISTEICT, SEAFAEEKS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA ' 2S0 NEW YORK, N.Y., FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 1943 Seafe,rers Join West Coast Unions In War On RMO Fink-Card System NMURank And Filers Outraged Over Curran Role On Fink-Cards Rank and file members of the NMU are just as burned up over the RMO fink card system as are the SIU and SUP men. And because of this the Stalinist NMU leadership is on the spot and squirming. Having served as the labor cover for the WSA - RMO fink maneuvers, and having •> No. 8 actually sponsored such shipping^ ly said (believe it or not . . . it's rules' as those recently laid down in the minutes) that the SIU was by Macauley and the WSA, the responsible for the new RMO NMU leadership is hard pressed to rules. explain to its * membership just Here are his exact words: what goes. "These are rules laid down by Take the NMU membership the government. As far as the meeting held on March 11 in Man­ NMU is concerned, we laid down hattan Center when one after an war-time shipping rules . . , But other rank and filer took the floor the other unions, the SIU ... a to denounce the RMO draft set-up. man from those unions could stay Joe Stack was the chairman and on the beach . . . those are the became rather desperate and final- unions th.at brought this thing about." What Stack is saying, in plain Shlpowners Ride English, is that the' NMU rolled The Gravy Train over and played dead dog every 1941, a year when the ship­ time the WSA barked, but the SIU owners were fighting tooth and didn't retreat before the shipown­ nail against the wage demands er pressure and because they didn't of the men who sailed their retreat the WSA cracked down ships, saw fantastic profits roll­ with the new rules. ed up by the shipowners. The The truth of the matter is that profits totaled more than the the RMO felt strong enough to value of the ships themselves. enforce the new rules precisely be­ This was revealed last week in cause of the retreats beat by the a report given the House Mer­ chant Marine Subcommittee by {Continued on Psge 4) the Maritime Commission. Of course, the Maritime Com­ mission didn't like to reveal the figures, especially since they had approved the rate4, but the whole thing was printed in the Congressional Record and now becornM. public property. The seamen that sweat and die aboard the rust buckets sent to sea can now read how rosey life s for the men that- sit ashore and rake in the profits. Here is the profit sheet — in sach case it is greater than the value of the vessels used to bring home the gravy; American Export Lines $1,572,144 American Hawaiian Line 3,096,749 Gal mar S.S..Co. ...... 2,639,989 Isthmian S.S. Co. 2,529,292 Luckenback S.S. Co. . . 3^79,729 Matson Navigation Co., 995,3M McCormick S.S. Co. .. 743.516 Remember, these aren't the complete profit sheets of the op­ erators, these figures represent only the gravy from runs made to the Red Sea with Lend-Lease supplies for the British Empire. Remember the battle we. had getting a Red Sea bonus from these profit glutted shipowners? Acting swiftly to join the West Coast unions in war upon the Union busting plans of the Recruitment and Manning Organization of the War Shipping Administration, the Seafarers International Union voted up and down the coast last week to follow the lead of the Sailors Union of the Pacific and reject the RMO-fink card system. By joining the West Coast unions in this battle, the SIU swells the ranks of protest•ing seamen to 70,000 men on both* coasts. Every maritime union, with where the RMO is attempting to the exception of the NMU, has set up a continuous discharge rec­ ord to be used in the future moves now announced its opposition to against union militants. the RMO plan. Should the seamen lose their bat­ Henceforth SIU men will refuse tle on the "second front," a vic­ to sign the RMO draft registration tory on the first front would in­ cards when they are submitted to deed be empty. - FT. TRUMBALL, CONN. — them at the end of a voyage. SIU The WSA was petitioned by over In fighting the RMO's finky men will refuse to aid the anti800 officer candidates in the school plans, the seamen are not" violating Union RMO in setting up a superhere last week who went on rec­ any Selective Service regulations black list in Washington. SIU ord as strongly opposed to the re­ laid down for the maritime indus­ men will continue to sail the ships, cent rulings depriving the seamen try. Furthermore, SIU and SUP will observe all the laws and regu­ of Port Area Bonuses, and revising men will observe the shipping reg­ lations pertaining to those ships, "-.he War Risk Insurance, which ulations and directives issued by but they will fight for their rights curtails the seamen's rights and the War Manpower Commission. as union men. offers scant protection to them SIU-SUP men are active seamen The seamen now have their own engaged in transporting supplies to sailing under war-time conditions. "second front" in this war. Their the war fronts and in so doing, en­ The protest was addressed to first front is the torpedoes and dure hardships fully comparable to Capt. Macauley of the WSA and bombs they face at sea. Their those endured by the fighting vigorously points out the injustice of the new policies and declare "second frotit" is here at home forces. These unsung heroes will them to be adverse to the morale not shirk their duty on the high of the seamen. seas, but neither will they surren­ Notice Ofi Assessments A copy of the protest, printed der to the enemies at home. at the request of SIU members at­ March 31 was the deadline for the From the time our unions were tending the school at Ft. Trum­ payment of strike and hospital as­ smashed in 1921 by the old Shipbull, is as follows: sessments. Any member that has ping Board until the revival of March 23, 1943 not payed these assessments is now unionism in 1934, the chains of From: Officer Candidates, (Signa­ sea slavery weighed heavily on the considered in bad standing until tures attached) USMS, Fort men of the merchant marine. The they are paid. Trumbull. black list and fink book were used Protect your union rights and To: Captain Edward Macauley, to disorganize and demoralize the privileges—pay your assessments! {C<mimmed om P»ge 4) men. Those memories are vivid . too vivid to allow a seaman with a spark of self respect and courage to passively accept a repetition of this whole finky pattern all over again after this war. Ft. Trumbull Men Protest Bonus Chiseling Stranded WSA Graduates Are Disillusioned About Set-Up Last week a kid wearing a disconsolate ex­ pression on his face and on his back, one of the monkey suits given out by the Maritime Commis­ sion training schools, wandered into the union hall in New. York. He dropped into a chair and announced, "To liell with it, I'm going back to the farm." "Four months ago," he continued, "the Mari­ time Commission sent a lot of posters out to my home town which said that there was a big shortage of seamen, that seamen make $300 a month, and that all you had to do to help the war effort and to make this big dough was to go to one of the schools run by the WiSA." The old-timers in the hall began to smile, for . they knew, the story only too well. It had been told time and agaun by disillusioned graduates of the WSA schools. "Well, I left home and went to the school at Sheepshead Bay," the kid said, "and here I am high and dry. I can't get no job at any salary— let alone the 300 bucks I heard about." This kid and his tale of woe was'typical of- hundreds of graduates that come into SIU halls every week. Under the WSA training program thousands of unrated men have been turned into the maritii^industry which has no jobs for them. And even as these green, unemployable "seamen" hang around aimlessly o.n the beach, the WSA is conducting a drive for more funds to increase its training program. This month Telfair Knight, Director of the U.S. Maritime Training Service, requested that the government appropriate $83,000,000 in public funds to pour 73,000 more green men into the industry. What Mr. Knight proposes to do with these men is not made clear in his request for funds. He talks vaguely about a shortage of seamen— but he knows full well the shortage is of rated men, not the type of seamen turned out by his schools. He knows full well that his program will further glut the beaches with unemployable men who will become demoralized from inactiv­ ity. Behind all this, of course, is the hope held by {Conti/tned on Page 4) And it is just such a pattern which the RMO has in mind . . . there can be no doubt about that. TTiis struggle with the RMO over tlie fink card is but one bat­ tle in a long war between the seamen.^3nd their enemies, a war which is destined to reach its decisive stage when the Axis has been de feated abroad and the shipowners really open up in their drive on union wages and conditions. What union men must bear in mind is the fact that should they lo^ to the RMO on this fink card issue, then the final battle with the ship­ owners is going to be just that much tougher. DOxN'T CARDS! SIGN THE DON'T FIELP HANGMEN PLACE A FINK THE ROPE AROUND YOUR NECK! CAR­ RY ON THE FIGHT FOR DEM­ OCRATIC RIGHTS AND FOR FREE TRADE UNIONS! �/ THE Page Two SEAFARERS' LOG Friday, April 16, 1943 PuilUh^a ly th» WHATpOVERTIME PAY FOR LONGER HOURS.' ;^WHE(?e& HIS PAmiGTlS'M? SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA Atlantic and Gull District Attiliat*A wWfe tif Amsricaii FsS^rati^n of Lator HARRY LUNDEBERG, Intomotioncd Pr*Bid*nt 110 inCarkst Street, Room 402, Son Frandaco, CoUL AJfDRXBB ALL OOREEBPONDENOM OONOERNINa TBtB PUBLICATION TO: "THE SEAFASEBS' LOG P. O. 25, Station P, New York, N. Y. Phones BOwUng Green 9-8346 . lI J?" f] REPORT FROM Washington / WHAT?oNLy#25;ooo2s By Matthew Dmhane I AFFEE TAXES yWE^E'S AAY \KIC&MTl\/e? U. S. Coast Guard: The merchant marine council held a meeting on March 31, 1943 to discuss the following: "141.2 Abled Seamen Substitutions. (1) The Master of any inspected vessels may substitute for any able seaman required by the certificate of inspection therefore, any certified seaman who has had not less than than six months experience on deck at sea or who has successfully completed the prescribed three months of deck training at a Maritime Training School: pro­ vided, that (1) the Master of such vessel has made every reason­ able effort to obtain such able seaman. (2) such substitution is necessary to permit such vessel to sail without delay, and (3) such Master sends a written report of such substitution in du­ plicate, by mail or otherwise, to the nearest Coast Guard Mer­ chant Marine Inspector in charge prior to the departure of the vessel. Such report shall contain the name and certificate num­ next move is to eliminate the unions completely from the maritime ber of each seaman aubatitutcd for an able seaman and shall be field. signed by the Master. Under this waiver the WSA can place men who have never been (B) In the event that such Master is not able to obtain able to sea, but have been in a U. S. Maritime Training School (WSA) for seaman, or substitutes therefor with the qualifications specified three months, on board any merchant ships as able seamen, but ordin­ in sub-section (A) hereof, but only in such event, certified sea­ men Whose (lualifications are less than those specified in sub­ ary seamen who have been to sea less than six months and have been section (.\) hereof may be substituted for able seamen in -ac­ torpedoed arc not accorded the privelcg'e to go to sea as an able seamen cordance with the subject to all the conditions of Section 141.3 if there is a shortage of AB's when the ship is signing on. This move hereof. by the WSA is t6 unload some of the trainees that they have laying 111.3 General Substitutions. Sulijert to tiie limitation with around, and they will then start another campaign' to train more men respect to able seamen specified in Section 141.2 hereof, the for the industry, and fulfill their contracts to the manufacturers of Maater of any inspected vessel maj', if such action is necessary to permit such vessel to .sail without delay, substitute for any uniforms that they are giving to officers and trainees free of charge. licensed officer or rated seaman refluired as part of the com­ This whole set-up stinks on ice. plement of such vessel by the certificate of inspection therefore, any licensed officer or lower rank, who is an American citizen, or any certified seaman of lower rating: provided, that (1) the They have finally Called the meeting, that for several reasons was deficiency in complement is not caused by the consent, fault or always postponed and the following representatives attended: collusion of tlie Master, Owner or any other person interested V. J. Malone of the MFOW; Capt. C. Mays of the M. M. & P.; J. in the vessel, (2) the Master, prior to the signing on of the crew, make every reasonable effort to obtain such retjuired licensed Hawk of the SIU and yours truly. Mr. McPherson represented the officer or rated seaman, (3) the person substituted for such "WMC, Selective Service also had a representative there. required licensed officer or rated seaman is the best qualified All the union representatives that attended the meeting informed substitute therefor that the Master could obtain. Mr. McPherson of their memberships' objection to the directive that (4) The Master is of the opinion that the vessel is suffici­ give the RMO of WSA the authority to act for the SS in informing ently manned for the contemplated voyage, and (5) the 'Master, them of the movements of active seamen. prior to departure pi-eparea, executes and files with or sends to the Shipping Commissioner before whom the crew was-signed After several hours discussion, Mr. McPherson of the WMC plan­ on or, in cases when the crew is not required to be signed on ning division informed the union representatives that the 'WMC will before a Shipiring Commissioner, to the nearest Merchant Mar­ not make any changes in the directive, unless the unions agree to give ine Imspector in charge, two copies of a report for each substi­ the RMO a chance to operate under tik: directive that the "WMC issued tution made," Unquote. to Selective Service. The WSA has requested the Coast Guard that the law be waived, Mr. V, j. Malone recommended that the WMC issue a supplement­ and the above be substituted. Mr. T. Knight of the training division al directive, wherein, the master of the vessel will send the perforated of the WSA made the statement that in the port of New York there were Fifteen ships that missed their convoy in the last month due to post cards directly to the local boards, instead of to the RMO. This was my recommendation to the WMC when tliis dispute first started the shortage of qualified seamen, mostly Able Seamen. Mr. Knight did not back up his statements to the councU with the months ago. Mr. McPherson refused to give this any consideration, and names of ships that missed their convoys, or what effort was made to the meeting broke up with me making a statement that we were going get the needed qualified. men to man the ships so that they would be to take this dispute up with the Labor Management Policy committee. Mr. McPherson also informed us that he was instructed by Mr. Harper able to sail with the convoys mentioned. I took the position that this waiver of the law discriminates against to refer this dispute to the same committer if we did not agree to let the ordinary seamen who are members of the organizations that I rep­ the RMO handle it. So it now looks as though we will know where we resent, and that we feel that the Coast Gtjard, is in a position to know stand on this dispute, and see whether the L-M-Policy committee will whether there is a shortage of qualified Able Seamen better than the uphold us on our stand that this directive will upset the whole industry. There is one very vital point that was broyght out by Col. MenWSA, as their shipping commissioners sign on and clear all ships. delson of Selective Service. Any seaman who is ordered reclassified or This looks to me like the final brazen attempt by the WSA .o place men into the industry who have never been to sea, and put ordered to appear for his physical examination and be inducted into the them in positions where qualified men are required to carry out all the Army, can appeal to bis local board, and request that his appeal be heard in the Port or City where the seaman is at the time that he is safety measures adopted by the Coast Guard. ordered to appear. If a' seaman is registered in any state, and he is in We know that the WSA is not concerned with safety measures, San Francisco ashore when he receives his notice from his local board, their whole objective since they have been given the control of the training program by the President of the U.S., by an executive order, lets say Montana, he or the Union can request that his appeal be heard War Manpower Commission: |:f: Is is to flood the industry with seamen, and from all indications their (Continued on Page 3) . .< MOBILE .The chief PIE CARD for tha New Orleans branch, Broclter Armstrong, arrived here Sunday after being out for SYz months ducking submarines and he did not look any the worse for it. And, Brother that crew certain­ ly rates the E pennant. The three department delegates had every­ thing in order and the entire cresy was so tickled about it th^jT contributed $143.00 to the Sea^ farers Log. Now, that's a mark for tlie other ships to shoot at. Deck $33.00; Engine $43.00, and Stew­ ards $43.00. OLDEN BANKS. Agetd. SAVANNAH Just a line to let the boys knosy I am expecting new ships out od the 9th, 17th, 24th and 30th o£ this month. Will be looking .fof men with all ratings in all depatxirjents. Now is the chance for fll you boys who want to ship to g«C yourself a berth. Come on doiwit to this port and I know I'll bo able to use you. Steady as she goes. CHARLES WAID, Agef$P CORRECTION ON SHOE RATIONING In the last issue of the LOG it was stated by error that sea­ men would be required to obtain a ration book from the CPA In order to buy shoes. The correct procedure in New York is for the seamen cpming in from service to apply to the S1|J Hall and obtain a letter from the agent. He is thsn sent directly to the rationing board at 150 Nassau Street, New York, and given a permit to purchase the shoes. �>,s?';:VT Friday, April 16, 1943 ' Washii^on Report {Contimud from Page 2) THE SEAFARERS' Alien Seamen Restricted By New W.S.A. Rules The employment of alien sea­ men on American, Panamslnian and Honduran vessels chartered to the War Shipping Administration, was sharply curtailed this last week by a new amendment to shipping rules handed down by the WSA. According to the new amend­ ment operators of WSA sljips may not employ: (a) any Norweigian, Nether­ lands, Belgian, Polish, Yugoslavian, Greek, or British national who was not employed on April 8, 1942, or had not been employed prior, to that date, or Naval Gun Crews: Selective Service Procedure: Page Three LOG In San Francisco instead of liim going to Montana or any other state to submit his appeal. This will enable our members to now request that their appeal for a reclassification or re-order in their draft status to now be heard in whatever port they are in. The local board will sub­ mit the files on the man's case to whatever city the appeal will belicard. If the WMC directive is not revised and a longer period is not allowed, it is to the interest of the merchant seamen to see that they do hot overstay the time limit that is allowed under the direciye, which is limited to Thirty Days. If the seamen do not fill out the RMO cards or do not sign them and they stay within the time limit allowed by fi^ective Service, my opinion' is that they are still active seamen, and the local board that will hear their appeals and give them considera­ tion a!s active seamen under the limits of the Selective Service memor­ andum 182, thirty-day limit. - (b) any Brazilian national who was not employed on Feb. 1, 1943 or had not been employed prior to I attended a WSA conference called by Wyckoff and Pennington that date, except by consent of at which they proposed that the WSA put eight additional men on the "properly accredited representatives ships to replace members of the gun crews; I informed them that I had of the nation involved." no authority to commit the organization to their proposal and inform­ Behind this ruling is the difficul­ ed them that if they intended to do anything regarding the increasing ties experienced by "United Na­ of the compliment of the ships' crews, they should write a letter to all tion" shipowners in keeping their maritime unions involved so that the membership of the unions could own ships manned when they pay express their opinions. This they refused to, do. scab wages. This rule will force The NMU is sending men to the WSA training schools to get the alien seamen to get off Ameri­ training in the handling of guns. In answer to my question as to ca nsliips and sail their own t^st whether the WSA had made any deal with the NMU regarding putting pots at low wages and poor condi­ these men on the ships, they informed me that the WSA had made no tions, deal with the NMU. Before merchant seamen are to take on the responsibility of manI > ning the guns, there are certain problems that I believe should be an­ swered by some authorized government agency. 1. Are merchant seamen going to get the same disability benefits that the men in the armed forces get? If the merchant seamen handle the guns they certainly become members of the armed forces. Men in the armed forces get $100 per month for total disability received in line of duty. Under the present set up seamen receive only $3,000 for total disability received in line of duty. 2. If merchant seamen are interned, their wages go on for a period of two years only. If men.in the armed forces are interned their wages go on until they arc discharged from the services. 3. Will merchant seamen receive civil service consideration the same as men in the armed forces? 4. There arc other benefits that the men in the armed forces are entitled to. If the merchant seamen handle the guns are they going to receive these benefits. ir-rii^r T^r^FT PERSONALS SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICAN ATLANTIC and GULF DISTRICT I >] Secretary-TreasnreFs Officp ROOM 213 — 8 STONE STREET, NEW YORK CTTT PJO, Bex 85, Station Phone BOwling Green 9-534* Directory of Branches PHONE ADDRESS 2 Stono St Dispatcher's Offics BOwllnc Green 9-8346 Asrent. BOwlins Green 9-3437 BOSTON 330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4067 BALTIMORE ........14 North Gay St.... Calvert 4639 PHILADELPHIA..: 6 North eth St Lombard 7651 NORFOLK 25 Commercial PL Norfolk 4-1053 NEW ORLEANS 309 Chartres St Canal 3336 SAVANNAH 218 East Bay St...; Savannafa 3-1723 TAI^A. 423 East Piatt St Tampa MM-1323 88 So. ConceptioB SL.... Dial 2-1392 PUERTO RICO.......... 45 Ponce de Leon Puerto de TIerra ^LVESTON 219 20th Street Galveston 2-8043 FT. LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway.. BRANCH NEW YORK Out of the Focsl by 4. X. Many of the brothers come into Headquarters complaining about the maritime trainees aboard SIU ships. The- brothers forget that it is their duty to teach these fellows unionism so they will be able to carry on in the future. Every man has to learn the ropes at one time or an­ other and if they will take time out to sit on the hatch and give the boys the right score, they will become good Union brothers. As an added reminder, a lot of the old-timers are being lost at sea and if you don't teach the youngsters, who is going to help us carry on after the war is over? AAA DANIEL BOYCE Contact Silas Blak* Axtell, Moore Street, New York City. 15 FREDERICK SHIELDS Your book has been found and is in Headquarters office n New York City. CARL 0. JOHNSON, No. 7438 It is important that you contact Mr. Conroy of the FBI in New York City. OLIVER JACKS Your family is worried abfiut you Write them at once. DANIEL BOYCE Your case is coming up the mid­ dle of this month. You should con­ tact your attorney, Silas^B. Axtell, at once. The record of 83 days in a lifeboat is going to stand for a long time, but the SIU members are striving to break the record. Prior to this time, Jules Souza held the record, having been in a lifeboat for 34 days. Recently, 28 brothers were in a lifeboat for 22 days. The only complaint the brothers had were against the licensed officers. Besides being first in the lifeboat, they kept drinking all the water they wished, while they rationed the crew to 2 ounces of water a day. The boys couldn't do much about it, as they kept a gun on them all the while. AAA XX-^e regret to hear that Tom Ciminski was recently lost through enemy action. One of the Waterman ships that was lost took a heavy toll of old-iiiners from the Gulf. We regret to hear of their loss. Seafarers' Log- ^• WSA instruction'Number 49, dated March 4, 1943 dealing with FRANK PEINERT the procedure to be followed in deferment of seamen was discussed at Your union book has been found a meeting called by the WSA this week.' and is now at the Andrew Furuseth Representatives of the RMO tried to convey the idea to all the Club, 30 East 37 St. New York City. GASTON SMITH union representatives that in order for a seaman to get defered he mu4t Your sister is trying to locate comply with this instruction (fink card system). Tlaey based their FOSTER, M. statements on a letter signed by different representatives dated 11-18-42 you. Write her at 361 S. Rampart BOYD, W. E. Street, New Orleans. and sent to the chairman of the War Manpower Commission. BAN SELLERS, WALTER WIL­ HOWELL, P. T. As one of the- signers of this letter, I protested that the letter in no ALDERMAN, W. D. SON, LLOYD BLANCHARD, HERRERA, R. way. requested the WMC to empower the RMO to act as an agent for JOSE GALARZA, JOHN DOWELL, G. R. H. SPEARMAN Selective Service. Tliis letter is carried in full in the Nov. 27, 1942 KUSCHKE, WM. F. . The case of William Brown who issue of the SEAFARERS' LOG. I further emphasized that the unions, : was hurt aboard the Delraar is MAXIN when they signed this letter, asked for a blanket deferment of merchant coming up soon. Please contact At­ HUDNALL. N. H. seamen under the present Selective Service directive No. XVIII. torney Bentley Byrnes in New Or­ RODREGUEZ, F. KENDRICK, D. J. This conference looks to me as though it was called for the specific leans. CAPOTO, A. purpose of discussing certain problems, but mainly to be used with the BURNETT, W. N. WMC in further helping the RMO to put their program over. Under MERCER, A. the discussion of Selective Service the conference was cut short when AJON, A. The following brothers have pa BREGARA, G. the meeting got hot. Mr. Dimock stated that it was past the adjourn­ ment hour which was set at 3:30 and yours truly had the floor after pers and discharges in the Balti EAGER, R. T. ROMM, A. sitting there like the Sphinx all day listening to their gas. However, I more hall: WILBER L. FOYLER SOILEAU had inserted in the record that the SUP and SIU was opposed to the PAUL JAMES COOK DILLIVIG RMO having anything to do with the question of seamen's deferment. WILLMONT L. DRAPER CREED, J This was done mainly so that the RMO could not go to the WMC and JOHN HENSUMS CARASCO, R. say that they had a meeting with all the representatives of the mari­ WALTER LEIGHTON SPIVAL JOHN B. FULTON JERRY time industry and that none of them had raised any objections to the JOHN L. HOFFMAN ATWELL, J. new set-up. SARVIS, W. W. Since that meeting was held I have received a bulletin issued by LOYOLA, -A. the Selective Service which is headed, "Activity and Occupational Bul­ HERBERT PARKER letin No. 26-2." I advise all agents to get one of these from their local Thomas Morgan, R. Snell, W. GEORGE WINSLOW boards as it is important to have one. I am of the opinion that it will Little, J. Austrawski, Ralph Wil­ M. A. O'BRIEN help to clear up some of the confusion that exists as to a seamen's liams, E. Bsvsre, R. Snell, John R. PUERTO RICO CREW S. 8. WLLLIAM TILGHMAN status. On page four of this bulletin it specifically states, that a mer­ Wollard, John W. McKenna. A. V. Wilk, J. J. Austraushi, Leo An- CREW S. S. CALMAR chant seaman actively engaged should be classified in 2-B or lower, as nunen, C. H. Cook, J. CIdrk. Doug­ CREW S. S. CITY OF MONTGOMERY such' service may properly be considered as t^tamouat to military las C, Spiers, P4050; Con Houston, TOTAL P527; Sam Frisdman, Pj3128. service. ' HONOR ROLL . . . . . . . . . . . . . Notice From Baltimore . , $1JOO 1.00 .60 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1J)0 .50 J50 .50 1.00 1.00 .50 433 30 1.00 .25 .50 .50 1.00 .75 IJOO 1.00 .50 1.00 1.00 24K) 54)0 5.00 22.00 8.00 84)0 DO NOT SHIP $724)0 .-.'•ii 'V-;-, m �Page Four Friday, April 16, 1943 THE SEAFARERS' LOG NMURank And Filers Stranded WSA Graduates Are Outraged Over Curran Disillusioned About Set-Up Role On Fink-Cards {Continued from Page^l) .%• ,;''iV •. «--< • -. Il¥; li't I,: V- I! '•?- ' SI' • iS:. . construction and equipment and then choQse ouf department. I chose the deck department, ^ I; should have choosen steward—^at least I might now be able to get a job slinging hash in some ulcer factory. "The fifth week is called 'work week' and we ' do kitchen police, stand security and watches -^4 on and 8 off outside and 6 to 6 irtslde. ^Fmni J; the fifth to thirtWnth week wfi get departmental: training and we MARCH! At the end of the thirti^nth week we graduate if we have received our life boat ticket. That is all we have—a life boat ticket, no AB, no fireman, nothing. I stand as much chance getting a job now as if I had never gone to the school at all. "Why the WSA has hundreds of us fellows stached away in mid-town hotels and nothing to do with us. Things are so bad that they are now offering to send us back to school again for "ad­ vance training,' what ever the hell that is. Even ' if you take the 'advanced training* you don't come out with an AB ticket, and that's what a man needs to be sure of shipping." There was little comfort that the old-timers or the union dispatcher could give the kid. True, there were jobs for ordinaries coming in all the time, but the union had 5 men for each job and it certainly didn't look like a shortage of ordin­ aries would develop in the near.future. As the kid got out of his chair and started tO' leave the hall, he scratched his head and said, "There's one thing I can't understand. This WSA outfit is still recruiting men for their schools and keeps 10,000 going through Sheepshead Bay in 13 week periods. Why do they do that? They can't give 'em jobs when they get out. It don't make sense." No, it doesn't make sense if you view it from the needs of the industty. But then, the shipr owners and brass diats have other problems be­ sides winning this war—they have the unions to smash. Their training program is aimed less at Hitler than at organized labor on the waterfront. Mr. Knight and his shipowner sponsors that these revelation of the whole finky role {Continued from Page 1) trainees can eventually be used to fink upon union NMU leadership. Had Curren and played by- the Stalinist leadership men and break down conditions, Company stood and fought this of the NMU. It is a leadership As.a matter of fact, the entire training pro­ issue the way the rest of maritime which will go to any lengths to gram is aimed at wiping out any union ideas the labor did, the rules would never suppress militant rank and filers trainees might have had when they enrolled. have been handed down in the first who want to fight for unionism. "Naw, we never heard any talk about union In the years to come, when the place. conditions," said the kid, "we spent our time Not one word of criticism of unions are finally joined in a life marching in these monkey suits. Every day we • the RMO fink card system has or death struggle with the ship­ had to march and drill and parade, and on our come from Curran or appeared in owners and their RMO fink halls, time off we had athletics and setting up exercises. The Pilot. As a matter of fact, let the seamen remember that Cur­ ran helped set up those halls, that I went there to learn to saS a ^ip, but instead I Tbe Pilot hailed the new rules as he once said, "there is nothing learned how to march." a victory for the seamen. The Feb. 26 issue oi The Pilot reported wrong with them." The kid went on to explain that the. whole at­ the new fink cards in a story mosphere of the Sheepshead Bay ^school is a mil­ headlined "Active Seamen Needn't itary one, and that the men are even forced to Report At Draft Board." The practice commando tactics! What relationship whole story was written in such commando tactics have to sailing a ship is some­ manner so as to make the rank thing that even Mr. Telfair Knight would have and file think that they were no difUculty in explaining. UnlesSj ^of course, it longer going to be kicked around teaches the men how to smash a picket line. by the Draft Boards, but now {Continued from Page 1) "And those commando drills; were the real would be protected by the union. USN (ret.). Deputy Admin­ •.stuff," the kid said. "Here arc the casualties for Stack, at the March 11 meeting, istrator, War Shipping Ad­ March: 7 fractured legs, 1 rupture, several brok­ continued this fake when he said ministration, W a s h i n g ton, en ribs, 2 concussions, and 1 brolten neck. Boy, that the new RMO rules have D. C. "given a certain amount of power am I glad I'm through with that stuff." Via: (1) Superintendent, U. S. to the Union." The'Sheepshead Bay school is the largest of the Maritime Service Officers Sure, it empowers the unions to several on both coaSts operated by the WSA. It School, Fort Trumbull, New act as finger men for the RMO in has a continuous enrollment of 10,000 men. London, Connecticut. placing their own members on the "The training period is 13 weeks," the kid ex­ (2) Commandant, U. S. Mar­ spot. What kind of power is that? itime Service, Washington, plained, "but you may be out there longer because What is significant in Stack's D. C. you wait until your section is filled before you weasal words is that the NMU (3) Assistant Deputy Admin­ start learning anything. I was out there damn leaders are on the defensive before istrator for Training, War near a week before my section was at full strength an outraged rank and file. The Shipping Administration, of 60 men and we started on the old merry-goNMU minutes for this particular Washington, D. C. round. meeting list man after man as tak­ Subject: Second Seamen's War ing the floor to denounce the RMO Risk Policy and Bonus Rates. "The first week we cleaned quarters and stood fink card plan and the NMU lead­ 1. We, the undersigned Officer fire watches. The second, third, and fourth week ers for failing to oppose it. Candidates, are at present students we- learned ship's structure and terminology, Robert McElroy is quoted as in the United States Maritime Ser­ rowing, swimming and marching. Boy did we saying, "I think if the officials of vice Officers' School at Fort Trum­ march! On the fourth week we learned life boat the Union would take a little more bull, New London, Connecticut. interest in things like this instead Most of us have returned from re­ of some of the political maneuvers cent sea duty, many -of us have Lake Ships To Be Armed that go on, we would have a much met enemy action, and all" of us stronger union. As it is right now, will return to sea and finish the Lakes freighters which operate the Administration is putting job that democracy has allotted to in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, or in Army disbursing officers have been instructed by the U. 8. things over on the seamen and the Merchant Marine. Army Chief of .^taff. General George C. Marshall, to exchange, the St. Lawrence River below the workers in general that Y guarantee 2. We, probably more than any Saguenay, will be armed this sea­ money for merchant seamen in foreign ports. Effective immedi­ you this Union would be in the ate the follow exchange rate is in approval: other group of American citizens, son according to a statement re­ air over if it would have happened VALUE IN U.S. realize the need for a strong Mer­ leased in Ottawa by-the Navy. a couple of years ago." COUNTRY UNIT CURRENCY chant Marine and the needs of its A number of merchant ships Another unidentified member personnel. Therefore, we submit were destroyed in this area by United Kingdom Pound $4,035 took the floor to say, "I would our names to you as being strong­ enemy subs last season. Australia.. 3.228 like to know why they arc trying ly opposed to the new bonus rates Bermuda 4.04 to squeeze us. It looks like they Egypt..... and insurance policy proposed by 4.138 , Papers Lost arc trying to get rid of us good Iraq Dinar. • .4;0425 the Maritime War Emergency union men. British Ebst Africa...., Pound 4.04M Board. •,y Cari B. Alfred, Fircnian-OilerAnd so it went until the great lndia......._.,.-„ Rupee .3030 3. We believe the new policy to Watertender, has lost all his papers Curran himself felt called upon rn British West Africa Pound 4.056 be unjust and, as a consequence, and discharges. Anyone finding South Africa take the floor and stem the pro­ 4i^ • will have adverse effect on the them should forward them to the B^gian Congo 'Franc .02291 tests. Curran is a more experienc­ morale, of seamen. office of the Secretary-Treasurer; Iran , : Rial .03125 ed and cynical bureaucrat than 4. Should not the Merchant Franc .023 Frenich Equatorial Africa.. New York City. Stack. He didn't attempt to ap­ Marine be extended benefits worthy .1545 Iceland... Krona pease the outraged rank and file. of their- sacrifice upon the high He didn't give any grudging ad­ seas in their efforts toward victory? ATTENTION CREW OF mission that the RMO might be a 5. We urgently request that the fink outfit determined to sabotage S. S. SHICKSHINNY ATLANTIC AND GULF SHIPPING FOR issue be re-examined and that a maritime labor. Not Curran. MARCH 22 TO APRIL 5 more equitable decision be render-, "Brothers, those rules arc exact­ The orew which payed off the ed. DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL Shickshnny last November have ly the same as our shipping rules," 6. Assuring you that we are 60% bonus money coming for the he said. "We were able to make 308 270 199 775 . SHIPPED not only proud of the records our. portion of the trip from the West them (RMO) adopt the Union shipmates are inscribing in the his­ Coast of South America to the 269 250 101 ^. REGISTERED shipping rules." tory of the United States, but that Panama Canal. The following men There it is—cold turkey. It ON HAND 200 187 90 487 on our return to sea we will strive' should call for their vouchers at wasn't the SIU after all, it was to better those records. the office of the South Atlantic Curran who helped the RMO Cnmpbell, Omar Ames, Harold W. Holmes, Chester Baker, Marcus J, Steamship Company: draw up-its fink plan. Greenlee, Hal F. Stern, Victor E. Franklin. Henry McCann, William I. Lang, IN MEMORY OF "You got those rules now," Martin, Vincent J. Gretz, Leonard Victor M. Woodward, Alfred LenW. Paradeau, Joseph Reho, Peter BROTHER Curran thundered, "There is noth­ ton, Birger K. Tangedahl, Leroy T. Bush, Ralph Douglas, Raymond J. ing wrong with them " JOSEPH NENE, O.S. C.leary, Solomon Albert, Joseph Ricketts, Frederick Oliver, Garland Money Due All this is in the minutes—^ Sharpe, David Hall, Alexander Gur1897 • 1943 Crew of S. S. Alcoa Banner fiavS: skie, Alfred H. Williams, Byron J. Bonney, Louis Wilson, Jr., Rufus black and white—for anybody to Died Outswood, Ky., Hospital, Godfrey, Oswald G. Pederson, Ccn- $125 bonus money coming. Gofleet: Kanapaux, Peter Capo, Louis Dorfread. | January 30, 1943 meister. William N. Srytz, John P. stantine Dobrovolsky, Qterga B. at 17 Battery Place, New York City, Curran's words are a cynical i Ft. Trumbull Men Protest Bonus Chiseling Currency Exchange Rates li: •f-;^ 1^"-- iv.'" ft- � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. 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Title A name given to the resource April 16, 1943 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. V, No. 8 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Description An account of the resource Headlines: SEAFARERS JOIN WEST COAST UNIONS IN WAR ON RMO FINK-CARD SYSTEM NMU RANK AND FILERS OUTRAGED OVER CURRAN ROLE ON FINK-CARDS FT. TRUMBULL MEN PROTEST BONUS CHISELING STRANDED WSA GRADUATES ARE DISILLUSIONED ABOUT SET-UP Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 04/16/1943 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America 1943 Periodicals Seafarers Log