https://seafarerslog.org/archives_old/files/original/fc12e177b9d48fe7932cc6f51027dac6.PDF 0725098b37bb5ab89a046753a1ff1dfe PDF Text Text Official Organ of the Atlantic and Gulf District, Seafarers International Union of North America VOL. X NEW YORK. N. Y., FRIDAY. JUNE 4. 1948 No. 23 SIU Brief Asks Full CS Representation TankerCo., luckyThirteenth,' Signs Seafarers Contract Announcement I paign in Cities Service has borne NEW YORK was made this week by Lindsey fruit, even if the National Labor Relations Board has ruled weird­ Williams, Director of Organiza­ ly that the Union can only rep­ tion,, that the Seafarers Interna­ resent the men on the seven tional Union had signed another ships which voted. For more in­ tanker agreement, the thirteenth formation on this matter, see the in the past twelve months. The lead story on this page. contract is with the Tanker The Cabins Company, Incorporated, headquarters in Philadelphia, Pa. Included in" the contract are the standard working conditions and the recently won higher wage scale. This new scale has beien okayed by all tanker com­ panies under contract to the Un­ ion. ^ The first ship of the new out­ fit, SS The Cabins, has already been crewed Up and is on the high seas, bound for Europe. • Other vessels will be added to the T-2 already in operation. Negotiators of the agreement were Robert Matthews, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, and the Philadelphia Branch officials. NEW YORK—Pointing out that in the Isthmian case the National Labor Relations Board included in the bargaining unit all the unlicensed personnel employed aboard all the Isthmian Company ships, whether or not those ships were owned by the company prior to the date the collective bar­ gaining election commenced, the Seafarers International Union this week petitioned the NLRB to amend its decision regarding the Cities Service elec­ tion dated May 24, 1948, "to include all the unlicensed seagoing personnel as set forth in the original petition for an election." The brief was filed by At­ torney Ben Sterling, in the name of the Union. This action followed close on the heels of the precedent-shattering de­ cision rendered by the NLRB, in which it ruled that only the men aboard THIRTEEN NEW Since the SIU tanker organ­ izing campaign commenced, thir­ teen companies have been en­ rolled under the Union flag. This has added close to fifty ships, with 1,500 moi-e jobs available to SIU men. At the start of the drive, not one tanker company was under contract to the Union. Today there are thirteen, and many more are in the process of being organized. For strategic reasons, the' names of these companies cannot be divulged at this time. In addition, an intensive cam- Quick to come to the md of a brother union in trouble, the SIU this past week donated $100.00 to the embattled strikers at the Di Giorgio Farms in California. The money was con­ tributed by the crew of the SS Clyde Seavey. Left''to right, Riley Watson, of the National Farm Labor Union, Local 218; Seafarer Bob High; W. A. Swearingen, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 218; Brother A. S. Cardullo, SIU West Coast representative; and Seafarer John Gillio. For more details of the strike, see pages 3 and 4. Grealy Employers SaarllhemploymemPaYmeiits By JOSEPH VOLPIAN Special Services Representative NEW YORK—The problem of unemployment compensation for seamen is as snarled up as ever in this State and elsewhere. The result is that some of the com­ panies are still doing their best to welsh on their payments, by claiming that a seaman who goes ashore on termination of articles has quit his job without just cause. If the problem is still snarled, bqe or two things are clear. The companies are seizing a chance to make some extra millions, and they are trying to build up crews of "combahy stiffs." • ; You remember how it works. Unemployment insurance is fi­ nanced by payments by em­ ployers into a State fund. New York State recently began giving back to the employers the money that wasn't used. Naturally, the employers saw an opportunity to add still more to their profits if they could cut down the amount of money paid out to compensate unemployed workers. They were more than willing to take the profits in the form of rebates, letting the unemployed go hang. It wasn't long before employers in States other than New York grasped the essential point—^more profits—and seamen everywhere began having a hard time. However, no matter what some of the companies contend, the law in New York still says that a seaman can collect unemploy­ ment compensation, provided he can show that he quit his job on termination of articles for a good cause. So if you go to collect, and the company sends a letter to the insurance people claiming that you refused to sign on for another voyage, and are there­ fore not eligible for unemploy­ ment compensation, it's to you to show you left the ship for a good reason. There are good reasons, plenty of then If some0ne in a seaman's family is sick, that fact should be brought out. It might be a good reason for staying ashore. If a seaman himself has been exhausted by a trip through the tropics or through the winter cold, he should say so. In many cases that might be accepted as a good reason. In this connection, it should be mentioned that if a seaman thinks he is sick when he pays off, he should get a Master's cer­ tificate and take treatment at a Marine Hospital. After the treatment, he can collect unemployment insurance and no question about it. The (Continued on Page 14) tthe seven Cities Service tankers, .•43 which voted in the election, be included in the unit eligible for representation by the Seafarers. Since eight ships were ac­ quired after the election began, and since the crew of one ship did not have the opportunity to vote, this would deprive more than half the unlicensed seamen in the CS fleet of Union repre­ sentation . The full brief follows: The Seafarers International Union of North America, AFL, petitioner in the above entitled proceeding, respectfully requests that the Supplemental decisioii and Certification of Representa­ tives dated the 24th day of May, 1948, be reconsidered. The petition for an election in this proceeding was filed in the office of the Regional Director for the Second Region, in Octo­ ber 1946. At that time, the Em­ ployer owned or operated the fol­ lowing vessels: SS Lone Jack SS Kathio SS Oklahoma SS Wolf Mountain JJ SS Kansas SS Chiwawa SS Council Grove SS French Creek SS Hadnot SS Wahoo Swamp SS Canyon Creek The petition did not specify the names of the vessels but included all the unlicensed personnel ex- • cept radio operators and pursers, who were employed in the fleetof the Company. ELECTION HELD A formal hearing was held in the offices of the Second Region on July 20, 1947. At that time the names of vessels were not specified and it was stipulated between the parties in interest as shown on page 19 of the Minutes of the hearing as to the appropriate unit, as follows: "Hearing Officer Reitman: Now, can we stipulate with re­ spect to the appropriateness of the unit, Mr. Wolfe? Can we stipulate that the unit appro­ priate for purposes of collec(Continued on Page 14) �THE SEAFARERS LOG ' Page Two rridar. June 4, 1949 - SEAFARERS LOG Published Weekly by the SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA Atlantic and Gulf District Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor At 51 Beaver Street, New York 4, N. Y. HAnover 2-2784 Entered as second class matter June 15, 1945, at the Post Office in New York, N. Y., imder the Act of August 24, 1912. 267 Still At It There's a saying that there are only two things in life that are certain—death and taxes. Well, that old saying has to be amended to include "SIU Organizing." Since the start of the Union, there has never been a day when some type of organizing campaign was not under way. In peace and in war, in good times and in bad, in fair weather or in foul, the men of the SIU have steadily pursued their objective of organizing the water­ front. It has never been an easy job. In some cases the Union tackled companies which had been given up by other unions. Take Calmar and Isthmian, for instance. Take Cities Service, for another. All these companies were at one time or another the targets for organizing drives put on by other maritime unions. But the drives failed, and the companies remained unorgantie'd.'^ It took the dogged persistence of the men of the SIU to turn the trick. One after another, the hold out companies were organized. In quick succession, the arrogant "open-shop­ pers" were forced to allow collective bargaining elections, and these all resulted in overwhelming victories for the Union. Hospital Patients Now, because of the militant work of the Seafarers International Union, the merchant seamen of the United States are enjoying wages and conditions which were not thought possible even a few short years ago. When entering the hospital notiiy the delegates by post­ card, giving your name and tl;e number of your ward. Instead of slop, the men are served decent food; instead, of ,dirty sheets and bedding, the men are furnished clean linens; instead of curses and beatings, the men are treated as human beings. L. J. GUICE C. KERRIGAN C. TAMBORELLA E. DUNLOP S. BURKE J. DeMARCO •A: J. ODOM T. DAILEY S. LeBLANC A. MANG A. LOOPER C. MASON XXX GALVESTON HOSPITAL W. IVINS J. M. WALSH WILLIAMS J. B. NORRIS J. COLEMAN Men Now h Ue Maws Hospitak And the work is not over. As long as there is one These are the Union Brothers currently in the marine hospitals, unorganized seaman in the United States, he represents a as r^orted by the Port Agents. These Brothers find lime hanging threat to the security and living standards of all the or­ heavily on their hands. Do what you can to cheer them up by ganized seamen. One rotten apple can spoil a whole barrel,, writing to them. and one unorganized seaman can spoil things for all the J. BLONGREN MOBILE HOSPITAL rest. So the than twelve agreements now in the organizing drive continues. In slightly less months, the SIU has organized and concluded with thirteen tanker companies. Others are process of being organized. Dry cargo companies have been organized. The wage question has been reopened a few times in the past year, each time resulting in a pay boost for SIU seamen. All these advances are a tribute to the men who have been elected to lead the Union, but they are even more a tribute to the courage and trade union militaricy of the men who make up the Union.. * Today, after the hard work of the Isthmian and Cities Service drives, there are men who, before even registering to ship out, first speak to the organizers about trying for jobs on unorganized vessels. These men know that they are going to have to work I ^" harder, for less pay, than they do on SlU-contracted ships. They know also that conditions are not anywhere •TV,';- near those enjoyed on ships under contract to the Union. But those considerations do not deter the men who want to volunteer. It is this type of spirit that has brought the Sea­ farers to the high position it now holds in the American labor movement. There is still more work to be done, and the men of the SIU are doing it, and will continue to do it. TIM BURKE J. B. MeGUFFIN A. C. McALPIN J. W. MACKIE T. HENDRICKS A .M. MCDOWELL H. K. WORM A. V. TOLBERT R. A. YEAGER 3^ $r S> STATEN ISLAND HOSPITAL GUS A. JANAVARIS ANTHONY SEAY C. L. RITTER P. LOPEZ E. WILISCH J. GORDON P. FRANKMANIS E. OLSEN G." FINKLEA S. HEIDUCKI J. W. McNEELY A. JENSBY J. L. ROBERTS G. R. MITCHELL F. NERING T. J. KURKI P. R. WAGNER J. QUIMERA W. J. WOLFE -J. cflTERTON H. CHRISTENSEN :• J. PACHECO R. M. KYLE I. B. GRIERSON C. NANGLE W. H. RHONE G. VECCHIO H. CORDES P. SYRAX M. F. MORRISON % X t> SAVANNAH MARINE HOSP. J. J. FERGUSON G. R. ANDERSON J. H. FUSSELL TROY THOMAS J. NEELY J. WOOTEN S. F. ALLEN B. KELLY J. A. KING J. CHAFFIN XXX NEW ORLEANS HOSPITAL R. BUNCH J. DENNIS E. J. VOREL E. IBARRA E. E. GROSS C. GREEN J. KENNAIR J. R. TUNNELL R. J. CHASE D. SCHOENROCK E. C. PHELPS ' J. HEWITT •: W. LARSEN • • . .• BALTIMORE MARINE HOSP. MICHAEL R. BAAL G. E. COBBLER O. E. YOUNG E. J. CARANON C. FOWLER PAUL R. SUHR WILLIAM H. KUMKE LOUtS E. LOWE JAMES G. JOUT R. N. FILLOON N. J. LUCAS CHARLES M. PAYNE WILLIAM T. ROSS JOHN W. ALTSTATT CHARLES L. ATKINS. B. DOUGLASS GEORGE T. FRESHWATER THOMAS S. JOHNSON THOR THORSEN SAN FRANCISCO^ HOSPITAL DONALD P. -GELINA ERLING MELLE J. HODO W, WATSON ; " • .. i �FfidaY' June 4, 1948 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Three The Old Days — And The New By AUGUSTUS H. COTTRELL (The writer of thU article was the author of 1>oes The Sea Beckon To You?" which ap­ peared in the LOG of January 23. In that article he described the nature of seafaring and what it takes to be a good seaman. In the paragraphs which appear here, he discusses the respon­ sibilities of Union members.) odors in the ill-ventilated, evilsmelling foc'sle. Many men who are going to sea today take entirely too much CLANK, RATTLE for granted. They seem to think Every rivet and floor plate in •that the conditions they find those old scows screeched and aboard ships today are matter- There are a few men at sea tional Union are outstanding in the seamen sat to eat. Chow screamed with each lurch oi the of-fact things that have always today who will do it everytime, the maritime world. Let other ship. It was as though they were existed. This is, of course, an however, or at least they will maritime unions squabble and was lugged from midship in crying out in protest against the buckets, and it arrived cold and utter fallacy. Nothing could be try to. When you run across one beef., greasy, liberally filled with spray agony being endured by the farther from the truth. of these jerks, don't sympathize Let the charges and counter­ if any kind of sea was running. crew. Your Union is responsible for or agree with him. charges fly like the salt spray of Then there were the rats. They Rusty, leaky hawse pipes ran these improvements in the sea­ the sea, as is the case today in did most of the cleaning up in through the forward foc'sle. Wa­ Above all, don't let him put man's lot. The sooner every Sea­ ter always dripped on the bunks the NMU. But let's keep our farer wakes up to this fact and words in your mouth. Do your own seaboots clean, and con­ crammed under the hawse pipes, gives his Union his full support, own thinking. If you are in tinue to unite into the strongest and at night the slack anchor the stronger the Union is going doubt about anything he says, maritime union in the world. chains clanked and rattled, mak­ get in touch with your Dele­ to become. ing rest almost impossible. MURKY FOC'SLES As the old saw says, a chain gate or with the Union ashore. On some of the ships you turn­ is no stronger than its weakest Always remember this: A lot To do this we must have im­ ed to at four in the morning, fair link. By the same reasoning, a of these chronic squawkers are plicit faith in the policies we weather or foul. At that hour Union is no stronger than its as phony as a three-dollar bill. ourselves set for our Union. If you holystoned the boat deck we abide by those policies, the With few exceptions, they are members make it, and no Sea­ and bridge which always were the phonies who in the I'eally members of the SIU will not be farer should forget this. kept shining. At six you had tough days were playing a nice fed into_ the hoppers of the If any Seafarer does forget, your first coffee, if the muddy and if he keeps bellyaching and game of "shipowner's boy." They hungry shipowners. The SIU will stuff could have been called grumbling over every phony got militant, oh, they got mili- protect every member, and will coffee. continue to obtain the best beef, and resorts to splitting hairs Occasionally, a bucko Mate damned contracts obtainable. over trivial matters, he will dis­ would let you holystone your Too many men going to sea the foc'sles. Not only did they cover one day that he is a very mess table in the foc'sle, but this today can't visualize what con­ AeewUTAnT eat the scraps of food, they also weak link himself in an other­ "^Ouu fi&HT was rare indeed. ditions were aboard ship not so had a startling appetite for seawise strong chain. VogMoKE, very many years ago. boots and oilskins. In those days there was no ^ OLDTIMERS ^/eRTlMB/ In those days, seamen lived in One could hardly .see the bulk­ heat in the foc'sle.s. The excuse fOAMti / Your Union will back you black, murky foc'sles. Occasion­ heads because of the dirty dun­ the Skippers gave was that heat with all its resources in any ally there was a skylight over­ garees and oilskins that were in the foc'sles caused colds legitimate beef. However, you head—so coated with grime that hung on them. among the crew. Better for a do not have "carte blanche" to what daylight did manage to Sometimes a company would man to stay cold, than shift from ride herd on the Union repre­ get in was sick and anaemic. At provide one sheet, per man, per a warm foc'sle to a cold deck. sentatives and others who are night there was one weak light voyage. Blankets were changed The real reason for the lack doing all in their power to pro­ bulb. when they would hold, together of heat was, of course, the trifling tect your interests and see that The bulkheads were lined with ho longer. expense of running steam lines you get a square deal. tant, all right—after the SIU won double and sometimes triple deck Added to all this, the seaboots to the crew's quarters. Remember that the piecards its toughest beefs. bunks. In the middle, anchored and oilskins gave off an aroma Drinking water was suspended you elected are human, too. These characters are a menace to the deck, was a table where that mingled with the other foul (Continued on Page 14) Moreover, keep in mind that to the Union. Yet they expect many of them were going to sea the Union to bring all its re­ in the days when coffee time sources to bear to support them and overtime were only pleasant iit all their phony beefs. dreams that might sometime be­ As the Union supports its come realities. members, so must the members The point is that the dreams support the Union. of these men and others like We want dll the ships under them did materialize because contract that we can get, and By A. S. CARDULLO they worked to make them ma- the way to get those ships is to out is a trailer with all the comJames Price was badly forts of home, which was bought wounded. In order to carry out provide the best damned crews West Coast Representative their deed, these gunmen cared that ever crossed a gangway. At the time we read the story for them by Di Giorgio. Nothing was done by the dep­ very little whether they hit" Make the shipping companies in the last issue of the LOG de­ come yelling for contracts, for scribing the shooting in Bakers- uties when the pickets were at­ women or children. change. The nearest doctor to the scene » field, California, of James Price, tacked, but when a couple of It can be done and it will be President of the Arvin Farm pickets were accused of a mis­ of the gunplay was a Dr. De done, when they know that the Labor Union, Local 218, we were demeanor they were held on a Smet. He was told that a man seamen of the Seafarers Interna­ in Los Angeles "to pay off the misdemeanor charge and the bail had been wounded and was was set at the unheard of figure asked to assist him while the tional Union are seamen through Lafayette and the Seevey. of $15,000 a head. and through, not a motley crowd ambulance was on its way. TTig Mr. Di Giorgio pays the grand answer was "There is nothing I of fair-weather sailors aboard Immediately we headed for Bakersfield, as it is only a short and glorious sum of $6.40 a day ship for a spree. distance from Los Angeles. After to his farmhands. Out of this can do." Quite naturally, the shipping This doctor is the Di Giorgio survey of the situation, we princely amount they have to ranch doctor. terialize. There was no magic companies want crews aboard concluded that the most rotten pay for the upkeep of their about the process. They gave their vessels who are going to (expression of hoodlumism, gang­ Gunmen also fired on their "shacks," another term for what protect their property. We can sweat and blood fighting for you sterism and dictatorship that little union office situated on the he calls their homes. furnish such crews. and you and you. ever existed was in evidence in outskirts of town. (SEE PICTURES ON PAGE 4.) THEY'LL PAY The result is that today your this area. Everything in that county is This is the story to date. These life aboard ship is relatively The companies are going to It is almost impossible to be­ people have a long battle on comfortable, or at least comfort­ pay for services rendered. The lieve that these things do exist controlled by Di Giorgio, and his their hands. They have been at able enough to allow you to SIU is going to see that the com­ in America. We thought that we roving goon squads are assisted it for 8 long months, and still work efficiently. In other days, panies pay well. What is more, were seeing a movie scene from by the deputy sheriffs. Sheriffs, judges — in fact the their morale is high. In fact it everything was different. the SIU will see to it that the some dictatorship abroad. is at its peak right now. There are some men who al­ companies live up to the letter The story starts on the Di whole county set-up—is designed ways must try to take advantage of their contracts. ONE WAY Giorgio farm where the farm­ to help the Di Giorgio bosses. The picketlines extend for 19 of a good deal. Perhaps it is be­ Instead of disputing overtime, hands are on strike. There is only one way to beat cause for the first time in their the companies will be glad to Picture to yourself a farm miles. You can very well see a character like Di Giorgio, and lives they have someone to pay h, when they find out whgt which is 19 square miles in area, that this presents a problem for that is through his pocketbook. If carry the load for them. kind of crews the SIU places so that when you ride down the the union to patrol such a large every union man and pro-labor These characters always de­ aboard their ships, and what highway both sides of the high­ area. man refused to buy Di Girgio mand the impossible—at some­ kind of support the SIU gives way consist of the Di Giorgio Climaxing this whole affair products, he would soon come was the shooting of James Price one else's expense. They go out its nnembers. Empire. around. of their way to find things to But we've got to show them It includes oil wells, refineries, by some unknown gunman. The Many a sailor can well remem­ beef about, and they burden the that—first, last and always—we all kinds of fruit, and so on. Fif­ executive board of the National ber the old blackball list which Farm Labor Union held a meet­ Union with probiems so bewiid- are men who can be charged teen hundred scabs are working is being used by Di Giorgio now. ing in the home of one of the cring that Einstein himseif would with the responsibility of taking on the Di Giorgio ranch at pres­ Any one going out on strike members on the night of May 17 not attempt them. their million-dollar investments ent. against Mr. D-G has been un­ around 9:30 P.M. to the far corners of the world THREE-BUCK PHONIES CONVENIENTLY BLIND able to get a job elsewhere for As the meeting went into ses­ Because a Seafarer with a and bringing them back. employers are furnished with a serious, legitimate beef can get Let the shipowners relax in Among these scabs are hood­ sion a blast of bullets came complete list of strikers. the Union to tie up a ship, it their tooled leather chairs in lums who every once in awhile through the house. As these At a later date we'll furnish a does not follow that some crack­ their sumptuous offices, as long make forays against the pickets homes are constructed of very pot has the privilege of calling as they mieet our wage require­ while the deputy sheriffs are con­ thin wood, several bullets pene­ complete list of Di Giorgio prod­ trated both walls and hit the ucts and also advise every union for job action simply because he ments and live up to every veniently absent. On one occasion a truckload of stoves. Several women present publication so that his product*doesn't approve of the' way the paragraph of their agreements. gangsters came out to beat up at the meeting were missed by a can be avoided by trade unionists red lead is mixed, or of the way Show the companies that the everywhere. four pickets. The deputies' hang­ very narrow margin. men of the Seafarers Interna­ the Mate pajrts his hair. Violence And Terrorism Are Used Against The Di Giorgio Strikers �Page Four Txid&Y. June 4. 1848 R'E ns • IV G Di Giorgio Strikers Face Gun^; Eviction •••"5 w '^ f I On the night of May 17, 1348, the violence that had been brewing in the National Farm Labor Union's strike against the Di Giorgio farms flared out into the open. That night, a peaceful union executive board meeting, in a private home, was shot up, and one of the bullets* hit James Price, president of the Local Union 218. The picture above shows Brother Price still on the floor, covered with blood, before medical help reached him. ''.'fV.- • • - - Xr' The bullet struck Price and entered his face to the left of his nose, coming out on his lower left jaw. A little farther to the rear and it would have prob­ ably taken away part of Price's skull. While thugs and goons terrorized the strikers, police authorities turned their backs and made believe nothing was happening. Many ]>ickets have been brutally beaten, by roving bands of hired strike-breakers. Luckily, Price was not killed, and on May 25 was able to sit up. Here's where the bullets entered the house, thundering through the thin walls. Sister Hattie Shadowens, Recording Secretary of Locil 218, is pointing at the hole through which went the bullet that hit Brother Price. William Swearingen and white-capped Seafarer Bob High point at other bullet holes. As if goons and police weren't enough, Mr. Di Giorgio hr,$ conspired to have strikers evicted from their homes. Picture above shows the'family of Denis Ford, one of the first families to be evicted, sitting on their furniture after the police and the thugs threw everything out onto the sidewalk. At the light are some of the families that have been evicted. It's a good fight against Di Giorgio, and the whole family joins in. The line above is made up principally of women, and the signs they carry tell the world why they are on strike. Lower picture shows the mass picketline which formed after a truckload of Di Giorgio goons beat up four lone pickets. kk 'k'k''kkkt-J1^ ^ jm. kr 1; ;• J;^ ik«s« �. Eriday, Jum 4* 1944 THE S E A EA R Bits . LO C ^ Page Fiva • Vi? Conveyor Breakdown Hits Shoreslde Contract Soon Ready By CAL TANNER MOBILE — Shipping slowed-MEBA representative. The redown here last week, there being suit: that Chief Engineer is makfewer than 100 men shipped. ' ing one more trip on the Pioneer We had only four payoffs and on probatioft. four sign ons, plus four ships in CONTRACT COMING transit. Possibly, however, the The SS George Gale, a Luckpicture is not as bad as it looks enbach vessel, was here in tran­ at first glance. sit, and when we learned of a One thing that slowed us up beef concerning the Mate we last week was the breakdown of sent for the SUP Agent in New a big conveyor machine that Orleans. He and the company .loads and unloads bulk cargo. squared matters. The remaining While it was out of commission, five ships were diverted to other ships in transit took a couple of ports. It has been repaired and we can expect our usual run of )nud tankers coming in with bauxite. Shipping for the seven days to come looks a little .better. While We have no exact or final sched­ ule as yet, we expect about seven payoffs and about as many sign cms. We'll let you know how sharp our prediction turns out to be. Shipping In New York Maintnins Good Pare By JOE ALGINA representatives show bias and out on one of the target ranges • . fire a man wrongfully and with- in Coney Island . NEW VORK-The upswing whatsoever, the CHECK! DOUBLECHECK! shipping, which started last week certainly not in tni?5 nnrt affpr a nrnlnncfpn ' . _ . _ _ Here's a little reminder for the in tms port after a prolonged • n^embers are alien members. These merr slow period continued steady ^ this week. All Departments are ^nion will continue to should make sure to check the^ • expiration date of- their passportsreaping the benefits of the ship­ move with that end in view. to avoid trouble with the* ping boom. Immigration and Naturalization,^ BANG! BANG! Contributing to the satisfactoi-y Service, so they can renew them state of shipping here was the The payoff on the Governor before they run out. If the pass- -^|| fact that Eastern's SS Evangeline Kirby was a clean one, as was ports should expire, that's' when' took on a crew Tuesday,- giving mentioned above. There was one the trouble arises. The Union is the Stewards Department a big individual aboard, however, who not in a position to attend to lift. wildly did his best to foul up the these things as they are purely Payoffs were plentiful and the voyage. The character referred' individual matters that must be few minor beefs brought in were to was the Chief Mate, who is a closely watched by those person­ settled satisfactorily. throwback to the old cowboy and ally concerned. Alcoa had three of her vessels Injun days. Patrolmen in the Port of New THANKS CREW paying off, these being the SnellYork continue to keep pace with He was more a walking arsenal The four payoffs we actually ing, Rice and Isaac Singer. the port's booming activity; than a Chief Mate. Toting two had were .exceptionally smooth, replacements apiece but the Md- Waterman likewise had three pistols and two rifles, this wild [They're kept hopping to payoff there being only a few minor still overcrowded, ships paying off. They were the and woolly menace to the se­ I the ships, attend sign-ons and beefs that were easy enough to Actually, the big news around Loyola Victory, Governor Kirby then visit the vessels here in square to eveiybody's satisfac- Mobile is the pending contract and the Robert Ingersoll. Join­ transit. * tion. with the Mobile Contracting ing these was the AUeghaney The final item in this week's In fact, the Skipper of the SS Company, an outfit that special- Victory, an Isthmian line scow. report deals with a point raised Alcoa Planter gave the ship's izes in ship cleaning and related by mutual consent payoffs. FeL FIRE! FIRE! crew a letter of thanks for their shoregang work. This agreement lows who payoff in this manner ' •'•AIL cooperation during the voyage. will mean a lot to the member­ Isthmian's Steel Designer before the voyage is completed, What was more, the crewmem- ship here. finally departed after a delay or who payoff in an outport, bers themselves had a good word This company has a lot of busi­ caused by the company's arbi­ should bear in mind that it's for the Skipper whose name was ness, and calls for anywhere trary attitude on firings. practically impossible to have O. F. Poche. fi'om 10 men to a ship to 40, dePatrolmen always on hand for The dispute arose when the The other payoffs were the SS pending on the size of the ship DeVigner's"" Chief" Engineer" fired that kind of work. Hawser Eye, also Alcoa, and two and on just what is to be done. Oiler, without any sound reaNO! NO! Watermans, the SS Ponce de Of course, this is fluctuating' his action. No attempt As much as we'd like to do it, Leon and the SS Morning Light, j work. One week there will be |, was made by the company to it just can't be don^ Normal; The Ponce de Leon and the three or four shibs serviced and check to see if there was justifi­ routine activities of the port Morning Light along with an-1 the next week there • won't be cation for this move. curity of all hands, thought the don't allow us time to assign other Waterman, the SS Antin- one. Isthmian simply backed the ship was a floating target. Patrolmen to each man paying ousr signed on as did the SS Al-, The contract for this work, Engineer and showed no concern off individually. The crews na­ Crewmembers tell stories of cicin r.n whir.h oaw being negotiated [ {Q,. the facts or the injustice comturally corpe first. screaming slugs and ricochetting The only sign on which gave through the Marine Allied Work- mitted. IncidentaUy, it is a wise thing bullets. They very convincingly any trouble was the Pioneer. She grs, the SIU affiliate here, will Following the lead of the En­ for these men to go to the port had a Chief Engineer aboard who gau fQj. wages as high as. or gineer, the vessel's Skipper then produced some smashed slugs, of payoff so they can be around had it in mind to give everybody higher than anywhere else in the tried to dismiss the Assistant which they picked up after the in the event of beefs. in the Black Gang a very hard Qulf area Mate got through with one of Electrician. The Union obviously In spite of that, however, we'd time. his artillery barrages. They also cannot go for these indiscrim­ be glad to comply with these re­ CHALLENGE TO N.O. When we got wind of the sit­ showed us holes in the crow's inate-firings. SIU policy is based quests for Patrolmen on individ­ uation we contacted the local The Mobile branch expects to nest, which the shooting Mate on fairness and justice. If a* ual mutual consent payoffs, but gain full possession of its build­ 'had tried to convert to a sieve. crewmember is wrong, the Union j we think all hands will agree ing by the first of October. At will not condone his actions nor | The company agreed to get rid that this would be almost impospresent we are occupying the will, it make a dispute of his of this trigger happy guy before sible to handle, and still give the second floor, the ground floor be­ case. the crew signed articles in Balti- membership the service to which ing a furniture store whose lease If, on the other hand, company more. He should spend his time it is entitled. runs out at the end of September % which is when we'll take over. By KEITH ALSOP We may as well throw down GALVESTON — Shipping the gauntlet to New Orleans. We dropped off here and we don't expect to have the finest Hall on Union has. Any members hit­ Lindsey Williams have left here By EARL SHEPPARD know for certain when it will the Gulf Coast when we're fin­ ting New Orleans will be able to after spending a couple of weeks ished and we're making no bones pick up again. The result is NEW ORLEANS—Shipping in see for themselves and make up helping with the last minute rig­ that a- lot of the boys are taking about it. this port picked up this past ging and the opening of the newIf anyone has any suggestions week after somewhat of a lull. their own minds. shoregang jobs and doing other Nevertheless, there is no point Hall, and giving us a hand in on how to rig up a first class kinds of shoreside work. Five ships paid off, and six in our modestty trying to deny educating the New Orleans memHowever, we did have two Hall, let him submit them to the signed on. Moreover, 12 more that we have a first class rig bei'ship in the problems facing; payoffs, the SS John Burgess o£ j membership. The Mobile Hall are scheduled to payoff in the every way you look at it. What the SIU this summer and the South Atlantic and the SS Iber­ will belong to you" so tell us how week coming up. We can stand is more, we are putting in some ville, a Waterman ship. Fortu­ to fix it. a little run of business like this finishing touches that make the Last weekend some of us were nately, both vessels crewed right with men coming in from other place look better day by day. the guests of the SIU Fishermen up again. poi-ts to ship out. The Burgess was in pretty over at Bayou La Batre, Ala­ BEAT THE HEAT Last week's five payoffs were good shape but the Iberville was bama. We did a little - fishing Various people are now sub­ another story, although there ourselves, and believe it or not, accomplished in good Seafarer mitting bids for installing ah airstyle, all beefs being settled weren't any beefs of a serious between the lot of us we _caught conditioning system. This will right aboard the ships. There nature^ We settled what beefs a hell of a lot of fish. cost the Union a few bucks, but were three Alcoas, the SS John The SIU Fishermen of Bayou there were right at the payoff, they will be well invested. Any­ Ringling, the SS A. M. Hulbert La Batre are a live-wire outfit the SIU way of doing things. one who has been in New Or-' and the SS Edward Scripps, plus Here was the trouble with the and are lOQ percent Union. Any­ leans through a stretch of sum­ a Waterman, the SS Fairland, Iberville: The crew left the body who plans a deep sea fish­ mer humidity will testify to that. and a Bernstein, the SS Peter foc'sle in foul condition. Their ing excursion down this way You might just as weU be sit­ Minuit. better be sure to conjact our outright neglect was no credit to coming year. Their assistance ting around in a wool blanket. The port of New Orleans in boys there. the Union, a fact which you can came at the right time. The way we figure it, why See if you know any of these good shape after the openj/g of be sure the company noted. draw the line after putting up as Thei-e i^ an old saying "seeing Companies remember things oldtimers now in~ port: J. W. the new Hall. The boys #ally are proud of nice a place as we have here is believing." That is why we like dirty foc'sles when they sit Miller, H. Fouche, J. George, J. down with your Union Negotiat­ Clarke, WT E. Collins, C. Willard, this new H^l which all of you now? Why not sail first class all want every Seafarer who can make it to come to New Orleans ing Committee. So it behooves H. R. Grey, S. Finer, J, Thaxton, read abowl^in last week's LOG. the way? all crews to keep their ships A. Danne, W. Sullivan and A. J. There isi/| any need for us to Secretary-Treasurer Paul Hall to see this Hall of which we are. Director of Organization so proud. say that/;:;! is the finest Hall the '^'clean.- '111 •iil Prospects Cool For Gaiveston Shipping Pkks Up In Port New Orleans �THE Page Six if 1 = jp i SEAFARERS The SIU Contracted Companies: P&O ; To better acquaint the SIU membership with the ships they sail and the SIU contracted companies behind them, a series of short articles on these companies and their ships is being run in the LOG. Some of the companies have long and interesting records in American maritime history—some of that history was made with SIU crews aboard the ships. If it were ever possible for a week layoff and began her Haship to dig a furrow in the sea, i vana run once more on May 28. that ship would be the SS Flori- j Things haven't always been so da, Peninsular and Occidental' routine for the Florida. Like Steamship Company's sole vessel.'most other ships in the U.S. merTwice weekly she makes the,chant marine she got a change round-trip between Miami and of scenery and a few thrills Havana, never varying her run, when she was put into war serv­ never changing her departure ice on January 1, 1942. and arrival time. ENTERED ARMY Crewmembers of the Florida Under the Army Transport are convinced that, like the hom­ Service she was taken from the ing pigeon, if left unmanned, hands of the company and, of she would course the waters be- course, the Seafarers Internatween the two ports and tie herUnion. Quite a few SIU self up on schedule without aboard—the faithful; fleeting from her regular course a homesteaderk-but the SIU con-j single degree. tract was put in mothballs for. Every Monday and Friday at duration. B P.M. she pulls out of Miami In her wartime role she wasn't for Havana. Fomrteen hours la- destined to wander too far from! With pennants flying, the Florida enters Havana harbor after another crossing from Miami. ter she ties up in the Cuban cap-^^ome. Due to her short cruising During her recent lay-over for semi-annual inspection, the Florida's 100-passenger deck was ital. Two days later, on Thursgj^g gpg^^ t^e war runair-conditioned. Photo courtesy~"The Compass." ^ days and Sundays, she departs coastwise between the East for the return trip to Miami. |Coasts of North and South Amwhen she should have The Florida, however, is not| In April, 1939, the BIU pulled The schedule is always such. ziggmg wnen sne snouia nave rru„ rn ejica. zagged, she was Struck in the the complete story of the P&O a strike against the company (.vppnt fnr thf Qpmi annual in I spite of its proximity to jjyjj jjy g torpedo, which, for- Steamship Company. Before the for Union recognition. Six days except for the semi-annual in-1 u.S. and South America, the tunately glanced off without ex- war the company operated an­ later, the company capitulated ^ections when she lays over m pig^^a couldn't have chosen a other passenger ship, the Cuba, and signed with the Union guar­ Florida for a fortnight. Last j^gj,g dangerous spot for its opand three car ferries, the Es­ anteeing the hiring of SIU men week she completed another two-The Caribbean, and all" CALLED 'CHARMED SHIP' trada Plama, Joseph R. Parrot only. points along her route, were inHer narrow escapes and tight and Henry M. Flagler. The car The company, however, didn't fested by U-boats anxious to squeezes were fast gaining her fg'^^gg were operated by P&O for believe in living up to the. constop the flow of goods fro^n the the reputation as a "charmed Gulf and along the coasts be- ship." And, after the incident in the Florida East Coast Car Ferry'tract and refused to discontinue I contract violations. tween North and South America. Aruba, she had every right to Company. None of these ships is now It was seen that another strike They chose this as their hunt- that claim, ing ground, because of the treShe had carried Dutch and with the company. The Cuba was ^ was necessary, so a strike fund mendous amount of ocean com- British troops to Aruba and was sold to a foreign government and was established and on July 26, merce traveling along and across ready to leave for New Orleans, the Heni-y M. Flagler and Jo- P&O ships Were struck. The these waters. The toll of ships but someone suggested postpon- seph R. Parrot are now operat- young SIU, engaged in its first lost here is testimony to the cor- ing the sailing another day as ing under foreign flag between J major strike, dug in for a long rectness of their strategy. it was Friday, the 13th. The su- the Port of Palm Beach, Florida' battle. The company, seeing the The Florida, however, was not perstitious were outvoted and and Havana by the West India' determination of the Union, deto be theirs. Sailing principally the ship sailed. The next day Fruit and Steamship Company. I cided to operate its ships in out of New Orleans she made Aruba was subjected to a terrific The Estrada Plama was lost in a' spite of the picketlines. 48 voyages through these dan- bombardment by German sub- Pacific typhoon shortly after the ^he strike wasn't won, howgerous waters and though it marines which destroyed the Wcir ever. Police intimidation and seemed the law of averages shore refineries and most of the The Florida can handle 570 scabherding forced the SIU to would eventually catch up, the ships lying off-shore. That ended passengers and carries a crew call off the strike in September, end of the war found her still the superstitions of the Florida of 160, 94 of whom ar^ in the But the Union didn't give up its afloat and without major dam- crewmembers. Stewards Department. Her over-j attempt to organize the company - The Florida's slack bears age. After her exciting career as a all length is 387 feet, has a beam because of losing the strike, the company flag, which is a Her service wasn't without its troop carrier, the Florida was of 56 feet, a deadweight of 1,280 immediately the Union began pennant containing alternate close moments and near brushes, once more placed back in hartons and displacement of 5,880 reorganizing, and won an NLRB columns of blue and white Almost every trip she was called tons. election early in 1940. diamonds, the white center dia­ upon,to maneuver out of a tight Built specifically for the run mond containing a red "P&O." situation. When the SIU won the election between Florida and Cuba, she by a resounding 90 percent, the The whole design is imposed Three times she was attacked first went into operation in 1931. company, ordered by the NLRB, on a black stack. by German submarines and once,' The present SIU contract with bargained with the Union and a P&O goes back to 1940, al­ full contract was signed. Relathough a temporary contract had j tions with the company have been signed in J939. 1 been good ever since. Port Baltimore Sees No Break I In Sight For Its Siow Shipping % •fc- Friday. June 4. 1948 LOG By WILLIAM (Curly) RENTZ BALTIMORE—Shipping in this terman; Moline Victory, Robin; port during the past several Evistar, Intercontinental Steam­ ness to carry carefree tourists weeks has been variously report­ ship; and Thomas Sim Lee, Isth- back and forth between Havana ed as being "on the slow bell," mian. and Miami. "in the doldrums," and "at a Her reconversion, which took Sign ons numbered but five. standstill." This week it is just Venore, Ore; Evelyn, Bull; Penn- six months in the Newport News slow, and there is no other way mar, Calmar; Thomas Haywood, Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Comto describe it adequately. Waterman; and Evistar, Inter­ ! pany yards, found her shipshape There must be a break in the continental Steamship. 'and ready to go again. The aftershipping tempo here sometime, Some of those that paid off end of her boat deck was ex­ but when it will come is not will not sign on again for quite tended, allowing more outdoor known. Nothing promising is in awhile, and perhaps never: A space for passengers' relaxation. sight for the coming weeks, so couple of Waterman ships, a She also got a good going we'll probably continue to re­ Robin Liner and an Isthmian over mechanically. Her hull was port slow shipping here for some vessel are going to the boneyard. scraped, plates were faired, boil­ time to come. Just a word on a beef that ers rebricked and a new evapo­ Slow shipping doesn't mean crops up here occasionally on rator placed aboard for the fresh that the port has closed down the untidy condition of a ship water system. entirely. We. are still paying off when a new crew goes aboard. All staterooms were modern­ and signing • on a few, but far What usually happens is that the ized and fire proofing made com­ from the pace of a couple of departing crew has left the ship plete. Even a new maple dance months ago. clean and tidy—but the watch­ floor was laid in the ballroom. We had several payoffs: the| men, longshoremen and shipyard Five years after entering army Chilore, Ore; Evelyn, Bull; Topa workers leave their stuff around service, almost to the day, she Topa and Thomas Haywood, Wa- on the decks. resumed operations to Havana. Philadelphia Spurts, Then Falls By LLOYD (Blackie) GARDNER PHILADELPHIA—Shipping in ^ small transportation dispute, but the Port of the Quakers has been- we squared that easily. Another ship paying off was very good for the past week. In the SS Mostank, a tanker belong­ fact, it's been so good that a' ing to Federal Motorships Cor­ rated man stood a better than' poration. She turned out to be even chance of being shanghaied one of the finest, and again we if he ca'me within two blocks of had no problems beyond the our new Union Hall. (Ed. Note: minor beefs that most ship^ have. There was a Cities Service See pictures of new Philadelphia ship, the SS Royal Oak, in this Hall on page 7.) port. Although she is not one But, before too many of you of the vessels covered by that get ideas, let me warn you that very confusing NLRB decision, so far as we know | now we are we are pleased to report that she in for an immediate slump. In is very solidly in favor of the fact, there is only one ship lined Seafai-ers International Union. up for the" coming week. There's not much from here We paid off the SB W. Seaton, in the line of scuttlebutt. We an Alcoa ship, last week, and she have been too busy for that, but paid off in good SlUi style except perhaps next week we'U have foi' some minor beejfs that gave the time to spin a yarij' or two no trouble. One of these was a if we hear some. 'Ji w �yzidar. «r t««» Ttf B A 1^0 a Pagm S«T«tt m1 '•m '-.r ;fil From Ihe outside, the new Philadelphia Hall doesn't look like a business structure. It stands at a corner, 614 North 13th Street', where it is easily accessible by all forms of Philly .transportation and is not far from the waterfront. The new Philly headquarters is also close to the amusement and busi­ ness center, and so should prove to be a gathering spot for Seafarers in the City of Brotherly Love. The new meeting Hall is a far cry from the old one. which was too small to accommodate the membership at regular Branch meetings. Now more than one hundred men can be seated, and the business of the port can be carried on more smoothly than heretofore. Acquisition of the new Philadelphia Hall is in line with the new program of expansion, undertaken by the Seafarers International Union this year. The $10.00 Building Assessment, which was overwhelm­ ingly approved by the membership in the Referendum vote, will be used to buy new Halls in SIU ports. Last week the LOG carried pictures of the new Hall in New Orleans. The above picture shows the recreation room, fully furniBhetf and ready for use. but before it was put into actual use. Note the comfortable seats, the /smooth-topped tables, and the television set at the far end of the room. Writing paper is available, and so are copies of the LOG, Technical books are on hand for men who want to advance themselves by study. Now we see the recreation room with SIU men enjoying all the comforts. We understand from the Philadelphia Brothers that the television set gets a real workout on days when the baseball games are telecast. Now that the Athletics are up there, and the Phillies are making a race of it. the Philadelphia Seafarers are becoming red-hot baseball fans. ' '-'^1 :il �P«ig« ^hi TBE SEAFARERS LOG Friday. Juno 4. 1948 SHIPS'MIMVTES AMD NEWS f--. Leacock Crewmen Back Defense Fund Plan To Aid Brothers In Need AS A SEAFARER SEES HIS CHUGGING TUG A Seafarer in trouble is a man who should have all the help his Union Brothers can give him. He should be able to obtain that help fast and it should be the best kind of help there is. That was the way it looked to the crew of the SS Stephen Leacock, South At-t lantic, at a shipboard meeting on gerous delays in getting legal March 28. Feeling that all the machinery in operation could be kind thoughts in the world were avoided, they said. sorry stuff unless they were Under the Seatrain New Jersey backed by action, the Leacock Plan, such a fund would be ad­ boys went on record as favoring ministered by a five man com­ establishment of a voluntary mittee composed of elected or fund to aid SIU members in need appointed officials at headquar­ ters, the Secretary-Treasurer of legal assistance. serving as chairman. This com­ The Leacock crew was follow­ mittee would study the merits ing the example of the men on of a case and make a detailed the SS Seatrain New Jersey who report to a headquarters mem­ passed a similar resolution in bership meeting. February, and came up with a plan for an administered fund. Then, in an open vote, the The boys on the Leacock en­ meeting would order the defense dorsed the Seatrain New Jersey of the case if the case were found worthy, or order that no plan in fulL action be taken if the case were SAW NEED found unworthy. The men on the Seatrain New JUSTICE THE AIM Jersey were moved to their stand by the plight of the two Sea­ The fund would be used only farers who were then facing!for cases in which those involved i.rial for murder in Georgetovra, would be defending themselves British Guiana, in a case arising j under unfavorable coq^itions, from the accidental drowning of and where the ends of justice would be served by bringing the a Georgetown launch Captain. These two men, Ralph Youtzy fund into play. and Robert Boutwell, have now Incidentally, it was the SS been acquitted, Boutwell several Stephen Leacock which arrived ' months ago and Youtzy" just this in Reggia Calabria, Italy, the past week. A substantial part of first week in March with the their heavy legal costs were off­ 400th cargo of American relief set by voluntary donations from supplies for the war-torn Italian people. their Union Brothers. The crews of the Seatrain New Members of the crew partici­ Jersey and the Stephen Leacock pated in a heart-warming cere­ declared in their resolutions that mony ashore along with the a voluntary ^und should be on Mayor of Reggio, the Bishop of hand at all times to back up Reggio and the United States Brothel's in difficulty. Then dan- Ambassador. A pencil sketch of the Meseck tug Dorothy Ann and her tow by John A. Bersen, Engine UtiUty. Log-Inspired, Brother Breaks Out His Talent Back in his high school days in Uhion, N. J., John A. Bersen used to rate the envy of his classmates when it when he packed off for about his talent. There bothering with that stuff came to drawing. But the sea, he forgot all wasn't much use in now, he figured. He's changed his mind, however, thanks to the inspiration he got from a series of sketches he saw in the LOG by Brother Norman Maffie, whose detailed and realistic drawings are famil­ iar to most Seafarers. So Brother Bersen is at it again, with his shipmates admiring his work now. The sketch above, which he did while a crewmember on the Dorothy Ann, is his second to appear in the LOG and Bersen says there'll be more. A Seafarer for two years. Brother Bersen, who is 20 years old, saw his first big Union action in the 1946 General Strike. SEAFARER JOHN A. BERSEN Foxworth Fishermen Caught And Ate Two The able anglers aboard the SS Percy E. Foxworth labeled the day's operation "a huge suc­ cess." when they hauled two prize 50-pounders out of the Atlantic waters as the ship was head­ ing for Germany. After some careful processing by the Galley Gang, the fish wound up . on the mess tables, where all hands reaffirmed their sdisfaction with the day's haul. In photo above, crewmen wait for camera to officially record siie of one of the catches. Crewmember Chris Karas, an efficient qameraman, took these photos just. to make sure no one later could say that Foxworth fish tales were fish stories. "Ain't he a beauty?" ask these Foxworth Seafarers as they proudly display the second of their prize catches. Around the fish, from left to right, are Billy De Lapp, Carpenter; Fred Jones, AH; W. Austin, OS, and Andy Anderson, Bosun. �Friday. June 4, 1948 T H E S E AF ARE RS LOG Page Nine Digested Minutes Of SlU Ship Meetings RICHARD MOCZKOWSKI, Mar. 21 — Chairman W. W. Scudder; Secretary R. Rife. Dele­ gates reported no beefs. Good and Welfare: Member pointed but that crew has not been co­ operating in keeping messhall clean. Suggestion made that library should be enlarged with more up-to-date books. One minute of silence for brothers lost at sea. SEATRAIN TEXAS. April 5-^ Chairman T. Plunkelt; Secretary S. Harwood. New Business; Mo­ tion carried that repairs, be at­ tended, to • when ship hits port. Good and Welfare: Ship's dele­ gate to make up list of depart­ ments to clean laundry. Sanitary man instructed to get on the ball. One minute of silence for bro­ thers lost at sea. t t AFOUNDRIA, Mar. 30—Chair­ man Arthur Kavel; Secretary Byron Faanes. Good and Welware: Brother raised point of captain dropping all logs incur­ red during voyage. Question was raised whether or not this ges­ ture should have any bearing on the mailer of claims for launch service. Majority agreed that claim should be piessed in spite of any action captain might take. turned in last trip be taken care of on arrival in U.S. One min­ ute of silence for brothers lost at sea. % i. X JOHN BARTRAM. April 27— Chairman J. E. Winderweedle; Secretary C. S. Kowalski. Dele­ gates reported on books — all in order., New Business: Motion carried that ship's delegate speak to captain to have bunks and lockers repaired- and crew quar­ ters painted. Good and welfare: Suggestion made that ail dele­ gates see that permit men are off when 60 day period has expired. One minute of silence for bro­ thers lost at sea. XXX GOVERNOR O'NEIL. April 25 —Chairman L. Russell; Secretary R. Decker. Delegates reported no beefs. New Business: R. L. Garriss moved, carried, that next trip all checkers are to use ship's office and accompanying heads. Repair list made up and ap­ proved. XXX HOWARD A. KELLY. April 8 —Chairman Tommy Taylor; Sec­ retary Lee De Parlier. Delegates Blizzard. Robert McNatt and Carl Woodward reported no beefs in their departments. Good and Welfare: Discussion on needed repairs for ship. Understanding that men on or going on watch get first chance on slop chest. Beef on prices of slopchest. Suggestion that that this matter be turned over to Union upon re­ turning to States. One minute of silence for brothers lost at sea. t S. i. GOVERNOR MILLER, April 25 —Chairman Bankston; Secretary Ballard. Ship's delegate re­ ported that all delegates con­ tacted -captain and adjusted all minor beefs, other beefs ta be straightened but by Patrolman. New Business: Motion by Bank­ ston. carried that everyone be in good condition at payoff so there won't be any delay. Motion by Bankston. carried unanimously, that all stick together to get re­ pairs made. Good and Welfare: Brother Tuckfield advised that men watch themselves going oc and coming aboard as the gang­ way is very dangerous. Brother Bankston gave vote of thanks for fine cooperation crew showed during trip. One minute of silence for brothers lost at sea. S. S. S, JAMES WETMOBE, April 23— Chairman William Kane; Secre­ tary George Barnes. All dele­ gates reported disputed overtime in their departments. Ne^ Busi­ ness: Motion carried that letter containing details of Houston Wood's death in shipboard acci­ dent be written for LOG. Mo­ tion carried that repair list be XXX DEL MUNDO. Mar. 28—Chair­ madb up and medical supplies bp checked. Slopchest to be checked man M. L. McCarty; Secretary A. Delegates said all before signing on again. Motion J. Pontiff. going smoothly. carried that vote of thanks go to departments Brother Fred Wiechert for his Motion by C. C. Treuil. Bosun, excellent aid in matters concern­ that crew thank delegates for co­ ing the late Houston Wood. One operation in making trip pleasant minute of silence for brothers passed. Rutledge and Callahan moved Steward should see that lost at sea. stores for next trip sufficient, passed. McCarly and Valentine moved that Firemen and Oilers be assigned foc'sles on watch and watch basis. Minute of silence for Brothers lost at sea. XXX GOVERNOR O'NEAL. Mar. 14 KNOX VICTORY. April II— Chairman Joseph McPhee; Secre­ —Chairman T. W. King; Record­ tary Duke Livingston. New ing Secretary J. L. Bourgeois. Business: Motion carried that a Deck Delegate R. L. Garriss repair list be drawn up by de­ moved to find out . why laundry partment delegates and be turned was shut off, motion passed. Re­ in to ship's delegate before next ported back, from Chief Engineer meeting. Motion carried that that ship was short of water. crew go on record to see to it Chief Cook asked that latch be that the repairs which were put on pantry, gangway watch to S have key. Crew to make as little noise as possible as men off watch are sleeping. Voted new cigarette schedule. Deck to keep laundry clean, Stewards to keep spare mess clean, last standby on Deck to pick up cj ew messhall. Night Cook explained how he was going to work night lunch. i 4- 4. HURRICANE. Feb. 29—Chair­ man W. D. Tracy; Recording Secretary R. G. Slater. No beefs in any departmerd. Patrolman to bring to ship copy of latest agreement to prevent use of old agreement provisions conflicting with new ones. To order electiic percolators for watches' coffee. Repair list to be drawn up for presentation. Messhall to be kept more shipshape. CHOCTAw' TRAIL. Mar. IBChairman Donald P. Stafford, who also served as Secretary. No beefs in any department. Through discussion of food sit­ uation with Frock. D. Brown. J. Robinson and others taking part. Voted that Pumpman and Messman have their cards signed by bookmen. Repair list to be made. ^<PE#?IENCE WILL TEACH- you — BUT THE TROUBLE 1^ IT MAY TAKE YOU THE BETTER PART OF YOUfZ LIFE . SO TARE THE EAB/ER WAY — REAP THE BPUCATIONAL. PAMPHLETS WIOUT BTTHE A£S-PISTKICT, WHICH ARE BASEP^W THE ACCUMULATEP EXPERIENCE OF THOUSANDS OFSE^FARBfZS. LET THE HARD KNOCKS OF OTHERS A5 ypc/R APPRENTICESHIP^ AAJP DO YOURSELFAA/P THE UNION LOTS OF OCOp . CC/T and RUN By HANK 4. 1. 4. SEATRAIN TEXAS. April IBChairman William E. Pepper; Re­ cording Secretary W. J. Fitch. No beefs in deparlments. Voted to see why blowers can't be used to cool Engine Room. Voted re­ primand for men failing to stand watches. Bookman scored for making permit man serve as En­ gine Delegate. Minute of silence for Brothers lost at sea. XXX SEATRAIN NEW ORLEANS. April 8 — Chairman Phil O'Con­ nor; Recording Secretary Adolphe Capote. Ship's Delegate McQuillen reported food situation now okay, that Chief Engineer would replace fans, that foc'sles would be repaired in drydock. No beefs from departments. Voted motion by Cox. seconded by Cobb, that Black Gang refuse to use hoist until repaired. Minute of silence for departed Brothers. XXX ALCOA PLANTER. April 25— Chairman W. Tracy; Secretary Ervin Anderson. Ship's Delegate Tracy reported that Master had promised thaj repairs would be made. Department Delegates had no beefs to report. Men to do all work they are supposed to do and do it well, and to get overtime for anything else. Bosun suggested that slopchest prices be checked in Mobile. Voted fines for men leaving dirty cups. All fines to go for UFE, or to Special Services. XXX SEATRAIN NEW YORK. April II—Chairman R. Sweeney; Secretary Parsons. Sweeney re­ ported that money donated to UFE had. been delivered. To have new bulletin board and new shelves in messhall, and to get clapper valves for toilets. Voted second donation for UFE. Laun­ dry to be kept clean. Minute of silence for Brothers lost at sea. To protect the contracts and prjevent ships from sailing shorthanded unexpectedly some brothers should stop the practice of taking all kinds of jobs in a period of a week and quitting them just as fast. On the other hand, shipping can't be tough' if you're in the hall every day but you pass up certain jobs for various reasons. Tf you need a job bad that's the best reason for grabbing any job—regardless of the type of ship, the length of the trip oi the ports she's heading for. Every job when placed on the board should be immediately taken. There's no reason for a man to take a job, then quit the job four hours or three days later for various reasons—or because there were beefs aboard. Beefs can be quietly settled without one man or three men quitting theii jobs. As long as the ship isn't sinking at the dock—every man can do his job, cooperate in sensibly settling small beefs and what's more important—sail the ship. A man who is a good sailor and a serious union man can make a clean and happy home out of any ship, tanker or freighter. if Brother Arthur Thompson, the oldtimer, just gave us bad news about "Old Chile," Brother Dusan De Duisan, now drydocked in the Staten Island Marine Hospital after being in­ jured by a car going the wrong way on a one-way street. Quick recovery to you. "Chile" ... Harvey Hill came in recently from a trip... Franklin Smith sailed in last week from a voy­ age. There's a new look on his face—the look of approaching marriage. Congratulations and a long voyage of happiness. From Le Havre, Brother "Red" Braunstein, aboard the tanker ]?ort Biidgcr (which by the way, is one of the ships belonging t*, one of the many new SlU-rontracted tanker companies) writes: "Having a swell time. A swell skipper aboard and the Chief Engineer is tops. John Bananas shaved his beard and "Bing" Miller is still singing all the time. We should be back in a year" ... Here are some oldtimers who may still be in town: F. Miller, Bosun G. Hermarin, J. Porter, Gulf, C. Karas, F. Borst, J. Hassin, W. Gonzales, J. Kemitch, H. Kreutz, W. Church, J. L. Ward, Ole Jensen, G. Ontai, J. ^opkins, Electrician O. Kala, P. Piingi, L. Van Schaik ... Oldtimer Larry Moore sailed recently. The weekly LOG will be traveling all over the nation free of cost to the following brothers: Richard Hodges, of Michigan; Joseph Kelley. of New Jersey; Henry Quirk, of New York; Bernard Marques, of New York; Clyde Keaton. of Tennessee; Ralph Ingle, of Illinois; Florencio Lotie. of Massachusetls; Jesse Coxwell, of South Carolina; Millard Coxwell. of Georgia; James McDonald, of North Carolina; Chester MaCD.onald, of Massachusetts; Robert Mott, of New York; Harry Pollins. of New York; Amos Copeland, of Indiana. At a time when the cost of living, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for April 1948, is at its highest point in history. General Motors Corporation wrecked industry's fight against thirdround wage increases by granting 225,000 auto workers a 11-cent hourly raise and promising further wage raises if the cost of living continues to rise. This 11-cent hourly wage increase proves one thing, among many others. When a union is strong and every member taking his job and his union seriously such a union c^ progress, protect its hard won gains and continue to improve wages and working conditions, etc. I ^ Ml tiil �iis- r-'r:/ ' "" ^ Ten /'-§;;^''\S-'''';"y-?iV'' • fe>: '; •-•,:;v .v!^4 " ," THE SE AFAR ERS LOG Arizpa Men SeeElephant—NotPink,Either; Two-MonthVoyageToFarEastWasSmooth 1849:. w t,;;:® j^-. • -'''4 Log-A-Rhythms Stranded On ft Reef To the Editor: We, the crew of the SS Arizpa (Waterman), returning from a two-month voyage to Japan and Korea, wish to make it known to our brothers in the SIU and SUP that we were blessed with a first-class topside on this voy­ age. Special mention should be made of Captain Ecke, Chief ,Mate O. M. Caswell and Radio Operator Clarence Hancock and First Assistant Engineer Howard Voce. Their cooperative attitude was no small factor in the smooth operation of the ship and we cannot recommend them too highly. tUdaT' • By FRANK BOYNE hkkkkkkt ykkkkkkk He saw dim shadows glide through the lagoon His blood just seemed to curdle in his veins, He thought thzf ere the sinking of the moon, Sharks would be fighting over his remains. •'\ • ' f : 'f i The coruscating stars hung -in the night. The moonlight on the water softly gleamed,' Oblivious to his helpless, sorry plight The elements just mocked him, so it seemed. How could this tropic setting so serene. With surging waters flowing o'er the reef. This place of beauty, must it be the scene Of terror, pain and death to bring relief? UNPLEASANT NOTE One unpleasant aspect of the voyage occurred while in Yoko­ hama. The attitude of the mili­ Conscientiously attending to their Union duties aboard the tary in that port toward seamen is well known. When several SS Arizpa, Bud Benson, Bosun (sealed) checks overtime crewmembers were returning to sheets while Don Bailey. Deck Delegate, stands by and double the ship shortly before curfew, checks. Such observance of the rules means* less chance of the M.P. to whom they sub­ headaches for all concerned later on. Photo was taken in mitted their passes for inspec­ tion was, to say the least, provo­ Benson's quarters by crewmember Luis Ramirez. cative. 5 hatch and several of the crew, He told us that when we met a Military Policeman in Yoko­ which included Bob High and hama we were supposed to re­ Chief Steward Red Benton, who move our hats and bow. Of had imbibed rather freely of By an overwhelming vote course, we did not remove our Doogan's Dew (Pink Label) the on the Referendum Ballot, hats. previous evening, were momen­ the membership of the Sea­ But we did report the matter tarily convinced that their fa­ farers International Union, to the local provost marshall's vorite drink had been ersatzed A&G District, went on rec­ office. These people may have changed the M.P.'s mind, we by the Japanese. ord to protect itself in the hope! After a great deal of discussion hard days to come by build­ these befuddled brothers were ing up a strike fund and One cannot help, under the circumstances, being skeptical of convinced the elephant actually by providing shoreside oper­ the ultimate success of teaching existed. ating bases. our former enemies our system Until another voyage, we bid That means a $10.00 Strike of life with guys like that rep­ you so long with this last bit of Assessment and a $10.00 resenting us. suggestion, and that is: Building Assessment. Al­ SEE ELEPHANT If you get with this Arizpa ready many members have When leaving Yokohama in the gang you will find them to be paid these sums. early morning, we passed an The operators will move APL on the hook. An elephant square shooters in every respect. without warning. It is our was clearly visible on the No. Crew of SS Arizpa duty to be prepared. Pay the assessments im­ mediately. It is our insur­ ance for the future growth and strength of the Union. The water now was lapping at his feet, Blood-warm, yet it chilled him to the bone, There was no place to which he could retreat. And yet, he felt that he was not alone. -V--' " Li % Do It Now : '•'<« I So* down onto his knees he knelt and prayed: "God give me strength, this solitude to bear, "I know that from the righteous path I've strayed, "Please harken to what may be my last prayer. j a "If I must die upon this alien shore, "Take care, dear Lord, of those I leave behind, "I'd like to ask to see them*all once more, "But it's too late; so bless them all with peace of mind. "Some would say I've spent my life in sin," "Tis true I've never worshipped at the church, "Tis also true I drank my fill of gin, "So life's caught up and left me in the lurch. "Please make me brave to face the coming night, "I won't be here to see the rising.sun, "My soul from body will have taken flight, "My days on earth will all be o'er and done." * Alas, the only answer to his prayer— The shrill cry of a seagull on the wing. Like the outcry of a soul in dark despair, * .That on the brink of hell was wavering. •:si '•I ' Finds Rum And CokeRun,SenoritasToo Tempting; Do Your Job First, Frolic Later, He Suggests TJC Ihe Editor: In the cargo carried to the Far East by the Arizpa was a shipment of buses, apparently United States Army material. .Here they are in the process of being unloaded by Japanese longshoremen in Yokohama. Luis Ramirez, who took this photo, reports, that the two-month trip was fairly smooth from the iOie yessel left New York, I would like very much to have the LOG sent to my ad­ dress because I miss some of the issues in between trips. I be­ lieve our newspaper is too good for any member to miss a single issue so I want to be sure of getting every one. At present, I am on the Alcoa Patriot eating bauxite. It is my fourth trip on this old C-1. I have been black gang delegate for two of the trips with clean payoffs "resulting each time.'' Right now we are on our way to the Islands to see some senoritas and drink some rum and coke.' Unfortunately, that's the trouble with this run—too much rum and too many senoritas. Many of our brothers do not realize that shoreside frolicing is all right when off duty, but some forget that we have a con­ tract calling for us to work eight hours a day. Once in awhile a guy gets logged for forgetting this and then beefs to all Who will lis­ ten. Remember, brothers, the contract calls for us to do our job during the Work-day so we can't very well beef on that score. That's enough for now. Here's hoping I'll be receiving my LOG shortly. "William Blanco (Ed. Nole: We'd like to ob­ lige you. Brother Blanco, but you neglected to include your address. Fill out the coupon on page 15, send it to us, and the LOG will come your way. �THE SEAFARERS Fxiday JuM 4, 1948 LOG ON ISTHMIAN PACIFIC RUN N.O. Hall Testimony To SIU Progress: Curl To the Editor: Here are some of the crew and officers of the SS Minot Victory as they were photograph­ ed in Wilmington, Calif.. Paul Melton, Oiler, who submitted photo said, "They are sure a swell bunch of fellows—all real SIU men." ' In first -row (left to right): W. Lyons, AB; Rocky Swisher, Bosun; A. RununeL Ch. Cook; B. Morales, Wiper: Jack Bowman, AB: Hayes, AB: J. Porter, MM: P. Perez, Utility. Second In View of the opening of our new hall in this port, 1 think this is an appropriate time for n\e to express myself, especially since I happen to ship from New Orleans most of the time. I ha^'^e been a member of the Seafarers since 1940 and in my opinion the opening of this new hall is one ofthe most important things that has happened for us Seafarers since that time. 1 do not mean, of course, that it is more important than the results of our victory in the Isthmian fleet, or the successes of our cur­ rent organizing drive. After all, these are developments of a somewhat different nature. CONNECTED But the new hall is connected to these things, for it is the physical evidence of the way the row (left to right): J. Powell, Oiler: R. C. Arnold, Oiler: Thompson, Wiper: John Tiekarski, 2nd Ok. & Baker. Third row (left to THAT'5 right): M. Reyes, MM; A. White, 2nd Elec.: CPUKS Max Felix, MM: S. Chapman, Captain: C. E. Lord, Jr. Eng. Last row (left to right): C. H. Lambert, Ch. Mate: Henning. OS: Kenneth, OS; C. Tinker, DM, and Paul Melton, Oiler. How about Pix from other crews? Steel Fabricator's Pre-Contract Voyage Had Plenty Of Drawbacks, But No Draws I with little success, although the topside drew almost at will. This Here is another instalment in was confirmed by one of the the story of the voyage of the SS , delegates who caught the Old Steel Fabricator. (Ed. Note: Man red-handed. Opening "instalment" appeared After the delegates were com­ in the LCXl recently. Fabricator pletely balked, the Purser tried was under the interim contract.) on behalf of the crew to ob­ tain a draw. "What," the Old We arrived back in Singapore Man bellowed, "you want to up­ with the Old Man, KO Bornson set my schedules!" still doing all he could for us— Then came Kantang in Siam. or, rather, doing all he could to Due to transportation difficulties, us. On this leg we were behind in the Old Man decided all on his our work due to the fact that we own that nobody even wanted to overhauled our topping lift and go ashore. However, he did not guy blocks on the way, which is commit himself so far as to pro­ mulgate any prohibition against quite a job. shore leave. He tried something To prove what an SIU crew else. could do when it had to, we When he learned that a few turned to with a will and com­ men were planning to go ashore pleted the job in five days, dur­ ing which period we had numer­ despite the transportation prob­ ous rain squalls to contend with. lem, he briefed the agent on To make matters worse, ap­ how to dissuade them. This proximately one third of the ship didn't work but the Old Man was covered with a two-month kept trying. old coat of fuel oil which had to He proceeded to inform the be taken care of before painting customs officials that the crew­ could commence. We also worked men undoubtedly intended to sell below loaded slings, which, of cigarettes ashore since they had course, was a very unwise thing no money. This impressed the cusoms officials profoundly. In to do. Well, a C-3 is not the smallest fact, they bought the cigarettes Once ashore, the ship afloat but we finally whip­ themselves. ped it. Came our reward: one boys had the kind of a fine time day off which had been promised the agent had told them was impossible to enjoy in Kantang. us—then back to bell-to-bell. While palming the side, we re­ From Kantang we shoved off in quested the Mate to furnish us the general direction of the good with a boat to facilitate painting old U.S.A. under the counter. It seemed, NOT SECURED however, that -this was too ex­ While running from port to pensive. Six dollars an hour for eight hours at the most was too port in the Far East, we put to much, according to the Mate, sea several times without being who approved a 4p0-dollar job on properly secured. To have done the fidly and had the rooms top­ things right would have required side done for 27 dollars a room. overtime which wasn't considered We rather suspected he didn't feasible. like us. The fact that putting to sea in this condition could have had RED-HANDED serious consequences seemed to During our three-week stay at be of little importance to the Singapore and Penang we na­ Old Man. After all, overtime turally, ran short of funds from costs money. time to time. Nevertheless, our Speaking of overtime, let's note requests for special draws met 80 the Editor: 'i-l'il .. . Page Eleven tram, and the comparison of our present contract with the condi­ tions prevailing before the Un­ ion came into being shows an almost unbelievable improvement and advance. The point I must stress, in view of the major strides we have made to better our condi­ tions, is that we all must con­ tinue to do our part to keep the Union as it is. We must al­ low no performers to jeopardize any of the advances we have made. If we are to continue get­ ting better contracts, we must protect the ones now in effect by doing our jobs in traditional, good SIU style. Above all, we should give our full support to the policies of the SIU. In this way we can continue to go ahead, building our Union and thereby improv­ ing our own individual lives. Glen Morris Curl SIU Forward Drive Stirs His Pride To the Editor: SIU has grown and developed. Our Union has now reached the spot where it has always be­ longed in the front ranks of or­ ganized labor. If you can't quite realize this as a fact, you only have to ob­ serve the local people's reaction to the recent UFE strike in New York. These people here in New Orleans were certainly very much pleased with the part our Union played in that strike. But they were not surprised. They know what the SIU can accomolish when it wants to. 1 want to say, too, that we Seafarers can be especially proud of the contracts we have—not only because of the number of companies with which we have agreements, but because of the type of contracts as well. Enclosed find a money order, which 1 offer as a contribution to the LOG. 1 am really very glad to be getting it every week. It gives me a great sense of pride to be an SIU member, when I read of the great steps forward the Union is taking. My book was retired in Sep­ tember 1946 and the LOG has been my only contact with the Union since 1 left the sea. By the way, 1 would like i,d have a little information about getting seamen's papers for some local boys, who are graduating., from high school the end of this month. Several have asked me how to go about it. 1 told them I wasn't sure but that 1 thought they .still had to go to the Coast Guai'd. that the average in the deck force, after four months, was just over 150 hours. It was all blood money, at that. But topside the boys have really been knocking it down with little or no effort. None of them had less than 200 hours and the average was close to 250. Teamed up with the Old Man we have another beaut in the Chief Engineer. He's out to bust all unions, or so he says any­ way. He won't, though. Victor F. Bachmura. Ship's Delegate Kenneth P. Marple, Deck Delegate William J. Smolinski. Engine Delegate Andrew Noronha, ASKS DETAILS Stewards Delegate GREAT ADVANCE Edward N. Mclnis. AB 1 would like to get verification 1 am now on a coastwise Wa­ Peter N. Black, of this or if I'm wrong 1 would terman ship, the SS John BarPurser (AMMSOA) like to be squared away on the matter. 1 would like also lu know what papers, such as birth cer­ tificates and the like, are neces­ sary. I have forgotten the details and procedure. Again, congratulations to the negotiating committee and the organizers, as well as the active members for keeping the SIU the greatest Union afloat. THREE MEN ON THE PEGASUS Norman Meador Breckenridge, Texas- These Seafarers rode a winner. They were among the crew aboard the Alcoa Pegasus, which recently completed an outstanding run to the Islands. From left to right are Brothers Kelly, Wiper: Regan. FWT. and Harvey, Oiler. Pic submitted by Bill Hope, Deck Delegate. i (Ed. Note: Thank you for your contribution. A receipt is in the maiL With regard to the procedure in procuring seamen's papers, these are is­ sued by the Coast Guard. Ap­ plicants must present their birth certificates, three pass­ port photos and a letter stat­ ing that employment exists for them. At the present time, the status of shipping is such that employment prospects in the maritime field are not very bright for new men. However, if you wish further informa­ tion you might get in touch with the Galveston hall.) f.y.-i M �TBE SE AFAR EMS LO G Pag* TW«1T* Steward Found Trip To Italy, Crew Tops m 11^ To Ihe Editor: When I went aboard as Stew­ ard on the Frederick W. Taylor fehe was an ugly looking tub, one an SIU man would be ashamed to take out. She had not been painted or sougeed during the many months she was manned . by NMU crews for Lykes Bro­ thers. Before sailing fn m Mobile we held our first meeting aboard ship and elected a sJiip's delegate and delegates for the depart­ ments. We found the skipper was a pro-union guy, Captain W. J. Ravannach. He wanted to bring his ship back nice and clean. Everybody agreed with him and so each department got busy. Day and night the men worked until we cleaned every part of the ship. Overtime was plenti­ ful for all. In the whole crew there were only about six tripcarders. The rest were all oldtimers and knew the Union contract inside out. I have • never seen such a fine bunch of boys as these with whom I sailed during the past two months. Whenever we had a minor beef, all department delegates would settle it right away. Says Brighton Rates High; Hospital Docs Enjoy Log HIT THE TOWN We arrived in Civitavecchia, Italy, on Satm-day morning so we had our first draw for lires and everybody went ashore and To the Editor: enjoyed himself. Most of the boys went to Rome, which is Here we go about the Brighton only twenty miles from Civita­ Marine Hospital. And here also is a list of the doctors: vecchia. Dr. Kenneth C. Nelson, Dr. I filled all the boys' bellies George Alpert, Dr. Don Cameron, with plenty of food throughout Dr. Lynn Chaffee, Dr. Roland the trip and never heard any Corbet, Dr. Myron Curry, Dr. complaints to me directly or at Thomas Daber, Dr. Gobriel Ferthe shipboard meetings. razzano. Dr. Thomas Flynn, Dr. I had the best cooks and mess- Lewis Francis, Dr. Norman Hepmen in my department since first per. Dr. Eugene Hutton, Dr. going to sea. Abraham Kaufman, Dr. Arthur We brought the ship back into Maybay, Dr. Maynard Mires, Dr. MobUe on May 3 in first-class Willys Monroe, Dr. Emil Mozola, condition without any beefs on Dr. Roy Peterson, Dr. Henry overtime or anything else. It i Seidenberg, Dr. Edwin B. Thomwas too bad for us who wished . i as. Dr. Richey Waugn, Dr. Edto stay aboard for another trip, , Wieeins because she was laid up. | Roman Viloria, Steward names is that they are a cheery SS Frederick W. Taylor bunch, and very courteous if you ask them questions. They will stop and explain _ everything to you if they possibly can do so. When they pass you they greet you with pleasant smiles and .kind "hellos". The result is that this hospital is more cheer­ ful than the run of hospitals. To the Editor: In addition, the orderlies and the "blue girls" are a very good Regarding Joe Algina's idea bunch. They are exceedingly about the addition to the "no helpful when you need any serv­ promotion" rule: ice they can do for you. * I wouldn't want what he sug­ WIDELY PRAISED gests to happen. The. great majority of our The Brighton Hospital is members always try for a higher praised from coast to coast. Some rating so that when shipping is of the boys came all the way up tough they can ship in any ca- from the Gulf to get admitted , pacity. I say that this is right here. One advantage this hospital and" proper. If those members who lack has over others is the fact that a ambition to go for a higher rat-j man has a big outside area where ihg are content to stay that way, he can sun himself as well as if he were aboard ship. There are let them take their chances. Personally, I don't like to ship plenty of benches and chairs too. below my top rating,- but I can About the chow or good old see far enough in the future to food department: I have found it realize that times are going to to be" very fine in^ comparison get damned tough later on. When with the food at other hospitals. that comes I want to be able to And I have been in pretty nearly ship. all of them. Nevertheless, I I say that if you are not pre- must say that a few things are pared for that time, it's your neglected on the part of some own lookout. of the dietitians. Anyway, haven't you heard or. I believe that quite a compliseen in the papers that theiment should go to Mrs. C. Higtrained man gets the job? j gins and Miss Tohey, who are Henry'Beckmann , the social workers here at the Multiple Ratings Called Sign Of w Man's Ambition pJi,- • l:n |7 •• I'-'"- • 11- Comments And Corsages From Bauxite Scribe To the Editor: Steward Roman Viloria, and Elliot E. Manning^ Night Cook-Baker, from the Frederick W. Taylor, poie for tha machina de photograpUa in the xo^ garden of St. Peter's in the Vatican City at Rome. According to Brother Viloria, the crew of the Taylor was the best he had the pleasure to sail with in his many years in the Stewards Department. The ship returned to the States beef-free. •yaami; hospital. They are doing " good work, and getting good entertain­ ment for the boys. We also find Mrs. Welsh, the librarian, pretty helpful. She is all around the Keep It CJeai! Bull Line. Yeah, I'll confess, I'm a Bull Line stiff. Just like the rice and beans run. Met some great guys on the PR run, and enjoyed my beachcombing days down there. The Diamond Hitch is at the drydock in Port Of Spain. She wrecked her shaft in Demarrora. Casper Duff is Chef on her. Of interest to Mobile boys: Pelaco is Steward on the Oliver Holmes. Heard that -Elridge N. Fowler was on the Evangeline. Missed him by a couple of days the last time I was in New York, It's about time Joe Thomas and John Eversly caught a wag­ on and went somewhere. Musings and meditations on the bauxite trail— Ran into a few oldtimers down on the Alcoa Trail, including L. Taylor, Chief Steward on the Mooring Hitch. Also Wicks, Chief of the same vessel and Red, Bedroom Steward. They're on the shuttle run between George­ town and Port Qf Spain. I'm still riding it out on the Oliver Wendell Holmes. The Old Brooklyn Kid just got into Trin­ idad tonight, w«it ashore and looked the situation over—every­ thing copasetic. The Alcoa Runner is here, leaving in the morning for Mo­ PREFERENCE bile. Hope Scotty and the rest of his department have a good Roosevelt Bobbins has fulfilled time in Mobile. his vow not to work for any Guess who was the most popu­ one but Mississippi Line. Since lar guy on board tonight? Yours the war ended he has been on truly. I brought bac^ a copy of a steady, run to Brazil. Don't the LOG from ashore" and was blame the guy, I'd do the same immediately swamped with all thing if I had spent ten months kinds of offers for its purchase. on the beach in the same town. Just goes to prove that you're Are the inseparable three, Jen­ running a great paper, Ed. A kins, Douglas and Rufus still on round of applause to you and the Madaket? Where is Otho your staff for the fine job. Babbs? He's my boy. Get him to Read "Flint' recently. Pertains tell you about the trip we made to the 1936 Strike in Frisco. Good on the Hampden Sydney Victory, stuff but partially commie. also the Beatrice. He'll keep you laughing for hours about the SAW THE "CZAR" capers pulled in France,- San Saw Cecil Gordon, ex-czar of Juan and Cuidad Trujillo. the George Washington. He's Well, brothers, I won't leave Chief Steward on ' the Alcoa you laughing for hours, but the Roamer, which we left in Para­ day is done and the thoughts maribo. have run, so its sign-off for now.. How is the Marshall Plan Dennis Saunders coming along? Haven't heard a SS Oliver W. Holmes bit of news on it since leaving New York on April 2. Like the articles on the com­ Thanks New Orleans panies, expecially the one on Men For Helping Hand Sees Ri^erve As Potential Fink Agency wards to see that we have plenty of reading matter and writing material. I wish to state that the doctors here enjoy reading the SEA­ FARERS LOG and speak highly of it. It would be a good idea if the LOG were sent to the doc­ tors in other marine hospitals. George Meaner Pridar* Jiaa 4. 194S To the Editor: Here in Wilmington, North Carolina, the Naval Reserve is active in recruiting men. From where I sit this looks like a harmful thing now that the government can take over any trade under the provisions of the Taft-Hartley law. In the event of a long maritime strike, the Navy could force the men of the reserve to man the strike-bound ships. Penalties could be imposed on the men who refused to do so, and prob­ ably be court-martialed, same as the regular Navy men. To the Editor: •V My wife and I wish to thank the Seafarers in the. Port of New Orleans for the money they collected as a donation. We will be ever grateful to each and everyone of them, who were so thoughtful and helpful in our time, of need. Please print this letter in-the LOG so that every member may be thanked personally. Ralph Subat New Orleans, La. "That's My Boy" It is the prpttd boast of th* Seafarers Intornatienal Un­ ion that an SIU ship is a dean ship Let's keep it that way. Although most of the crews leave a ship in excellent con­ BEWARE dition, it has come to the at­ • Why give the reserve the tention of the membership upper hand, fellows. For in the that a few crews have vio­ lated this rule. So Jthey have event of a strike things would be tough enough without making gone on record to have all quarters inspeeted by ihe it any tougher for yourselves. So donH fall for any fancy talk and Patrolmmi before the payoff, and if the conditions are un­ don't allow yourself to be re­ satisfactory, he has the right cruited into any such potential to hold up the payoff ui^ strike-breaking agency. everything is sine and span.' . Shipping is at a standstill here, Fred Bruggner, long-time Remember, that the Patrol­ except for the boneyard, which Seafarer, proudly displays his man can only have repairs seems to be doing a pretty good made if he knows what has business. Last week a Liberty four-month old son. Brother to be done. Cooperate by and a laker were turned over to Bruggner reports that he was foreign owners and another laker hard aground on the Haiti making up a repair list be­ fore the ship docks. Give one is . in the process. Things don't Victory when he got the news copy to the Skipper, and one look too. bright from this port but they may pick up any day or of his son's birth, At presenti, to the Patrolman. Then yquTl he's aboard the John Bartranbsee some action. so. Robert H. Norlhrup Watermah. :• •'•••• I , '7, , ; �Friday. Juna 4. 1948 Takes Issue With Murphy On Aliens THE SEMFARERS LOG OVER AND ON DECK OF THE ALGER Life On 'SS Bauxite FlashSounds Good; Has No Beefs To the Editor: Greetings and salutations to all members of the SIU and to all our AFL Brothers wherever they may be. Our vessel, the SS Alcoa Pio­ neer, sometimes known as the "SS Bauxite Flash", seems to be down here for the Trinidad shuttle for a lengthy stay if scuttlebutt rumor is to be be­ lieved. So you'd better have a word or two from the good ship's culinary department. But before starting this epistle, allow me to list the names of all members of the Stewards De­ partment: Eddie (Dinner Bell) Caudill is .Chief Steward'; yours truly, James (Short Cut) Prestwood is Chief Cook; Dave (Lige) Jones is our Second' Cook. William (The Canary) Walling is Night Cook and Baker; Harold (Chicken) Howell is Passenger No. 1 Boy; H. F. (Sirloin Steak) Turner is Bed Room No. I Boy; Charles (Potato Bug) Bankston is Galley Man; "Muscles" Devaux is Crew Pantryman; Red (Casa- 80 the Editor: I just read a letter in the LOG of May 14 by alien seaman James Murphy which was writ­ ten in reply to a letter , in the LOG of April 30 by Arvel Beardon. I agree with Brother Beardon. American ships for American seamen. . I probably would not be writ­ ing this letter except that Mur­ phy asked Brother Beardon, "Weren't your ancestors aliens, or were they redskins?" With no thanks to a lot of peo­ ple, there still are a few "red­ skins" left in their native land. LOST LAND Yes, my ancestors are both "redskin" and Scotch ready to battle for their rights in their That activity taking place way up yonddr is aboard the native land. good ship SS Russell A. Alger, with -Bill McNally, Bosun, Our land was nearly all robbed directing the lofty operation. Picture was forwarded from from us, We should have at Liverpool, England, by M. W. Sword, Ship's Delegate, who least a few openings left on our said the Alger "is a darned good ship manned by a real crew." own ships now that our land is $ nearly all gone. Until the day is come that American seamen can go to alien -' countries and get the same con­ ditions and pay as they get here let's look out for our own jobs first. . How difficult it was for an American to get started to sea To the Editor: before the war! Why? Because SeveraT amusing situations that he had to compete for jobs with occurred aboard the SS Isaac fresh arrivals from the old world who had gotten their sea experi­ Singer come to mind and since they'll probably provide a few ence in foreign ships. So let's train our own seamen' laughs, I thought I'd pass them up from pioneer stock of Amer­ along: ica and—yes—"redskin." When the Singer was tied up As for being a good Union alongside the bauxite dock in man, I am of the good earth of America which has produced just Trinidad, a number of the crew The Alger's Steward got these lads "in the mood" for this as good members as has the old decided to go on the stern and picture during a well-deserved coffee-time. According to Ship's fish. As usual, someone will world. Delegate Sword, the vessel is due to arrive in the States soon. start a conversation. This time Another point, American fami­ lies are not in the habit of tak­ the subject was taxes and two ing 14-year old kids out of guys were particularly involved. school to send to sea. Letter TAX TALK put a notice in your personal To the Editor: writer Murphy wrote, "I am just column that Mrs. Pat Lewis and One was the Third Mate and a pup, having spent only 12 years Words cannot express the plea­ Bill Junior of 4258 So, Western the other was a Wiper, who I be­ of my 26 aj: sea." lieve was a Frenchman. The sure I get out of reading the Ave., Los Angeles, Calif., would REMARK GOT HIM Mate was insisting that all aliens SEAFARERS LOG, which comes like to hear from Ken Loring, we would appreciate it very But that remark got me: pay a one per cent tax. The to our home for my son, J. W. much. Wiper said no. Lewis Jr. He is on the Navajo "Weren't your ancestors alien, or Mrs. Pat Lewis "I pay like you," he said. The "Victory at this time. were they redskins?" (Ed. Note: We're taking care I wonder if this man realizes Mate said, "Like hell you do. I During his many sea voyages, of your request and hope that know what you pay in tax." there are thousands of Americans he brought some wonderful boys you're successful in finding who have the blood of freedom- So back and forth it went until for a short stay. We were quite Ken Loring.) the Wiper said: loving red men in their veins. worried during the war, as we J • have a few alien friends. "If you no like how much tax had heard that one of them~had TWO MEMBERS Brothers in the SIU-SUP, Nor- I pay on this ship, you can get been lost. Recently, however, my off!" vvegians, Swedes, Dutchmen and OPEN CAFE IN son has found out he is alive so on. They don't say, "Were 4. S. and well. NEW ORLEANS As we were nearing Trinidad, your ancestors aliens, or were We would like to hear from March 30, an AB on the 8-12 him, if possible. So if you would they redskins?" Two Seafarers have formed a ^A few good aliens are okay watch reported a light to the bridge at about 10:30 p.m. About partnership and opened a bar a^ long as they don't take jobs ten minutes later the OS relieved and grill in New Orleans, ac­ that - rightfully belong to the sons of pioneers of this land and the AB on the bow. cording to an announcement Just as he was getting set to the "redskins." they sent to the LOG. Send in the minutes of do a good job of it, the Third Jesse R. (Cherokee) Joy your ship's meeting to the Jack Hartley and James DamMate called him on the phone • (Ed. Note: It is quite pos­ and said: "Go tell the Mate we New York Hall. Only in that brino are operating the Tom Cat sible that Brother Joy inter­ spotted a light ahead." way can the membership act Cafe at 613 Iberville Street, in preted Brother Murphy's re­ The OS hung up the phone and on your recommendations, the Crescent City, and they say mark incorrectly.- We believe stayed where he was. No light and then the minutes can be they're going to give all patrons their money's worth amid pleas­ that what Brother Murphy in­ was to be seen at that time. printed in the LOG for the About ten minutes later, the ant surroundings. tended to highlight was the benefit of all other SIU Third Mate calls the OS again Brother Hartley and Dambrino ^ fact that in some measure we crews. and asks: "Did you tell the Mate invite Seafarers" in New Orleans are all "aliens" or "immi­ we spotted a light?" Hold those shipboard meet­ to give their new place a try. grants" in the United States To which the Ordinary replied. ings regularly, and send They sound pretty determined to those minutes in as soon as make the venture a success by exoctpi those who are descend­ No, didn't tell him. I haven't pleasing their customers. Sea­ , ants of the original Indian in­ seen any light." possible. That's the SIU way! (Name wUbheld) farers especially. habitants.) . Gobs Of Gags Aboard The •Isaac Singer Reader Seeks Ken Loring Send Those Minutes m Page TbSrleen nova) Palmer is the Saloon Messman; Jake (Father Time) Buckelew is the "Gold Braid" Pantry­ man. Meetings are held regularly, and for the first 24 days of this voyage there has not been- a major sqawk in any department. We are hoping for the continua­ tion of the situation for the en­ tire trip. That's the SIU wajr to keep things going. Bring those rust-buckets back into the port of payoff smooth and clean. Red (Peaceful Valley) CoUinS" (the Ship's Delegate who is do­ ing a fine job as same) has for­ warded a request to Alcoa asking that side wheels be attached to the SS Bauxite Flash. Red says she makes port so often that she is in the category of "Ferries— Staten Island Class." , "Canary" Walling has asserted that although he knows a lot about the flat-tops of the U. S. Navy, and has cooked some flat hot-cakes in his day in the mer­ chant marine, nothing is quite so flat as some of the jokes "Lige" Jones relates. SCALPED BY FIEND "Chicken" Howell, the hand­ some guy of the Stewards De­ partment, has stated emphatically, that he will pose for no more female camera fiends. The rea­ son: "Chicken" has curly hair. When his photo, taken by a fe­ male fiend, was forwarded to him he discovered that a defect in de­ veloping had made his seem bald. When this got around, some guy offered him a job in the mines, telling him he could use his head as a lantern. Don't worry, "Chicken," Jack Benny wears a toupee and gets away. A permitman came to me and said "I am a seaman, BrotherDelegate. I have been in this Union three years, and I want my book in the SIU." My answer "Don't all seamen want an SIU book?" During a debate, or father a buU session, on the poop deck, a discussion began on the meaning of the phrase "Brotherhood of the Sea." In my own humble way, I in­ formed the younger boys that it meant many things to thousands of seamen not only in the United States but all over the universe. In an unofficial poll, thousands • of merchant seamen were asked» the following question: If you could join a maritime union, which one would you join? RIGHT ANSWER The SIU, was the answer given by 76 percent. Most of them ex­ plained their stand this way. The : SIU is a union run by its mem- ; bers. It gives its members the right to say who shall be an official, and it gives them the right of free speech. It does not dictate any political policy to its membership. But each man has the protection of an organization that will go all out to guard its members should anyone try to cheat them out of what they rightfully have coming. Showing the above proof to some of our younger members gave me a heartfelt feeling, the kind of feeling that makes any SIU man say, "Thank God we have the Seafarers International Union for the protection of mer­ chant seamen." So Tong for the present and smooth sailing for all. James PrestiMied: �Page Fourteen Wt'- THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, June 4, 1948 SlU Brief Asks Full OS Representation (Continued from Page I) which extended the period to are very seldom bought and sold would probably vary between economic action. It could not ' tive bargaining in this case January 30, 1948. with such frequency as ships are the two plants. speak with authority for its shall consist of the unlicensed In the meantime, the Com­ bought and sold. However, all of these vessels members, who are employed • personnel, including deck, en pany had disposed of some of its In, a recent case decided by work under the same conditions aboard the vessels. gine and stewards, except for original vessels and had ac­ this Board, to wit, the Isthmian and employees on one ship do As a practical matter, the mere . pursers, radio operators anc quired new one^. The vote was proceeding (2 R6030), after the the same type of work as emcertification of a imion as col­ • supervisory employees within conducted aboard the following order of election in which the'ployees on another. They all lective bargaining agent for a the meaning of the Board's ships: eligibility date was set, the Com- I more or less ply between the group of employees is of no SS Council Grove . r usual definition? pany either severed its connec- same ports, carry the same type effect where a union shop does SS French Creek Mr. Wolfe; Yes. tion with ve.ssels which it op-[of cargo and the rate of pay is not prei^ail. SS Logan's Fort Hearing Officer Reitman: Is erated for the War Shipping Ad- the same on all. There is no It will be necessary to vote the SS Abiqua ministration or acquired vessels question of varying conditions on ' that so stipulated, Mr. Wolfe? SS Cantigny under bare-boat charter or by one ship as compared with an­ ships a^ second time to deter­ Mr. Wolfe: Yes. mine the preference of the em­ SS Chiwawa purchase, many times the nvun- other. Hearing Officer Reitman: Mr, SS Paoli ber bought or sold by the Cities The certification as set forth ployees as to whether or not they Parness? The only vessel that was not Service Oil Company. The in the supplemental decision desire a union shop. It is im­ Mr. Parness: Yes. Hearing Officer Reitman: voted was the SS Lone Jack, Board held that only seamen dated May 24, 1948, restricts the possible to do this at the present time because, according to the The stipulation will be re- which at the time was in the who were actually employed on Union to the following vessels: Labor Management Act, a ma-, Pacific Ocean and the time of those vessels^ that were operated : ceived." SS Council Grove jority of the employees must its arrival in the United States by the Isthmian Company on the On or about October 20, 1947, SS French Creek express a preference for a union was not definite. eligibility date were permitted this Board issued an order that SS Logan's Fort shop. FIVE TO ONE to vote and those vessels which an election be held within thirty SS Abiqua As a result of the election, the were acquired after the eligibil­ days. The order did not specify SS Cantigny UNION SHOP NEXT the names of any vessels, but in­ Petitioner received approximately ity date, were not to be included. SS ChiwaWa How could this possibly be However, based on the votes cluded all unlicensed personnel 83.15% of the total-vote cast. SS Paoli done under the present certifica­ While the voting was taking which were cast on the vessels It does not include the SS Lone other than pursers and radio op­ tion? Would the voting be re­ erators. Upon the application of place, the Employer acquired the owned or operated by Isthmian Jack despite the fact that neither stricted to only those seven ships the Employer, the Board ex­ following vessels on the follow­ as of the eligibility date, the the Employer nor the Petitioner which voted or would the vote Union was designated as the Col­ has ever requested that the ship tended the voting period for ing dates: include all the personnel aboard SS Royal Oak—Nov. 26, 1947 lective Bargaining Agent for the be not included. sixty days, the period to expire all the ships? SS Government Camp—Dec^ entire fleet not withstanding the on January 20, 1948, but due to DECIDES NOTHING It is the writer's opinion that 12, 1947 contention of the Company that the fact that the SS French SS Fort Hoskins — Dec. 12, it was not a representative elec­ The certification above re­ if a union shop vote were to be Creek, one of the vesels owned ferred to is of no value either to ordered, it would have to include 1947 tion. by the Employer, might not be the employees or the employer. all the employees in the appro­ SS Salem Maritime—Jan. 9, in a Continental United States NOT PRACTICAL It does not decide anything. It priate unit. There is no question 1948 Port, within that time, upon his The situation is analogous to ^ is neither fish nor fowl and does that the Petitioner will request a SS Bent's Fort—Jan. 9, 1948 own initiative, the Regional Di­ an employer who has 500 shorenot give the employees of the Union Shop vote and it is only SS Bradford Island—Jan. 9, rector requested an additional side workers who voted for a company any representation fair and reasonable to permit all 1948 ten days to vote that vessel. certain union to represent them whatsoever. The writer is re- the employees to express their SS Winter Hill—Jan. 15, 1948 and thereafter more employees minded of a well known saying preference. While the writer is not an ex­ If a majority of the employees pert in the appraisal of vessels, were jiired. Would that invali­ of President Lincoln, "A house tie knows that the minimum date the election in its entii-ety divided against itself cannot prefer a union shop, the Peti­ tioner should be designated as price of tankers such as named or would the union as designated, stand." A union which only represents Collective Bargain Agent. Cer­ above are at least two million be the Collective Bargaining dollars each. The process of ac­ representative for only those em­ less than one-half of a company's tainly it does not jeopardize the quiring a tanker is a long drawn ployees who were employed as employees doing the same type position of either the employer (Continued from Page 3) out affair and is not consum­ of the eligibility date, or would of.work, cannot po.ssibly survive or the employees but/as a mat­ in a dirty bucket banging from it represent the entire unit? as collective bargaining agent of ter of fact, will inure to their a wire in the foc'sle, a fusty tin mated within one, two or even It is not practicable for the the employees of the company. benefit so that all parties con­ three months. . cup hanging alongside the bucket. The Employer knew full well union "to represent seven vessels^ It places the employees in a cerned will know where they DIFFERENT THEN only when tHe fleet at the pres­ hazardous position because an stand. This is what your living quar­ ^at the time of the direction of ent time comprises sixteen ships. employee might be assigned from WHEREFORE, your petitioner ters used to be. It's not a very election, that it was going to For all we know, the Employer one ship which was union to an­ respectfully requests that the acquire these additional vessels pretty picture, but many sea­ might dispose of ten ships to- other ship which was non-union. Supplemental Decision and Cer­ men don't seem to realize just and yet it permitted the election of Representatives moiTow. Would the Union have What would be his position then? tification to proceed until January 29, what conditions aboard ship -used dated May 24, 1948, be amended to file another petition for an It would allow the employer to 1948, one day before the voting to be. "play" those vessels which are to include all the unlicensed sea­ They seem to believe that the period .ended. Then on that date, election? This case is entirely different non-union against .those vessels going personnel as set forth in made a motion to set the election conditions today were always in than that of an employer who which are union, thereby creat­ the original petition for an elec­ aside or to amend the order of existence. But they weren't, and has one plant in the State of tion. ing chaos and disruption. election to include the eight ves­ it was your Union which fought Respectfully submitted, New York and subsequently ac­ It would be impossible as the for and obtained the conditions sels above mentioned, which or­ BENJAMIN B. STERLING, quires another plant in the State certification now stands for the der was subsequently denied by you find aboard nowadays. Attorney for Petitioner. of Texas because conditions Union to enforce its demands by We have a pretty good .situa­ this Board. tion today, so let's hold on to it. If the Employer hod wanted We have our Union to straighten the entire fleet to vote, it should out problems as they come up. have come in at the time that it It takes care of its end of the knew it was going to acquire job, pitching in and arguing with these ships rather than one day will get tired of paying lawyers The companies say that a man (Continued from Page 1) the owners for the whole mem­ before the election was over. The unemployment claims. on the beach is taking a "vaca­ Employer's actions definitely man declined to sign on again to fight bership's good. tion." Some vacation! You show a lack of good faith on its for the best i-eason in the world, But we can't count on it. CHILL PERFORMERS However, the companies and draw no pay and you keep But we have to back the Union part. he was sick. up to our very utmost. We must It is the writer's contention Any seaman who sticks by his the insurance people are ducking watching for a ship—after you've keep out of petty beefs. We must that the Employer is guilty of guns, in a proper claim for un­ the real issue, which is that a rested from the last voyage. avoid troublemakers. Above all laches in neglecting and refusing employment insurance stands a man who has been long months The trouble is that a landsman, we must do oui- jobs on the to notify the Board pi'ior to good chance to collect. at sea needs time ashore to get ^who once, took a cruise to Cuba ships far better than any unor­ January 29, 1948, of the addi­ or who has done some weekend In point of actual fact the rate his bearings. ganized stiffs ever could do them. tional ships that were to make of rejections is low at present. During the war, even the Gov­ sailboating on Long Island When you run into a per­ up part of its fleet. But it may grow, for it looks as ernment recognized this fact, and Sound, thinks that seafaring is CITES ISTHMIAN former, don't encourage him by if the companies have been given a couple of years ago the unem­ play. patting him on the back, making It is well known in the Mari­ a clear path to smash unemploy­ ployment insurance people He doesn't understand that at him believe he is a regular hell- time-industry, that ship owners ment insurance in their quest for seemed to. However, shipowners sea a man works seven days a raiser who doesn't have to give are always buying, chartering or rebates. have a lot of power. week for months at a time, and a damn. Those guys hurt each of selling vessels. For example, the RUBBER STAMP that his entire life during that us and the Union as a whole. Company shortly before the peti­ Some companies are rubber period is confined to the ship it­ Let's try chilling guys like tion was filed, either owned, op­ stamping their crew lists "Re­ self. He doesn't understand that that. When they find out they erated or chartered the follow­ fused Employment" and sending when he completes the contract have no audience, perhaps they'll ing vessels: what amount to form letters to Crewmembers of the SS agreed to in the articles, the man SS Hagood get tired of their act. State agencies, maintaining that Blu® Island Victory. Water­ needs a rest ashore; and that if When we have to let off steam SS Hadnot seamen refused to sign on a sec­ man, who have beeh notified he runs out of money he is as and let 'er rip, let's do it ashore. SS Koolmotor ond time and are not eligible for by their local unemployment entitled to unemployment pay as It will pay off in the long run. SS Kathio unemployment insurance. insurance officers that they is anybody else out of a job. For a change, let's say "Swell SS Oklahoma When a seaman is confronted could not collect benefits be­ You can be sure that the SIU trip, jpo beefs" when we tie up SS Steens Mountain with such a letter, he should de­ cause they had refused re­ is going to fight this unemploy- • at the payoff. SS Wahoo Swamp employment, are urged to get ment compensation beef through mand a hearing and demand that But if we have a legitimate SS Kansas the eompany produce the Mate in touch with those local .un­ until it is won. Meanwhile, if you beef we need never hesitate to in addition to the vessels now or whoever said he refused em­ employment officers again. keep your head and stand up for v take it up with the Union. If comprising its fleet. The company's error is- being your rights, you'll be doing your . ployment. it's a good beef, the Union will It is entirely different than a rectified. Perhaps the companies who part in getting the thing squared swing into action. shore side industry where plants are indulging in these practices away. The Old Days And The New Greedy Employers Snarl Idle Pay Blue Island Crew Sf'S&i.., �TAdnf. 4, 1848 Page Fifleea THE SEAFARERS LOG NOTICE NEW ORLEANS—The men listed be- | Robert Lee Moran, Kenneth £. Miller, lew have mail at the Hall here. It will Purdom A. Morris. Joseph W. Mc< be held through Jtme 15, after which Groden, Woodrow Wilson Mulkay, Macic date it will be sent to the Dead Letter Mizzele, Glen Micheal. Office. If your name is on the list and Wriliam Henry Mercer, Medrano, Joa«, you want your mail, write the New Joseph W. McGroder, Steve McCoy, was startled to hear gunfire out he bopght a spray gun out of his Orleans Agent. The address of the New William H. Marschall, Jr., Bob McGrew, on deck. The men rushed out own pocket just to save the Orleans Hall is 523 Bienville Street. Terrel McRaney, Mc. Coy, F. T. Maher. NEW YORK—Th^ day of the on deck expecting to repeL a company a few bucks. Lyman W. Ange. Charles Ankele, Daniel J. O'Regan, Sven Ostling, armed merchant vessel is not boarding party of privateers SECOND OFFENDER Phil N. Acree, Fred Ahrens. William J. past. Though the World War II only to find the gun-happy Mate It all added up to quite a tale Alleva. Blair Allison. Emmett L. Avery. Charles O Neill, E. T. O'Mara. Gerald T. Payne, P. J. Petro, Burton is history and most merchant firing at porpoises. H. Packard, Robert Prutzman, Noel F. the crew told us. And, as they Earl C. Addison. vessels use the gun turrets for, That was their introduction to related the sad state of affairs, Philip S. Brooks. R. .K. Breeden. roudfloot, Joseph H. rudhomme, Paul sun bathing and swimming pools, the Mate's antics. From then on a few memories came to mind of Richard Barron. Jewel Banks, Lance Petak. the crew of the Governor Kilby, until the end of the voyage this a gun-toting mate off the Noon- alley, Luther Borrego, E. L. Buffington, Robert E. Rooney. Jessie Rewrque. Richard Barr. Richard Powell Barron, Waterman, found that their ship week in New York, the Mate Dale Ramseyer, Dick Rogers, Frank W. Richard L. Blake Arvel Bearden. StantReitinger, Jose Luis Roca, William Raae, was the exception. played shooting gallery with his slaw Borek, Paul G. Brady. R. Rhody, Quintin Remand, Virgil Ken­ It was no move by the gov­ two rifles and two revolvers. John Byerley, David Bishop, Tobe neth Rumfelt, Ross Rhody, Georga ernment or the company, in­ FIRE ONE! Beams. Ira E. Bishop. J. E. Booth. Rosales, Virgil Rumfelt, Pete Radovich. stead it was the Mate who, at Every day he improved his aim Luther Borrego, N. R. (Smokey) Bon. Dale V. Ramseyer, Rea, Lloyd H.,, m Rufus J. Bruden. Pekka Bombin. his own expense, had- four guns by taking pot shots at everything John S. Rubery, G. D. Reagan, L. J, placed aboard. in sight including the crow's Fred K. Catham Jr., Alfred Cuada. Rynes. John J. Coney, Louis J. Camera. Arthur Defense of the ship against nest. Once, while a crewmember Joe Sprezell, J. P. Stapels, Donald Cairus. Christian A. Christensen. Harry any enemy ship still cruising was on lookout, he fired" at a Glenn W. Street, Harry SnelL siifiilt Cavanaugh, Charles D. Cummins. J. Stewart, F. E. Sanders, Clarence L. Smith, Jr., the seas unaware of the war's paint bucket on the bow sending Chapmon. Fred K. Calham. Woodrow Simkins, James H. H. Smith, end was not his aim, however. the lookout running for his life. Harry Coppock. Leland R. Carroll. Robert C. Sheppard, Shos V. Sharp, . His arsenal was put aboard "When the crew demanded an Sims Charrier. James L.* Conner, Robert Joseph Sprengel, James P. Staples. **' >•; solely for "sport." explanation, he claimed he was Caiter,. Christian Cristensen, Rogelio Paul J. Serrior, E. C. Shaffer, Keith Cruz. That is, if you can call in­ shooting out in the water. The Shepard, M. O. Slayer, G. Madureira. discriminate firing at deck crew then wanted to know how D. R. Dedenpeck. Harold G. Darnell. Vincent J. Keller, D. T. Smith, Carf Bartlett Demoss. Darnell, Paul Milton, Scott, Gustav Swenson. equipment and porposies sport. in hell there were so many spent L. M. Deckelman, Delbert H. Dean, Some of the slugs picked The Kilby had sailed from slugs around the deck. For the E. A. Stanton, J. W. Snackeuzia, Louis M. Dckelmann, Woody Dickens, off the deck of the Governor Mobile for the Far East with record they gathered up a few. Snodgrass, Lee, Woodrow L. Simkins, Louis Dickelman. Peorb G. Sanchez, Jack Shafsenberger, • everything fine. All hands knew By the end of the voyage the Kilby. Thomas J. Dallas, Bartlett C. De Eugene A. Stanton, Salvatore Scuden. their duties and were bedding deck equipment of the Kilby Moss, Krlstoffer Daac, Harry E. Dorer, Dwight Thomason, Robert R. Thomp­ down for a most' comfortable was so pock-marked that the day a while back, who had quit Georges Djian, Louis M. Deckleman. son, Ralph B. Toombs, Robert Thomp* trip, oblivious of the would-be wind played tunes through the because the crew refused to sdil Allen Ewing, Isaac R. Fletcher, W. C. son, John Tailla, Carmell Thompson, rBuffalo Bill aboard. holes. with him and his firearms. Epster, Robert N .Fisher, John B. John Urban. That didn't last long. Out at As if suddenly realizing that A few words to the Mate and Fondren, Delmar Fussell, Clayton Frost Pablo Bazguez, Robert G. Verbeek, • sea a couple of days, the crew the company would not appre­ the story came out: The Jesse Jr., Jules Foin, J. Falasca, John Fug Robert H. Verbeek, Kold Vesbergaard, ciate his handiwork, he bent his James of the Noonday and the lestad, Donald T. Fisher, Chick Fisher Ted Vegh. Andrew Wlodarczyh, Jim A. White, efforts toward making a name Governor Kilby were one and Bill M. Grissom, Albert W. Gatewood Orien Wheeler. Len Wise, Fred Walker, ' Matthew Gichenko, G. B. Gillispie, San with the company by cutting the same person. tos P. Garcia, Charles Greenwood. Bob Harry A. Wisz, Willie F. Walker. comers on overtime. With that bit of information, Guthrie, F. N. Gibson, Peter Gavillo Philip Eugene Williams, Lawrence R. White, William W. Worthington, Mar­ On several occasions he called coupled with his performance on Charles Gaskins. tin Wefald Edward A. Wicak. BALTIMORE 14 North Gay St. out only two men to shift the the Kilby, we got in touch with Richard Giffen, Steve Cuidish. H. L William Rentz, Agent Calvert 4530 Richard Kenneth Williams, Buford ship, a job requiring the entire the company and gave them the Goldberg, Al Grant, Albert M. Gilbert Watson, Raymond F. Wilma, Williana BOSTON 276 State St. watch on deck. During one of the P. A. Grant, Richard Ciercgie, M. E Wharton. story. 'Walter Siekmann, Agent Bowdoin 4455 shifts he had the Bosun and Result: the Mate has decided Guoss, Louis Catlin, Bobby B. Cathue, Nicholas Yacishyn, Bob Yarn Joseph CALVESTON 30B'/j_23rd St. Chas. Gann, Richard Fierczic. J. Younts. Keith Alsop, Agent Phone 2-8448 Deck Maintenance heave the gar­ to pack his bag and depart from W. J. Hammons, Donald Haltz, Niel MOBILE 1 South Lawrence St. bage over the side and then dis­ the Kilby. His guns will go too, C. M. Hansen, Niels C. M. Hensen •Cal Tanner, Agent Phone 2-1754 puted their claim for overtime. by request of the crew. Glenn Harper, Charles E. Hughs, Freddy Dunning the deckmen was not Incidentally the overtime he M. Holden, Bob Hutton, John Louis NEW ORLEANS 523 Bienville St. E. Sheppard, Agent Magnolia 6112-6113r enough for him. He tried to tell had tried to chisel" was settled Harrison, E. C. Huser. Men who were on the SS Blue NEW YORK 51 Beaver St. the Engineers what to do and at "the payoff in favor of the J. M. Hilton, Lonnie V. Hargesheime, Island Victory for voyage BBC-1 (loe Algina, Agent HAnover 2-2784 even cut the Steward's requisi­ crewmembers. Thomas Ray Hyae, Walle Joseph Ham can collect two weeks' linm NORFOLK 127-129 Bank St. tions when ordering the stores. mons. Jack Hant, Richard Haney, R.. E. Gonzales Ben Rees, Agent Phone 4-1083 money by writing to or appear­ Gerald W. Hargis, B. G. Hann, John C. In one port, so swore the crew. C. E. Gibbs Hansell. Forest E. Herlong, E. S. Hig- ing at the "Waterman Steamship PHILADELPHIA. . .614-16 No. 13th St. don. Lloyd Gardner, Agent Poplar 5-1217 Corporation office, 19 Rector SAN FRANCISCO 105 Market St. L. S. Johns, Donald L. Jamison, Grant Street, New York 6, N." Y. Men Steve Cardullo, Agent Douglas 2-5475 Johnson, Victor J. Jafforion, Val Jacobs, eligible for vacation money can James E. Johnson. SAN JUAN, P.R 252 Ponce de Leon obtain it by writing to Waterman Sal Colls, Agent San Juan 2-5996 VINCENT MURRAY EUGENIUSZ URBIANIAK WillUm H. Keller. J. M. Kinloch, G. Steamship Corporation, Mobile, SAVANNAH 220 East Bay St. Get in touch with George H. Get in touch with Freddie C. Kave, Robert Kein, John Kavonian, Alabama. Charles Starling, Agent Phone 3-1728 Lamb, Queens County Court Stewart, Stewards Patrolman in J. Kleiner. Kane, George E.. Delbert Kennedy, Jim Keil. TAMPA 1809-1811 N. Franklin St. 4 4 4 House, Long Island City, N. Y. New York. This is important. Claude Simmons, Agent Phone M-1323 Ronald Lewellin. Mathew J. Love, FRANK Y. FREDERICKSON 4* 4* 4" HEADQUARTERS. . 51 Beaver St., N.Y.C. 4 4 4 George Richard Linford Ro.bert LamiEARL F. SPEAR HAnover 2-2784 nack, William W. Lamb, Jack Limison, Matbiasen Tanker Industries, JACK D. BURT Contact Sol L. Warren, New SECRETARY-TREASURER John Laills. Inc., has a vacation check ready Get in touch with : Louis TaPaul Hall York State Education Depart­ 'Dave Movelli, J. Muehleck, Jack Mc­ for you. Get in touch with the . DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZATION ment, 111 Broadway, New York bares. Seafarers International Carthy, Walter Marcus, James L. Mac- Matbiasen home office, Widener • Union, 51 Beaver Street, New shane, 1. W. MacKenzie, Arthur E. Lindsay Williams 6, N. Y. York 4, N. Y. Moulton, T.errel McRaney, Glenn Mc- Building, Chestnut Street, Phila-, ASSIST. SECRETARY-TREASURERS 4" 4" 4" delphia, Pennsylvania. Carter, O. J. Morgan. Robert Matthews J. P. Shuler 4 4 4 JOSEF BOCZOR Joseph Volpian The Firing Line iiliiiiMilMi SlU HULLS SIU, A&G District MONEY DUE PERSONALS EDWARD J.. HOOPER Get in touch with Mrs. Shirley Wessel, 25 South Street, New Get in touch with your wife York 4, N. Y. at 3240 Scott Street, San Fran­ HONOLULU 16 Merchant St The SEAFARERS LOG as the official publication of the Sea­ cisco, California. 4 4 4 . Phone 5-8777 farers International Union is available to all members who wish HARRY TOAL PORTLAND Ill W. Burnside St 4 4 4 to have it sent to their home free of charge for the enjosrment of Beacon 4336 Contact C. F. Mayer, 210 Pearl CHARLES q. SMITH RICHMOND, Calif. 257 Bth St. Street Building, Buffalo 2, N. Y. their families and themselves when ashore. If you desire to have ^ Phone 2599 Your aunt,. Mrs. Billie Odom, the LOG sent to you each week address cards are on hand at every 4 4 4* SAN FRANCISCO 59 Clay St. P.O. Box 107, keyes. California, SIU branch for this purpose. ANDERS THERICK Douglas 25475 wants you to write her. However, for those who are at sea or at a distance from a SIU SEATTLE .ae Seneca St. Your sister, Mrs. Irene Hansen, hall, the LOG reproduces below the form used ,to request the LOG, Main 0290 wishes to hear from you. Her WULMINGTON 440 Avalon Blvd. which you can fill out, detach and send to: SEAFARERS LOG, 51 address: 1513 Seventh. Street, Terminal 4-3131 Beaver Street, New York 4 ,N. Y. Minneapohs, Minn. 4 4 4 Gt. Lakes District PLEASE PRINT INFORMATION The men listed here have ED (Gzindstone) JOHNSON BUFFALO 10 Exchange St. packages in theNew Orleans Your old shipmate, John R. To the Editor: Cleveland 7391 Hall. Unless these packages are Tilley, wants you to write him. CHICAGO, III. 3261 East 82nd St. 1 would like the SEAFARERS LOG msUed to Phone: Essex 2410 You can reach him at 13 East either called or sent for before CLEVELAND 2602 Carroll St Lafayette Street, Baltimore 2, June 15, 1948, they will be re­ address below: Main 0147 ^ Maryland. turned to senders: DETROIT 1038 Third St. M. A. Campbell, Paul J. Senior, 4 4 4 Name Cadillac 6857 W. F. Randall, W. W. Coleman, KEN LORING DULUTH .:...631 W. Michigan St. Melrose 4110 Get in touch with Mrs. Pat William H. Cao, Jimmy-Lauer, Street Address TOLEDO .615 Summit St. Lewis, 4256 So. Western Ave., Arthur Cairns, W. F. Randall, H. Garheld 2112 LiOs Angeles 37, Calif. She and P. Nielsen, F. R. Elliot, Charles State 3ill Jr. are very anxious to hear Greenwood, 6. D. Cummins, J. City Canadian District from you. W. Hornn (2), A. T. Nordahl, Signed MONTREAL 1227 Philips Square Walter Marcus, Donald C. YeoVICTORIA. B.C 602 Boughton St. LAWREN& GORDON nian, J. M. , Martinez, W. W. • Empire 4531 Book No. Your mother is very anxious Bunker, Joseph P. Walsh, VANCOUVER, j 865 Hamilton St. Fletcher Mitchell. Paciac 7824 to hear from you. " SUP Notice To All SIU Members AnENTION % . .'v. iL. �Posed on the deck of the SS Midway Hills, Los Angeles Tankers, these' members of the crew have their picture taken. Left to right. Brother Kelly, "The Mascot," and Brother Fisher. "The Mascot" was not identified. Ivi^- Carrying the stuff that made Milwaukee famous. Seafarer Johnny Russo makes his way back to the ship after a shopping trip. The pictures on this page were taken on a trip to the Far East, and were sent in by Brother Frank W. Arndt, a crewmember. Above is a rare shot, showing the Bosun of the Midway Hills actually at work. Bosun Knowles is on the left and Deck Maintenance Hursey on the right. We call this a rare shot because the notes accompanying the pictures said exactly that. f''l t.. IM" • 'I? Glamorous Port Said was one port of call for the SS Midway Hills. Some members of the crew called it "Port Of Thieves," but others had a good time and were careful, so they didn't have too many complaints. From the pictures on this page it is obvious that the sun never sets on the members of the Seafarers International Union. SIU men roam all over the world, and some of them take pictures, but they are too bashful to send them into the LOG for publication. TJhe LOG is proud to print the work of Seafarers, and the Editor will return pictures after they are used. Remember to identify the pictures when mailing them to the LOG office. IS' II IS;;' jV:- Above is the good ship, the SS Midway Hills. This snapshot was taken in Guam. From here, the tanker set sail across the Pacific for the shores of the good old United States. At the upper right is a picture of the entrance to the Persian Gulf, and at the right is a shot of a fishing smack in the Yokohama harbor. Note that came with this pictui;e said that the fishing boat was unorganized, and that the men were willing to. bet that the crewmembers were not enjoying the food and conditions that prevailed on the Midway Hills. The pictures on this page are typical of the fine photography work done by members of the Seafarers International Union. The LOG is the membership's paper, and welcomes pictures and articles from the membership. Whether it's a story of an interesting incident in a foreign port, or pictures of a good trip, send them in to the LOG office, and then watch to see your work published. . j'„-, � 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. 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 June 4, 1948 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. X, No. 23 Description An account of the resource HEADLINES SIU BRIEF ASKS FULL CS REPRESATATION GREEDY EMPOLYERS SNARL IN EMPLLOYMENT PAYMENTS THE OLD DAYS-AND THE NEW VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM AGAINST THE DI GIORGIO STRIKERS DI GIORGIO STRIKES FACE GUNS, EVICTION CONVEVYOR BREAKDOWN HITS MOBILE; SHORESIDE CONTRACT SOON READY SHIPPINGG IN NEW YORK MAINTAINS GOOD PACE THE SIU CONTRCTED COMPANIES:P&O PORT BALTIMORE SEES NO BREAK IN SIGHT FIR ITS SLOW SHIPPING PHILEDELPHIA SPURTS,THEN FALLS NEW PHILLY HALL CENTER OF SIU ACTIVITY LEACOCK CREWMEN BACK DEFENSE FUND PLAN TO AID BROTHERS IN NEED SIU BRIEF ASKS FULL CS RESPRESENTATION THE OLD DAYS AND THE NEW GREEDY EMPLOYERS SNARL IDLE PAY Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 06/04/1948 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Seafarers International Union of North America 1948 Periodicals Seafarers Log