http://seafarerslog.org/archives/files/original/10f753f4ebee29bc103bdfb7b623de08.PDF 4822de82fe58eb711fc826951c9f4b83 PDF Text Text '?J I ^J^^AKERSJOQ •Wj OFFICIAL 0B6AN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT. 8BAFASEB8' XNTBBNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AJOERICA VOL VL NEW YORK. N. Y.. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 1. 1944 No. 39 Six Ships Are Named For Our Dead Significance Of Seafarers Charter By J. H. Oldenbroek, Acting General Secretary of the l.T.P. and Secretary of the Seamen's Section Throughout the period of the war the Seamen's Section of the I.T.F. has been able to carry on its work without interruption. It may, indeed, be said that both in extent and importance its activities have exceeded by far all earlier performances in the international field. To a great extent these activities have been connected with the conduct of the war, in which the men of the merchant navy have played such a disproportionate and highly important part. In this connection it is relevant to recall that all the seamen's unions affiliated to the I.T.F. have from the outbreak of war, in September, 1939, ranged them­ The International Seafar­ selves beside the Allies — thus continuing a struggle waged in­ ers Charter, drafted last cessantly and with the utmost month in London by repre­ vigour by the I.T.F. ever since sentatives of maritime unions the rise of Fascism and National i n Belgium, Denmark, Socialism. France, Great Britain, Greece, India, Norway, the RESISTANCE OVERCOME Netherlands, Poland and The resistance met in the pro­ Sweden, established m i n icess, which was aimed, not only mum basic wages for all ra­ against the Allied war effort, but tings. The basic wage rate also against the existenc~e~ of the for ABs is $72. This base pay seamen's unions themselves, was would mean a 30% increase successfully overcome, thanks in for British ABs, a 300% raise great part to the fact that many of Greek ABs, and a 700% of the European seamen's unions hike for Chinese ABs. took the step of appointing repThe SIU is affiliated to the • resentatives in ports outside Eu­ International Transport rope. Above all, however, it was Workers Federation, sponsor due to the insight and devotion of this Charter, and will give of the seamen that the effort to fraternal aid io our foreign undermine the Allied war effort brothers in their fight for de­ and to destroy the seamen's trade cent conditions. unions finally came to nought— The accompaning article, after in.the summer of 1940 the written by brother Olden­ outlook had seemed very black broek, gives the background indeed. Following the invasion of Nor­ . of the Charter and some of the history of the struggle for way, Denmark and the Low international minimum wage Countries, and the fall of France, scales. the working conditions of sea­ men came to be more or less on loose foundations. The move­ 0.A.)—in the field of war-time ment was seized by the seamen's safety provisions aboard merch­ unions affiliated to the I.T.F. to ant ships. This was at the meet­ lay down the policy that the ing of the Joint Maritime Com­ earnings of seamen serving out­ mission of the I.L.O., held in Lon­ side their occupied home coun­ don in June, 1942, where safety tries should in no case be lower at sea was the main subject of than those of British seamen and discussion. The Workers' Group that where pre-war wages were on the J.M.C.—the composition higher than those of British sea­ of which was determined by the men at least the higher wages 1.T.F.—seized the opportunity to put forward a proposal, which should operate. was unanimously adopted, re­ INCREASES WON This policy of the I.T.F. questing the I.L.O. "to study was fully realized, with whether it was practicable to the I.T.F. was fully realized, with prepare an International Mari­ the result that the wages of Pol­ time Charter, setting out guiding ish, Belgian and French seamen, principles for an international among others, were substantially minimum standard applicable to increased. The same happened seafarers of all nationalities and with the wages of Greek and Ju­ embodying the best practicable goslav seamen. Subsequently a social legislation affecting sea­ host of improvements have been farers." JOINT COMMITTEE secured all along the line in The adoption of this proposal wages, war bonuses and working hours, while at the same time an led the I.T.F. and the I.M.M.O.A. attempt was made, with consid­ to set up a Joint Committee to erable success, to bring and keep prepare a draft of an Internation­ the conditions of the several na­ al Seafarers' Charter. The results tionalities in line with one an­ of this preparatory work have meanwhile been before two Joint other. A very important achievement International Seafarers' Confer­ was registerd by the I.T.F.—co­ ences, and with the acceptance of operating for the purpose with the Joint Committee's recom­ the International Mercantile Mar­ mendations at the latter of these ine Officers' Association (I.M.M. (Continued on Page 4) • J. H. Oldenbroek, author of the accompanying article, is shown here with Brother Harry Lundeberg and Chu-Hsuh-Fan, President of the Chinese Association of Labor. The picture was taken last spring at the time of the ITF conference held in conjunction with the ILO convention in Philadelphia. SHIP LOSSES ARE RELEASED BYOWI .The first complete report on U. S. merchant ship losses over the past five years was released this week by the Office of War Infor­ mation. Our ship casualties tptaled 753 ships up to the end of 1943. This figure represented 37% of all merchant shipping just before the outbreak of the war. While the report gave no figures for 1944, it has been unofficially tabulated that the U. S. has lost 13 vessels. This would bring the total to 766. The report gave unmistakable evidence of the seriousness of the Nazi sub menace during the dark days of 1942 when hundreds of SIU men lost their lives. But for the remarkable ship building pro­ gram which since 1939 has built 4,308 vessels, and but for the cour­ age of union men who had ships sunks under them only to ship out again upon reaching shore—the war might well have been lost. Six members of the SIU who lost their lives to enemy torpedoes will be honored by having their names carried on Liberty ships, the United States Maritime Commission announced this week. These heroic merchant seamen are only the first to be honored, more names wiU be an­ nounced in the coming weeks. Here are our SIU brothers who are being memorialized, and a brief account of their last actions: Hcirold D. Whitehead, a fireman on the SS Sam Houston, lost his life on June 28, 1942, when his ship was torpedoed and sunk. He was born in Washington, D. C., on December 22, 1897. William Asa Carter was fire­ man on the SS Samuel Gompers, torpedoed and sunk January 29, 1943. He was born June 16, 1922 at Casper, Wyoming where his mother still lives. William K, K a m a k a , able bodied seaman, was torpedoed on the SS James Smith March 9, 1943. Bro. Kamaka was born Sep­ tember 25, 1914 at Waichinu, Ter­ ritory of Hawaii, and is survived by a sister, Mrs. Hanna Kaupiko of Hilo, T. H. William W. McKee, was an able bodied seaman on the SS Hienville which was bombed and sunk April 6, 1942. He was born Janu­ ary 24, 1916 in Keithville, La. His brother is living at Bayou La Batre, Ala. William Terry Howell served on the SS Carrabulle as a wiper. His ship was torpedoed and sunk May 26, 1942. Born in Milledgeville, Ga., October 24, 1917, he is survived by a widow, Mrs. Claire Howell, of Indianapolis, Ind. Fred C. Stebbins, a wiper of the SS Jonathon Sturges, was lost when his ship was torpedoed and sunk February 23, 1943. He was born at McComb, Miss., Septem­ ber 2, 1921. Mrs. Gertrude Steb­ bins, his mother, lives in Mc­ Comb. Seaman Praises Library Services For Merchantmen By HENRY L. SIMON While reading at sea, I have Following is a table of sinkings, revealing the rate of casualties wondered about the origin of the American Merchant Marine Li­ year by year: brary Association. For those who UNITED STATES LOSSES have the same curiosity and Number Tons gratitude as I, here is the story 1939 (Sept. to Dec.) 4 3 behind that splendid organiza­ tion. 1940 ^ 32 58 Thirty years ago a long sea. 1941 61 150 voyage meant complete isolation 1942 422 2,053 from the world. Today it is pos­ 1943 234 1,049 sible to go aboard ship and not lose cdhtact vvith the universe Total : 753 3,311 (Continued on Page 4) I' II I'll'i* f rV1i/T?ifilin^l^i' �;f^^- Pago Two THE SEAFARERS LOG SEAFARERS Friday, December 1, 1944 LOG AND COME OUT RGHnNei" Published by the SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA Atlantic and Gulf District Affiliated with ttje American Federation of Labor, HARRY LUNDEBERG ------ President 105 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif. JOHN HAWK - -- -- -- - Secy-Treas. P. O. Box 25, Station P., New York City MATTHEW DUSHANE - - - Washington Rep. 424 Ith Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. m m Directory of Branches BRANCH NEW YORK (4) BOSTON (10) BALTIMORE (2) PHILADELPHIA NORFOLK NEW ORLEANS (16),.. CHARLESTON (9) SAVANNAH TAMPA JACKSONVILLE MOBILE SAN JUAN. 28 P.R., PUERTO RICO GALVESTON ADDRESS 51 Beaver St 330 Atlantic Ave 14 North Gay St 6 North 6th St 25 Commercial PI 339 Chartres St. 68 Society St 220 East Bay St 423 East Piatt St 920 Main St 7 St. Michael St. PHONE HAnover 2-2784 Liberty 4057 Calvert 4539 Lombard 765 I Norfolk 4-1083 Canal 3336 Charleston 3-2930 Savannah 3-1728 Tampa MM-1323 Jacksonville 5-1231 Dial 2-1392 45 Ponce de Leon 219 20th St San Juan 1885 Galveston 2-8043 PUBLICATION OFFICE; 51 BEAVER STREET HAnover 2-2784 New York, (4) N. Y. '267 Editor's Mail Bag Port Everglades, Fla. November 3, 1944 Editor: Dear Sir and brother: Although we have no hall in Port Everglades, we manage very nicely to get the LOG most of the time, through the Tampa Branch. We have noticed a re­ quest in the issue of the LOG of October 13th, in the "Fore 'N Alf" column by Bunker, requesting for sailors terms or sea-going vo­ cabulary. Although verj' little is heard from us in this neck of the woods, we wish to point out that we are holding the fort with 100% union crews. We also wish to point out with pride to the big blow-out the crew of the Sea-Train is having as a farewell party to the Port Everglades run. Brother Parker, Biggs and others have their invitations in the bag and we regret that there isn't enough invitations to go around to all the brothers. There will be plenty of free drinks, dine and dance for all those who attend, and all jugheads are going to behave, by xequest. Incidentally, we are all proud to see that brother Paul Hall is right again, on the beam with the overtime issue. That sob-sister, J. P. Shuler, can get sympathetic when one of our members thought he was in the red, after making one of those long trips. Well, all the boys are sticking real close to these sunshine shores and to the land of sun­ shine, beautiful women and barcardi. Wish J. P. was here with us. Inclose find a few sea-going vocabulary that I think haven't been tagged. Irish Pennant—Hanging loose end of rope. Scuttlebut—Rummers. Up and down job—Reciprocating Engines. Punk—Bread. Lowering the boom on the old man—Advance on wages. Fly Specks—^Black Pepper. Sea Gull—Chicken or Duck. Wild Irish Apples—Raw Onions. Cat Heads—^Biscuits. Stead as she goes, ADOLPH CAPOTE. Book No. 86-G. Merchant Marine Veterans Association of the United States Nov. 2, 1944 Editor, Seafarers Log Dear Sir: At a special luncheon meeting of the Port of Boston National Maritime Day Committee, held at the USS Bostonian, Nov. 2, 1944, a motion was made by Mrs. Rae B. Drew, Executive Committee Member of Auxiliary Unit of our Association, which was unanim­ ously adopted, that this Port of B o St o n Committee proceed to check with the Regional Office of the OPA and to conduct a follow through to procure gas rations for our merchant seamen in the same quantity as alloted to the members of the Armed Forces on furlough. The Merchant Marine Veterans Association of the U. S. has made a test case of the refusal of Ra­ tion Boards to issue gasoline ra­ tion coupons to merchant seamen who are at liberty. A second as­ sistant, who recently returned {Continued on Page 3) —Jusfice NEWS HOT OUT OF THE GALLEY By 'TRENCHY" MICHELET We are declaring war on these birds who are packing slop chests with .shoddy merchandise to be peddled to our members at fancy prices. The problem is a difficult one. It's easy enough to handle petty chiseling on the part of some skipper or purser, the ten percent law takes care of those birds and all that's necessary to make them be good little boys is for a union brother to bring the matter to our attention. The real ^problem, however, is to put the damper on these bloodsuckers who have made clipping seamen their life's work. We want to put the finger on these bums who go out in the open market and buy shoddy merchandise, factory rejects, sec­ onds and the like, and then ped­ dle it to seamen at clip prices. We want to get the goods on a number of well known water­ front rats. These leeches are shrewd busi­ ness men, but they are so poor at figures! Every now and then some brother will catch one of them padding a bill for a double sawbuck or so. For some strange reason these mistakes all work one way. None of them has ever been known to gyp himself for a dime! The seamen are sick and tired of being taken. We want, and we shall get, better merchandise in the slop chest. If the quality of merchandise doesn't improve ma­ terially in the immediate future, we promise the offending parties that the SIU can and will do something! For many years now we have made it a practice to stick our nose into the galley and talk to any cook who happened to whip up a dish that caught our fancy. Having chanced upon many tasty dishes in many lands we have consequently amassed a sizable amount of galley lore. One of our favorite dishes is curry. We have eaten curry all over the East and have invariably found it good. Of course, the ingredients were sometimes suspect. For in­ stance, once we were enjoying a delicious lamb curry with Walter "Shorty" Cook in Hiaphong, French Indo-China, when "Shorty" noticed that the bones in it were unusually small. Then suddenly, we remembered that we hadn't seen a dog in the whole town! Nevertheless, curry in any na­ tive style is delicious. Here is a recipe given us by good old "Cookie" Charlie who has quite a way with groceries, as anyone who has ever eaten in the Straits Cabaret in Singapore will tell you. Cut up several chickens as for fricasseeing, feet and all. Open the legs lengthwise with a cleav­ er to get the full flavor. Boil the chickens in well-salted water un­ til tender. Remove the chicken, reserving the stock. Brown a number of onions in butter, (Charlie uses ghee, a liquid but­ ter made of buffalo milk, but domestic butter is just as well.) Skim out and reserve the onions. Now remove the meat from the bones and fry good and brown in butter. Add the stock and onions. Let simmer on the back of the range. Now brown four tablespoonsful of flour and one tablespoonful of curry powder in the butter. Add to the other ingre­ dients and let simmer for a half hour more. Lastly, stir in two slightly beaten eggs until the mixture begins to thicken. Serve with rice. Leftover lamb or pork makes a tasty addition to this dish as well as serving as an ex­ cellent way of utilizing this meat. <2 The operators with whom the Seafarers hold contracts are now taking a more reasonable attitudq towards the settling of the ship's side disputes. With the exception of technical beefs involving is­ sues which are not in the con­ tract, most of the disputes are now being settled at the pay-off. This came about only after hard work on the part of the union, but the effort was well spent as the results now show. For instance, out of the last 100 ships that paid off in the port of New York, there were only four disputes left pending for any length of time. One of these dis­ putes was paid at a later, date and the other three are going to a Port Committee meeting. The Organization feels that the three disputes left will be paid off very easily as a result of this Port Committee meeting because the Seafarers has a policy of never going into one of these meetings unless we have a dispute that is absolutely good. % % ti, The WSA is now sponsoring radio programs in an attempt to recruit seamen, especially dur­ ing the Christmas holidays. There is one source of manpower, how­ ever, that they have overlooked. The group of men to whom I refer are the fellows who have had their papers suspended by the Coast Guard for various in­ fractions of rules.» Although in the port of New York the Seafarers have been very successful in keeping to a minimum the number of men losing papers, other ports have not been so fortunate and lots of old time members are now lay­ ing on the beach in various ports with suspensions as high as six months. These men are rank and file seamen.— capable of sailing any ship anywhere. By lifting these suspensions, which quite often are too severe and unjust, the WSA could very easily obtain enough men to sail dozens of the ships that are now so badly in need of experienced seamen. ' l* 4* There are quite a few of our members who are suffering from war neurosis and shellshock. You can see some of these boys in nearly every port you go into; fellows who have sailed ships in this war and have been In the toughest spot^ of this war and fellows, who have lost as high as six ships from under them. This is indeed one of the sad phases of this war for all mer­ chant seamen, and it is up to us men who are left in good shape to protect and care for these fel­ lows as much as possible. We can do this by assisting them to apply for compensation to which they are entitled under the war risk policy. We have numerous members who are receiving this now and the average sum is $150 per month. By assisting other men in this condition to receive the same, it will help these men no end. �mr(nK'-i7-^''' Friday. December 1, 1944 THE SEAFARERS S^ound The Ports LOG Page Three FORE 'N AFT WM. J. CAREY with all beefs settled. The entire crew stood by with the exception Get in touch with you sister By BUNKER Mrs. Paul Gray. Shipping is still holding its own of the Chief Cook. •fprin this port—802 men were ship­ Every man that stands by imtil HUGH A. RANDOLPH. ped the past week. We are ship­ all beefs are settled makes the J. RODONSKI & B. RODANSKI You have likely read of the old Maiden Creek, "Waterman Hog ping in all departments a number next beef that much easier to Communicate with the New of permit men, so if shipping is settle and the union that much York Branch regarding your dues Islander that foundered New Year's Eve, '42 in a mid-winter storm off Block Island, losing half of her crew. slow in your port drop into the stronger. Men that are too weak receipts. Another Waterman ship was launched in '43 and given the • » • New York Hall for a quick ship to back their beefs are a detri­ name Maiden Creek to commemorate the original ship and those of ment to the union and should be out. DONALD C. HALL The patrolmen here had a busy weeded out. Crew co-operation Please write your wif4. she is her crew who were lost in the boats after she sank. But this ship too, came to an unhappy end, victim of a torpedo in the Mediter­ week—^paid off 35 ships for the has proven to the shipowners worried about you. ranean. • • • week, some of them long trips that we are an organization that with plenty of beefs. realizes the quickest way to settle Members of crew of the SS AB on the second Maid Creek when a Nazi torpedo sent her The crew of the Robin Sher­ these beefs is the best way, and ANACAPA. Moran Towing Com­ down off the African coast in '43, was A1 Kerr, now pie carding for wood again proved that settling that we cover the ships with pany. contact Berenholtz. re-Sal­ a while in the New York office. The explosion broke the ship's back your beefs at the point of produc­ enough representation to settle vage case against "Balls Bluff.' at number four hatch and pushed the shaft alley into the 'tween, Court Square Bldg.. Baltimore. 2. decks. She filled rapidly and the after section settled to within four tion gets better results. Patrol­ all beefs aboard. man "Bull" Sheppard and organ­ So, in most instances the com­ Maryland. or five feet of the water, so the skipper ordered her abandoned. All • • • izer Steely White (who gave the panies are cooperating by doing hands got safely away in the ship's boats and stood by at a distance D. C. HULL to see what would happen next. patrolman a hand as we were the same. The occasion where Please stop in at the New York paying off nine ships that day) the companies don't cooperate Before long, says Al, a minesweeper came up and ordered them went aboard the Sherwood to pay are becoming less and less upon Branch office and see Patrolman back aboard. The Captain's boat obeyed the order and went back, her off Friday at two p.m. All each pay off. It will not be long Hamilton about your dues re­ but the others refused, saying they would wait till a tug came up beefs were settled with the ex- before all beefs aboard all ships ceipt. to take a line. cention of ten hours overtime for are settled at payoff, not only in H. F. NURMI; The minesweeper promised that a tug was on its way, so the the Mate and the Cadet doing this Port—^but in all ports. Pick up your union book in other boat went back too, and the deck hands started breaking out sailor's work. The company rep­ The SS Del Rio came in with a Headquarters office. New York. lines for a tow. Two men were working in the after peak when the resentative aboard refused to prize union crew. Brother Fred * * * second torpedo smashed into her, pancaking the after section and pay. The crew refused to clear Sundt was Delegate. All beefs Following men have papers at killing the ABs down below. All hands aft were thrown violently the articles until it was paid. were squared away. He is to be the Union hall in New York: (See around the deck, one man being blown thirty feet across the deck Sheppard, working with Deck commended on the way he brings Dolar Stone. Sth Floor): Ires A. against one of the winches. Delegate Stankey, settled the in all the ships he sails. Men of Alias, Jessie Anderson, Edward By a freak of fortune the torpedo, or part of it, glanced off and beef to the crew's satisfaction. this calibre are a credit to our Apel, A. E. Anderson. Philip N. tore into a small boat trailing astern, blowing it almost to pieces and The ship paid off Saturday after­ union. Bufkin. M. Glynn. Gustav Bocek. killing most of the men sitting in her. noon. The entire crew is to be The balloting committee here Robert W. Runner. Jessie A. Kircommended for their stand. is operating, every day and m,ost by. Jose CastelL Chester Chesna. The SS William H a r p e r," a of the boys are casting their vote Peter Cheklin. James Chalfant. The writer had a good laugh the other day when a bank teller Waterman ship, came in with a as good union men should. This Joe Covleiro. A. W. Eckert. G. E. hesitated about cashing a check and said, "Any identification?" load of beefs and no one from year's voting will top all voting Finlay. Peter E. Famber. Allen Out came the pants pocket suit-case and the identification, all Gary. Jr.. R. P. Harmon. Henry 12 pieces of it . . . Certificate of Identification; Coast Guard pass; the company with the authority of any year. Jandrys. George Lucas. Wallie Social Security card; draft card; Certificate of Service; Endorsement to settle beefs boarded her at pay J. P. SHULER, Merink, John O'Brien, Francis Certificate; passport; Port of New York crew pass; "WSA medical off. Patrolman Orscheln. Phillie O'Connor. record; "WSA medical certificate; "WSA vaccination record; and union.' The crew stood by their right Claude Pitcher, Thomas St. Ger- book, not to mention various discharges. to remain on ^e payroll until all main. Alexander Stankiewicz. • beefs were settled. Instead of The teller was satisfied. Keep In Touch With Harry Talbot, John Wells. Jesse paying off Tuesday with all beefs L. Waters. Donald Weiman. pending, she paid off Wednesday Your Draft Board BEST JOKE OF THE WEEK . . . The brother who got shipped out of the hall the other day and got to the "right church but the wrong pew." He worked down be­ low for two days on a Liberty before the Chief fired him for some reason. When he tried to collect for his two days at the company office he sadly, discovered that he wasn't even supposed to be on. Love is a delicate flower at the ship. He was at the right dock, but the ship he was assigned to best—and wilts at the first chill was on the other side of the pier. wind. But when exposed to the north Atlantic and to the heart­ less caprices of the the American custom officials, well, it just nat­ urally withers away. And that is just what happened to an SIU brother who was doing some long branch of the service he was in, (Continued from Page 2) distance courting — until he got from the Normandy Beachhead, she found that he was a member fouled up. after delivering a cargo of high- of the merchant marine. Then test gas, and while awaiting the the form was torn up and he was Our hero had been making the taking on of another cargo, ap­ told that they were unable to U.K. run for the past several plied to one of our Boston Ration aUot any gasoline to him. months, and during shore leaves Boards for an allotment of gas so The Merchant Marine "Veterans in London, had been sitting on a that he might, in the limited time Association of the U. S. base their park bench all starry-eyed with he had ashore, visit friends and appeal on the fact that these men. a limey lass. A month or so ago relatives he otherwise would not carry the gasoline wherever it he finally decided that the time be able to see. He felt that he may be necessary to be shipped had come for double harness, and could travel by automobile. In for use in our war effort, and are so he walked into the best jew­ elry store in Philadelphia and gone through the crew's lockers, pay the man off until he had making application for this alot- then refused even a drop for their bought a ring made of platinum found the wedding ring and were been cleared by customs. And ment, he wore a regulation uni­ use in their limited hours ashore. In conjunction, it was felt that and diamonds. He then signed threatening to confiscate it. Our unless he was paid off our hero form, and the clerk who was at­ tending to his request apparently your paper might help the cause on the SS Golden Fleece, and hero patiently explained that not had no money to get to Philly to was not familiar with the uni­ by printing this action taken. headed for his true love. only did he have a sentimental get the receipt in order to clear form, considered that he was a May we thank you for your His true love turned out to be attachment to the ring, but it had customs in order to get paid off member of the armed forces and cooperation. a fiickle dame, however, and even cost him a lot of cabbage. The in order to—well, you get the proceeded to fill out an applica­ Very truly yours, the sight of platinum and dia­ custom guard, a man devoid of idea. tion for him. In asking him what W. L. DREW, Adjutant monds couldn't break her loose both sentiment and common Fortunately the SIU patrolman from a young British Sergeant sense, insisted that unless a re­ was" a softie. Artie Thompson she had picked up with during ceipt were produced showing knew" what it meant to have a our hero's last trip back to the that the ring was purchased in blighted love, and so he talked ATLANTIC AND GULF SHIPPING FOR States. And so—^he returned to the U.S., he would have to take the skipper into giving our hero the Golden Fleece (feeling as if it. a draw so he could go to Philly OCTOBER 2 TO OCTOBER 30,1944 he had been), placed the ring in "The ring was purchased in so he could get the receipt so his locker and started for home. Philly," our rejected suitor he could . . . etc., etc. Deck Engine Steward Total The Golden Fleence paid off in screamed. It made no diffcrcnc.', Before leaving for Philly our SHIPPED 1447 942 1212 3601 New York last week, and when he had to go to Philly to get the hero and the Patrolman downed a few glasses of suds and decided the SIU patrolman boarded her receipt. REGISTERED 1115 1013 849 2977 But now the skipper stepped that love is a delicate flower at he found our hero in another jam. The custom officials had in to take a hand. He refused to best ... NEW YORK And So He's Through With Love EDITOR'S MAIL BAG �•VJK THE Page Four IS^ Seaman Praises Library Services (Continued from Page 1) through the medium of books and magazines furnished by the A.M.M.L.A. Prior to World War I, there was no "Public Library of the High Seas." During that war the great philanthropic agencies were hard at work for the Army and Navy, and it was difficult to win aid for the new growing merch­ ant marine. Incredible as it seems, the general public had to be con­ vinced that seamen wanted to read. P IJ Mr. Henry Howard realized the needs of seamen and solicited the volunteer efforts of his wife in •organizing and maintaining until after the war the Social Service Bureau. Out of it grew the great­ est traveling library in the world, starting with a small pile of books Mrs. Howard had to beg for from the American Library Association. Finally she secured their whole-hearted interest and a fine library service for seamen was established with assistance ^given by the Brookline Public Library, and advice offered by the Massachusetts Institute .of Technology on the purchase of books for training aboard ships. But to continue what •was con­ sidered "war work" after the Armistice was not an easy job. Mrs. Howard appealed to the Executive Board of the A.L.A. when she learned that they had discontinued their service. She urged that they as librarians form a national non-sectarian organi­ zation to meet the continuing need of seamen for good reading matei'ial. She won! The A.L.A. requested her to undertake the task personally, with their prom­ ise to turn over to her as many books as could be collected from their abandoned service. In May of 1921, the high seas had a li­ brary with a charter granted from the University of the State of New York — American Mer­ chant Marine Library Associa­ tion, Incorporated. Last year the A.M.L.A. distrib­ uted 8,054 libraries — 346,000 books—to 2,198 ships. An addi­ tional 60,000 books went to the personnel of Maritime Training Stations, the Coast Guard, Light­ houses, and Lightships. A total of 9,568 libraries! On the shelves ashore, business is so rushing that out of 12,000 books there, rarely are over one-third that number on hand. In fact, the proportion of fiction to the total number bor­ rowed has decreased from 51% to 18% in the last few years. All this is carried on through volun­ tary contributions of funds and books. Guess the public today knows that for many of us, "a book may be as great a thing as a battle!" Mate Does Crew's Work, Pays For The Privilege The First Mate on the SS Rob­ in Sherwood was generally an OK guy, according to the crew, but he was ambitious. He always wanted to make some sort of a record. What he needed was some trade union education—which he got! During the last voyage there was some ballast which had to be shifted. This work constitutes penalty time for the watch be­ low. But the hungry mate grab­ bed a shovel and began shifting it himself. SIU patrolman "Bull" Sheppard and Steely White hit the ship when she paid off. Result? Ten hours overtime for the crew at $1.30 per hour. As the crew remarked at the time of payoff, "There isn't a hell of a lot of cabbage involved, but the mate needs educating." Money Due John Deely, 48 hrs; R. Grandlund. 48 hrs; Wm. Cogzenski, 48 hrs; Harry Goldstein, 1 hr; R. Greenway, 5 hrs; J. Eichenberg, 59'/2 hrs; T. B. Black. 59 Vz hrs; Bert Troth. 11 Vi hrs. Collect at office of South At­ lantic Steamship Company in Savannah. » » • SS FLOURSPAR Leo Grossmann has 1 day's pay coming. Collect South Atlantic SS Company office. • » • SS ALBERT P. RYDER Voyage No. 1 C. D. Shirly. Wiper and Utility. 12 hrs. Voyage No. 2 George Clark. AB. 119V2 hrs; , ' , . ' ' ' 1 hrs. 1 Line in Savannah. Georgia. '-'"f' LOG Friday. December 1, 1944 Significance Of Seafarers Charter <2 Xfn4U \" if'• fj-'' SEAFARERS tional character of the shipping ity itself, that merchant shipping industry makes it imperative to should be an object of constant seek the widest possible uniform­ public attention and of interna­ ity in the working conditions of tional consultation and agree­ the seafarers, as otherwise the ment between governments and standards of the most advanced that there should be established countries will always be endan­ for that purpose an international gered by those of the» countries agency on which managements and seafarers should be repre­ lagging behind. During the present war sented through their internation­ it has proved possible to al organizations." Due attention is also given to bring about a greater measure of uniformity than ever before in the question of coloured seamen, both the basic wage rates and the as they are called, concerning other conditions of the seafarers whom the Charter says: "The of the United Nations. This cre­ principles outlined in this Chart­ ates an unprecedented opportun­ er are also to apply to Asiatic, ity for winning all the maritime African and West Indian seamen, nations for the acceptance of in­ who continue to be employed un­ ternational minimum standards; der conditions less favourable it is reinforced by the fact that than those obtained by white sea­ the seafarers of countries whose men. The seafarers' trade union conditions have been raised dur­ organizations are resolved to end ing the war will resist any at­ this state of affairs, which is de­ tempt to whittle them down trimental to the best interests of again and thus to put an obstacle all seafaring people, and to take in the path of a permanent im­ all necessary action to regulate provement of the international wages and working conditions of living standards of the seafarers. those seamen by collective agree­ ment." SOCIAL GAINS PUSH CAMPXIGN On the other hand the Charter From the above brief descrip­ contains a series of clauses de­ tion of the Charter, which is signed to lay down international shortly to receive world - wide minimum standards for wages and working and living condi­ publicity in seventeen or so dif­ tions. The wide scope of the ferent languages, it appears that Charter is illustrated by afi en­ the officers' and seamen's unions umeration of its chapter head­ propose to embark on a concert­ ings: Wages, Increments, Allow­ ed campaign to secure the adop­ ances and Bonuses; Continuous tion of international standards Employment; Entry, Training and such that the seafarers of all na­ Promotion; Hours and Manning; tions will be assured the begin­ Accommodation, Hygiene and nings of an existence worthy of Medical Services; Safety; Social human beings. That such a cam­ Insurance; Full Recognition of paign should be initiated in the Seafarers' Organizations; Legal shipping industry needs no ex­ Rights and Obligations of Sea­ planation. For this is the indus­ try where, more than in any farers. An International Charter can­ other, conditions in one country not be a collection of all the best have always been played off conditions prevailing in the va­ against those of others. Seafarers rious countries. There are coun­ do not wish to be forced into that tries where working and social position again, and they have conditions of seamen are, under pointed the way towards a better one heading or another, superior future. If that path is not fol­ to those proposed, but the pur­ lowed by shipowners and gov­ pose of the Charter is not to in­ ernments, the seafarers' organi­ dicate a distant goal to be reach­ zations will have no alternative ed eventually by the most ad­ but to resort to direct action in vanced countries; its object is to order to realize their aims. lay down an immediate pro­ The International Seafarers' gram to be realized by all Charter is to be discussed at a countries now, including those meeting of the Joint Maritime whose poor conditions have al­ Commission to be held at an $27.00 ways hampered the raising of early date. This is the decision of conditions elsewhere. The aim a sub-committee of the Commis­ 26.00 of the Charter, that is to say, is sion, which has agreed that the 25.00 to bring low-standard countries next meeting shall be primarily 22.00 up to an international minimum, devoted to such a discussion and 20.00 thus laying a solid foundation on that the draft Charter prepared 16.00 which further progress can be by the seafarers' organizations realized by the more advanced shall be taken as a basis. /The 15.00 countries. development marks, incidentally, an innovation in I.L.O. procedure. TRIAL BLAZER 13.50 Without doubt many of the It may be said, nevertheless, 12.50 that this Charter is the most proposals contained in the Chart­ 12.00 comprehensive international pro­ er far exceed what is provided by existing International Con­ 11.00 gram of trade union demands that has ever been presented. It ventions and Recommendations, 11.00 is realistic in the sense that it but it is also true that in many 11.00 does not start from an assumed respects the improvements in 11.00 necessary change in property re­ seafarers' conditions which have 7.00 lationships or from a hypothetic­ been secured during the war by the process of negotiation also go 7.00 al system of operation. At the same time the Charter frankly beyond the provisions of those 7.00 declares that in the opinion of Conventions and Recommenda­ 5.00 the seafarers' organizations "the tions. 3.00 system of free enterprise is not The Maritime Session of the 2.00 conductive to a successful opera­ Interrnational Labour Confer­ 2.00 tion of an international industry ence, which has been announced 2.00 like shipping," and that they for 1945 will, if it is found pos­ "consider it to be in the best in­ sible to realize the Charter 2.00 terests of world cooperation and through the I.L.O., have to de­ 2.00 of the national communities, as vise the means of making up 2.00 well as of the seafaring commun­ the arrears. (Continued from Page 1) conferences, held in London on July 28th and 29th, 1944, the scene has been set for a campaign to translate the Charter into reality. The Charter on the one hand presents a reasoned case for im­ proving the conditions of life and work of seafarers. It states that profound changes are needed in the conditions under which the officers and men of the merchant navy carry on their occupation; that the attempts made by the seafarers' trade unions to improve conditions, especially in the period following the last war, were foiled not only by the ob­ durate opposition of the interna­ tionally organized s h ip o w ners, but also by the reluctance and impotence of the governments to promote a general rise in seafar­ ers' conditions by furthering in­ ternational a r r a n g ements. In their attempts to break this op­ position and overcome this i-eluctance and impotence, says the Charter further, the trade unions encountered c o n s i d e rable ob­ stacles of various kinds: uncon­ trolled expansion of tonnage fol­ lowed by laying up of ships; shrinkingof world trade; lack of international co-operation with vicious competition as a result: violent fiuctuations in monetary exchanges rates, with the same result; practice of transferring ships to foreign flags—invariably the flags of countries backward in social provisions; engagement of coloured seamen at conditions far inferior to those of the crews displaced. LOW PAYS MEANS INTERNAT'L ADVANTAGE During the period between the t\yo wars, it is further stated, it was clearly demonstrated that so­ cially progressive countries, where disposed to raise the stan­ dards of the shipping industry, were seriously handicapped by the weakening it involved in the competitive power of their na­ tional merchant navies. From this it follows that the interna- Honor Roll SS Walter Ranger SS Francis L. Lee SS Reihold Richter SS Robin Adair H. Flattery SS George Hale D. Sprang D. Carey SS Robert Hunter SS John Bannard W. J. Forbes G. C. Keen F. Martin F. W. Friah J. Deschenes SS Coleb Stong J. Barbae J. Harris James E. Kelley R. M. Thompson H. Halland William H. Moore Jauh Pagan Jos. Petro J. C. Allison Sam Banks m f -)l � 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 December 01, 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. 39 Description An account of the resource Headlines: SIX SHIPS ARE NAMED FOR OUR DEAD DIGINIFICANCE OF SEAFARERS CHARTER SHIP LOSSES ARE RELEASED BY OWI SEAMAN PRAISES LIBRARY SERVICES FOR MERCHANTMAN AND SO HE'S THROUGH WITH LOVE MATE SOES CREW'S WORK, PAY FOR THE PRIVILEGE Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 12/01/1944 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America 1944 Periodicals Seafarers Log