Media
Issue Date
1957-04-12
Volume
19
Issue Number
8
Plaintext
'I: \
Vol. XiX
No. 8 SEAFARERS LOG
• OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT • AFL-CIO •
SIU SCORES MAJOR
GUV TUG VICTORY •oi
' - I
•Story On Page 3
•Story On Page 2
iC •
I S-i—
l^.-"
All IVMAM#! fl«" Ending a 33-day strike by the SIU's Harbor
' 8/f#* and Inland Waterways Division which tied
up the 26-boat G&H fleet in Houston (above) and all along Gulf Coast, tug-
boatmen crowd ballot box to vote enthusiastic approval of top contract
terms. Voting (1 to r) are Ji. F. Seesholtz, tug J. R. Guyton; B. Fitte, tug
Lucy Haden, and J. Kelly from the G uyton. (Story on Page 3.)
U^SI Anfl Missing froni the chair at an
V ^nu rcireireff* SIUNA convention for the first
time, the late Harry Lundeberg gained lasting tribute from Mayor
Geohge Christopher (standing), who welcomed delegates to San
Francisco, Seated are SIUNA Pres. Paul Hall of the SIU-A&G
(left) and SIUNA Secretary-Treasurer John Hawk. (Story on
Page 3.)
Far* Tv* SEAFARERS LOG April 12, 1957
I; ^
I -l
If-
51U Set For 7-Fleet
NLRB Ballot On
Bolt. Harbor Craft
BALTIMORE—^An intensive organizing campaign by the SIU among local towboat and
harbor craft workers will be climaxed in sev en separate representation elections here start
ing early next week. SIU Port Agent Earl Sheppard said the drive is just one phase of ef-
forts by the SIU's Harbor and"*^
Distrirt SO
Norfolk Pact
Under Fire
SlU-Manned Tanker In Israel
NORFOLK — Dissatisfaction
among tug workers on Curtis Bay
and McAllister boats covered by
the latest United Mine Workers
District 50 contract is spreading
throughout this key port area.
The contract stipulates agree
ment by the companies to tlie
"principle" of seniority by depart
ments "where fitness and ability
(of the men) are relatively equal."
"However, the employers' deter
mination as to relative fitness and
ability shall be final," it adds. The
tug men fear that the companies
can lay off a full crew, and then re
hire anyone it pleases. This means
there is no seniority protection.
On the pension-disability ques
tion, a key concern is what will
bappen to men with long-term
service who suddenly become dis
abled. The present pension provi
sion authorizes retirement on pen
sion at age 65 after ten years' serv
ice. However, those disabled at
any age before 65 have to wait
until they're 65 to get benefits.
A 20-year man who is disabled at
45 would have to wait 20 years
for benefits.
Inland Waterways Division in
conjunction with rank and file
workers, to bring Baltimore up
from its position as the lowest-paid
harbor on the East Coast.
The SIU-HIWD wiU be the only
union on the ballot In the voting
ordered by' the National Labor Re
lations Board. Major organizing
efforts by the SIU have been con
centrated in this port for more
than a year.
Voting will be conducted
among several hundred unlicensed
crewmen on the 40-odd boats op
erated by Curtis Bay Towing, Har
per Towing, Arundel Corp., Baker
and Whiteley, Baltimore Towage
and Lighterage and Atlantic Trans
port, a US Lines subsidiary. In
addition, mechanics at the Curtis
Bay maintenance shop and car-
floatmen in Atlantic Transport will
be polled in a separate election.
Won Vote 28—0
A hint of the enthusiastic sup
port among Greater Baltimore har
bor workers for the SIU-HIWD
came last month when it unani
mously swept an election for
bargemen and bridgemen of the
Western Maryland Railway Com
pany. The SIU won hands down,
28—0.
Last Saturday's major victory
covering Texas coast operations of
the 26-boat G & H Towing Co. in
Houston is also expected to add
impetus to the SIU drive here and
in other parts. The SIU-HIWD
won what is recognized as the best
union pact in the towboat industry
along the Western Gulf coast after
a 33-day strike in that area.
Abused by miserable conditions
for many years. Greater Baltimore
harbor men work under the lowest
hourly pay rate and worst over
time set-ups on the entire Atlantic
eoast. They have no welfare cover
age other than a pension plan
which has been inoperative for
over a year.
"These men have many griev-
(Continued on page 5)
Workers at Israeli port of Eloth open valves for first flow of oil to
storage tanks from SlU-manned tanker Kern IHills (background).
The ship sailed through the disputed Gulf of Aqoba Saturday.
Seafarers Haul Isf Oil Cargo
To Israel Via Gulf Of Aqaba
Dramatically underscoring a "freedom of the seas" resolution passed by the SIU of NA
convention, Seafarers aboard the T-2 tanker Kern Hills discharged the first Oil cargo
ever to be delivered to the Israeli port of Elath on Sunday, April 7. The Kern Hills was
the first US ship to make the^-
run through the Strait of Ti-
ran into the Gulf of Aqaba
at the head of the Red Sea. She
received a royal welcome from the
town, which turned out all of ifS
2,000 population to greet her.
The Strait of Tiran was former
ly controlled by an Egyptian gun
battery which did not peiunit any
ship bound for Israel to pass
through. During the brief Israeli-
Egypt warfare last fall, the Israelis
overran and destroyed the guns.
The area is now under the control
of United Nations forces.
Israel has maintained that both
the Suez Canal and the Gulf of
Aqaba are international water-
vjpys which should be open to all
shipping, while the Egyptians have
insisted the contrary. .
By running a US ship through
WORKER' APPLAUDS CURRAN
For a variety of reasons, all of which seem to elude Joe
Curran, all of the unions in maritime, plus AFL-CIO head
quarters, are on one side in the American Coal beef and Joe
Curran sits in lonesome splendor on the other side ... almost
all alone that is. For on April 13, the "Daily Worker," for
the second time since the coal beef began, has seen fit to embrace Cur
ran wholeheartedly with both bear-paws.
Once again it is George Morris, vetei'an Party functionary (and one
who remembers Joe way back when in the Party's palmy days)' who
does the embracing. Morris devotes his "World of Labor" column to
enthusiastic replay of Curran's pitch in the "NMU Pilot." He notes
with great satisfaction, "The current "Pilot," paper of the National
Maritime Union, is a throwback to 1937."
For those who weren't around in 1937, a little review of history is
in order. 1937 was the year that the "Pilot" was run by the water
front section of the Communist Party, lock, stock and barrel. The
managing editor was an active and open party member. 1937 was the
year that Joe Curran, Ferdinand Smith, Josh Lawrenson and Blackie
Myers were perfecting the Communist-front 0|-ganization that soon
throttled the NMU and ousted all those non-Communist activists who
had gone along with Curran and then discovered, too late, that they
were under the Stalinist thumb. And, of course, it was the year that
Harry Bridges now and then had his personal colunm in the "Pilot."
Good old 1937!
Why does George Morris say the "Pilot" looks like a throwback
to 1937? Because as the SIU has said time and again, Joe Curran to
day is using the same Stalinist tactics he and his Party cohorts em
ployed twenty years ago.
As part of the Stalinist pattern, as the MEBA paper, "Amer
ican Marine Engineer" points out, Curran accuses the SIU of at
tacking the hiring hall while he aids and abets destruction Of the
mates and engineers hiring hall; he shrieks "Taft-Hartley" at SIU while
he supports an American Coal attack on the rights of marine unions
to picket ships at shipyards, terminals and other properties not direct
ly owned by the company. Curran, after ordering his men through
MM&P and MEBA picket lines for five months, weeps crocodile tears
for the engineers because Seafarers are now taking jobs. on coab
ships!
Finally there Is the "big lie" technique which Curran employed so
generously in distorting the facts about the Washington meeting
with George Meany. When caught flatfooted in his distortions, Cur
ran's only recourse is to distort some more. For example, he ac
cuses the SIU of deliberately' postponing a showdown meeting with
'Buf I'm For You'
Meany when, in fact, the meeting was postponed because of the sud
den death of Harry Lundeberg, When SIU officials left Miami on
the eve of the meeting to pay their respects to the memory of the in
ternational president, that gave Curran an opportunity to lie and
distort some more.
No wonder the "Daily Worker" embraces Curran so ardently. No
one else in any section of the labor movement comes so close to the
Stalinist ideal the'^Worker" seeks. ,
(For latdst coal ship news, see page 5.); . ^ ^
V . .. . . .. : •• •• ..ra,.)SJiOl-J i wy 0? j56i'
the Gulf, the Israelis, with the ap
proval of the US State Department,
are attempting to establish that the
Gulf is international water in
practice as well as in theory.
At the recent SIU of NA con
vention delegates approved a state
ment on "Preservation of Democ
racy—Freedom Of tbe Seas-rIn
the Middle East" which read in
part:
. . . "Our nation as the leading
force and hope of the democratic
worjd, must take positive action to
Insure Israel'.'? survival. '
"Therefore we urge the govern
ment of the US to deal forthright-
ly with the most immediate, chal
lenge to Israel's position and se
curity. It is essential that Israel .
enjoy freedom of the seas . . .
"As American seamen concerned
with freedom of the seas we must
insist upon freedom of passage
through the Suez Canal and the
Gulf of Aqaba for all Israeli flag
vessels . . . We call upon our gov
ernment ... to encourage ship
ping through the Suez Canal and
the Gulf of Aqaba to the Israeli
port of Elath . . ."
Events broke fast all week in the '
Middle East, for in addition to
the Kern Hills run into Elath, sal
vage gangs completed clearance of
the Suez Canal, opening it to all
shipping but the very large super
tankers. A political agreement on
how the canal Is to be run is still
in the dispute stage.
SEAFARERS LOG
April 12, 1957 Vol. XfX No. •
PAUL IIAU. Stcretary-Treaaurer
HERBKST BBAifn, Editor. BERNAIID SEA-
UAN, Art Editor. BBUEAU ABTBUS. iBwnr
SnvAcx. Ai. UtMMjti. JOHN BHAZS.. Staff
Writert. Bnx Moom. Gulf Area Repre
sentative.
Published biweefcly or liM headquarters
of the Seafarers International Union, At
lantic « Gulf DMrlet, AFL-CIO, «7S Fourth
Avenue, Brooklyn 32, NY. Tel. HYacinth
9-6600. Entered at second class matter
at the Post Office In Brooklyn, NY, under
the Act of Aug. M, 1912.
A^ h, w^ .... SEAFARERS LOG Fife Threi ^
MAJOR SlU TUG WIN IN SOUTH
33-Day Walkout Ends
In Best Cult Tug Pact
HOUSTON—^The SIU's campaign to bring top conditions to maritime work
ers forged ahead this week as striking G&H tugboatmen unanimously approved
the best Union agreement ever negotiated in the Texas coast area.
The tugboatmen voted f
Addressing SlUNA convention in Son Francisco, Copt. Tonrimy
Atkins, notional president. Masters, Mates and Pilots (left), and
Neil J. Haggerty, secretary of tlie California Federation of Laborr
shared jostrum during week-long session.
California's Gov. Goodwin J. Knight (left) welcomed delegates
to SlUNA convention, which elected SlU Secretary-Treasurer Paul
Hall (right) as international president. Gov. Knight hailed SlUNA
efforts to improve the merchant marine and its record in the labor
movement.
to return to work under an
SIU-HIWD contract after
the rank and file and the
Union negotiating commit
tee hammered out a pact
with the towing company
covering wages, hours, wel
fare benefits and working con
ditions for licensed and unlicensed
personnel aboard the 26-ship fleet.
The successful wind-up of the
strike was just one aspect of the
SIU's continuing drive for estab
lishment of top notch union con
ditions in the harbor fleld. Much
of this drive is concentrated in the
deep South, particularly in the
tidelands area, where the SIU re
cently won a first-time agreement
with Phillips Oil, one of the larg
est oil companies in the offshore in
dustry.
Rank and File Committee
Following the past SlU pattern
in operations of this kind, a rank
and file negotiating committee of
G&H workers was elected by the
crewmembers in the fleet. The
committee then drafted contract
proposals which were subsequently
presented to the company by the
SlU.
When the company rejected
these rank and file demands and
the strike was caUed, arrangements
were made to pay strike benefits
and provide emergency aid for
strikers and their families. When
it was all over, G&H crewmem
bers expressed their appreciation
for these benefits and the all-out
support given them by the SlU.
As a_ consequence, they said, none
of the strikers or members of their
families suffered any serious in
convenience or severe hardship
during the course of the 33-day
walkout.
The significance of the victory is
emphasized by the fact that G&H
s the biggest tugboat operator in
the Gulf. The company has ex
clusive harbor towing rights in
several Texas ports, including
Houston, Baytown, Texas City, Gal
veston and Corpus Christi. It also
does a sizable deep sea towing busi
ness and is the largest operator
serving the tidelands oil explora
tion and producing industry.
SlU New Orleans Port Agent
Lindsey J. Williams, who directed
the strike operation for the SlU,
hailed the G&H workers as "as
solid a bunch of good union men
as you would find anywhere. They
stood up for themselves and the
Union all the way for 33 days. With
'hat kind-of support the operator
had to come to terms with the
the men and their designated
Union."
The 286 men in the fleet were
called out on strike at 9:30 PM,
March 4, by the negotiating com
mittee. The committee, headed by
SlU Assistant Secretary-Treasiurer
Bob Matthews, had been empow
ered by a unanimous vote of the
G&H tugmen to take such action
if necessary. Within a matter of
hours, the crews had hit the bricks
and the entire G&H fleet was tied
SIU of NA Acts On Key Issues
SAN FRANCISCO—Delegates representing 100,000 seamen, harbor Wkers, fishermen and allied crafts
concluded a fruitful week-long convention in the White omb Hotel here with renewed determination to press
ahead on a coordinated basis. The eighth biennial convention of the Seafarers International Union of North
America closed on Marcht
29 after acting on numer
ous major issues facing the
International's membership.
The theme of mutual effort
was emphasized and reempha-
eized throughout the week-long.ses-
aion. Several steps were taken
providing for closely-dovetailed ac
tion by two or more districts on
Issues common to the industry. The
- net effect will be to bring the
strength of the international to
bear on situations where individual
Districts are in need of reinforce
ment.
For the first time, the convention
met without the union's founder,
Harry Lundeberg, presiding. A
large photo of Lundeberg over
looked the proceedings and all dele
gations paid tribute to his immense
personal contribution to the well-
being of their respective districts.
Hall Named President
The death of Lundeberg last
January made election of a new
president an important order of
business. SIU A&G Secretary-
SIU Clinic To Open
Formal ceremonies officially opening the first SIU Health
Center in Brooklyn will take place on Tuesday, April 16, at
the center and at the New York headquarters hall. A large
turnout of industry, medical and Government representa-
iives is expected.
The center, to be known as the Pete Larsea Memorial
Clinic,, will provide diagnostic facilities for all Seafarers.
The facilities will consist of complete head to toe physical
examinations Including x-rays, blood tests, eye examinations,
and for older men, electro-cardiograph tests.
No treatment will be given at the center itself. Its per
pose is to detect health ailments before they reach' the stage
of putting a man fiat on his back. Seafarers in heed of treat
ment will be retSifi'ed to the US Public Health Service.
Treasurer Paul Hall was elevated
to the presidency. He had been
acting president under the provi
sions of the SlUNA constitution.
Another SIU & A&G representa
tive, Cal Tanner, was chosen vice-
president, while Morris Weisberg-
er, secretary of the Sailors Union
of the Pacific, was elected first
vice-president of the International.
Of major interest to Seafarers
was the convention's action in ap
proving the report brought in by
the Seamen's Organizational and
Grievance Committee dealing with
a wide variety of issues. (See sum
mary of committee's report on
Page 4.)
In its contents, the report re
stated traditional SlUNA positions
in support of the "50-50" law;
against MSTS' competition with
private shipping; in favor of the
Public Health hospitals, and for re
straints on transfers foreign. It
also called for federal legislation
to guarantee the hiring hall and for
defense of seamen's legal rights
under the Jones Act and other
statutes.
Lsappralsal Of Subsidies
^ Also on the shipping end, the re
port urged additional Government
aid for the dom^tic trades and a
reappraisal of the US subsidy pro
gram which, it charged, has been
tunneling Government aid into a
fe\y favored channels. It repeated
long standing opposition to Coast
Guard controls over American sea
men and called for vigilance
against Communist infiltration in
(Continued on page 15)
up in ports along thg" Gulf Coast
from New Orleans to Corpus
Christi.
The tugboat fleet remained shut
down for the duration of the dis
pute. Eighteen of the 26 boats
went back into operation at mid
night April 6, and the remainder of
the fleet was expected to be work
ing on schedule by the end of the
week.
SIU Will Go Ahead
SIU Secretary-Treasurer Paul
Hall added his congratulations to
the G&H men and Seafarers in-the
area for the excellent job done in
the strike. He emphasized that
the Texas campaign was "in line
with the organizing program set
down by the Union. We intend to
go 'ahead in the ports, in the tide-
lands and in any area where har
bor workers £ire looking for strong
union representation.
"We are heartened by the G&H
men's desire for top union repre
sentation through the SIU. Th#
tremendous gains won by them
now proves harbor workers can
improve their conditions under the
SIU banner."
The agreement, which runs for
three years and provides for an
nual reopenings for wage negotiar
tions, includes the following bene
fits:
• A substantial wage increase
providing the following pay rates:
Harbor Scale (30-day month)
—captains, $809; mates, $713;
cluef engineers, $788; assist
ant engineers, $713; deckhands
and oilers, $514; cooks, $531.
Tldelands-Intracoastal Canal
(30-day month) — captains,
$898; chief engineers, $873;
mates and assistant engineers,
$758; deckhands and oilers,
$576; cooks, $590.
Deep Sea (30-day month)—
captains, $960; chief engineers,
$915; chief mates and first as
sistant engineers, $750; second
mates and second assistant en
gineer, $660; ABs and engine
daymen, $570; cooks, $600.
Hourly overtime rate—Li
censed men, $2.75; unlicensed
men, $1.65.
• Establishment of the eight-
hour day. (The sharp reduction
(Contimied on page 15)
Report of the Marine Firemen's Union to the SjUNA convention
was presented by Baltimore Agent Tom Meyer (left). At right,
Nathan Bar-Yoacov, representing Israeli Embassy, hailed SlUNA
support for his country's merchant fleet in the past.
" - ^
'(•'l
k- •
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t:''-iM:i:.hr-,
Fase Four SEAFARERS LOG
•' I
April 12. 1957
While crowd watches spellbound, Mayflower II takes a dangerous
list after her launching. List was later trimmed by adding and
shifting ballast. Ship will leave shortly to duplicate voyage of
the Mayflower in 1620.
AFL'CIO Suspends
Beckf Files Charge
WASHINGTON—The executive council of the AFL-CIO
has voted unanimously to suspend Dave Beck as vice-presi
dent of the Federation and as a member of the council itself,
and to file charges of mal-^*-
feasance and maladministra-
Tampa's Jobs
Still Climbing
TAMPA—Shipping has contin
ued to improve for the third
straight period in this area, reports
Port Agent Tom Banning,
There were seven ships in port
during the last two weeks. Cities
Service's Cantigny paid off and
signed on while the Beauguard,
LaSalle (Waterman); Alcoa Part
ner, Alcoa Roamer (Alcoa), Bien
ville (Pan Atlantic) and Chiwawa
(Cities Service) were serviced. All
ships were in good shape.
SCHEDULE OF
SlU MEETINGS
SlU membership meet
ings are held regularly
every two weeks on Wed
nesday nights at 7 PM in
all SlU ports. All Sea
farers ore expected to
attend; those who wish to
be excused should request
permission by telegram
(be sure to include reg
istration number). The
next ^U meetings will be:
April 17
May I
May 15
May 29
.hine 12
tion against
leader.
the teamster
AFL - CIO President George
Meany called a special meeting of
the council after Beck pleaded the
fifth amendment during his ap
pearance before a Senate investi
gating committee. The committee
is investigating improper activities
in the labor-management field.
The council also passed a reso
lution directing the AFL-CIO Ethi
cal Practices Committee to launch
an investigation into charges of
corruption among the executive
officials of the International Broth
erhood of Teamsters.
« Constitutional Basis
The action against Beck was
based on section II, article VIII of
the Federation's constitution which
states that "the executive council
shall have the power to file charges
and conduct hearings . . . (against
any executive officer) ... on the
ground that such person is guilty
of malfeasance or maladministra
tion."
Although the decision to file the
charges against Beck, Meany said,
came after his failure to explain
the many charges against him re-
gatding the mishandling of team
ster funds, they were based on his
position as a vice-president of'the
AFL-CIO and did not refer to his
capacity as president of the Team
sters.
Question Fund Use
Beck pleaded the fifth amend
ment as he was being questioned
by the Senate committee on the
disposal of some $320,000 in funds
belonging to the Western Confer
ence of Teamsters. Other testi
mony heard by the committee in
dicated that some of these funds
had gone for his personal use with
out authorization by the member
ship.
Seamen's Organization And
Grievance Committee Report
The following is a summary of the Report of the Seamen's Organization find Grlev-
ance Committee which was approved by the 8th biennial convention of the SIU of NA!.
This ^^ittee dealt with a wide variety of important matters affecting the seamen's
pld. The findings of the committee are presented in abbreviated form under the various
headings which the committee listed. In addition, this report notes the resolution on ethical
practices brought in by the resolution committee.
3iarine Pursers
Formerly three charters existed,
the Staff Officers Association on
the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts; the
Marine Pursers of the Pacific,
Seattle, representing Alaska
Steamship pursers; the Pacific
Coast Staff Officers Association,
inactive.
The convention voted to revoke
the charter of the Pacific Coast
Staff Officers Association and
extend the jurisdiction of the
Marine Pursers of the Pacific to
cover the entire West Coast. If
MPP is successful, convention
recommends that it and Staff
Officers consider merger.
Legal Rights
Of Seamen
and the Gulf of Aqaba for, all
.Israeli flag vessels."
Attention was called to the fact
that from time to time, US agen
cies,' operators and insurance
companies have attempted to
weaken seamen's legal protection
enjoyed under the Jones Act and
other statutes. It urged that steps
be taken to see to it that these
laws are vigorously enforced.
Organizing
The various affiliates of the in
ternational were called on to "in
itiate and Intensify" organizing
activities and to cooperate with
eacR other to that end.
9iTD
Vnemplogment
insurance
MSTS
The convention reaffirmed tra
ditional SIUNA opposition to
Government competition with
private industry. It pointed out
MSTS is uneconomic, far more
costly than comparable private
shipping and a duplication of ex
isting private shipping services.
New York and California un
employment insurance programs
were lauded as examples for
other states to follow. The In
ternational and its affiliates were
pledged to work for improveigient
in administration of unemploy
ment programs to obtain fair
treatment for all seamen.
The growth of the MTD, the
official AFL-CIO maritime body,
was noted and Its growth and
services lauded. MTD now con
sists of 11 International unions.
All affiliates were urged to par
ticipate in MTD port councils and
utilize the services of the na
tional MTD office.
Subsidies
Law
The convention criticized en
forcement of the law declaring
"the record indicates that the
law is not rigidly enforced, with
the result that substantially less
than that percentage is trans
ported in American bottoms. . ."
It pledged continued efforts to
preserve the law.
Anti'Union
Legislation
Delegates urged a "vigorous
campaign on a national and local
level" to protect union members'
rights and oppose "right to work"
laws, wage freezes and compul
sory arbitration moves.
The Senate committee cur
rently investigating the transfer
problem was asked to extend its
investigations to the subsidy pro
gram. The convention charged
that the program has been ad
ministered "to funnel government
aid into a few favored channels
. .^. such as US Lines ... US
Lines has utilized the strength
realized from Government suj)-
port for . .. establishing strangle
holds on lucrative trade routes
and ousting other American flag
operations from such routes."
Coast Guard
PRS Hospitals
The need for strengthening
and improving the hospitals was
reaffirmed with the resolution
pointing out that maritime ranks
as the third most dangerous in-
The SIUNA's long-standing op
position to Coast Guard controls
over American seamen was re
peated, with the convention call
ing for return of maritime func
tions to • the Department of
Commerce.
Great Lakes
Establishment of a three man
committee to develop organizing
on the Great Lakes was approved.
The committee will consist of the
heads of the A&G, Canadian and
Great Lakes Districts. The reso
lution pointed out that the Lakes
area will become increasingly Im
portant with the opening of the
St. Lawrence Sqaway.
Minimum Wage
Proposals to extend Federal
minimum wage coverage to sea
men and allied workers were
strongly endorsed. The conven
tion noted that while organized
seamen enjoy excellent wages
and working conditions, the in
clusion of seamen under the Act
"will be of benefit to those who
do not yet enjoy trade union pro
tection."
dustry.
Hiring Halls
The maritime hiring hall was
lauded as "the best method to in
sure fair and equitable distribu
tion of work. The convention
called for "federal legislation . . .
to guarantee that the hiring hall
be recognized as the proper me
dium for employment in all in
dustries in ivhich its use has been
an accepted practice."
Homestie
Shipping
More Government support to
revive these trades was, urged,
with special attention to 'Voll-on,
roll-off" and similar operations.
The convention asked amend
ment of the 1936 Merchant Ma
rine Act to provide for construc
tion subsidies "as an Inducement
to new companies to enter these
services."
US Screening
In light of the breakdown of
the Government's screening pro-
gi-am, the convention called on
its affiliates to "keep constant
vigilance . . . Because of the
breakdown of this program ... it
woxild appear that as a result
many Commies, screenos, etc.,
might now attempt to reinfiltrate
this industry. We should be on
our guard to prevent this." Dele
gates also approved proposals to
"cooperate in the development of
a proper security program"
which will bar Communist infil
tration and give full protection to
the American seafarer from dis
crimination of any sort.
Ship Mergers •
,?trong exception was taken to
the position of large shipowner
groups seeking exemption from
legislation which would require
advance notice to the Attorney
General of plans to merge ma
jor companies.
"W%must look with' suspicion,"
the convention report said, "on
any such big management request
for exemption from a law which
is intended to apply equally to all
industry . . . inasmuch as
changes in maritime corporate
set-ups could . . . dislocate the
employment of many seamen and
. . . result In labor unrest"
Runawags
The convention strongly sup
ported the current Congressional
investigations into foreign trans
fers and warmly endorsed the
Magnuson Bill, S-1488, which
v/ould severely restrict transfers
of US ships.
Can-Shaking
Long-standing opposition of the
international to can-shaking or
ganizations was repeated with the
convention emphasizing that
American seamen enjoy the best
of conditions and protection.
Under such circumstances, the
convention saw no need for can-
shaking organizations whose
ostensible purpose is to protect
seamen.
ILO
Delegates endorsed the ILO
maritime conventions as con
structive work in the interests of
workers throughout the world.
Middle East
The convention declared that it
viewed with alarm the threat of
the Soviet Union and some Arab
nations to the security of Israel.
It urged the US to deal forth-
rightly with the problem and
added: "As American seamen con
cerned with freedom of the seas
we must insist upon freedom of
passage through the Suez Canal'
Ethical Practices
The Resolutions and Officers
Committee brought.in a resolu
tion, approved by the convention
which declared that the SIUNA
in theory and practice subscribes
to the AFL-CIO's Codes of Ethi
cal Practices dealing with four
points. They are, issuance of lo
cal charters, administration of
health and welfare funds, rack
eteers, crooks, communists, fas
cists and other subversives, and
conflicts of interest.
(Subsequently, the SIU Atlan
tic and Gulf District's member
ship endorsed the convention's
action at membership meetings
In all ports, April 3. The mem
bership also endorsed a head
quarters recommendation to give
a vote of thanks to AFL-CIO
President George Meany "for the
courageous and forthright posi
tion he has taken on the difficult
question of Instituting and en
forcing an ethical practices
code . . ." The SIU A&G rec
ommendation added that the
AFL-CIO's action "wiU in the
long run be of tremendous bene
fit to everjr'Araerican -worker.'-')-.
April 12. 195T SEAFARERS LOG Page Five •• :m
Crew 5
Coal Co*
Vessels
Crewing of seven American Coal
Shipping vessels was well under
v/ay this week with Seafarers and
NMU men going aboard five of the
company's ships. The other two
vessels remaining, the Martha
Berry and Harry L. Glucksman,
will be crewed in Savannah around
the end of this month.
The crewing was conducted un
der the terms of a Federal court
order that paves the way for or
ganizing aboard the ships by both
the SIU and the NMU. In effect
the original order by Judge Law
rence Walsh recognizes both union
hiring halls as the source of man
power. It requires hirink on the
basis of industry-wide seniority un
til the National Labor Belations
Board acts on the question of reg^
resentation.
SIU Edge Indicated
As the SEAFARERS LOG went
to press, it appeared, according to
unofficial estimates, that the SIU
, had an edge in the total of men
shipped aboard the five ships. Old
time Seafarers and members of
other SIUNA affiliates were, as
expected, responding strongly by
throwing in for the coal jobs and
will, of course, continue to do so.
In order to meet requirements,
applicants for ACS jobs must show
the following:
• Discharges showing at least
nine days' seatime in 1954, '55 and
'56 and
• Their oldest discharge.
The legality of the hiring sys
tem has been upheld, in effect, five
times by three different courts, the
District Court, the District Court
of Appeals and finally by Justice
John M. Harlan of the US Su
preme Court. Justice Harlan in
formed NMU attorneys that he
saw no reason to stay the applica
tion of the order.
Vessels crewed so far are the
Casimir Pulaski, which still has
seven positions to be crewed when
the ship returns; the Cleveland
Abbe, the Walter Hines Page and
the Coal Miner," all in Norfolk; and
the Thomas Paine, crewing in
Brooklyn. The Paine had been in
a Brooklyn shipyard until now.
The SIU entered the dispute
when it filed unfair labor practice
charges against the company for
ACS' refusal to hire any of 300
Seafarers who applied to it for
jobs. The company had no ships
at the time.
Subsidized Owners Gang Up ,
Against Ship Transfer Limits
WASHINGTON Opposition to a Senate bill restricting ship transfers has been voiced
by the American Merchant Marine Institute, spokesman for the major subsidized opera
tors on the East and Gulf coasts. Opposition to the bill introduced by Sen. Magnuson
is also expected from other >
SUP secretary-treasurer Mor
ris Weisberger is newly-elect
ed California State AFL -V.P.
shipowner associations and the
Maritime Administration.
Public hearings on the measure
were called by the Senate Com
merce Committee for April 9 to 11.
Testimony was filed by the Gov
ernment, shipowner groups and
the maritime unions, including the
SIU.
AMMI support for virtually un-
Calif. State AFL Elects
Weisberger Vice-Pres.
SAN FRANCISCO—The California State Federation of
Labor has elected Morris Weisberger, secretary-treasurer of
the Sailors Union of the Pacific, as a vice-president of the
state body. *
One of the largest and most
active state federations in the
nation, the California Fed has
played an aggressive role in the
state's labor and legislative affairs
for many years.
• Weisberger's election to the
State Fed post came after he had
been named first vice-president of
the SIU of North America at the
recently-concluded SIUNA conven-
restricted transfers came after the
House Merchant Marine Commit
tee recessed two weeks of hear
ings on the transfer program. The
committee uncovered evidence that
profiteering and huge tax losses
figure heavily in transfers, and that
The Bureau of Foreign Com
merce reports that US ship
ping's share of foreign trade
dwindied to 22.5 percent for the
first nine months of 1956 com
pared to 23.4 percent for 1955.
The deputy director of the
bureau, Ernest A. Van Es, attrib
utes the decline directly to the
loss of 113 vessels in the year
1956 via the runaway route.
PORT O' CALL
aROOKLi^BAVnAMge
e75-4^» I2I6B.BAL1:
MSTS Cuts
Down 'Dew
Line' Ships
WASHINGTON—Merchant sea
men will man only about one-sixth
of the ships slated to take part in
this summer's "DEW-Line" supply
mission.
Under present plans, only 16 pri
vately-operated ships, ten of them
already in service, will actually
participate in the invasion of the
Arctic from the Atlantic and Pa
cific coasts to stock up US radar
and other military bases for an
other year. The rest of the ships
will be Navy-tnanned vessels in the
Military Sea Transportation Serv
ice fleet.
Altogether, 15 Victorys now
chartered to private companies will
be diverted for the supply project.
Six shallow-draft CI-M-AVIs to be
broken out have also been allo
cated to two West Coast operators,
Olympic Steamship and Alaska
Steamship.
However, five of the 15 Victorys
will not make the actual Arctic
supply run. They will be used to
fill in for MSTS vessels pulled off
their regular runs to join the sup
ply fleet.
The joint MSTS-Maritime Ad
ministration operation plans the
use of 96 ships all told. Last year
122 ships were used.
Vessels in the supply fleet will
thread their way north to service
the string of Distant Early Warn
ing radar Installations as
well as bases In Greeland, Baffin
Island and the Pribilof Island seal
ing stations. They must move into
Arctic area waters as soon as
they become accessible to naviga
tion and leave before the ice closes
in again for the -vinter late in Sep
tember.
The operation usually reaches
Rsrpeak -during At|gqst</ ji--,;.
tion here. He was named two
months ago by the SUP to succeed
the late Harry Lundeberg as sec
retary-treasurer of the Sailors
Union.
State Federation president
Thomas L. Pitts presided over last
week's sessions of the state AFL's
executive council, which adjourned
with a moment of silence in trib
ute to Lundeberg. The council also
adopted a resolution praising the
late SUP secretary's contributions
to American trade unionism.
Lundeberg had served as a vice-
president on the executive council
of the state body for the past 18
years.
The Marine Firemen's Union is
sponsoring two measures before
the California State Legislature
which would help protect seamen
when they are taken sick or in
jured in the service of a ship. The
first proposal would enable seamen
to institute actions in their own
names for wages, salvage or in the
enforcement of health laws with
out advance payment of court fees
or bonds. The second bill would
make it a misdemeanor for any
employer to neglect, after 10 days
notice", to pay for the care and
maintenance of any seamen unfit
for duty as a result of an illness
or injury sustained while in serv
ice of a ship. It also provides for
the payment of legal fees by the
employer in such an actiorf.
tt
A Canadian conciliation board
has recommended a general wage
increase of 10 percent for unli
censed personal on eight vessels
of the Government-owned Cana
dian National Steamships plying
between eastern Canadian ports
and the West Indies. The Cana
dian District SIU had asked for an
average increase of almost 50 per
cent for these men.
S. t S-
Full employment of all its mem
bers is still the prevailing situation
in the Brotherhood of Marine En
gineers which can supply jobs for
any BME man ready and willing to
work. The BME anticipates a tight
job squeeze with the onset of
warmer weather and the vacation-
season and urges qualified engi
neers to apply at its various port
offices.
the Government has no effective
control of runaway-flag shipping,
even if it is owned by American
citizens. These facts have been
publicized repeatedly in the SEA
FARERS LOG.
Favor Tanker Companies
The AMMI's position was seen
a« reflecting the interests of its oil
company members, who have taken
the lead in transferring their ships,
affc have refused subsidies because
transfers are more profitable.
It may also indicate that subsi
dized operators, who are common
ly thought of as the hard core of
American shipping, may be consid
ering the possibility of transfers,
particularly if federal construction
funds should be cut. The AMMI
move has also raised the possibil
ity that owners of subsidized ships
may have indirect interests in
"runaway-flag" shipping, and may
be trying to protect their com
mercial interests at both ends.
One possibility is that subsidized
operators may be supporting trans
fer as a means of weakening un-
subsidized American competition.
Under present conditions, subsi
dized lines receive federal aid to
ward new ship construction, while
unsubsidized operators must set
aside their replacement costs ex
clusively from their earnings. With
lower revenues forced on them by
cut-throat foreign competition, a
number of unsubsidized lines have
difficulty in replacing their ton
nage.
Over 300 Ships Lost
The ship transfer program has
cost the American fleet more than
300 ships and about 12,000 jobs
since 1954. It has also cost the
Government large direct and in
direct tax losses on operation, and
in capital gains.
An SIU statement presented to
the Senate committee pointed out
that the tax-free income earned by
American - owned runaway - flag
ships amounts to hundreds of mil
lions of dollars annually. The fig
ures were based on a report in
Business Week (summarized in the
LOG for March 15) showing that n
20,000-ton tanker hauling oil from
the Persian Gulf around Africa to
Europe nets S!750,000 a trip before
depreciation. On the basis of five
to eight trips a year, this adds up
to $4 million profits a year per
ship before depreciation.
Earnings in capital gains are of
the same high order. Reports of
ship sales indicate that the spread
between what a T-2 sells for in
the United States and its sale cost
for foreign operation has ranged
upward of $2 million per ship.
Transfer Not Needed
The high^.-eturn on tanker op
erations, the SIU statement con
tinues, proves that new tankers
would have been built even with
out transfer privileges. With a big
shortage of foreign ways, they
would have to be built in Ameri
can yards.
The only people who gain from
the transfer program, the SIU re-
Vote Bait.
Tug Fleets
(Continued from page 2)
ances and a pressing need for im
provements in their working condi
tions," Sheppard declared. "The
SIU is determined to fight on their
behalf with all its resources, just
as it did in the case of the G & H
tug workers who scored a smash
ing victory in Texas last week.
(See story on Page 3.)
"The Texas workers gained the
best conditions in the Gulf area.
Baltimore harbor workers, by vot
ing SIU can become the best paid
and best protected workers in this
industry."
Runaways Win
Anti-Union Suit
The need for legislation like
the Magnuson bill has been
highlighted by a Supreme Court
decision virtually barring Amer
ican maritime unions from pro
tecting themselves against run
away-flag competition.
By a 7 to 1 vote, the Court
ruled last week that maritime
unions can't picket runaway-
flag ships without exposing
themselves to damage suits. The
decision virtually assures run
away-flag operators the right to
sail in and out of American
ports and to maintain any condi
tions they please with perfect
freedom from job action.
The case arose from a 1952
strike in Portland, Ore., when
the crew of a Panamanian
freighter consisting principally
of German and Bi-itish seamen
went on strike.
The crew designated the SUP
as their bargaining agent and
the SUP and the MM&P pick
eted the ships. The picketing
was eventually stopped by court
order and damages were as
sessed against the unions. The
decision, from which only Jus
tice Douglas dissented, supports
the owner's damage suit.
port concludes, are the owners,
v.'ho are allowed a huge profit in
capital gains. Chief among the
profiteers are the major American
oil companies.
Under the Magnuson bill
(S.1488), an owner seeking to trans
fer his^ ships would have to meet
stipulations that the ship would
have no value to US defense, that
it would be useless to US com
merce, that its transfer would
further US foreign policy, that it
could not compete with American
vessels or release other ships for
cqmpetition with American ton
nage, and that it would maintain
the highest prevailing international
standards on safety, "manning
scales and crew accommodations.
Passage would virtually prevent
the transfer of the C-type shipi
that form the backbone of the na
tion's present-day cargo_ fleet. '
.fii' -•
Pagrc Six SEAFARERS LOG April 12. 1957
A&G Report To Convention
The SIU A&G District, at the SIUNA convention in San Francisco, reported that it
had been active in all areas of its jurisdiction since the previous convention in Montreal,
and that considerable progress had been made in strengthening the District and solidifying
the security of the membership. Following, is a summary of the A&G report:
Harry Lundeberg
The A&G District records its
deep sorrow over the passing of
Harry Lundeberg. It regrets also
the departure of Morris Weis-
berger from the New York area,
but wishes him success in his new
position as SUP secretary-treas
urer.
Welfare^
Vacation
Since the last SIUNA conven
tion,. A&G v/elfare and vacation
benefits have been broadened and
Increased in value. Here are the
major gains.
Death benefit. Raised on Octo
ber 15, 1956, to $4,000.
Hospital benefit. Raised on May
1, 1955, to $21 a week, payable as
long as a member is hospitalized.
College scholarships. Increased
In 1956 from four to five annual
grants, each .worth a total of
$6,000.
Dependents' Hospital and Sur
gical Benefits. Provided on June
1, 1955, to members' wives and
unmarried children, later extend
ed to step-children and depend
ent parents and liberalized in
scope.
Old age and disability benefits.
Increased on May 1, 1955, to $35
a week.
Training program. Training
school facilities set up in Mobile
In 1955. Expansion of New York
and Baltimore facilities approved
In 1956.
Vacation payments. Raised on
October 15, 1956, to $260 a year.
In addition to the above, the
Seafarers Welfare Plan also pro
vides maternity benefits, meal
and lodging benefits for unem
ployed seamen, recreational ben
efits both in SIU halls and
USPHS hospitals, and an inter
est-free loan program, for unem
ployed members.
The welfare fund has total
assets of nearly $61^ million,
while the vacation fund has assets
of over $1 million.
Contracts
Since the last SIUNA conven
tion, the A&G District has nego
tiated major contract improve
ments in wages, working condi
tions, and. welfare and vacation
benefits. On October 3, 1956, the
following gains were incorporated
into SIU contracts: wage and
overtime rate increase of 7.1 per
cent for all shipboard ratings;
limitation on loggings; reouire-
ment that members who die on
shipboard must be returned to a
US port at company expense; in
crease in vacation payments to
$260 a year; increase in death
benefit to $4,000 a year, liberali
zation of hospital and surgical
benefits, and extension of all wel
fare benefits to men drawing dis- •
ability pension benefit.
The A&G District believes it
has established the precedent
that logging is a proper subject
for collective bargaining.
Finances
In terms of financial stability,
the A&G District has sufficient
cash and other assets to allow it
to carry on an increasing number
of functions and services as well
as to continue its widespread or
ganizing activities. Sipce the last
convention in 1955, the total net
worth of the District has in
creased from $2,854,898.11 to
$3,126,095.42 as of March 18, 1957.
Legislation9
Legal Affairs
The A&G District has contin
ued to actively press for leglsla-
seamen and workingmen. In the
maritime field the District con
tinued its fight to preserve the
vital "50-50" law, while in the
area of general labor legislation,
it fought vigorously to prevent
the passage of new "right-to-
work" laws and win the repeal of
those already in effect.
Internally, the District mem
bership adopted amendments to
the Union constitution to provide
additional safeguards to the elec
tion procedure.
Healthy Safety
The problem of Seafarers'
safety is one with which the Dis
trict has been concerned for a
long time. Early this year the
contracted shipowners agreed to
participate in a joint shipboard
safety program advanced by the
Union, and apparatus was Set up
to get the project going.
Of equal concern to the Union
has been the problem of its mem
bers' health, and coincident with
establishment of the shipboard
safety program, the Union suc
ceeded in instituting a health pro
gram calling for the establish
ment of medical centers in the
major A&G ports.
Another Union innovation has
been the establishment of a new
shipboard feeding program. This
has simplified the working rule^
for steward department person
nel and also improved methods of
feeding aboard ship.
Organizing
Since the last convention, the
A&G District has signed 16 ne^v
deepsea companies to agreements,
although some of the Union's con
tracted companies have become
inactive in that period.
The District has also estab
lished three new divisions, known
as the Harbor and Inland Water
ways Division, Marine Allied
Workers Division, and Seafood
Workers Division. The HIWD-
and MA WD have already attained
successes in their respective
areas—for instance, in the off
shore oil industry—and have won
the benefits of a welfare fund for
about half of their 3,000 mem
bers. The SFWD organizing cam
paign will get under way very
soon.
In the area of inter-union re
lations, the District has continued
to work closely with affiliated
unions in the International as
well as with others in the general
labor movement. Among the or
ganizations the Union has sup
ported in the past two yeafs have
been the International Union of
Electrical Workers, in its fight
against the Westinghouse Com
pany, and the American Guild
of Variety Artists, in its battle
with the Ringling Brothers' Cir
cus.
Publicity^
Education
The A&G District has devoted
much attention to the problem of
education among Union mem
bers. The Union's official publi
cation, the SEAFARERS LOG, is
widely distributed every two
weeks, and there are many sup
plementary communications sent
both to the seagoing and shore-
side members, via mail, Morse-
casts and direct voice broadcasts
sponsored by the MTD. The Un
ion has been developing ship
board meetings as an important
medium of democratic expres
sion.
Longshoremen
give vigorous support to the In
ternational Brotherhood of Long
shoremen, AFL-CIO. During this
period the NLRB conducted an
other election in which the IBL
received approximately 40 per
cent of the votes cast. This was
regarded as a tremendous ac
complishment, since the IBL was
forced to wage an underground
campaign to protect longshore
workers against reprisals, and
since NMU President Joe Curran,
on the eve of the election, con
demned the AFL-CIO's policy
and urged longshore workers to
support the ILA.
Curran's letter, ;ivhich was ad
dressed to President Meany, was
released to the press even before
President Meany received it. On
October 23, 1956, Meany an
swered Curran in a letter clearly
exposing Curran's decejStive role
and tactics.
The A&G District will continue
to give its full support to the
IBL in: (1) protecting the long
shore worker at the dock level;
(2) protecting the IBL and its in
terests, and (3) upholding the
position of the AFL-CIO.
American Coal
A beef with American Coal
Shipping began last fall when the
company—formed by coal compa
nies, railroads and the United
Mine Workers — received ap
proval to charter 30 Government
Libertys.
Even while it was negotiating
with the Marine Engineers Bene
ficial Association and the Mas
ters, Mates and Pilots, the com
pany signed an agreement for
officers with District 50 of the
UMW, and it also signed with the
NMU for unlicensed personnel
although it still had no ships.
Curran's refusal to support the
MEBA and MM&P beef led the
MEBA to break a 20-year tie with
NMU and withdraw from the
Curran-dominated AFL-CIO Mar
itime Committee.
The SIUNA then entered the
picture and filed an unfair labor
charge because the company had
refused employment to some 300
Seafarers.
The dispute between Curran
and the other unions involved
came to a head when President
Meany called a meeting in Wash
ington in an attempt to find a
resolution. Meany's proposals
Since the last convention the
tlod affecting ,,the well-being of . . A&G ..District has continued to
that the NiVfU respect the MEBA
and MM&P picket lines, and that
the SIU withdraw its charges and
honor the NMU contract—were
accepted by the SIU despite the
difficulties entailed.
Curran rejected Meany's pro
posals; then, in a totally distort
ed article in the NMU "Pilot," he
tried to make it appear that the
SIU had turned down the plan.
Curran's action here is part of
his lifelong trade union pattern,
for he has always been an op
portunist, a turncoat, and a lUan
whom not even his closest associ
ates could trust. ,
Conclusion
In the opinion of the A&G Dis
trict, the maritime industry will
continue to follow its character
istic up-and-down pattern, and
this condition will continue to
present a challenge to maritime
unions. We are confident, how
ever, that in the days ahead the
SIUNA, aided by the coordinated
effort and close inter-union rela
tionship of the affiliates, will
continue to strengthen its posi
tion in the industry.
Bustling Baltic seaport of Danzig may soon be visited by Ameri
can ships with farm surplus cargoes for the first time in almost
20 years. ^ The Senate has voted to lift ban on trade with so-
called unfriendly nations, easing way for possible grain shipments
to Poland. The port is shown in pre-war photo.
More Surplus Aid Voted;
Ships May Visit Poland
WASHINGTON*—In the next few months Ainerican mer
chant vessels may be entering "closed" Polish ports for the
first time since pre-World War II days.
Following the recommenda-4
tions of its Agriculture
Committee, the Senate has
voted to extend the surplus dis
posal program until June 30, 1958,
and to increase the amount of sales
by $1 billion 300 million.
The Senators rejected an at
tempt to retain the ban on trade
Crews' Aid
For Safety
Urged In NY
NEW YORK — Response from
the membership and cooperation
from most of the contracted com
panies on the safety program has
been very good. Now, with many
more of the companies taking an
interest in the program, headquar
ters again requests that all the
ships' crews also participate in the
shipboard safety meetings and
voice their suggestions on the
matter.
Shipping continued to lag during
the last period, Claude Simmons,
port agent, reports, but indications
are that the next period should be
much better. A number of ships
are expected in from long trips and
the Waterman vessel Warrior, in
shipyard undergoing a survey, will
be taking on a crew during the
coming week, he said.
There were 31 ships In port dur
ing the last two wgeks. Of them,
21 paid off, one signed on and 9
were serviced. The George Lawson,
Pan-Oceanic Transporter (Pan-
Oceanic); Seatrain New Jersey,
Seatrain New York, Seatrain Texas,
Seatrain Savannah, and Seatrain
Louisiana (Seatrain); Maxton, Al-
mena. Ideal X, Coalinga Hills (Pan-
Atlantic); Beatrice, Elizabeth, Eve
lyn, Francis (Bull); Alcoa Pilgrim,
Alcoa Runner (Alcoa); Robin Ket
tering, Robin Kirk (Seas); Steel
Seafarer (Isthmian) j and Cantigny
(Cities Service) all paid off. The
Robin Doncaster (Seas) signed on.
Simmons commended the mem
bership for its support of the
SIU feeding program which has re
sulted in better union-management
relations and which has "helped
us in organizing and bringing new
companies under, the 3IU banner.".
with unfriendly nations, and ap
proved the use of these surpluses
in barter with Iron Curtain coun
tries.
The Administration had soqght
the repeal of the ban in order to
liberalize its economic powers in
dealing with "unfriendly" nations
in an attempt to sway them from
from the Russian bloc. At present,
Polish delegations are conferring
with US officials on possible barter
agreements for farm surpluses
which that nation surely needs.
Poland, although not the first of
the Communist-dominated coun
tries to ask for US aid, is consid
ered the most independent of the ,
Soviet satellites. Recent uprisings
and strikes have told of the dis
content of the people and the Po-.
lish government has been treading,
cautiously in the direction of in
dependence.
Under the proposed bill, • the.
Federal Government can sell or
barter food and other agricultural
surpluses to foreign nations. Since
most of the products are in bulk,
such as wheat, rice, cotton and
corn, this will involve a consider
able quantity of cargo shipments
to Europe and Asia.
Under the "50-50" law, at least
50 per cent of surplus products
must be shipped in American
owned and- operated vessels.
Farm bloc delegates made no
effort this year to impose any re
strictions on the operation of the
"50-50" principle.
The proposed legislation will
now face a test in the House of
Representatives but is expected to
be approved.
Crew Hailed
By C5 Head
The president of the Cities Serv
ice Oil, Company got a first-hand
view recently of how an SIU crew
handles one of the company's new
supertankers—and expressed him
self well pleased.
The occasion came about when
Cities Service president Burl Wat
son, together with Mrs. Watson,
made a trip south on the Cities
Service Miami, to Lake Charles.
Watson said the trip was very
pleasant and expressed himself
very well pleased with all opera-
.Uons .aboard .the jihip. ... .
m'
April 19. im SEAFARERS LOG Pag* Severn
YOIR DOLLAR'S WORTH
Seafarer's Guide To Better Buying
By Sidney Margolius
What To Do About Motor Oil
Buying motor oil is not the simple decision it used to be. There are
numerous brands and types on the market, and motorists are confused
about the conflicting claims for the various kinds, and the contradic
tory advice about when to change oil.
The problem is not so much the difference in price, although one
type or brand can cost twice as
much as another. More worrisome
is the question of whether you are
•buying the right kind and chang
ing often enough, or are doing
some hidden injury to your engine.
Despite the advertised names
and conflicting claims, oii gener
ally now comes in three types;
Regular oil is cheapest. It's gen
erally suitable only for light-duty
driving, or for an older car that's
burning a lot of oil. Otherwise, ex
perts say, it's not advisable to save
by using the "regular" grade. Reg
ular oil is sometimes designated
"iVIL", the "L" standing for light
duty.
Premium oil now is the medium-
price type. It's also sometimes de
signated • "MM" type, meaning for
moderate use. It has chemicals
added to prevent corrosion. This
type is generally suitable for nor
mal operating conditions. For most cars, especially those that have
had several years' use, it is a safe choice at medium cost.
Heavy-Duty oil, which may carry the designation "MS" (severe serv
ice) on the can, is a more expensive higher-detergency oil for heavy-
duty driving. Most car manufacturers recommend heavy-duty oil for
new or fairly new cars. Such oils contain detergents which keep car
bon and sludge in suspension, and prevent them from settling and
- clogging up engine parts, which are especially close-fitting in modem
high-compression engines. Higli-detergency oils also can be used in
cars with recently rebuilt or reconditioned engines, but engineers warn
against their use in older cars, especially those over the 40-50,000 mile
mark. The reason these expensive oils may actually do an older car
more harm than good is that they may loosen already-accumulated
sludge and carbon, with possible damage to engine bearings and other
parts.
Besides the type of oil, you need to be sure to use the proper winter
or summer grade. At this season of course, you need to switch to
heavier oil. There are also all-season or multi-grade oils on the mar
ket. These have the advantage of flowing freely at low temperatures
but resist thinning out in warm weather. They are most useful in
variable climates and for owners who make a lot of short trips. But
unless you have such special problems, it may not be worth paying
extra for all-weather oil. It costs ten cents and more a quart than
heavy-duty oii.
The designations ML, MM and MS can be a great help to motorists
in ctitting through the claims of various brands. Look for these letters
on the can to see what quality you are actually getting, and to help
select the type for your needs.
How often should you change oil? As this department previously
has pointed out, oil companies recdmmend changes at 1,000 miles gen
erally, and sometimes as often as 500 miles in cold weather or when
driving over dusty roads.
But manufacturers of many popular-price cars suggest in their
manuals that oil changes are necessary only every 2,000-3,000 miles for
cars driven under normal ^conditions.
The fact is, the motorist who travels mostly on the open highway
can get away with less-frequent changes than a city driver. Stop-and-
go traffic engines develop more carbon and make frequent oil changes
advisable, even sometimes at fewer than 1,000 miles. Some mechanics
also say it's safer to change oil at least ev^ry 1,000 miles if you use
a detergent oil. On the other hand, frequent oil changes are not as
. imperative in mild weather as in winter.
It's dangerous to let the oil level get too low, but it doesn't pay to
overfill either. If the dipstick shows the level is between the "add"
and "full" marks, you don't need any more oil. If the level is at or
near the "add" mark, add only one quart. Watch the level especially
carefully if your car has only a four or five-quart capacity. As each
quart of oil then becomes more important to the engine, experts advise.
The spring oil change is the most vital one because of the amount
of sludge, corrosive acids and tiny grit particles that accumulate in
the oil from winter driving. It's also vital to change your oil-filter
cartridge when you change your oil in the spring. Not only can a
clean filter save oil changes at very small expense to you, by, keeping
oil clean, but it will help protect your engine from harmful deposits
and sludge accumulation. Many car owners don't realize the filter has
a built-in bypass. A clogged filter won't filter the oil. One authority
says you may be able to tell if the filter is clogged by observing whether
the filter housing feels cool when the engine itself is hot. If so, the
filter probably is clogged.
Nor does it pay to buy cheap cartridges for your filter. Better-grade
cartridges cost only $1-$1.50 for most cars. They generally have more
and finer perforations which provide more thorough filtering, and also
have higher-quality filling materials. Also beware jucomplete filter
changes, in wliich you or yoiu* meciianic simply drop in a new cartridge
without cleaning out sludge accumulation in the container.
San Juan SlU Hail Open For Business
Seafarers from shfps in San Juan area make use of modern furnisfiings at brand-new SlU hall in Puerto
Rico to catch up on the news in the LOG. The building is located at 101 Peloyo, on the ground floor
of the Maritime Building, only three doors down from the old hall. A major conversion job, which
Seafarers aided, helped get the place into shape. The hall is fully air-conditioned and easily able to
accommodate meetings of 100 or more persons.
Tuxford 'World's Champ' In Safety
Seafarers and officers of the Robin Tuxford are claiming a new "world's champion
ship" for freight ship safety. The Tuxford rolled up 502 days without a single lost-time
accident on board.
As far as the records show,
the 502 days is an all time high
for freight ship operations, un
less somebody can come along and
prove otherwise.
Captain Kenneth Chambers, the
skipper of the Tuxford, declared
that the reason for the outstand
ing record was the "full coopera
tion and excellent spirit" of the
entire gang from topside on down.
Robin Line officials pointed out
that the usual experience in the
industry, the thirffmost dangerous
in the US, was that a single trip
seldom passed without a lost-time
accident. They described the Tux
ford achievement as remarkable in
Book Lauds
'America At
Sea' Theme
"If there is an exception to the
rule (that a single ship can help
to shape history) the story of the
Seatraln Texas fits the bill. Under
extraordinary circumstances and
against great odds she delivered
a cargo which stopped Hitler's ad
vance in Africa .. ."
So begins the account of the
Seatrain Texas' historic solo run
of July, 1942—one of the many
fascinating accounts of maritime
exploits, in peace as well as war,
in the book, "Famous American
Ships," by Frank O. Braynard.
Braynard, formerly ships' news
reporter for the New York Herald
Tribune, is now director of infor
mation for the American Merchant
Marine Institute. He is also a
skilled artist, and his own pen-
and-ink drawings depict ail the
vessels featured.
Braynard's book is subtitled "An
Historical Sketch of the United
States as Told Through Its Mari
time Life." It spans the entire
maritime history of this country
from the earliest voyages of the
Vikings,
"Famous American Ships," pub
lished by Hastings House, of New
York, is now in its second printing.
It retails for $5.
the light of the past pattern in
maritime.
Commenting on the record
achievement, an SIU headquarters
spokesman declared: "The Tuxford
case proves what we have believed
since the start of the joint Union-
industry safety program, that it is
possible to prevent disabling acci
dents and loss of life at sea
through use of time-tested safety
metliods. What was achieved by
,the Tuxford is something for every
SIU ship to shoot at in the future."
Actually, the Tuxford's record
dates back before the start of the
joint safety program, since the
company has had such a program
of its own prior to the industry,
wide set-up. Robin Line currently
is participating actively in the
Union-industry plan.
LABOR ROIIND-lIP
"A SO-hour workweek with no
loss in take home pay" is the an
swer to the increasing unemploy
ment problem caused by automa
tion, reports the International -As
sociation of Machinists. A second
Industrial revolution, based on
automation, is 1. its initial stage,
said lAM President A1 Hayes, and
with our present increasing popu
lation, unemployment is inevitable,
t 4 4.
A Supreme Court ruling has lim
ited State intervention in labor
disputes affecting interstate com
merce where the National Labor
Relations Board has refused to as
sert jurisdiction. The NLRB has
sole jurisdiction over these cases,
said Chief Justice Earl Warren.
Congress, he added, has clearly ex
pressed itself in favor of a uniform
Federal regulation of labor-man
agement relations and the de
cision of the NLRB not to rule in
such a dispute did not leave the
door open for the state to accept
jurisdiction.
4. 4) t
The International Chemical
Workers Union scored a 2-1 vie--
tory in an Ontario Labor Relations
election over the United Chemical
Workers to win representation of
employees of the strategic UDY
Metallurgical and Chemical Proc
esses Ltd. The UCW had been
ousted from the old Canadian Con
gress of Labor in 1949.
4 4; 4.
The Admlnistr:>tion approved
a recommendation asking for a
Congressional amendment to the
Taft-Hartley Act clarifying the
rights of labor unions and em
ployers in all industries to bargain
on an area-wide or national basis.
Although such contracts have been
consL'tently upheld in the past by
the NLRB, a recent Federal court
deci.sion noted that they never had
the express sanction of Congress.
The legality of the contracts was
not affected by the decision but
Labor Secretary James P. Mitchell
thought it best to get Congression
al approval.
4« 4" 4»
Reminiscent of the technique
used by John L. Lewis against the
AFL in 1947, mill employees at the
West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co.
mill announeed that they had "dis
affiliated" themselves from Lewis's
catch-all district 50. In strict con
formity with the "Lewis disaffilia
tion method," the message was
sent on brown wrapping paper.
The workers had recently voted to
join the-merged United Papermak-
ers and Paperworkers, AFL-CIO.
In another NLRB election, the Oil,
Chemical & Atomic Workers re
placed District 50 as bargaining
agent for the 2,100 employees of
Wyandotte Chemical Corp.
4" 4> 4*
The Meat Cutters and Butchers
Workmen's Union announced that
applications are being accepted for
apartments in the $6.5 million
union-sponsored Eai'l W. Jimerson
cooperative housing development
in Brooklyn. The apartments,
named in honor of the union's in
ternational president, represent the
latest in modern design and com
forts.
• i
•3
m
7vl
r • ^
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Pas:e Eight SEAFARERS LOG AprU 12, 1257
I; C.
I
4-Day Battle Saves
Crippled fe/fore;
0
Ship Back^ln Action
After being adrift and partially flooded for nearly four
days early in February, the SlU-manned Feltore (Ore Lines)
reached port safely thanks to the exertions of officers and
crew aboard.
The temporary disabling of
the Feltore was reminiscent
of the accident which involved the
Steelore, a sister ship in January,
1955. In that instance, the Steelore
was totally disabled and had to be
towed into port, but the Fftltore
was more fortunate in being able
to get its power plant and engines
operating again.
According to information receiv
ed from Seafarer John C. Green,
deck delegate, the Feltore started
taking water in the engine room
when a pump intake broke. The
rising water, which reached a
depth of nine feet, shorted out the
power and crippled the vessel. This
was on February 5.
A call for help was put out and
the Chilore proceeded to the scene
with spare parts. Meanwhile,
Ala. Leases
Tidal Lands
Oil Fields
MOBILE — Bids are being ac
cepted by the State of Alabama for
the leasing of offshore oil lands
for exploration and drilling. So
far, several thousand acres have
been leased to various oil com
panies who are taking advantage
of the tidelands, one of the na
tion's few remaining sites of large
oil deposits.
Promising develpoments in
Louisiana tidelands are spurring
oil treasure hunts on the Gulf.
Port Agent Cal Tanner reports
that with the acceptance of these
bids, there will be increased num
bers of small boats, barges, rigs
and other development equipment
for the Harbor and Inlands Water
ways Division to organize! The SIU
is the first maritime union to sign
an agreement covering workers in
this expanding industry. At pre
sent the union has a contract cov
ering the employees of the Phillips
Petroleum Company, one of the
lending producers in the offshore
oil field.
It also just concluded a success
ful strike at G&H towing, the larg
est tug operator in the offshore in
dustry. (See story on page 3.)
Shoreside Jobs Open
Tanner also reports that job
activities in port have been very
goodTMany Seafarers on the beach
are finding relief jobs in the ship
yards while waiting to sign on. He
expects some 350 jobs to be open
in the yards- very soon. Activity
has also picked up, he said, in the
tug area. Most of these are out
side towing jobs which are good
paying and run from five days lo
three weeks.
On the shipping front, there
were nine vessels in port during
the past period. They were the
Catherine (Drytrans); Claibbrne,
Monarch of the Seas (Waterman*;
Alcoa Corsair, Alcoa Cavalier,
Alcoa Pioneer, Alcoa Partner,
Alcoa Polaris (Alcoa). Next period
promises to be just as good, if not
better, with some 13 ships expected
In so far.
Green reported, the engine room
gang was working frantically to
close valves and get pumps work
ing. For a while, he said, the "2hd
engineer, and Manuel RendueleSj
FWT, were diving into water to
sl op the water from coming in. For
hours both men were working
mostly under water and losing all
kinds of wrenches, nuts and bolts
until they finally secured the rest
of the line." Cargo pumps and
bilge suction pumps were put to
work until finally the water started
to recede.
For the next 48 hours, he said,
the wipers and daymen worked
around the clock to keep pumps
operating and replace those under
water.
Lifeboat Sinks
On February 8th, three days
later, the Chilore showed up at
4:30 AM with spare motor equip
ment. The No. 2 lifeboat was low
ered in heavy seas. "It took us
from 6:45 to 8:45 AM to attempt
to get the armature ... at 8:45 the
armature was lowered into the
No. 2 lifeboat and we attempted
to row back to our ship but we
could not make any headway."
In the course of the struggle, the
lifeboat rammed the side of the
vessel and started shipping water.
The crew was taken off, "but we'
had to let her go and sink with
the armature the engine room
needed badly." Finally, the neces
sary repairs were completed and
on February 9 she got underway
again. "We should give credit to
the engine department," Green
concludes, "for a good job well
done."
Members of the deck gang who
manned the lifeboat included
Howard Webber, bosum; Green,
Jack Wise, AB; and Jack Carson,'
DM. Green also cited Wiiliam
Tellez, OS; who volunteered to
attempt to remove the armature
from the lifeboat but was ordered
not to by the captain because of
the danger involved.
Subsequently the Feltore went
into the shipyard where after a
week's repair she was put back
into service again.
The Steelore was less fortunate
since it was never restored to serv
ice.
March 20 Through April 2
Registered
NY State Tax
Refund? Maybe
A ruling by New York State
tax authorities on sickness pay
exemption may open the way for
Seafarers paying ^le state tax
to collect refunds on previous
years' payments.
The ruling provides that sick
ness pay received from an em
ployer from the years 1954 on
ward can be deducted from tax
returns, provided such pay is
part of an established sickness
pay plan.
On the face of it, the ruling
would seem to exempt pay re
ceived from a shipowner in the
form of unearned wages where
a Seafarer is removed from a
ship sick or injured before ar
ticles are broken.
Seafarers who think they are
entitled to a return can get
more information from state
tax offices. They can also get a
refund form on past years'
taxes from the state offices.
rort Deck Deck Eng. Eng. Stew. Stew. Total Total Total A B - A B ' A; ^ B - . A - -B : H og.
Boston 1
5 7 . 4 2 0 19 0 28
New York ... .. 63 12 51 19 46 10 160 41 201
Philadelphia . 27 3 20 , - 4 10 2 57 9 tfiO
Baltimore ... .. 67 17 27 16 26 12 , 120 45'.
Norfolk 5 20 9 13 9 53 23 "'1-76
4 B 2 2; 2 14 fl . j'"'" 22
4 5 5 8 . 1 20 10 30
Mobile • •••#«•••••••••• .. 17 8 20. ; 4 21 8 58 20 . 78
New Orleans . .. 51 9 47 10 49 11 147 30 177
Lake Charles 7 10 6 13 11 - 38 24 62
Houston . .. 12 19 8 9 8 55 28 83
Wilmington .. 6 8 7 7 4 . - 24 17 41
San Francisco 6 12 7 9 4 37 17 54
Seattle ...... 17 16 11 5 8 38 36 '74
Deck Deck Eng. Eng. Stew. stew. Total Total Total
A B - A B .. A B A B Reg,
Total , .. 115 268 112 220 90 840 317 1157
Shipped -
Port Dock Deck Deck Eng. Eng. Eng. stew. Stew. Stew. Total Total Total Total
A B C A B C A B C A B C Ship.
Boston .10 2 5 0 1 1 0 9 7 0 16
New York ... 11 4 43 8 13 41 4 7 133 23 24 180
Philadelphia . - 4 0 10 0 2 11 4 2 38 8 4 50
Baltimore ... 16 0 29 16 4 22 17 3 106 49 7 162
Norfolk 3 13 2 2 1 0 5 10 5 8 23
Savannah .... 12 5 1 3 2 2 3 11 4 8 23
Tampa 113 5 2 »2 1 1 13 7 4 24
Mobile ...... 16 5 0 23 5 ~ 13 11 9 4 50 19 17 86
New Orleans 9 0 46 11 8 39 6 7 130 26 15 171
Lake Charles 7 ] 1 9 7 1 7 3 2 25 17 4" 46
Houston 13 6 21 11 11 10 9 7 51 33 24 108
Wilmington . , 2 3 5 3 6 8 1 0 20 6 9 35
San Francisco 3 0 8 6 0 5 0 0 23 9 0 32
Seattle 5 3 6 • 3 1 5 1 1 24 9 5 38
- Deck Deck Deck Eng. Eng. Eng. Stew. Stew. stew. Total Total Total Total
A B C A B c A B C A B c Ship.
Total ..." 265 81 21 213 83 66 165 58 42 643 222 129 994
INOUIRING SEAFARER
QUESTION: Are you satisfied with the reading matter that's put
aboard ships in the form of the SIU ship's libraries?
N. J. McKenyen, AB: I find that
ships have very goort libraries with
fine reading ma
terial in them.
Since most of
m y jeading i s
done when I am
at sea, I espe
cially appreciate
the old m a g a -
zines which help
me catch up on
what's going on.
Another favorite of mine is the
Reader's Digest.
Louis Torres, AB: The books on
board ship are very good and a
great help 1 n
passing the time
when we are off
duty. I do think
that there should
be more of them,
especially the
hardboiled detec
tive ones, and the
action true type
story magazines.
We could do with
love books.
those
4> 4"
Glenn Darling, AB: I am not
satisfied with the books on ship.
There is not
'- ' enough of a va
riety. If there is
one copy on ship
there must be
five more. Every
time we get a
new package of
books, they are
always copies of
the ones already
oh board, especially on long trips
where we can't change them often.'
•Tohn N. Ahrahamsson. OS: They
should have less of the political
and "mush" type
of books. My
complaint is
against all the
outdated maga
zines. We should
get more current
ones. Also I have
a grudge against
men who hoard a
pile of the books
all trip and prevent the rest of us
from reading them.
4 4 4
Carlos Morales, bosun: I think
putting books on ships for the men
to read was a
very good idea. I
am very satisfied
with the libraries
I find on them.
While off duty I
read a lot, espe
cially the histor
ical and murder
type stories. I
usually find
enough on any ship to keep me
happy for the whole trip.
Shipping droppe(i below the 1,000-job mark last period for the fifst time in 12 months.
The steady decline is a "freak" for this time of year, but is still continuing.
At the same time, new ship transfers are adding to the problem by swelling the
number of men on the beach.
Registration has kept well
ahead of shipping for several
weeks.
- Six ports missed out on the gen
eral decline by showing increases
during the past two weeks. A sev
enth, New Orleans, maintained the
same pace as before. The ports
which showed gains were Boston,
Baltimore, Savannah, Lake Charles,
Houston and Wilmington.
Among those which declined
were New York, Philadelphia, Nor
folk, Tampa, Mobile, San Fran
cisco and Seattle. The last two
mentioned, both on the West Coast,
reported the worst drop, although
Wilmington had relatively fair
shipping on its own.
In all likelihood, shipping will
break out soon the same way it did
a year ago when the industry was
in a slump. The increased activity
that resulted continued well 4nto
this past winter.
The widest spread between man
power registered and shipped was
in the deck department, although
shipping for class C men in^that
department was the slowest of all.
In terms of seniority shipping,
class A handled 65 percent of the
total jobs, class B 22 percent and
class C the rest. The figures
showed an increase in the propor
tion of class A jobs and a decline
to the lowest point in a year for
class C. Boston and San Francisco
shipped nd class C men at all.
Following is the forecast port by
port: Boston: Slow . . . New York:
Fair . . . Philadelphia: Fair . . .
Baltimore: Good .. . Norfolk: Good
. . . Savannah: Fair . . . Tampa:
Fair . . . Mobile: Good . . New Or
leans: Good ... Lake Charles: Fair
. . . Houston: Good . . . Wilming
ton: Fair . . San Francisco: Fair
. . . Seattle: Fair.
4 4 4
George LeStrange, FOW: Read
ing is good for the mind and I
think that there
should be more
of the educational
books on ship.
Most of them are
fictional and I
get nothing out
of them. Usual
ly I bring some
technical books
on engineering
on board with me. !Why waste the
time With-the other kind.
•ill" ;i/.;•'^n
April 12. 19S7 SEAFARERS LOG Pa«re Nine
Talking it over on Houston picketline
are Alton F. Roberts, from the tug Pro
peller (left), and John F. Stineff of the
H. O. Weatherby. Pact won 8-hour day.
Half of the 26-ship G & H fleet was tied up in Galveston
during entire beef. Strike headquarters was in Houston.
Sharing turn on Galveston picketline (1 to r) are A. L.
York, mate on the tug Pike; Bill Thuerwachter, captain,
Messenger; E VanBenthuisen, chief engineer, H. O.
Weatherby, and SIU representative R. F. "Mickey" Wil-
burn.
A HARD-HITTING 33-day strike by
the SlU's Harbor and Inland
Waterways Division won the top
union agreement in the entire Gulf
tugboat industry Saturday when the
biggest operator in the area signed
up for a new contract. The 26-boat
fleet of the G & H Towing Company
had been tied up tight since March 4
from New Orleans to Corpus Christi.
The pace-setting settlement won
the unanimous approval of the 286
men in the fleet after an SlU-HIWD ne
gotiating committee hammered it out.
The pact establishes a base monthly
wage of up to $576 for deckhands
and oilers, an 8-hour day, 9 paid
holidays, two weeks' paid vacation,
full Job security guarantees and a
company-paid health and life insur
ance program for the tugmen and
their families.
Arthur L, York, mate on the Pike, who
cast first ballot in vote on strike settle
ment, makes no secret of his jubilation
over the SIU-HIWD win.
Rank-and-file strike committeemen (1 to
r) D. Doherty, J. Matejek, H. Palmer, J.
G. Caudle, F. Freeman, C. C. Nyberg,
and A. L. York cheer end of the beef.
listening intently to the SIU-SlWD negotiating com
mittee's rraort on contract at special meeting in the
Houston SIu hall are sonie of the tugbcatmen who tied
up the G & H fleet for 33 days. They adopted the con
tract by a secret ballot vote.
Explaining a point during special meeting on new G & H agreement in Houston SIU
hall, New Orleans Port Agent Lindsey Williams (at mike) served as chairman of
^ the meeting And directed strike operations. Other officers of meeting are SIU rep. R.
. F. "Mickey" Wilburn (left) and Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Bob Matthews, who
led the negotiating team, v , ^ ^ . v» . , . ' -
•VW"-;-.:'.- '.
• • : ji
,cl
vp.v^ I
.^ll
Pace Tea SEAFARERS tO^ April IS. 1957
•?,?-•>'
m. 'J''
MTD Voice
Broadcasts
In 2nd Yr.
The second year of weekly di
rect voice broadcasts to ships'
crews will start this Sunday under
the continuing sponsorship of the
AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Depart
ment.
Representing another MTD
"first" in maritime, the union
voicecasts are supplemented by
v.eekly 'round-the-world wireless
broadcasts which began 20 months
ago. The two series of broadcasts
by the MTD, of which the SlU is
a member, provide up-to-minute
news on union and general mari
time developments for members
of MTD's deep-sea affiliates.
Increasingly popular with ships'
crews, the voice broadcasts are
beamed to ships in Atlantic, South
American and European waters on
three different frequencies at 1620
GMT (11:20 AM EST) each
Sunday. They can be picked up
clearly by shortwave radios aboard
ships in those waters.
The wireless broadcasts blanket
the globe in separate Sunday and
Monday transmissions to cover all
waters. They go out Sundays at
1915 GMT (2:15 PM EST Sunday)
to all areas except Australia and
the Northwest Pacific. These areas
get the same transmissions on
Mondays at 0315 GMT (10:15 PM
EST Sunday), due to time differ
ences west of the International
Dateline.
Following approval by the Fed
eral Communications Commission,
the direct voice broadcasts got un
derway last April 15. Listeners
who have comments and sugges
tions on the broadcasts can address
them to MTD, Box 525, General
Post Office, Brooklyn 1, New York.
u>c-
^ Testimony at now-recessed House committee hearings has
focussed attention on an old problem: ship transfers and their
affect on US shipping. Now the scene is shifting to the Sen
ate Commerce Committee, which has a bill before it to deal
effectively with the problem.
The issues in the case are clear. Every ship transferred
foreign idles more seamen on the beach and. creates more
cheap competition for the remaining US vessels. It also pro
duces an endless cycle, with shipowners seeking the trans
fer escape route because they cannot keep up with the grow
ing competition.
On the other hand, the transfer program is defended by
Government officials, who claim that only by allowing trans
fers can they get new US vessels built, and by the shipown
ers. The operators are concerned solely with profits. Each
transfer gives them a "subsidy" which can be applied against
the cost of the new tonnage.
This leaves thousands of unemployed seamen holding the
bag, waiting for a trickle of new construction in the future.
The US, in turn, is left with a shrinking merchant fleet. This
creates the spectacle of the greatest nation in the world hav
ing to turn to foreign fleets, built up with American aid funds
and former American tonnage, to carry more and more of its
own foreign trade.
Sanctuary For Runaways
US maritime unions have tried to organize the runaway
fleets >and bring them up to American standards with some
success. But on Monday, the US Supreme Court ruled against
these activities, making American ports a legal sanctuary for
the runaways.
Still another element is the subsidy question. Washington
is reluctant to offer cash subsidy assistance lo more than a
few favored operators. Instead, in one instance, a huge $62
million subsidy is recommended for just one new super-liner
which may someday be useful as a troop carrier. House lead
ers, bent on economy in the budget, have turned this down.
And as if transfers to runaway flags weren't enough several
foreign nations are seeking to build up their fleets with ships
from the US reserve fleet. This means still greater competi
tion for US shipping, though the ships are supposed to be used
solely in the coastwise services of the countries involved.
But the authorizations for these sales carry a loophole. With
the full approval of the Secretary of Commerce, five ships
sold to the Philippines for the island trade last year are now
conceded to be engaged in offshore operations.
The only remaining solution, then, seems to be a set of rigid
safeguards against the indiscriminate trading away of US
ships, coupled with a thorough reappraisal of the subsidy
situation. As a first step, the Magnuson bill now before the
Senate committee would insure the necessary safeguards. It
has the hearty endorsement of every seaman, all maritime
unions and every supporter of a strong US merchant fleet.
Manning Scales
Face FMB Cuts
WASHINGTON—A possible Government attack on US
ship manning scales with consequent loss of seamen's jobs
has been indicated in hearings before the House Appropria
tions Committee. JVIaritime>-
Administrator Clarence Morse
has told the committee that
in the opinion of the Federal Mar
itime Board, subsidized steamship
operators are employing more
crewmembers per ship than Mari
time thinks necessary.
Morse said that the FMB has
before it a staff recommendation
which would establish maximums
for manning of subsidized ships.
Individual ship companies would
have to justify carrying of larger
crews if they wished to have the
additional'manpower figured in on
subsidy payments.
Squeeze On Unions
He indicated that the board
would approve the recommenda
tions of the study, putting the
squeeze in turn on maritime unions
which have contracts with the sub
sidized operators.
' Under SIU and other union con
tracts manning scales are the sub
ject of negotiation between the
shipowner and the Union. How
ever, if the Government were to
cut down on manning scales, it
would put the pressure on unions
in future negotiations to conform
with the Government's recom
mendations.
Further, since manning scales
are roughly similar from one com
pany to the next, any reduction in
manning for subsidized companies
would certainly affect the non-
subsidized segment of the industry.
The subject of manning scales
was raised two years ago by the
House Merchant Marine Commit
tee at a time when it was discuss
ing proposals td impose a wage
control plan on maritime. At that
time, union representatives testi
fied to the effect that manning on
US vessels was actually lower than
on ships of principal competing
maritime nations.
The 1955 Government moves to
interfere with free collective bar
gaining and impose arbitration on
sea unions were dropped after very
strong opposition from SIU of NA
and its affiliates as well as other
maritime unions. The NMU, on
the other hand, accepted the.prin
ciple of a referee with power over
shipping contracts.
Having been defeated on tho
wage limitation plan. Government
officials seeking to cut down on
payments to maritime are appar
ently taking another "tack toward
that same end with the proposed
manning sdaie reduction.
Robert
Alfred Hancock, 53: Brother
Hancock died from a circulatory
condition on March 1, 1957. He
joined the Union on June 25, 1955,
and was sailing in the deck depart
ment. Brother Hancock is survived
by a niece, Beatrice L. Knox of
West Bridgewater, Mass. Burial
took place in Melrose Cemetery,
Brockton, Mass.
L. Allen, 30: Brother
Allen died on
March 4, 1957, as
a result of an in
testinal disorder.
He joined the
Union on Febru
ary 17, 1945, and
was sailing in the
steward depart
ment. Burial took
place in C^een-
lawn Cemetery, Portsmouth, Ohio,
t 4.
Shirley Poole, 47: On March 14,
1957, Brother Poole died in the
USPHS Hospital in Galveston,
Texas, as a result of a tumor. He
joined the Union on December 20,
1955, and sailed In the deck depart
ment. Brother Poole is survived by
his wife, Mrs. Jewell Poole, of De
Quincy, La. Burial took place in
Goodhopo Cemetery, Galveston,
Texas.
MEBA Raps
NMU Attack
On Officers
The Marine Engineers Benefi
cial Association has put out a spe
cial issue of its publication, the
"American Marine Engineer" to
denounce NMU President Joseph
Curran's refusal to support AFL-
CIO unions in the American Coal
beef.
Further, the MEBA accuses Cur-
ran, while posing as defender, of
the hiring hall, of fostering an at
tack on the officers' hiring halls
and the rights of sea unions to
picket.
The MEBA points out that
American Coal, with Curran's ap
parent approval and support, has a
legal proceeding going which
would deprive maritime unions of
picket rights where a ship was at
a pier, repair yard or other facil
ity not belonging to the shipown
er. "Since ships have no perma
nent sites, they must always bo
picketed at the premises of another
company. Should the NLRB rule
such picketing to be an illegal sec
ondary boycott. It will henceforth'
be impossible for a maritime union
to picket effectively."
Turning to Curran's account of
the 'Washington meeting with
President Meany, the MEBA says:
"President Meany asked only
one thing of Curran, that he honor
the picket lines of the MEBA and
MM&P.
"President Meany asked far
morj of the SIU. He asked not
only that the SIU withdraw its
charges filed with the NLRB, but
that it recognize the NMU contract
for all the ships that AMCOS might
eventually put Tnto service . . ."
Moving? Notify
SIU, Welfare
Seafarers and SIU families
who apply for maternity, hos
pital or surgical benefits from
the Welfare Plan are urged to
keep the Union or the Wel
fare Plan advised of any
. changes of address while their
applications are being proc
essed. Although payments are
often made by return mail,
changes of address (or illegible
return addresses) delay them
when checks or "baby bonds"
are returned. Those who are
moving or plan to move are
advised to imn;;d»ately notify
SIU headquarters or the Wel
fare Plan, at 11 Broadway, New
York, NY.-
AprUis. 1957 SEAFARERS LOG r*g» EiercB •;i m
''" I
C'mon Dan, Drop The Gun!
Mrs. Alfred Chambers chidM son. Danny, 4l/{, to put down his gun
so a LOG photographer can take his picture. She and the chil
dren visited the New York SlU hall to check on welfare benefits.
Baby Brian is unconcerned by it all..
House Pole-Axes Funds
For New US-Flag Ships
WASHINGTON—Stepping up its economy drive, the
House Appropriations Committee voted last month to slash
ship construction and operating subsidy funds for the com
ing fiscal year. A hot fight
over the cut is expected on
the House floor, with industry
lobbyists going all-out to have the
funds restored.
Chief target of the committee's
axe was a $62 million request for
construction of a new luxury liner
for US Lines. The vessel, which
would replace the S/S America,
has been supported by the Gov
ernment because of its defense
value and the presumed prestige
it would bring the nation. Like its
sister ship the United States, it
would concentrate heavily on first-
class passengei's.
Late Wednesday, the full House
All of the following SIU families
will collect 'the $200 maternity
benefit plus a $25 bond from the
Union in the baby's name:
Paul Sidney Toler, born March
15, 1957, to Seafarer and Mrs.
Bichard L. Toler, Vineland, NJ.
t 4" 4"
Victoria Badyk, born October 6,
1956, to Seafarer and Mrs. Joseph
Badyk, Union City, NJ.
t
Angela Marie Cuevas, born Jan
uary 24, 1957, to Mrs. Mercedes
Pitre Cuevas, widow of Seafarer
Maximiliano Pitre, New Orleans
La.
it a> t
William Arnold Roberson, bom
March 20, 1957, to Seafarer and
Mrs. Charles V. Roberson, Mobile,
Ala.
-4' 4-^4
James Cabral, born March 19,
1957, to Seafarer and IVtrs. John
Cabral, Brooklyn, NY.
t> if
Everette Keith Richards, born
March 1, 1957, to Seafarer and
Mrs. Alber H. Richards, Baltimore,
Mp.
voted to uphold the committee's
action on funds for the new liner.
The Senate has not acted on it yet.
Also affected by the $94.5 mil
lion cut are plans for construc
tion of an ore carrier for Central
Gulf SS Co., a passenger liner
for American.President Lines and
two freighters for Moore-McCor-
mack.
The~ committee also lopped $20
million off the $120 million bud
get for operating differential sub
sidy funds, and reduced the num
ber of subsidized voyages from
2,146 to 2,100. The voyage cut
may affect some unsubsidized op
erators who have asked for operat
ing differential subsidies within
the past year. These include Ar
nold Bernstein Line, Isbrandtsen,
T. 'j. McCarthy, State Marine
Lines, States Steamship and Isth
mian.
Some Funds Available
If the funds are not restored, the
Maritime Administration will still
have $95 million available for ship
construction projects. Of this sum,
$3 million has been approved by
the committee for the coming fis
cal year, and the other $92 million
has been left over from previous
appropriations.
Shipping Up
In Seattle
SEATTLE — Contrary to Port
Agent Jeff Gillette's predictions,
shipping in this area picked up
during the past two - weeks and
promises to continue to improve.
The Longview Victory (Victory
Carriers) signed on while the Wild
Ranger (Waterman), Penmar and
Massmar (Calmar) stopped into
port to be serviced. Next period,
Gillette announced, should be even
better for Seafarers on the beach.
So far there are three pay offs ex
pected. They are the Transatlantic
(Pacific Wat.); Ocean Joyce (Ocean
Trans.); and the Coe Victory (Vic
tory Carriers). There were no beefs
reported during the past period.
LIVES
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That old saying about self-preservation
being the first low of nature is familiar to
all hands, if that's the cose, then ship-'
board safety should be the first considera
tion of every man in the crew.
For shipboard safety is nothing more or
less than the preservation of life and limb.
It's OS simple as all that.
It is especially true when you consider
that what would be a minor accident ashore
can easily be magnified into something
serious at sea for two reasons: the erratic
motion of the ship and the absence of
medical facilities.
To sum it upi if you value a sound, healthy
body and want to keep it that way, you
should put personal emphasis on follow
ing the safe way.
I An SIU Ship is a Safe Ship
•^m!
Pasre Twelve S^AFA.RERS LOG April IX, 1957
Iceland Cold? AU You
Need Is A 'Good Line'
It would take more than a couple of icebergs to cool the
ardor of crewmen on the Mankato Victory for their North
Atlantic "lovers run." =
The ship has been plying the 19^5, one that had been legalized
route linking Iceland, Eng
land, and Holland for some
time and, apparently, with no
regrets. Undaunted by Icebergs
and rough weather that gave the
deck cargo a hard time,' they took
Reykjavik by storm and were due
to wind up a ten-day stay in Liver-
pooi this week.
As far as Reykjavik is concerned,
the ship's reporter conceded that
a lot of seamen don't rate it too
high, "because it takes a really
good man to 'make out' there. A
good line, rather than the common
dollars-and-cents approach, is what
you need," he confided.
Meanwhile, the outlawing of the
world's oldest profession in an
other part of the globe is forcing
a revamping of entertainment
standards in Japan. An estimated
half million- women theoretically
joined the ranks of the unemployed
on April 1st when criminal penal
ties went into effect. They had
been part of what was regarded as
a major industry in Japan since
there for perhaps 1,000 years.
This month the government set
up about 75 consultation offices
throughout the country to en
courage tiie women to seek a new
means of obtaining a livelihood. It
rejected their demands for sever
ance pay amounting to 180,000 yen
($500), which the girls said repre
sents six months' earnings. What
effect all this will have on the
pcpuarity of Japan for tourists and
sailors remains to be seen.
Sixth-Graders
'Adopt' Wacosta
Geography lessons for 6th
grade students at the Warren
Lane School, Inglewood, Calif.,
are probably taking on a whole
new flavor since the youngsters
"adopted" the SS Wacosta. The
ship, according to delegate
T. N. Scott, is now returning to
San Francisco from Inchon,
Korea?- The adoption was ar
ranged under the "adopt-a-ship"
program launched 20 years ago
to familiarize American young
sters with shipping and mer
chant seamen. Last fall, the
Maxton came under the wing of
physically handicapped young
sters from New Jersey's Branch
Brook Public School.
LOG-A-RHYTHM:
The Hasfy Word
B9 M. Dwyer
"You must change your ways
"End carefree days,
"And settle down for life, •
"Renounce your pleasure,
"Save your treasure
"And remember who's your wife."
Wife Takes A Stern View
We were sipping iemonade one day, watching the various
shapes as they strolled down the street.
The subject of our conversation was the stern of a woman
• dressed in slacks, who had just passed by.
"If women who are broad astern would only glance in a rear
view mirror before allowing others to view them in slacks," he
said, "I'm sure they would have sense enough to do something
about it. They would take them off."
Now in all fairness, I agreed with him, but since a woman is
.supposed to have the last word, I countered:
"My pet, I will tell you about my pet peeve." (He didn't realize
then that he too was one of the offenders.) "The male starts the
day. He shaves very carefully and combs his hair slick He dons
all the necessary clothing, winding up with a neat pair of slacks
and a good looking shirt that he tucks very carefuliy into the
slacks.
"Then," I continued, "he cinches in tiie belt and, with a self-
satisfied smile as he looks in the mirror, he throws back his
shoulders and struts out to be admired.
"Five minutes later, you look but don't swoon. His belt is
pushed down under the bay window and his pants are now at
half-mast. It's really revolting."
He eyed me sheepishly, attempted a bow (here his pants slipped
another notch) and conceded right there.
Jeanne Granberg
THE SEAFARERS PUZZLE
ACROSS
1. Pour
S. Pacific Coast
Union
8. Dinner checks
12. Actress Shirley
13. Man's name
14. Heroic
13. Newfoundland
Cape
-16. Shipmate
17. Part of church
18. Closet pest
20. Part of sailing
race
22. Actor Colman
23. Cat on the pier
25. TV network
27. Pronoun
28. Little drink
30. Open, as a keg
31. Make an en
treaty
33. Galley item
35. Neither black
nor white
38. Portugese area
in India
40. Swine
42 . de France
43. Word in a
Verne title
48. Romania; abr.
49. Goddess of
dawn
51. Deal out
52. So be it
54. Western Indian
56. Light breezes
at sea
58. Actor Clark
59. Vessel Measure
60. In—(in all)
61. Heraldic bear
ing
62. Owned
63. Part, as a
hawser
DOWN
1. Trinidad
export
2. Ardent love
3. What fans
give a team
4. Comes together
5. Take little
drinks
6. Russian moun
tain range
7. Grew white
8. Ceylon export
9. Money set apart
for special use
10. Buffalo
11. What a skunk
has lots of
19. —and Chickens
Island
21. Channel
23. It cleans the
deck
24. Kind of tide
36. Province - of
Canada
37. Yes vote
39. Chowed
41. Herd of whales
43.-Barter
44. Opposite of
man
45. The best years
26. Girl's nickname 47. Places to sit
29. How the weasel 50. Greek portico
went • 33. Bom
32. Over there 55. Land's —•
34. Nervous twitch 57. Soak up
Answer On Page It
Is 9 10 II
|l4
|l7
Izz
26
|35 36 37
42
47 •
jss 57
ISO
lea
These were the words of a sea
man's woman
Who spoke in haste and fear.
In anger, unkind words were said
Which she'd give her life to clear.
A jealous woman who could not
share
His life in ev'ry port.
She pictured him carousing and
gay.
With women of every sort.
She had let him sail, bereft of
cheer
Perhaps for a week, a month or
year;
But she planned to say that she
loas wrong.
How the nights were lonely.
The days were long.
Tomorrow, she thought,
I'll write, with a grin.
And try to explain I still think of
him;
But tomorrow came, and tomorrow
went.
Her time was consumed.
No letter was sent.
I'll ask forgiveness, she said, you'll
see.
Then the message came "Lost at
sea."
Oh, foolish woman, she'll curse the
days
She would not learn a seaman's
ways.
Her hasty words are ringing clear.
As she recalls them with a tear;
For he's in the port of no return
And she's alone, left to yearn.
Cooks' Tour
"jsi-liiiiii
Itlllllilj
Shipboard pholog catches
action in the galley on the
Andros Legend, with chief
cook Fred Drew getting ready
to submerqe somebody's fish
dinner into a pan. The photo
is by D. 0. Gaskill Jr. We
^ hope it came out alright.
LOG Helps Him
Keep in Touch
To the Editor:
Please accept a small LOO
donation in ^^appreclation for
sending the LOG along to mo
these past few years.
I have enjoyed being kept
abreast of the activities of my
former shipmates. I sailed
SIU from 1947 until I went into
the Marine Corps in 1951.
Since my discharge in 1954, <
have been studying at the Uni-
letters To
The Editor
AH letters to the editor for
publication in the SEAFAR
ERS LOG must be signed
by the writer. Names will
be withheld upon request.
versity of Hawaii; I expect to
graduate this June with a major
in industrial relations.
It has been a real pleasure to
receive the LOG during this
time, and 1 have found valuable
source material for several re
search papers In it. You can al
ways be assured that the paper
is well circulated and well read.
Found in some of the most re
mote parts of the world, the
LOG is read by seamen and
others until its pages are tatter--
ed and torn. .
Seafarers can well be proud
of their newspaper. Few labor
papers, even among the unions
with more members, cover their
trade as well, nor provide as
much general interest and fam
ily news as the LOG does.
1 would be very glad to hear
from any of my former ship
mates, at 2185-A Ahe Street,
Honolulu. Please continue
sending the LOG, too.
George A. McDonald
4" 4-
Welcomes LOG
For Ship News
To the Editor:
1 would like to take this op
portunity to express my siVi-
cege thanks and appreciation
to you and all concerned in
sending me the SEAFARERS
LOG.
1 just received my first issue
and was glad to catch up on the
latest news. I also speak for
the men to whom 1 pass on the
LOG. 1 know it is also deep
ly appreciated by them, though
they may not be in a position
to write and voice their thanks.
Thank you again for your con
sideration.
C. Van Orden
4 4) 4
Got Food Beef?
Try This Menu!
To the Editor:
I was invited dowp to a Nor
wegian tanker, the M/T Mel-
anie, for dinner while in Balti
more recently. When you check
that crew's menu, you can ap
preciate all the more the fine
working rules and conditions on
American union ships.
1 was eating in the officers'
mess, and we started out with
clam chowder, then some fish
(1 think it was trout) and only
one vegetable, a boiled potato.
There was no dessert or bev
erage. They only have coffee
at coffeetime.
It seems a shame conditions
are that way, as there was a
nice crew aboard her, guys just
like us, who deserve a better
break. 1 hope to see the day
when a special stewards' com-
snittea from our Union will be
able to board these foreign
ships plying the American trade
and enforce a decent set of
working rules for these seamen.
Harold G. Horowlfn
4 4 4
Portland Raffle
Winner Wanted
To the Editor:
One of your members, Fred
A. Olson, contributed a dollar
toward the building of a new
parochial high school here in
Portland and was given a chance
on either $2,000 cash or a
Chevrolet station wagon.
He has won this right but we
cannot locate him. Olson paid
off the SS Ocean Dinny on
January 20, 1957 as a messman
but, since the ship did not sign
on here, we don't know if he is
still on that vessel.
Please pass the word on to
this man so he can either pre-
sept himself here at Portland
tor his car or write us.
Our address is Immaculatta
Academy, 5704 NE 27th Avenue,
Portland 11," Ore.
Margaret Grady
-Senior Class Member
, 4 4 4
Josefina Seen
in Fair Shape
To the l^ditor:
These are just a few lines to
let you know that we on the
Josefina are having a fairly
nice trip, with no beefs that
can't be straightened out before
we get back to the States.
We have been out now five
months and it looks like about
four to five more months on the
ore shuttle from India to Japan.
Keep the LOGs coming. That's
the only way we have of kfiow-
ing what's happening.
Roland A. Wiman
Ship's delegate
4 4 4
Crew's Kindness
Haiied By Bosun
To the Editor:
I hope all my shipmates on
my last ship see this as 1 am
very grateful to all of them.
Please express my thanks to
the officers and the crew, espe
cially the members of the deck
department, for the kindness
they showed when I was hurt on
the vessel. They really de
monstrated the true brother
hood of the sea.
F. G. Barnett
Bosun
4 4 4
Seafarer Now
in Tavern Biz
To the Editor:
All brothers who have sailed
with Brother Bernie Snow In
the black gang will he glad to
know that he is now a partner
with Duke Summers in the Lor
raine Tavern, under the old SIU
hall at 14 North Gay Street in
Baltimore. '
Everyone can be assured that
Bernie and Duke will do their
best to give them a good time
if they drop in.
Harry J. "Popeye" Cronin
4 4 4
Youngster Seeks
Foreign Stamps
To the Editor:
My name is Warren Colvin
and 1 am ten years old and a
Cub Scout. One of my achieve
ments is collecting stamps, i
My daddy gets the LOG every
month. Would you please pub
lish my letter in the LOG ask
ing some of the Seafarers to
write me from foreign coun
tries? My address is 2607 Joan
Avenue, Gulfport, Miss.
Floyd Warren Colvin
/ I
April 18. 1957 SEAF ARERS LOG
.7 •'• -'.^/•^>\v'^7^-i!«r^''?,7:r'';'fiv.'^l
- •-•^1
Pax* TUriecA
*Red^ Goes 'Legit^ * Tries Art School
A ten-year veteran in the •
SIU, Seafarer Robert "Red"
Fink had ample time to get to
know the ways of life aboard ship
and of aeamen ashore.
During all this time, he was a
•teady contributor of cartoons to
the LOG, compensating for his
lack of formal art training with a
good comic touch. As' he would
be the first to admit, where else
but in a seaman's union could a
guy named *' 'Red' Fink" find sol
ace and still keep a sense of hu
mor?
A two-year stint in the Army
from 1953-55, didn't dampen his
ardor for the seagoing life one bit.
Now a full-time student at the
School of Visual Arts, New York
City, "Red" decided to go "legit"
last fall, wheh he enrolled in a
three-year course with the aid of
the 6l Bill. He still keeps in
touch, attending SIU meetings and
shipping during holiday periods.
Here are some of his latest crea
tions, which should ring a bell
with everyone who's ever gone to
sea.
Good-Will Deed Earns
French Dockers' Praise
Supplementing the work of the striped-pants diplomats
and foreign aid emissaries from the US, SIU "ambassadors in
dungarees" on the Irenestar scored another mark for Amer-
•ican-French relations recent-
"Wot do you guys mean you didn't know the coffee was
for the Watch ... ?"
"Who's got the key now?" "Honey, what's a 'good' port?"
ly.
The incident earned high
praise and compliments from
French port workers for the Irene-
star crew after ncwS of their good
will gesture got around, according
to ship's delegate F. J. Johnson.
It developed after a longshore
boss at Rouen was killed the night
before sailing in an accident in
the number two hold. Meeting the
need, the crew acted quickly to
ease things for the longshoreman's
widow.
A collection aboard the ship pro-'
duced a purse of 35,000 francs for
the widow, Mrs. Queual, which at
the even higher unofficial ex
change rate amounted to a con
siderable sum for the bereaved
family. The official exchange rate
is 350 francs to the dollar.
Responding to the generosity of
the crew, Mrs. Queual subsequently
wrote to thank one and all for their
friendly gesture. She was joined
in this by the chief of longshore
men at Rouen.
The letter translated as follows:
Tunesmith
Wanted
Apparently Seafarer William
Willdridge is turning out tunes
and lyrics faster than he can
handle them now. Willdridge
has sent out a hurry-up call for
a collaborator to work on the
songs and help him round out
the loose ends. A frequent con
tributor of poetry for the LOG,
he has had a couple of songs
played on radio stations in Bos
ton and has some more on the
fire. Anyone who's interested
can contact him c7o the SIU
hall in Lake Charles, at 1419
Ryan St.
"To the Captain/ and the SIU
Crew, Mates and Engineers:
"We thank you very sincerely
for the noble gesture you and the
members of the crew made at the
time of the mortal accident in the
number two hold of your ship.
"We were very touched by your
remarks of sj^mpathy at this time.
We beg you, dear Captain and all
crewmembers of the SS Irenestar,
to accept our sincere gratitude for
your kindness."
On Their Toes
Keeping things running
smoothly on the Maxton,
this trio is part of the black
gang on the "piggyback"
tanker. Pictured (I to r) are
Fred Morrison, wiper; Charles
Eagleson, oiler, and Chris the
Turk, fireman. Eagleson, the
engine delegate, sent in' the
photo.
MARYMAR (Calmar), March 1 —
Chrirman, W. Cegg; Secretary. M.
Flood. OS and chief steward left
•hip due to injury. Discussion on
coffee shortage and stores.
J. T. Welch. Bequest keys for heads
whUe In port to keep out people that
are not supposed to use them. $5 in
ship's fund. Urge cooperative -effort
among members of crew.
V. T. Nash. To change flavor of
drinks and to bring cups back to
messhall. and not to put cigarettes in
cups. Ship's delegate resigned. New
delegate elected.
SEATRAIN NEW JERSEY (Sea-
train), March 17—Chairman, Wayne-
Ogle; Secretary, Rundblad. Motion
made to get air conditioner repaired.
Steward asks crew to turn in aU sur
plus linen as he runs short.
VAL CHEM (Valentine), Feb. 3 —
Chairman, J. D. Halpin; Secretary, W.
Nests. Would like the captain or the
chief mate to let them know when
there is going to be a late meal.
ORION STAR (Orion), Feb. 24 —
Chairman, BIsonnet; Secretary, Man
ning. Report on the men that have
left the ship, report has been sent to
New York.
WILD RANGER (Waterman), March
3—Chairman, S. Andersen; Secretary,
D. Ruddy. 313.89 in ships treasury.
Words of appreciation to steward de-
LONCVIEW VICTORY (Victory),
Feb. 17—Chairman, J. Lewis; Secre
tary, M. Caddy. Drinking and fight
ing aboard. Some disputed overtime.
New delegate, secretary-reporter and
treasurer elected. Bosun stated he
has only 4 or 5 men to turn to for se
curing gear at each port.
man missed ship. New delegate and
secretary - reporter elected. Crew
warned to take care of washing ma
chine and TV set. Out rooms to bfe
sougeed. All outside doors to be
closed to keep rooms quiet and warm.
Vote of thanks to cook for job well
done in absence of steward.
tentative voyage Itinerary; delegate
advised careful perusal of contract
clarifications pertaining to overtime.
New secretary-reporter and treasurer
elected. Report accepted. New dele
gate elected. Minor repairs being
made in foc'sles and bathrooms.
PAN OCEANIC TRANSPORTER
(Penn. Nav.), March 14—Chairman,
Robert High; Secretary, Marion Baech-
Ing. Ship's fund at present is $11.
The mail situation on the scow is
plain stinko. Ship's delegate contact
boarding patrolman to see If some
thing can be done about it. Water
tanks on the bucket are in bad shape
and require cleaning.
SANTORE (Ore), Feb. 4—Chairman,
W. C. Byrd; Secretary, H. A. Auglna.
The bosun who was injured by a fall
of iron ore in Cruze Grande, C^e
while loading, was hospitalized.
SEA CLOUD (Pegor), Feb. 3—Chali^
man. Gage; Secretary, Yarborough.
Due to a storm No. 1 life - boat
smashed up and the depth sounder
torn loose from its moorings.
OCEAN- EVELYN (Ocean Trans.),
March 17—Chairman, B. Laffoon; Sec
retary, R. Masters. Ship's fund $10.
Delayed sailing disputed. Delegates
to check repairs and keep list up to
date. Vote of thanks to steward
dept.
STEEL ADMIRAL (Isthmian), March
19—Chairman, D. Keddy; Secretary,
J. Resinosa. All foc'sles, bathrooms
and showers to be painted. All re
pairs checked. Laundry room to be
locked at Singapore. Slop chest time
to be posted in advance. Fire & boat
drill station cards to be Issued by
mate soon as possible.
OREMAR (Ore Nav.), March 11 —
Chairman, J. Shaw; Secretary, F. Pep-
evlch. One man missed ship in Balti
more: two men missed ship In Chile
and charged with desertion. Ship's
fund $38.35. Some disputed overtime.
Need more cots, fruit juices, silver
ware, new refrigerator: better prepa
ration of food.
TOPA TOPA (Waterman), March 17
—Chairman, P. Van Wygcrden; Secre
tary, F. Kustura. Repair list to be
made up. Arrival pool to be made
up and $20 to be put in ship's fund.
Return all cups and glasses to pantry.
YORKMAR (Calmar), Feb. 2—Chair
man, V. Paine; Secretary, B. Slaid.
Four replacements in steward dept.,
2 in engine dept. and 1 man reshipped
in deck dept. Ship's fund $16.22.
Some disputed overtime. Carpenter
reshipped in Northwest. Discussion
on better (^operation on orders from
galley: more juices and fruit to be
put out: better seasoning on vege
tables: check ice boxes.
YORKMAR (Calmar), March 17 —
Chairman, J. Manard; Secretary, J.
Archie. Ship's fund $16.22. One man
Injured—taken of! ship. Beefs to be
discussed with delegate. Washing ma
chine to be left clean after using.
Coffee mug and cups to be returned
to pantry. Return cots.
SEA COMET 11 (Sealraders), March
3—Chairman, W. A. Harper; Secre
tary, H. D. Carney. Motion made to
have the ship fumigated.
SEASTAR (Triton), Feb. 17—Chair
man, 6. Lawson; SecretarV, M. Buga-
wan. Vote of thanks to steward and
the whole steward department for Job
well done. Ship's delegate was in
structed by chief mate that publle
drinking on passageways won't b«
tolerated and anyone caught will bo
brought up to the authorities. There
will be no fighting or performing on
the ship and those who fight or per
form. wiU be turned over to the
boarding patrolman.
SEATRAIN GEORGIA (Sealrain),
March 14—Chairman, W. Jones; Sec-
rotary, A. Lambert. Mop bucket need
ed for black gang. Discussion was
held on the purchase of magazines
out of ships fund. Result, everybody
should buy his own.
partment personnel. Suggest coUee-
tion for workaway who missed ship.
YAKA (Waterman), March 3—Chair
man, Jo. Touart; Secrotary, S. Joseph.
Safety meeting to be held Monday
4th. Vote of thanks to the stewards
dept. .
STEEL ROVER (isthmian), March 10
—Chairman, C. Reyes; Secretary, T.
Oaspar. AU hands to cooperate in
using the washing machine properly.
Suggestion to have exterminator in
rooms, pantry and messhalL
ROBIN KETTERING (Seas Shipping),
March 17—Chairman, H. Denton; Sec
retary, J. Hannay. Two men missed
ship: rejoined later. Ship's fund
$20.50. Few hours disputed overtime.
Reports accepted. Crew warned not
to discuss business in bar rooms. Re
quest better grade of sausage and
bologna. Cots and extra linen to be
turned In.
WACOSTA (Waterman), March 3—
Chairman, S. Alpedo; Secretary, T.
Scott. RepaU'S being made. Reported
WARRIOR (Waterman), March 17—
Chairman, J. Ward; Secretary, M.
Elliott. Sanitary system corrected
somewhat. Good trip so far. Few
hours hours overtime. Electrician ill.
Reports accepted. Water tanks for
wash water and drinking water to be
cemented and painted out while ship
Is undergoing repairs. Sample of wash
water and drinking water to be
turned over to US Coast Guard.
Showers, bathrooms, recreation and
laundry to he painted. Vote of thanks
to steward department for fine sweets
and job weU done. Suggestion to have
water spigot placed on deck for steva-
dorcs: bunks to be reinforced—springs
4b straps too loose.
JOHN e. (Atlantic Carriers), March
14—Chairman, S. Szantos; Secretary,
R. Aguiar. Suggest each department
wlU take care of cleaning washing
machine room, slop sink. Ubrary.
SEAMONiTOR (Excelsisr), Feb. 24—
Chairman, J. Cartiar: Secretary, D.
Babcock. Three men missed ship.
Some disputed overtime—to be set
tled at payoff. Picked up one NMU
\man. Motion to caU meeting In pres
ence of patrolman: find out If ship
ping rules were broken when steward
was shipped. Investigate quaUty of
penicillin. Check welfare benefits of
member's family.
CHOCTAW (Waterman),'March 3—
Chairman, M. Cariin; Secretary, R.
Johnson. The food Is very poor and
ship is a 2nd rate feeder. Use of left
overs carried to extremes. Steward
says see patrolman but crew desires
Improvement In meantime.
STEEL ARCHITECT (isthmian),
March 3—Chairman, E. Ott; Secretary,
C. Rltter. Report on safety program.
Repair Ust to be submitted. Ship's
fund $12.33. Some disputed over-
. time. Ship to be fumigated for rats
and roaches-
STEEL SEAFARER (isthmian). Boo.
IS—Chairman, R. F. Rrant; SocrotarY,
ALCOA FENNANT (Alcoa), March
II—Chairman, L. Joynar; Soaratary,
SEATRAIN LOUISIANA (Saatrain),
March 33—Chairman, V. Whitney;
Secretary, E. Lanier. Slilp's fund
$$.54. Some disputed evcrtlrae. One
Editor, ;
SEAFARERS LOG. !
675 Fourth Ave., !
Brooklyn 32. NY 5
I would like to receive the SEAFARERS LOG— |
please put my name on your mailing list. ;
(Print Information) |
N^kKdE a,...............a..................
STREET ADDRESS I
CITY ZONE STATE •
TO AVOID DUPLICATION: If you «ro on ol<l lubicribor and hovo a chan9a S
addraii, plaaso fivo your formar addrasi balow: 5
CITY - -- - - ^Itaooae ZON STATE, .•ooeaeeaaeooaooooo • , P
-3^
''> I
•r"
1^ Pare Foarfeen SEAFARERS LOG April 12. 195Y
Was This Dip Really Necessary?
Among other things, the ships' minutes reports that pass through the LOG office every
day are noteworthy for a certain quality of understatement.
Whether they concern the rescue of a hundred people from a sinking ship or a blown-
out lightbulb, the record in
the minutes is always brief.
This doesn't mean it's to the
point, for the conventional "who,
what, when and where" Is not al
ways observed. The matter is usu
ally left hanging In the air until
someone comes along who can put
the pieces together.
Mission Accompiished
Gelling ready to knock off for the day, "Whitey" Hardaman,
wiper (left), and Malcolm Launey, engine maintenance, wind up
repairs to pipes on the deck of the tanker Fort Hoskins. Chester
Coumas caught the pair with his camera.
Such is the case so far with a
report fgom 'the Sea train Texas,
though our man of the hour wasn't
even lucky enough to be left hang
ing. He got a good dunking,-In
fact, because "while painting over
the side, someone cut [the] staging
line, dumping [al man In [the]
water. (Much discussion.)"
Brevity—In Spades
The quoted portion above :[ppre-
sents the full text of the reference
in the minutes of the Texas.
This is true economj^of expression.
(The words In brackets are ours
—Ed.)
Taking things over from there,
we can assume the mishap got a
good working over at the meeting.
We don't know for silre whether
the victim was ever hauled out of
the water, but we have to assume
he was. We can also assume no
body Is going to encourage the
practice of cutting guys adrift
while they're hanging over the
side. Life aboard ship is hazardous
enough without adding anything to
Its burdens.
But we can't even let the matter
rest there. Where did It happen?
Was the culprit uncovered? Was
the paint job ever finished?
Come on, Texas, give us the
wordl
USPHS HOSPITAL
SAN FRANCISCO. CAUP.
CrvlUe E. Abrams T. E. McCaffrey
Edward Becker A. F. Martinez
Noah C. Carver Alonzo M. MUefski
Peder Espeseth George R. Nichola
Andrew HarviUa Otta H. Palsson
Floyd W. Haydon Louis Rosen
WiUiam H. HoweU Fred D. Stagner
Vlrgle H. Jordan R. A. Statham
Alexander Leiner Shlo H. Sua
USPHS HOSPITAL
SEATTLE, WASH.
Llnzyl Bosley
James Brown
Leo A. Freundlich
John Kanananaiill
Patrick J. Lynch
Wm. McLaughlin
Juan Mojlca
Waldo OUver
John Rekstin
Walter G. Stuck*
VA HOSPITAL
LAKE CITY. FLA.
Edward B. Blss
USPHS HOSPITAL
MEMPHIS, TENN.
Claude F, Blanks
VA HOSPITAL
ALBERQUERQUE, NM
Charles Burton
USPHS HOSPITAL
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
B. F. Delbler John C. Palmer
Siegfried Gnlttke Rosendo Serrano
James Lauer
USPHS HOSPITAL
BALTIMORE, MD.
Omar O. Ames Henry Karpowlcs
Ralph Armstrong George S. Lowe
Alfred Bokan Roy L. McCannon
Victor Cooper Edw. F. McGowan
Lynwood Fitzgerald William H. Maxie
Dan Gentry Francisco Mayo
Gorman T. Glaze R. S. Nandkeshwar
Eugencie Gonzales Wm. W. Rowland
George Graham Charles T. Scott
Carroll Harper Ople C. WaU
John A. Hoffman
USPHS HOSPITAL
BOSTON, MASS.
Dominic DiSanto Charles Dwyer
Chas. A. McCarthy John E. Powers
HOSPITAL
ISLAND, NY
Ahmed Mehssin
John Minnahan
Thomas Moncho
Francis Napoli
Edward O'Rourk*
Eustaqulo Rivera
Jose Rodriguez
J. S. Simmons
Richard Suttle
Clarence WaUace
USPHS
STATEN
Edward Anderson
Robert Bellveau
A. Dokeris
John Fancutt
Arthur J. Fortner
Richard V. Gelling
EisteU Godfrey
Sam Jonas
Alfred Kaju
James Llppincott
Pasquale MarinelU
BELLEVUB HOSPITAL
NEW YORK, NY
Loyd McGee
USPHS HOSPITAL
GALVESTON. TEXAS
William C. Brown Art ScheU
George Howard Warren W. Smith
Thomas J. Mooney
USPHS HOSPITAL
NORFOLK, VA.
Rudolf AvUa G. W. Culpepper
Francis J. Boner Frederick T. HaU
Puzzle Answer
Bissiii adiQ sans
rSiaDGG BSS QSCD
(iSissigiSQ lEfflfissizia
@[!1Q sins aeiiQ i
Has amm
safza sss (ZJBaB
Qfzanc] BQS QnQS
BQcas asm DSQS
Fred M. HarreU Roscoe T. TUlett
Leonard B. Merriam Clifford Vaughan'
Henri J. Robin
USPHS HOSPITAL
MANHATTAN BEACH
BROOKLYN. NY
Manuel Antonana B. J. Martin
Eladlo Arls Albert MartinelU
Fortunate Bacomo Vic Milazzo
Frank T. CampbeU Joaquin Mlniz
John J. DriscoU Norman J. Moore
Robert E. Gilbert W. P. O'Dea
wmiam Guenther Ben Omar
Bart E. Guranick George G. Phlfer
John Haas James M. Quinn
Howard HaUey George E. Renale
Talb Hassen Samuel B. Saunders
Billy R. HIU G. E. Shumaker
Thomas Isaksen Kevin B. SkeUy
Ira H. KUgore Henry E. Smith
Paul Koenlg Stanley F. Sokol
Ludwig Kristiansen Michael Toth
Frank J. Kubek Harry S. Tuttle
Frederick Landry VlrgU E. Wllmoth
Leonard Leidlg Pon P. Wing
Archibald McGuigan
USPHS HOSPITAI.
SAVANNAH. GA.
C. G. Barrineau Jimmle Littleton
Albert Blrt Clarence Murray
L. A. DeWltt John O'Connor
Carl F. Kumrow A. H. Schwart*
USPHS HOSPITAL
NEW ORLEANS, LA.
Jacob Buckalew Alois F. Mauffray
Virgil Coash August Meyers
Cloise Coats Michael Muzio
Serio M. DeSosa Harold D. Napier
William DriscoU J. S. O'Byrne
Ben D. Foster Faustino Orjales
Cedric Francis William Paris
Crisanto Garfin Junest Ponson
Leon.Gordon Randolph RatclUt
William Havelln F. Regalado
Sam Henry Harold S. Scott
James Hudson Hubert Seymour
Charles Johnson C. J. Shartzer
Edward G. Knapp Toefii Smigielsld
Walter J. LaCrolx Edward Smith
Leo Lang Wert A. Spencer
William Lawless Lonnle R. Tickle
Louis Ledlngham James E. Ward
L. Llenos D. G. Zerrudo
Alexander Martin Jacob Zimmer
Frank Martin
Sees Unions Key
To US Shipping
To the Editor:
It is the seamen who organ
ized themselves into unions
who have preserved America's
maritime power. Thanks to these
men, the gateways to the seven
seas are open coming and going.
In fact, were it not for the
SIU and kindred unions, the
American flag would be a rare
sight in foreign ports. Yes, Old
Glory's up there — because
letters To
The Editor
All letters to the editor for
publication in the SEAFAR
ERS LOG must be signed
by the writer. Names mil
be withheld upon request.
American seamen organized and
stuck together through thick
and thin! Congratulations, men,
one and all!
BUI Vissaris
it t 4"
Says Reports Go
'Liice Hotcakes'
To the Editor:
I am writing to you to ask if
you can include an extra copy
of the SIU Headquarters Report
to Seafarers with the copies of
the LOG you now send.
As soon as the LOGs come
aboard the Del Mar, all 97 in
the crew want to read them and
the headquarters report. So far
it has been practically impos
sible to post the report and
then still have it to read at
a meeting.
Someone always takes it
down and takes it to his room
to get his glasses or something.
Then at the meeting the ship
has to be searched to find it.
If you could send us an extra
copy we could keep one in the
files and post one. Then every
body could acquaint themselves
with the contents and it could
be properly acted upon at the
meeting.
C. M. Bowling
Ship's Reporter
(Ed. note: Your suggestion
has been put into effect for
future mailings to the Del Mar
and similar ships. Nine LOGs
already go tq^ these vessels.)
4 4=
Backs 'Ship US'
Union Campaign
To the Editor:
We wish to compliment Harry
N. Schorr for his article in the
LOG (Feb. 1, 1957). We on the
Del Rio agree with him 100 per
cent.
We'd also like to see more
letters of that kind published.
We feel we have the greatest
Union md the best conditions
in maritime history.
As ship's delegate, I wish to
state that we have a fine crew
aboard here. However, we have
some AK's on topside in the
form of the mates. The chief is
all over the ship and the 2nd
and 3rd remind me of school
boys as they try to make it hard
for us.
It has otherwise been a nice,
enjoyable trip, so if any of you
fellows want to make the ro
mance run, well, this is it.
The captain is a veiy nice,
understanding fellow. He
doesn't drink, but holds nothing
against anyone who does as long
as it doesn't interfere with the
work.
Lewis R. WiUiamson
Ship's delegate
(Ed. note; Brother Schorr
urged an all-out "ship US"
drive by unions to acquaint
American businessmen with the
advantages of using US rather
thari foreign vessels.)
4 4 4 "
Halis News Of
Union Gains
To the Editor:
Happy to hear through the
LOG that all hands are enjoy
ing fair shipping and that new
gains are being made for us sea
men.
All hands aboard the Orion
Clipper were sorry to hear of
the unexpected death of Harry
Lundeberg. We all appreciate
the battles he led for good la
bor conditions aboard ship.
We wish to put in a boost for
the United Seamen's Service in
Yokohama. Miss Jean Trisko,
port director, is a person who
wiU go out of her way to be of
service. She was very helpful
on a couple of items of ship's
business and did not give us
the "I don't know for sure" rou
tine. She made several phone
calls and typed up letters which
could-be useful to us. The res
taurant, bar and recreation fa
cilities here are the best also.
We are having our rough
spots on this run but intend to
bring her in .SlU-style and do
the straightening up at the pay
off.
Richard C. Ranly
4 4 4
Retired, Stiii
Wants The LOG
To the Editor:
I am now residing in Brooklyn
and would like to have the LOG
mailed' to me here. You have
been mailing the LOG to my
dad at Eagleton, Ark., and he
appreciates it very much.
But now though I have retired
my SIU book, I would still very
much like to keep up with
Union affairs.
I am working at St. Peters
Hospital in Brooklyn and enjoy
the work as well as my fellow
ship with my fellow workers.
But please keep me on that
mailing list in the future.
Thurston Lewis
Burly By Bernard Seaman
Aprl! 1957 SEAFARERS LOG Page Fifteen
C&H Strikers Win
Best Part In Area
(Continued from page 3)
In hours means an increase in the
work force and greater take home
pay.)
• Nine paid holidays,
• Two weeks' paid vacation an
nually.
• A manning scale calling J^or
11-man crews with a double watch
system on tideiands-canal and
deep sea work.
• Non-occupational Illness and
injury benefits ranging from 15
to 45 days with pay annually de
pending upon length of service in
the fleet.
• Payment of wages, transporta
tion and subsistence to men trans
ferred to tugs away from home
port or relieved at points other
than the home port.
• A $15 monthly differential for
deck and engine offlcers who ob
tain licenses.
• Job security guarantees in
cluding a seniority system govern
ing promotions, transfers and lay
offs.
• Maximum unio^ security pro
visions permissible under Texas
state laws.
• A health and life insurance
program paid for entirely by the
1
EVERYSUNDAY
DIRECT VOICE;
BROADCAST
"THE VOICE
of the
MTD"
I
To' Ships In Atlantic
South American
and
European Waters
• WFK-3», 19150 KC*
Ships In Caribbean.
East Coast of South
America, South Atlantic
. and East Coast of
United States
• WFL.OS, 15850 KCs
Ships in Gulf of Mex
ico. Caribbean. West
"• Coast of South Amer
ica. West Coast of
Mexico and US East
Coast
• WFK-95, 15700 KCs
Ships in Mediterranean
area. North Atlantic.
European and US East
Coast
Meanwhile, MTD
Round-the-World
Broadcasts
continue ...
every Sunday, 1915 OMT
{2'.liPM EST Sunday)
WCO-13010 KCs
Europe and No. America
WCO-1090I.S KCs
East Coast So. America
WCO-22407. KCs
West Coast So. America
Evsry Monday, 0315 CMT
(10:15 PM ESTSundav)
WMM 25-15807 KCs
Australia
WMM 81-11037.5
Northwest Pacific
MARITIME
TRADES
REPARTMENT
company and including the follow
ing benefits:
Death benefit. $5,000.
Hospital room and board for
employees and dependents,
$12 a day up to a maximum of
70 days in private hosiptals;
$6 a day in USPHS hospitals.
All hospital extras up to a
maximum of $300 and 75 per
cent of additional charges up
to $5,000.
Surgical fees ranging up to
$350 maximum, based on
schedula set out in policy.
Doctors' calls before sur
gery, $5 a day up to maximum
of 70 days.
Supplementary accident ex
penses, $300.
Weekly disability income,
$25 weekly up to 52 weeks.
Maternity benefit, $200 max
imum.
Negotiations for the SIU were
conducted by Matthews, Williams
and rank and file tugboatmen
Harry L. Coker, George Jordan,
Van H. Court, Jr., Jack Kelly,
Morgan Childers, Robert W. Wix
and Edward E. Morris. Serving in
an advisory capacity throughout
was SIU attorney Marion C. Lad-
Wig, of the firm of Dixie, Ryan
and Schulmah, who was highly
commended by the negotiating
committee for his assistance.
Anthony Koriok
Please contact your sister Fat
on business matters. Contact her
care of Mrs. Louis Qualtiers, 1425
W. 35 St., Erie, Penn.
Ex-Sfony Creek
Ship's fund of $8.30 was donated
to the LOG after ship transferred
foreign. A. Goldsmit.
Kenneth Lewis
Thomas McGuigan would like to
get in touch with you. His address
is 16 N. 24 St., Camden 5, NJ.
Keep Draff
Board Posted
SIU headquarters urges all
draft-eligible seamen to be
sure they keep their local Se
lective Service boards posted
on all changes. of address
through the use of the post
cards furnished at all SIU halls
and aboard ships.
Another day j Another A9,000
I
At the end of November, 1956, the
SIU Welfare and Vacation Plans passed
a significant landmark when they paid
out their ten millionth dollar. In four
months since then, the Plans have paid
another $1 million to Seafarers.
Impressive figures? Sure. But it
looks even better this way: At that rate
the two Plans pay close to $9,000 each
day in benefits, which Seafarers never
received a, few years ago. Ifs further
proof of the value of these Plans to the
working seaman.
SEAFARERS VACATION PLAN
WELFARE PUN
SiU of NA Acts On Major Issues
(Continued from page 3)
light of the breakdown of the
screening program.
On the organizing front, the com
mittee urged intensification of or
ganizing by all affiliates and also
set up a three man committee to
develop organizing potential on the
Great Lakes.
Of general interest was a strong
statement on freedom of the seas
particularly as the principle ap
plies to the Suez Canal and the
Gulf of Aqaba. Efforts of ship-
ov/ner groups to evade Justice De
partment jurisdiction over com
pany mergers were assailed and
extension of minimum wage cover
age to seamen sought.
On the labor scene the conven-
Among A&G delegates to the SIU of NA Convention were: (l-r):
Lindsey Williams, Steve Cardullo, Gal Tanner and Marty Breith-
off. Others (not shown] Vere Earl Sheppard and Paul Hall.
AFL-CIO
ssii
SIU, A&G District
BALTIMORE 1216 B. Baltimore St.
Earl SheppariL Asent EAstem T-8900
BOSTON 276 State St.
James Sheehan. Asent Richmond 2-0140
HOUSTON 4202 Canal St.
A. Michelet. Aaent Capital T-6S38
LAKE CHARLES. La 1416 Ryan St.
Leroy Clarke. Agent HEmlocfc 6-9744
MOBILE 1 South Lawrence St.
Ckl Tanner. A|fnt HEmlock 2-1754
MORGAN CITY 612 Front St.
Tom Gould. Agent Phone 2196
NEW ORLEANS 623 BlenvlUe St.
Lindsey WilUam*. Agent Tulaao-8626
NEW YORK 678 4th Ave.. Brooklyn
BYacinth S-8600
0 •
NORFOLK 127-129 Bank St.
Ben Bees. Agent MAdlstm 2-9634
PHILADELPHIA.. ,.637 Market St.
6. CarduUo. Agent Market 7-1639
PUERTA de TIERRA PR. 101 Pelayo
Sal CoUg, Agent Fhone 2-5996
SAN FRANCISCO 490 Harrison St.
Marty Breithotf, Agent Douglai 2-9479
SAVANNAH Abercom St.
E. B. McAuley. Ax«nt Adama 3-1728
SEATTLB .... i... .2909 1st Ave.
Jett QiUiitte. iVgent BUlott 4334
TAMPX......W1
Tom Banning! Ai
8U N. Franklin St.
-Pm honw 2-1323
WILMINGTON. Calif 905 Marine Ave.
Reed Humphries, Agent Terminal 4-2874
HEADQUARTERS... .675 4th Ave.. Bklyn.
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Paul Hall
ASST. SECRETARY-TREASURERS
J. Algina. Deck C. Simmons. Joint
J. ^pian. Eng. W. HaU, Joint
E. Mooney. Std, R. Matthews. Joint
SUP
HONOLULU... 16 Merchant St.
Phone 9-8777
PORTLAND 211 SW Clay St.
CApital 3-4330
RICHMOND, Calif... 510 Macdonald Ave.
' BEacon 2-0925
SAN FRANCISCO 450 Harrison St.
• Douglas 2-8363
SEATTLE 2509 Ut Ave.
Main 0290
WILMINGTON 909 Marine Ave.
Terminal 4-3131
PORT COLBORNE 103 Durham St.
Ontario Phone: 5591
TORONTO. Ontario.......272 King St. E.
EMpire 4-9719
VICTORIA. BC 617'A Cormorant St.
EMpire 4531
VANCOUVER, BC 298 Main St.
Pacific 3468
SYDNEY. NS 304 Charlotte St.
Phone: 6346
BAGOTVILLE. Quebec 20 Elgin St.
Phone: 54-5
THOROLD. Ontario 92 St. Davids St.
CAnaJ 7-3202
QUEBEC..
Quebeo
.85 St. Pierre St.
Fhone: 3-1569
NEW YORK. 679 4th Ave., Brooklyn
HYacintb 9-6165
Canadian District
HALIFAX. N.S .....128V6 HoIUs St.
Phone 3-8911
MONTREAL 634 St. James St. West
PLateau 8161
SAINT JOHN .. A85 Germain St.
NB ^ Phone: 2-5232
Great Lakes District
ALPENA 1215 N. Second Ave.
Phone: 713-J
BUFFALO. NY 180 Main St.
Phone: Cleveland 7391
CLEVELAND 734 Lakeside Ave.. NE
Phone: Main 1-0147
DETROIT ; 1038 3rd St.
, Headquarters Phone: Woodward 1-6857
DULUTH ; . ..531 W. Michigan St.
; Phone: Randolph 2-4110
BOSTON — Things have been
very quiet on the shipping front
for the past two weeks. Although
ob activity has picked up some
what since the last period, the out
look for this. Dort is still uncertain.
The Bradford Island and Council
Grove (Cities Service) both paid
off and signed on. Bents Fort
(Cities Service); Bobin Kettering,
Robin Kirk (Seas); and Jefferson •
City Victory (Victory Carriers) put
FORT WU.L1AM... ^30 .Sirap;?on St, J SOUTIi CHICAGQ,:;..,, ,,..3261 E. 92nd St. infjLiwxiif tA h.x eorniood ,
Ontario. ': v-. - . Phon*::3-3221i: t>/ i
tion went on record as fully en
dorsing the ethical practices code
adopted by the AFL-CIO. Subse
quently the A&G District's mem
bership in meetings up and down
the coast unanimously endorsed
the convention's action.
Reports were presented from
the various affiliates of the inter
national detailing developments
over the past two years.
The A&G District's report is
summarized on page 6.)
Guest Speakers
Delegates heard addresses from
a number, of prominent public fig
ures, including Governor Goodwin
Knight - of California; Mayor
George Christopher, San Francis
co; Einar Johnasen" and Harald
Eriksen of the Norwegian Sea
men's Association; Larry Long,
president of the International
Brotherhood of Longshoremen;
Harry O'Reilly, director of the
Maritime Trades Department,
AFL-CIO; Captain C. T. Atkins,
national president of the Masters,
Mates and Pilots, and Captain
George Decker of Seattle, first
vice-president of MM&P; Neil Hag-
gerty, secretary-treasurer of the
California State Federation of La
bor and many others.
Officers Elected
Elected as officers in addition to
Hall, Weisherger and Tanner were
the following: John Hawk, secre
tary-treasurer; and vice-presidents
Andrea Gomez, Lester Caveny,
Lester Baiinger, Ed. Turner, Capt.
John M. Fox, Hal C. Banks, S. E.
Bennett and Ramond T. McKay.
It was agreed that the next con
vention will be held in Montreal,
Canada, in 1959, which will make
it coincident with the opening of
the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Ray Sfate
Still Quiet
j
•ii
mmr.
ife:;:;:'
Vol. XIX
No. 8 SEAFARERS LOG
> W—V
• OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT • AFL-CIO •
Major Progress
Since '51 Marks
MCS Birthday
Just two years ago this month, seamen on the West Coast
paved the way for firm establishment of the Marine Cooks
and Stewards Union by voting in favor of the SIU Pacific
District, 3,931 to 1,004. The
election climaxed a four-year
organizing drive by the MCS
with the support of the Sailors Un
ion and other SIU affiliates, to oust
the Communist-dominated Nation
al Union of Marine Cooks and
Stewards from West Coast ships.
When the ballot count was com
pleted on April 4, 1955, it marked
the end of 20 years of Communist
operatons aboard US merchant
ships. It also established a single
bargaining unit, the SIU Pacific
District, for the first time, repre
senting sailors, firemen and cooks
on the West Coast.
That arrangement is now bear
ing fruit with representatives of
the three West Coast unions mov
ing towards merger of their pen
sion funds, which will result in in
creased benefits for the member
ship and more efficient adminis
tration.
The MCS was chartered by the
SIU of North America just four
years ago this coming Sunday,
back on April 15, 1951.
Head of the now-defunct
NUMC&S, Hugh Bryson
helped maintain last Commu
nist foothold on WC ships.
In the cooks union itself, the
two years have brought consider
able progress, organizationally and
otherwise. Currently, the member
ship is voting in referendum ballot
on the adoption of a constitution
which will govern the conduct of
union affairs if approved. The vot
ing began on March 18th and will
continue for 90 days.
Set Election Procedure
Provisions of the proposed con
stitution call for the election of a
secretary-treasurer, assistant sec
retary-treasurer and port agents
and patrolmen for three year pe
riods. The document also provides
for rank and file trials and appeals
committees end appeals procedure,
'and rank and file quarterly finance
committees. It spells out the
duties of officers, election of meet
ing chairmen, negotiating commit
tee members and other commit
tees, amending procedure, controls
over expenditures and other items
of importance.
MCS already has constructed a
new headquarters hall in San
Francisco and opened a training
and upgrading center offering 90
day courses for all ratings, both
freight and passenger ship. The
training center is located on 350
acres of ranchland near Santa
Rosa, Calif. Board, room and tui
tion is free to students who qualify.
Followea Party Line
For years before the vote vic
tory of the Pacific District, the
steward departments on West coast
ships had been seagoing strong
holds of Harry Bridges and the
Communist Party. Under the lead
ership of Hugh Bryson, the now-
defunct National Union of Marine
Cooks and Stewards had worked
hand in glove with Bridges and fol
lowed every twist and turn of the
Communist line.
In 1950, NUMC&S was expelled
•by the CIO for its endorsement of
the North Korean invasion of
South Korea as well as its con
sistent record of participation in
Communist causes. That opened
the door toward organization of a
non-Communist union in the field.
•- r J'-.
!
NMU Quit Field
The National Maritime Union
made some tentative gestures to
organize on the West Coast but
quickly withdrew when it found it
would have to. buck Harry Bridges'
Jubilant scene at San Fran
cisco MCS hall two years ago
(above) heralded 4-1 victory
of SlUNA forces over Harry
Bridges in a three-department
West Coast ship election.
The win ended a 20-year fight
against the remnants of Com
munist-dominated unionism In
WC maritime. At right,
MCS member Juan Morales
(standing) casts ballot at un
ion's NY hall in the current
membership referendum on
MCS constitution. : Polls com
mitteemen are Rao Sam Nwe
and David Ladesman. Char
tered six years ago this Mon
day by the SlUNA, the MCS
has established itself as a ma
jor ship union since 1955.
apparatus. On the other hand, the
late Harry Lundeberg gave a group
of non-Communist cooks and stew
ards a charter as the Marine Cooks
and' Stewards and along with the
Marine Firemen's Union backed
them solidly in a four-year fight
to oust the. Brldges-Bryson com
bine.
Once MCS started organizing in
'Screenos' Shipping From All
Coasts, Bridges' Front Boasts
SAN FRANCISCO—Further evidence that Communist sympathizers and other "screenos"
are now shipping on US merchant vessels has been provided by the Committee Against
Waterfront Screening. The Committee, which is a front organization backed up by
Harry Bridges, lists numbers,
dates and places in its latest
information bulletin, spelling
out where It has gotten its mem
bers aboard American flag ships.
Last month in Washington, Vice
Admiral Alfred C. Richmond, com
mandant of the Coast Guard, told
Congress that the screening pro
gram had broken down and that
169 suspected subversives are cur
rently sailing aboard US ships.
In its bulletin, the Committee
Against Waterfront Screening re
ports men shipping out of both
West and East Coast ports.
In New York, for example, the
committee bulletin says, "Some of
the brothers who were screened
lately, '53-'55, went to the NMU
hall and were registered in Group
1 because they had enough sea
time to qualify. These men have
been in and out already."
In' Seattle; the committee re
ports, men are shipping group 1
and Group 2 from the NMU hall,
but "it takes a two to four month
card to get out." Group 1 is the
NMU's top seniority group;
Among the men who have
shipped is Walter Stich, the secre
tary of the Committee against
Waterfront screening, who went
out as an officer from San Fran
cisco. Stich, was ousted from the
Marine Engineers Beneficial Asso
ciation- in September, 1947. Sub
sequently he was arrested in con
nection with a fund-raising benefit
at his home for the "People's
World," official Communist Party
paper in San Francisco. He plead
ed guilty to the charge at the time.
The committee adds that the
Marine Firemen's Union in San
Francisco is being sued by one of
the screened seamen, because it al
legedly refused to dispatch him to
a ship. In effect then, the "screen
os" are using the Taft-Hartley law
against the unions to force them
to register all comers.
" TWust Produce Witnesses
The breakdown of the screening
program came after a series of
court decisions which, in effect,,
said that the Coast Guard cannot
screen men unless it brings forth
witnesses and gives the accused
their tfuditional right to cross-ex
amine these witnesses.
As a SEAFARERS LOG edito
rial pointed out in the March 15
issue, the unavailability of wit
nesses is probably due to the tra
ditional refusal of the Federal Bu
reau of Investigation to reveal in
formants except where it considers
a case of great importance.
Consequently, the editorial con-
clude,4., the Governmept, aeems to.
feel that it is more
protect its witnesses
out subversives, if
ships.
important to
.than to root
any, on US
earnest, the counter-pressure was
put on by the waterfront Commu'-
nists. Men suspected of SIU sym
pathies were expelled from the un
ion, forced off the ships and in
many instances dumped ^nd
worked over soundly.
Sanctuary With Bridges
In 1954, MCS filed a petition for
a National Labor Relations Board
election. Bridges countered by or
ganizing "Local 100" of his long
shore union as a haven for the dis
credited NUMC&S. MCS was pre
vented from winning a clear ma
jority by Bridges' strategy of call
ing for a "no union" vote.
The following year saw the SIU
Pacific District petition for a new
election and overwhelm "Local
100" by 3,931 to .1,004.
Bare US Ship Giveaway
For Offshore Operation
WASHINGTON—Five government owned Cl's, sold to the
Philippiiie Government for inter-island trade, have been found
operating in the South China trade and elsewhere in Asia,
Although the sale of theses-
vessels was conditioned by
their use solely irpinter-island
or intercoastal trade, permission
was given by Commerce Secretary
Sinclair Weeks for the Philippines
to use them in international trade.
Mr. Weeks based his authority to
grant such permission on an over
looked phrase in the enabling act
which had specified limitations on
the use of these vessels, but which
continued . . or within such
other limits as the Secretary of
Commerce may in the future find
reasonable and just."
The SIU and other maritime
unions have long been opposed to
the sale of Government^ reserve
ships to foreign nations on the
grounds of unfair competition.
They have held that these vessels,
even where actually "limited" to
domestic operations, release other
ships of that nation for interna
tional trade.
The news about the C-ls coihes
at a time when several other na
tions are' pressing for sale of U^
Government reserve tonnage, in-,
eluding India, Turkey, Mexico and
Peru. Most of these nations have
found sponsors for bills in Con
gress which also pledge that the
ships purchased will be used solely
In that nation's domestic trade.
Other countries on line are
Ecuador, West Germany, trieste,
Japan, and . South Korea. ,
Vol. XiX
No. 8 SEAFARERS LOG
• OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT • AFL-CIO •
SIU SCORES MAJOR
GUV TUG VICTORY •oi
' - I
•Story On Page 3
•Story On Page 2
iC •
I S-i—
l^.-"
All IVMAM#! fl«" Ending a 33-day strike by the SIU's Harbor
' 8/f#* and Inland Waterways Division which tied
up the 26-boat G&H fleet in Houston (above) and all along Gulf Coast, tug-
boatmen crowd ballot box to vote enthusiastic approval of top contract
terms. Voting (1 to r) are Ji. F. Seesholtz, tug J. R. Guyton; B. Fitte, tug
Lucy Haden, and J. Kelly from the G uyton. (Story on Page 3.)
U^SI Anfl Missing froni the chair at an
V ^nu rcireireff* SIUNA convention for the first
time, the late Harry Lundeberg gained lasting tribute from Mayor
Geohge Christopher (standing), who welcomed delegates to San
Francisco, Seated are SIUNA Pres. Paul Hall of the SIU-A&G
(left) and SIUNA Secretary-Treasurer John Hawk. (Story on
Page 3.)
Far* Tv* SEAFARERS LOG April 12, 1957
I; ^
I -l
If-
51U Set For 7-Fleet
NLRB Ballot On
Bolt. Harbor Craft
BALTIMORE—^An intensive organizing campaign by the SIU among local towboat and
harbor craft workers will be climaxed in sev en separate representation elections here start
ing early next week. SIU Port Agent Earl Sheppard said the drive is just one phase of ef-
forts by the SIU's Harbor and"*^
Distrirt SO
Norfolk Pact
Under Fire
SlU-Manned Tanker In Israel
NORFOLK — Dissatisfaction
among tug workers on Curtis Bay
and McAllister boats covered by
the latest United Mine Workers
District 50 contract is spreading
throughout this key port area.
The contract stipulates agree
ment by the companies to tlie
"principle" of seniority by depart
ments "where fitness and ability
(of the men) are relatively equal."
"However, the employers' deter
mination as to relative fitness and
ability shall be final," it adds. The
tug men fear that the companies
can lay off a full crew, and then re
hire anyone it pleases. This means
there is no seniority protection.
On the pension-disability ques
tion, a key concern is what will
bappen to men with long-term
service who suddenly become dis
abled. The present pension provi
sion authorizes retirement on pen
sion at age 65 after ten years' serv
ice. However, those disabled at
any age before 65 have to wait
until they're 65 to get benefits.
A 20-year man who is disabled at
45 would have to wait 20 years
for benefits.
Inland Waterways Division in
conjunction with rank and file
workers, to bring Baltimore up
from its position as the lowest-paid
harbor on the East Coast.
The SIU-HIWD wiU be the only
union on the ballot In the voting
ordered by' the National Labor Re
lations Board. Major organizing
efforts by the SIU have been con
centrated in this port for more
than a year.
Voting will be conducted
among several hundred unlicensed
crewmen on the 40-odd boats op
erated by Curtis Bay Towing, Har
per Towing, Arundel Corp., Baker
and Whiteley, Baltimore Towage
and Lighterage and Atlantic Trans
port, a US Lines subsidiary. In
addition, mechanics at the Curtis
Bay maintenance shop and car-
floatmen in Atlantic Transport will
be polled in a separate election.
Won Vote 28—0
A hint of the enthusiastic sup
port among Greater Baltimore har
bor workers for the SIU-HIWD
came last month when it unani
mously swept an election for
bargemen and bridgemen of the
Western Maryland Railway Com
pany. The SIU won hands down,
28—0.
Last Saturday's major victory
covering Texas coast operations of
the 26-boat G & H Towing Co. in
Houston is also expected to add
impetus to the SIU drive here and
in other parts. The SIU-HIWD
won what is recognized as the best
union pact in the towboat industry
along the Western Gulf coast after
a 33-day strike in that area.
Abused by miserable conditions
for many years. Greater Baltimore
harbor men work under the lowest
hourly pay rate and worst over
time set-ups on the entire Atlantic
eoast. They have no welfare cover
age other than a pension plan
which has been inoperative for
over a year.
"These men have many griev-
(Continued on page 5)
Workers at Israeli port of Eloth open valves for first flow of oil to
storage tanks from SlU-manned tanker Kern IHills (background).
The ship sailed through the disputed Gulf of Aqoba Saturday.
Seafarers Haul Isf Oil Cargo
To Israel Via Gulf Of Aqaba
Dramatically underscoring a "freedom of the seas" resolution passed by the SIU of NA
convention, Seafarers aboard the T-2 tanker Kern Hills discharged the first Oil cargo
ever to be delivered to the Israeli port of Elath on Sunday, April 7. The Kern Hills was
the first US ship to make the^-
run through the Strait of Ti-
ran into the Gulf of Aqaba
at the head of the Red Sea. She
received a royal welcome from the
town, which turned out all of ifS
2,000 population to greet her.
The Strait of Tiran was former
ly controlled by an Egyptian gun
battery which did not peiunit any
ship bound for Israel to pass
through. During the brief Israeli-
Egypt warfare last fall, the Israelis
overran and destroyed the guns.
The area is now under the control
of United Nations forces.
Israel has maintained that both
the Suez Canal and the Gulf of
Aqaba are international water-
vjpys which should be open to all
shipping, while the Egyptians have
insisted the contrary. .
By running a US ship through
WORKER' APPLAUDS CURRAN
For a variety of reasons, all of which seem to elude Joe
Curran, all of the unions in maritime, plus AFL-CIO head
quarters, are on one side in the American Coal beef and Joe
Curran sits in lonesome splendor on the other side ... almost
all alone that is. For on April 13, the "Daily Worker," for
the second time since the coal beef began, has seen fit to embrace Cur
ran wholeheartedly with both bear-paws.
Once again it is George Morris, vetei'an Party functionary (and one
who remembers Joe way back when in the Party's palmy days)' who
does the embracing. Morris devotes his "World of Labor" column to
enthusiastic replay of Curran's pitch in the "NMU Pilot." He notes
with great satisfaction, "The current "Pilot," paper of the National
Maritime Union, is a throwback to 1937."
For those who weren't around in 1937, a little review of history is
in order. 1937 was the year that the "Pilot" was run by the water
front section of the Communist Party, lock, stock and barrel. The
managing editor was an active and open party member. 1937 was the
year that Joe Curran, Ferdinand Smith, Josh Lawrenson and Blackie
Myers were perfecting the Communist-front 0|-ganization that soon
throttled the NMU and ousted all those non-Communist activists who
had gone along with Curran and then discovered, too late, that they
were under the Stalinist thumb. And, of course, it was the year that
Harry Bridges now and then had his personal colunm in the "Pilot."
Good old 1937!
Why does George Morris say the "Pilot" looks like a throwback
to 1937? Because as the SIU has said time and again, Joe Curran to
day is using the same Stalinist tactics he and his Party cohorts em
ployed twenty years ago.
As part of the Stalinist pattern, as the MEBA paper, "Amer
ican Marine Engineer" points out, Curran accuses the SIU of at
tacking the hiring hall while he aids and abets destruction Of the
mates and engineers hiring hall; he shrieks "Taft-Hartley" at SIU while
he supports an American Coal attack on the rights of marine unions
to picket ships at shipyards, terminals and other properties not direct
ly owned by the company. Curran, after ordering his men through
MM&P and MEBA picket lines for five months, weeps crocodile tears
for the engineers because Seafarers are now taking jobs. on coab
ships!
Finally there Is the "big lie" technique which Curran employed so
generously in distorting the facts about the Washington meeting
with George Meany. When caught flatfooted in his distortions, Cur
ran's only recourse is to distort some more. For example, he ac
cuses the SIU of deliberately' postponing a showdown meeting with
'Buf I'm For You'
Meany when, in fact, the meeting was postponed because of the sud
den death of Harry Lundeberg, When SIU officials left Miami on
the eve of the meeting to pay their respects to the memory of the in
ternational president, that gave Curran an opportunity to lie and
distort some more.
No wonder the "Daily Worker" embraces Curran so ardently. No
one else in any section of the labor movement comes so close to the
Stalinist ideal the'^Worker" seeks. ,
(For latdst coal ship news, see page 5.); . ^ ^
V . .. . . .. : •• •• ..ra,.)SJiOl-J i wy 0? j56i'
the Gulf, the Israelis, with the ap
proval of the US State Department,
are attempting to establish that the
Gulf is international water in
practice as well as in theory.
At the recent SIU of NA con
vention delegates approved a state
ment on "Preservation of Democ
racy—Freedom Of tbe Seas-rIn
the Middle East" which read in
part:
. . . "Our nation as the leading
force and hope of the democratic
worjd, must take positive action to
Insure Israel'.'? survival. '
"Therefore we urge the govern
ment of the US to deal forthright-
ly with the most immediate, chal
lenge to Israel's position and se
curity. It is essential that Israel .
enjoy freedom of the seas . . .
"As American seamen concerned
with freedom of the seas we must
insist upon freedom of passage
through the Suez Canal and the
Gulf of Aqaba for all Israeli flag
vessels . . . We call upon our gov
ernment ... to encourage ship
ping through the Suez Canal and
the Gulf of Aqaba to the Israeli
port of Elath . . ."
Events broke fast all week in the '
Middle East, for in addition to
the Kern Hills run into Elath, sal
vage gangs completed clearance of
the Suez Canal, opening it to all
shipping but the very large super
tankers. A political agreement on
how the canal Is to be run is still
in the dispute stage.
SEAFARERS LOG
April 12, 1957 Vol. XfX No. •
PAUL IIAU. Stcretary-Treaaurer
HERBKST BBAifn, Editor. BERNAIID SEA-
UAN, Art Editor. BBUEAU ABTBUS. iBwnr
SnvAcx. Ai. UtMMjti. JOHN BHAZS.. Staff
Writert. Bnx Moom. Gulf Area Repre
sentative.
Published biweefcly or liM headquarters
of the Seafarers International Union, At
lantic « Gulf DMrlet, AFL-CIO, «7S Fourth
Avenue, Brooklyn 32, NY. Tel. HYacinth
9-6600. Entered at second class matter
at the Post Office In Brooklyn, NY, under
the Act of Aug. M, 1912.
A^ h, w^ .... SEAFARERS LOG Fife Threi ^
MAJOR SlU TUG WIN IN SOUTH
33-Day Walkout Ends
In Best Cult Tug Pact
HOUSTON—^The SIU's campaign to bring top conditions to maritime work
ers forged ahead this week as striking G&H tugboatmen unanimously approved
the best Union agreement ever negotiated in the Texas coast area.
The tugboatmen voted f
Addressing SlUNA convention in Son Francisco, Copt. Tonrimy
Atkins, notional president. Masters, Mates and Pilots (left), and
Neil J. Haggerty, secretary of tlie California Federation of Laborr
shared jostrum during week-long session.
California's Gov. Goodwin J. Knight (left) welcomed delegates
to SlUNA convention, which elected SlU Secretary-Treasurer Paul
Hall (right) as international president. Gov. Knight hailed SlUNA
efforts to improve the merchant marine and its record in the labor
movement.
to return to work under an
SIU-HIWD contract after
the rank and file and the
Union negotiating commit
tee hammered out a pact
with the towing company
covering wages, hours, wel
fare benefits and working con
ditions for licensed and unlicensed
personnel aboard the 26-ship fleet.
The successful wind-up of the
strike was just one aspect of the
SIU's continuing drive for estab
lishment of top notch union con
ditions in the harbor fleld. Much
of this drive is concentrated in the
deep South, particularly in the
tidelands area, where the SIU re
cently won a first-time agreement
with Phillips Oil, one of the larg
est oil companies in the offshore in
dustry.
Rank and File Committee
Following the past SlU pattern
in operations of this kind, a rank
and file negotiating committee of
G&H workers was elected by the
crewmembers in the fleet. The
committee then drafted contract
proposals which were subsequently
presented to the company by the
SlU.
When the company rejected
these rank and file demands and
the strike was caUed, arrangements
were made to pay strike benefits
and provide emergency aid for
strikers and their families. When
it was all over, G&H crewmem
bers expressed their appreciation
for these benefits and the all-out
support given them by the SlU.
As a_ consequence, they said, none
of the strikers or members of their
families suffered any serious in
convenience or severe hardship
during the course of the 33-day
walkout.
The significance of the victory is
emphasized by the fact that G&H
s the biggest tugboat operator in
the Gulf. The company has ex
clusive harbor towing rights in
several Texas ports, including
Houston, Baytown, Texas City, Gal
veston and Corpus Christi. It also
does a sizable deep sea towing busi
ness and is the largest operator
serving the tidelands oil explora
tion and producing industry.
SlU New Orleans Port Agent
Lindsey J. Williams, who directed
the strike operation for the SlU,
hailed the G&H workers as "as
solid a bunch of good union men
as you would find anywhere. They
stood up for themselves and the
Union all the way for 33 days. With
'hat kind-of support the operator
had to come to terms with the
the men and their designated
Union."
The 286 men in the fleet were
called out on strike at 9:30 PM,
March 4, by the negotiating com
mittee. The committee, headed by
SlU Assistant Secretary-Treasiurer
Bob Matthews, had been empow
ered by a unanimous vote of the
G&H tugmen to take such action
if necessary. Within a matter of
hours, the crews had hit the bricks
and the entire G&H fleet was tied
SIU of NA Acts On Key Issues
SAN FRANCISCO—Delegates representing 100,000 seamen, harbor Wkers, fishermen and allied crafts
concluded a fruitful week-long convention in the White omb Hotel here with renewed determination to press
ahead on a coordinated basis. The eighth biennial convention of the Seafarers International Union of North
America closed on Marcht
29 after acting on numer
ous major issues facing the
International's membership.
The theme of mutual effort
was emphasized and reempha-
eized throughout the week-long.ses-
aion. Several steps were taken
providing for closely-dovetailed ac
tion by two or more districts on
Issues common to the industry. The
- net effect will be to bring the
strength of the international to
bear on situations where individual
Districts are in need of reinforce
ment.
For the first time, the convention
met without the union's founder,
Harry Lundeberg, presiding. A
large photo of Lundeberg over
looked the proceedings and all dele
gations paid tribute to his immense
personal contribution to the well-
being of their respective districts.
Hall Named President
The death of Lundeberg last
January made election of a new
president an important order of
business. SIU A&G Secretary-
SIU Clinic To Open
Formal ceremonies officially opening the first SIU Health
Center in Brooklyn will take place on Tuesday, April 16, at
the center and at the New York headquarters hall. A large
turnout of industry, medical and Government representa-
iives is expected.
The center, to be known as the Pete Larsea Memorial
Clinic,, will provide diagnostic facilities for all Seafarers.
The facilities will consist of complete head to toe physical
examinations Including x-rays, blood tests, eye examinations,
and for older men, electro-cardiograph tests.
No treatment will be given at the center itself. Its per
pose is to detect health ailments before they reach' the stage
of putting a man fiat on his back. Seafarers in heed of treat
ment will be retSifi'ed to the US Public Health Service.
Treasurer Paul Hall was elevated
to the presidency. He had been
acting president under the provi
sions of the SlUNA constitution.
Another SIU & A&G representa
tive, Cal Tanner, was chosen vice-
president, while Morris Weisberg-
er, secretary of the Sailors Union
of the Pacific, was elected first
vice-president of the International.
Of major interest to Seafarers
was the convention's action in ap
proving the report brought in by
the Seamen's Organizational and
Grievance Committee dealing with
a wide variety of issues. (See sum
mary of committee's report on
Page 4.)
In its contents, the report re
stated traditional SlUNA positions
in support of the "50-50" law;
against MSTS' competition with
private shipping; in favor of the
Public Health hospitals, and for re
straints on transfers foreign. It
also called for federal legislation
to guarantee the hiring hall and for
defense of seamen's legal rights
under the Jones Act and other
statutes.
Lsappralsal Of Subsidies
^ Also on the shipping end, the re
port urged additional Government
aid for the dom^tic trades and a
reappraisal of the US subsidy pro
gram which, it charged, has been
tunneling Government aid into a
fe\y favored channels. It repeated
long standing opposition to Coast
Guard controls over American sea
men and called for vigilance
against Communist infiltration in
(Continued on page 15)
up in ports along thg" Gulf Coast
from New Orleans to Corpus
Christi.
The tugboat fleet remained shut
down for the duration of the dis
pute. Eighteen of the 26 boats
went back into operation at mid
night April 6, and the remainder of
the fleet was expected to be work
ing on schedule by the end of the
week.
SIU Will Go Ahead
SIU Secretary-Treasurer Paul
Hall added his congratulations to
the G&H men and Seafarers in-the
area for the excellent job done in
the strike. He emphasized that
the Texas campaign was "in line
with the organizing program set
down by the Union. We intend to
go 'ahead in the ports, in the tide-
lands and in any area where har
bor workers £ire looking for strong
union representation.
"We are heartened by the G&H
men's desire for top union repre
sentation through the SIU. Th#
tremendous gains won by them
now proves harbor workers can
improve their conditions under the
SIU banner."
The agreement, which runs for
three years and provides for an
nual reopenings for wage negotiar
tions, includes the following bene
fits:
• A substantial wage increase
providing the following pay rates:
Harbor Scale (30-day month)
—captains, $809; mates, $713;
cluef engineers, $788; assist
ant engineers, $713; deckhands
and oilers, $514; cooks, $531.
Tldelands-Intracoastal Canal
(30-day month) — captains,
$898; chief engineers, $873;
mates and assistant engineers,
$758; deckhands and oilers,
$576; cooks, $590.
Deep Sea (30-day month)—
captains, $960; chief engineers,
$915; chief mates and first as
sistant engineers, $750; second
mates and second assistant en
gineer, $660; ABs and engine
daymen, $570; cooks, $600.
Hourly overtime rate—Li
censed men, $2.75; unlicensed
men, $1.65.
• Establishment of the eight-
hour day. (The sharp reduction
(Contimied on page 15)
Report of the Marine Firemen's Union to the SjUNA convention
was presented by Baltimore Agent Tom Meyer (left). At right,
Nathan Bar-Yoacov, representing Israeli Embassy, hailed SlUNA
support for his country's merchant fleet in the past.
" - ^
'(•'l
k- •
%
r--"''^--. y'j'fi
t:''-iM:i:.hr-,
Fase Four SEAFARERS LOG
•' I
April 12. 1957
While crowd watches spellbound, Mayflower II takes a dangerous
list after her launching. List was later trimmed by adding and
shifting ballast. Ship will leave shortly to duplicate voyage of
the Mayflower in 1620.
AFL'CIO Suspends
Beckf Files Charge
WASHINGTON—The executive council of the AFL-CIO
has voted unanimously to suspend Dave Beck as vice-presi
dent of the Federation and as a member of the council itself,
and to file charges of mal-^*-
feasance and maladministra-
Tampa's Jobs
Still Climbing
TAMPA—Shipping has contin
ued to improve for the third
straight period in this area, reports
Port Agent Tom Banning,
There were seven ships in port
during the last two weeks. Cities
Service's Cantigny paid off and
signed on while the Beauguard,
LaSalle (Waterman); Alcoa Part
ner, Alcoa Roamer (Alcoa), Bien
ville (Pan Atlantic) and Chiwawa
(Cities Service) were serviced. All
ships were in good shape.
SCHEDULE OF
SlU MEETINGS
SlU membership meet
ings are held regularly
every two weeks on Wed
nesday nights at 7 PM in
all SlU ports. All Sea
farers ore expected to
attend; those who wish to
be excused should request
permission by telegram
(be sure to include reg
istration number). The
next ^U meetings will be:
April 17
May I
May 15
May 29
.hine 12
tion against
leader.
the teamster
AFL - CIO President George
Meany called a special meeting of
the council after Beck pleaded the
fifth amendment during his ap
pearance before a Senate investi
gating committee. The committee
is investigating improper activities
in the labor-management field.
The council also passed a reso
lution directing the AFL-CIO Ethi
cal Practices Committee to launch
an investigation into charges of
corruption among the executive
officials of the International Broth
erhood of Teamsters.
« Constitutional Basis
The action against Beck was
based on section II, article VIII of
the Federation's constitution which
states that "the executive council
shall have the power to file charges
and conduct hearings . . . (against
any executive officer) ... on the
ground that such person is guilty
of malfeasance or maladministra
tion."
Although the decision to file the
charges against Beck, Meany said,
came after his failure to explain
the many charges against him re-
gatding the mishandling of team
ster funds, they were based on his
position as a vice-president of'the
AFL-CIO and did not refer to his
capacity as president of the Team
sters.
Question Fund Use
Beck pleaded the fifth amend
ment as he was being questioned
by the Senate committee on the
disposal of some $320,000 in funds
belonging to the Western Confer
ence of Teamsters. Other testi
mony heard by the committee in
dicated that some of these funds
had gone for his personal use with
out authorization by the member
ship.
Seamen's Organization And
Grievance Committee Report
The following is a summary of the Report of the Seamen's Organization find Grlev-
ance Committee which was approved by the 8th biennial convention of the SIU of NA!.
This ^^ittee dealt with a wide variety of important matters affecting the seamen's
pld. The findings of the committee are presented in abbreviated form under the various
headings which the committee listed. In addition, this report notes the resolution on ethical
practices brought in by the resolution committee.
3iarine Pursers
Formerly three charters existed,
the Staff Officers Association on
the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts; the
Marine Pursers of the Pacific,
Seattle, representing Alaska
Steamship pursers; the Pacific
Coast Staff Officers Association,
inactive.
The convention voted to revoke
the charter of the Pacific Coast
Staff Officers Association and
extend the jurisdiction of the
Marine Pursers of the Pacific to
cover the entire West Coast. If
MPP is successful, convention
recommends that it and Staff
Officers consider merger.
Legal Rights
Of Seamen
and the Gulf of Aqaba for, all
.Israeli flag vessels."
Attention was called to the fact
that from time to time, US agen
cies,' operators and insurance
companies have attempted to
weaken seamen's legal protection
enjoyed under the Jones Act and
other statutes. It urged that steps
be taken to see to it that these
laws are vigorously enforced.
Organizing
The various affiliates of the in
ternational were called on to "in
itiate and Intensify" organizing
activities and to cooperate with
eacR other to that end.
9iTD
Vnemplogment
insurance
MSTS
The convention reaffirmed tra
ditional SIUNA opposition to
Government competition with
private industry. It pointed out
MSTS is uneconomic, far more
costly than comparable private
shipping and a duplication of ex
isting private shipping services.
New York and California un
employment insurance programs
were lauded as examples for
other states to follow. The In
ternational and its affiliates were
pledged to work for improveigient
in administration of unemploy
ment programs to obtain fair
treatment for all seamen.
The growth of the MTD, the
official AFL-CIO maritime body,
was noted and Its growth and
services lauded. MTD now con
sists of 11 International unions.
All affiliates were urged to par
ticipate in MTD port councils and
utilize the services of the na
tional MTD office.
Subsidies
Law
The convention criticized en
forcement of the law declaring
"the record indicates that the
law is not rigidly enforced, with
the result that substantially less
than that percentage is trans
ported in American bottoms. . ."
It pledged continued efforts to
preserve the law.
Anti'Union
Legislation
Delegates urged a "vigorous
campaign on a national and local
level" to protect union members'
rights and oppose "right to work"
laws, wage freezes and compul
sory arbitration moves.
The Senate committee cur
rently investigating the transfer
problem was asked to extend its
investigations to the subsidy pro
gram. The convention charged
that the program has been ad
ministered "to funnel government
aid into a few favored channels
. .^. such as US Lines ... US
Lines has utilized the strength
realized from Government suj)-
port for . .. establishing strangle
holds on lucrative trade routes
and ousting other American flag
operations from such routes."
Coast Guard
PRS Hospitals
The need for strengthening
and improving the hospitals was
reaffirmed with the resolution
pointing out that maritime ranks
as the third most dangerous in-
The SIUNA's long-standing op
position to Coast Guard controls
over American seamen was re
peated, with the convention call
ing for return of maritime func
tions to • the Department of
Commerce.
Great Lakes
Establishment of a three man
committee to develop organizing
on the Great Lakes was approved.
The committee will consist of the
heads of the A&G, Canadian and
Great Lakes Districts. The reso
lution pointed out that the Lakes
area will become increasingly Im
portant with the opening of the
St. Lawrence Sqaway.
Minimum Wage
Proposals to extend Federal
minimum wage coverage to sea
men and allied workers were
strongly endorsed. The conven
tion noted that while organized
seamen enjoy excellent wages
and working conditions, the in
clusion of seamen under the Act
"will be of benefit to those who
do not yet enjoy trade union pro
tection."
dustry.
Hiring Halls
The maritime hiring hall was
lauded as "the best method to in
sure fair and equitable distribu
tion of work. The convention
called for "federal legislation . . .
to guarantee that the hiring hall
be recognized as the proper me
dium for employment in all in
dustries in ivhich its use has been
an accepted practice."
Homestie
Shipping
More Government support to
revive these trades was, urged,
with special attention to 'Voll-on,
roll-off" and similar operations.
The convention asked amend
ment of the 1936 Merchant Ma
rine Act to provide for construc
tion subsidies "as an Inducement
to new companies to enter these
services."
US Screening
In light of the breakdown of
the Government's screening pro-
gi-am, the convention called on
its affiliates to "keep constant
vigilance . . . Because of the
breakdown of this program ... it
woxild appear that as a result
many Commies, screenos, etc.,
might now attempt to reinfiltrate
this industry. We should be on
our guard to prevent this." Dele
gates also approved proposals to
"cooperate in the development of
a proper security program"
which will bar Communist infil
tration and give full protection to
the American seafarer from dis
crimination of any sort.
Ship Mergers •
,?trong exception was taken to
the position of large shipowner
groups seeking exemption from
legislation which would require
advance notice to the Attorney
General of plans to merge ma
jor companies.
"W%must look with' suspicion,"
the convention report said, "on
any such big management request
for exemption from a law which
is intended to apply equally to all
industry . . . inasmuch as
changes in maritime corporate
set-ups could . . . dislocate the
employment of many seamen and
. . . result In labor unrest"
Runawags
The convention strongly sup
ported the current Congressional
investigations into foreign trans
fers and warmly endorsed the
Magnuson Bill, S-1488, which
v/ould severely restrict transfers
of US ships.
Can-Shaking
Long-standing opposition of the
international to can-shaking or
ganizations was repeated with the
convention emphasizing that
American seamen enjoy the best
of conditions and protection.
Under such circumstances, the
convention saw no need for can-
shaking organizations whose
ostensible purpose is to protect
seamen.
ILO
Delegates endorsed the ILO
maritime conventions as con
structive work in the interests of
workers throughout the world.
Middle East
The convention declared that it
viewed with alarm the threat of
the Soviet Union and some Arab
nations to the security of Israel.
It urged the US to deal forth-
rightly with the problem and
added: "As American seamen con
cerned with freedom of the seas
we must insist upon freedom of
passage through the Suez Canal'
Ethical Practices
The Resolutions and Officers
Committee brought.in a resolu
tion, approved by the convention
which declared that the SIUNA
in theory and practice subscribes
to the AFL-CIO's Codes of Ethi
cal Practices dealing with four
points. They are, issuance of lo
cal charters, administration of
health and welfare funds, rack
eteers, crooks, communists, fas
cists and other subversives, and
conflicts of interest.
(Subsequently, the SIU Atlan
tic and Gulf District's member
ship endorsed the convention's
action at membership meetings
In all ports, April 3. The mem
bership also endorsed a head
quarters recommendation to give
a vote of thanks to AFL-CIO
President George Meany "for the
courageous and forthright posi
tion he has taken on the difficult
question of Instituting and en
forcing an ethical practices
code . . ." The SIU A&G rec
ommendation added that the
AFL-CIO's action "wiU in the
long run be of tremendous bene
fit to everjr'Araerican -worker.'-')-.
April 12. 195T SEAFARERS LOG Page Five •• :m
Crew 5
Coal Co*
Vessels
Crewing of seven American Coal
Shipping vessels was well under
v/ay this week with Seafarers and
NMU men going aboard five of the
company's ships. The other two
vessels remaining, the Martha
Berry and Harry L. Glucksman,
will be crewed in Savannah around
the end of this month.
The crewing was conducted un
der the terms of a Federal court
order that paves the way for or
ganizing aboard the ships by both
the SIU and the NMU. In effect
the original order by Judge Law
rence Walsh recognizes both union
hiring halls as the source of man
power. It requires hirink on the
basis of industry-wide seniority un
til the National Labor Belations
Board acts on the question of reg^
resentation.
SIU Edge Indicated
As the SEAFARERS LOG went
to press, it appeared, according to
unofficial estimates, that the SIU
, had an edge in the total of men
shipped aboard the five ships. Old
time Seafarers and members of
other SIUNA affiliates were, as
expected, responding strongly by
throwing in for the coal jobs and
will, of course, continue to do so.
In order to meet requirements,
applicants for ACS jobs must show
the following:
• Discharges showing at least
nine days' seatime in 1954, '55 and
'56 and
• Their oldest discharge.
The legality of the hiring sys
tem has been upheld, in effect, five
times by three different courts, the
District Court, the District Court
of Appeals and finally by Justice
John M. Harlan of the US Su
preme Court. Justice Harlan in
formed NMU attorneys that he
saw no reason to stay the applica
tion of the order.
Vessels crewed so far are the
Casimir Pulaski, which still has
seven positions to be crewed when
the ship returns; the Cleveland
Abbe, the Walter Hines Page and
the Coal Miner," all in Norfolk; and
the Thomas Paine, crewing in
Brooklyn. The Paine had been in
a Brooklyn shipyard until now.
The SIU entered the dispute
when it filed unfair labor practice
charges against the company for
ACS' refusal to hire any of 300
Seafarers who applied to it for
jobs. The company had no ships
at the time.
Subsidized Owners Gang Up ,
Against Ship Transfer Limits
WASHINGTON Opposition to a Senate bill restricting ship transfers has been voiced
by the American Merchant Marine Institute, spokesman for the major subsidized opera
tors on the East and Gulf coasts. Opposition to the bill introduced by Sen. Magnuson
is also expected from other >
SUP secretary-treasurer Mor
ris Weisberger is newly-elect
ed California State AFL -V.P.
shipowner associations and the
Maritime Administration.
Public hearings on the measure
were called by the Senate Com
merce Committee for April 9 to 11.
Testimony was filed by the Gov
ernment, shipowner groups and
the maritime unions, including the
SIU.
AMMI support for virtually un-
Calif. State AFL Elects
Weisberger Vice-Pres.
SAN FRANCISCO—The California State Federation of
Labor has elected Morris Weisberger, secretary-treasurer of
the Sailors Union of the Pacific, as a vice-president of the
state body. *
One of the largest and most
active state federations in the
nation, the California Fed has
played an aggressive role in the
state's labor and legislative affairs
for many years.
• Weisberger's election to the
State Fed post came after he had
been named first vice-president of
the SIU of North America at the
recently-concluded SIUNA conven-
restricted transfers came after the
House Merchant Marine Commit
tee recessed two weeks of hear
ings on the transfer program. The
committee uncovered evidence that
profiteering and huge tax losses
figure heavily in transfers, and that
The Bureau of Foreign Com
merce reports that US ship
ping's share of foreign trade
dwindied to 22.5 percent for the
first nine months of 1956 com
pared to 23.4 percent for 1955.
The deputy director of the
bureau, Ernest A. Van Es, attrib
utes the decline directly to the
loss of 113 vessels in the year
1956 via the runaway route.
PORT O' CALL
aROOKLi^BAVnAMge
e75-4^» I2I6B.BAL1:
MSTS Cuts
Down 'Dew
Line' Ships
WASHINGTON—Merchant sea
men will man only about one-sixth
of the ships slated to take part in
this summer's "DEW-Line" supply
mission.
Under present plans, only 16 pri
vately-operated ships, ten of them
already in service, will actually
participate in the invasion of the
Arctic from the Atlantic and Pa
cific coasts to stock up US radar
and other military bases for an
other year. The rest of the ships
will be Navy-tnanned vessels in the
Military Sea Transportation Serv
ice fleet.
Altogether, 15 Victorys now
chartered to private companies will
be diverted for the supply project.
Six shallow-draft CI-M-AVIs to be
broken out have also been allo
cated to two West Coast operators,
Olympic Steamship and Alaska
Steamship.
However, five of the 15 Victorys
will not make the actual Arctic
supply run. They will be used to
fill in for MSTS vessels pulled off
their regular runs to join the sup
ply fleet.
The joint MSTS-Maritime Ad
ministration operation plans the
use of 96 ships all told. Last year
122 ships were used.
Vessels in the supply fleet will
thread their way north to service
the string of Distant Early Warn
ing radar Installations as
well as bases In Greeland, Baffin
Island and the Pribilof Island seal
ing stations. They must move into
Arctic area waters as soon as
they become accessible to naviga
tion and leave before the ice closes
in again for the -vinter late in Sep
tember.
The operation usually reaches
Rsrpeak -during At|gqst</ ji--,;.
tion here. He was named two
months ago by the SUP to succeed
the late Harry Lundeberg as sec
retary-treasurer of the Sailors
Union.
State Federation president
Thomas L. Pitts presided over last
week's sessions of the state AFL's
executive council, which adjourned
with a moment of silence in trib
ute to Lundeberg. The council also
adopted a resolution praising the
late SUP secretary's contributions
to American trade unionism.
Lundeberg had served as a vice-
president on the executive council
of the state body for the past 18
years.
The Marine Firemen's Union is
sponsoring two measures before
the California State Legislature
which would help protect seamen
when they are taken sick or in
jured in the service of a ship. The
first proposal would enable seamen
to institute actions in their own
names for wages, salvage or in the
enforcement of health laws with
out advance payment of court fees
or bonds. The second bill would
make it a misdemeanor for any
employer to neglect, after 10 days
notice", to pay for the care and
maintenance of any seamen unfit
for duty as a result of an illness
or injury sustained while in serv
ice of a ship. It also provides for
the payment of legal fees by the
employer in such an actiorf.
tt
A Canadian conciliation board
has recommended a general wage
increase of 10 percent for unli
censed personal on eight vessels
of the Government-owned Cana
dian National Steamships plying
between eastern Canadian ports
and the West Indies. The Cana
dian District SIU had asked for an
average increase of almost 50 per
cent for these men.
S. t S-
Full employment of all its mem
bers is still the prevailing situation
in the Brotherhood of Marine En
gineers which can supply jobs for
any BME man ready and willing to
work. The BME anticipates a tight
job squeeze with the onset of
warmer weather and the vacation-
season and urges qualified engi
neers to apply at its various port
offices.
the Government has no effective
control of runaway-flag shipping,
even if it is owned by American
citizens. These facts have been
publicized repeatedly in the SEA
FARERS LOG.
Favor Tanker Companies
The AMMI's position was seen
a« reflecting the interests of its oil
company members, who have taken
the lead in transferring their ships,
affc have refused subsidies because
transfers are more profitable.
It may also indicate that subsi
dized operators, who are common
ly thought of as the hard core of
American shipping, may be consid
ering the possibility of transfers,
particularly if federal construction
funds should be cut. The AMMI
move has also raised the possibil
ity that owners of subsidized ships
may have indirect interests in
"runaway-flag" shipping, and may
be trying to protect their com
mercial interests at both ends.
One possibility is that subsidized
operators may be supporting trans
fer as a means of weakening un-
subsidized American competition.
Under present conditions, subsi
dized lines receive federal aid to
ward new ship construction, while
unsubsidized operators must set
aside their replacement costs ex
clusively from their earnings. With
lower revenues forced on them by
cut-throat foreign competition, a
number of unsubsidized lines have
difficulty in replacing their ton
nage.
Over 300 Ships Lost
The ship transfer program has
cost the American fleet more than
300 ships and about 12,000 jobs
since 1954. It has also cost the
Government large direct and in
direct tax losses on operation, and
in capital gains.
An SIU statement presented to
the Senate committee pointed out
that the tax-free income earned by
American - owned runaway - flag
ships amounts to hundreds of mil
lions of dollars annually. The fig
ures were based on a report in
Business Week (summarized in the
LOG for March 15) showing that n
20,000-ton tanker hauling oil from
the Persian Gulf around Africa to
Europe nets S!750,000 a trip before
depreciation. On the basis of five
to eight trips a year, this adds up
to $4 million profits a year per
ship before depreciation.
Earnings in capital gains are of
the same high order. Reports of
ship sales indicate that the spread
between what a T-2 sells for in
the United States and its sale cost
for foreign operation has ranged
upward of $2 million per ship.
Transfer Not Needed
The high^.-eturn on tanker op
erations, the SIU statement con
tinues, proves that new tankers
would have been built even with
out transfer privileges. With a big
shortage of foreign ways, they
would have to be built in Ameri
can yards.
The only people who gain from
the transfer program, the SIU re-
Vote Bait.
Tug Fleets
(Continued from page 2)
ances and a pressing need for im
provements in their working condi
tions," Sheppard declared. "The
SIU is determined to fight on their
behalf with all its resources, just
as it did in the case of the G & H
tug workers who scored a smash
ing victory in Texas last week.
(See story on Page 3.)
"The Texas workers gained the
best conditions in the Gulf area.
Baltimore harbor workers, by vot
ing SIU can become the best paid
and best protected workers in this
industry."
Runaways Win
Anti-Union Suit
The need for legislation like
the Magnuson bill has been
highlighted by a Supreme Court
decision virtually barring Amer
ican maritime unions from pro
tecting themselves against run
away-flag competition.
By a 7 to 1 vote, the Court
ruled last week that maritime
unions can't picket runaway-
flag ships without exposing
themselves to damage suits. The
decision virtually assures run
away-flag operators the right to
sail in and out of American
ports and to maintain any condi
tions they please with perfect
freedom from job action.
The case arose from a 1952
strike in Portland, Ore., when
the crew of a Panamanian
freighter consisting principally
of German and Bi-itish seamen
went on strike.
The crew designated the SUP
as their bargaining agent and
the SUP and the MM&P pick
eted the ships. The picketing
was eventually stopped by court
order and damages were as
sessed against the unions. The
decision, from which only Jus
tice Douglas dissented, supports
the owner's damage suit.
port concludes, are the owners,
v.'ho are allowed a huge profit in
capital gains. Chief among the
profiteers are the major American
oil companies.
Under the Magnuson bill
(S.1488), an owner seeking to trans
fer his^ ships would have to meet
stipulations that the ship would
have no value to US defense, that
it would be useless to US com
merce, that its transfer would
further US foreign policy, that it
could not compete with American
vessels or release other ships for
cqmpetition with American ton
nage, and that it would maintain
the highest prevailing international
standards on safety, "manning
scales and crew accommodations.
Passage would virtually prevent
the transfer of the C-type shipi
that form the backbone of the na
tion's present-day cargo_ fleet. '
.fii' -•
Pagrc Six SEAFARERS LOG April 12. 1957
A&G Report To Convention
The SIU A&G District, at the SIUNA convention in San Francisco, reported that it
had been active in all areas of its jurisdiction since the previous convention in Montreal,
and that considerable progress had been made in strengthening the District and solidifying
the security of the membership. Following, is a summary of the A&G report:
Harry Lundeberg
The A&G District records its
deep sorrow over the passing of
Harry Lundeberg. It regrets also
the departure of Morris Weis-
berger from the New York area,
but wishes him success in his new
position as SUP secretary-treas
urer.
Welfare^
Vacation
Since the last SIUNA conven
tion,. A&G v/elfare and vacation
benefits have been broadened and
Increased in value. Here are the
major gains.
Death benefit. Raised on Octo
ber 15, 1956, to $4,000.
Hospital benefit. Raised on May
1, 1955, to $21 a week, payable as
long as a member is hospitalized.
College scholarships. Increased
In 1956 from four to five annual
grants, each .worth a total of
$6,000.
Dependents' Hospital and Sur
gical Benefits. Provided on June
1, 1955, to members' wives and
unmarried children, later extend
ed to step-children and depend
ent parents and liberalized in
scope.
Old age and disability benefits.
Increased on May 1, 1955, to $35
a week.
Training program. Training
school facilities set up in Mobile
In 1955. Expansion of New York
and Baltimore facilities approved
In 1956.
Vacation payments. Raised on
October 15, 1956, to $260 a year.
In addition to the above, the
Seafarers Welfare Plan also pro
vides maternity benefits, meal
and lodging benefits for unem
ployed seamen, recreational ben
efits both in SIU halls and
USPHS hospitals, and an inter
est-free loan program, for unem
ployed members.
The welfare fund has total
assets of nearly $61^ million,
while the vacation fund has assets
of over $1 million.
Contracts
Since the last SIUNA conven
tion, the A&G District has nego
tiated major contract improve
ments in wages, working condi
tions, and. welfare and vacation
benefits. On October 3, 1956, the
following gains were incorporated
into SIU contracts: wage and
overtime rate increase of 7.1 per
cent for all shipboard ratings;
limitation on loggings; reouire-
ment that members who die on
shipboard must be returned to a
US port at company expense; in
crease in vacation payments to
$260 a year; increase in death
benefit to $4,000 a year, liberali
zation of hospital and surgical
benefits, and extension of all wel
fare benefits to men drawing dis- •
ability pension benefit.
The A&G District believes it
has established the precedent
that logging is a proper subject
for collective bargaining.
Finances
In terms of financial stability,
the A&G District has sufficient
cash and other assets to allow it
to carry on an increasing number
of functions and services as well
as to continue its widespread or
ganizing activities. Sipce the last
convention in 1955, the total net
worth of the District has in
creased from $2,854,898.11 to
$3,126,095.42 as of March 18, 1957.
Legislation9
Legal Affairs
The A&G District has contin
ued to actively press for leglsla-
seamen and workingmen. In the
maritime field the District con
tinued its fight to preserve the
vital "50-50" law, while in the
area of general labor legislation,
it fought vigorously to prevent
the passage of new "right-to-
work" laws and win the repeal of
those already in effect.
Internally, the District mem
bership adopted amendments to
the Union constitution to provide
additional safeguards to the elec
tion procedure.
Healthy Safety
The problem of Seafarers'
safety is one with which the Dis
trict has been concerned for a
long time. Early this year the
contracted shipowners agreed to
participate in a joint shipboard
safety program advanced by the
Union, and apparatus was Set up
to get the project going.
Of equal concern to the Union
has been the problem of its mem
bers' health, and coincident with
establishment of the shipboard
safety program, the Union suc
ceeded in instituting a health pro
gram calling for the establish
ment of medical centers in the
major A&G ports.
Another Union innovation has
been the establishment of a new
shipboard feeding program. This
has simplified the working rule^
for steward department person
nel and also improved methods of
feeding aboard ship.
Organizing
Since the last convention, the
A&G District has signed 16 ne^v
deepsea companies to agreements,
although some of the Union's con
tracted companies have become
inactive in that period.
The District has also estab
lished three new divisions, known
as the Harbor and Inland Water
ways Division, Marine Allied
Workers Division, and Seafood
Workers Division. The HIWD-
and MA WD have already attained
successes in their respective
areas—for instance, in the off
shore oil industry—and have won
the benefits of a welfare fund for
about half of their 3,000 mem
bers. The SFWD organizing cam
paign will get under way very
soon.
In the area of inter-union re
lations, the District has continued
to work closely with affiliated
unions in the International as
well as with others in the general
labor movement. Among the or
ganizations the Union has sup
ported in the past two yeafs have
been the International Union of
Electrical Workers, in its fight
against the Westinghouse Com
pany, and the American Guild
of Variety Artists, in its battle
with the Ringling Brothers' Cir
cus.
Publicity^
Education
The A&G District has devoted
much attention to the problem of
education among Union mem
bers. The Union's official publi
cation, the SEAFARERS LOG, is
widely distributed every two
weeks, and there are many sup
plementary communications sent
both to the seagoing and shore-
side members, via mail, Morse-
casts and direct voice broadcasts
sponsored by the MTD. The Un
ion has been developing ship
board meetings as an important
medium of democratic expres
sion.
Longshoremen
give vigorous support to the In
ternational Brotherhood of Long
shoremen, AFL-CIO. During this
period the NLRB conducted an
other election in which the IBL
received approximately 40 per
cent of the votes cast. This was
regarded as a tremendous ac
complishment, since the IBL was
forced to wage an underground
campaign to protect longshore
workers against reprisals, and
since NMU President Joe Curran,
on the eve of the election, con
demned the AFL-CIO's policy
and urged longshore workers to
support the ILA.
Curran's letter, ;ivhich was ad
dressed to President Meany, was
released to the press even before
President Meany received it. On
October 23, 1956, Meany an
swered Curran in a letter clearly
exposing Curran's decejStive role
and tactics.
The A&G District will continue
to give its full support to the
IBL in: (1) protecting the long
shore worker at the dock level;
(2) protecting the IBL and its in
terests, and (3) upholding the
position of the AFL-CIO.
American Coal
A beef with American Coal
Shipping began last fall when the
company—formed by coal compa
nies, railroads and the United
Mine Workers — received ap
proval to charter 30 Government
Libertys.
Even while it was negotiating
with the Marine Engineers Bene
ficial Association and the Mas
ters, Mates and Pilots, the com
pany signed an agreement for
officers with District 50 of the
UMW, and it also signed with the
NMU for unlicensed personnel
although it still had no ships.
Curran's refusal to support the
MEBA and MM&P beef led the
MEBA to break a 20-year tie with
NMU and withdraw from the
Curran-dominated AFL-CIO Mar
itime Committee.
The SIUNA then entered the
picture and filed an unfair labor
charge because the company had
refused employment to some 300
Seafarers.
The dispute between Curran
and the other unions involved
came to a head when President
Meany called a meeting in Wash
ington in an attempt to find a
resolution. Meany's proposals
Since the last convention the
tlod affecting ,,the well-being of . . A&G ..District has continued to
that the NiVfU respect the MEBA
and MM&P picket lines, and that
the SIU withdraw its charges and
honor the NMU contract—were
accepted by the SIU despite the
difficulties entailed.
Curran rejected Meany's pro
posals; then, in a totally distort
ed article in the NMU "Pilot," he
tried to make it appear that the
SIU had turned down the plan.
Curran's action here is part of
his lifelong trade union pattern,
for he has always been an op
portunist, a turncoat, and a lUan
whom not even his closest associ
ates could trust. ,
Conclusion
In the opinion of the A&G Dis
trict, the maritime industry will
continue to follow its character
istic up-and-down pattern, and
this condition will continue to
present a challenge to maritime
unions. We are confident, how
ever, that in the days ahead the
SIUNA, aided by the coordinated
effort and close inter-union rela
tionship of the affiliates, will
continue to strengthen its posi
tion in the industry.
Bustling Baltic seaport of Danzig may soon be visited by Ameri
can ships with farm surplus cargoes for the first time in almost
20 years. ^ The Senate has voted to lift ban on trade with so-
called unfriendly nations, easing way for possible grain shipments
to Poland. The port is shown in pre-war photo.
More Surplus Aid Voted;
Ships May Visit Poland
WASHINGTON*—In the next few months Ainerican mer
chant vessels may be entering "closed" Polish ports for the
first time since pre-World War II days.
Following the recommenda-4
tions of its Agriculture
Committee, the Senate has
voted to extend the surplus dis
posal program until June 30, 1958,
and to increase the amount of sales
by $1 billion 300 million.
The Senators rejected an at
tempt to retain the ban on trade
Crews' Aid
For Safety
Urged In NY
NEW YORK — Response from
the membership and cooperation
from most of the contracted com
panies on the safety program has
been very good. Now, with many
more of the companies taking an
interest in the program, headquar
ters again requests that all the
ships' crews also participate in the
shipboard safety meetings and
voice their suggestions on the
matter.
Shipping continued to lag during
the last period, Claude Simmons,
port agent, reports, but indications
are that the next period should be
much better. A number of ships
are expected in from long trips and
the Waterman vessel Warrior, in
shipyard undergoing a survey, will
be taking on a crew during the
coming week, he said.
There were 31 ships In port dur
ing the last two wgeks. Of them,
21 paid off, one signed on and 9
were serviced. The George Lawson,
Pan-Oceanic Transporter (Pan-
Oceanic); Seatrain New Jersey,
Seatrain New York, Seatrain Texas,
Seatrain Savannah, and Seatrain
Louisiana (Seatrain); Maxton, Al-
mena. Ideal X, Coalinga Hills (Pan-
Atlantic); Beatrice, Elizabeth, Eve
lyn, Francis (Bull); Alcoa Pilgrim,
Alcoa Runner (Alcoa); Robin Ket
tering, Robin Kirk (Seas); Steel
Seafarer (Isthmian) j and Cantigny
(Cities Service) all paid off. The
Robin Doncaster (Seas) signed on.
Simmons commended the mem
bership for its support of the
SIU feeding program which has re
sulted in better union-management
relations and which has "helped
us in organizing and bringing new
companies under, the 3IU banner.".
with unfriendly nations, and ap
proved the use of these surpluses
in barter with Iron Curtain coun
tries.
The Administration had soqght
the repeal of the ban in order to
liberalize its economic powers in
dealing with "unfriendly" nations
in an attempt to sway them from
from the Russian bloc. At present,
Polish delegations are conferring
with US officials on possible barter
agreements for farm surpluses
which that nation surely needs.
Poland, although not the first of
the Communist-dominated coun
tries to ask for US aid, is consid
ered the most independent of the ,
Soviet satellites. Recent uprisings
and strikes have told of the dis
content of the people and the Po-.
lish government has been treading,
cautiously in the direction of in
dependence.
Under the proposed bill, • the.
Federal Government can sell or
barter food and other agricultural
surpluses to foreign nations. Since
most of the products are in bulk,
such as wheat, rice, cotton and
corn, this will involve a consider
able quantity of cargo shipments
to Europe and Asia.
Under the "50-50" law, at least
50 per cent of surplus products
must be shipped in American
owned and- operated vessels.
Farm bloc delegates made no
effort this year to impose any re
strictions on the operation of the
"50-50" principle.
The proposed legislation will
now face a test in the House of
Representatives but is expected to
be approved.
Crew Hailed
By C5 Head
The president of the Cities Serv
ice Oil, Company got a first-hand
view recently of how an SIU crew
handles one of the company's new
supertankers—and expressed him
self well pleased.
The occasion came about when
Cities Service president Burl Wat
son, together with Mrs. Watson,
made a trip south on the Cities
Service Miami, to Lake Charles.
Watson said the trip was very
pleasant and expressed himself
very well pleased with all opera-
.Uons .aboard .the jihip. ... .
m'
April 19. im SEAFARERS LOG Pag* Severn
YOIR DOLLAR'S WORTH
Seafarer's Guide To Better Buying
By Sidney Margolius
What To Do About Motor Oil
Buying motor oil is not the simple decision it used to be. There are
numerous brands and types on the market, and motorists are confused
about the conflicting claims for the various kinds, and the contradic
tory advice about when to change oil.
The problem is not so much the difference in price, although one
type or brand can cost twice as
much as another. More worrisome
is the question of whether you are
•buying the right kind and chang
ing often enough, or are doing
some hidden injury to your engine.
Despite the advertised names
and conflicting claims, oii gener
ally now comes in three types;
Regular oil is cheapest. It's gen
erally suitable only for light-duty
driving, or for an older car that's
burning a lot of oil. Otherwise, ex
perts say, it's not advisable to save
by using the "regular" grade. Reg
ular oil is sometimes designated
"iVIL", the "L" standing for light
duty.
Premium oil now is the medium-
price type. It's also sometimes de
signated • "MM" type, meaning for
moderate use. It has chemicals
added to prevent corrosion. This
type is generally suitable for nor
mal operating conditions. For most cars, especially those that have
had several years' use, it is a safe choice at medium cost.
Heavy-Duty oil, which may carry the designation "MS" (severe serv
ice) on the can, is a more expensive higher-detergency oil for heavy-
duty driving. Most car manufacturers recommend heavy-duty oil for
new or fairly new cars. Such oils contain detergents which keep car
bon and sludge in suspension, and prevent them from settling and
- clogging up engine parts, which are especially close-fitting in modem
high-compression engines. Higli-detergency oils also can be used in
cars with recently rebuilt or reconditioned engines, but engineers warn
against their use in older cars, especially those over the 40-50,000 mile
mark. The reason these expensive oils may actually do an older car
more harm than good is that they may loosen already-accumulated
sludge and carbon, with possible damage to engine bearings and other
parts.
Besides the type of oil, you need to be sure to use the proper winter
or summer grade. At this season of course, you need to switch to
heavier oil. There are also all-season or multi-grade oils on the mar
ket. These have the advantage of flowing freely at low temperatures
but resist thinning out in warm weather. They are most useful in
variable climates and for owners who make a lot of short trips. But
unless you have such special problems, it may not be worth paying
extra for all-weather oil. It costs ten cents and more a quart than
heavy-duty oii.
The designations ML, MM and MS can be a great help to motorists
in ctitting through the claims of various brands. Look for these letters
on the can to see what quality you are actually getting, and to help
select the type for your needs.
How often should you change oil? As this department previously
has pointed out, oil companies recdmmend changes at 1,000 miles gen
erally, and sometimes as often as 500 miles in cold weather or when
driving over dusty roads.
But manufacturers of many popular-price cars suggest in their
manuals that oil changes are necessary only every 2,000-3,000 miles for
cars driven under normal ^conditions.
The fact is, the motorist who travels mostly on the open highway
can get away with less-frequent changes than a city driver. Stop-and-
go traffic engines develop more carbon and make frequent oil changes
advisable, even sometimes at fewer than 1,000 miles. Some mechanics
also say it's safer to change oil at least ev^ry 1,000 miles if you use
a detergent oil. On the other hand, frequent oil changes are not as
. imperative in mild weather as in winter.
It's dangerous to let the oil level get too low, but it doesn't pay to
overfill either. If the dipstick shows the level is between the "add"
and "full" marks, you don't need any more oil. If the level is at or
near the "add" mark, add only one quart. Watch the level especially
carefully if your car has only a four or five-quart capacity. As each
quart of oil then becomes more important to the engine, experts advise.
The spring oil change is the most vital one because of the amount
of sludge, corrosive acids and tiny grit particles that accumulate in
the oil from winter driving. It's also vital to change your oil-filter
cartridge when you change your oil in the spring. Not only can a
clean filter save oil changes at very small expense to you, by, keeping
oil clean, but it will help protect your engine from harmful deposits
and sludge accumulation. Many car owners don't realize the filter has
a built-in bypass. A clogged filter won't filter the oil. One authority
says you may be able to tell if the filter is clogged by observing whether
the filter housing feels cool when the engine itself is hot. If so, the
filter probably is clogged.
Nor does it pay to buy cheap cartridges for your filter. Better-grade
cartridges cost only $1-$1.50 for most cars. They generally have more
and finer perforations which provide more thorough filtering, and also
have higher-quality filling materials. Also beware jucomplete filter
changes, in wliich you or yoiu* meciianic simply drop in a new cartridge
without cleaning out sludge accumulation in the container.
San Juan SlU Hail Open For Business
Seafarers from shfps in San Juan area make use of modern furnisfiings at brand-new SlU hall in Puerto
Rico to catch up on the news in the LOG. The building is located at 101 Peloyo, on the ground floor
of the Maritime Building, only three doors down from the old hall. A major conversion job, which
Seafarers aided, helped get the place into shape. The hall is fully air-conditioned and easily able to
accommodate meetings of 100 or more persons.
Tuxford 'World's Champ' In Safety
Seafarers and officers of the Robin Tuxford are claiming a new "world's champion
ship" for freight ship safety. The Tuxford rolled up 502 days without a single lost-time
accident on board.
As far as the records show,
the 502 days is an all time high
for freight ship operations, un
less somebody can come along and
prove otherwise.
Captain Kenneth Chambers, the
skipper of the Tuxford, declared
that the reason for the outstand
ing record was the "full coopera
tion and excellent spirit" of the
entire gang from topside on down.
Robin Line officials pointed out
that the usual experience in the
industry, the thirffmost dangerous
in the US, was that a single trip
seldom passed without a lost-time
accident. They described the Tux
ford achievement as remarkable in
Book Lauds
'America At
Sea' Theme
"If there is an exception to the
rule (that a single ship can help
to shape history) the story of the
Seatraln Texas fits the bill. Under
extraordinary circumstances and
against great odds she delivered
a cargo which stopped Hitler's ad
vance in Africa .. ."
So begins the account of the
Seatrain Texas' historic solo run
of July, 1942—one of the many
fascinating accounts of maritime
exploits, in peace as well as war,
in the book, "Famous American
Ships," by Frank O. Braynard.
Braynard, formerly ships' news
reporter for the New York Herald
Tribune, is now director of infor
mation for the American Merchant
Marine Institute. He is also a
skilled artist, and his own pen-
and-ink drawings depict ail the
vessels featured.
Braynard's book is subtitled "An
Historical Sketch of the United
States as Told Through Its Mari
time Life." It spans the entire
maritime history of this country
from the earliest voyages of the
Vikings,
"Famous American Ships," pub
lished by Hastings House, of New
York, is now in its second printing.
It retails for $5.
the light of the past pattern in
maritime.
Commenting on the record
achievement, an SIU headquarters
spokesman declared: "The Tuxford
case proves what we have believed
since the start of the joint Union-
industry safety program, that it is
possible to prevent disabling acci
dents and loss of life at sea
through use of time-tested safety
metliods. What was achieved by
,the Tuxford is something for every
SIU ship to shoot at in the future."
Actually, the Tuxford's record
dates back before the start of the
joint safety program, since the
company has had such a program
of its own prior to the industry,
wide set-up. Robin Line currently
is participating actively in the
Union-industry plan.
LABOR ROIIND-lIP
"A SO-hour workweek with no
loss in take home pay" is the an
swer to the increasing unemploy
ment problem caused by automa
tion, reports the International -As
sociation of Machinists. A second
Industrial revolution, based on
automation, is 1. its initial stage,
said lAM President A1 Hayes, and
with our present increasing popu
lation, unemployment is inevitable,
t 4 4.
A Supreme Court ruling has lim
ited State intervention in labor
disputes affecting interstate com
merce where the National Labor
Relations Board has refused to as
sert jurisdiction. The NLRB has
sole jurisdiction over these cases,
said Chief Justice Earl Warren.
Congress, he added, has clearly ex
pressed itself in favor of a uniform
Federal regulation of labor-man
agement relations and the de
cision of the NLRB not to rule in
such a dispute did not leave the
door open for the state to accept
jurisdiction.
4. 4) t
The International Chemical
Workers Union scored a 2-1 vie--
tory in an Ontario Labor Relations
election over the United Chemical
Workers to win representation of
employees of the strategic UDY
Metallurgical and Chemical Proc
esses Ltd. The UCW had been
ousted from the old Canadian Con
gress of Labor in 1949.
4 4; 4.
The Admlnistr:>tion approved
a recommendation asking for a
Congressional amendment to the
Taft-Hartley Act clarifying the
rights of labor unions and em
ployers in all industries to bargain
on an area-wide or national basis.
Although such contracts have been
consL'tently upheld in the past by
the NLRB, a recent Federal court
deci.sion noted that they never had
the express sanction of Congress.
The legality of the contracts was
not affected by the decision but
Labor Secretary James P. Mitchell
thought it best to get Congression
al approval.
4« 4" 4»
Reminiscent of the technique
used by John L. Lewis against the
AFL in 1947, mill employees at the
West Virginia Pulp & Paper Co.
mill announeed that they had "dis
affiliated" themselves from Lewis's
catch-all district 50. In strict con
formity with the "Lewis disaffilia
tion method," the message was
sent on brown wrapping paper.
The workers had recently voted to
join the-merged United Papermak-
ers and Paperworkers, AFL-CIO.
In another NLRB election, the Oil,
Chemical & Atomic Workers re
placed District 50 as bargaining
agent for the 2,100 employees of
Wyandotte Chemical Corp.
4" 4> 4*
The Meat Cutters and Butchers
Workmen's Union announced that
applications are being accepted for
apartments in the $6.5 million
union-sponsored Eai'l W. Jimerson
cooperative housing development
in Brooklyn. The apartments,
named in honor of the union's in
ternational president, represent the
latest in modern design and com
forts.
• i
•3
m
7vl
r • ^
I ' -•'
Pas:e Eight SEAFARERS LOG AprU 12, 1257
I; C.
I
4-Day Battle Saves
Crippled fe/fore;
0
Ship Back^ln Action
After being adrift and partially flooded for nearly four
days early in February, the SlU-manned Feltore (Ore Lines)
reached port safely thanks to the exertions of officers and
crew aboard.
The temporary disabling of
the Feltore was reminiscent
of the accident which involved the
Steelore, a sister ship in January,
1955. In that instance, the Steelore
was totally disabled and had to be
towed into port, but the Fftltore
was more fortunate in being able
to get its power plant and engines
operating again.
According to information receiv
ed from Seafarer John C. Green,
deck delegate, the Feltore started
taking water in the engine room
when a pump intake broke. The
rising water, which reached a
depth of nine feet, shorted out the
power and crippled the vessel. This
was on February 5.
A call for help was put out and
the Chilore proceeded to the scene
with spare parts. Meanwhile,
Ala. Leases
Tidal Lands
Oil Fields
MOBILE — Bids are being ac
cepted by the State of Alabama for
the leasing of offshore oil lands
for exploration and drilling. So
far, several thousand acres have
been leased to various oil com
panies who are taking advantage
of the tidelands, one of the na
tion's few remaining sites of large
oil deposits.
Promising develpoments in
Louisiana tidelands are spurring
oil treasure hunts on the Gulf.
Port Agent Cal Tanner reports
that with the acceptance of these
bids, there will be increased num
bers of small boats, barges, rigs
and other development equipment
for the Harbor and Inlands Water
ways Division to organize! The SIU
is the first maritime union to sign
an agreement covering workers in
this expanding industry. At pre
sent the union has a contract cov
ering the employees of the Phillips
Petroleum Company, one of the
lending producers in the offshore
oil field.
It also just concluded a success
ful strike at G&H towing, the larg
est tug operator in the offshore in
dustry. (See story on page 3.)
Shoreside Jobs Open
Tanner also reports that job
activities in port have been very
goodTMany Seafarers on the beach
are finding relief jobs in the ship
yards while waiting to sign on. He
expects some 350 jobs to be open
in the yards- very soon. Activity
has also picked up, he said, in the
tug area. Most of these are out
side towing jobs which are good
paying and run from five days lo
three weeks.
On the shipping front, there
were nine vessels in port during
the past period. They were the
Catherine (Drytrans); Claibbrne,
Monarch of the Seas (Waterman*;
Alcoa Corsair, Alcoa Cavalier,
Alcoa Pioneer, Alcoa Partner,
Alcoa Polaris (Alcoa). Next period
promises to be just as good, if not
better, with some 13 ships expected
In so far.
Green reported, the engine room
gang was working frantically to
close valves and get pumps work
ing. For a while, he said, the "2hd
engineer, and Manuel RendueleSj
FWT, were diving into water to
sl op the water from coming in. For
hours both men were working
mostly under water and losing all
kinds of wrenches, nuts and bolts
until they finally secured the rest
of the line." Cargo pumps and
bilge suction pumps were put to
work until finally the water started
to recede.
For the next 48 hours, he said,
the wipers and daymen worked
around the clock to keep pumps
operating and replace those under
water.
Lifeboat Sinks
On February 8th, three days
later, the Chilore showed up at
4:30 AM with spare motor equip
ment. The No. 2 lifeboat was low
ered in heavy seas. "It took us
from 6:45 to 8:45 AM to attempt
to get the armature ... at 8:45 the
armature was lowered into the
No. 2 lifeboat and we attempted
to row back to our ship but we
could not make any headway."
In the course of the struggle, the
lifeboat rammed the side of the
vessel and started shipping water.
The crew was taken off, "but we'
had to let her go and sink with
the armature the engine room
needed badly." Finally, the neces
sary repairs were completed and
on February 9 she got underway
again. "We should give credit to
the engine department," Green
concludes, "for a good job well
done."
Members of the deck gang who
manned the lifeboat included
Howard Webber, bosum; Green,
Jack Wise, AB; and Jack Carson,'
DM. Green also cited Wiiliam
Tellez, OS; who volunteered to
attempt to remove the armature
from the lifeboat but was ordered
not to by the captain because of
the danger involved.
Subsequently the Feltore went
into the shipyard where after a
week's repair she was put back
into service again.
The Steelore was less fortunate
since it was never restored to serv
ice.
March 20 Through April 2
Registered
NY State Tax
Refund? Maybe
A ruling by New York State
tax authorities on sickness pay
exemption may open the way for
Seafarers paying ^le state tax
to collect refunds on previous
years' payments.
The ruling provides that sick
ness pay received from an em
ployer from the years 1954 on
ward can be deducted from tax
returns, provided such pay is
part of an established sickness
pay plan.
On the face of it, the ruling
would seem to exempt pay re
ceived from a shipowner in the
form of unearned wages where
a Seafarer is removed from a
ship sick or injured before ar
ticles are broken.
Seafarers who think they are
entitled to a return can get
more information from state
tax offices. They can also get a
refund form on past years'
taxes from the state offices.
rort Deck Deck Eng. Eng. Stew. Stew. Total Total Total A B - A B ' A; ^ B - . A - -B : H og.
Boston 1
5 7 . 4 2 0 19 0 28
New York ... .. 63 12 51 19 46 10 160 41 201
Philadelphia . 27 3 20 , - 4 10 2 57 9 tfiO
Baltimore ... .. 67 17 27 16 26 12 , 120 45'.
Norfolk 5 20 9 13 9 53 23 "'1-76
4 B 2 2; 2 14 fl . j'"'" 22
4 5 5 8 . 1 20 10 30
Mobile • •••#«•••••••••• .. 17 8 20. ; 4 21 8 58 20 . 78
New Orleans . .. 51 9 47 10 49 11 147 30 177
Lake Charles 7 10 6 13 11 - 38 24 62
Houston . .. 12 19 8 9 8 55 28 83
Wilmington .. 6 8 7 7 4 . - 24 17 41
San Francisco 6 12 7 9 4 37 17 54
Seattle ...... 17 16 11 5 8 38 36 '74
Deck Deck Eng. Eng. Stew. stew. Total Total Total
A B - A B .. A B A B Reg,
Total , .. 115 268 112 220 90 840 317 1157
Shipped -
Port Dock Deck Deck Eng. Eng. Eng. stew. Stew. Stew. Total Total Total Total
A B C A B C A B C A B C Ship.
Boston .10 2 5 0 1 1 0 9 7 0 16
New York ... 11 4 43 8 13 41 4 7 133 23 24 180
Philadelphia . - 4 0 10 0 2 11 4 2 38 8 4 50
Baltimore ... 16 0 29 16 4 22 17 3 106 49 7 162
Norfolk 3 13 2 2 1 0 5 10 5 8 23
Savannah .... 12 5 1 3 2 2 3 11 4 8 23
Tampa 113 5 2 »2 1 1 13 7 4 24
Mobile ...... 16 5 0 23 5 ~ 13 11 9 4 50 19 17 86
New Orleans 9 0 46 11 8 39 6 7 130 26 15 171
Lake Charles 7 ] 1 9 7 1 7 3 2 25 17 4" 46
Houston 13 6 21 11 11 10 9 7 51 33 24 108
Wilmington . , 2 3 5 3 6 8 1 0 20 6 9 35
San Francisco 3 0 8 6 0 5 0 0 23 9 0 32
Seattle 5 3 6 • 3 1 5 1 1 24 9 5 38
- Deck Deck Deck Eng. Eng. Eng. Stew. Stew. stew. Total Total Total Total
A B C A B c A B C A B c Ship.
Total ..." 265 81 21 213 83 66 165 58 42 643 222 129 994
INOUIRING SEAFARER
QUESTION: Are you satisfied with the reading matter that's put
aboard ships in the form of the SIU ship's libraries?
N. J. McKenyen, AB: I find that
ships have very goort libraries with
fine reading ma
terial in them.
Since most of
m y jeading i s
done when I am
at sea, I espe
cially appreciate
the old m a g a -
zines which help
me catch up on
what's going on.
Another favorite of mine is the
Reader's Digest.
Louis Torres, AB: The books on
board ship are very good and a
great help 1 n
passing the time
when we are off
duty. I do think
that there should
be more of them,
especially the
hardboiled detec
tive ones, and the
action true type
story magazines.
We could do with
love books.
those
4> 4"
Glenn Darling, AB: I am not
satisfied with the books on ship.
There is not
'- ' enough of a va
riety. If there is
one copy on ship
there must be
five more. Every
time we get a
new package of
books, they are
always copies of
the ones already
oh board, especially on long trips
where we can't change them often.'
•Tohn N. Ahrahamsson. OS: They
should have less of the political
and "mush" type
of books. My
complaint is
against all the
outdated maga
zines. We should
get more current
ones. Also I have
a grudge against
men who hoard a
pile of the books
all trip and prevent the rest of us
from reading them.
4 4 4
Carlos Morales, bosun: I think
putting books on ships for the men
to read was a
very good idea. I
am very satisfied
with the libraries
I find on them.
While off duty I
read a lot, espe
cially the histor
ical and murder
type stories. I
usually find
enough on any ship to keep me
happy for the whole trip.
Shipping droppe(i below the 1,000-job mark last period for the fifst time in 12 months.
The steady decline is a "freak" for this time of year, but is still continuing.
At the same time, new ship transfers are adding to the problem by swelling the
number of men on the beach.
Registration has kept well
ahead of shipping for several
weeks.
- Six ports missed out on the gen
eral decline by showing increases
during the past two weeks. A sev
enth, New Orleans, maintained the
same pace as before. The ports
which showed gains were Boston,
Baltimore, Savannah, Lake Charles,
Houston and Wilmington.
Among those which declined
were New York, Philadelphia, Nor
folk, Tampa, Mobile, San Fran
cisco and Seattle. The last two
mentioned, both on the West Coast,
reported the worst drop, although
Wilmington had relatively fair
shipping on its own.
In all likelihood, shipping will
break out soon the same way it did
a year ago when the industry was
in a slump. The increased activity
that resulted continued well 4nto
this past winter.
The widest spread between man
power registered and shipped was
in the deck department, although
shipping for class C men in^that
department was the slowest of all.
In terms of seniority shipping,
class A handled 65 percent of the
total jobs, class B 22 percent and
class C the rest. The figures
showed an increase in the propor
tion of class A jobs and a decline
to the lowest point in a year for
class C. Boston and San Francisco
shipped nd class C men at all.
Following is the forecast port by
port: Boston: Slow . . . New York:
Fair . . . Philadelphia: Fair . . .
Baltimore: Good .. . Norfolk: Good
. . . Savannah: Fair . . . Tampa:
Fair . . . Mobile: Good . . New Or
leans: Good ... Lake Charles: Fair
. . . Houston: Good . . . Wilming
ton: Fair . . San Francisco: Fair
. . . Seattle: Fair.
4 4 4
George LeStrange, FOW: Read
ing is good for the mind and I
think that there
should be more
of the educational
books on ship.
Most of them are
fictional and I
get nothing out
of them. Usual
ly I bring some
technical books
on engineering
on board with me. !Why waste the
time With-the other kind.
•ill" ;i/.;•'^n
April 12. 19S7 SEAFARERS LOG Pa«re Nine
Talking it over on Houston picketline
are Alton F. Roberts, from the tug Pro
peller (left), and John F. Stineff of the
H. O. Weatherby. Pact won 8-hour day.
Half of the 26-ship G & H fleet was tied up in Galveston
during entire beef. Strike headquarters was in Houston.
Sharing turn on Galveston picketline (1 to r) are A. L.
York, mate on the tug Pike; Bill Thuerwachter, captain,
Messenger; E VanBenthuisen, chief engineer, H. O.
Weatherby, and SIU representative R. F. "Mickey" Wil-
burn.
A HARD-HITTING 33-day strike by
the SlU's Harbor and Inland
Waterways Division won the top
union agreement in the entire Gulf
tugboat industry Saturday when the
biggest operator in the area signed
up for a new contract. The 26-boat
fleet of the G & H Towing Company
had been tied up tight since March 4
from New Orleans to Corpus Christi.
The pace-setting settlement won
the unanimous approval of the 286
men in the fleet after an SlU-HIWD ne
gotiating committee hammered it out.
The pact establishes a base monthly
wage of up to $576 for deckhands
and oilers, an 8-hour day, 9 paid
holidays, two weeks' paid vacation,
full Job security guarantees and a
company-paid health and life insur
ance program for the tugmen and
their families.
Arthur L, York, mate on the Pike, who
cast first ballot in vote on strike settle
ment, makes no secret of his jubilation
over the SIU-HIWD win.
Rank-and-file strike committeemen (1 to
r) D. Doherty, J. Matejek, H. Palmer, J.
G. Caudle, F. Freeman, C. C. Nyberg,
and A. L. York cheer end of the beef.
listening intently to the SIU-SlWD negotiating com
mittee's rraort on contract at special meeting in the
Houston SIu hall are sonie of the tugbcatmen who tied
up the G & H fleet for 33 days. They adopted the con
tract by a secret ballot vote.
Explaining a point during special meeting on new G & H agreement in Houston SIU
hall, New Orleans Port Agent Lindsey Williams (at mike) served as chairman of
^ the meeting And directed strike operations. Other officers of meeting are SIU rep. R.
. F. "Mickey" Wilburn (left) and Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Bob Matthews, who
led the negotiating team, v , ^ ^ . v» . , . ' -
•VW"-;-.:'.- '.
• • : ji
,cl
vp.v^ I
.^ll
Pace Tea SEAFARERS tO^ April IS. 1957
•?,?-•>'
m. 'J''
MTD Voice
Broadcasts
In 2nd Yr.
The second year of weekly di
rect voice broadcasts to ships'
crews will start this Sunday under
the continuing sponsorship of the
AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Depart
ment.
Representing another MTD
"first" in maritime, the union
voicecasts are supplemented by
v.eekly 'round-the-world wireless
broadcasts which began 20 months
ago. The two series of broadcasts
by the MTD, of which the SlU is
a member, provide up-to-minute
news on union and general mari
time developments for members
of MTD's deep-sea affiliates.
Increasingly popular with ships'
crews, the voice broadcasts are
beamed to ships in Atlantic, South
American and European waters on
three different frequencies at 1620
GMT (11:20 AM EST) each
Sunday. They can be picked up
clearly by shortwave radios aboard
ships in those waters.
The wireless broadcasts blanket
the globe in separate Sunday and
Monday transmissions to cover all
waters. They go out Sundays at
1915 GMT (2:15 PM EST Sunday)
to all areas except Australia and
the Northwest Pacific. These areas
get the same transmissions on
Mondays at 0315 GMT (10:15 PM
EST Sunday), due to time differ
ences west of the International
Dateline.
Following approval by the Fed
eral Communications Commission,
the direct voice broadcasts got un
derway last April 15. Listeners
who have comments and sugges
tions on the broadcasts can address
them to MTD, Box 525, General
Post Office, Brooklyn 1, New York.
u>c-
^ Testimony at now-recessed House committee hearings has
focussed attention on an old problem: ship transfers and their
affect on US shipping. Now the scene is shifting to the Sen
ate Commerce Committee, which has a bill before it to deal
effectively with the problem.
The issues in the case are clear. Every ship transferred
foreign idles more seamen on the beach and. creates more
cheap competition for the remaining US vessels. It also pro
duces an endless cycle, with shipowners seeking the trans
fer escape route because they cannot keep up with the grow
ing competition.
On the other hand, the transfer program is defended by
Government officials, who claim that only by allowing trans
fers can they get new US vessels built, and by the shipown
ers. The operators are concerned solely with profits. Each
transfer gives them a "subsidy" which can be applied against
the cost of the new tonnage.
This leaves thousands of unemployed seamen holding the
bag, waiting for a trickle of new construction in the future.
The US, in turn, is left with a shrinking merchant fleet. This
creates the spectacle of the greatest nation in the world hav
ing to turn to foreign fleets, built up with American aid funds
and former American tonnage, to carry more and more of its
own foreign trade.
Sanctuary For Runaways
US maritime unions have tried to organize the runaway
fleets >and bring them up to American standards with some
success. But on Monday, the US Supreme Court ruled against
these activities, making American ports a legal sanctuary for
the runaways.
Still another element is the subsidy question. Washington
is reluctant to offer cash subsidy assistance lo more than a
few favored operators. Instead, in one instance, a huge $62
million subsidy is recommended for just one new super-liner
which may someday be useful as a troop carrier. House lead
ers, bent on economy in the budget, have turned this down.
And as if transfers to runaway flags weren't enough several
foreign nations are seeking to build up their fleets with ships
from the US reserve fleet. This means still greater competi
tion for US shipping, though the ships are supposed to be used
solely in the coastwise services of the countries involved.
But the authorizations for these sales carry a loophole. With
the full approval of the Secretary of Commerce, five ships
sold to the Philippines for the island trade last year are now
conceded to be engaged in offshore operations.
The only remaining solution, then, seems to be a set of rigid
safeguards against the indiscriminate trading away of US
ships, coupled with a thorough reappraisal of the subsidy
situation. As a first step, the Magnuson bill now before the
Senate committee would insure the necessary safeguards. It
has the hearty endorsement of every seaman, all maritime
unions and every supporter of a strong US merchant fleet.
Manning Scales
Face FMB Cuts
WASHINGTON—A possible Government attack on US
ship manning scales with consequent loss of seamen's jobs
has been indicated in hearings before the House Appropria
tions Committee. JVIaritime>-
Administrator Clarence Morse
has told the committee that
in the opinion of the Federal Mar
itime Board, subsidized steamship
operators are employing more
crewmembers per ship than Mari
time thinks necessary.
Morse said that the FMB has
before it a staff recommendation
which would establish maximums
for manning of subsidized ships.
Individual ship companies would
have to justify carrying of larger
crews if they wished to have the
additional'manpower figured in on
subsidy payments.
Squeeze On Unions
He indicated that the board
would approve the recommenda
tions of the study, putting the
squeeze in turn on maritime unions
which have contracts with the sub
sidized operators.
' Under SIU and other union con
tracts manning scales are the sub
ject of negotiation between the
shipowner and the Union. How
ever, if the Government were to
cut down on manning scales, it
would put the pressure on unions
in future negotiations to conform
with the Government's recom
mendations.
Further, since manning scales
are roughly similar from one com
pany to the next, any reduction in
manning for subsidized companies
would certainly affect the non-
subsidized segment of the industry.
The subject of manning scales
was raised two years ago by the
House Merchant Marine Commit
tee at a time when it was discuss
ing proposals td impose a wage
control plan on maritime. At that
time, union representatives testi
fied to the effect that manning on
US vessels was actually lower than
on ships of principal competing
maritime nations.
The 1955 Government moves to
interfere with free collective bar
gaining and impose arbitration on
sea unions were dropped after very
strong opposition from SIU of NA
and its affiliates as well as other
maritime unions. The NMU, on
the other hand, accepted the.prin
ciple of a referee with power over
shipping contracts.
Having been defeated on tho
wage limitation plan. Government
officials seeking to cut down on
payments to maritime are appar
ently taking another "tack toward
that same end with the proposed
manning sdaie reduction.
Robert
Alfred Hancock, 53: Brother
Hancock died from a circulatory
condition on March 1, 1957. He
joined the Union on June 25, 1955,
and was sailing in the deck depart
ment. Brother Hancock is survived
by a niece, Beatrice L. Knox of
West Bridgewater, Mass. Burial
took place in Melrose Cemetery,
Brockton, Mass.
L. Allen, 30: Brother
Allen died on
March 4, 1957, as
a result of an in
testinal disorder.
He joined the
Union on Febru
ary 17, 1945, and
was sailing in the
steward depart
ment. Burial took
place in C^een-
lawn Cemetery, Portsmouth, Ohio,
t 4.
Shirley Poole, 47: On March 14,
1957, Brother Poole died in the
USPHS Hospital in Galveston,
Texas, as a result of a tumor. He
joined the Union on December 20,
1955, and sailed In the deck depart
ment. Brother Poole is survived by
his wife, Mrs. Jewell Poole, of De
Quincy, La. Burial took place in
Goodhopo Cemetery, Galveston,
Texas.
MEBA Raps
NMU Attack
On Officers
The Marine Engineers Benefi
cial Association has put out a spe
cial issue of its publication, the
"American Marine Engineer" to
denounce NMU President Joseph
Curran's refusal to support AFL-
CIO unions in the American Coal
beef.
Further, the MEBA accuses Cur-
ran, while posing as defender, of
the hiring hall, of fostering an at
tack on the officers' hiring halls
and the rights of sea unions to
picket.
The MEBA points out that
American Coal, with Curran's ap
parent approval and support, has a
legal proceeding going which
would deprive maritime unions of
picket rights where a ship was at
a pier, repair yard or other facil
ity not belonging to the shipown
er. "Since ships have no perma
nent sites, they must always bo
picketed at the premises of another
company. Should the NLRB rule
such picketing to be an illegal sec
ondary boycott. It will henceforth'
be impossible for a maritime union
to picket effectively."
Turning to Curran's account of
the 'Washington meeting with
President Meany, the MEBA says:
"President Meany asked only
one thing of Curran, that he honor
the picket lines of the MEBA and
MM&P.
"President Meany asked far
morj of the SIU. He asked not
only that the SIU withdraw its
charges filed with the NLRB, but
that it recognize the NMU contract
for all the ships that AMCOS might
eventually put Tnto service . . ."
Moving? Notify
SIU, Welfare
Seafarers and SIU families
who apply for maternity, hos
pital or surgical benefits from
the Welfare Plan are urged to
keep the Union or the Wel
fare Plan advised of any
. changes of address while their
applications are being proc
essed. Although payments are
often made by return mail,
changes of address (or illegible
return addresses) delay them
when checks or "baby bonds"
are returned. Those who are
moving or plan to move are
advised to imn;;d»ately notify
SIU headquarters or the Wel
fare Plan, at 11 Broadway, New
York, NY.-
AprUis. 1957 SEAFARERS LOG r*g» EiercB •;i m
''" I
C'mon Dan, Drop The Gun!
Mrs. Alfred Chambers chidM son. Danny, 4l/{, to put down his gun
so a LOG photographer can take his picture. She and the chil
dren visited the New York SlU hall to check on welfare benefits.
Baby Brian is unconcerned by it all..
House Pole-Axes Funds
For New US-Flag Ships
WASHINGTON—Stepping up its economy drive, the
House Appropriations Committee voted last month to slash
ship construction and operating subsidy funds for the com
ing fiscal year. A hot fight
over the cut is expected on
the House floor, with industry
lobbyists going all-out to have the
funds restored.
Chief target of the committee's
axe was a $62 million request for
construction of a new luxury liner
for US Lines. The vessel, which
would replace the S/S America,
has been supported by the Gov
ernment because of its defense
value and the presumed prestige
it would bring the nation. Like its
sister ship the United States, it
would concentrate heavily on first-
class passengei's.
Late Wednesday, the full House
All of the following SIU families
will collect 'the $200 maternity
benefit plus a $25 bond from the
Union in the baby's name:
Paul Sidney Toler, born March
15, 1957, to Seafarer and Mrs.
Bichard L. Toler, Vineland, NJ.
t 4" 4"
Victoria Badyk, born October 6,
1956, to Seafarer and Mrs. Joseph
Badyk, Union City, NJ.
t
Angela Marie Cuevas, born Jan
uary 24, 1957, to Mrs. Mercedes
Pitre Cuevas, widow of Seafarer
Maximiliano Pitre, New Orleans
La.
it a> t
William Arnold Roberson, bom
March 20, 1957, to Seafarer and
Mrs. Charles V. Roberson, Mobile,
Ala.
-4' 4-^4
James Cabral, born March 19,
1957, to Seafarer and IVtrs. John
Cabral, Brooklyn, NY.
t> if
Everette Keith Richards, born
March 1, 1957, to Seafarer and
Mrs. Alber H. Richards, Baltimore,
Mp.
voted to uphold the committee's
action on funds for the new liner.
The Senate has not acted on it yet.
Also affected by the $94.5 mil
lion cut are plans for construc
tion of an ore carrier for Central
Gulf SS Co., a passenger liner
for American.President Lines and
two freighters for Moore-McCor-
mack.
The~ committee also lopped $20
million off the $120 million bud
get for operating differential sub
sidy funds, and reduced the num
ber of subsidized voyages from
2,146 to 2,100. The voyage cut
may affect some unsubsidized op
erators who have asked for operat
ing differential subsidies within
the past year. These include Ar
nold Bernstein Line, Isbrandtsen,
T. 'j. McCarthy, State Marine
Lines, States Steamship and Isth
mian.
Some Funds Available
If the funds are not restored, the
Maritime Administration will still
have $95 million available for ship
construction projects. Of this sum,
$3 million has been approved by
the committee for the coming fis
cal year, and the other $92 million
has been left over from previous
appropriations.
Shipping Up
In Seattle
SEATTLE — Contrary to Port
Agent Jeff Gillette's predictions,
shipping in this area picked up
during the past two - weeks and
promises to continue to improve.
The Longview Victory (Victory
Carriers) signed on while the Wild
Ranger (Waterman), Penmar and
Massmar (Calmar) stopped into
port to be serviced. Next period,
Gillette announced, should be even
better for Seafarers on the beach.
So far there are three pay offs ex
pected. They are the Transatlantic
(Pacific Wat.); Ocean Joyce (Ocean
Trans.); and the Coe Victory (Vic
tory Carriers). There were no beefs
reported during the past period.
LIVES
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That old saying about self-preservation
being the first low of nature is familiar to
all hands, if that's the cose, then ship-'
board safety should be the first considera
tion of every man in the crew.
For shipboard safety is nothing more or
less than the preservation of life and limb.
It's OS simple as all that.
It is especially true when you consider
that what would be a minor accident ashore
can easily be magnified into something
serious at sea for two reasons: the erratic
motion of the ship and the absence of
medical facilities.
To sum it upi if you value a sound, healthy
body and want to keep it that way, you
should put personal emphasis on follow
ing the safe way.
I An SIU Ship is a Safe Ship
•^m!
Pasre Twelve S^AFA.RERS LOG April IX, 1957
Iceland Cold? AU You
Need Is A 'Good Line'
It would take more than a couple of icebergs to cool the
ardor of crewmen on the Mankato Victory for their North
Atlantic "lovers run." =
The ship has been plying the 19^5, one that had been legalized
route linking Iceland, Eng
land, and Holland for some
time and, apparently, with no
regrets. Undaunted by Icebergs
and rough weather that gave the
deck cargo a hard time,' they took
Reykjavik by storm and were due
to wind up a ten-day stay in Liver-
pooi this week.
As far as Reykjavik is concerned,
the ship's reporter conceded that
a lot of seamen don't rate it too
high, "because it takes a really
good man to 'make out' there. A
good line, rather than the common
dollars-and-cents approach, is what
you need," he confided.
Meanwhile, the outlawing of the
world's oldest profession in an
other part of the globe is forcing
a revamping of entertainment
standards in Japan. An estimated
half million- women theoretically
joined the ranks of the unemployed
on April 1st when criminal penal
ties went into effect. They had
been part of what was regarded as
a major industry in Japan since
there for perhaps 1,000 years.
This month the government set
up about 75 consultation offices
throughout the country to en
courage tiie women to seek a new
means of obtaining a livelihood. It
rejected their demands for sever
ance pay amounting to 180,000 yen
($500), which the girls said repre
sents six months' earnings. What
effect all this will have on the
pcpuarity of Japan for tourists and
sailors remains to be seen.
Sixth-Graders
'Adopt' Wacosta
Geography lessons for 6th
grade students at the Warren
Lane School, Inglewood, Calif.,
are probably taking on a whole
new flavor since the youngsters
"adopted" the SS Wacosta. The
ship, according to delegate
T. N. Scott, is now returning to
San Francisco from Inchon,
Korea?- The adoption was ar
ranged under the "adopt-a-ship"
program launched 20 years ago
to familiarize American young
sters with shipping and mer
chant seamen. Last fall, the
Maxton came under the wing of
physically handicapped young
sters from New Jersey's Branch
Brook Public School.
LOG-A-RHYTHM:
The Hasfy Word
B9 M. Dwyer
"You must change your ways
"End carefree days,
"And settle down for life, •
"Renounce your pleasure,
"Save your treasure
"And remember who's your wife."
Wife Takes A Stern View
We were sipping iemonade one day, watching the various
shapes as they strolled down the street.
The subject of our conversation was the stern of a woman
• dressed in slacks, who had just passed by.
"If women who are broad astern would only glance in a rear
view mirror before allowing others to view them in slacks," he
said, "I'm sure they would have sense enough to do something
about it. They would take them off."
Now in all fairness, I agreed with him, but since a woman is
.supposed to have the last word, I countered:
"My pet, I will tell you about my pet peeve." (He didn't realize
then that he too was one of the offenders.) "The male starts the
day. He shaves very carefully and combs his hair slick He dons
all the necessary clothing, winding up with a neat pair of slacks
and a good looking shirt that he tucks very carefuliy into the
slacks.
"Then," I continued, "he cinches in tiie belt and, with a self-
satisfied smile as he looks in the mirror, he throws back his
shoulders and struts out to be admired.
"Five minutes later, you look but don't swoon. His belt is
pushed down under the bay window and his pants are now at
half-mast. It's really revolting."
He eyed me sheepishly, attempted a bow (here his pants slipped
another notch) and conceded right there.
Jeanne Granberg
THE SEAFARERS PUZZLE
ACROSS
1. Pour
S. Pacific Coast
Union
8. Dinner checks
12. Actress Shirley
13. Man's name
14. Heroic
13. Newfoundland
Cape
-16. Shipmate
17. Part of church
18. Closet pest
20. Part of sailing
race
22. Actor Colman
23. Cat on the pier
25. TV network
27. Pronoun
28. Little drink
30. Open, as a keg
31. Make an en
treaty
33. Galley item
35. Neither black
nor white
38. Portugese area
in India
40. Swine
42 . de France
43. Word in a
Verne title
48. Romania; abr.
49. Goddess of
dawn
51. Deal out
52. So be it
54. Western Indian
56. Light breezes
at sea
58. Actor Clark
59. Vessel Measure
60. In—(in all)
61. Heraldic bear
ing
62. Owned
63. Part, as a
hawser
DOWN
1. Trinidad
export
2. Ardent love
3. What fans
give a team
4. Comes together
5. Take little
drinks
6. Russian moun
tain range
7. Grew white
8. Ceylon export
9. Money set apart
for special use
10. Buffalo
11. What a skunk
has lots of
19. —and Chickens
Island
21. Channel
23. It cleans the
deck
24. Kind of tide
36. Province - of
Canada
37. Yes vote
39. Chowed
41. Herd of whales
43.-Barter
44. Opposite of
man
45. The best years
26. Girl's nickname 47. Places to sit
29. How the weasel 50. Greek portico
went • 33. Bom
32. Over there 55. Land's —•
34. Nervous twitch 57. Soak up
Answer On Page It
Is 9 10 II
|l4
|l7
Izz
26
|35 36 37
42
47 •
jss 57
ISO
lea
These were the words of a sea
man's woman
Who spoke in haste and fear.
In anger, unkind words were said
Which she'd give her life to clear.
A jealous woman who could not
share
His life in ev'ry port.
She pictured him carousing and
gay.
With women of every sort.
She had let him sail, bereft of
cheer
Perhaps for a week, a month or
year;
But she planned to say that she
loas wrong.
How the nights were lonely.
The days were long.
Tomorrow, she thought,
I'll write, with a grin.
And try to explain I still think of
him;
But tomorrow came, and tomorrow
went.
Her time was consumed.
No letter was sent.
I'll ask forgiveness, she said, you'll
see.
Then the message came "Lost at
sea."
Oh, foolish woman, she'll curse the
days
She would not learn a seaman's
ways.
Her hasty words are ringing clear.
As she recalls them with a tear;
For he's in the port of no return
And she's alone, left to yearn.
Cooks' Tour
"jsi-liiiiii
Itlllllilj
Shipboard pholog catches
action in the galley on the
Andros Legend, with chief
cook Fred Drew getting ready
to submerqe somebody's fish
dinner into a pan. The photo
is by D. 0. Gaskill Jr. We
^ hope it came out alright.
LOG Helps Him
Keep in Touch
To the Editor:
Please accept a small LOO
donation in ^^appreclation for
sending the LOG along to mo
these past few years.
I have enjoyed being kept
abreast of the activities of my
former shipmates. I sailed
SIU from 1947 until I went into
the Marine Corps in 1951.
Since my discharge in 1954, <
have been studying at the Uni-
letters To
The Editor
AH letters to the editor for
publication in the SEAFAR
ERS LOG must be signed
by the writer. Names will
be withheld upon request.
versity of Hawaii; I expect to
graduate this June with a major
in industrial relations.
It has been a real pleasure to
receive the LOG during this
time, and 1 have found valuable
source material for several re
search papers In it. You can al
ways be assured that the paper
is well circulated and well read.
Found in some of the most re
mote parts of the world, the
LOG is read by seamen and
others until its pages are tatter--
ed and torn. .
Seafarers can well be proud
of their newspaper. Few labor
papers, even among the unions
with more members, cover their
trade as well, nor provide as
much general interest and fam
ily news as the LOG does.
1 would be very glad to hear
from any of my former ship
mates, at 2185-A Ahe Street,
Honolulu. Please continue
sending the LOG, too.
George A. McDonald
4" 4-
Welcomes LOG
For Ship News
To the Editor:
1 would like to take this op
portunity to express my siVi-
cege thanks and appreciation
to you and all concerned in
sending me the SEAFARERS
LOG.
1 just received my first issue
and was glad to catch up on the
latest news. I also speak for
the men to whom 1 pass on the
LOG. 1 know it is also deep
ly appreciated by them, though
they may not be in a position
to write and voice their thanks.
Thank you again for your con
sideration.
C. Van Orden
4 4) 4
Got Food Beef?
Try This Menu!
To the Editor:
I was invited dowp to a Nor
wegian tanker, the M/T Mel-
anie, for dinner while in Balti
more recently. When you check
that crew's menu, you can ap
preciate all the more the fine
working rules and conditions on
American union ships.
1 was eating in the officers'
mess, and we started out with
clam chowder, then some fish
(1 think it was trout) and only
one vegetable, a boiled potato.
There was no dessert or bev
erage. They only have coffee
at coffeetime.
It seems a shame conditions
are that way, as there was a
nice crew aboard her, guys just
like us, who deserve a better
break. 1 hope to see the day
when a special stewards' com-
snittea from our Union will be
able to board these foreign
ships plying the American trade
and enforce a decent set of
working rules for these seamen.
Harold G. Horowlfn
4 4 4
Portland Raffle
Winner Wanted
To the Editor:
One of your members, Fred
A. Olson, contributed a dollar
toward the building of a new
parochial high school here in
Portland and was given a chance
on either $2,000 cash or a
Chevrolet station wagon.
He has won this right but we
cannot locate him. Olson paid
off the SS Ocean Dinny on
January 20, 1957 as a messman
but, since the ship did not sign
on here, we don't know if he is
still on that vessel.
Please pass the word on to
this man so he can either pre-
sept himself here at Portland
tor his car or write us.
Our address is Immaculatta
Academy, 5704 NE 27th Avenue,
Portland 11," Ore.
Margaret Grady
-Senior Class Member
, 4 4 4
Josefina Seen
in Fair Shape
To the l^ditor:
These are just a few lines to
let you know that we on the
Josefina are having a fairly
nice trip, with no beefs that
can't be straightened out before
we get back to the States.
We have been out now five
months and it looks like about
four to five more months on the
ore shuttle from India to Japan.
Keep the LOGs coming. That's
the only way we have of kfiow-
ing what's happening.
Roland A. Wiman
Ship's delegate
4 4 4
Crew's Kindness
Haiied By Bosun
To the Editor:
I hope all my shipmates on
my last ship see this as 1 am
very grateful to all of them.
Please express my thanks to
the officers and the crew, espe
cially the members of the deck
department, for the kindness
they showed when I was hurt on
the vessel. They really de
monstrated the true brother
hood of the sea.
F. G. Barnett
Bosun
4 4 4
Seafarer Now
in Tavern Biz
To the Editor:
All brothers who have sailed
with Brother Bernie Snow In
the black gang will he glad to
know that he is now a partner
with Duke Summers in the Lor
raine Tavern, under the old SIU
hall at 14 North Gay Street in
Baltimore. '
Everyone can be assured that
Bernie and Duke will do their
best to give them a good time
if they drop in.
Harry J. "Popeye" Cronin
4 4 4
Youngster Seeks
Foreign Stamps
To the Editor:
My name is Warren Colvin
and 1 am ten years old and a
Cub Scout. One of my achieve
ments is collecting stamps, i
My daddy gets the LOG every
month. Would you please pub
lish my letter in the LOG ask
ing some of the Seafarers to
write me from foreign coun
tries? My address is 2607 Joan
Avenue, Gulfport, Miss.
Floyd Warren Colvin
/ I
April 18. 1957 SEAF ARERS LOG
.7 •'• -'.^/•^>\v'^7^-i!«r^''?,7:r'';'fiv.'^l
- •-•^1
Pax* TUriecA
*Red^ Goes 'Legit^ * Tries Art School
A ten-year veteran in the •
SIU, Seafarer Robert "Red"
Fink had ample time to get to
know the ways of life aboard ship
and of aeamen ashore.
During all this time, he was a
•teady contributor of cartoons to
the LOG, compensating for his
lack of formal art training with a
good comic touch. As' he would
be the first to admit, where else
but in a seaman's union could a
guy named *' 'Red' Fink" find sol
ace and still keep a sense of hu
mor?
A two-year stint in the Army
from 1953-55, didn't dampen his
ardor for the seagoing life one bit.
Now a full-time student at the
School of Visual Arts, New York
City, "Red" decided to go "legit"
last fall, wheh he enrolled in a
three-year course with the aid of
the 6l Bill. He still keeps in
touch, attending SIU meetings and
shipping during holiday periods.
Here are some of his latest crea
tions, which should ring a bell
with everyone who's ever gone to
sea.
Good-Will Deed Earns
French Dockers' Praise
Supplementing the work of the striped-pants diplomats
and foreign aid emissaries from the US, SIU "ambassadors in
dungarees" on the Irenestar scored another mark for Amer-
•ican-French relations recent-
"Wot do you guys mean you didn't know the coffee was
for the Watch ... ?"
"Who's got the key now?" "Honey, what's a 'good' port?"
ly.
The incident earned high
praise and compliments from
French port workers for the Irene-
star crew after ncwS of their good
will gesture got around, according
to ship's delegate F. J. Johnson.
It developed after a longshore
boss at Rouen was killed the night
before sailing in an accident in
the number two hold. Meeting the
need, the crew acted quickly to
ease things for the longshoreman's
widow.
A collection aboard the ship pro-'
duced a purse of 35,000 francs for
the widow, Mrs. Queual, which at
the even higher unofficial ex
change rate amounted to a con
siderable sum for the bereaved
family. The official exchange rate
is 350 francs to the dollar.
Responding to the generosity of
the crew, Mrs. Queual subsequently
wrote to thank one and all for their
friendly gesture. She was joined
in this by the chief of longshore
men at Rouen.
The letter translated as follows:
Tunesmith
Wanted
Apparently Seafarer William
Willdridge is turning out tunes
and lyrics faster than he can
handle them now. Willdridge
has sent out a hurry-up call for
a collaborator to work on the
songs and help him round out
the loose ends. A frequent con
tributor of poetry for the LOG,
he has had a couple of songs
played on radio stations in Bos
ton and has some more on the
fire. Anyone who's interested
can contact him c7o the SIU
hall in Lake Charles, at 1419
Ryan St.
"To the Captain/ and the SIU
Crew, Mates and Engineers:
"We thank you very sincerely
for the noble gesture you and the
members of the crew made at the
time of the mortal accident in the
number two hold of your ship.
"We were very touched by your
remarks of sj^mpathy at this time.
We beg you, dear Captain and all
crewmembers of the SS Irenestar,
to accept our sincere gratitude for
your kindness."
On Their Toes
Keeping things running
smoothly on the Maxton,
this trio is part of the black
gang on the "piggyback"
tanker. Pictured (I to r) are
Fred Morrison, wiper; Charles
Eagleson, oiler, and Chris the
Turk, fireman. Eagleson, the
engine delegate, sent in' the
photo.
MARYMAR (Calmar), March 1 —
Chrirman, W. Cegg; Secretary. M.
Flood. OS and chief steward left
•hip due to injury. Discussion on
coffee shortage and stores.
J. T. Welch. Bequest keys for heads
whUe In port to keep out people that
are not supposed to use them. $5 in
ship's fund. Urge cooperative -effort
among members of crew.
V. T. Nash. To change flavor of
drinks and to bring cups back to
messhall. and not to put cigarettes in
cups. Ship's delegate resigned. New
delegate elected.
SEATRAIN NEW JERSEY (Sea-
train), March 17—Chairman, Wayne-
Ogle; Secretary, Rundblad. Motion
made to get air conditioner repaired.
Steward asks crew to turn in aU sur
plus linen as he runs short.
VAL CHEM (Valentine), Feb. 3 —
Chairman, J. D. Halpin; Secretary, W.
Nests. Would like the captain or the
chief mate to let them know when
there is going to be a late meal.
ORION STAR (Orion), Feb. 24 —
Chairman, BIsonnet; Secretary, Man
ning. Report on the men that have
left the ship, report has been sent to
New York.
WILD RANGER (Waterman), March
3—Chairman, S. Andersen; Secretary,
D. Ruddy. 313.89 in ships treasury.
Words of appreciation to steward de-
LONCVIEW VICTORY (Victory),
Feb. 17—Chairman, J. Lewis; Secre
tary, M. Caddy. Drinking and fight
ing aboard. Some disputed overtime.
New delegate, secretary-reporter and
treasurer elected. Bosun stated he
has only 4 or 5 men to turn to for se
curing gear at each port.
man missed ship. New delegate and
secretary - reporter elected. Crew
warned to take care of washing ma
chine and TV set. Out rooms to bfe
sougeed. All outside doors to be
closed to keep rooms quiet and warm.
Vote of thanks to cook for job well
done in absence of steward.
tentative voyage Itinerary; delegate
advised careful perusal of contract
clarifications pertaining to overtime.
New secretary-reporter and treasurer
elected. Report accepted. New dele
gate elected. Minor repairs being
made in foc'sles and bathrooms.
PAN OCEANIC TRANSPORTER
(Penn. Nav.), March 14—Chairman,
Robert High; Secretary, Marion Baech-
Ing. Ship's fund at present is $11.
The mail situation on the scow is
plain stinko. Ship's delegate contact
boarding patrolman to see If some
thing can be done about it. Water
tanks on the bucket are in bad shape
and require cleaning.
SANTORE (Ore), Feb. 4—Chairman,
W. C. Byrd; Secretary, H. A. Auglna.
The bosun who was injured by a fall
of iron ore in Cruze Grande, C^e
while loading, was hospitalized.
SEA CLOUD (Pegor), Feb. 3—Chali^
man. Gage; Secretary, Yarborough.
Due to a storm No. 1 life - boat
smashed up and the depth sounder
torn loose from its moorings.
OCEAN- EVELYN (Ocean Trans.),
March 17—Chairman, B. Laffoon; Sec
retary, R. Masters. Ship's fund $10.
Delayed sailing disputed. Delegates
to check repairs and keep list up to
date. Vote of thanks to steward
dept.
STEEL ADMIRAL (Isthmian), March
19—Chairman, D. Keddy; Secretary,
J. Resinosa. All foc'sles, bathrooms
and showers to be painted. All re
pairs checked. Laundry room to be
locked at Singapore. Slop chest time
to be posted in advance. Fire & boat
drill station cards to be Issued by
mate soon as possible.
OREMAR (Ore Nav.), March 11 —
Chairman, J. Shaw; Secretary, F. Pep-
evlch. One man missed ship in Balti
more: two men missed ship In Chile
and charged with desertion. Ship's
fund $38.35. Some disputed overtime.
Need more cots, fruit juices, silver
ware, new refrigerator: better prepa
ration of food.
TOPA TOPA (Waterman), March 17
—Chairman, P. Van Wygcrden; Secre
tary, F. Kustura. Repair list to be
made up. Arrival pool to be made
up and $20 to be put in ship's fund.
Return all cups and glasses to pantry.
YORKMAR (Calmar), Feb. 2—Chair
man, V. Paine; Secretary, B. Slaid.
Four replacements in steward dept.,
2 in engine dept. and 1 man reshipped
in deck dept. Ship's fund $16.22.
Some disputed overtime. Carpenter
reshipped in Northwest. Discussion
on better (^operation on orders from
galley: more juices and fruit to be
put out: better seasoning on vege
tables: check ice boxes.
YORKMAR (Calmar), March 17 —
Chairman, J. Manard; Secretary, J.
Archie. Ship's fund $16.22. One man
Injured—taken of! ship. Beefs to be
discussed with delegate. Washing ma
chine to be left clean after using.
Coffee mug and cups to be returned
to pantry. Return cots.
SEA COMET 11 (Sealraders), March
3—Chairman, W. A. Harper; Secre
tary, H. D. Carney. Motion made to
have the ship fumigated.
SEASTAR (Triton), Feb. 17—Chair
man, 6. Lawson; SecretarV, M. Buga-
wan. Vote of thanks to steward and
the whole steward department for Job
well done. Ship's delegate was in
structed by chief mate that publle
drinking on passageways won't b«
tolerated and anyone caught will bo
brought up to the authorities. There
will be no fighting or performing on
the ship and those who fight or per
form. wiU be turned over to the
boarding patrolman.
SEATRAIN GEORGIA (Sealrain),
March 14—Chairman, W. Jones; Sec-
rotary, A. Lambert. Mop bucket need
ed for black gang. Discussion was
held on the purchase of magazines
out of ships fund. Result, everybody
should buy his own.
partment personnel. Suggest coUee-
tion for workaway who missed ship.
YAKA (Waterman), March 3—Chair
man, Jo. Touart; Secrotary, S. Joseph.
Safety meeting to be held Monday
4th. Vote of thanks to the stewards
dept. .
STEEL ROVER (isthmian), March 10
—Chairman, C. Reyes; Secretary, T.
Oaspar. AU hands to cooperate in
using the washing machine properly.
Suggestion to have exterminator in
rooms, pantry and messhalL
ROBIN KETTERING (Seas Shipping),
March 17—Chairman, H. Denton; Sec
retary, J. Hannay. Two men missed
ship: rejoined later. Ship's fund
$20.50. Few hours disputed overtime.
Reports accepted. Crew warned not
to discuss business in bar rooms. Re
quest better grade of sausage and
bologna. Cots and extra linen to be
turned In.
WACOSTA (Waterman), March 3—
Chairman, S. Alpedo; Secretary, T.
Scott. RepaU'S being made. Reported
WARRIOR (Waterman), March 17—
Chairman, J. Ward; Secretary, M.
Elliott. Sanitary system corrected
somewhat. Good trip so far. Few
hours hours overtime. Electrician ill.
Reports accepted. Water tanks for
wash water and drinking water to be
cemented and painted out while ship
Is undergoing repairs. Sample of wash
water and drinking water to be
turned over to US Coast Guard.
Showers, bathrooms, recreation and
laundry to he painted. Vote of thanks
to steward department for fine sweets
and job weU done. Suggestion to have
water spigot placed on deck for steva-
dorcs: bunks to be reinforced—springs
4b straps too loose.
JOHN e. (Atlantic Carriers), March
14—Chairman, S. Szantos; Secretary,
R. Aguiar. Suggest each department
wlU take care of cleaning washing
machine room, slop sink. Ubrary.
SEAMONiTOR (Excelsisr), Feb. 24—
Chairman, J. Cartiar: Secretary, D.
Babcock. Three men missed ship.
Some disputed overtime—to be set
tled at payoff. Picked up one NMU
\man. Motion to caU meeting In pres
ence of patrolman: find out If ship
ping rules were broken when steward
was shipped. Investigate quaUty of
penicillin. Check welfare benefits of
member's family.
CHOCTAW (Waterman),'March 3—
Chairman, M. Cariin; Secretary, R.
Johnson. The food Is very poor and
ship is a 2nd rate feeder. Use of left
overs carried to extremes. Steward
says see patrolman but crew desires
Improvement In meantime.
STEEL ARCHITECT (isthmian),
March 3—Chairman, E. Ott; Secretary,
C. Rltter. Report on safety program.
Repair Ust to be submitted. Ship's
fund $12.33. Some disputed over-
. time. Ship to be fumigated for rats
and roaches-
STEEL SEAFARER (isthmian). Boo.
IS—Chairman, R. F. Rrant; SocrotarY,
ALCOA FENNANT (Alcoa), March
II—Chairman, L. Joynar; Soaratary,
SEATRAIN LOUISIANA (Saatrain),
March 33—Chairman, V. Whitney;
Secretary, E. Lanier. Slilp's fund
$$.54. Some disputed evcrtlrae. One
Editor, ;
SEAFARERS LOG. !
675 Fourth Ave., !
Brooklyn 32. NY 5
I would like to receive the SEAFARERS LOG— |
please put my name on your mailing list. ;
(Print Information) |
N^kKdE a,...............a..................
STREET ADDRESS I
CITY ZONE STATE •
TO AVOID DUPLICATION: If you «ro on ol<l lubicribor and hovo a chan9a S
addraii, plaaso fivo your formar addrasi balow: 5
CITY - -- - - ^Itaooae ZON STATE, .•ooeaeeaaeooaooooo • , P
-3^
''> I
•r"
1^ Pare Foarfeen SEAFARERS LOG April 12. 195Y
Was This Dip Really Necessary?
Among other things, the ships' minutes reports that pass through the LOG office every
day are noteworthy for a certain quality of understatement.
Whether they concern the rescue of a hundred people from a sinking ship or a blown-
out lightbulb, the record in
the minutes is always brief.
This doesn't mean it's to the
point, for the conventional "who,
what, when and where" Is not al
ways observed. The matter is usu
ally left hanging In the air until
someone comes along who can put
the pieces together.
Mission Accompiished
Gelling ready to knock off for the day, "Whitey" Hardaman,
wiper (left), and Malcolm Launey, engine maintenance, wind up
repairs to pipes on the deck of the tanker Fort Hoskins. Chester
Coumas caught the pair with his camera.
Such is the case so far with a
report fgom 'the Sea train Texas,
though our man of the hour wasn't
even lucky enough to be left hang
ing. He got a good dunking,-In
fact, because "while painting over
the side, someone cut [the] staging
line, dumping [al man In [the]
water. (Much discussion.)"
Brevity—In Spades
The quoted portion above :[ppre-
sents the full text of the reference
in the minutes of the Texas.
This is true economj^of expression.
(The words In brackets are ours
—Ed.)
Taking things over from there,
we can assume the mishap got a
good working over at the meeting.
We don't know for silre whether
the victim was ever hauled out of
the water, but we have to assume
he was. We can also assume no
body Is going to encourage the
practice of cutting guys adrift
while they're hanging over the
side. Life aboard ship is hazardous
enough without adding anything to
Its burdens.
But we can't even let the matter
rest there. Where did It happen?
Was the culprit uncovered? Was
the paint job ever finished?
Come on, Texas, give us the
wordl
USPHS HOSPITAL
SAN FRANCISCO. CAUP.
CrvlUe E. Abrams T. E. McCaffrey
Edward Becker A. F. Martinez
Noah C. Carver Alonzo M. MUefski
Peder Espeseth George R. Nichola
Andrew HarviUa Otta H. Palsson
Floyd W. Haydon Louis Rosen
WiUiam H. HoweU Fred D. Stagner
Vlrgle H. Jordan R. A. Statham
Alexander Leiner Shlo H. Sua
USPHS HOSPITAL
SEATTLE, WASH.
Llnzyl Bosley
James Brown
Leo A. Freundlich
John Kanananaiill
Patrick J. Lynch
Wm. McLaughlin
Juan Mojlca
Waldo OUver
John Rekstin
Walter G. Stuck*
VA HOSPITAL
LAKE CITY. FLA.
Edward B. Blss
USPHS HOSPITAL
MEMPHIS, TENN.
Claude F, Blanks
VA HOSPITAL
ALBERQUERQUE, NM
Charles Burton
USPHS HOSPITAL
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
B. F. Delbler John C. Palmer
Siegfried Gnlttke Rosendo Serrano
James Lauer
USPHS HOSPITAL
BALTIMORE, MD.
Omar O. Ames Henry Karpowlcs
Ralph Armstrong George S. Lowe
Alfred Bokan Roy L. McCannon
Victor Cooper Edw. F. McGowan
Lynwood Fitzgerald William H. Maxie
Dan Gentry Francisco Mayo
Gorman T. Glaze R. S. Nandkeshwar
Eugencie Gonzales Wm. W. Rowland
George Graham Charles T. Scott
Carroll Harper Ople C. WaU
John A. Hoffman
USPHS HOSPITAL
BOSTON, MASS.
Dominic DiSanto Charles Dwyer
Chas. A. McCarthy John E. Powers
HOSPITAL
ISLAND, NY
Ahmed Mehssin
John Minnahan
Thomas Moncho
Francis Napoli
Edward O'Rourk*
Eustaqulo Rivera
Jose Rodriguez
J. S. Simmons
Richard Suttle
Clarence WaUace
USPHS
STATEN
Edward Anderson
Robert Bellveau
A. Dokeris
John Fancutt
Arthur J. Fortner
Richard V. Gelling
EisteU Godfrey
Sam Jonas
Alfred Kaju
James Llppincott
Pasquale MarinelU
BELLEVUB HOSPITAL
NEW YORK, NY
Loyd McGee
USPHS HOSPITAL
GALVESTON. TEXAS
William C. Brown Art ScheU
George Howard Warren W. Smith
Thomas J. Mooney
USPHS HOSPITAL
NORFOLK, VA.
Rudolf AvUa G. W. Culpepper
Francis J. Boner Frederick T. HaU
Puzzle Answer
Bissiii adiQ sans
rSiaDGG BSS QSCD
(iSissigiSQ lEfflfissizia
@[!1Q sins aeiiQ i
Has amm
safza sss (ZJBaB
Qfzanc] BQS QnQS
BQcas asm DSQS
Fred M. HarreU Roscoe T. TUlett
Leonard B. Merriam Clifford Vaughan'
Henri J. Robin
USPHS HOSPITAL
MANHATTAN BEACH
BROOKLYN. NY
Manuel Antonana B. J. Martin
Eladlo Arls Albert MartinelU
Fortunate Bacomo Vic Milazzo
Frank T. CampbeU Joaquin Mlniz
John J. DriscoU Norman J. Moore
Robert E. Gilbert W. P. O'Dea
wmiam Guenther Ben Omar
Bart E. Guranick George G. Phlfer
John Haas James M. Quinn
Howard HaUey George E. Renale
Talb Hassen Samuel B. Saunders
Billy R. HIU G. E. Shumaker
Thomas Isaksen Kevin B. SkeUy
Ira H. KUgore Henry E. Smith
Paul Koenlg Stanley F. Sokol
Ludwig Kristiansen Michael Toth
Frank J. Kubek Harry S. Tuttle
Frederick Landry VlrgU E. Wllmoth
Leonard Leidlg Pon P. Wing
Archibald McGuigan
USPHS HOSPITAI.
SAVANNAH. GA.
C. G. Barrineau Jimmle Littleton
Albert Blrt Clarence Murray
L. A. DeWltt John O'Connor
Carl F. Kumrow A. H. Schwart*
USPHS HOSPITAL
NEW ORLEANS, LA.
Jacob Buckalew Alois F. Mauffray
Virgil Coash August Meyers
Cloise Coats Michael Muzio
Serio M. DeSosa Harold D. Napier
William DriscoU J. S. O'Byrne
Ben D. Foster Faustino Orjales
Cedric Francis William Paris
Crisanto Garfin Junest Ponson
Leon.Gordon Randolph RatclUt
William Havelln F. Regalado
Sam Henry Harold S. Scott
James Hudson Hubert Seymour
Charles Johnson C. J. Shartzer
Edward G. Knapp Toefii Smigielsld
Walter J. LaCrolx Edward Smith
Leo Lang Wert A. Spencer
William Lawless Lonnle R. Tickle
Louis Ledlngham James E. Ward
L. Llenos D. G. Zerrudo
Alexander Martin Jacob Zimmer
Frank Martin
Sees Unions Key
To US Shipping
To the Editor:
It is the seamen who organ
ized themselves into unions
who have preserved America's
maritime power. Thanks to these
men, the gateways to the seven
seas are open coming and going.
In fact, were it not for the
SIU and kindred unions, the
American flag would be a rare
sight in foreign ports. Yes, Old
Glory's up there — because
letters To
The Editor
All letters to the editor for
publication in the SEAFAR
ERS LOG must be signed
by the writer. Names mil
be withheld upon request.
American seamen organized and
stuck together through thick
and thin! Congratulations, men,
one and all!
BUI Vissaris
it t 4"
Says Reports Go
'Liice Hotcakes'
To the Editor:
I am writing to you to ask if
you can include an extra copy
of the SIU Headquarters Report
to Seafarers with the copies of
the LOG you now send.
As soon as the LOGs come
aboard the Del Mar, all 97 in
the crew want to read them and
the headquarters report. So far
it has been practically impos
sible to post the report and
then still have it to read at
a meeting.
Someone always takes it
down and takes it to his room
to get his glasses or something.
Then at the meeting the ship
has to be searched to find it.
If you could send us an extra
copy we could keep one in the
files and post one. Then every
body could acquaint themselves
with the contents and it could
be properly acted upon at the
meeting.
C. M. Bowling
Ship's Reporter
(Ed. note: Your suggestion
has been put into effect for
future mailings to the Del Mar
and similar ships. Nine LOGs
already go tq^ these vessels.)
4 4=
Backs 'Ship US'
Union Campaign
To the Editor:
We wish to compliment Harry
N. Schorr for his article in the
LOG (Feb. 1, 1957). We on the
Del Rio agree with him 100 per
cent.
We'd also like to see more
letters of that kind published.
We feel we have the greatest
Union md the best conditions
in maritime history.
As ship's delegate, I wish to
state that we have a fine crew
aboard here. However, we have
some AK's on topside in the
form of the mates. The chief is
all over the ship and the 2nd
and 3rd remind me of school
boys as they try to make it hard
for us.
It has otherwise been a nice,
enjoyable trip, so if any of you
fellows want to make the ro
mance run, well, this is it.
The captain is a veiy nice,
understanding fellow. He
doesn't drink, but holds nothing
against anyone who does as long
as it doesn't interfere with the
work.
Lewis R. WiUiamson
Ship's delegate
(Ed. note; Brother Schorr
urged an all-out "ship US"
drive by unions to acquaint
American businessmen with the
advantages of using US rather
thari foreign vessels.)
4 4 4 "
Halis News Of
Union Gains
To the Editor:
Happy to hear through the
LOG that all hands are enjoy
ing fair shipping and that new
gains are being made for us sea
men.
All hands aboard the Orion
Clipper were sorry to hear of
the unexpected death of Harry
Lundeberg. We all appreciate
the battles he led for good la
bor conditions aboard ship.
We wish to put in a boost for
the United Seamen's Service in
Yokohama. Miss Jean Trisko,
port director, is a person who
wiU go out of her way to be of
service. She was very helpful
on a couple of items of ship's
business and did not give us
the "I don't know for sure" rou
tine. She made several phone
calls and typed up letters which
could-be useful to us. The res
taurant, bar and recreation fa
cilities here are the best also.
We are having our rough
spots on this run but intend to
bring her in .SlU-style and do
the straightening up at the pay
off.
Richard C. Ranly
4 4 4
Retired, Stiii
Wants The LOG
To the Editor:
I am now residing in Brooklyn
and would like to have the LOG
mailed' to me here. You have
been mailing the LOG to my
dad at Eagleton, Ark., and he
appreciates it very much.
But now though I have retired
my SIU book, I would still very
much like to keep up with
Union affairs.
I am working at St. Peters
Hospital in Brooklyn and enjoy
the work as well as my fellow
ship with my fellow workers.
But please keep me on that
mailing list in the future.
Thurston Lewis
Burly By Bernard Seaman
Aprl! 1957 SEAFARERS LOG Page Fifteen
C&H Strikers Win
Best Part In Area
(Continued from page 3)
In hours means an increase in the
work force and greater take home
pay.)
• Nine paid holidays,
• Two weeks' paid vacation an
nually.
• A manning scale calling J^or
11-man crews with a double watch
system on tideiands-canal and
deep sea work.
• Non-occupational Illness and
injury benefits ranging from 15
to 45 days with pay annually de
pending upon length of service in
the fleet.
• Payment of wages, transporta
tion and subsistence to men trans
ferred to tugs away from home
port or relieved at points other
than the home port.
• A $15 monthly differential for
deck and engine offlcers who ob
tain licenses.
• Job security guarantees in
cluding a seniority system govern
ing promotions, transfers and lay
offs.
• Maximum unio^ security pro
visions permissible under Texas
state laws.
• A health and life insurance
program paid for entirely by the
1
EVERYSUNDAY
DIRECT VOICE;
BROADCAST
"THE VOICE
of the
MTD"
I
To' Ships In Atlantic
South American
and
European Waters
• WFK-3», 19150 KC*
Ships In Caribbean.
East Coast of South
America, South Atlantic
. and East Coast of
United States
• WFL.OS, 15850 KCs
Ships in Gulf of Mex
ico. Caribbean. West
"• Coast of South Amer
ica. West Coast of
Mexico and US East
Coast
• WFK-95, 15700 KCs
Ships in Mediterranean
area. North Atlantic.
European and US East
Coast
Meanwhile, MTD
Round-the-World
Broadcasts
continue ...
every Sunday, 1915 OMT
{2'.liPM EST Sunday)
WCO-13010 KCs
Europe and No. America
WCO-1090I.S KCs
East Coast So. America
WCO-22407. KCs
West Coast So. America
Evsry Monday, 0315 CMT
(10:15 PM ESTSundav)
WMM 25-15807 KCs
Australia
WMM 81-11037.5
Northwest Pacific
MARITIME
TRADES
REPARTMENT
company and including the follow
ing benefits:
Death benefit. $5,000.
Hospital room and board for
employees and dependents,
$12 a day up to a maximum of
70 days in private hosiptals;
$6 a day in USPHS hospitals.
All hospital extras up to a
maximum of $300 and 75 per
cent of additional charges up
to $5,000.
Surgical fees ranging up to
$350 maximum, based on
schedula set out in policy.
Doctors' calls before sur
gery, $5 a day up to maximum
of 70 days.
Supplementary accident ex
penses, $300.
Weekly disability income,
$25 weekly up to 52 weeks.
Maternity benefit, $200 max
imum.
Negotiations for the SIU were
conducted by Matthews, Williams
and rank and file tugboatmen
Harry L. Coker, George Jordan,
Van H. Court, Jr., Jack Kelly,
Morgan Childers, Robert W. Wix
and Edward E. Morris. Serving in
an advisory capacity throughout
was SIU attorney Marion C. Lad-
Wig, of the firm of Dixie, Ryan
and Schulmah, who was highly
commended by the negotiating
committee for his assistance.
Anthony Koriok
Please contact your sister Fat
on business matters. Contact her
care of Mrs. Louis Qualtiers, 1425
W. 35 St., Erie, Penn.
Ex-Sfony Creek
Ship's fund of $8.30 was donated
to the LOG after ship transferred
foreign. A. Goldsmit.
Kenneth Lewis
Thomas McGuigan would like to
get in touch with you. His address
is 16 N. 24 St., Camden 5, NJ.
Keep Draff
Board Posted
SIU headquarters urges all
draft-eligible seamen to be
sure they keep their local Se
lective Service boards posted
on all changes. of address
through the use of the post
cards furnished at all SIU halls
and aboard ships.
Another day j Another A9,000
I
At the end of November, 1956, the
SIU Welfare and Vacation Plans passed
a significant landmark when they paid
out their ten millionth dollar. In four
months since then, the Plans have paid
another $1 million to Seafarers.
Impressive figures? Sure. But it
looks even better this way: At that rate
the two Plans pay close to $9,000 each
day in benefits, which Seafarers never
received a, few years ago. Ifs further
proof of the value of these Plans to the
working seaman.
SEAFARERS VACATION PLAN
WELFARE PUN
SiU of NA Acts On Major Issues
(Continued from page 3)
light of the breakdown of the
screening program.
On the organizing front, the com
mittee urged intensification of or
ganizing by all affiliates and also
set up a three man committee to
develop organizing potential on the
Great Lakes.
Of general interest was a strong
statement on freedom of the seas
particularly as the principle ap
plies to the Suez Canal and the
Gulf of Aqaba. Efforts of ship-
ov/ner groups to evade Justice De
partment jurisdiction over com
pany mergers were assailed and
extension of minimum wage cover
age to seamen sought.
On the labor scene the conven-
Among A&G delegates to the SIU of NA Convention were: (l-r):
Lindsey Williams, Steve Cardullo, Gal Tanner and Marty Breith-
off. Others (not shown] Vere Earl Sheppard and Paul Hall.
AFL-CIO
ssii
SIU, A&G District
BALTIMORE 1216 B. Baltimore St.
Earl SheppariL Asent EAstem T-8900
BOSTON 276 State St.
James Sheehan. Asent Richmond 2-0140
HOUSTON 4202 Canal St.
A. Michelet. Aaent Capital T-6S38
LAKE CHARLES. La 1416 Ryan St.
Leroy Clarke. Agent HEmlocfc 6-9744
MOBILE 1 South Lawrence St.
Ckl Tanner. A|fnt HEmlock 2-1754
MORGAN CITY 612 Front St.
Tom Gould. Agent Phone 2196
NEW ORLEANS 623 BlenvlUe St.
Lindsey WilUam*. Agent Tulaao-8626
NEW YORK 678 4th Ave.. Brooklyn
BYacinth S-8600
0 •
NORFOLK 127-129 Bank St.
Ben Bees. Agent MAdlstm 2-9634
PHILADELPHIA.. ,.637 Market St.
6. CarduUo. Agent Market 7-1639
PUERTA de TIERRA PR. 101 Pelayo
Sal CoUg, Agent Fhone 2-5996
SAN FRANCISCO 490 Harrison St.
Marty Breithotf, Agent Douglai 2-9479
SAVANNAH Abercom St.
E. B. McAuley. Ax«nt Adama 3-1728
SEATTLB .... i... .2909 1st Ave.
Jett QiUiitte. iVgent BUlott 4334
TAMPX......W1
Tom Banning! Ai
8U N. Franklin St.
-Pm honw 2-1323
WILMINGTON. Calif 905 Marine Ave.
Reed Humphries, Agent Terminal 4-2874
HEADQUARTERS... .675 4th Ave.. Bklyn.
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Paul Hall
ASST. SECRETARY-TREASURERS
J. Algina. Deck C. Simmons. Joint
J. ^pian. Eng. W. HaU, Joint
E. Mooney. Std, R. Matthews. Joint
SUP
HONOLULU... 16 Merchant St.
Phone 9-8777
PORTLAND 211 SW Clay St.
CApital 3-4330
RICHMOND, Calif... 510 Macdonald Ave.
' BEacon 2-0925
SAN FRANCISCO 450 Harrison St.
• Douglas 2-8363
SEATTLE 2509 Ut Ave.
Main 0290
WILMINGTON 909 Marine Ave.
Terminal 4-3131
PORT COLBORNE 103 Durham St.
Ontario Phone: 5591
TORONTO. Ontario.......272 King St. E.
EMpire 4-9719
VICTORIA. BC 617'A Cormorant St.
EMpire 4531
VANCOUVER, BC 298 Main St.
Pacific 3468
SYDNEY. NS 304 Charlotte St.
Phone: 6346
BAGOTVILLE. Quebec 20 Elgin St.
Phone: 54-5
THOROLD. Ontario 92 St. Davids St.
CAnaJ 7-3202
QUEBEC..
Quebeo
.85 St. Pierre St.
Fhone: 3-1569
NEW YORK. 679 4th Ave., Brooklyn
HYacintb 9-6165
Canadian District
HALIFAX. N.S .....128V6 HoIUs St.
Phone 3-8911
MONTREAL 634 St. James St. West
PLateau 8161
SAINT JOHN .. A85 Germain St.
NB ^ Phone: 2-5232
Great Lakes District
ALPENA 1215 N. Second Ave.
Phone: 713-J
BUFFALO. NY 180 Main St.
Phone: Cleveland 7391
CLEVELAND 734 Lakeside Ave.. NE
Phone: Main 1-0147
DETROIT ; 1038 3rd St.
, Headquarters Phone: Woodward 1-6857
DULUTH ; . ..531 W. Michigan St.
; Phone: Randolph 2-4110
BOSTON — Things have been
very quiet on the shipping front
for the past two weeks. Although
ob activity has picked up some
what since the last period, the out
look for this. Dort is still uncertain.
The Bradford Island and Council
Grove (Cities Service) both paid
off and signed on. Bents Fort
(Cities Service); Bobin Kettering,
Robin Kirk (Seas); and Jefferson •
City Victory (Victory Carriers) put
FORT WU.L1AM... ^30 .Sirap;?on St, J SOUTIi CHICAGQ,:;..,, ,,..3261 E. 92nd St. infjLiwxiif tA h.x eorniood ,
Ontario. ': v-. - . Phon*::3-3221i: t>/ i
tion went on record as fully en
dorsing the ethical practices code
adopted by the AFL-CIO. Subse
quently the A&G District's mem
bership in meetings up and down
the coast unanimously endorsed
the convention's action.
Reports were presented from
the various affiliates of the inter
national detailing developments
over the past two years.
The A&G District's report is
summarized on page 6.)
Guest Speakers
Delegates heard addresses from
a number, of prominent public fig
ures, including Governor Goodwin
Knight - of California; Mayor
George Christopher, San Francis
co; Einar Johnasen" and Harald
Eriksen of the Norwegian Sea
men's Association; Larry Long,
president of the International
Brotherhood of Longshoremen;
Harry O'Reilly, director of the
Maritime Trades Department,
AFL-CIO; Captain C. T. Atkins,
national president of the Masters,
Mates and Pilots, and Captain
George Decker of Seattle, first
vice-president of MM&P; Neil Hag-
gerty, secretary-treasurer of the
California State Federation of La
bor and many others.
Officers Elected
Elected as officers in addition to
Hall, Weisherger and Tanner were
the following: John Hawk, secre
tary-treasurer; and vice-presidents
Andrea Gomez, Lester Caveny,
Lester Baiinger, Ed. Turner, Capt.
John M. Fox, Hal C. Banks, S. E.
Bennett and Ramond T. McKay.
It was agreed that the next con
vention will be held in Montreal,
Canada, in 1959, which will make
it coincident with the opening of
the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Ray Sfate
Still Quiet
j
•ii
mmr.
ife:;:;:'
Vol. XIX
No. 8 SEAFARERS LOG
> W—V
• OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT • AFL-CIO •
Major Progress
Since '51 Marks
MCS Birthday
Just two years ago this month, seamen on the West Coast
paved the way for firm establishment of the Marine Cooks
and Stewards Union by voting in favor of the SIU Pacific
District, 3,931 to 1,004. The
election climaxed a four-year
organizing drive by the MCS
with the support of the Sailors Un
ion and other SIU affiliates, to oust
the Communist-dominated Nation
al Union of Marine Cooks and
Stewards from West Coast ships.
When the ballot count was com
pleted on April 4, 1955, it marked
the end of 20 years of Communist
operatons aboard US merchant
ships. It also established a single
bargaining unit, the SIU Pacific
District, for the first time, repre
senting sailors, firemen and cooks
on the West Coast.
That arrangement is now bear
ing fruit with representatives of
the three West Coast unions mov
ing towards merger of their pen
sion funds, which will result in in
creased benefits for the member
ship and more efficient adminis
tration.
The MCS was chartered by the
SIU of North America just four
years ago this coming Sunday,
back on April 15, 1951.
Head of the now-defunct
NUMC&S, Hugh Bryson
helped maintain last Commu
nist foothold on WC ships.
In the cooks union itself, the
two years have brought consider
able progress, organizationally and
otherwise. Currently, the member
ship is voting in referendum ballot
on the adoption of a constitution
which will govern the conduct of
union affairs if approved. The vot
ing began on March 18th and will
continue for 90 days.
Set Election Procedure
Provisions of the proposed con
stitution call for the election of a
secretary-treasurer, assistant sec
retary-treasurer and port agents
and patrolmen for three year pe
riods. The document also provides
for rank and file trials and appeals
committees end appeals procedure,
'and rank and file quarterly finance
committees. It spells out the
duties of officers, election of meet
ing chairmen, negotiating commit
tee members and other commit
tees, amending procedure, controls
over expenditures and other items
of importance.
MCS already has constructed a
new headquarters hall in San
Francisco and opened a training
and upgrading center offering 90
day courses for all ratings, both
freight and passenger ship. The
training center is located on 350
acres of ranchland near Santa
Rosa, Calif. Board, room and tui
tion is free to students who qualify.
Followea Party Line
For years before the vote vic
tory of the Pacific District, the
steward departments on West coast
ships had been seagoing strong
holds of Harry Bridges and the
Communist Party. Under the lead
ership of Hugh Bryson, the now-
defunct National Union of Marine
Cooks and Stewards had worked
hand in glove with Bridges and fol
lowed every twist and turn of the
Communist line.
In 1950, NUMC&S was expelled
•by the CIO for its endorsement of
the North Korean invasion of
South Korea as well as its con
sistent record of participation in
Communist causes. That opened
the door toward organization of a
non-Communist union in the field.
•- r J'-.
!
NMU Quit Field
The National Maritime Union
made some tentative gestures to
organize on the West Coast but
quickly withdrew when it found it
would have to. buck Harry Bridges'
Jubilant scene at San Fran
cisco MCS hall two years ago
(above) heralded 4-1 victory
of SlUNA forces over Harry
Bridges in a three-department
West Coast ship election.
The win ended a 20-year fight
against the remnants of Com
munist-dominated unionism In
WC maritime. At right,
MCS member Juan Morales
(standing) casts ballot at un
ion's NY hall in the current
membership referendum on
MCS constitution. : Polls com
mitteemen are Rao Sam Nwe
and David Ladesman. Char
tered six years ago this Mon
day by the SlUNA, the MCS
has established itself as a ma
jor ship union since 1955.
apparatus. On the other hand, the
late Harry Lundeberg gave a group
of non-Communist cooks and stew
ards a charter as the Marine Cooks
and' Stewards and along with the
Marine Firemen's Union backed
them solidly in a four-year fight
to oust the. Brldges-Bryson com
bine.
Once MCS started organizing in
'Screenos' Shipping From All
Coasts, Bridges' Front Boasts
SAN FRANCISCO—Further evidence that Communist sympathizers and other "screenos"
are now shipping on US merchant vessels has been provided by the Committee Against
Waterfront Screening. The Committee, which is a front organization backed up by
Harry Bridges, lists numbers,
dates and places in its latest
information bulletin, spelling
out where It has gotten its mem
bers aboard American flag ships.
Last month in Washington, Vice
Admiral Alfred C. Richmond, com
mandant of the Coast Guard, told
Congress that the screening pro
gram had broken down and that
169 suspected subversives are cur
rently sailing aboard US ships.
In its bulletin, the Committee
Against Waterfront Screening re
ports men shipping out of both
West and East Coast ports.
In New York, for example, the
committee bulletin says, "Some of
the brothers who were screened
lately, '53-'55, went to the NMU
hall and were registered in Group
1 because they had enough sea
time to qualify. These men have
been in and out already."
In' Seattle; the committee re
ports, men are shipping group 1
and Group 2 from the NMU hall,
but "it takes a two to four month
card to get out." Group 1 is the
NMU's top seniority group;
Among the men who have
shipped is Walter Stich, the secre
tary of the Committee against
Waterfront screening, who went
out as an officer from San Fran
cisco. Stich, was ousted from the
Marine Engineers Beneficial Asso
ciation- in September, 1947. Sub
sequently he was arrested in con
nection with a fund-raising benefit
at his home for the "People's
World," official Communist Party
paper in San Francisco. He plead
ed guilty to the charge at the time.
The committee adds that the
Marine Firemen's Union in San
Francisco is being sued by one of
the screened seamen, because it al
legedly refused to dispatch him to
a ship. In effect then, the "screen
os" are using the Taft-Hartley law
against the unions to force them
to register all comers.
" TWust Produce Witnesses
The breakdown of the screening
program came after a series of
court decisions which, in effect,,
said that the Coast Guard cannot
screen men unless it brings forth
witnesses and gives the accused
their tfuditional right to cross-ex
amine these witnesses.
As a SEAFARERS LOG edito
rial pointed out in the March 15
issue, the unavailability of wit
nesses is probably due to the tra
ditional refusal of the Federal Bu
reau of Investigation to reveal in
formants except where it considers
a case of great importance.
Consequently, the editorial con-
clude,4., the Governmept, aeems to.
feel that it is more
protect its witnesses
out subversives, if
ships.
important to
.than to root
any, on US
earnest, the counter-pressure was
put on by the waterfront Commu'-
nists. Men suspected of SIU sym
pathies were expelled from the un
ion, forced off the ships and in
many instances dumped ^nd
worked over soundly.
Sanctuary With Bridges
In 1954, MCS filed a petition for
a National Labor Relations Board
election. Bridges countered by or
ganizing "Local 100" of his long
shore union as a haven for the dis
credited NUMC&S. MCS was pre
vented from winning a clear ma
jority by Bridges' strategy of call
ing for a "no union" vote.
The following year saw the SIU
Pacific District petition for a new
election and overwhelm "Local
100" by 3,931 to .1,004.
Bare US Ship Giveaway
For Offshore Operation
WASHINGTON—Five government owned Cl's, sold to the
Philippiiie Government for inter-island trade, have been found
operating in the South China trade and elsewhere in Asia,
Although the sale of theses-
vessels was conditioned by
their use solely irpinter-island
or intercoastal trade, permission
was given by Commerce Secretary
Sinclair Weeks for the Philippines
to use them in international trade.
Mr. Weeks based his authority to
grant such permission on an over
looked phrase in the enabling act
which had specified limitations on
the use of these vessels, but which
continued . . or within such
other limits as the Secretary of
Commerce may in the future find
reasonable and just."
The SIU and other maritime
unions have long been opposed to
the sale of Government^ reserve
ships to foreign nations on the
grounds of unfair competition.
They have held that these vessels,
even where actually "limited" to
domestic operations, release other
ships of that nation for interna
tional trade.
The news about the C-ls coihes
at a time when several other na
tions are' pressing for sale of U^
Government reserve tonnage, in-,
eluding India, Turkey, Mexico and
Peru. Most of these nations have
found sponsors for bills in Con
gress which also pledge that the
ships purchased will be used solely
In that nation's domestic trade.
Other countries on line are
Ecuador, West Germany, trieste,
Japan, and . South Korea. ,