http://seafarerslog.org/archives/files/original/f8fa40acf89f3f9527c536ac399cf398.PDF edd2d24f410e14fb7c1591cbedf27171 PDF Text Text offTumi. 0!B,&MS &t Tss jom msnaoT, ttBAFABElS' XVIBIirASIIIirAli imiOfI OT HOBZH AXDOOA NEW YORK, N. Y.. FRIDAY. JULY 21. 1944 VeL VI. No. 21 Union To Appear SUP-SIU Members Feared Before War Labor Lost In Munitions Blast Board On Electricians At Port Chicago Navy Dock NEW YORK, N. Y., July 21—Briefs have been filed before the National War Labor Board by John Hawk, At­ lantic and Gulf District Sec'y-Treasurer of the SIU of NA' PORT CHICAGO,r CalifJuly 18—terrific blast at the Naval ammunition load­ in a continuing dispute regarding the ratings of Chief and ing dock here last night cost the lives of 80 merchant seamen, an estimated 300 Naval 2nd Electricians on many of the Class Cl, C2, C3 and C4 pfersohnel, and two ships manned by civilians. One of the vessels, the E. A. Bryan of the vessels sailing for companies un-^ Asst. Engineer, with the 2nd (Oliver J. Olson Lipes was under contract to the SUP and manned with a full SUP-SIU der contract to the Union. The NWLB announced this Electrician responsible to Engin­ crew. One SUP-SIU Oil Barge also was lost with all hands. No accurate count has been week that the formal hearing of eers in charge only when tending the War Shipping Panel will take winches. The rules also call for completed as yet by the Naval authorities. limiting their duties to electrici place in Washington, D. C., Mon­ day, July 24. At this hearing tes­ ial work only; and deems no "re­ other was "only sives" and the The destroyed vessels were the timony for both the shipowners fusal of duty" in case an electri­ slightly loaded' when the blasts 10,000-ton Quinault Victory, a and the Union will be heard and cian should refuse to perform occurred. work which would render him Victroy ship delivered a week ago recommendations will be made. Capt. John Hendrickson and liable to electrocution. by the Oregon Shipbuilding Cor­ The Union has already submit­ poration at Portland, Ore., and seven members of his crew of for­ ted proposals calling for $207 per As well as that the proposals the 7,500-ton E. A. Bryan, a Lib­ ty-one assigned to the Bryan month for Chief Electricians and call for many overtime provisions erty ship delivered by Richmond were on authorized shore liberty $184 per month for 2nd Electri-1 on the questions of installing adYard No. 2 March 8. Both yards last night and were presumed to cians, wages, which of course will ditional equipment and work af­ in the crew . CAMDEN, N. J.—After a fifty- are in the Henry J. Kaiser organi­ be safe. Of fifty-twp be increased by the percentages ter 5 PM and before 8 AM. of the -Quinault Victory sixteen one-day crossing- of the Atlantic zation. The Quinault Victory was and bonuses being paid under the The Union will be represented with ""a cargo of cork from Portu­ operated by the United States had shore passes and eight of present war-time condition. at the hearing by Brother Hawk, gal, the 50-year-old four-masted Steamship Lines and the Bryan these had reported in this after­ Proposed working rules make Paul Hall, New York Agent and barque Foz Duoro is now at Cam- by the Oliver J. Olson Company. noon. the Chief Electrician responsible Matthdew Dushane, Washington Observers marveled that the -den;^^...J.-She is the first jlarge One of the ships, according to to the Chief Engineer or the first - Representative of the SUP-SIU. sailing ship to enter the Port of Captain Goss, was loaded with damage^ Ii«d--i-iwjt-- -been even Camden in the last fifteen years. "several thousand tons of explb- greater. Gangs of Navy enlisted men, working as stevedores, were well along in the loading of the Quin­ ault Victory with a cargo of high fexplosives of all types for use in the allied offensive in the Pacific. The Bryan was tied up near by and the loading of her holds with munitions had just begun. One ship blew up at 10:19, the other blew up about five seconds NEW YORK, N. Y., July 20—As a result of a pre­ later. Flames shot toward the sky. vious meeting on the question of the exhorbitant launch The explosion nearly demol­ NEW YORK, N. Y., July 19.—Taking sharp issue ished the small town of Port Chi­ fares charged in New York Harbor, Morris Weisberger, cago. Ij;s population is 1500. SUP Agent and- Paul Hall, SIU Agent for this port met with Raymond R. Sharpe of the WSA Manning office in Injury Total Rises England, Morris Weisberger, SUP Agent for New York and (It is noteworthy that Capt. C. with Capt. Peterson and Mr. P. Parr of the WSA, here, yesterday. * —• Vice-President of the SIU of NA today objected in a letter May, of the Masters, Mates and They demanded that the launch 2- That there be a fiat rate for 24Pilots, AF of L, raised the ques­ hour service on scheduled runs. to Mr. Sharpe at the American Embassy in London. tion of such explosions and haz­ fares be lowered to meet the (with no additional charges at Brother Weisberger objected to» ards before a recent meeting of pocket of tlie Merchant Seamen, night); for the port has the highest launch tbe implications contained in a U. S. WAR SHIPPING the Maritime War Emergency fares in the world which have 3. That there be 2 or 3 regular circular from Sharpe to the dele­ ADMINISTRATION Board, on the question of bonuses. trips per day at a minimum been functioning on a "johnnygates of the ships' crews which (District of the United Kingdom —Ed.) cost. (This means that 1 trip bum-Tboat" sliding scale at the recently went in on a suicide mis­ Estimates of the number of in­ and Iceland) should be scheduled before will of the individual launch op­ sion to the Normandy beach-head jured ranged from 500 to .1000 working hours in the morning, erator. and had to await repatriation in To All Delegates Representing and property damage was report­ another in the evening after England after their vessels were Crews of Port Repair Ships: In addition to this it was point­ ed well above the 5,000,000 mark. work, and another at 1 AM for lost. The Navy could offer no expla­ ed out that the seamen are re­ Subject: Seamen's Conduct While convenience of crew members.) Mr. Sharpe implied that sea­ nation of the blast which was felt quired to pay much in excess of Awaiting Passage to Both Farr and Peterson seemed men were not well behaved by in 14 counties within a radius of those members of the armed U. S. Shores. expressing surprise at finding 50 miles and officials explained forces making the same trips favorable to the proposals and asIn a small, exelusive sea-shore them so. Further he insulted all that any investigation would be from the same ships to shore-side sured the Union's representatives resort of Southern England, the that the same would be pushed American seamen by alleging hampered by a lack of survivors or reverse. crews of 22 American flag vessels The Union advanced three pro- by the WSA in Washington. Capt. that the Red Cross had reported to give evidence of exactly what were brought after completing a posals to help lighten the burden Peterson is well known for his happened. to him that while the seamen very important mission which on all seamen requiring launch approach to the union seawere being lodged in England, No Close Survivors was a part of the invasion forces. hot "a single theft" had occurred. ("There are no close survivors transportation when their vessels rnen's problems and is one of the Some of these crews had not to give evidence of what hap­ are laying at anchor in the harWashington people that that. He appeared to be "disappointed" can be said for. Brother Weisberger retorts in his had liberty for as far back as sev­ pened," said Capt. N. H. Goss, bor. en weeks prior to the invasion. who had jurisdiction over the de­ answer. The proposals are as follows: It is said that the SIU and the Yet in the 21 days which you and pot.) 1. That a central point be estab- SUP are the first two organizaSharpe's letter to the delegates your fellow seamen spent in this Only four bodies have, been re­ lished where all seamen can tions to go on record for a lowerof th.ose ships' crews is given be­ town there was not a record of covered from the debris 'of the get information on launch ser- fng of fares in this harbor to benelow in full, followed by Brother one single arrest or unpleasant explosion and naval officials still vice to their particular ship, fit the seamen and banish the Wefsberger's answer: launch-gouge racket. with a waiting room. (Con/'tnieil m Page 3) (Continued on Page 4) 51-Day Atlantic Crossing Made By 4-Mast Barque SIU Scores Remarks Of WSA Manning Officer Re. Seamen Ar --iVa-iaZi: SIU Representatives Ask Lower Launch Fares For Harbor �... • P«go Two •rr^ I THE SEAFARERS LOG TAdxf, Julr 21» 1944 I SEAFARERS LOG Vuhlhhed by the. SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF, NORTH AMERICA Atlantic and Gtdf District Affiliated with the American Federation of. Lahofj HARRY LUNbi^ERG -----110 l^ket Scieet^ Sao Fnmciscob Calif. JOHN HAW - - - - - - - - Secy-Tretu, p. O. Box 21, Statimi P., New York City MAttHEw DtrsHANE - - - "Wsshington Kep» 424 ith Street, N. W., W^ashingtoo, D. C Directory of Branches BfUNCH NEWYORKM) BOSTON (10) BALTIMORE (Z) PHILADELPHIA NORFOLK NEW ORLEANS (16)... SAVANNAH TAMPA MOBILE SAN JUAN. 29, P.R.. PUERTO RICO CLALVESTON ADDRESS PHdNB aStdiwSt 330 Atlantic Av« M North Gay SL 6 North 6th St 25 Commercial PL 333 Chartres St. 218 East Bay St 423 East Piatt St 7 St. Michael St. BOwUnKGr«ea9-)437 Liberty 4057 .Calvert 4539 Lombard 7651 Norfolk 4-1085 Canal 3336 SaVannah 3-I72S Tampa MM.1323 Dial 2-1392 45 Poiice da Leon 219 20th Street San Juan 1885 Galveston 2-9043 PUBLICATION OTlCFt ROOM 215, 2 STONB STIUBBT New York Gty (4) BOwling Green 9-8344 ^^ii^267 Sunk —Maiden Creek Cargo Is Protected From Looting Pirates WASHINGTON, D. C.—Ameri­ United Nations' ship sunk and an can grit, backed up by nothing American vessel, the MAIDEN more than bluff and a couple of CREEK, foundering. Commandeer­ pen-knives, recently saved an ing a native dinghy, Brown and American merchant vessel from Underwood reached the abandon­ piracy after its abandonment had ed freighter. Her bow and stern been forced by torpedo attack in were almost completely out of the Mediterranean, reports to the water. The 'midship section was War Shipping Administration agiound, giving the ship the ap­ 4showed here this week. Vital mil­ pearance of a gigantic open V. itary supplies were saved for our In pitch blackness the pair fighting men in that war theater. climbed aboard. Brown stationed The SS MAIDEN CREEK, a his companion forward and began 6,165 gross ton Maritime Commis- an inspection tour aft. The ship .sion C-2 freighter, commanded by was a shambles. Huge holes Capt. Oscar Pederson, of Mobile, gaped in her sides and her hatch­ Ala., was approaching the North es had been blasted to splinters. Africa shore when attacked. The Out of the Mediterranean night first torpedo penetrated a forward a small boat approached silently. hold, broke the propeller shaft Ten ominous silhouettes stood out and flooded the engine rooin. The against the horizon. jsecond torpedo completed the job "Sheer off or we'll fire," the un­ of breaking the freighter in two. Six crewmen were lost and 12 armed Brown shouted as the were injured before survivors black marauder made alongside preparatory to sending its thiev­ made their escape. ing crew aboard. The SS MAIDEN CREEK was the 2nd of her name to be lost in Silence was as heavy as the the war and was operated by the night for several minutes. And Waterman SS Co., which is under then Brown and Underwood, contract to the SIU. A full SIU clutching their futile pen-knives crew manned her as did a full and determined to fight, heard crew her namesake that was lost hostile whisperings and mutterprior to the naming of this ship. ings. Assigned to the task of salvag­ The bluff worked. The boat and ing whatever was possible from its occupants, never identified ex­ tiie crippled vessel were Cyrus V. cept as midnight raiders, disap­ Brown, of Bethesda, Md., the peared into the night. WSA representative, and 21-year- Shortly afterward eleven sur­ old Pvt. Corbifi Underwood, of vivors of the Navy gun crew were Reedsville, N. C., an Army motor placed on board as a guard. Sal­ chauffeur, detailed to drive the vage crews recovered all equip­ perilous trip over slick roads to ment, supplies and stores that the scene of the convoy attack. had not been destroyed by the Brown reported he found one attack. WHArS DOmQ ;9| 1 rf. I Around the Ports NEW YORK All of you fellows just hitting New York for the first time in some period, should be advised that you needn't be frightened At that weeping and wailing noise coming from the direction of 7th Ave. and 23rd Street. It's only the commies down that way beat­ ing their gums and tearing their hair over the fact that they lost the Pittsburgh election on the Lakes and to top it off, had the WLB rule against their nice little cut - throat scheme to force a checkoff system of paying dues on their members. Instead of taking their beating on the Lakes gracefully, the Curranskys are attempting, in their usual fashion, to put it off on something else. They say they blame the Seafarers', but their own non-union activities caused their terrific defeat. However, the records show that their story is completely without base, and it is only one more way of know­ ing that the seamen are becoming wised dup to these commies and their political preaching. The sea­ men have not only voted against them, but are even out now on the waterfront Fighting Like Hell Against Them. These defeats, and especially the WLB's decision against the check-off system, are some of the hardest blows ever struck against the commies and have prevented them from securing a strangle­ hold on every merchant seaman riding their vessels. And don't think the Commies don't know it either! Shipping and Business Shipping and business for this Port are still a little below par and from all indications it shall be this way for several more days. When it breaks, however, we expect to be very busy here. As I mentioned before, when shipping is going direct to the European Continent then New York will be the busiest of all spots. Launch Charges In accordance with my report last week, Morris Weisberger, the SUP Agent in this Port, and my­ self, attended a meeting the other day with the Port Director, the Coast Guard, and the Launch Operators' Representatives in this Port, relative to securing lower rates for launch fees. As I mentioned previously, we intend to push this beef to the fullest extent and it looks as though we may have some suc­ cess. We have another meeting booked for the latter part of this week with several WSA Officials. All indications point towards a win in our efforts toward this end. Food Problem Along with Brother Hawk and Volpian, I attended a meeting this past week with Mr. O'Connell of the WSA, from Washington. He is the WSA Food Administrator and informed us at the meeting that he?, was drawing up a food program for the maritime indus­ try. This man offered several good suggestions while at the same time, put forward a few bad ones. It will be impossible to give a fciif decision on his program or to pre­ sent it fuUy to the membership until such time as O'Connell comes out with concrete propos­ als in a written form so we can sere exactly what his thoughts and suggestions are. From previous experience with the various WSA ofiioials, it is my opinion that before we accept ahjdhing in the way of sugges­ tions and proposals, we should consider it thoroughly. We know from past history in dealing with these people that often, when we agree with them on one thing we wake up and find out they are interpretating it as something en­ tirely different than what was or­ iginally intended. There should be another meet­ ing shortly on this particular item and no doubt these people will have taken some parts of our recommendations and will bring all this stuff back in black and white. Coast Guard Charges We had a case this week of a Coast Guard hearing where an oiler was charged with being in­ competent due to the fact that while on watch, the H.P. crank ran hot on him. It was pointed out during the courses of this trial that the reason for this was the fact that the First Assistant, instead of allowing the man to attend to his oiling duties, was using him as a general handy man as well. Among other things, he was cleaning the h o tw e 11, blowing tubes, as well as running errands. The point was brought out that if a watch engineer is going to have an oiler to act as a general flunky and call boy, then the man could not possibly have the necessary time to attend to his regular du­ ties. This point was well taken by the hearing officer and on this ground, the man was acquitted. On the strength of this, in the future, where our members in the Engine Dept. are charged for incompetency on this type of beef, any such details, as in this case, should be remembered, as without a question, we have had men suspended for being incom­ petent where the charge was ab­ solutely unjustified. We should, in the future, have no trouble at all in upholding our members who are up oh this type of charges and place the respon­ sibility where it belongs—on the Watch Engineer. New Building Well, it looks as it has finally happened—we're MOVING OUT OF THIS DUiMP. The contractor has submitted ah estimate on the cost of rigging up our hew union hall and a committee was elected at Monday night's meeting to in­ vestigate it. As soon as this com­ mittee comes back with a recom­ mendation then the contractors should start immediately. According to them, from the time of starting, it should take approximately 2 weeks to com­ plete the entire job. The mem­ bership in this Port will be happy as hell when this day comes be­ cause all hands here are really fed up with this dump at 2 Stone Street! . ; PAUL HALL, Agent NORFOLK "We pie-cards" in this port had no more finished the battle with the Vermin ridden SS Tulsa of the South Atlantic SS Comtiany, and had ourselves fumigated af­ ter going aboard her before tliey had fumigated and cleaned her up a little, than up shows the Sd Cecil Bean, a "palatial" liner of the American - Range Liberty Steamship Company with a slave driving riiate, who must have thought he was on a Lykes Bro­ thers ship, for he really tried toi run the deck gang in Latvian, Navy style. (The Lykes Brothera and the Latvian Navy had the old "SPEED UP SYSTEM".) He didn't get very far, as we had a real bimch of SlU men on the said Cecil Bean, and when the lousy buckaroo Mate coulud not make the, men do double work, he then reported the Bos'n Chris Rasmussen to the U. S. Coast Guard oh charges of mis­ conduct and insubordination. We appeared before the Coast Guard on behalf of the Bos'h and during the proceedings, we show­ ed them that this Mate had only an A.B.'s ticket in America, but had a Latvian Master's certific­ ate in the Latvian Fleet—(2 ships and a canoe is their Navy). The hearing Officer, Command­ er Thompson, U.S.C.G., after hearing all of tiie evidence, etc., did then and there inform the said Chief Mate that he was un­ der the impression that the SS Cecil Bean was not big enough for him and the Bos'n too. Note: The Bps'n is now signed on, and the Mate is heading for parts unknown; perhaps to get a job as a CHIEF ORDINARY SEAMAN on a Southern Pacific Flat car. Who knows? Who cares? Mr. Hill, the Representative of the American-Range Liberty SS Company agreed with the Sea­ farers International Union of NA, (AF of L) that this lollapaloosa gazuni Mate had created entirely too much friction on the Bean. As this is' written, Mr. Hill has notified us that he has just sign­ ed on a new Mate. Is the canned Mate's face red? He avidly stated that no one could have him fired. Nertz to you ex-mate! The deck crew of the SS Cecil Bean proved themselves good Union men, for when witnesses (Continued on Page 3) NOTICES "The following men's mail was left on the SS Joseph Aspdln, Bull Line and is now being held at the Baltimore Halli Jake Wood, Chas. H. Starling, Harvey C. Jamerson, Jr., Douglas L. Davis, Kermit Parker. Edgar Giles, B. A. Wells, Genaro Camain, Joe A. Smith, John S. Wil­ liams. Paul E. Kent, and Leon N. Johnson. J. F. FLANAGAN, Agsni Will Rufus O'Neal and Bamwell Petermann, No. 31154, pleaw come to headquarters office* Room 213, 2 Stone Street, New York, N. Y. I �F^a^lr, Julif 21, 1944 THE SEAFARERS LO& Slandering Union ^ound The forts Not Included In they have ^ated'to me the fol­ Boss's Free Speech Norfolk lowing: Davy Jones, the Patrol­ man has been trying to hustle us WASHINGTON, D. G.—An em­ (Continued from Page 2) into paying a year's dues in ad­ ployer's right to free speech does were needed, they gave up their vance, and gets we "pie-eards" in not mean that he can slander a own time, and appeared as wit­ front of a bunch of members, and union or engage in an advertising says: "When are you pie-cards campaign to defeat a union in a nesses for the Bos'n. This is a tip to other brothers, going to pay up a year in ad­ collective bargaining election. These rulings were made in who, in the past have failed to vance?" Say it isn't so Jonesy! two significant decisions, one by ai>pear to help another Brother out of trouble, so a little advice The CP-NMU officials are real­ the Federal Circuit Court of Ap­ is in order: Whenever another ly crying the willies in this port. peals in Chicago, the other by a Brother is in a jam, and you can Their Hall is filled with men, and trial examiner for the National help him; that is if you know ho ships to send them too. We Labor Relations Board. anything about the case or offered to send them some crying The court case involved the Re­ cfiarges which may be against a towels, and informed them that liance Manufacturing Co., Hunt­ brother, then it is your duty, as they could find the word SYM­ ington, W. Va., whose employes per your oath, to assist him in PATHY in the dictionary be­ are organized by the Internation­ tween the words (Deleted by cen­ al Ladies Garment Workers any way possible. Union. The unanimous decision This "OLD DOMINION sor). STATE" port has slowed down a In fact, some of their younger of the three judges was that the little, but not enough to warrant and new members, after making company officials violated the us taking a day off, as we keep one trip on an NMU wagon, come law and interfered with the this Hall open seven days a week, up to the SIU hall, and plead: rights of their workers to self-or­ so if any AB's or key men care Hey Pal, we made a mistake, but ganization by advertising against to do so, you can come in with allow us to join a Real Seamen's the union in the newspapers pre­ your gear, and be ready to ship Union, and we ^^lrill assure you ceding an election. It was also out of the only Port in the East that we will never make the same charged that supervisory em­ or South with a Southern Cali­ mistake, for we know that the ployes carried placards urging SIU has proven itself as an Am­ workers to vote against the union fornia Climate. erican Organization and has al­ The court held that by such ac­ . "Corporal-Major" D. F. Mallette of the War Shipping - RMO, is ways helped any seaman, irre- tivities a company "becomes really crying the blues. It seems gardless of his affiliation with participant in a contest to which it is not a party." that we are not using all of his any union. Nothing much more, but will NLRB Trial Examiner J. L. winos and gashounds that he end this missive-missile with Hektoen found the Kentucky greatly desires to be rid of. A scallions to some of these chisel­ Utilities Company guilty of vio­ letter to Mr. Mallette: Dear Mal­ ing representatives of the Steam­ lating the law by circulating let­ lette: The SIU, (AF of L) does not care for any winos, gashounds ship Companies who come down ters attempting to smear the In­ or anyone of their ilk and breed, here with the intention of trying ternational Brotherhood of Elec­ so please send them to their to chisel on the agreements, and trical workers. This union won an bouquets to the militant members election among the employes, but proper places. of the Seafarers Union who back the company sought to defeat it We do not need to tell you their officials up at all times. by re-districting its divisions and which "MARITIME" Union to ..CARL ROGERS. Agent re-grouping its employes. The forward them to, but we will al­ P.S. In re: The last paragraph trial examiner recommended that low you one guess. You're right. above my name, I mean the fcd- the NLRB order the company to Signed; By REAL Union men. lowing Companies; South Atlan­ cease such activities and to bar­ It looks like the Naval Reserve tic, Eastern and above all, the gain collectively with the union. is trying to get Davy Jones (No, real Chiseler is Corporal-Captain no, I don't mean the one who Perkins of the Waterman Steam­ Buy Bonds and Stamps controls the locker at the bottom ship Company. of the Sea) but the pie-cards in CMR. in the War Loan Drive. this port are threatening to put charges against Jones because Money Due Members of the Crew of the SS BENJAMIN CONTI, paid off for recent voyages, can collect lineh money (8 weeks) at the company office, Mississippi SS Company. 17 Battery Place. Room 132. • • • SS STtlRDY BEGGAR: Ver.lum Hickey, $34.87. Can collect at Mississippi SS Company office. • • • SS THOMAS SULLEY: The following men who paid off in Boston can collect: F. Orscheln. 4 heUt«; T. L. Lewis. 28 hours, overtime. Get your money at the Calmar office. » » • SS RICHARD ALVEY: Leon Posfcey. 62 hours overtime. Col­ lectable at Bull Line office. •'- » • SS DEL RIO: Larson has 16 hours at $1J25 per hour. This is collectable at Mississippi SS Co. office in New York. • a • SS MATT- W. RANSOM: Each man can collect $125 attack bonus pay.^le at the Robin Line com­ panies office. • SS BENJAMIN CONTI: Each man can collect $125 attack bonus payable at the Mississippi SS Company's office. Robin Line Sidpper Decorated — Sailed With SIU Crew NEW YORK, N. Y.—Capt. R. E. Hocken. master oif the SS William Moultrie of the Seas Shipping Company*$ Robin Line has been awarded the Russian Medal for Dis-^ tinction in Action, it was learned here last week. The vessel,1 manned TT""— , ..TTT .... by a full^i,' n planes„ and, submarines. In -the SIU crew set out into a force 8 course of the long running battle, gale and carried a running battle his ship was directly attacked to a wolf pack of submarines as thirteen times, and was credited well as destroying eight enemy with downing eight planes and planes and scoring direct hits on scoring direct hits on twelve at least twelve others. The scene others. On one occasion, a com­ of the action was around the bined attack by Axis high-level North coast of Norway, known bombers and submarines, four commonly as "suicide alley." The torpedoes were launched at the time—bitter winter. stern of the ship. One of the tor­ The report of the action which pedoes sank before reaching the was made possible through the vessel; another was fired at by courage and seamanship of this the gun crew and it exploded, skipper and the full SIU crew, as and by alert maneuvering the delivered by the War Shipping Master^eluded the other two. On Administration's Merchant Ma­ another occasion, a torpedo sight­ rine Medals Award Committee, ed approaching off the beam was reads as follows: successfully dodged. By his main­ "Setting out into a force 8 gale, tenance of an alert watch, and by in which all ships of the convoy his skillful seamanship, he large­ suffered heavy weather damage, ly contributed to the delivery of the convoy was under almost un­ an.essential cargo of military sup­ interrupted attack from Nazi plies to our Russian Allies." SIU Scores Remarks Of WSA Manning Officer Re. Seamen (Continued from Page 1) incident. The various officials of this town were amazed at the conduct of these men, notwith­ standing the fact that there were 27 races represented. The American Red Cross who rented quarters to most of these men reported that there had not been a single theft in this time and that the average seaman liv­ ing in their hotels was as well behaved as any GI Joe. The delegates splendid cooper­ ation in assisting this office on disciplining a few performers and taking the responsibilities of posting Air-raid Wardens, which was very important, aided this successful operation. It must be remembered that no Military Police or Shore Patrol were requested and none was needed. The men consisting of seven mndred and fifty odd, after the Pool was formed, were sent in two sections across the entire length of England to transports bound for the U.S. Not a single man missed his passage. R. R. SHARPE As a union man and a seamen I certainly must voice objection to the implications contained in the text of that leter, as to the following portions: A; "*** there was not a record of one single arrest or un­ pleasant incident.***" B; The Red Cross is alleged to have reported; "*** there had hot been a single theft in this time ***" Both those portions of the let­ ter are insulting in the extreme. Perhaps your intent was to state any proof of this at all, all you To the Editor of the Log: that you and other officials over Paid off recently on a vessel have to do is to stand around the there were disappointed to find here and thought I would take New York Hall, or any other SIU out that the American seamen Hall, and watch the steady stream this opportunity to pass h pointer are well-behaved and gentleman­ or two before shipping out again. of discontented NMU members ly people. Disappointed, perhaps who want to join the SIU and I notice that the old Port of beat that political brigade down to find out that the seamen are New York is running on a differ­ at Conimie Headquarters. not drunkards and thieves, or ent basis than it used to and it even worse; since the seamen certainly is a benefit to all hands Here's for a bigger and better have as an element been smeared involved. The way she stacks up Seafarers! for years by people desiring to now, a guy can get immediate at­ George Seeburger. No. 6932. keep them on low wages and liv­ tention on a dispute, as well as ing standards. receive prompt attention on any This organization would like a argument involving dispatching letter from you clearing up your of jobs, etc. Then too, there is stand. Thank you for your con­ something else that caught my sideration in this matter. eye, and I am very much in favor I am. of, is the baggage and mail sys­ Yours truly, tem they use in the Branch. The July 14, 1944 MORRIS WEISBERGER. way she sets now, a guy doesn't Raymond R. Sharpe Vice-President. STTJ of NA have to worry about having his WSA Manning Office bag lifted, or have a letter wait a BARRANQUILLA, Colombia, American Embassy short while before anybody July 14.—Sinking of the Ameri­ London, England knows if they have any mail. Will Ernest Benton, former In my opinion, however, this is can tanker Esso Harrisburg was Dear Sir: only part of the advancement disclosed today with the. landing A copy of the letter you sent to AJ3. on the SS WILLIAM made by the Seafarers in the past of a group of survivors who said "All Delegates Representing JOHNSON, please communi­ year or so. We are growing and the ship had been torpedoed by a Crews of Port Repair Ships," un­ cate with the undersigned really growing fast as hell! The German submarine off the Co­ der the subject of "Seamen's promptly. S. C. Berenhollz commies had really better watch lombian coast. Conduct While Awaiting Passage 1102 Court Square Bldg. out because if we get stronger (Previous reports have disclosed to U. S. Shores," has come to my Baltimore 2, Md. than we are right now, in the submarine activity in the same attention since it was brought (1) very near future, we will be tap­ area. Four Brazilian vessels are back by one of the same delegates Keep In Touch With ping on their dump and taking said to have been sunk by tor­ who was in the recent invasion them over entirely. If a guy needs pedoing recently.—Ed.) and was repatriated here. Your Draft Board Editor's Mail Bag US Tanker Torpedoed Off Columbian Coast • •• NOTICE �V-.;., V.^f, ? .-rj- v-.: - •. rc-'- Page Four THJ^ SEAtARBRS Honor Roll 'Gulliable'Gtis - Of The NMU SS Samuel Johnson SS George Dem ...: SS William R. Davis SS Chas. B. Aycock SS Colin P. Kelly SS John Morion SS John La Farge F. Binkowski R, Tuxford H. Harter J. Lucas J. T. Holt ... John Coynan SS Leon Stanford Joseph Sherry SS James Nesmith M. Drucker John B. Crew A. W. Cooper E. Costello Bud Roy A. C. McAlphine D. Worrel TOTAL $21.00 ...... 16J10 ...... 14.00 ...... 14.00 13.00 12.00 ......18.50 10.00 . lOBO 10.00 10.00 9.50 8J)0 .. 7.00 . 6.00 6.00 6J)0 5.90 . 4.00 . 2JU) ... 2.00 IM IJM $198.90 NOTICEL Will the holder of receipt No. 34464 and the holder of receipt No. 34465 please call at headquarters office, or write in and state what dues and assessments were paid. These receipts were issued by C. Haymond aboard the SS Finley P. Dunn, Waterman Line, which paid off in Norfolk. Va. * • m John S. Bryant will you please communicate with your mother at 300 Brannan Street, San Fran­ cisco 7, c/o J. Theo. Brlin Co. She is extremely worried. He saw the NMU filled with the finks. And the scabs who broke his strike But the "boys" told Gus to shut his eyes All things would be made right! So Gus was mute—an abysmal brute And robbed was his power of thought. The Stalinist page was his menial cage And ignorance dearly bought! But GULLIABLE Gus was a queer sort bf cuss And at last began to sum up. To count all his losses to Stalinist bosses The price of the jag and the cup! ^ And so he awakened from terrible sleep While the scales fell from his eyes. He had given his Youth said the bitter truth To a Stalinist mountain of lies! Top 'n Lift. v. r. •twr v .. II So GULLIABLE Gus. without any fuss _ Set out in search of the Grail And the "boys" on the way relieved him of pay And robbed him without fail! He walked and starved on the picket lines. He lived on air and on stew. Then the "boys" took over and rolled in clover. While they told Gus a thing or two! m SUP-SIU Members Feared Lost In Munitions Blast ..•1.,' Oh. GULLIABLE Gus was a. gulliable. cuss . Who believed nil things that were said By Stalinist fakers who cut Browder's capers . With slogans they drove into his headi With GULLIABLE Gus on their Stalinist bus The "Party" could guzzle and eat. With Gus under control as their ultimate goal Why, they had the world at their feet! • So Gus voted "yes," and Gus voted "no," And Gus did what he was told. He did no thinking and even went finking As a member of the foldl Friday. July 21. 1944 LOG •I were listed as officially "sunk" by (CofUhtueJ from rVj* 1) tlie Navy. .Two small ,coast guard were unbale compile a com­ craft also were destroyed by the ' plete list of casualties. force of the blast and several The Navy estimated that 250 enlisted personnel, most of them other ships were damaged. Damage to naval installations . Negro sailors who were - loading the two vessels with ammunition was listed as "extensive" by the at the time of the blast, are "miss­ Navy, but many buildings were ing and presumed dead," along reduced to tangled wreckage. with nine officers, five Coast Property damage to houses and Guardsmen and three civilian stores in Port Chicago was esti­ mated at hundreds of thousands workers. of dollars and the huge army ar­ 80 Merchant Seamen senal at Benicia, seven miles Approximately 40 members of away, suffered $150,000 damage the armed guards of the two to its facilities. ships also were believed missing Some explosion eyewitnesses and the War Shipping Adminis­ tration listed 80 merchant sea­ reported; men as miss/ng. Chief Steward L. A. Fitzgerald All of the missing were pre­ of one of the two blasted ammu­ sumed dead, their bodies blown to nition ships escaped death because bits in the terrific blast that he was off duty—having a drink flashed thousands of feet above in a Port Chicago bar. the demolished harbor area. "The concussion broke the glass Hundreds of civilians in nearby in my hand," he said. "I was towns were treated for injuries. blown across the room and At least 50 persons were beUeved thought the Japs were bombing seriously injured and 100 naval us. personnel were reported in mili­ "There were eighty-six men tary hospitals with minor injuries. aboard my ship. Only fifteen of us are alive." Blown Two Miles A.B. Morris E. Rich of Tuttle, The Quinault Victory was load­ ing for her maiden voyage when Okla., said that all but eleven of the explosion reduced her to a his fellow crew members of one. twisted hulk scarcely "isible of the ammunition ships which above oil-slicked waters in the blew up were missing. harbor. "I was just returning to the The two vessels, fragments of ship from Martinez when I saw it which were blown for two miles,. explode," he said. ' I •fjr] m Dictatorship vs Democracy AN EDITORIAL In the Communist controlled NMU Pile-it of June 23rd, page 7.1 noted that the great "ex­ pert" Joseph Curran, is hard at work giving his ??? opinions to the world. As a matter of fact the entire paper is filled with Curran's mental spasms which we know of as the expression of the machine which controls this phonie's bread and butter. And since he has been set up by the machine as a front man through whom THEY «peak, he has had no occasion to use margerine. It appears now that any man who has a fight ashore over quarrels originating aboard sffips of the NMU is liable to be brought up on charges in the "Union" and of course expelled. Now what can this mean? With the development of the Commissar system of letter boys despatched from the NMU headquarters where Josh Lawrence op­ erates as political despatcher for these Commis­ sars to the ships (all of whom must be trusted Communists as Lawrence is a member of the State Bureau of the CP at 50 East 13th Street and is thus tapping two payrolls, the NMU and the Party while posing as "seaman") who act as .the controlling power setting aside the Consti­ tutional and democratic functions of the ships' Committees robbed of their power through this supplanting process of totalitarian rule from the top down instead of the bottom UP, we can see where American seamen who know the score are put on the spot. Knowing well that a beef on the ship will mean fingering and phony charges, knowing that the letter boy from headquarters armed with the superimposed power of authority and a letter to prove it can make an issue of any dispute over usurped authority by denouncing him as a Trotskeyist, IWW, anti-Communist, red baiter, company stooge, enemy of the war effort, Teheran, etc. And that this tends to divide the crews pro and con with the power of the»Union hierachy against democratic principles of Trade Unionism, he will remain silent as a rule. Enlightened seamen will quickly grasp the fact that this "system" of political Commissars sent aboard the ships by the Conununists in the name of the NMU strikes at the very root of Unionism and distorts out of all meaning the former system of ships delegates who mare sup­ planted if not utterly displaced. The displacement will come later as their only function left is the act of voting "aye" to the resolutions brought forward by the Com­ missar. This vote lends an appearance of democ­ racy to the Commissar system. Actually it is the negation of all democracy. Furthermore, because the activities of the Commissar are bound up with POLITICAL AC­ TIONS having nothing to do with Trade Unionism or the working of the ship, the over­ riding authority of the Commissar ROBS THE MEMBERSHIP OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS TO FORM THEIR OWN JUDGMENT ON AMERICAN POLI­ TICAL PROBLEMS. THE SOVEREIGN RIGHTS OF U. S. CITIZENSHIP IS THUS SUBORNED AND NEGATED THROUGH THE ACTIONS OF A TOTALITARIAN, POLITICAL ACTIVIST MASKING HIS A<jTIVITIES THROUGH A TRADE UNION FRONT AND USING THE TRADE UNION LABEL FOR ANTI-AMERICAN PURPOSES. Those Americans who discover this faqt and who protest are gotten rid of in one way or another. The sinister Machavellian plot can­ not be brought out into the open in any NMU meeting on ship or ashore, for they switch to Trade Unionism as a coverup when in dangei; of exposure and howl that the oppositionist is a "red baiter" etc., etc. His days are numbered indeed. They do not want members who understand what Am­ ericanism means or our principles or mechanics of Government for this would destroy them. Thus, the anti-totalitarian is marked for dumping ashore and having provoked a dispute in barrooms they proceed to bring him up on charges in the LJnion Hall in order to oust him from the Union. For a dictatorship cannot stand open democratic debate or expose of aims and methods. That is the meanin f in Curran's "decision'* re fights ashore and trials to follow in the "Union." You guessed it Brother — there is •something MORE THAN ROTTEN AT THE HELM OF THE NMU AND UN-AMERU CAN IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. i i 1 • / iV fi"A''Mi^ltFrfT'iY''''irV iII -'/.if. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 1939-1949 Description An account of the resource Volumes I-XI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. BCC The name(s) and email address(es) of the person to whom the email was blind carbon copied. 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Title A name given to the resource July 21, 1944 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 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. VI, No. 21 Description An account of the resource Headlines: SUP-SIU MEMBERS FEARED LOST IN MUNITIONS BLAST AT PORT CHICAGO NAVY DOCK UNION TO APPEAR BEFORE WAR LABOR BOARD ON ELECTRICIANS 51-DAY ATLANTIC CROSSING MADE BY 4-MAST BARQUE SIU SCORES REMARKS OF WSA MANNING OFFICER RE. SEAMEN SIU REPRESENTATIVES ASK LOWER LAUNCH FARES FOR HARBOR SUNK-MAIDEN CREEK CARGO IS PROTECTED FROM LOOTING PIRATES SLANDERING UNION NOT INCLUDED IN BOSS'S FREE SPEECH ROBIN LINE SKIPPER DECORATED-SAILED WITH SIU CREW US TANKER TORPEDOED OFF COLUMBIAN COAST 'GULLIABLE' GUS-OF THE NMU DICTATORSHIP VS DEMOCRACY Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 07/21/1944 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America 1944 Periodicals Seafarers Log