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CoastToCoast TieUp
Of Shipping To Answer
UnionBusting Attempt
NEW YORK, April 20—Unless East and Gulf
Official'Orgm, Atlantic & Gulf District, Seafarers International Union of NA Coast operators alter their unionbunting stand in
contract talks with the AFL Masters, Mates and
No. 8
NEW YORK. N. Y.. FRIDAY, APRIL 21. 1950
VOL. XII
Pilots, a fullscale shipping tieup, backed to the
hilt by the powerful AFL Maritime Trades Depart
ment, will go into effect within 48 hours.
The strike deadline was set for midnight, Sat
urday," April
22, when it became obvious that the
The powerful International. Transport workers Federation, representing more
than 80 shoreside and marine transport'unions throughout the world, poised itself this operators were using a couple of minor issues as
we^ek for a knockout blow, against runaway shipowners operating under the Panamanian a coverup for their intent to smash the licensed
flag. At a conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on April 18, the Seafarers Section officers' union.
The present agreement expired on Sept. 30,
of the ITF. voted unanimously for a worldwide boycott of ships under the Panamanian
but
it has
been extended four times at the request
registry. The Seafarers International Union is one of the American affiliates of the ITF.
1^^ the mediators.
Originally the ITF had ordert The report made^ to the Am
ITF Panamanian Boycott Noar
ed a Panamanian ship boycott sterdam conference revealed how
on Nov. 25, 1948, but postponed the'shipping interests had blank
it after the government of Pan ly refused ta enter into any such
ama proipised to toughen its negotiations," it said. "The Sea
The Senate Labor subcommittee has concluded pub
shipping regulations. Since then, farers' representatives from va
lic hearings on the seafaring unions' hiring halls and is
, however, nothing has been done rious countries, in very strong
reviewing the testimony preparatory to reporting back
to back up tlae promise.
statements, ' showed they were to the full copimittee. The committee will then deter
The ITF annoimced that the not prepared to tolerate further
help of longshoremen and per delay.
inine what action is to be taken in regard to the Mag
haps other unions would be
nusonLesinski
amendment, which would legalize the
sought in the effort to keep men "The Seafarers feel that the hiring halls.
from signing on the ships and struggle should, as far as pos
Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, Con
to immobilize cargoes in port. sible, be waged through their
ownr organizations, but they will gressman Hugh B. Mitchell has introduced another bill
UNSCRUPULOUS PRACTICES seek the support of dockers and,
7807—^to amend the TaftHartley law by making
The boycott, the communique if necessary, of other trades in
said, is intended to stop "the un directly connected with" the hiring practices prevailing in the maritime industry
scrupulous practices of shipown transport industry in dealing prior to June 15, 1947 exempt from the closed shop ban.
ers who have switched to the with certain .types of ships."
Mitchell's bill^ which has been referred to the
Panamanian and similar flags The United States delegate at House Committee on Education and Labor, recommends
and to enforce adeiquate living the conference was John Hawk,
addition of the following subsection to the T^H Act:
and working conditions in these SecretaryTreasurer of the Sea
"Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to make an
ships."
farers International Union.
unfair
labor practice the performance of an obligation
Panama technically has one of
Other nations
represented
were
the largest merchant fleets in the
of a collectivebargaining agreement between an em
world although it is a pation of Belgium, Britain, Denmark, ployer and a labor organization ... incorporating in
only 746,000 persons. This comes France, Finland, Germany, Israel, whole or in part any hiring or employment practices
from registration of foreign ves Italy, • the Netherlands Norway
prevailing in the maritime industry prior to June 1947."
sels in Panama. Union spokes and Sweden.
men charge the owners' object is
to escape the labor and safety
HAPPY IS THE WORD FOR SIU-REPRESENTED CS MEN
regulations of the home govern
^"m"ents,
' ... Many of the 800 or so ships
r flying Panama's flag are owned
V by United States companies. A
• spokesman, forPanamanian sail
"^qrS' Charged last year that, of
50,900 men employed on the
'"^1':— only 130 were natives of
New Hiring Hall Bill
I 'Phriama.
i
1 ABSENTEE OWNERS
Another striking fact is that
. the vast majority of Panamanian
• ships never even touch the coun
try. As a result pf this peculiar
setup, there would be no oppor
tunity for Panamanian officials
^ to make inspections of the ships
evpn if regulations were tough
! ened. With most, if not all, of
the owners living outside of the
country it is impossible to bring
piessdre. oh. those who du not
' live! lip. to the flimsy regulations
hhW iri existence,
i "The 'Seafarers' boycott was
voted "at an Oslo conference. It
waa postponed several times at
' Panama's request. These Pana
manian approaches held out
prospects for a settlement by col
lective bargaining, the communi
que said.
Pleased With SIU onthespot, representation and contract giving them top wages, these crew
members of. Cities Service SB Salem Maritime, register their satisfaction ioi the cameraman in
Wilmington, Calif. Standing, left to right, are C. Krupinski, Utility, F. Goniales, 2nd Cook:
W. P. Preston, OS; C. Frank, AB; E. B. Tilley, SIU Port Agent; J. Peragallo, MM; J. Adams,^
Oiler«"pnd T. ©'Brie?*. Chief Cook,
swe A. Ortw and C. Ceropreso,
• ' V;. . .
The decision to call out the
AFL dock workers, teamsters,
tugboatmen and all other sea
going and waterfront labor
already has been approved
by the seven member xmions of
the Maritime Trades Department.
The MTD unions are the In
temational Longshoremen's As
sociation, Local 333 of the ILA's
United Marine Division, Sea
farers Ihtemational Union, At
lantic Se Gulf District Sailors
Union of the Pacific and Radio
Officers Union. Full support has
also been promised by the Na
tional Maritime Union, CIO.
PREPARATIONS
The MTD has been meeting
continually in an effort to aid in
resolving the dispute. At the
same time, the powerful AFL
waterfront group has been mak
ing preparations in all East and
Gulf Coast ports for an effective
strike in case no settlement has
been reached by the deadline.
The minor issues involved are
those of seniority and the hiring
of all deck officers below the
rank of Chief Mate through the
MM&P halls.
These demands were accepted
{Continued on Back Page)
•
II,
...
PrivatelyOwned Fleet
Shows Slight Decline
The privatelyowned US ocean
going merchant fleet (vessels of
1,000 gross tons and over) de
clined by two vessels and 15,000
deadweight tons during March,
according to the National Fede
ration of American Shipping.
The Federation report showed
the privatelyowned fleet com
posed of 732 dry cargo and com
bination vessels of 7,356,000 dwt.
and 463 tankers of 6,810,000 dwt.
During the month of March
one tanker was added to the
fleet from new construction, and
one coastal dry cargo vessel was
purchased from the US Maritime
Commission. Three tankers were
removed. from ^ docmrnentation,
two of which were sold for
scrap and one dry cargo vessel
originally built foreign was sold
ab.road.
f
�|||:!':;i/: Page Two
THB SI? A FA RE RSL 0^
^MmrVA^l U. IB60
iHl}'
Sm^RERS LOG
MM^A:
•^ '
Published Every Other Week by the
SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gulf District
Vil
\
1%.:
mM
*
Affiliated with the American Fedefation of Labor
At 51 Beaver Street, New York 4, N. Yi^ ;
HAnover 22784
*
Reentered as second class matter August 2, 1949, 'at the Post
Office in New York, "N.Y., under the Act of August 24, 1912.
267
' Shipowners Attack
\
V
.
•
The stalemate between the AFL Masters, Mates and
Tilots and the East and Gulf Coast steamship operators,
^hich is just two days away from erupting into a nation
wide tieup of US shipping as the LOG goes to press, is
more than just a contract dispute.
Despite several extensions by the union of the con
tract that expired last fall, and the vigorous efforts of the
'. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the parties are
no closer to agreement than the day they started out.
On the surface, the principal issues are the MM&P
demands for recognition of seniority, md the hiring of all
.deck officers below the rank of Chief Mate through the
' .union halls.
Out on the West Coast, where the MM&P has a
tightlyknit organization, the operators granted these
same demands in a. contract negotiated last October. The
agreement has operated satisfactorily for both sides, and
certainly has not been a hardship on the operators there*
The East and Gulf Coast, operators have refused to
budge an ihch, however. In nixing the union's demands,
they
have said such an agreement "would usurp mana^ge
|5j'r,'
TJ^ 7, . •
te/' ment's prerogative to hire its representatives," and that
the operators couldn't be expected to accept the language
uf contracts "negotiated elsewhere."
All of which is just a lot of highsounding malarkey
that isneither fish nor fowl as far as the issues are con
cerned.
^S' •
Every experienced maritime observer is convinced
• that the operators are getting set to try to bust the union.
There is no other conclusion that can be drawn from their
^stubborn attitude inasmuch as some of these same opera
tors, who have interests on the West Coast (Moore
McCormack is one) have accepted there what they are It would be the rare man without an ulcer men, the radio operators, ahd the. tugboatmen.
rejecting on the East Coast.
these days, if the news were really as black as In addition, the CIO National Maritime Union
As a result, the East and Gulf Coast shipowners are the headlines. Take this issue of the LOG, for has promised to respect the picketlines, if the
example, and you read that the East Coast opera operators decide to go ahead with their Operation
precipitating a paralysis of US shipping.
tors are trying to bust the AFL Masters, Mates Openshop.' And that's a pretty sOlid lineup, asj
The powerful AFL Maritime Trades Department, and
Pilots. Then, further down the page, there the operators found out many times before.
composed of the Seafarers International Union, the Sailors is an item that the International Transportwork
GOOD PRECEDENT
Union of the Pacific, Radio Officers Union, the Interna ers federation, with which we are affiliated, is
Although the MTD wasn't officially in exist
tional Longshoremen's Association, ILA Tugboatmen, has finally going ahead with its worldwide boycott
ence
then, remember what the imited strength
of
Panamanian flag
ships.
moved into action and announced full support of the
of
the
AFL maritime unions was able to do in
affiliated MM&P. In addition, the CIO National Maritime Then, of course, there are the small things like the 1946 General Strike? §ure, it's no fun hitting
the monthbymonth shrinking of the US mer
Union has promised to respect all picketlines.
chant .^marine and, along with it, the decline of the bricks, but there is no reason, why we
If the Saturday midnight strike deadline set by the shipping and jobs. And, if you really want to shouldn't come out the winner in this one, and
AFL deck officers rolls around without an agreement be be a worry wart, there's the fact that the Head make maritime unionism just that much stronger.
On this Panamanian boycott deal, practically
quarters building in New York is about to be
ing reached, US shipping will be locked up tight. ^
il%:
every
maritime union outside of the iron curtain
sold from imder
us, and we
have
to get ourselves
.None of the unions concerned with this beef wants
win be a participant, and those shipowners who
a
new
Hall. There
are
other
things
too—enough
to see a strike develop. In fact they are demonstrating a
to give ulcers to yotu: ulcers, but we won't go~^ jumped to Panamanian registry to avoid tax^»
deeper concern for the welfare of the US merchant marine into them now, and save them for a rainy day. safety standards and the prevailing wage scales
than the operators. But the AFL waterfront unions are
wUl soon find themselves behind the financial
ONE AT A TIME
eightball.
not going to stand by while 38 steamship operators go to
But, as we hinted before, things aren't as black
If carried to a successful conclusion—and there
work at smashing one of its members.
as the printer's ink makes them out to'be. Let's • is no real reason wiiy it shouldn't he—a lot of
The busting of the MM&P apparently .has been a take these items one* by one and examine them
these ships wiU swing back .to the American
longtime desire of the shipowners who have been encour so that we can prorate our worrying.
flag, taking care of some of the other problems
aged and aided by the government's policy of flooding the First of all, there's the MM&P beef There is mentioned above. Those that go to other foreign
no question but that the operators are making flags will 'at least hot offer the ciffthroat com
industry with officers.
their first
real try at breaking maritime unionism. petition to American, shipping and jobs that
Despite the acute unemployment plaguing the indus
If
they
are successful here, they will move on these unorganized, uninspected, cooliewage ships
tryr the US Maritime Schools and state merchant marine
to
some
other union and try to knock us now present.
academies have been turning out more and more candidates
off one by one. But the joker here—'for them,
As for the Headquarters building, that may be
for jobs as ship's officers.
that is—^is that they aren't going to take on the a blessing in disguise, if contemplated, plans*go
.Perhaps with the expiration of the MM&P contract MM&P all alone. The AFL Maritime Trades De through. There's 'no point in going into details
the shipowners figured this was the ripe'moment to step partment has seen through this maneuver and, now, but the new Hall will be tops, and provide
instead of fighting just oiie sm^l outfit, the East the membership pwith many vservices that are
in and smash the union.
Coast
operators will find the entire strength of impossible in the present cramped quarters. De
If the shipowners have.no such intention, they can
the MTD lined up solidly behind the mates— tails will be given when we definitely have the
prove it by'knuckling down v/ith the Goverimient con which puts an .^entirely different'color to this building, because many of the things planned de
ciliators and the MM&P and resolving the dispute.
horse.
pend on the site of the building. But, one thing
Otherwise, the responsibility for the consequences is Standing solidly behind the MM&P, shoulder^ is sure, liobody wUl be disappointed.
to shoiUder, are the SHI, the SUP, the longshore
Feelbetter?
• tHeirs. •
mx
�.
• : fMdCi;:'Myia n> 'IWllj::;.::; 5:Sip!^
, 5_.jE. ^;^|?
IJ E RS LOG
'
. .,- mmim^
Page Tiue» ;;V.E|
A Way Of Life
• • • Tit
-M
The year was. 186&. America's seamen were miserable for the seaman, hoping he would quit, their hands were black, kept without sleep and
still finding most of their jobs aboard sailing thus saving the shipowner the man's wages. Of set to the hardest and most impossible tasks.
ships—steamdriven vessels having yet to make ten the skipper owned his own ship.
"One . . . escaped from his torture two days
their clean sweep oi the seas. President Andrew
The seaman could also be arrested by the ship's after the vessel left Sandy Hook by going over
Johnson was being impeached by Congress. And, master without a warrant; could be imprisoned board. A second one . . . followed his example
in San Francisco's Turnverein Hall, a band of for desertion; could be docked one day's pay for soon afterward; a third, a boy of about 17, found
hardy sailing ship seamen formed the first mari each hour of tardiness, and could be fined $10 in the sea a refuge on the morning of July 4th
time union in America, the Seamen's Society of a day for harboring a deserter.
—the anniversary of the great declaration of
the Pacific Coast.
It was not until the turn of the century that freedom and equality."
"^e Society's life was short, but in its exist flogging was abolished by law, but not until
Establishment of a hiring hall thus meant more
ence it wrote into the record the first demand passage of the Seamen's Act in 1915 was the than democratic hiring, it also stood as the door
of American seamen for the most cherished of all law actually enforced. Under the wording of to improved shipboard conditions, freedom Jrom
sea laws, seamen were "reckoned neither among disease and oppressive maritime laws.
union possessions: the union hiring halL
'
Following the Society, other unions, associa" the living nor among the dead."
EARLY UNIONISM
Without a hiring hall, the seamen were with
tions and brotherhoods were formed and dis
The first strong wave of unionism in maritime
solved, each one having sought to bring to the out unity to fight intolerable conditions. Greedy
sprung
up shortly after the Sailors Union of
men who sailed the ships the right to equalize shipowners stuffed every available bit of space,
the jobs available through a system of equal job including the crew's fo^sle, with cargo, leaving the Pacific was founded in 1885. Within a few
no room for sleeping or mess facilities. Crew years the Marine Cooks Union was formed and
distribution.
the Marine Firemen had organized. In 1893 the
Some were partly succesful, others failed; yet, members had to throw the straw mattress they three organizations became loose affiliates in
wherever seamai met, the talk always turned to cairied with them wherever they could find a the International Seamen's Union, AFL.
the hiring hall. Firing every discussion was the bit of open space, and ihey took their meals
where they slept.
In 1891 the Sailors Union of the Pacific set up
seaman's deepseated hatred of the crimps.
The miserable, illv«ntilated quarters, jammed the first union shipping office, which bore a
THE CRIMP
with the bodies of unwashed men—water was semblance to the hiring hall of today; but it
To a seaman a crimp was the lowest form of rationed to four quarts a day—^made a perfect was 1902 before the first formal working and
animal life. He operated, the shipping office, medium for disease. Seamen, who because of wage agreement with the shipowners association
often in conjimction with a boarding house, and their outdoor work should have been one of the was signed. Wages became $35 a month. The ship
in his hands rested whether or not a seaman healthiest occupation groups, suffered one of the owners in San Francisco agreed to maintain their
would get another job. If he ran a boarding highest percentages of tuberculosis.
own shipping office and use no crimps. In the
house, the seaman'knew he'd better take a room
The intolerable conditions aboard ships also outports the union was to furnish the crews. A
if he wanted^'a ship. The quarters offered by led to the most inhuman of all ,seafairing prac committee of owners and seamen was set up
the crimp were crowded and vermininfested, tices: shanghaiing.
to adjust grievances.
the food and liquor poor, and the cost high.
In the following years before World War I, the
HELL SHIPS
The seaman's small pay was soon gone, and he
unions grew steadily, with wage agreements re
Certain vessels bore reputations for having un
found himself in debt to the crimp. When the
newed regularly with wage iDOOsts. In 1917 wages
bill became high, the crimp put him on a ship, usually brutal officers and extremely bad condi had risen to $60 a month, plus overtime and
having made arrangements first with the ship's tions, where the crews were treated as animals. bonuses."
master to have advanced to him the money owed On these ships, the men were worked until they
A great deal of the advancements made during
by the seaman. It was possible, under the law dropped. The food was slop and the disease rate these years must be credited to job actions,
at the time, to advance a seaman's creditors up high. For minor infractions—or merely at the whereby a crew went aboard a ship and, being
whim of a sadistic skipper—men were triced up,
to four mtmths of a seaman's unearned wages.
dissatisfied with conditions, waited vmtil the ship
If the crimp didh^ run a boarding house, he beaten and often horsewhipped to death. These was about to sail, then threw their luggage
usually had a business of some sort, and the sea ships were avoided by seamen, no matter how the dock and pilpd off. The imion, informed of
man sooii learned the best patrons got jobs the much they needed work.
the situation, invariably was unable to find a
Because
replacements
were
always
necessary,
quickest, and cm the" best ships. Seamen who
crew available imtil the shipowner adjusted the
didn't throw their business to a crimp had to and no volunteers were forthcoming, the new grievance. When the grievance had been adjusted,
take their chances on the piers, msdcing the long men could be had only by kidnapping, a job the union furnished the company a crew for
hikes daily from pier to pier in the hope a berth that fell to the ship's officers and cooperative the ship.
was open and the captain the sort of a man who crimps.
The use of job action was made possible by ^
A prospective crewmember would be be •
did his own hiring.
the Seamen's Act of 1915, which abolished im, ;
But whether a man patronized a crimp or friended, phed with liquor until in a stupor, and prisonment of seamen for jumping ship in Ameri ?
tramped the waterfront, his chances of getting a then dragged aboard ship during the night. If can ports, and allowed him to collect all money
ship were small if he was known to have ideas time was short, a seaman • would be set upon due. The seaman only forfeited his personal ;
about unions. "Troublemakers" weren't wanted. in a dark street and beaten insensible. Others effects left aboard. Passage of this law is attri
But despite the chances of being blacklisted —guilty of some petty law violation—^would be buted to the tireless efforts of Andrew Furuseth,
with the crimps and skippers, men with ideas forced aboard by crimps with the threat that Secretary of the Sailors Union of the Pacific,
about unions continued to increase. Stung by they would be turned over to the police. At any who spent almost his entire life in Washington
the injustice of the laws of the day, swindled by rate, when daWn broke the ship would be at lobbying for fairer laws for seamen. Furuseth,
greedy crimps and abused by sadistic skippers, sea and a full crew Would be aboard.
for his efforts to liberate seamen under the law,
Such
a
voyage
was
that
of
the Sunrise,
which
the men turned eagerly to every movement for
h&s been termed "the Abraham Lincoln of the
union among seamen against their common sailed from New York to San Francisco in 1873. seas. J}
Unlike most such voyages, it ended in court
enemies.
WORLD WAR I
In 1885, the Coast Seamen's Union was formed with the conviction of the captain and mate, a
The First World War brought maritime union
and,'three months later, had marshalled enough feat made possible by the crusading work of
ism
to new heights, but was followed by a
strength among seamen to boycott ships hiring the "San Francisco Post." The record has the
swift downfall.
men from sources other than the union hall. The following to. say of the voyage:
When the United States entered the First
"As soon as the Sunrise got into the stream,
movement was successful for awhile, but the
World War, ninetyfive percent of the seamen
union was unable to check on all ships and the brutalities upon the crew commenced, and
in
America were members of the unions and
did not end until she took a pilot off the Golden
gradually the boycott evaporated.
Gate. They were knocked down, kicked, beaten wages had risen to $75 per month. Conditions
OTHER BENEFITS
with ropes' ends, iron belaying pins, tar buckets, were good, jobs plentiful and the costplus opera
The desire "^of the seamen for the hiring hall staves, or anything that came handy. But the tions of the shipowners gave them little reason
extended beyond the establishment of a system favorite punishment of the captain and his mate to fight the union demands.
of job distribution. The seamen felt that once seems to have been the horrible torture known
With the end of the war and the heavy slump
the hiring hall was set up, and all seamen ga as tricing up, which consists of ironing a man in shipping which followed, the unions found
thered together in the firm bond of brotherhood by the wrists, passing a rope .around the irons, themselves with their backs to the wall, forced
for their jobs, the union would be better" pre and hoisting him up until his toes barely touch to fight to maintain standards against the shippared to improve the conditjoixs on the ships the deck.
owners and a hostile government. Large numand force a fight on the maritime laws, which
"They were tortured on the Sunrise in this bers of war-trained seamen,. who had not gonir
made seamen virtual slaves.
way for six, eight and ten hours for trivial of through the battles for union conditions, stood
Under the law, seamen were bound to their fenses, or for no offenses at all . . . These men ready to,man the ships in the event the unions V,
ships and for a man to. quit meant the forfeiture were maltreated in every possible "way—beaten struck against the proposed cut in wages and
of all of his personal effects and any wages due and kicked until they were a mass of bruises increase in working hours. The government was
him. Under this law, shL^. istei's made life and disc'plored flesh, hung up by the wrists imtil
(Continued on Page 4)
�Pag* Four
TBE S E A F A k E R S LOG
Friday, April 21. 1950^
The Union Hiring HallA Way Of Life
(Contitmed from Fage 3)
of the national guard, the entire union member ships to issue the books, the seamen revolted and
prepared to send men to struck ships through its ship of San Francisco in all occupations and refused to accept them. Crews on all coasts made ;
hiring hall, which had been set up to dispatch trades went on a general strike. The waterfront it clear that they would not accept the book',
men to governmentowned ships.
strike ended shortly thereafter, with the seamen under any conditions. The movement became
The International Seamen's Union struck May and the longshoremen returning, to their jobs so strong that the government had to back
down.
1, 1921 and the curtain dropped on maritime with their ease before arbitrators.
Most important of all, the 1934 strike had re
unionism for thirteen years. The shipowners, at
The hiring hall continued to survive the on
the urging of the government, refused to back united the seamen into S. force strong enough slaughts of its enemies and gradually the unions
tcr press for its demands through job actions signed up the nonimion operators, until all but
down on their demands for a slash.
and
the aggressiveness of the men the seamen, a handful of the steamship companies were com
The government, in the person of theUnited
States Shipping Board, also stipulated that the elected to fight the dayto^day battle from the mitted to call the union hall for their men. '
unions would no longer have the right to have union offices ashore.
WORLD WAR II
By 1935, job actions put the hiring hall back
Patrolmen at signons and payoffs. As ships hit
^ . Then war came. Overnight America's merchant
United States ports, and were abandoned by their into operation. Men refused to ship except fieet doubled, quadrupled and swelled until the
crews, the US Shipping Board promptly dis through the union hiring hall. If a man came prewar fieet of 1090 ships had grown to 5500.
patched scab crews through its hiring halls. To aboard a ship from any other source, the crew Seamen were at a premium, and, the imions,
swing any wavering shipowners back into line, formed a welcoming committee for him. Ship's through their hiring halls, dispatched thousands
fljp chairman of the Shipping Board announced delegates were set up, and a member from each of men to crew the slups. Skilled men were not
to the companies that, if imy of them signed department elected to represent the men in dis available in the large numbers needed. The
6n the union's terms, the Board would take putes with the company.
The shipowners, seeing the futility of their government turned thousands of hastily trained
away from them any governmentowned ships
fight, recognized the hiring hall as fact, and men from, its training schools. The Sailors Union
they were operating.
of the Pacific set up its own training school and
The odds against the union were too much. gave up their resistence to* having the hiring sent over 500 imiontrained seamen to its con
Possessing a membership of over 100,000 men hall clause written into the* contract.
In this period of resurging unionism, the Na tracted ships. .
when the strike came off, the membership rapid
Men who before the war had been ABs and
dwindled to 23,000. At the end of two months tional Maritime Union, CIO, was born, and Oilers became Mates, Skippers and Engineers.
the union capitulated; the men returned to the shortly after the Seafarers International Uriibn, The tremendous number of men needed to sup
ships with only a shell of a imion remaining AFL, ^ame into existence. The big drive was ply the ships strained to the limit the facilities
on. In maritime the trend was away irom craft
and no contract.
unions and toward the formation of all men in of the union hiring halls, yet the union Icnew
THE INBETWEEN YEARS
the three departments into one union of un that to let the men be hired outside its offices
The years following were rough for seamen. licensed men.
would mean a breakdown of its hardearned
security
of the hiring hall.
The crimp became king again. Conditions on
Simultaneously with the establishment of the
the ships worsened, with thousands of American hiring hall, conditions on the ships improved.
Seamen who had been torpedoed, strafed and
bom seamen leaving the seas. Crews were re Union action brought about abolition of "blue shelled on the perilous Atlantic nm to Mur
duced to the minimum set by law, the hours of linen"—a blue bedsheet given the seaman when mansk, through the Suez Canal to Malta, through
work were boosted to 90 without the payment of he signed on, which was supposed to serve as the subinfested waters to England and through
overtime.
bed linen as long as the trip lasted.
"Uboat Lane" along the Atlantic coast, came
The "workaway" came into being; a man
The "donkey's breakfast," or straw mattress, back again and again to take out ships fresh
signed on the ship for a pennyamonth pay. He was discarded and the cojtipanies forced to sup from the shipyards.
did all the work of the crew but received nothing. ply mattresses. Crockery was supplied by the
Unescorted, sparsely armed and slow, the Ships
His break came when one of the regular crew company, and the men were, given ample room lumbered across the waters to deliver the much
members left the ship and he assumed the man's for eating apart from their sleeping quarters. needed lendlease cargoes and, later, America's
job. Another practice, was for college students to Gradually, through the initiative of individual armies and war materials. By the end of hostili
sigh on as crewmembers to work their way to crews in job actions and through the union m ties, 6,028 seamen had lost their lives in the
Europe for the summer, thus denying seamen negotiations, the working conditions aboard the war, a percentage loss higher than suffered by
jobs.
ships improved.
any of the armed forces. But the job was done.
Miserable food, crowded foc'sles were back
Certain tasks outside the realm of ordinary
LAYUPS AND SALES
again. The seaman lugged his straw mattress work became penalty work, for which overtime
The end of hostilities saw a cut back in mari
with him when he signed on a ship, and with was paid. Cleaning tanks, doing work ordinarily
time
operations on a scale imequalled in any
his personal belongings he carried eating uten done by longshoremen, and working beyond the
other
industry. iUmost with the signing of the
sils and canned milk for coffee. Conditions con stipulated number of hours were among the
armistice, ships began making their last run to
tinued to deteriorate, with wage cuts coming an penalty jobs spelled out in the contracts.
the "boneyard," the layup fleet. The govern
nually until 1934, when the longshoremen on
The better living for seamen was not without
the west coast resisted the slide downward and opposition, however. In J938, the government ment, which had built most of the ships and
called a strike. The seamen hitting west coast announced that it was going to operate hiring chartered them to private operators, found the
ports piled off the ships, and declared themselves halls and in several ports put them into opera shipowners reluctant to stay in operation on a
on strike for a coptract embodying a wage in tion. The halls were shortlived, for the seamen large scale. Some companies, which had operated
crease and reestablishment of the hiring ball. met them with job actions whenever a replace as many as fifty ships, went out of business en
tirely, the fat, guaranteed profits of wartime
ment supplied from the government hiring hall
THE 1934 STRIKE
gone.
Thus began the toughest and bloodiest strike tried to board a ship.
The full effect on employment wasn't felt fot
in maritime history. Oh March 5, the strike
THE FINK BOOK
nearly four years, as thousands of men who
began and, through the ensuing weeks, the em
Defeated in its effort to smash the hiring hall, entered the merchant marine during the war
ployers turned to desperate measures to drive the antiunion forces in the government—at the returned to their homes, farms and schools. The
the men back to the docks ^nd the ships.
urging of the employers—came up with a neat government, concerned with the growing layup
Thugs were imported to beat up on pickets, the device for keeping militant men off the ships: fleet, attempted to dispose* of its ships by offer
city police went to work with their nightsticks, the Copeland Book, referred to by seamen as ing them for sale at a small percentage of their
putting hundreds of beaten strikers in jaiL The the Fink Book.
original price.
new^apers hollered "civil war" and called for
The book was designed to replace the usual
The American shipowners were slow to take
extreme measures. Bands of vigilantes descended practice of giving a seaman a separate discharge up^ the government on its offer, but the steam.
on the strikers wherever they' found the odds at the end of the each voyage. Instead, he was ship operators of foreign countries were definite
to their favor.
to be issued a book in which each discharge was ly interested. Ships were sold wholesale to ope
The tension rose until, on July 5, in the to be listed and, next to it, a space for the skip rators in all the countries of the world,
"Battle of Rincon Hill," San Francisco police per's comments on the man's ability.
Hundreds of ships were sold to operators list
opened fire on a seamen's meeting, killing two
Thus, instead of a seaman receiving /separate ing Panama and Honduras as their home offices,
men and wounding 105 others. The national discharges, all of his sea service would be listed Actually, the ships were primarily owned. by
guard was called out against the strikers, and in the book for "a prospective employer to see. . American interests, but registered ih Panama
barricades were set up . in the streets, ^e city Men who had made short trips, left their ships and crewed by Europeans and Asiatics. Their
of San Francisco took on the appearance df war regularly and who were given imsatisfactory purpose w^ to evade the American safety laws,
time. The strikers, however, were not seeWng ratings from skippers were easily spotted and American shipyard costs and American crew
p! battle, being content to keep
ships, tied up refused when applying for jobs. If the man was wages.
,
and the strike in effect.
sent from a hiring hall, the employer would
By January 1, 1950,"the government had di&
But the seamen had help, too. In support of Ipid some pretense for refusing him.
posed of 1,006 ships in its layrup flert. American
the strikers, and as a protest ui the ogling out ;|^ When government representatives came aboard
^Continued on Page 5)
Ife
. ^ " '•
�Fsidtty. April 8i; i960
T BE S E A F A RERS td
AU Three DeRartments Share
In NeW York's Fail' Shipping
Sailing Short
M Slow, Says Port Savannah
w
By E. M. BRYANT
All delegates aboard SIU
ships are urged to make cer
SAVANNAH—No matter how Kyska, SS Iberville, and SS
By JOE ALGINA
tain that every sh^ is fully you say it, shipping is still slow Azalea City, all Waterman ships;
manned before it leaves port. ih this port.
SS Steel Surveyor and SS Steel
WEW YORK^hipping out of Elizabeth, Puerto Rico, Suz
If the company tries to vio
There
were
only
a
coupleof
Chemist, Isthmian, and the SS
I the Port of New York was anne, Caroline, Frances, Bull; late the contract manning
layoffs
in
the
last
shipping
pe
Jean, Bull Lines. None of these
Ipretty fair during the past two Topo Topa, Hurricane, Choetaw, scale by sailing short, the
iod,
th^
being
the
SS
South
ships
had any beefs, either.
I weeks for all departments. The Chickasaw, Jean LaFitte, Water ship's delegate should call port, South Atlantic, and the SS Aniong those waiting to ship
black gang had a slight edge man; Steel Designer, Steel Work the nearest Union Hall im Strathmore, a Liberty tanker out of this port at the moment
lover the deck and stewards in er, Steel Chemist, Isthmian; Rob mediately.
Which was sent by the company are Brothers A. J. Bullard, W.
in Kirk, Robin Kettering, Seas
inumber of men shipped.
The
Union
will
take
im
into dry dock to be reconverted Breedlove, Tommy Wickham,
This does not mean, however, Shipping; Southwind, South At mediate *kctiott to see that to a dry cargo carrier. The Mike Kavanaugh and Marvin
I that anyone shotdd rush off in lantic; Chrysstar, Triton; John our agreements are observed Strathmore will be in the dry Swords.
[the direction of NewYpfk. There Stagg, MarTrade; Elly, Sea to the > letter as it doM dock for about 45 days.
UNION SHOP
I are approximately QOOr men reg Trades; Black Eagle, Orion; Sea whatever violations are re
The Southport showed up as a
Jistered—about, evenly divided in ttain New York and the Sand ported.
We'd
like
to advise all Chief
rpighty clean ship, manned by
I the ' three departments. That's craft, which came In from the
Stewards
that
when ordering
Know your contract and a headsup crew of bookmem
I about average for the port, as West Coast.
supplies
in
Savannah,
they
report aU violations to the bers.' Not a single beef was car
should
order
NBC
bread
and
I a rule.
tried apoard this'vessel.
The Eastern Steamship Lines Union right away.
Most of the past period's pay will
crackers,
as
it
is
the
only
or
Intransit we had the SS
the Evangeline into
joffs were smooth, and all beefs cruise put
ganized
bakery
in
the
city.
^
service beginning July 1.
I were settled satisfactorily. Ships The vessels
The
Hall
here
has
been
paint
will make a series
Ipaying oif were:
ed and is looking fine. We've
of ten weekly cruises to Nassau,
purchased a phonographradio
leaving every , Saturday from
combination
from Brother
Pier 18, North River, and will
By CAD TANNER
Tommy
Moore,
who gave us a
return to New, York the next
MOBILE
—
Shipping
in
this
payoffs
were
smooth,
with
only
bargain.
This
addition helps,
Friday by way of the Grand
port for the last couple of weeks a few minor beefs on any of make this HaU one of the finest
Bahama Island.
By BEN LAWSON
in the South—and one of the
has been dead slow, with ap them.
The^ Bernstein
Shipping
Com
cleanest, we proud to add.
Intransit
for
the
period
were
BOSTON—Shipping was • j ust
proximately forty»five bookmen
pany. is
still awaiting final
word
the Bull Rim, Mathiasen tanker ; The Garden City Cab Company
fair/ in the Beantowni although
a number of ships paid off and on its. bid for operations and and six permits shipped for ihe Chickasaw, Alcoa Rimner, Caha sold out, so we have no organized
approximately a halfdozen conversion subsidies on two pas twoweek period. In addition to ba, SUP tanker, and the Lasalle. union taxi service in this city.
otherb called intransit during senger ships for the European these, we had approximately All intransit jobs were con The new owner keeps giving the
run.
forty relief jobs on tugs and tacted and necessary replace Teamsters local the rvmaround,
the past two weeks.
ments furnishfedi
Thepayoff ships were all tank Meanwhile, . the company is deep sea ships.
although he is supposed to be
ers: the SS .Alexandra, and SS placing a ship in the trade imder Ships paying off during the Biggest thing around Alabama an old railroad man. We expect
Trinity, Carras, and the SS Bepts Panamanian registry (on a tem last two weeks were the Mon this last week was the Alabama to hear something definite on
Fort,, SS Fort Hoskins, and SS porary basis) so. that it can build arch of the Sea,. Fairport, Ala State Federatiori of Labor con the imion's efforts to get a con
wai, Morning Light, Antinous, vention in Montgomery the,j,first tract in a short time.
Royal Oak, Cities Service. i All up its bookings.
of these vessels signed on again. If there had been swifter ac Wild Ranger, all Watermbn; the three days of the week. As usual Three of our Brothers are in
With the way the Cities Ser tion on the Bernstein applica Clipper and Corsair of Alcoa, and the SIU delegates were there, the local Marine Hospital: J.
vice ships are hitting^this area, tions, there would have been no the Sanford B. Dole, Mar Trade. apd were elected on all the im Maxey, J. (Chubby) Morris and
Signing on were the Monarch portant committees for the com Carl Smithj SUP. Stop in and
and witii the Yarmouth and need for the Panamanian flag
Evangeline scheduled to begin operation. This is one. of the' les of the ^ Sea, Alawai, Clipper, ing year. The convention went pay these Brothers a visit if
crewing up in about six weeks, 'sons this nation should learn in Fairport, Morning Light, Antin on record to endorse candidates you have a few moments in this
shipping ought, to be pretty good making decisions affecting its ous, Sanford B. Dole, and the lyho were favorable to labor in port. It'll: go a loni: way in
Wild Ranger. All signons and the coming May primaries.
merchant marine.
cheering them up.
up, this way. •
1
5
I
MOA/JIB Mat Keeps RelOng Ahng
Tankers Give Hypo
lib Boston Shipping
(Continued from Page 4)
j pperators ptirchased 693 ships to replace outof
date vessels and those lost in the^ war.. Foreign
operators, representing 34 nations, purchased
l,li3 ships. Still in the layup fleet are 2,189
ships, all but 51 being warbuilt ships. America's
[merchant marine now numbers 1,164 ships—only
74 more than before the war — and is still
dropping.
MARITIME TOPAY
With the heavy shipping of wartime only a
memory, seamen today find the hiring hall their
one consolation. The number, of jobs being fewer
than the men available, the seamen know that
what jobs become available will be offered thehx
on an equal basis.
They^know the jobs that become available will
be called, into the hall, where they can wait
in leisure, knowing that eventually their job
will come up "on the board." No trudging the
waterfront, no putting up at a crimp boarding
house, no buying the ^oddy merchandise of a
business mancrimp. If a job is to be had, the
man with the longest time in waiting will get
the job. Waiting'for his turn is the" only price
he pays.
But, just as it h^s dogged the existence of
every seajnan, the thfeat to the hiring h^ re
mains ever over them. The unions today are too
strong for the employers to attempt to hire
their men from crimps or off the piers. The
biggest threat today comes from the TaftHartley
Law> which bans the hiring hall. In a recent
court case, the Supreme Court upheld the law
by declaring illegal the hiring halT operated on
the Great Lakes by the National Maritimh Union.
The Supreme Court's decision is the hiring hall's
severest blow , since 1934;
To the men of the Seafarers International
Union,the hiring hall is their most prized posses
sion, as: union msn. Shipowners, contracted to the
imion have stated their complete satisfaction
with the operation of the Biting haH and with
tBe men suppli^ by the union.
t* »
1.
m I
ill
The Hiring Hail
Senator Warren , Magnuson and Representative
John Lesinski have introducedi a bill in congress
to exempt maritime unions from the Taft
Hartley ban. Despite a great deal of support for
The present contract, under the provision the measure in both Houses of Congress, mari
covering employment, reads in part: "To assure time union leaders are not optimistic over its
maximum harmonious relations and in ojder to enactment into law.
obtain the best qualified employees with the
The seamen feel that, outside a full repeal of
least risk of a delay in the scheduled departmre the TaftHartley Law, their greatest hope for
of any vessel, the company agrees to secure all retention of the hiring hall, and the multitude
unlicensed personnel through the hiring hall of of benefits derived from it, lies in an allout fight
the union."
against any attempt by shipowners "or the gov
ernment
to weaken in any wayor destroy the
HIRING HALL SUPPORT
The hiringhall is not without friends, how hiring hall in its present form. The seamen are
determined that in no way, and by no dictate,
ever.
will they give up the cornerstone of maritime
Recently, to acquaint the country's lawmakers union independence. .
with the union's operations, several congressmen
America's maritime unions have always ope
toured the SI¥'s facilities and later commented' rated independently of one another in the sign
favorably in the Congressional Record. One Con ing of contracts, organizing companies and con
gressman, Isidore Bollinger (Dem., N.Y.), stated, ducting strikes, with no concerted action by all
"because of problems peculiar to the maritime unions other than the usual respect of one an
industry, the union hiring halls have injected other's picketlines. But, now, the unions—^AFL,
stability into the industry and have given to CIO and Independent—representing over 170,000
seafaring men a pfoper dignity arid security seamen, are. united in their determination to
that was impossible urider the previous hiring maintain the strong right arm of unionism.
^
practices. "The union hiring hall wiped out crimp
History has taught them that the end of the
halls and shanghaiing and the maritime industry hiring hall means the end of a way of life. Clean,
is better off for it.
.
.
wellventilated foc'sles, first grade food, fresh
"The Seafarers point out that the destruction Unen weekly, a 40hour week at sea, and union
of the union hiring hall would wipe'out many representation constsmtly at their call, spell a
hard won gains realized by organized seamen way of life for America's seamen today, equal
over the past ten years, and. chaos, confusion and; to that of craftsmoa in shoreside industries.
all the sordid conditions that are now part of
The union hiring hall has made it possible for
an inglorious history would return. And |here is the seaman to become a respected member of
sound basis for this prediction.
the community, to enjoy the h:uits of his labor,
"The Congress of the United States cap act to to hold his head high and be proud of his trade^
avert sttch a calamity. I believe all legislators
He is determined that no one will relegate him"
share with me the desire to see our natiop move again to the state of the seaman a gaaeration or
forward, not backward. I believe, therefore, that two ago, as it was characterized by Andrew
it is incumbent upon us to exempt the maritime Furuseth: "You can put me in: jail but you cannot
unions from the dosed shop ban. It is in the give = me narrower quarters than as a seaman
seamen's, the industry's and the nation's^ntere&t I have always had. You cannot give me coarser
that we do so;'*
food than I have always eaten. You cannot ihake
In agreement with Gbngresspian Dojilinger, ,me Ibnelier than I have always been."
' V
^
^
^
TiivNim
i
�Page Six.
• ;• ; z'' ,\ .. /.,
T H E S E ^ F A^ R E R S L O G
ficidaY. jipril 21/19S0
SBIPS' MIMUTES AMD N^S
Del Norte News Sheet
Makes Shipboard^Debut
SMOOTH SAILORS
Wemick Anxious
For Chance To "; ;
Wrestle In N.Y.
charting a course dedicated to the best interests of
its readers and the Union, the SS Del Norte Navigator
made its initial appearance as the monthly j^ublicatioa of
ship's unhcensed personnel.
Seafarer Abe Wernick is hop ;|
ing to get a . wrestler's license ;
in New York so he can show ;
the folks in his home state that
he can tangle with the best in
the giunt 'n' groan game!
Abe, who has • been sailing •
since 1940, joined the SIU in
1943 in Baltimore. He says that
he started his wrestling career
at a' carnival in, India back in "
1940 while a crewmember aboard
a ship calling there.
Since that time. Aba says, he
has wrestled all over the world.
As an amateur he won 32 bouts'
and lost five, he told the LOG.
Edited and printed at sea, the
Navigator is being published "for
the dissemination of shipboard
news,, discussions of ideas and
actions within our Union per
tinent to our welfare, Snd for
instruction and entertainment,
according to the statement of
policy made by Thurston Lewis,
editor.
The first issue of the Naviga
tor contains nine neatly mimeo
These crewmembers of the SS Fort Bridger believe in
graphed sheets of editorial mat
traveling light. In case anyone doesn't recogn^e them without
ter, stories of the crew's sports
their customary locks, kneeling (left to right) are D. Desei,
activities, cartoons, news items,
Bosun; Red Faircloth, Engine Utility; Ollie Olivera, AB; Bing
poetry and a gossip coltunn deal
Cotol, AB. Standing are Jake Fidew, AB; P. Arthrofer, DM;
ing with hipboard personalities.
Red Korsak, OS; Buzz Celkos, MM and Chuck Bogucki. DM.
Photo was senf from Cete, France.
The name pf the paper was
"T«x" Melting, who won the
selected from a number submit
ted by crewmembers. The suc cash award offered to the Del
cessful entry, the Navigator, was Norte crewman submitting the
offered by Gottfried (Tex) Met most suitable name for the
ting, AB Maintenance aboard the shipboard paper.
hlississippi passenger vesseL Met
ting was awarded the tendollar cian on the Del Norte, at th^ Loaded, with lard and live tig miles a day to Antwerp, Bel
prue set up by the judges for British Hospital in Buenos Aires ers, blackbirds and turtles, the gium, arriving there on April 7,
the winning name.
SS Southland was due to arrive accordifig to JEriksen.
on March 16.
Europe this week to begin The trip was notable for its
Metting joined the SIU in Bramble, who was 45 years
discharging
her diversified car smoothness, the crewmember re
1943, and according to the Del old, was a jnember of the SIU
go.
ported. The big cats behaved
Norte Navigator has been active since 1947, holding Book No.
in several organizing campaigns, 51199. He is survived by his wife, According to crewmember Ed themselves, thanks to the efforts
including Isthmian and US Wa two sons and a daughter of mund Erikseh, the voyage was of a Ringling Brothers circus
^smooth, despite the presence of trainer and his assisjtant, who
terways. He has served as dele Norfolk, Va.
ABE WERNICK
gate on many ships and "has Del Norte crewmen sent a the striped cats, who came made the crossing with them. As
)
'
•
aboard in Jacksonville. The tig for the lard, you'd never know
proved himself to be a good ship large floral wreath
to the fune ers—seven of them—destined for it was aboard, said Eriksen.
A middlewieght. Brother Wer
njate at aU times." Before join ral, and the Navigator said that
The turtles slept most of the nick keeps in shape by working
ing the SIU, Metting was a mem "all hands mourned the passing, the Hagenbeck Circus in Ham
ber of the AFL Brotherhood of of Brother Gamble, who was a burg, made the trip on the after way and the blackbirds didn't out aboard ship.
Last December, Abe matched
deck alongside of No. 4 portside try to snip off any noses, on ac
Hallway Clerks.
good shipmate, wellliked and hatch. In cages, of course.
count of all hands kept their dis grips with Johnson Smith in a
The Del Norte Navigator's always willing to cooperate with
From Jacksonville, the South tances. These specimens were mat contest in New Orleans, he
s^rts page features the victories his shipmates."
land
headed for Wilmin,gton, slated to replenish the Hamburg recalled. He threw Smith in that
scored by the Crew baseball Staff members of the new
where
she picked up the first zoo, which was pretty well one.
team over two teams from the, shipboard publication, in addi
cleaned out by the war.
^gentine. In their first game tion to Editor Lewis, are: Gabe shipment of lard to be sent from Best of aU, Eriksen said, was Wemick is an expert in jiu
of the season, the Del Norts de Myrick, associate editor; Jimmy the port. A total of 1,624,000 the Southland's chow, especially jitsui, having been trained in
feated a strong team from San Darouse, sports editor; E. Reyes, pounds were loaded on the South on Thmsdays and Sundays, when that manly art by Japanese in
Isidro at Buenos Aires, 25 to 19. art editor; R. E. Holland, direc Atlantic ship for ultimate" con the mess table "looks like some structors. He holds a certificfite
The second win was registered tor; C. A. (Red) Hanc'ock, ad sumption 'by Emopeans as part thing in the WaldorfAstoria." testifying to his ability as a rib
buster.
over Gimnasia y Esgrima, 4 to vertising manager, ahd Dick of the Marshall Plan aid pro
gram.
3.
Martinez, Juan Gerala, Tommy The Southland left for Emope,
The Navigator also carried the Scoper, Coolidge Campbell, Pat after a call at Newport News, on
news of the death of Seafarer Frango and Daniel Kelley, re March 25. She averaged 400
Richard Bramble, Third Electri porters.
j.
'Load Of Lard Sets Pattern
On Southland's Smooth Trip
r,
Voice Of Oke Sea
By "SALTY DICK'
The wedding bells are ringing Ipud here in New
Orleans. George Duxworth heard the bells about three
moiy:hs ago. Our "friend, Jack (3obb, is also married, and
The Del Norte's baseball squad lines up for a pregame photo in Buenos .Aires. Kneeling
(left to right): B, Browning, S. Candela, B. Domiuicis, R, Boyd, W. Smith. B. Collins. Standing:
CampbelL Rineay, Rags Mailho, J. NeweU, D. Eaton, J. AUar^ V. JKeedck, R WUti^, S.
Eddy.and Leon.
/
he and his wife have adoptedg
a child and are residing in ^ speaking of "Buck" Stephens.
giers, across the river from New In Brazil, when a native calls
Orleans.
you pao duro (stale "bread) he
It has been reported that Tex means you're a cheap skate ...
Krohn's favorite remark is "All Emmet Stephens wants Joe. Vol
gashovmds should go!" . . . Rarry pian and his other friends to
Hastings is serving ^ as Ship's know he got married last Dec.
Delegate aboard an Alcoa ship 17. He's still sailing, though.
and doing a fine job , . . No Who is the young" man work
mentioning any names, but a ing on a Delta passenger, ship,
certain waiter, who hails from who is met every time he arrives
up North and now sails out of at Poydras dock by a beautiful
the Gulf wears flashy
nylon senorita in a green buick?
shorts.
The best sandwich salesman
Caspar Stevens is one of the along the New Orleans docks is
better known members of the Hugh Dick, who is now on a
SIU, but dam few would recog ship headed, for: the land of
nize him by that name". I'm manana. • •
v:'' "
�^:lil^",:.r ~ •
f^day. April^l, 19S0
THE SEAFARERS LOG
Dlgesteil Minutes Of SlU Shiu Meetings ||
Page Seven
~
FAIHLAND, Jan. 29 — Harry
. gate reported 17 hours overtime
»!' |/ f WyP#
FAIRLAND.
Galphin. Chairman;' Grady Fair
in Engine Department had been
adjusted and will be paid; small
cloth. Secretary. Delegates re,
beef pending in Deck, and mat
ported on disputed overtime am
book standings. No beefs were
ter of chairs needing reuphol
IT?BfiOWERS iM THE MARINE
i^eicorded. General discussion on
stering will be taken care of in
^ HOSPITALS ALL SAY THAT
New Orleans. Bill Gray resigned
two tripcarders and motion car
TWE. OA/E THINS TWEY WANT —
ried recommending them for Un
as Ship's Delegate and thanked
BESIDES
OUT— IS TO HEAR
ion permits if shoreside officials
all hands for the cooperation he
ERO/M THEIR OLD SHIPMATES .
had received in the job. Election
Bee fit. Discussion on March of
SO VAlHV A/OT TAKE TIME. Jt?
of delegates, with following men
Dimes during which it was an
im
DROP THEM A LINE
/
designated: Bill Gray, Ship's
nounced that someone would be
IT'S
GOOD MEDICINE /
Delegate; Morion Trehan, Deck;
present at payoff to accept dona
• • • • 'til
Clark, Engin6; Foniain, Stewards.
tions. Ship's Delegate said he
would discuss water situation
2 22
ALCOA PLANTER, Feb. 8—
with Patrolman.
at Sparrows Point, causing Deck Percy Boyer, Chairman; H. Gal
t. % *
GATEWAY CITY. Feb. 12— Department to sail shorthanded. lagher, Secretary. Ship's Dele
6am Drury, Chairman; J, Riley, Stewards Department was given gate reported that beefs on slop
Uecretary. No beefs in any of the vote of thanks for wellprepared chest, draws and promotion of
departments. Motion carried that food and excellent service. Crew Wiper will be turned over to
each man clean laundry wh^ voted to allow J. KusmiAki. who Patrolman. Crew to get together
finished washing clothes. Ship's was acting Bosun, to remain in and suggest sizes and quantities
Delegate to see Captain about that capacity aboard this ship of items needed for slopchest on
having ship's radio turned on at if he so desires. Suggested that next trip. Recommended that
certain intervals throughout the if time permits. Ship's Delegate collection be taken up for pur
day. Under Good and Welfare to see about exchanging library chase of washing machine.
the following suggestions were books, and that heads of de Thanks given to Stewards De
made: That more night lunch be partments be asked about sou partment for fine food and ex
cellent * service during entire
available; that table cloths be geeing crew's lounge.
2
2
2
trip;
special thanks to Baker for
kept clean as possible, and that
EDITH, Feb. 13 — Woodrow delicious bread. Old crewmem
all esxtra linen be turned in.
Reid. Chairman; Louis Riszo, befs told they should not get
Secretary. Delegates' reports ac the idea they run the ship or
cepted. Witt elected Ship's Dele are entitled to special favors
gate. Old linen locker given to all hands to be treated exactly
Deck gang by Steward for stow aljke.
ing heavy gear and luggage to
relieve congestion in rooms.
by Hank
Night Cook and Baker requests
2 2 2
ROBIN MOWBRAY, Feb. 12 124 watch to call him on time.
—John SamseL Chairman; Amos Crew asked to clean up after
FLASH NEWS—The SS Sandcraft, the dredge from the West
Baum, Secretary. No beefs themselves during the night.
Coastj has two oldtimers aboard. They are Nick Yacislyn, the
aboard ship. Motions carried: To Prolonged discussion on March
New Yorker, and Brother Bob Fall ... So far there have been no
permit two cadets to use new of Dimes drive to fight polio.
reports from any SIU ships saying they have spotted flying saucers
2 2 2
washing machine purchased by Delegates to take up collection
STEEL CHEMIST, Feb. 4—E. over any of the seven seas in the world . . . Two pf the most
the crew; That money left over and turn it over to Ship's Dele
important issues for the ftiembership continues to be the "battle
from purchase of 'washing ma gate so it will be ready for the Anderson, Chairman; J. L. Ya for the hiring hall" and the "vacation rule" . . . Shipping here in
kush. Secretary. Ship's Delegate
chine be used to buy baseball Patrolman at the payoff.
reported
that he had spoken to New York is picking up slightly—in fact, should be getting better,
equipment for use by all hands.
2 2 2
Captain
about
imsafe gangway. we believe—and the membership here is as active as ever in
B6sun Eaxl Oppel gave a talk STEEL NAVIGATOR, Feb. 5
Captain
said
matter
would have helping out in various.things which are important for the SIU . . .
on safety, emphasizing the no —^R. F. Ransome, Chairman; D.
Richard Pujos, who has been helping out, just grabbed a tanker.
smoking rule while explosive MaxweU, Secretary. Delegates to be taken up on return to the Good tankering, Richard ... Abe Partner and Brother R. J.
cargo is being unloaded and the reported some disputed overtime States. Crew went on record un Mikutal have been giving a hand with whatever there was to
need for action to prevent per n Deck and Stewards Depart animously against communist do . . . Brother Niedomeyer, the artist who drew the picture of
sonal injimies. Ship's Delegate ments. Motions carried: To have and other splinter group dis the SS Colabee, just sailed into town.
Samsel joined in the discussion. delegates check slopchest and rupters in the SIU._ Ship's Dele
2
2
2
Considerable interest has been see that lava soap is ordered; gate was told that shore gang
Steve Piliak,
the welldressed guy, is in town
. . . Red Shea,
that each member using washing will paint the quarters and that
• shown in these safety talks.
a
happy
guy,
is
now
voyaging
aboard
the
tanker,
SS Bull
machine, contribute twp dollars if anyonsshas anything to say
2 2 ^2
Run
.
.
.
Tony
Apalino,
another
good
imion
man,
says
the
ALCOA PEGASUS, Feb. 13— to ship's fund for iJpkeep. In against it, the matter would have best nms he can think of is grabbing a scow for the Mediter
to
be
taken
up
upon
return
and
J. T. Spivey, Chairman; D. Clark, discussion on washing machine.
ranean ports or, as second choice — the European run ...
Secretary. Engine Delegate re Electrician volunteered to check a report made to the Patrolman.
Timmy McCarthy is in town, smiling as ever . . . We are
No
beefs
pending.
ported that one man had been price of new motor, also to see
wishing speedy recovery to Brother N. A. Cobb who is going
2 2 2
left in Barbadoes as a result of Chief Engineer or Captain to
to
be drydocked for about halfayear over in Holland, Michi
illness. Crew voted' unanimously find out if discount could be had ALCOA CAVALIER, Feb. 12 gan . . . Tony Zalewski, who has been sailing tankers every
to expell Trotskyites and com by ordering through shipchand • "Tex Krohn, Chairman; Andy now and then, is in town with his cigar . . . Other Brothers in
munists. Discussion on compul er. Rec room to be used for Stephens, Secretary. Overtime town axe: Mitchell Milefski, Fred Paul, Bill Dunham, Big
sbry vacations. Members said card playing and bull sessions. disputes reported in Deck and . Dutch Bolz . . . Andy Havrilla and Eddie "1 Save Coins, Too"
Engine Departments. Motion car
they thought it good idea to ro
ried
making it obligatory for all Saul shipped out on an Alcoa scow . . . Next trip will be better
tate jobs, especially on passen
hands to attend ship's meetings, for Charles Dutch Palmer. He's hoping he won't have hospi
ger* ships. Many members spoke
talization again and have to get off the ship ... A few weeks
vote was 38 for, 20 against. Sug
out against credit unions, citing
ago,
the West Coast Brother, Rqd Beers was in town . . . Pete
gested that action be taken to
specific instances where other
Gonzalez,
the Cook without a cookbook, is off the SS Puerto
put another handrail along lad
unions had experienced failme
Rico
for
one
trip.
der leading from the door near
of men to meet notes> Others
2
2
2
the galley to our deck. Suggested,
held that credit vuiions are not
Eddie
Nooney
and
Ray
Queen
grabbed
the SS Black Eagle
that Messman be compensated
adaptable to seamen's way of
22 2
on
the
Eiuropean
run.
Two
humorous
guys
who will grab any
for
cleaning
up
the
messhall
af
life. Vote was 100 per cent WARRIOR, Feb. 12—F. P. Jef
scow,
any
run
.
.
.
Brother
John
Nelson
just
came back from
ter
the
movies.
Men
were
re
fords. Chairman; Gordon H. Bil
against the idea.
Rotterdam
and
other
ports.
In
Rotterdam
he
saw
some
beautifully
minde'd
that
contributions
for
bo, Secretary. Motion carried
2 2 2
made
ship
models
of
squareriggers
which
were
not
priced too
ship's
fund
should
be
turned
TRINITY, Feb. 4—J. B. Bar that Andy Gowder take full re
expensively
.
.
.
Here
are
some
of
the
best
stewards
department
over
to
Ship's
Delegate.
nelt. Chairman; C. L. Brown, sponsibility to see to the twodol
Brothers who are anchored in this town—Michael Gottschalk, De
2 2 2
Secretary. No beefs reported by lar donation from each crew
Forest Fry, Robert Rogerson, Frank Wall, George Kittchner,. Harry
member
to
the
March
of
Dimes.
EVELYN,
Feb.
5—E.
R.
SmUh,
department delegates. Ship's
Delegate O. W. Rhoads' resigna Each delegate to Collect from his Chairman; C. Mitchell, Secre Earl, and Peter Naujalis.
2
2
2
tion accepted with vote of thanks respective department. Steward tary. All delegates reported
The membership in our halls and aboard ships throughout
for job well done. Delegate to to collect from topside. Receipt everything in good order. Mo
see Port Captain about changing to be i>osted on bulletin board. tion carried to discuss and draw the world have realized that the question of boycotting the
Panamanian ships—ships owned and operated profitably by
foc'sles for Black Gang so they Delegates reported everything up a statement concerning com
can be called out without dis shipshape. Each delegate to pulsory vacations after one American steamship companies — has been endangering the
turbing all men. Agreed that check his department for repair year's service on a ship. Motion number of American ships operating and providing the neces
sary jobs and conditions for American seamen.. The present
delegates collect funds for ex list. Some action to be taken in carried to buy a washing ma
situation of great unemployment for American seamen is to
penditures for telephone calls, regard to Night Cook and Ba chine with voluntary contribu
telegrams and so forth made in ker's and Chief Cook's room, tions. Charles Bedell elected quite an extent due to these Panamanian ships operating in
competition with American ships and American crews. This
since it is too small. To be taken Ship's Delegate. General opin
carrying out their duties.
jp with Patrolman on arrival ion on ship is that vacations is an excellent example of why every member of the SIU is
anxiously protecting the SIU against various threats to our
BALTORE,^ Feb.^12 — E. L. and Master to be notified of our should be taken when due. Sug
existence fighting
the commies so they can't disrupt our
gested that three delegates con
' •
Eriksen, Chairman; J. Taylor, action.
programs—helping
other
unions who need aid, etc. When any
tinue
to
check
iceboxes
regular
Secretary. J. W. Busmurski, el
2 2 2
ected Ship's Delegate/ Motion SEATHAIN NEW JERSEY — ly. Suggested that Steward check membqa protects his union, he is protecting his job, his condi
f carried that Baltimore Hall be Ray Perry, Chairman; Pbiil to find out about new sinks for tions, and the security he has from the hiring haU, which the
TaftHartley law is outlawing.
if* notified of member jumping ship O'Connor, SsCTetary. Ship's Dde Stewards Department.
CUT and RUN
�Page Eis^
r HE' S EAF A RE RS lt>G
nm^
THE MEMBERSHIP i^AKS
!•
idea Of Vacation Rule
Viewed As Fair To All
relieve them during the vaca
tions.
^
""S'
After reading all these opin
. Have you ever seen the con
ions on compulsory vacations, I stitution and bylaws of the
found none made me so mad as SIU? If so, you must knOw the
that of Mrs. Mary Masters, which second paragraph of the pre
appeared in the LOG of Mar. amble, which says:
"Whatever right belongs to
10, 1950.
one member belongs to all mem
; • I would like to know if her bers alike, as long as they re
husband is married to a ship or main in good standing in the
to her. I would sure like to see Union."
my husband once in awhile.
Here's to winning the, vote on
How about you other wives?
compulsory vacations.
• IVfrs. Masters asks: "Suppose
Mrs. Ellen Mize
: aseaman's wife is expecting a
(Ed. Note: Mrs. Mize is the
baby in April. He wants to take
his vacation at that time. Would wife of Seafarer Cyril Mize.)
Sf ; it be right to compel him to
take his vacation in February
or March?"
WBICH ONE HAS TbE PONY?
To' ilw Edilor:
Neponsit SIU Men
15
OFF SCHEDULE
K I say suppose he does get his Ask Increase In
i vacation in February or March?
! What more could you ask for? Hospital Benefit
Nobody Will Deny 5
Shipping Pace In 5
Savannah Is Slow
To the Editor:
It doesn't mattm: really because these hardridihg Brothers
believe in the rotary system. They're Dickie (left) and Eddie,
sons of Seafarer Joe Brookes of Philadelphia. Their grand
father was the late Eddie Lynch, former SIU Patrolman who
passed away recently in the Baltimore Marine HospitaL
Nagels Becomes US Citizen^
Suggests Firm Alien Stand
It's a long time since you got
a letter from me and it's a
long time since 1 got a job. First .
Ill let you know that shipping
in Savannah is miserable..
In the last edition of the LO(?,
the Savannah port report men >
tioned good shipping in Savan
nah. The story is misleading to
Seafarers.
I am out of work and hunting
for a job since Oct. 5, 1949 and •
twice went to. the bottom of the r
shipping list here. Since Decern .
bar 1948 we shipped out of the i
Hall one Steward, one Third
Cook and several messboys in
the Stewards Department.
Is that good shipping?
The port of Savannah is full :
of ships — Norwegian, English,_^
Greek, tankers, Lykes Brothers'
and of every t3T)e, except SIU • :
ship^.
Stay away from Savannah.
Olto PreusslSr
' Babies do not always show up To the Editor:
»
at the correct time. Maybe your
j! 'husband even gets his vacation On behalf of our members in
(Ed. Note: Savaimah port
I' in April and he wants to be the hospitals, I wish to suggest
paperl, I would suggest we help reporta have consistently men
5 back on the ship in May. Okasr, that an immediate increase in To the Editor:
them in every way possible. But
be in order.
so your baby decides to wait un benefits •would
turned the fact, that shipping, in
I have been reading up on the
til May. It has happened, you Three doUars a week for so alien situation in the April T if they don't, or^if they are way
^ Jhat port'has been, badi Brother
know. Are you any better off? called hospital expenses are in .issue of the SEAFARERS LOG over five years and have done
nothing more about it, I suggest Preuuler is obviously referring
5 Compulsory vacations don't sufficient. A package of cigar and I would like to say some that they be barred or kicked
to the report which staled thatw
I? mean you have to stay on a ship ettes each day at 20 cent a pack, thing about if.
out.
a
few
stamps and stationery
and
shipping improved slightly dur
1 for a year, you know. If you
Jack Nagels
I was an alien myself until
ing the period it cevesedi but.
h/^ant to see grandpa or grandma, a daily paper rxm into more than March 13 of this year. On that
5 i i have hubby get off his ship and three dollars a week, leaving no diay I had the pleasure of chang
eddied that "shipping is slow
margin.
, go see them.
neverthriess." As for foreign
ing my citizenship to American,
;
If it is so important to go I imderstand that an increase thaidc God.
ships,
like the Norwegian
:
anywhere at a particular time is contemplated for about Sep
which pay $4Q a month for a
f of the year, as some seem to tember or October, when the Before I became a citizen of
this
country,
however,
I
once
hospital
fund
is
expected
to
be
Wiper's
job, Savannah is no
15 vfliink, then your vacation pay
heard
another
alien
say:
"Citi
paid
from
the
Welfare
Fimd.
different from any of the other
^ J isn't so important.
*
zenship? To heck with it. I got
ports, except
it is smaller
5 Any man who lays down on In the meantime, however, I my five years but I'll ride the
the job just because he know.s feel our present hospital fuifd gravy train and let them pay To the Editor:
and the problem is therefore
.ihe is getting off the ship when can pay five dollars per week
I
wish
to
thank
my
Union
accentiuted.
This is partly the
the taxes."
Khe reaches, port isn't much of a and still leave a good balance.
Brothers
for
all
they
have
done
result of the government's;
Until the time the Welfare fimd That hurt bad, because at that
fUhion Brother.
I#
takes over I am sure our mem particular time I was in the for me during my illness here faRuze to xscognize the acute
|
BETTER CHANCE
bership would be 100 percent in midst of taking out my papers in the Savannah Marine Hospi ness of the problem of the US
tal. If it had not been for my
With compulsory vacations a favor of this increase without and if it hadn't been for the fact Brothers and SIU Port Agent merchant marine, epmething ^
that we were on an SIU ship, Bud Bryant, I might not be alive
j| maiv will stand a much better red tape, delay or voting.
unions have no control over
j 5 chance of getting, another ship A resolution tnging this in I think I would have knocked today, so I want you all to know
or. responsibility for.)
crease has been adopted by SIU the guy in the kisser.
i when his vacation is over.
how grateful I am.
I would like to make a sug
Seamen have known for many members in this hospital.
When I am discharged from
gestion to general headquarters the hospital I hope to thank each
years that they were paying off
WiUiam A. Padgett
at the next port and they didn't
US Marina. Hospital that somehow or other a check one of you personally. I also
be made and that those aliens want you to know that, any time
become careless because of it.
Neponsit, L. I.
who have their seatime be
Mrs. Masters suggests that the
(Ed. note: This letter was al Iduntly askfed what their inten any of you nieed similar help,
menibership. allow seamen to so signed by 15 other book
ail you need do is caU upon me. To the Editor:
'
tions are in connection with ob
take their vacations and then
The hospital people were People often ask what part of
retuin tn them after the vaca members hospitalized in Ne taining their citizenship.
amazed at the response of the New Orleans Moon Koims, thai
If they want to take out their Mood donors and everybody has
tion is over. Other seamen would ponui.)
Bing Crosby of the SIU, comes
been very complimentary about from. Th6 fact is that Moon does
the Union because of it.
not come from New Orleans.
I. would like very much to He's just a big, overgrown coun
have this put in the. LOG as I try boy.
dion't know how else I can show
Moon was bom in a little one
my deep appreciation for every
horse
to'wn near Shrevepprt, La.,
surance, with rotary shipping as to come home for the rare visits thing.
To ibe Editor:
Mid
moved to New
Orleans, when
H. L. Rogers;
conducted in the SIU Hiring we now have? What would be
he was a pup (six years old).
Please let one mother add her Halls, that our menfolk would their chances of getting andther
He was brought up on the' down
voice to the protest of the mem be given a fair chance for a ship, wit hthe Hiring Halls gone?
town side of .. Canal Street and
bers of the SIU regarding the ship whenever they paid off a With answers so varied and
for
the past 12 years has hung
recent lower court ruling that ship and came home to their our feeling of comfort at stake,
his hat in the frish Channel
Aend
in
the
minutes
of
the Hiring Halls were a viola families.
I think every mother and wife your ship's meeting to the (uptown side). But Moon claims
tion, of the TaftHartley Act.
should
protest this outrage New York HalL Only in that that doesn't make him an Irish
END OF SECURITY
I have always regarded the With the Hiring Halls out of against personal security and way can the membership act man.
' .ifine spirit of fair playand the .operation and the chance of dis^ liberty.
on your reconimsndations,
He's always bragging about
Mrs. Anne C. Verner
ii good sportsmanship in the ope crimination and favpritism. in
and then the minutes can be being a fullblooded Cherokee
Ocean Springs, Miss
ratibii of these halls as truly in shipping, we feel t|jat our se
printed in the LOG for the liidiaiij and tliat orie of liis aii
5 the American tradition.
(Ed. Note: Mrs. Verner is
jcurity would be gone,
benefit of a!!^ otheir SIU cestors made Sitting BuU get up >
cknwa... •
Midrtra/•
; We mothers and wives of mer . Are we going to dread seeing the nveihei; ol Seafairer Frank
^ichant seamen have had the as cur loved ones leave the ships L. Vemer.) •
Eoga^ Grateful
For Brothers'
'Life Saving' Aid
BOYER BREAKS OUT MORE FACTS ON
HISTORY OF 'MOON*
Family Security Hinges On Continued Use
Of Hiring Halls, Says Seafarer's Mother
Send Those Minutes
�'
WW'
FridSf, A.i^ 81, 1980
Page Nine
THE SEAFARERS LOG
Vacation Rule Advocate Says Seamen,
Europe Run Nourishes
Red Campbell's Gripes Shore Workers Face Different Problems
any specific time of the year, but make it necessary for him to
rather he must adjust his plans exceed the 12month clause.
I have written previously on to the time of the year his va
To Ihe Editor!
Secondly, since it seems defi
the
vacation issue, but at the cation falls due.
Being of found mind and body, and having the papers to
nitely
agreed by everyone that
prove it, why do I start a new year under the Waterman baniur? time the controversy was yet in In practically ^y other in homesteaders comprise only a
With a mild blare of trumpets, an(i under a shower of hominy the embryonic stage. Since then dustry, employees are not re very small segment of our mem
grits I took my services to the SS City of Alma. I'm overpaid but the issue has broadened consid quired to work over the Christ bership, it necessarily follows
I'm worth it. Waterman is the type of company you don't like or erably and as more members and mas holidays and they can cele that a compulsory vacation rule
dislike, you either hate it or .ybu don't know it. I don't know what nonmembers are taking an in brate at home with their families would be in the best interests of
terest in the proposal and new and friends, but a seaman may
I'd do without them, but I'd rather.
• '
facts
presented, 1 would like to be half waf around the world the majority.
This trip biting your naUs is absolutely necessary to nourish
Most homesteaders will home
ment. In ^ome ports we have to borrow garbage from other ships comment further.
at that time of the year and stead only on certain ships and
so people will think we are eating. In the future please send your In the first place, 1 notice that Christmas is just another nostal runs. Their attitude seems to be:
CARE packages tothe nearest Waterman ship. As for the linen some of the arguments especial gic day to him.
"To hell with everyone else, hoo
'on these ships, I'm not saying it's vmdersized, but Waterman is ly those submitted by wives of As for a man wishing to take ray for me." Is that good unior?
the only outfit that gets its laundry done by "DiDee Service, Inc." somfe members, have a tendency a certain time of the year off, ism? If they get off a ship after
>Our towels are so thin they only have one side. Another item 4o classify the occupation of a if the situation is so desperate a year they will not be left with
John B turns his back on are the repair lists. I know there's a /eaman the same as that of he should be willing to forfeit out a job like a shoreside worker.
leaky pipe over my seat in the messroom.
shoreside workers. Such is def the time he has accumulated for
Everyday I eat the same bowl of soup three times. My bunk initely not the case. We must a vacation. In any case a man Their names will go on the
light is so low I have to read imder the pillow. The escape panel not ignore the fact. that a sea^ should always be entitled to the shipping list and they can catch
in our foc'sle couldn't be kicked out by the AllAmerican back man's occupation differs from privilege of putting in the time a ship as well as the next man.
fleld. In bad weather we run a rodeo back aft. We get thrown that of any other in that his va needed to be eligible for a vaca Their pay wiU be the same.
up in the air so much we're asking the Patrolman to collect us cation cannot be arranged for tion, even if the circumstances 1 don't think the company will
<r<
shed any tears if you leave and
flight pay.
if a man is so much in demand
Before heading for Nothem Europe we made a coastwise run
by
a company he can get a li
through the Gulf. The favorite port seemed to be Galveston. The
cense
and stand a good chance
daily stream of crew members to Post Office St. was flmazing.
of
sailing
topside, where we
What's more amazing they're never canying any mail. The choice
have a good example of what
hangout is the ? ? ? Club. It's an imderground affair catering to
homesteading leads to.
moles and prairie dogs. And what a tough spot it is. They close
on Sundays so they can pump the blood out of the cellar. One To the Editor:
are a 1,000 of our Libertys; 2,000 The men who homestead make
Betrayed by President Tru others are up the river, rotting it tough for the members who
man, deceived by Maritime Com away. "While a 100odd tramps like to get 6ff occasionally to
mission, disliked by the landlub are only left, begging for car visit their wives and children or
bers in Senate and Congress, dis goes and crying, in vain, for friends.
I agree with the member with
criminated against by our ex subsidies.
a
large family who wrote to th»
Meantime,
one
of
the
mightiest
porters and importers, prejudiced
against by our newspaper edit empires in the world, stretching LOG that if a man cannot put
ors—^we, the American seamen, from Behring Straits to Berlin enough aside in a year to last
a himdredthousand of us, who Bridgehead, is busy building him until he gets another ship^
kept the ships sailing through ships and subs, and will have in then something is wrong in Den
the war, are on the beach and 1952 a thousand schnorkels on mark.
no longer wanted to man our the job and infesting the seas. 1 don't know of any member
R. J. Peterson of ofu: Union who is indispen
ships. American seamen, used as
minor defect is the poor ventilation. One night there was so much a commodity in wartime, have
sable. There are many competent
smoke they had to groimd the balloon dancer jfor three hours.
been displaced by foreigners in Erazo Convalescing
men, also with wives and chil
Our ports of call in Europe were La Havre, Dunkerque, Brem peacetime.
dren who, 1 am sure, will be able
en, Rotterdam and Antwerp. Being a firm believer in the North Twice, in two World Wars, In His Brooklyn Home to fill the vacancies when they
Atlantic Pact I withhold any condemnations of our friends to the our government has appealed to
take vacations. It is a recipro
East For recreational purposes on the way over the crew conduct our patriotism to man the ships, To the Editor:
cal proposition. There are other
ed the famous tobacco test with slop chest cigarettes. The outcome, to sail them across the ocean in 1 want to thank all the Union companies and other ships.
seven out of 10 preferred Camels—the other three preferred convoys, to sally forth from port Brother^ who called upon me Admittedly, compulsory vaca
women.
and brave the subinfested sea, while 1 was in the Staten Is tions will not create jobs, but
The trip progressed with only a few minor injuries. One AB making sortie after sortie.
land Marine Hospital.
it will bring about a better turn '
lost, the tip of his tongue. He was licking the bowl in the Mix And twice, too, after the two 1 imderwent two operations over in the jobs we already havet.
master and forgot to shut the motor off. However, at present we World Wars, our government and was discharged on March 1 feel sure that if we are not
are confronted with a. serious situation. Half the crew has diarrhea, has betrayed us in a manner in 28. 1 lost a^few pounds, but 1 trying to live beyond our means;
the other half has constipation—gad! If we could only strike a compatible with honor and dig feel okay now.
or are, not trying to get ritai
happy medium.
nity of the United States. Gone I'll be home for the next 45 quick and are not too selfi^
Red Campbell foreign, given away on the sly. days, so I'd like my friends and about letting our Brother mem
former shipmates to visit me at bers take their turn on thosp
my home at 17 Moore St., "certain jobs," we will all get ^
Hospital Patients
along imder the 12month vaca •
Brooklyn, New York.
When entering the hospital
Brother Palmer has also been tion ruling.
notify the delegates by post
discharged from the hospital and Let's vote for it!
card. giving your name and • Tony Viera was operated on.
Fred T. Miller
the number of your ward.
SS
Kenyon Victory
Pedro J. Erazo
To the Editor:
Uncle Sam Asleep At Post
In World Shipbuilding Race
y
Staten Island Hospital
JUleo, Now h lie Mmme IhspNa/s
These are the Union Brothers currently in the marine hospitals.
as reported by the Port Agents. These Brothers find time hanging
heavily on iheir hands, JDo whitf you can to cheer them up by
writing them.
BALTIMORE MARINE HOSP.
J. R. CNAGEY
M. J. LUCAS
R. FREY
H. DUFFY
J. TAURIN
C. HANSON
E. MATHEWS
S, SHACK
J. MACK
W. D. WARMACK
L. T. CAMPBELL
M. D. WATT '
J. YUKNAS
C. P. SLIM THOMPSON
C. W. GOODWYN
HENRY BECKMAN
T. MAYNES
FRANK KUBEK
THOMAS FRAZONE
F. M. OTT
S. INTEGRA
JOHN WYMOND
E. Y. BULIKA
A. VEIERA
H. J. OUT
O. P. OAKLEY
MICHAEL PARACHIV
T. F. R02UM
BTATEN IIL^^D^HOSPITAL
C. ESOLAN
NEPONtlT^H^PITAL
HENRY WATSON
WILLIAM PADGETT
FREDERICK PEACE
MATTHEW BRUNO
J. F. GAMBLICH
MALVIN COLLINS
J. BLOMGREN ,
JAMES RUSSELL.
J. B. PURVIS
R. A. BLAKE
J. H. O'DANIELS JR.
1 EStlBAN LOPEZ
/ou can contact your Hos
pital delegate at the Staten
Island Hospital at the follow
ing times:
Tuesday — 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
(on 5th and 6th .floors.)
Thursday — 1:30 to 3:30 pun.
(on 3rd and 4th floors.)
Saturday — 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
(on 1st and 2nd floors.)
JOHN PADZIK
J.. DRISCOLL •
JOHN T. EDWARDS
FRED ZI5IGER
V. FERRER
R. A. LILLAK
R. BLATTINO
JIMINEY
TULL
ELI DUTCHEN
ft ft
NEW ORLEANS HOSP.
J. LYONS
w; HANSTUCH
R. CRUZ
E. NAVARRE
F. LANDRY
H. F. LAGAN
L. WILLIS
L.LANG
J. H. FORT
T. A. CARROLL
ABOARD A WATERMAN SHIP
C. EJfeLL
A. O. ROY
G. NEWMAN
O. NORM
L. GOLEMDIEWSKI
A. J. LAPEROUSE
A. F. KOTHE
R. N. FRENCy
L. TICKLE
M. FIELDS
J. HULL
E. W. WALDEN
W. CARROLL
ft ft ft
SAVANNAH HOSPITAL
J. MAXEY
J. (CHUBBY) DAVIS "
CARL SMITH
ft ft ft
BOSTON HOSPIT^
FRANK ALASAVICH
PETER KOGOY
These SIU crewmembers of the SS Beauregard took ad
vantage of clear skies to get together for a "shot" on deck.
Photo was taken for the LOG by Joseph L. Duke, Junior
X Third Assistant on the vessel.
�.mm"'"
Pa#B Ten
Mm'
r,.
LOG
The Seafarers In
By JOHN BUNKER
'
War
torpedo till it was all but on top of them, and
That was the last he saw of the trio, for they
then
there
was
only
time
for
a
startled
cry
or
went down' with the ship.
xM;
Caribbean Camiyal
two.
On watch below, when the torpedo hit, was
(Part Two)
The steel tube bulleted through the lifeboat, the 4^ to 8; Second Assistant Franc& Amberger,
Although Uboats liked best to bag a baiixite and hit the steel hull of the tanker in an ex Fireman Robert Baylis and Oiler Joe Lewnuk.
Joe escaped — miraculously, it seemed — by
ship or a tanker, because these cargoes were so plosion that stifiled all cries or shouts for help,
vital to the war effort, they weren't at all blowing boat and men into a myriad torn pieces climbing up the emergency cable ladder to the
engineroom skylight before the engineroom
choosey about their targets—and molasses tank of human bodies and flying steel.
It
was
one
of
the few
known
cases
in
which
flooded and the Millinocket settled by the stern.
ers got sunk as well as more "vital" prey during
German
submarines
deliberately
attacked
life
Seamen could i^er tell when their ship might
the war in the Caribbean and the Gulf in 1942.
boat
occupants
from
American
ships.
get hit during these hectic days, for subs gave
The SS Catahoula of the Cuba Distilling Com
no warning.
SIX SOS CALLS
pany, a favorite among SIU men who liked the
Captain Homer Lanford was pulling the
senorita rvm, was hit on April 5, to be followed
Before the Carrabulle sank, Sparks managed
whistle
cord of the SS Del Mxmdo, to turn a
by its sister ship the SS Carrabulle on May 26. to get out six SOS calls, then ran out of the
There was a full load of molasses in the tanks radio shack onto the flooded deck and jumped convoy into the old Bahama passage off Cuba,
when this Mississippi Shipping Cor^pany freight
of the Catahoula, as she stood north from San overboard just as she went under.
er
got a torpedo in the engineroom, killing all
Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, toward
Brave were the men who volunteered to sail
Wilmington, Del., in the late afternoon of a warm their old, unarmed ships through "Uboat Lake" hands below.
An old "Hog," the Del Mundo was "commo
in early 1942.
clear day over a lazy, beautiful sea.
dore"
of a 38^ip fleet, and was carrying 30
On the 20th of May, the George Calvert, a
Two men were on lookout, but they couldn't
jsee the sub waiting for them against the glare Bull Line Liberty, Was sunk • ith a loSs of, Polish women war refugees as passengers. A
, of the setting sun. The first torpedo hit on the three men while bouiid for Bandar Shapur with number of other ships were sunk in the same
attack, covering the sea with a maze of floating
port side in a terrific blast that blew up the deck 9,116 tons of war supplies for the Russians.
Another Bull Line ship, the Major Wheeler, debris.
plates, loosened the engine room bulkheads and
Captain William B. Sillars, of the Waterman
disappeared m the Caribb^m to become an un
, carried away the catwalk.
freighter Afoundria, sensed pending disaster to^ J
solved mystery of the sea.
PITCHED BATTLE
And there was the City of Alma of the Water his slilp on May 5, 1942, when the vessel was
Being one of the first ships equipped in some
man Company, en route from Port of Spain, hit by a.sub in midafternoon off the northwest
fashion to fight back against the subs, the general
'
>
Trinidad, to Baltimore on June 2, when she was coast of Haiti.
alarm was sounded; and a complement of Navy
hit by just one torpedo from an unseen submar
SENSED DANGER
gunners manned their machine guns so well that
ine.
He bad come on to the bridge just a few min
the inquisitive Sub had its periscopa shot away—
Ripping a 40foot hole in the hull, the "tinfish" utes before, saying to Second Mate James Chat
or so it seemed from the deck of the tanker.
almost sliced the freighter m two, and she sank field, *T feel t^t right now we are at the most
Not a bit daunted by the prospect of fighting
so speedily that ten men were saved only be dangerous stage of our trip. Keep a very good
a raider with .30 caliber pellets, the guncrew
cause they had jumped clear when she plimged, lookout!"
fired away till they consumed 200 rounds.
later climbing aboard a Tferaft which had
But four minutes after the first torpedo, the
The Afoundria had a load of bombs up forward
broken
loose
and floated
free.
;
sub let them have another, which found its mark
Sparks was caught in his shack, sending out and a cargo of beans aft. Fortimately, the tor
W: W-: forward of the bridge to starboard—showing that calls for help. The Skipper, Second Mate, Chief pedo hit among the beans. All hands were saved..
the wary Uboat had made a quick circuit around
By the end of July, submarine sinkings in the
Engineer, First, Second and Third Assistant En
the ship for its second try.
Caritibean and the Gulf of Mexico had, been
After this hit, the Catahoula lost no time go gineers and 22 other crewmen were lost on the drastically cut, but ships continued to go down
ing down, and was under water fore and aft in City of Alma.
The little Millinocket, Bull Line, was warned in these waters right up to the end of the war,
little more than 60 seconds.
and among them were freighters manned by,
Two of the crew had been, killed in the first of the proximity of a marauding sub, but too SIU crews.
Ifiast, and five more were crushed when the late to save herseK.
It is, unfortunately, impossible in this account
It was five minutes past five in the afternoon
'
:stack fell athwart the starboard lifeboat.
r/r
even
to mention all of the Union's contracted
One lifeboat and one raft on the port side got when Steward Ernest Oxley stopped by the wire ships that went down in these tropic waters, but
%!'.
' • • v
away safely and, thanks to Sparks having stuck less room^and read a message which had just not to be forgotten are some of the "oldtimers,"
V.'il
by his post to get off four calls for help, 38 sur come in from San Juan. The radiogram warned including the Barbara, sunk with considerable
111 vivors were rescued the next day by , the USS that a submarii^ was in their vicinity.
And correct it was, for Steward Oxley had no loss oflife among passengers and crews; the
Sturtevant.
Alcoa Carrier, Alcoa Partner, Edith, Lebore,
Heroism of the Radio Operator and the tragic more than read the warning of danger when the Alaskan and Antinous.
»•
death of the Skipper and 23 men marked the ship shuddered from a torpedo explosion in the
^"sinking of the Carrabulle, which tried bravely starboard side aimd^ps.
Another episode of the role of SIU crews in
Oxley ran out on dedc to see the Skipper, the
to escape from a Uboat on the night of May 26,
while en route from Good Hope, La., to San Chief and the First Mate running toward the World War XI will appear in the nei^t issue of
.V:
.Juan, Puerto Rico, with a cargo of emulsified life rafts, with the Captain shouting "Let go ^e the SEAFARERS LOG.
rafts. It's our only chance. Let go the rafts."
liquid asphalt.
The first they knew of a Uboat's presence was
the moan of a siren and the crack of a shot
tr % %
across the bow.
The SS Santore got hers just
CLOSE RANGE
outside
of an Atlantic port and
UK:
In a moment or two, they saw the raider little capsiaed in 3 thinutetf, trapping
more than a ship's length off the beam, where it the biaek gang below deck. For
opened fire on them with a light gun, throwing tunate help was dose by, and
it
4.
shell after shell into the defenseless tanker while the majority of the crew was
saved.
Chi
the
righf
is
a
Coast
the general alarm summoned all hands to the Guard fmat picking SIU men
boats and the order was given to abandon ship. out of the water. For some of
Th^ lowered away as the nearby Uboat mov die cr^, this was their second
ed around to the port side and opened fire again, sinking.
the shells hitting in rapid succession against
Uboat Lake was a happy
deck house and bridge.
huntidg ground for nasi subs,
As the first boat pulled away from the ship's and the ocean floor was merally
side, the Uboat commander hailed them from covered with American si^M—
and American seamen. But how
the conning tower.
ever short were the ,odds against
"Are you all right?" he asked. .
"
them—and they were ior many,
They shouted "no"—that another boat was many months unarm^ and un
still preparing to cast off. They heard several escorted—there was no lade df
plnen, laughing on the raider's de<d£, even while a seanim to carry suppBes~ and
of the werld
second torpedo streaked past them and hea'cled arms to all corners
wide battlefront.
for the^ lifeboat that was jiist now shipping its
;pars beside the sinking Carrabulle.
The men in the boat probably never saw the
1
? I!
frf.rj'
% %•
�_
f;r. > rriday. AprU:^.'WSO' ^
g g. g ^ A PAR EM S LOG
Page Elerei^
NEW ORLEANS — Chairman.
with. Progress was also reported
Leroy Clarke, 23062; Jlecording
on "the welfare fund talks and ;
SecreiaxT, George Allen, 114;
the details of the plan should'
Reading Clerk, Buck Stephens,
be ready for presentation to the
76.
membership
within a short time.
PORT
REG.
REG.
REG,
TOTAL
SHIPPED SHIPPED SHIPPED TOTAL
Minutes of all Brandi meet
The
possibility
of a strike on
DECK
ENG.
STWDS.
REG.
DECK
EN&
StWDS. SHIPPED
ings read and approved. Secre
the waterfront as a result of
20
16
15 ' 51
7
7
11 .
25 the East and Gulf Coast ,opera
taryTreasurer's financial report Boston
New York.,.
104
.
94
91
289
82
104
84
270
read and accepted. Agent re
tors refusal to give MM&P the
15 • 20
22
57
13
13
9
35 contract in effect on the West
ported that shipping had picked Philadelphia....:
92
106
98 . ^ 296
89
83
55
227 Coast was discussed in the re
up since last meeting but had Baltimore
26
34
.24
84
2
—
1
3 port. It was reported that the'
not reached heights enjoyed in Norfolk.......„
6
8
2
. 16
5
5
1
11 AFL Maritime Trades Depart
previous months. There were Savannah:......
'
(No Figures Received)
(No Figures Received)
seven payoffs, six signons and Tampa
ment had pledged all out sup
32
33
29
94
17
18
14
49 port of any strike that might be
more than 20 ships hitting here Mobile.. .:
44
41
81
166
74
69
99
242 called in view of the fact that
intransit. The latter helped New Orleans....,,
Galveston.
43
30
32
105
^
27
19
21
67 the operators stall is based! on
shipping, as about 15 of the in
West
Coast
21
27
19
67
•
'
' 19
24
17
60
transits took replacements. The
a desire to smash the union. The
Del Mundo came out of the ship TOTAL
strike
deadline has been set for
403
409
413
1,225
335
342
312
989
yard and took almost a full crew.
midnight, Saturday, April 22,
The outlook for the coming two
Motion carried to conciu in
weeks is not too good, with only compulsory vacations to be sub canied to concur in committee's ance Committee. The report said Headquarters report. Motion (by
eight scheduled payoffs; Two of mitted to Hea(iqu^ters for use findings on member accused of also that negotiations with Cit Oppenheimer) carried instructing
' these ships" are heading for the in setting up ballot. Elected were conduct unbecoming a Union ies Service on working rules negotiating committee to work
boneyard. The Seatrain Havana R. Gibbs, H.~L. M«Grath, Deck; man. Sent to a vessel as a re were in progress, with only five toward a vacation clause where
is still in Havana locked in by J. Davis, R. L. McKenzie, En lief Fireman, this man accepted points remaining to be settled. by payments will be computed
trouble between the company gine; E. Cjordon, F. Orjales, the pay, then disappeared with In order to give CS crewmen on the basis of a minimum of
and the railroads there. SIU del Steward. Motion carried to per out performing any work. Com protection on the working rules 90 days service, instead of the
egates attended the Louisiana mit SUP Branch lo move into mittee suspended him for 90 as soon as possible, it was rec sixmonth clause now in effect.
State Federation of Labor meet Baltimore SIU Hall. Meeting ad days and ruled that he not be ommended that pact be signed, Under Good and Welfare, there
exclusive of the points in dis was discussion on a variety of
ing. Delegates from the Lake jburned at 8:15 PM, with 340 sent on any relief jobs for
period of two years.
agreement, rather than hold it subjects of Union interest. Meet
Charles area praised the SIU in membeiis present.
up imtil each one had been dealt ing adjourned at 8:30 PM.
a>
i
^
that place during the Cities Ser
NORFOLK — Chairman. J. S.
vice beef, and the Agent said MOBILE — Chairman, J. Car
they deserve a vote of thanks roll, 14; Recording Secretary, H. White. 56; Recording Secretary,
• ' US assets to the Union. He said J. Fischer, 59; Reading Clerk, Ben Rees, 95; Reading Clerk,
Glen Lawson, 39560.
that Bisso tugmen are stUl on J. Ward. .
Minutes
of
other
Branch
meet
Minutes of all previous Branch
strike, which is 90 percent effec
ings
read
and
accepted.
Port
meetings
read and accepted. Mo
tive' with longshoremen, the
companies and the NMJJ coope Agent reported on shipping pros tion carried to concur in Head
rating with the M^W. Volimteer pects for the coming two weeks, quarters report to the member
pickets are still needed, he said. listing the vessels slated to hit ship. Secreta'TyTreasurer's fin
AVIT ARDOIN
ROBERT EDWARD MORAWITZ
Brother Warren urged all hands the port. He reported on the ancial report read and approved.
eligible to register for local el threeday State Federation of Port Agent discussed in detail Write at once to Miss IsabeUe Get in touch with your Local
ections so that support can be Labor Convention which he and the set up for servicing Cities Vidrine, Route 3, Box 33, Ville Board, No. 3, 400 E. Lombard
Street, Baltimore2, Maryland ma"
given to friends of organized la other SIU delegates attended in Service ships entering this port. Platte, Louisiana.
'bor. Motion carried to allow Ste Montgomery. He also informed He pointed out that since there
* * *
\ mediately, inasmuch as they .jj
have you listed as "delinquent."
are only
two
CS company
agents
HENRY
MEYERS
' phen Miskow, who was behind in meeting that he and other SIU
officials
would
attend
a
confer
on
the
Atlantic
Coast—^Norfolk
* * *
assessment, to register. Motion
C. Sheridan asks that you call
MILTON KURKEMILIS
earried to accept committed^ rec, ence aimed at getting some of and Boston—with proper care him at Still well 44930 in New
EDDY BURNETT
• onunendatiohs to permit four the ECA cargoes down into Gulf this would mean a lot of jobs York City. '
Please contact Benjamin B. j]
members to reactivate their ports for shipment abroad. Mo for this post and the Union. Mo
Sterling or Marvin Schwartz at
'books. Five members took the tion carried to accept Headquar tion carried to concur in Head
GERALD J. ARTIACO
42 Broadway, New Yoric, im
Union Oath of Obligation. Under ters report ^nd SecretaryTrea quarters' Reinstatement Commit
"Please write and send your
Good and Welfare, there was dis surer's financial report. Meeting tee's report. Excuses were re address again; it has been mis mediately.
* * *
. cussion on need for registering to adjourned at 7:40 PM, with 282 ferr^ to the Dispatcher. Motion placed: Mary."
MIKE ZEGLEN
carried to elect two SIU Brothers
vote, the Cities Service beef, the members in attendance.
"Write to me c/o the New
to attend Virginia State Federa
MM&P beef. Meeting adjourned
i. ^ ^
HENRY BECKMAN
Orleans Hall.
Your mother wants
SAVANNAH—Chairman,
Jeff
tion
of
Labor
convention in
Roa
. at 8:20 PM, with 390 members
This Brother is now in Ward
Gilleile, 37060; Recording Secre noke. Elected were J. A. Bullock 5B, Staten Island Marine Hos to hear from you, *oo: Eddie
present.
tary, J. B. Sellers, 38401; Read and J. S. White. Under Godd pital and asks that his former Pendzimaz."
4 4 4
* * *
BOSTON —Chairman, A. For ing, Clerk, E. M. Bryant, 25606. and Welfare there was discussion shipmates visit him when in
AMILIO SIERRA
que, 48462; Recording Secretary, Minutes of previous meetings on servicing Cities Service ships. New York.
Contact Department of Wei
Ben Lawson, 694; Reading Clerk, in all Branches read and accept A number of good ideas were
* * *
fare, 157 E. 67 Street, New York
B. Murphy, 39427.
ed. Motion carried to concur in. advanced. Meeting adjourned at
ROBERT (Bob) DAVIS
Minutes of other Branch meet SecretaryTreasurer's financial 7T50 PM, with 84 members' Get in touch with Pvt. Frank 21, New York.
4*4
•
ings read and approved. Head report. Agent said that shipping present.
J. Schutz, RA 18354141, Hq., Hq.
LESTER MCHUGH
quarters report to the member is stiU slow in this port. Sched
ife Sev. Co., 67th Med. Tank Bn
Sidney J. Swearingen, 412
ship read and concurred in. Ag uled to arrive in the coming G AL VES TO N — Chairman, Camp Hood, Texas.
Harwood,
Orlando, Florida, has
Keith
Alsop.
7311;
Recording
ent discussed shipping in the twoweek, period are the Topa
* * *
some
of
your
belongings and
Secretary,
C.
M.
TannehiU,
Port of Boston, which has been Topa, Alawai, Inez, Southstar
JAMES H. SISIARER
would
like
to
send
them to you.
25922;
Reading
Clerk,
R.
WU
fair. Motion carried to accept and the SUPcontracted Hawai
A. J. Merz, Claims Agent for
bum.
37739.
4
4
4
Secretary Treasurer's' financial ian Retailer. Motion carried to
Triton Shipping Company, asks
JUSTO R. VELAZQUEZ/
report. Meeting adjourned at concur in Headquarters Report. Motions carried to concur in that you get in touch with him.
Rose Velazquez, 311
Contact
Headquarters
report
and
Secre
7:35 PM, with 120 members pres Two men were excused from
* * *
W.
29
Street,
New York City,
taryTreasurer's financial
report.
the
meeting.
Under
Good
and
ent. ,
ARMANDO DE FERMO
regarding your
mother.
Welfare, it was stressed that Agent discussed shipping in this "Mother is very ill. Please
4 4 4
BALTIMORE —Chairman, A1 time is growing short for those port. Motion carried to buy new write, home at once: Sister Yo
NORBERT PRUSZKA
Btansbury, 4663; Recording Sec who have not yet registered to watercooler for the Branch Hall. landa."
Your parents are worried about
retary, G. A. Masthrson, 20297; vote in the coming local elec Meeting adjourned at 7:20 PM.
* * *
you.
Reading Clerk, J. Beresford, tions. A large • ,turnout of the
* * *
SAMUEL F. BRUNSON
labor vote is important in order NEW YORK—Chairman, Lloyd Write your mother at Fair ax,
3860.
Motion carried to suspend reg to elect candidates friendly to Gardner, 3697; Recording Secre S. C.
tary, Freddie Stewart, 4935;
ular prder of business and go in organized labor.
• *
* *
Reading Clerk, Eddie Mooney,
a." 4; 4.
RUSSELL E. INSCOE
to obligations and charges. Wil
Get in touch with Frank R.
liam T. EUwood took the Union PHILADELPHIA — Chairman. 46671.
Oath of Obligation. Charges A. S. Cardtdlo, 24599; Recording Minutes of other Branch meet Klein, 5 Court Square, Long Is
were read and trial committees Secretary, Don Rood, 41130; ings read and approved, Secre land City 1, N. Y., as soon as
findings were, concurred in. Reading Clerk, D. Hall, 43272. taryTreasurer's financial report possible.
SS TINI
Branch minutes read and ap Minutes of other Branch meet read and concurred in. Port Ag
(OcL. 1949 Jan.. 1950) '
* * *
• ALLEN MYREX
proved. Several men excused ings were read and accepted. ent discussed shipping in the
The following crewmembers
from meeting. Motion carried to Motions carried to accept Secre port, which he described as fair. Contact your home in Garden have money due them: G.
concur in Headquarters report. taryTreasurer's financial report Charges read and referred to a dale, Alabama. There is serious Champlin, DM; J. McGuffer,
Port Agentdiscussed .shipping. and Headquarters report to the trial committee. Headquarters re illness in .the family.'
Oiler; A. Ramos, FWT; W.Sing
He said thait SUP wished to move memberslup. Agent reported that port recommended that commit^
leton, Wiper; J. Bertiard, Wiper*
* * *
WILLIAM STYDINGER
into the ^alfimore Hall because shipping has slowed down a bit tee be elected to handle vacatiop
H. Conneil, MM, and O. Richard,
of the adverse conditions in ship these past two weeks, but that clause beef. Committee to be Important you . contact Ade MM Get in touch with Mr. Paul
. ping. Motion carried to elect the 'affairs of the port were in elected within* one week and laide Becker, 713 S. Clinton Castelli, Paymaster, Carf^ Ltd.,
port committee frorp floor of good shape otherwise., Charges that it also be authorized to Street, Baltimore 24, Maryland. 24 State Street, New York 4^
meeting to draft, resolution on were read and approved. Motion function as the Quarterly Fin Youi' mother is ill.
New York.
A&G Shipping From March 29 To April 12
lipieyM
�& • '
TEE SEAFARERS LOG
Page Twelve
MTD Pledges
Full Support
To Officers
i
¥.:i
ir
m-¥'
II/'
{Continued from Page 1)
by the West Coast operators in
• contract negotiations , with the
; MM&P last October, and have
; been in effect ever since with
out causing any hardship to the
shipowners there.
Spokesman for the East Coast
operators—some of whom have
interests on the West Coast and
signed contracts there — answer
, this fact by simply stating that
they cannot be expected to ac
cept agreements "negotiated
elsewhere."
The shipowners' bad faith has
been demonstrated by a series
of cables and telegrams they
have been sending to skippers
at sea, telling them the union is
in no position to conduct a strike
and that their ranks are divided.
MTD STATEMENT
The position of the AFL wa
terfront unions was set forth in
a statement released by John
Owens, executive secretary of
the MTD./The statement said
that the member unions of^ the
MTD, "after due deliberaiion,
agreed that the committee for
the companies and agents is de
termined to smash the AFL li
censed officers' union."
The demands of the MM&P
are "reasonable and fully within
the ability of the shipowners to
meet," the statement continued.
"The MM&P is not asking for
anything that has not been
granted on the West Coast, and
which have caused no hardship
to the operators there."
"In view of the shipowners'
unionbusting stand, the MTD—
whose position is endorsed by
AFL President. William Green—
is immediately calling upon all
of its affiliates ir: all US ports
to set machinery in motion for
complete, allout support when
the MM&P issues its strike call,"
the MTD official said.
i>idir> Ai^ lie 1950
J4otei ^
^^dlaUrant lA^orheri ^
nion
J!ocJ flo. 16
Hofaf and Katfauranf Employees and Barftndert infsrnoftowol Union
• /
Affiliated wilh the Amsrieon FsdsroWon of labor
752 Eighth Avenue, New York 19, N. Y. ' .
^
v
'
: V
(of 46lh St.)
.
Tslsphone: Circle 69585
»ii«
Manjh 31s 1950
DAVID SIEGAL
President
JOSEPH RODRIGUEZ
See'yTreas.
JOHN GREEN
General Orgeniwr
LEW GUCK
Labor Chief
Dining Room Dept.
JOE LINDER
VicePresident
FRANK BOTTACCINI
Business Agent
MAX FREED
' Business Agent
BASIL KALFIDES
Business Agent
MORRIS ZWIRN
Business Agent
JACK WOLFSON
Business Agent
(Banquet Dept.)
• "y
Ur. Foul Balls eeoreta^treasurer
Seafarers hxteroatlonal Union
51 Beaver Street
Hew York City
^ . . lU .
^\
>
'
"
Dear Sir and Brotheri
On behalf of the offioers and meE^ers of Looal 16 allow ae
to express our dee^ appreoiation for the splendid cooperation
you axtd your, aeobers gave us in helping to win the Howard
^
Johnson strike*
This strike was in many ways a orUolal one for our union*
These employers were tpying to reestablish an open shops hourly
wage type of operation which was eliaiuated aany years ago on
Broadway* Had they succeeded * they would have iape riled the
wage standards and conditions of thousands of union workers*
That this did not happen is a tribute tothe staunch support
we reeeived from Brother A1 Bernstein and all the other nerabers
• of the SIU irtio were in there pitching With us for the duration
of the strike* Their action was in the best traditions of
trade unionism*
Once again with many* many thanks for your outstanding
support* I remain*
/
Bartenders Dept.
JACK KENNEDY
VicePresident
JOHN H. GARDNER
Organizer
DICK MARTIN
Bus. AgentOrganizer
DS/ha
egal ^
President
FRANK McGUIRE
Bus. AgentOrganizer
Time and again the SIU membership's policy of aiding fellowtrade unionists in legitimate
beefs has proved a vital factor in smashing employers' attempts to destroy hardwon wages and
conditions. The above letter, from the president of a union that has accomplished much in the
drive to wipe, out substandard conditions in its industry, should fill Seafarers with pride. As the
letter states, "their action was in the best tradition of trade unionism."
The policy of interunion cooperation, so religiously followed .by the SIU, is imperativs in
protecting the interests of all organized workers. A defeat for any trade union is a defeat
ultimately felt by all trade union members.
free Trade Union Body Launches
Battle for WorldWide Democracy
WASHINGTONrThe strongest to work with the United Nations, "We are not imposing any
: effort in world history to unite International Labor Organiza thing," he said. "We will assist
free labor of all nations is im tion, United Nations Educational, them so that they rnay teeich
derway. ^
Scientific and Cultural Organiza themselves and get necessary in
w^- -.
This was revealed by J. H. tion and other world bodies.
fluence in public life.
Oldenbroek, secretarygeneral of
Mr. Oldenbroek said the new
ARMS AID
the 3monthsold International
Confederation is prepared to
Confederatioh of Free Trade 4. Assure delivery of Ameri work with governments.
p''V'.
Unions, on his first official visit can arms to .western European "But we are also prepared to
democracies with the aid of
to the United States.
criticize governments," he said.
— The campaign is planned for working agreements with Inter "That distinguishes us from the
at least 3 years and will reach national Transport Workers Fed World Federation of Trade
te into
Asia, Africa, the Near and eration and other trade secre Unions which is prepared to cri
m Middle
East, South America and tariats.
ticize (Mily those governments
countries behi^ the Iron Cur 5. Carry the message of free which' don't take orders from
tain. These are some of the democratic labor behind the Iron Moscow.
steps already authorized:
Curtain to the non^communist "We commend the' American
1. Dispatch of a mission to the peoples of Czechoslovakia, Po government for the European
Par East and Southeast Asia for land, Roumania, Esthonia, Lat Recovery Program and Atlantic
a 2month investigation of social via, Lithuania. "They are not Pact. We criticize the American
communist, they are just under government when it tries to
and trade union conditions.
_ 2. Establishment :n that part an iron heel," Mr. Oldenbroek establish relations with Franco
of the world a training college said.
Spain."
for trade unionists, to operate Mr. Oldenbroek emphasized The new Confederation speaks
that all of these things will be for more than 50,000,000 workers
for 3 years at least.
3. Opening of wellstaffed of carried out without, imposing in 53 nStions, including the AFL
fices in New York and Geneva anything on peoples or nations. and CIO in the United States.
The West Coast CIO long*
shoremen has. been practically
shorn ofits top communist of
ficials as a result of Harry
Bridges' conviction on "a perjury
charge bj^ a Federal Court jury
in San Francisco two weeks ago.
The Frisco jury found Bridgea^sj
guilty of lying that he was not
a communist when he obtained
American citizenship. Convicted
with Bridges were two other top
leaders of the International
Longshoremen's and Warehouse^
men's Union, CIO, who h!ad
helped him to gel his naturali
zation fraudulently. They are
James R. Robertson, first vice
president and Henry Schmidt,
international representative.
Although Bridges had evaded
the US government for the past
ten years, he found the going
hard in his attempts to win con
trol of the entire US waterfront
for the communists.
BLOCKED BRIDGES
Acting" with other AFL mari
time organizations, the Seafarers
International Union repeatedly
smashed the powerseeking
moves of the commies and theic
number one waterfront tactician^
Back in 1946, when Bridges
made his strongest bid for con
trol of the US maritime industry
by forming the Committee for
Maritime Unitjt, composed of the
CIO maritime unions, the SIU
led the fight that ended in the
CMC's collapse.
Legal maneuvers will undoubt
edly delay Bridges' deportation.
If and when he is finally ousted
from the US, he will probably
continue his waterfront activities
in behalf of the communists
from another sector. Bridges is
president of the World Federa
tion of Maritime Unions, set up
and controlled by the commu
nistdominated unions in Europe.
Formidable opposition awaits
Bridges in that capacity, too, for
the powerful International Trans
portworkers Federation, w i t hi
which the SIU is affiliated, is
prepared to lock horns with the
commies whenever they attempt
to ^ash any of the free and
democratic waterfront unions or
disrupt the flow of goods be
tween the world's democracies.
irS A SMALL WORLD
Just a few days before this scene, Frenchy Michelet (left)
and Eddie Mooney were thousands of nules apart. But their
ships hit New York at the same time and here they iire as
chairman and reading clerk at the Mar, 29 mating.
�
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
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Seafarers Log Issues 1950-1959
Description
An account of the resource
Volumes XII-XXI 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
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
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April 21, 1950
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Seafarers Log
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Newsprint
Identifier
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Vol. XII, No. 8
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Description
An account of the resource
Headlines:
AFL MARITIME DEP'T PLEDGES FULL SUPPORT TO MM&P STRIKE
ITF PANAMANIAN BOYCOTT NEAR
NEW HIRING HALL BILL
PRIVATELY-OWNED FLEET SHOWS SLIGHT DECLINE
SHIPOWNERS ATTACK
THE UNION HIRING HALL - A WAY OF LIFE
ALL THREE DEPARTMENTS SHARE IN NEW YORK'S FAIR SHIPPING
STILL SLOW, SAYS PORT SAVANNAH
TANKERS GIVE HYPO TO BOSTON SHIPPING
MOBILE JUST KEEPS ROLLING ALONG
DEL NORTE NEWS SHEET MAKES SHIPBOARD DEBUT
WERNICK ANXIOUS FOR CHANCE TO WRESTLE IN N.Y.
LOAD OF LARD SETS PATTERN ON SOUTHLAND'S SMOOTH TRIP
THE SEAFARERS IN WORLD WAR II
BRIDGES' CONVICTION BIG BLOW TO COMMIES
FREE TRADE UNION BODY LAUNCHES BATTLE FOR WORLD-WIDE DEMOCRACY
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
4/21/50
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Seafarers International Union of North America
1950
Periodicals
Seafarers Log