https://seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/42902f5b5db3cfb8c30595b39f688a23.PDF 5d39e532cdb05ab6df91f7545715fb3f PDF Text Text '^r'^^:-- - :,i; • JoQ OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT, SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA NEW YORK, N.Y.. FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 1944 No 5 MWEB IS SILENT ON BONUS CUT SIUBLOCKS RMO LAKES EXPANSION •• 4 The Maritime War Emergency Board held a meeting in Washington on Wednes­ day, February 23 for the announced purpose of discussing a reduction in war bonus rates now paid American seamen. Under the fire of SIU representatives at the conference, the Board announced that no cut was to be considered, rather was the conference called to determine whether or not the risks in certain areas had been reduced. This sort of double talk fooled no one, least of all the-* could not be used because of se­ position that bonuses should be SIU spokesmen of the seamen. curity reasons. cut, the SIU formally requested On the wall of the conference The MWEB was warned frank­ that the bonus be increased for room was a hugh chart which ly that should the seamen's the area around the Gilbert and revealed the rate of sinkings of standard of living be further cut, Marshall Islands and that the American and allied ships for the there would be an exodus of old- daily bonus be increased as our year 1942. For the year of 1943, timers out of the industry. These armed forces extend their oper­ however, only vague symbols men would seek well-paying jobs ations into territories now held were used which could give no and less hazardous ones. While by the enemy. accurate picture of the casualties. the threat of army draft might The Board took no position on And, of course, no chart could well keep the young men going the concrete question of cutting be drawn which would show how to sea, such a reduction in wages the bonuses at this time. A regu­ many seamen would lose their would constitute a real blow at lar deluge of telegram protest lives in 1944. When the union their morale and thereby at the have been pouring into Washing­ objected to the vagueness of the efficiency of the merchant fleet. ton, letting the Board know in chart, the Secretary of the Board no uncertain terms just what the announced that concrete figures Far from accepting the MWEB's seamen think about this attack upon their living standards. AU seamen should remain on guard —the issue isn't yet settled. WASHINGTON, D. C., Febru­ ing agents, and radio and news­ ary 25, 1944 — At a conference paper advertising. Mr. Otto S. Beyer, Director of held here yesterday, called by the , .v: ..A Office of Defense Transportation Transport Personnel, in calling the conference to order, stated to review the Great Lakes Man­ that since it was the responsibil­ power problem, the Seafarers' ity of the Office of Defense Trans­ International Union of North portation to keep transportation America, A.F.L., Great Lakes Dis­ within the country moving, they trict, blocked the attempt of Mar­ were naturally interested in shall Dimock's Recruitment and Great Lakes manning problems. Manning Organization to move in After numerous meetings with on the Lakes. operation and various govern­ Several days prior to the con­ mental agencies, the RMO sub­ ference date. Great Lakes seamen mitted a draft of the proposed unions and steamship operators program. The ODT, he said, was received a draft of the proposed not endorsing the plan, but was i program, under which the RMO interested only in seeing that & I would be given the job of supple- everything that can be done is • menting the work of the recruit­ done to prevent a breakdown in ing and manning agencies at pres­ Great Lakes operations. The con­ ent in operation on the Great ference was called so that all con­ Lakes, such as Union shipping cerned could express their views halls and other shipping agencies. on the RMO proposal for the Rear Admiral Emory S. Land, Administrator of the The draft was framed in such lakes. WSA, was sharply taken to task this month by the SIU for language that would lead the Representing the Selective Ser­ readers to believe that if the pro- vice System, Col. Mendolsohn, his gratuitous advice to seamen on the question of union - gram were adopted all Great advised the representatives of affairs. In a sharply worded resolution. Land was told to Marshall E. Dimock, Assistant I Lakes manning problems would Great Lakes shipping companies stick to his own knitting and let the seamen decide which Deputy Administrator, in charge of the Recruitment and Manning be solved, seamen would be de­ and seamen's unions that they union best represented their inthe grinning Stalinists and their Organization of the WSA, and ferred because of the miracle need expect no deferments for terests. •I- touch of the RMO. In addition to men twenty-two years of age and It all started when Land ap­ stooges was interpreted by every­ darling of the Stalinist clique at under and that this age might be \ deferments, the draft program ex­ peared before the national coun­ one to mean that Land endorsed the head of the National Mari­ increased to twenty-six and even plained that they would recruit cil of the NMU and endorsed the one union under the leadership time Union, is going to resign. higher. The present arrangement Mr. Dimock has announced that seamen now working in shore in­ idea of a single maritime union of Curran & Company. Land's preference for the NMU with the RMO for handling deferhe will return to private law dustries to return to Great Lakes for all American seamen. Ex­ is understandable of course, all practice, which probably means shipping by using roving recruit­ pressing such sentiments before (Contintted on Page 4) shipowners and Washington bu­ that he will open a law office in reaucrats prefer a housebroken Washington and openly represent union which will sell out the sea­ the shipowner lobby. men when ordered to do so. Nor While there is no official word will Land's choice of a union from either Dimock or the WSA have any influence on the sea­ as the cause of his resignation, men since they know from ex­ the Journal of Commerce hints perience what sort of an outfit that it is because the RMO has Curran runs. If anything, the not been given the prominent In a resolution passed unanim­ comparable in every respect with picture of Land and Curran play­ ously at last week's meeting, the the armed forces, many hundreds ing footsie will only serve to role which Dimock thinks it New York branch requested the of seamen having been injured confirm what they have long should have. As far as the SIU is concerned, forthcoming SIU international and "killed, and known—that the NMU is a ship­ we shall not mourn the passing convention to consider the advis­ Whereas, the difference in hos­ owner outfit. of Dimock. Whoever his succes­ ability of launching a campaign pital treatment given the armed Following is the text of the sor, he can hardly be more biased to win for seamen veterans life­ forces on one hand and the mer­ against honest labor unionism. (Continued on Page 4) time admission and treatment WASHINGTON, Feb. 25—Cap­ rights in the U.S. Miferine Hospi­ chant seamen on the other con­ stitutes unjust discrimination tain James Byron Adams, master tals. against the merchant heroes, of a vessel operated by the Miss­ The text of the resolution fol­ without who's services this war issippi Shipping Co., has been could not be won, therefore be it awarded the Merchant Marine lows: Distinguished Service Medal, "for Whereas, war veterans of the Resolved, that merchant sea­ distinguished service Peyond the armed forces of the United States men who can show three years' All American seamen must file income tax returns along line of duty." are given the most efficient and peace time discharges, or 12 with the rest of the country by March 15, 1944. The only ex­ The medal was presented to advanced medical care for the months' war time discharges, or ception to this is if you are at sea when that date rolls around. Captain Adams by Captain Ed­ duration of their lives ,being elig­ have been injured in war time in In that case you must file a return the first week you return ward Macauley, Deputy War ible for admission at any time to the performance of their duty, to the United States. Shipping Administrator, for his the numerous well staffed veter­ should be eligible for hospitali­ In past years seamen have been exempted from income spccessful attempt in the face of ans hospitals, and zation at the U.S. Marine Hospi­ taxes if they spent a certain percentage of their time out of great danger to save his burning the continental boundries of the United States. This exemp­ Whereas, merchant seamen are tals for the rest of their lives, and ship and half her cargo. tion has been removed and evei-y man must file a return, no eligible for admission to marine be it further • "His indomitable determina­ matter how long he has been away from the country. hospitals for only 60 days after tion to save his ship and its cargo, Resolved, that this resolution All SIU men who are single, or if they are manded and and his courageous and efficient the date of their last discharge, be presented to the forthcoming have not been living with their wives, and who earned $500 and leadership," the citation read, must file. Men who are married and earned $625 or more "were in keeping with the finest Whereas, the merchant seamen convention of the SIU for its must file. A $350 allowance is permitted for each dependent traditions of the United States have performed miracles of hero­ consideration and appropriate ac­ other than wife. ism and self-sacrifice in this war, tion. Merchant Marine." Seafarers Raps Land For Support Of NML Dimock Quits As RMO Chief New York Branch Asks Hospital Rights For Merchant Seamen Vets Skipper SIU Ship Wins Merchant Decoration All Seamen Must File Income Tax Returns ! .'j • >. �rgf" w- ^ -.tcgaggy^ -ir.«* I $ Page Two THE SEAFARERS LOG . SEAFARERS ».-.a • • •• itlsJ't.-•• . ' •••: - LOG !'J'^'' .' • •• • .^'f,t Friday, March 3, 1944 ' W.e Can^t Expect Our Troops^to Return to This Beachhead Published by the SEAFARERS^ INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA Atlastk and Giilf District Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor HARRY LUNDEBERG ------ President 110 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif. JOHN-HAWK ------- Secy-Treas. P. O. Box 25, Station P., New York City MATTHEW DUSHANE - - - Washington Rep, , 424 5 th Street, N. W., Washington, D. C, ^ W ^ Directory of Branches BRANCH NEW YORK (4) BOSTON (10) BALTIMORE (2) PHILADELPHIA NORFOLK NEW ORLEANS (16) SAVANNAH TAMPA MOBILE PUERTO RICO GALVESTON.... ADDRESS ,. 2 Stone St ..330 Atlantic Ave ..14 North Gay St .,6 North 6th St ..25 Commercial PI . .324 Chartres St .,218 East Bay St ..423 East Piatt St ..7 St. Michael St ..45 Ponce de Leon . .219 20th Street PHONE ,.. BOwIing Green 9-. ..Liberty 4057 ...Calvert 4539 ...Lombard 7651 ...Norfolk 4-1083 ..Canal 3336 ...Savannah 3-1728 .. Tampa MM-1323 .. .Dial 2-1392 ...Puerto do Tierra ...Galveston 2-8043 PUBLICATION OFFICE: ROOM 213, 2 STONE STREET New York City (4) BOwIing Green 9-8346 >267 Shipowners Organize For Post War Fight On Labor The shipowners have just formed a super-dooper trade association covering all coasts and the Great Lakes. The new organization, henceforth to be known as the National Federation of American Shipping, is a federation of existing associations which comprise in their combined membership virtually .all the shipping in this country—both dry cargo and tanker. While this new association will serve as a super-lobby —St. Louia Po8t-Di.<tgatch in Washington and will attempt to blackmail out of the government even greater war profits than are now being enjoyed by the shipowner, we must not forget that this set­ up will greatly aid these labor haters in their plans for a post war merchant marine free of a union label. With re­ gional trade associations supplanted by a national one, the WASHINGTON—In a move to shipowners are forming a united front against tSlpir enemies assure adequate crews for Great Criticising conditions in the Greek Mariners Club, 208 (the working man on their ships), and will submerge their Lakes vessels carrying ore and West 59th Street, New York City, and describing its board rivalries in the common struggle against labor. grain, the War Manpower Com­ We can expect that in the not too distant future it of directors as unrepresentative and devoid of labor repre­ mission, acting in co-operation will be impossible to bargain separately with different lines, sentation, the New York oflSce of the Federation of Creek with the War Shipping Adminis­ or even with different coasts, The shipowners will demand Maritime Unions, composed of merchant marine officers' tration, has halted hiring of Great seamen's organizations, pro-* Lakes seamen on ocean - going nation-wide negotiations—thus making possible a nation­ and posed reorganization of the board ness interests. "While our objec­ ships. wide lock-out. "so that it will becoipe a proper tion is not directed, against any WSA said today that under the And how can Joe seaman counter this? By labor unity, cross section of all those inter­ particular member or group," the regulation ocean - going vessels stated, "we feel that it is by organizing nationally himself. If Pacific, Atlantic and ested in the welfare of the Greek letter a most unrepresentative body, .could not take on crewmen who Gulf shipowners intend to speak as one, then Pacific, At­ seafarers." and as such, the Greek merchant were last employed on the Great The Federation also charged lantic and Gulf seamen must also speak as one. The first sicamen vill naturally have little Lakes without a certificate from the .agency's Recruitment and that the Greek ship operators Mep toward such unity is the elimination of the shipowners' were mainly concerned with confidents in it." Manning Organization. 5th column in maritime labor—the leadership of the Na­ profits and that the Greek Asso­ Christopher's. Stephano, chair­ One reason for seamen leaving man of the Greek Maritime Wel­ tional Maritime Union. So long as Curran and Company ciation of Shipowners had recent­ fare Committee and a director of the Great Lakes, it was said, was are on the waterfront and peddle the poison of class unity, ly indicated a preference to re­ the club, supported the plea of that they feared they would not jjyst so long do we have enemy agents within our ranks, turn lend-leased Liberty ships to the Federntion for labor partici­ be given draft-deferment on the the American authorities. There pation in 'he management of the same basis as ocean-going sea­ agents who can sabotage the struggle against the shipowner are men. The WSA said, however; at present two such Liberty and his rapidly shaping vendetta against our rights and ships "Amerike" and '"Hellas" club. Petros. hridako^, executive of­ that they would receive the same conditions. operating under the Greek flag. ficer of the Federation, also de- treatment. The formation of the National Federation of Ameri­ • These statements were contain­ plpred the obstacles placed by During the off-season on the can Shipping is more than a straw in the wind. It is a storm ed in a letter of the Federation to Greek u»ithorities and shipping Great Lakes, the WSA said, the States Employment Ser­ signal of rough weather ahead. It is a storm that can be Marshall Dimock, head of the interests in the United States in United vice will seek to find jobs for Shipping Administration's the Way of a greater and more weathered if we close ranks and prepare realistically for a War seamen in the area. Recruitment and Manning Or­ use of Greek maritime life and death struggle. It is a struggle that can be lost if ganization, which was a principal effective man power in this country. He vessels they would be we allow ourselves to be lulled into a false security by those factor in establishing the Greek added that the federation's re­ merchant seized and placed in the Greek Stalinist sirens who sing that the interests of shipowner and Mariners Club. The communica­ cruitment drive was severely Army or Navy. Many prefer, nntion pointed out that the club's handicapped and explained that der these circumstances, to re« worker are one and the same. bogrd of directors (M)nsisted of former Greek merchant segmen, main ashore, and consequently, The wages we receive and the hours wc work are in representatives of the Greek Em­ now residents of the United the manrpower shortage in the direct ratio to the size and militantcy of our picket lines, bassy, Greek shipping interesits, Stetes, feared that in the event Greek merchant marine is C(m» '^e must never forget that. business men and various busi­ of their taking jobs aboard Greek stantly growing. Dimock Accused As AntiLabor By Greek Seamen Bar Lakes Seamen From Ocean Ships -4 • i aisSriidfL''. • �Friday, March 3, 1944 THE PHS Report Reveals Ships Are Rat Traps SEAFARERS LOG Shipowners Buck Uniform Wages For Officers Page Three O.P.A. HEAD ADMITS WORKERS ARE ROOKED The arrival of large numbers of ships in convoys and Two of organized labor's chief complaints about the the inability of the quarantine stations to clear the vessels WASHINGTON, Feb. 29—Re­ promptly as well as the failure of cargo ships to comply commendations of the War Ship­ hidden rise in the cost of living—the disappearance of cheap with regulations requirmg American consular bills of health ping Administration looking to­ goods and the widespread deterioration of quality—^were at port of departure and ports of call are major difficulties ward the establishment of a uni­ confirmed this week by Chester Bowles, O.P.A. administra­ countered by the Public Health' The extensive shipbuilding in form contract for licensed deck tor. and engine officers on all vessels He talked frankly to a subcommittee of the Senate Tvice in connection with mer­ the country brought about an un­ operated by its general agents Education and Labor Committee, headed by Senator Claude chant shipping, Surgeon General precedented demand for the ser­ have run into sharp opposition in Pepper (Deni., Fla.), which is studying the plight of fam­ Thomas Parran stated in his an­ vice of personnel to supervise the the shipping industry. ratproof and sanitary construction The entire question, which is ilies of fixed incomes. nual report made available yes­ of new ships. Since funds were now before the National War Bowles said the public has no idea of what he has beert terday. not available for inspectors, those Labor Board, springs from an ef­ "Most of the problems con­ already in the service had to be fort on the part of WSA to es­ up against in trying to curb profiteering, and deplored the fronting the national Quarantine trained in the technique of ship tablish uniform schedule of wages fact that consumers are not organized to combat pressure Service during the last fiscal year ratproofing. During July, 1941, and working conditions for li­ groups which are constantly seeking to break price ceilings. continued and some increased in only 49 ratproofing inspections censed deck and engine officers He admitted labors charge that the housewife's prob­ intensity as the year progressed," were made, whereas in July, 1942, on both East and West coasts. lem is not accurately reflected in the official cost-of-living the report which covered the 124 such inspections were made. Steamship interests appearing at index. years 1942 and 1943 continued. a hearing here today sharply Many manufacturers of clothing have shifted produc­ Many imexpected conditions Even Blind Can See The questioned the board's authority tion to higher-priced goods, on which they can make bigger to adopt the suggested recom­ have arisen with the war emer- Value of Unions! mendation on the ground that the profits, Bowles said. As a result, lower-priced goods are - geucy. Allied commercial ships which had visited foreign ports ALAMEDA, Calif., Feb. 26— seamen involved are actually em­ disappearing from the market. since undergoing inspection in The value of the trade union ployes of the War Shipping Ad­ Bowles critized this greed, particularly in view of United States ports for military movement is written so plainly ministration and they are not the fact that manufacturers are making ^'four or five reasons and compelled to stay for on the pages of history that "even subject to jurisdiction by the War over twenty-four hours. Because the blind" can read it! Here's Labor Board. times" as much as they were before the xvar. of this health officers were re­ proof: THREE POINTS AT ISSUE Responsibility for the gouging of consumers was blaniquired to inspect the vessels and The Alamenda Club of Adult Points at issue in the current ed on the banning of grade labeling by Congress and the available personnel in these ser­ Blind this week unanimously controversy are (1) the board's vices was highly taxed. adopted a resolution recommend­ jurisdiction, (2) the extent of the War Production Board's failure to compel manufacturers to continue making low-priced goods. RATPROOFING NECESSARY ing that all blind persons em­ proposed uniformity and (3) ployed in industry join and ac­ wages and working conditions to Bowles said he had been negotiating for a long time Many vessels arriving in Uni­ tively participate in labor unions. be incorporated in the , uniform with the W.P.B. on the situation, but that there was "a lot agreement. ted States ports, the report stated, HOME FOR INDONESIAN Both the general agents of the of opposition" from people who felt they shouldn't be re­ % "were found to be heavily infest­ Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mex­ quired to manufacture any thing that does not yield hand­ SEAMEN ed with rats in spite of the fact ico as well as the Pacific Ameri­ some profits. that they produced so-called valid foreign certificates of deratization SAN FRANCISCO — A home can Steamship Owners Associa­ "Yow can't find $1.98 dresses any more" Bowies or deratization exemption." This for Indonesian seamen has been tion contend that the War Ship­ told the committee, "but yon can get $3.98 dresses was labeled a result of lower fu­ opened, for recreational and ping Panel of the War Labor which are of no better quality than the $1.98 dresses migation standards at foreign 6vernight use by Netherlands Board and the board itself are they replaced. ports with a resultant rapid de-. sgilors from the Dutch Islands, without jurisdiction because the , terioration of the sanitary condi- the Netherlands News Agency United States Government, and "There has been considerable quality deterioration, not general agents, is the em­ / tions of ships. announces. ployer of all licensed personnel. which has become a national scandal. It alarms us. But wq It is also contended that there are helpless." Seafarers Raps Land For Support Of NMU {Continued from Page 1) SlU resolution, signed by Presi­ dent Lundeberg: "Whereas, thi« statement by Emory S. Land, as head of the United States Maritime Commis­ sion, was widely publicized in va­ rious papers throughout the coun­ try, more particularly the ship­ owners' publications; and "Whereas, the majority of the American Merchant Seamen are not represented by the National Maritime Union (C.I.O.), but by the American Federation of La­ bor seamen's unions, a fact which is established by actual statistic­ al figures; and, 'Whereas, the Constitution of the United Staths and various laws protecting American citizens from predatory interests give to all American citizens the right to belong to a collective bargaining agency of their own choosing; and, . "Whereas, such statements by the head of a United States Gov­ ernment b u r e g u, particularly when -.'/idely publicized and fa­ vorably commented ou by the sliipowners' press, can mean but one thing to the majority of tiie U. S. merchant seamen, and that is that, these connivers aye get­ ting ready to attempt tq use one union of seamen ageipst another? union of seamen in order to break down the stren^h of the mer­ chant seamen as a whole to. re­ sist any attempt to break up their union; and, are existing labor agreements now in effect between general agents and the unions, and since no dispute has thus far arisen in connection with the agreements Soldiers Getting Distorted View "Whereas, Emory S. Land the question does not come with­ A warning of the danger to the country of the campaign under states he 'wants to give up the in the meaning of the War Labor way for some time to infuriate and inflame the men in our armed ships to private ownership,' to be Disputes Act. services against the workers at home is sounded by the "Cooperative run for private profit after the Builder," spokesman for consumers' cooperative groups. war, he fails to state they should Germans Claim 26 Cargo Back of the propaganda is seen a deliberate effort to discredit be 'returned to private owner­ the workers' organizations, in which many newspaper editorial writ­ Ships Sunk In February ship' of one big company (regard­ ers and columnists and radio commentators are lending a helping less of geography), yet he empha­ March 1—The Geyman com­ hand. sizes his opinion that he, as head It would be surprising, indeed, in the face of this misrepresenta­ of the U. S. Maritime Commis­ munique asserted today that Ution, were our fighting men not confused and alarmed, the "Cooper­ boats and Nazi planes sank 26 sion, feels he should have a hand cargo ships totaling 144,183 tons, ative Builder" says. in determining what kind of a a cruiser and 15 destroyers or es­ "No one has bothered to point out to them." it adds, "thai th* union the merchant seamen cort vessels in February. big majority of men in the ranks, and even a good many of the war­ should have, if any; and, The communique, broadcast by time officers, are of the laboring class themselves, and that those "Whereas, it is generally con­ ceded that Emory S. Land is an Berlin, said 11 "sailing ships" also much-maligned labor organizations will help them, too, when it's all expert in shipbuilding, and the were sunk and that 34 other ships over and they return to the mines and the mills. "The boys haven't had a chance to reason out that if the forces men who build American ships of more than 200,000 tons were of reaction succeed in smashing the unions during the war, they, too, have done a good job, but Admir­ damaged heavily by bomb or tor­ will be helpless pawns of Big Business that is leaving no stone un­ al Land never packed a union pedo. Eight motor torpedo boats turned to emerge from the war more powerful and better organized card, and is not presumed to and gn escort vessel also were re­ than ever." know the functions of a real trade ported sunk. A second cruiser The "Cooperative Builder" contrasts the vindictive and malicious union except from a biased view­ was reported damaged. attitude of the press and radio toward labor with the tender treat­ point of an 'operator'; now, there­ them upon us, and that we be­ ment they gave "unconscionable profiteering, shameless war produc­ fore, be it "Resolved, That the Seafarers lieve in the American concept of tion fraud, and scheming for post-war control of the world by Big International Union American trade unions as firmly as he be­ Business." "Outside of a few courageous journals and the labor papers Federation of Labor) goes on rec­ lieves in the private operation of ships; and, be it finally themselves," it declares, "this Big Business finagling gets no pub­ ord condemning Emory S. (Ad­ "Resolved, That in view of the licity. The overwhelming majority of the nation's papers, to say miral) Land for sticking his nose fact that he is a public official, nothing of the radio, simply ooze with capital's praise of its own into the American seamen's union paid by the taxpayers, we repom- patriotism. piovement, and that he be warn­ mend that he stop taking sides in "DuPonts, Standard Oil and the rest of the profiteering trusts— ed against playing politics with the seamen's union business, yeah, even companies of the stripe of Anaconda Copper and Wright the seamen's unions; and, be it knowing well that he would re­ Aircraft—that have been indicted for conspiring to produce faulty further pent the American seamen telling equipment for our armed forces—they all keep telling the home "Resolved, That we notify Em­ him how to build ships. front and the boys 'over there' how unstintingly, unselfishly, patriot­ ory S. Land, head of the. United "HARRY LUNDEBERG, ically they sacrifice for Uncle Sam's cause." Stjites hfaritiiino Commission, that '^President." What do the conspirators hope to gain by their campaign to fool we are firmly opposso4 to govern­ the fighting men? They are trying to divert attentic^ from their misment-controlled uiyions, and will Keep With condqct during the war and to pave the way for an even greatei? resist to the bittey end attempts foray against the public welfare after the shooting stops. Your Draft Board of any political group to saddle J-honL JhsL (PMAJL — �THE SEAFAH::^AS Page Four SIU BLOCKS RMO LAKES EXPANSION H'- {Continued front Page 1) ment applications for off-shore seamen was working out very satisfactory, and should the plan be extended to the Great Lakes there is no question in the mind of the Selective Service that it would be a success there also. Marshall E. Dimock, speaking for the Recruitment and Manning Organization told the conferees that the Great Lakes was not their responsibility, and that they were "coy" about assuming jur­ isdiction on functions over which they had no authority. They would not want to be accused of trying to grab additional juris­ diction. However, if the industry wanted, they would be very glad to assist them with their selective service problems, which of course, as he put it, must be tied in with the recruitment and employment stabilization plan. After these governmental agen­ cies expressed their position re­ garding their views, the repre­ sentative of the Lake Carriers Association read a prepared state­ ment in which they requested the RMO to handle the selective ser­ vice deferment requests, but half­ heartedly objected to the recruit­ ment and manning features of the program. Turning to employee represen­ tatives, the chairman called upon Jack Lawrenson, Vice-President of the NMU who has had a wide experience in selling out Ameri­ can merchant seamen, to express the stand of the National Mari­ time Union. Brother Jack, heart­ ily endorsed the program, stating' that it was important that the program be adopted in every de­ tail. He expressed great fears that unless every feature of it was adopted. Great Lakes ship­ ping would be broken down and the war effort. would be greatly endangered. He cited figures (which SIU Lake Secretary, Polaner, later showed were misleading) in an attempt to convince the group that a' dangerously large number of vessels were sailing shorthanded. As usual, he harped on the fine war record extablished by the NMU and how well they under­ stood the necessity of winning the war, and bragged about their program, but said nothing as to what was the best interests of the seamen involved. According to him, it was abso­ lutely necessary that a neutral government agency must be as­ signed the job of handling Great Lakes manpower problems, and since the RMO was the only one equipped to handle it, we had no alternative but to request them to do it. Next called upon was Brother Mardy Polaner, Secretary-Treas­ urer, SIU, Great Lakes District, Who denounced the plan as un­ workable, and as just another move on the part of the RMO to grab additional jurisdiction and to stick their nose into affairs in which they did not belong. In analyzing the proposed iVaft, he explained that the SIU had had no difficulty obtaining deferments for their members until recently. Mr. Polaner said that ships under contract with the SIU had received better dis­ patch and had been dispatched with fuller crews than those be­ ing"'manned by any other set-up on the lakes. All that was necessary, he ex­ plained, was that the Selective Service setup as affecting lake seamen Tae clarified, that rated seamen not be drained from the lakes. If this were done, he said, the industry would have no dif­ ficulty in manning its vessels and keeping them manned. The draft of the proposed pro­ gram states that the RMO would obtain rated seamen. "What have they been doing for the past two years with their offices around the Great Lakes?" he asked. "Yes, they have been recruiting in that area all this time with their re­ cruiting agents, and through mis­ leading radio and newspaper ad­ vertising and articles." With a possible small percentage, every man who is available has already been recruited by the RMO for off-shore shipping. "There is nothing in the docu­ ment that explains just where the men are coming from or from where the RMO expects to obtain them. As for the RMO being a neutral agency, there 'are many of us," he said, "who do not feel that it is such. As a matter of fact, we can definitely state that it is very much a biased agency." "Many," he said "could not dis­ tinguish the difference between the RMO and the NMU." While the SIU is prepared to go along on a central agency making the deferment request, they would battle any plan that would in any way interfere with their present manning procedure, Polaner told the conference. Jack Lawrenson then again, with tears in his voice, pleaded in the name of the war effort that the progx-am be adopted. In closing the argument, Mar­ shall Dimock said that if the RMO was to handle the selective service setup, they would also have to handle the recruitment and manpower stabilization set­ up, and if they did not want that, they would have to gr elsewhere. Mr. Beyer then remarked, "Well, I guess there is nothing else we can do here. We may as well adjourn." Friday. March 3, 1944 AFL Brands Govt's Cost Of Living Index False WASHINGTON D. C. — AFLIdustry members of the PresiSecretary-Treasurer George Mea- dent's Committee on the Cbst of ny called upon President Roose­ Living are stalling and have not velt to permit revision of the attempted to make a real inves­ "Little Steel" formula to allow tigation of mounting prices. for increases in the cost of living With their letter, Meany and and urged the President to insist Thomas, the two labor members that Congress authorize subsid­ of the committee, submitted a ies to hold the line on prices of copy of their report showing that basic food commodities. the cost of living had increased In a nationally broadcast "La­ at least 43.5 per cent since Pearl bor For "Victory" interview, Mr. Harbor. They charged that the Bureau Meany said: of Labor Statistics, which reports "Labor is confident that the only a 24 per cent rise, "distorts American people will support this the basic facts of our war-time fair and just program which is living costs." Failure of the BLS vitally necessary to restore mor­ to make clear that its index does ale and to assure topmost effici­ not adequately reflect the realis­ ency in war production." tic and actual rise in the cost of At the same time, Mr. Meany living "subjects the Bui-eau to joined with R. J. Thomas of the very serious charges," the letter CIO in a letter to the President said. charging that the public and in- In his radio talk, Mr. Meany declared that the remorseless squeeze of increased living costs while wages are frozen under the "Little Steel" foi*mula has been "cruel and disastrous" to the morale of workers. He insisted that everyone else IS not making equal sacrifices, adding: Five delegates to represent the "Profits, even after taxes, are Atlantic & Gulf District at the now higher than ever before. coming Seafarers International Many corporations made net convention in New Orleans were profits in the year 1942 alone chosen by ballot up and down the coast last week. The delegates will be brothers L. J: (Baldy) Bollinger, Harry J. Cqllins, Jo­ seph Flanagan, John Mogan and C. M. Rogers. Headed by SecrePHILADELPHIA tai-y-Treasurer John Hawk, this delegation will aid in planning the work of the international for Well, here we go again, doing business at the same old place as the coming two years. usual. We had one of the Phila­ Similtaneous with the holding delphia nawy in the other day, of the international convention, namely the Thomas W. Gregory. there will be an Atlantic & Gulf The articles had the customary Agent's Conference. This con­ No. 64 and No. 72 attached so as ference was called by Brother it seemed the boys had the prop­ Hawk and has been approved by er protection. However, the ship the membership. When the work left the States and proceeded to of the convention allows, all San Juan, Porto Rico and upon Agents in this district will meet her arrival there, two messman to better organize the work of the paid off and went to the hospital union, to coordinate it more ef­ and the skipper shipped two Por­ fectively with the International, to Rican boys as messman. When and to lay plans for an organizing the pay off came the company, drive along the Atlantic and Gulf through Mr. Hill, stated that he coasts. could not pay the transportation The convention and the Agent's of these two men as they had conference will convene on March signed the articles outside of the 28, at Hotel Jung in New Orleans. United States and according to the WSA they were not entitled to transportation. One contacted the United States Shipping Commissioner, ROBINSON. A. FRANCIS. BER­ and he stated that according to TIE POW. C. COLEMAN. F. his interpretation the men in MINER. R. McNEIL. Payable at question were entitled to trans­ Bull Line, see Mr. Cusmore. portation to the Gulf as that was » » * the same transportation that was Crew of SS James Gunn that paid to the rest of the crew, and paid off in Baltimore. September as these two men had signed the 16. 1943. can collect $125.00 from same articles as the rest of the Robin Line for attack on Paler­ crew, he was under the impres­ mo. sion that they were entitled to >y Siany benefits of the articles. He Crew of J. Willard Gibbs have further stated that he would like $125.00 bonus coming for attack a little time to think the matter over before he gave me his of­ on London. ficial ruling on the matter. • • • Stewards Department of S,S. In the meantime, Mr. Hill of Robert Ingersole have disputed the Range Lines called me and stated that he was informed by overtime coming. Collect from the WSA that a Lt. Commander, Waterman Line office, 19 Rector H. M. Evans, attached to the WSA Street, New York City. law offices in Washington hand­ Convention's Delegates Elected MONEY DUE Stewards Dept. of SS Robert Ingersol who paid off in January at Baltimore have overtime checks waiting for them at the Waterman SS Company office, 19 Rector St.. New York. N. Y. • » • Oeck Dept. of SS Bering who paid off at Baltimore on Febru­ ary. 1944 have disputed overtime coming. Vouchers have been for­ warded to San Francisco office of the company. » » » E. PARR. J. REYES. C. REYES and E. KELLY have overtime coming. Bull Line SS W. Tilgman.. 115 Broad Street. New York. N.Y. • • • SS Monroe crew members have overtime coming: H. LfiE. R. LOG which were three to six time9 greater than their entire original investment. Most farmers, store­ keepers and industries are enjoy­ ing unprecedented prosperity.Ap­ plication of the nation's economic stabilization program has not halted profiteering. But it has caught the nation's workers in an ever tightening vise." • • Most people overlook the fact that labor has exercised remark­ able patience, Mr. Meany remark­ ed. Each time labor appealed for relief, he said, it was given new promises, each one just as empty of fulfillment as its predecessor. He concluded: "Is there anyone in America who believes the cost of living has been effectively controlled by the Government in the last two years? Is there anyone so simpleminded as to believe that price control as it now limps along can be relied upon by the American people to protect them? "There are two things that must be done. First, the Presi­ dent and the War Labor Board should revise the Little Steel for­ mula to allow for the increase in living costs since May 1942. Sec­ ond, the President should insist that Congress authorize subsidies to hold the line on prices for ba­ sic food commodities, at least." Around The Ports ed down a decision on August 19th, 1943, stating that anyone signing on at a port outside of the United States was not entitled to any transportation. Mr. Hull further stated that Mr. Howie, who was attached to Captain Pendelton's office in the WSA in New York, stated that the men in question were not entitled to any­ thing. At this stage of the little game I contacted Brother Hawk in Now York and he immediately got down to business on the case, with the WSA in New York. In the meantime the head commis­ sioner here called me and stated that he had contacted Washing­ ton on this matter and that his decision is that these two men in question are entitled to the same transportation as the rest of the crew. I think that a suggestion is in order that in the future when a ship takes on replacements in Porto Rico that some kind of pro­ vision should be made so as to protect them when the ship ar­ rives back to the States. There are checks for the fol­ lowing men in this Branch: Mar­ tin Pedersen, Michael Cataldi, Richard Jonps, Richard Cropper. This is money from the Robert Fulton Voyage No. 3. You may obtain checks by contacting the Agent at this Branch. HARRY J. COLLINS. Agent ISm^onms Wallet containing papers of James L. Chalfant is in New York Agent's office. 1I i'" fi � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Seafarers Log Issues 1939-1949 Description An account of the resource Volumes I-XI of the Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. BCC The name(s) and email address(es) of the person to whom the email was blind carbon copied. Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Bibliography Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Biographical Text Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Birth Date Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Birthplace Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Bit Rate/Frequency Rate at which bits are transferred (i.e. 96 kbit/s would be FM quality audio) Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 CC The name(s) and email address(es) of the person to whom the email was carbon copied. Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Compression Type/rate of compression for moving image file (i.e. MPEG-4) Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Death Date Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Director Name (or names) of the person who produced the video. 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Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Time Summary A summary of an interview given for different time stamps throughout the interview Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 To The name(s) and email address(es) of the person to whom the email was sent. Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound. Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 URL Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource March 03, 1944 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Seafarers Log Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Paul Hall Maritime Library Microfilm 1939-1993 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Newsprint Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Vol. VI, No. 5 Description An account of the resource Headlines: MWEB IS SILENT ON BONUS CUT SIU BLOCKS RMO LAKES EXPANSION SEAFARERS RAPS LAND FOR SUPPORT OF NMU DIMOCK QUITS AS RMO CHEIF NEW YORK BRANCH ASKS HOSPITAL RIGHTS FOR MERCHANT SEAMEN VETS ALL SEAMEN MUST FILE INCOME TAX RETURS SHIPOWNERS ORGANIZE FOR POST WAR FIGHT ON LABOR DIMOCK ACCUSED AS ANTI LABOR BY GREEK SEAMEN BAR LAKES SEAMEN FROM OCEAN SHIPS PHS REPORT REVEALS SHIPS ARE RAT TRAPS SHIPOWNERS BUCK UNIFORM WAGES FOR OFFICERS O.P.A. HEAD ADMITS WORKERS ARE ROOKED FROM THE LABOR PRESS AFL BRANDS GOVT'S COST OF LIVING INDEX FALSE CONVENTION'S DELEGATES ELECTED Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 03/03/1944 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America 1944 Periodicals Seafarers Log