Media
Issue Date
1941-09-19
Volume
3
Issue Number
18
Plaintext
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SPECIAL STRIKE. ISSUE
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SPECIAL STRIKE ISSUE • Ki '
The Maritime Commission Acts as Chief FinkHerder
On Thursday afternoon, the Maritime Commisssion threw all discretion
to the winds and openly discarded its veil of "impartiality" to appear in
full l^ew as chief strikebreaker in the maritime industry.!
It "seized" three Alcoa Company ships in the name of the' Government
and proceeded to organize their manning with scabs. At the same time,
the Commission announced that this procedure would be followed on all
the struck ships. The Government is going to run the ships, they an
nounced, under emergency powers granted for National Defense.
O, National Defense, what crimes are committed in your name!
Here is how these actions of the Government agency will work out,
according to the New York Times on Friday:
"How the operation will work out was not clear as it has no prece
dent. It is possible that the government, having possessed the ships, WILL
ALLOCATE THEM TO PRIVATE INTERESTS FOR OPERATION ON
THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT. IN THIS CASE IT IS LIKELY THAT
ALCOA WILL RECEIVE THEM.
"THUS ALCOA WOULD BE OPERATING ITS OWN SHIPS AS
AGENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT, WITH THE DIFFERENCE THAT
THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE DICTATING TERMS TO ANY SEA
MEN THAT WISH TO SIGN."
In other words, THE SHIPOWNERS WILL RETAIN ALL THEIR DEM
OCRATIC RIGHTS TO MAKE ALL THE PROFIT THEY CAN. On the
other hand, THE GOVERNMENT WILL DICTATE TO THE SEAMEN
WHAT WAGES THEY WILL RECEIVE!
What is this but the crassest kind of strikebreaking by a govern
ment agency acting as the cats' paw of the employers? What kind of democ
racy" is this which acts for the employers and DICTATES to the workers?
The seamen who man the ships carrying lendlease and national defense
materials are asked to risk their lives in order to get through aid to the
"Democracies" in a war against "Dictators."
Are these same seamen to be deprived of their own democratic rights at
home? What kind of a sham and mockery is this?
It is clear that we are facing an open and avowed strikebreaking
move. The Seafarers have no other recourse but to stand firm on their picket
lines and meet this move like all other finkherding moves!
OFFICIAL ORGAN OP THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
VOL. Ill NEW YORK, N. Y., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1941 No. 18
lOLD FRIIII.SPREAD TEUP
<$>
S.U.P. JOINS THE FIGHT
Members of the Sailors Union of the Pa
cific joined the. strike of the SIU for a
higher bonus at noon on Thursday, Septem
' ber l8, 1941, after coastwise meetings of the
SUP decided on such action upon a vote
called by SecretaryTreasurer H. Lundeberg.
In New York the SUP tied up the S.S. Min
nesbtam the S.S. Oklahoman and the S.S. Sea
thrush at once and prepared to follow suit with
any other foreign run SUP ships coming into
port.
The SUP was joined in this action by the
New York branch of the Marine Firemen, Oilers,
Wipers and Watertenders of the Pacific. The
blackgang on these three ships walked off to
gether with the sailors.
This step towards greatly strengthening the
strike called by the Seafarers International
Union took place at the deadline set by the U.S.
Maritime Commission for the requisitioning of
the previously struck vessels unless, the Union
agreed to compulsory arbitration.
Labor solidarity was the seamen's answer to
this threat of the Government agency to inter
vene and break the strike on the shipowners'
terms. West Coast and East Coast seamen are
now bound together, pledged to obtain the just
demand for a higher bonus to the men who sail
the ships and take the daily increasing risks.
In action, under pressure, in the very
midst of a crucial situation, the seamen on
both coasts have demonstrated practical
unity. The action of the SUP and MFOW
gave living evidence of the old warcray of
the seamen: "An injury to one is an injury
to all!"
Marine Cooks
Smash Move
In a smashing blow to the
misleaders who head the Na
tional Maritime Union, the
membership of the Marine
Cooks and Stewards of the
Pacific overwhelmingly de
feated affiliation to the NMU
in a coastwise referendum.
The vote as announced in
^sn Franciseo was l,2fi6 to 89.
(Continued on Page 4)
SEAMEN!
Your fellow American seamen, who are members of the
Seafarers'^Intemationai Union and the Sailors Union of the
Pacific have gone on strike for larger war bonuses and larger
life insurance.
For many months, ever since the S.S. Robin Moor was tor
pedoed in midAllanlic and an SIU crew had to spend three
weeks in lifeboats before they were fortunate enough to be picked
up, we have attempted to use the regular machinery of negotia
tion, mediation, and what have you to raise these bonuses. We
have met with no success, and have been forced to the conclusion
that the Maritime Commission and the shipowners were merely
kicking us around.
We are now engaged in a great strike. The Maritime Com
mission has decided to test whether these unions or any other
unions can exercise the ordinary rights and use the common wea
pon of shore labor to secure what is plainly theirs in justice.
.(Continued on Page 4)
Calls for Coastwise
Ballot for General Strike
In Reply to Intimidation
Meeting in special session at 11 A.M. on
Thursday morning, September 18, 1941, the
New York members of the Seafarers Interna
tional Union on strike for a higher bonus voted
to authorize their officers to conduct a coastwise
poll of the Union declaring a General Strike on
all ships!
This action of the striking membership came
in reply to an ultimatum given the Union by the
United Stataes Maritime Commission to submit
the dispute to arbitration by noon that day, or
else sec the ships requisitioned by the govern
ment.
A telegram from Admiral E.
S. Land, Chairman of the Mari
time Commission (printed else
where in this issue), which in
corporated the ultimatum, was
read to the mefiobership by John
Hawk, Secretary Treasurer of
the SIU.
Immediately there was an
uproar from the assembled
strikers and cries of "No,
no!" "Thumbs Down," etc,,
echoed throughout the hall.
Speaker after speaker got up
to state the case of the strikers.
Negotiations had been going on
for more than five months with
no results, spe^ikers said. That
is why they finally took action.
They had no agreement to
abide by an arbitration award,
others stated, and consequently
(Continued on Page 2)
New York Strike
SIDELIGHTS
Picket lines are holding tight.
More than 650 strikers are regis
tered. Each man is assigned to
4hour watches. No one fails a
watch, with three to ten men to
a picket line coristantlv. At Pier
18, West Side; Pier K. Weehaw
ken; Pier 3, Brooklyn and Pier
10, Staten Island, pickets are on
the march, watchful against ^ny
and all forms of finking. Not a
fink has gone through! The ships
are,tied up tighter than a door
nail.
* * *
The strike hall on the third
floor is teeming with pickets
changing watches. Steaming hot
coffee and sandwiches refresh
them to take up their task of
(Continued on Page S)
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THE SEAFARERS' LOG Friday, September 19, 1941
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Published by the
ATLANTIC & GFLP BISTRKJT
of the
Seafarers International Union
of North America
'Affiliated toith the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG, Acting International President
110 Market Street, Room 402, San Francisco, Calif,
ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS
PUBLICATION TO: .
"THE SEAFARERS' LOG"
P. Q. Box 25, Station P, New Vork, N. Y.
' PA'OWI^: BOwling'Greeh 93437
"Arbitration"
Cry Used as
k
Meeting Calls for Coastwise
Ballot for General Strike
to Intiniidation
THE PINKY NMU OFFICIALDOM
True to Their Cplp/s
Some people are under the impression that Curran's color
is Red. To us 'it looks mofe like plain ordinary'YELLOW,
The Yellow that usually is associated with scabbery.
Curran and Company's attitude toward tiie crucial strike of
the Seafarers International Union for a hi^ylier bonus, faced with
Maritime Commission strikebreaking in favoj: of tlie shipowners,
is iiotliing but aid and comfort to tlie strikebreakers. The NMU
top officialdom are just true to their colors.
In an editorial in the current issue of his "Pilot," published
at the very time when the Maritime Commission in collusion with
the oiJerators are carrying through their finky seizure of the Alcoa
ships, Curran dubs the SIU strike as a "bum beef" and a "flukey
strike" and furnisJies the enemies of the strikers with "argu
ments." As usual, he aids the bosses and stabs the fighting workers
in the back, which is about what can be expected of the yellow,
tyeacherous and doublecrossing hangerson of the Stalinite Com
munist Party ̂machine.
"Just to up and call a general .strike over a secondary,
issue," says the "Pilot" editorial, "looks like a hum beef
to us."
To the hardened bureaucrat in the swivelchair of his
oflace, a higher bonus and adequate war risk insurance for
seamen who are ready to lay dp^ their lives ip dangerous
"Mlers'.is j"ust''a "secoiadiry igpe'*! " ' • '
What do the National Maritime Union rank and file, who face
the risks of death on the high seas and whose families face the
prospect of insecurity, say to this craven jiiece of skullduggery
put out by their leaders as an argument against a strike when
these same people admit tlie SIU men are "out fighting like hell
to win.?"
In its previous issue, the "Pilot" carried an article by Joe
. . Curran charging the SIU with a .sellout, The strike followed.
So Curran calls this a bona fide strike "flukey." Apparently the
determination of the SIU to strike for its dcihands on the war
bonus i.s the "sellbut" Curran was referring to. Tlie NMU rank
and file can now judge for themselves as to who is really sell
ing out.
On the one side stands the strildng SIUSUP member
ship. On the other side stand the employers, the Maritime
Commission and the finks. Curran and Company have ranged
themselves on the side of the latter and against the striking
seamen. The NMU rank and file will also take sides in this
struggle. We, for one, do not believe that the militant sea
men iu the ranks of the NMU will range themselves on. the
side of Curran in this dispute.
In our last issue weasked: "In the case of a strike on SIU
ships for an adequate bonus, will it be too much to ask Curran
and Co. to refrain from their usual raiding and strikebreaking
activity against the SIU? Or will these apostles of "Unity" con
sider plain, common, decent labor solidarity with .the striking sea
men as also 'pulling the 5lU's chestnut.s out of the fire'?"
Curran has given an. indication of his apswer. He is al
reiady arguing oh the side of the shipowner^ Will he go a
step, further how. andf actually attempt to supply scabs on
the struck vessels which are being seized, by. the. Maritime
'Commission? Is that what the Stalinist C. P. policy of "All
A « ̂ ^ A ^ A M ̂ ' 1 A J Xia.' '^TH/TTT X
Ready to meet the Govern
ment anxiety to get defense
materials to West Indies
bases and bauxite for air
plane almunium back fropi
the islands, the Seafarers In
ternational Union made a sep
arate proposal for a settle
ment of the strike on the Al
coa Line ships.
The Union offered to sail llie
ships upon agreeynent on a mini
mum $.30 a month bonus at once,
with a more permanent figure
ranging between $.30 to $(50 to
be left to arbitration after
wards.
Captain Theobald of the Al
coa Company agreed that this
was a fair proposal and told
the Union committee meeting
with him that he would take it
'up with his superior officers.
Later on, he called up to in
form the SIU that this proi^osal
was unacceptable. "The offer
was 'efused by the company,"
we read in the New York Times
of Friday, 'Sept. ' i it, "on the
ground that it >ras not an offer
of ARUI'TR^TION but an
other demand for a war bonus."
1
A Strange Reason
What an astounding rea.Son!
In the case of the Robin, the
Waterman, the Calmar and the
South Atlantic Lines, the ship
owners claim that they have an
agreement with the Union which
binds it to arbitration, referring
to the agreement on the basis of
which their tied up ships were
released on July 8 th. What
claim does Alcoa ba.se it.self on?
(Continued from Page 1)
arbitration would only mean
more delay and the possible need
to go out on strike again later.
They wanted to settle this issue
once and for all, this time! Tliat
was the import of one speech
after another.
New ships have been raided
since the strike began, rank and
file seamen stated. And the dan
gers to shipping were increas
ing daily with the application of
the Government's policy to
shoot Nazi raiders on sight.
"Now is the time to decide
the issue of the war bonus."
That • • sums up the sentiment
of the men expressed at the
Thursday meeting. Later on
theii civil rights may be
"bla,cked, out" by further
war measures of the govern
ment, the men felt.'
After nearly an hour of dis
cussion along these line.s, the
membership voted to reaffirm its
I with the committee that the
West Indies were war zone
and that a bonus would prob
ably have to be paid. The
Committee thereupon made
the following proposal to
Alcoa:
To sail the Alcoa Company's
ship,s provided that a" $30 a
month bonus was agreed upon
at once as a minimum, with a
permanent rate between $30 and
.$00 per month to be left for set
tlement by arbitration.
I Captain Theobald stated that
he regarded that as a fair com
promise and said that he would
take it up with the President of
the company and the other offi
cials.
Just before the Special Meet
ing opened. Hawk declared,
Theobald called him to tell him
that the jjroposal was "no soap"
and that the Company would.be
guided by the Maritime Com
mission's ultimatum..
The Alcoa companv was
NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST
INVOLVED DURING THE
TIEUP IN JULY, NOR WAS
IT A PARTY TO THE
AGREEMENT SIGNED
THEN.
This action on Alcoa's part
merely shows up the whole
scheme of the shipowners in
their cry for arbitration as a
pure and simple racket.
UNION
LAND'S WIRE
WASHINGttiN, iJ.C.f^SEPTEMBER 17, 1911
.roHN BAWR
SECKETAHYTKEASLUlSIt, SEAPAKEltS INTL.
ATIANT^O AN1> lit/lip bisTiUcts
STGNE ST.. NEW YORK '
BE ADVISED THAT, THE POUIiOWINf; DECISION HAS
BEEN MADE BY THE'UNITED STATES MABITIME COMr
MISSION: THE MARITIME COMMIS.SION WILL REQUf
SITION POR USE VESSELS NOW BEING HELD IN PORT
UNLESS AN AGREEMENT TO .STTRMIT TO ARBITRATION
THE MATTERS NOW UNDElt DISPUTE HAS BEEN MADE
BY NOON EASTERN STANDARD TIME THURSDAY SEP
TEiMGER EIGHTEENTH.
E. S. LAND, MARITIME COM.MISSION.
original stand to remain out on
strike until concrete counter
l^roposals for higher bonus pay
and more adequate war risk in
surance were offered by the
shipowners.
Brother Hawk reported to
the meeting that the negoti
ating committee had met ear
lier in the morning with Cap
tain Theobald of the Alcoa
Steamship Company. He re
pprted that the. Union tlom
niittee had submitted a spe
cial offer to the Alcoa people.
Captain Theobald had agreed
Opt Aid to Britain apd Russia" will lead the NMU to?
Win the NMU rank and file allow this indecent attack
oh labor solidarity to go the full length.
With Curran's finky pdlicy, the resulfs of the "Unity" cam
paign are already becoming more and more apparent. La.st
month the West Coast Marine Firemen voted overwhelmingly to
defeat a proppsa) to, affiliate with the NJMUCIO. That was a
telling blow.
This week a still more powerful blow has been dealt Cur
ran's phoney "Unity" by the West Coast Marine Cooks and
Stewards, who followed the MFQW lead and likewise de
feated affiliation to the NMUCiO by a vast majority. The
Marine Cooks were qonsidered as "practically in the bag"
by the Stalinist wreckers in control of the, NMU. Their ac
tion, like that df the Firemen is only the beginning of a
mighty protest wave against Curran and Company !s disrup
tion and outright support of the shipowners and their agents
in the government, agencies.
These signals from the West Coast and Curran's latest bit of
finky behavior in the SIU strike show that unity of the .seamen
can be achieved only despite and against the fakers at the head
of the NMU.
In the course of. strike action, unity is more significant than
ever. The sincere NMU rank, and file whp want, unity will show
it in the course of the strike by blocking Curran's scab moyes
and by rangirg themselves in solidarity on the picket lines of
tlie Seafarers International Union and, tbe Sailors Unipn of the
Pacific.
This report aroused resent
ment in the crowded hall. The
men felt that the Maritiipe
Commission and the govern
ment were interfering, with
a settlement favorable to the
Union. Without the Commis
sion's ultimatum^ the. consen
sus of opinion was, the A,lcoa
beef would already have been
settled that morning.
In an additional move to
counter the openly strikebreak
ing action of the Maritime Cora
mi.ssion, a motion Avas put be
fore tlie meeting ordering that
a General Strike A'ote be taken
up and down the coa.st, if the
Commi.ssion went through Avith
its intention of requisitioning
the struck ships.
A tremendous roar of "Ayes"
went up Avhen a vote AvaS called
for on this motion. Not a sin
gle di.s.scnting voice came, for
Avard in opposition.
A holiday spirit pervaded the
meeting. The men backed up
their negotiating committ:ee .Ayith
great enthusiasm and interrupt
ed calls for the spread of tjie
strike Avith repeated cheers.
After the meeting was coiiclnd
ed, the men 'literally swarmed
arpnnd the dispatcher's des^_. to
volunteer for picket duty.
Not a single struck ship must
10 moved. That summed up tHe
.spirit of the strikers.
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Friday, September 19, 1941 THE SEAFARERS' LOG
What Is the Maritime
Commission Game ?
Now that the shipowners have been shown by strike ac
tion that the seanien mean business, the United States Mari
tinie Commission steps into the picture.
The stipovmers cannot inbve the tiedup ships scheduled
for the war ̂ hes because they have no seamen to man them
at the'present bonus rates, which the men regard as pure
and simple robbery.
So the hlaritime Commission issues an ULTIMATUM!
Whom is tlie ULTIMATUMS
directed at? Not the shipown
ers, of course! They are not
asked to change their tune by as
much as a wliisper. Their an
swer to the seamen's demands
was arbitration! The Commis
sion ultimatum demands: arbi
tration !
Sings Same Tune
The Maritime Commission is
a government agency. It is sup
posed to stand "above all
^ cesses." It is supposed to be
"impartial" ! Here is a dispute
between operators and working
men. The, jattev ask for a
higher bonus. The former say:
Just a Stooge?
In whose interest is the Mari
time Commission acting? Is it
just a pure and simple stooge
of the shipowners who have
been out to wreck the Unions
and beat down seamen's wages?
The Seafarers Internationa
and the Sailors Union of the
Pacific once before had occasion
to fight a Maritime Commission
move in the interests of the
shipowners. That was when the
Commission attempted to rein
troduce the government run
Fink Fliring Halls. The Sea
men's unions then did not hesi
tate to counter that strikebreak
Sail the ships under the present move with picket lines
' conditions and submit to arbitra'
tion. So the Maritime Commis
sion shows its "impartility"—it
takes no sides in the dispute,
not at all. It strikes a happy
"compromise" and only asks
the seamen to sail the ships and
submit to arbitration!
If the issue were not so cru
cial and so tragic in its impli
cations, tlus display of alleged
disinterestedness by a govern
ment agency would be funny
enough to make the Gods roar
with laughter.
Eiit the dispute is serious en
ough. The lives of men are at
stake on foreign runs as never
before. They merely ask for
added protection and care for
their families in keeping with
the growing risk. That's what
the bonus issue amounts to!
New Bisks Admitted
Does the Maritime Commis
sion or the government it rcprc
^sents deny that risks have been
increased, as the shipowners
have all these months of nego
tiation? Why, the government
itself is the loudest to annoiinec
the increased danger to Amer
ican ships in the foreign zones!
Tjiat's why convoys are being
organized! That's, why the
President has ordered the Navy
to shoot Nazi raiders on sight!
Does the Maritime Commis
sion or the government hold that
no bonus is; necessary for the
seamen? Why, the Maritime
Commission itself pays IpO^
bonus on the Panamanian flag
ships operating to war zones un;
der its directiori!
Or, is the Commission's game
to reduce the average pay on
V^erican ships to the $5.'5 it
pays on 'the "foreignflag ship
vessels it operates ? Is an agertdy
of the United States government
out to break down the American
tgtahdard of living fought for; so
t)rig by American rnaritime la
5or?
around the Maritime Commis
sion offices. They stopped the
move to place them back in the
sliackles of the Fink Hiring
Hall.
Eemember the Fink Hall!
Tbe Unions will not shrink
back this time either. They will
answer the strikebreaking move
of the Commission to requisition
the struck ships and man them
.with finks. They will face this
njove with the same spirit as in
the fight against the Fink Hall.
if the Maritime Commission
is out to act as a stooge of the
shipowners, if it is out to do the
strikebreaking which the oper
ators at present don't dare un
dertake, the Unions will react
as they do to all. strikebreak
ing, from any source: With a
fighting and determined picket
line!
The demand for a higher
bonus is a just demand. Not
only the seamen, but all the
world which reads of new sink
ings of American merchant
craft every day, knows that. The
strikers are fighting for justice
to the seamen.
Niew York Strike
SID£LI(SKTS
Ono Cop Who's
On Right Side
Pier 3 in Brooklyn Is not
too damn close to strike head,
quarters and some of the
strikers^ flOt_ lost on the way
there to do a trick on the
picket line. After wandering
around in the wilds of Brook
lyn for a while, they suddenly
discovered they didn't have
the carfare necessiary to com
plete the trip.
"Why not ask the cop on
the corner there for the
dpugh," Qrie of the strikers
suggested.
It sounded screwy but they
trl^d It:' • "
The cop not only gave them
the carfare but asked the boys
In "Tor a cup" of coffee, so
they'd keep warm on the pier!
(C'oiiiinued from Paye 1)
holding the lines solid. Galions
of coffee and hundreds of sand
wiches are turned out under able
direction of Steward Department
men, Bill Atwood and ' Walter
Fisher.
• • •
Strike meetings on the Sixth
floor are packed to the rafters.
Six hundred crowd into the hall,
scores are in the hallway, many
more wait downstairs. Fifty to
sixty men take the floor, many
of them men who never spoke in
public before. Every speech ex
presse.s the same determination
to carry the fight on to a success
ful conclusion.
» • «
"Let the Government take
over the ships," says one striker,
"we can't get a much rawer deal
than we have already gotten
from the shipowners. We are en
titled to a bonus that will cover
the risks. All we are asking for
is justice. We're out to get jus
tice. That's our right and no one
can take it from us." Cheers and
a round of applau.se follow from
all over the hail.
* • *
Crews of ships that have not
yet been struck Join the battle
with the contribution of fighting
funds to the strike. Heading the
list are the S.S. Francis Salmon
crew with $10.50 and the crew of
the S.S. Comet with $l5.95. Sea
men who cannot participate in
the strike because of work
ashore, likewise send in their
contributions.
• • •
A circular addressed by the
Strike Committee to the NMU
men on the S.S. Caribqueen
(printed elsewhere) is met by
the crew members with "Atta
boy, we're right with you." Sev
eral of the men declare that they
will "see" Curran and Co. about
the NMU's official stand on the
beef.
• * *
A leaflet addressed to "Amer
ican Seamen" asking them to
join in support of the SILJ action
is distributed by strikers at the
NMU hail on Eleventh Avenue
and gets such a good response
from the rank and file sailors
there that several of them post
it up on their official biiiietln
board in the hall!
• • •
Word comes through by wire
that the SUP has voted to join
the strike at noon Thursday.
Pandemonium breaks loose in the
strike hall.
« » •
On the picket lines, grim and
determined faces show the spirit
of the men who pace up and
down to see that the ships stay
tied up tight until the strike is
won.
* * *
A number of men from the
army transports have shown up
at strike headquarters and volun
teered to Join the picket lines. A
decent b,pnus sounds good to
them,' too!
» • *
At pier 15, West Side, a Navy
truck pulled up to take a load off
a struck shlpi The gob driving
the truck took one look at the
picket line and didn't wait for
sbrfie admiral to give him orders.
He turned the truck around and
drove back to the garage.
* * *
Brothers from the Marine di
vision of the IBEW (Electrical
Workers) have also volunteered
to Join our lines. The shipowners
may have the rnaritime Commis
sion on their side, but there Is"
no question about which sjde all
good:union men have chosen.
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic & Gulf District
• • hh
. SecretaryTreasurer^s Office
Room 213 — 2 Stone Street, New York City
P. O. Box 25, Station P Phone: BOwliag Green 93437
DIRECTORY OF BLANCHES
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
NEW YORK 2 Stone St. BOwllng Green 93437
„ ^ Dispatcher's Office ..BOwling Green 93430'
BOSTON 330 Atlantic Ave. ...LIBerty 4057
PROVIDENCE .. 465 South Main St. ..Manning 3572
BALTIMORE ...14 North Gay St. ...Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA .6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 25 Commercial PI. .. Norfolk 41083
NEW ORLEANS 309 Chartres St MAgnolia 3962
SAVANNAH .... 218 East Bay St Savannah 31728
JACKSONVILLE .136 East Bay St Jacksonville 51791
TAMPA 20G, So. Franklin St. .Tampa M1323
MOBILE 56 So. Conception St. Dexter 1449
TEXAS CITY ... 105 4th St., N Texas City 722
MIAMI 1348. N.E. First Ave.. Miami 22950
SAN JUAN 8 Covadonga St 'San Juan 1885
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
' • • • ' . 5 , ,J T
WASHIXGTOxV, D.C., SEPTEMBER 17, 1941
JOH.V HAWK
SEOKETAliyTKEASURER, SEAFARERS INTL. UNION
ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICTS
2 STONE ST., NEW YORK
WE ARE IN RECEIPT OF A LETTER FROM FRANK
.1. TAYLOR PRESIDENT AMERICAN MERCH.ANT M.ARINE
INSTITUTE DATED SEI^E.MBER FOURTH ADDRESSED
TO THE UNITED ST.ATES DEPARTME*NT OF LABOR RE
QUESTING THE APPOINTMENT OF AN ARBITR.VTOR
ON W.4R BONUS ISSUE IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN
AGREEMENT DATED JULY 8, 1941, E.^ECUTED BY THE
SEAFARERS INTERN.ATION.4L UNION OF NORTH AMER
ICA AND THE SEAS SHIPPING COMPANY, THE SOUTH
ATL.ANTIC STEAMSHIP LINES AND THE WATERMAN
STEAMSHIP CORPORATION. IS IT TOUR UNDERSTAND
IxNG THAT THE SECRETARY OF LABOR SHOULD NOW
APPOINT AN AltBlTRATOR AND THAT HIS DECISION
IS TO BE BINDING ON ALL PARTIES. PLEASE lyiBE
REPLY.
J. R. STEELMAN, DIRECTOR OF CONCILIATION.
J. E. STEELMAN, DIRECTOR OP CONCIIAATION
DEPT. OF LABOR, WASHINGTON, D. C.
The Seafarers Iiiternatlunal Union of North .America
takes t!ie position that the agreement signed on July 8,
1941, with the South Atlantic, Seas Shipping, Waterman and
Caluiar Steamshii) Companies was bioken by these compa
nies, and ne have so informed the companies and the Alari
time Commission. Under these circumstances the Union
does not feel inclined to submit this niatter to arbitration.
The agreement states a meeting will be chlled as soon
as possible to include all interested unions and companies.
This was not complied with. First the Licensed Officers iiiet
seperately with the companies. The Seafarers' representa
tives were barred from this meeting. Second, one week lat
er, .iugust 19, 1941, all the unlicensed unions met with the
companies, and the ctniipanies allowed this meeting to break
up under the protest, of all the maritime unions except the
National Maritime Union. The Chalnuan acting for the Ma
ritime Commission allowed this meeting to adjourn to re
convene at a later date knowing that on the record several
tmions stated their unions Avould not be represented at tliis
conference again.
Third, the Seafarers attended several meetings with the
operators of these companies in New Y<uk in an elVort to
reach an agreement satisfactory fo both parties. The com
panies refused to negotiate under the subterfuge that they
were waiting for th.e confei'ence to leconvene. Fourth tliei'e
is nbthiiig in the agreeiiu nt which states the decision of the
arbitrator shall be final and binding to both parties.
JOHN HAWK.
STRIKE FUND HONOR ROLL
Tiie following brothers have made voluntary contributions to
the Strike Committee:
CHEW OF THE S.S. FRANCIS SALMON—J. Deppner, $1; M.
Noble 5bc, E. Carlton $1; B. Lupton .$1, O. Dover $1, K. Rain
,$1, F: S. Jonslon .$1, R. Corey $1, E. Adams 50c, B. Pullen 50c,
H. Bridges .$1, R. Tjpzkowski ,$1—,$10.50.
CREW OF S.S. COMET—A. Pato $1, V. Fernandez $1, J. Paz
$1, H. Beiendt $1, W Chadder 50c, A. Anecros 50c, A. Lopez $JL,
J. Gomez $1, J. Vicza 50c, M, Otero .$1, WN Christ of erson SOc,
M. Mgchadq 50c, Ni Kraljio 5bc, M. Zefric 50c, G. Berube 50c,
D". hladison ̂ Oc^G.' Peterson 50c, J.' Ozga. .50c. J. Joimson 50c,
J. Pacliecd JiOc, W. Kalier .50c, pj Wise .50c. T. Moran 25c, M. Cor
ria 2.5c, J. Sylvia 50c, J. Rivers 2,5c—.$1.5.7,5.'
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THE SEAFARER S ' L O G Friday, SeptemBer 1^, 19'
'What^s Behind Alcoa's Ciy
W "Holding Up Dofenso"
As could have been predicted, one of the companies
struck in the bonus tieup of the Seafarers, the Alcoa Steam
ship Company, immediately came out in the newspapers with
the cry: The strike is holding up the defense output of
aluminum!
It's not the reluctance of the
greedy shipowners to pay the
seamen a few dollars a mont
in war bonus, but the insistence
of the seamen on this bonus
which is holding up "defense
output."
According to these public
spirited gentlemen, the shipown
ers are apparently pious patri
ots, not out to make a nicke
on the transport and production
of aluminum. Greed and avarice
and lack of concern for national
welfare—that's something the
seamen are guilty of!
That this cockeyed "argu
ment" gets any mention in the
press at all is due to the ship
owners' and their pals, the
newspaper owners' reliance on
the ignorance of the reading
public. An acquaintance with
the facts explodes the altruistic
claims of the shipowners and
the Aluminum trust at once.
The Facts
What are the facts?
1. The Alcoa ships carried
the raw product which is essen
tial to the production of what
as now the No. 1 defense mate
rial—aluminum for war planes
—long before the present war
jperiod started. Its major cargo
was bauxite then. It is bauxite
mow.
2. The Alcoa company
Jonght the American stand
ard of wages and working
conditions for seamen before
the war on its foreignflag
• ships. It is doing the same on
• Americanflag ships now. All
that has changed is that they
now can resort to "national
defense" as a subterfuge for
their antilabor policy.
3. The Aluminum trust, of
which Alcoa is merely a sub
sidiary, was so patriotic that
a recent investigation by a
Congressional Committee re
(Vealed an alleged deal on re
:stricting production and set
• ting prices for aluminum,
• concluded between it and the
German trust in the same
field, which remained in ef
:fect long after the present
rantiNazi and proBritish pol
:icy of the U. S. Government
Jiad been declared oflacial ad
oninistration policy.
4. A recent congressional in
"vestigation into the subsidizing
• sof Government contracts with
ithe Aluminum trust (see the
• Jl^oumal of Commerce, Sept. 17,
3941, front page) disclosed the
^following facts:
' The Company, in order to
meet Government production re
• quirements, forced the govern
ment to subsidize the construc
tion of additional production fa
cilities to the tune of $62,009,
000. The Senate National De
fense Investigating Committee'
counsel made the following find
ings in this connection:
Tricky Contract
"... Alcoa is protected all
the way in each provision,
the govenrment is not .
there were no provisions in
the contract to enforce com
pletion of the construction of
the plants within any stipu
lated time . . . Further, if
power contracts are not
forthcoming, he said, Alcoa
can sidestep the contract and
be reimbursed by the govern
ment for all time, labor and
expense incident to the proj
ects up to the time." (See
'Journal of Commerce" of
above date.)
That's the kind of "sacrifices"
these patriots are willing to
make for that "national de
'en.se" which'they use as a club
over the seamen and their other
workmen.
Enormous Profits
5. The same investigation re
vealed that the Company had at
first put the price of completed
aluminum at. 17 cents, which
Marine Cooks
Smash Move to
Join N. M. U.
{Continued from Page J)
Balloting returns were made
public last Wednesday.
The misleadership , of the
NMU had counted on a com
plete victory in the Cooks' ref
endum, after conducting a
months' long campaign for
"unity" with all kinds of money
spent to swing the vote. Also in
their favor was the fact that
Stalinist C.P. influence was as
strong in the leadership of the
Marine Cooks organization as it
is in the top oflicialdom of the
NMU. Despite their Stalinist
leaders, however, and in spite o
all the pressure from their ma
ehine on the East Coast, the
rank and file defeated this move
in sensational fa.shion.
What About This
Arbitration^^ issue?
Phoney "Unity" on Ice
The referendum vote of the
Cooks, following the equally dis
astrous defeat that their cam
paign suffered in the recent ref
erendum of the West Coast
Firemen, definitely places Cur
ran's phoney "Unity" drive on
ice. The.se actions can only be
interpreted as powerful jjro
tests against the antilabor poli
cies of the C.P., which domin
ates the NMU officialdom, as
well as rank and file resentment
against the unionbreaking tac
tic.s of Curran and Co.
It is to be expected that these
most recent moves on the West
would have given them _a net ^^ast will serve to stir up the
smoldering revolt against the
Curran misleadership on the
East Coast.
profit of cents a pound. In
the course of negotiations with
the government, during which
they obtained the abovemen
tioned contract as a sop, Alcoa
graciously consented to reduce
the price to 15 cents. This stll
gives them a net profit of from
to ^2 ^ cent a pound. Their
schedule calls for the produc
tion of no less than 1,500,000,
000 pounds of aluminum a year,
which would give them a net
profit "on production alone of
something like $4,750,000 a
year!
Aside from this cool $5,000,
000 profit, approximately, the
Aluminum trust also reap.s huge
profits from the mining of the
bauxite, carried on with cheap
native labor in Dutch Guinana
and a fortune in the transpor:
tation of this same product on
the ships of the Alcoa Steam
ship Company, all of which is
controlled by the same little
clique of greedy men.
And these men can't afford to
pay a bonus of $1 or $2 a day
to the seamen who move the
ships in all kinds of weather
and brave the risks of bombing
or shelling or torpedoing! These
are the men who berate the sea
men for lack of "patriotism"
when they stand up for their
right to some protection against
dangers and to some compensa
tion for their risks! What is al
leged concern for "national de
fense" worth when it comes
forth from the mouths of such
antilabor profiteers, as these?
And He Kept
A Straight Face!
Capt. Granville Conway, New
York District Manager of the
Maritime Commission, has
been talking big these past few
days. In an interview with the
press he thundered at the SIU
and warned that if we didn't
reach an agreement with the
owners (accept the boss
terms), he was going to take
over all the ships and break
the strike.
"We will accept anyone who
has a seaman's certificate,
whether he is a union man or
not," he said.
This amounted to a left
handed invitation to Joe Cur
ran to help him break the
strike.
When reporters asked the
Captain what his policy on
bonuses would be if he took
over the ships, he made a very
funny crack (though he meant
it seriously):
"Seamen know that the
Maritime Commission Is 'al
ways fair," he said with a
straight face.
A great hullabullo has been raised around the question
of arbitration. Any time you talk to a shipovirner about an
answer to the strikers' demands for a higher bonus, he an
swers you: "We abide by the agreement to arbitairte.** "
What agreement do they refer to?
What the Agreement Actually Called For
It seems that on July 8th, when the SIU released the ship.s
then unofficially tiedup for a bonus, an agreement was signed
with the Robin, Calmar, Waterman and South Atlantic lines. That
agreement was also countersigned by a representative of the
Maritime Commission. It called for a conference in Washington,
participated in BY ALL UNIONS and all the operators, in order
to settle the bonus issue. In case of an unsatisfactory settlement
at the conference, all parties agreed to' consider arbitration,
• without stating that they 7vould abide hy an arbitration award as
binding. We repeat, all parties agreed to this. v:
These are the facts.
The Truth of the Matter
Now what is the charge? The charge is that the Union! is"
breaking the agreement by refusing to arbitrate. On the other
hand, the shipowners claim that they are abiding by the agree
ment in agreeing to arbitrate. What is the truth about this at
tempt to becloud the issue and to make the Union appear as the
culprit in the case?
The truth, is that the agreement signed in July was vio
lated by the operators and the Maritime Commission whea
they failed to hold a conference participated in. by ALE
UNIONS! It was they who called a separate conference of
ships' officers unions! It was they who called a separate con
ference of the radio operators' unions! It was they who
called a seperate conference of the unlicensed personnel's
unions! .
If that wasn't violating the agreement, it was a pretty good
NOTICE
imitation of it.
Next, at the conference with the unlicensed seamen's
unions, when the National Maritime Union walked out, the
SIU, together with other upions represented, insisted on Con
tinuing. It insisted on abiding by the agreement of July 8.
Again, the shipowners and the Maritime Commission took
he NMU's walkout as a pretext for breaking up the con
'erence. Again it was they who violated the agreement!
After these experiences, can the Maritime Commission and
shipowners say with a straight face that the July 8th agreement
remained in effect?
What is this but unmitigated brass?
The Shipowners Broke the Agreement/ '
The agreement called for a conference of ALL UNIONS to
lay down terms of a higher bonus, then to arbitrate, if necessary.
If the shipowners do not abide by the first part of the agreement,
what justification can they possibly have in demanding tliat tKe
Union abide by the second part?
The hullabulloo about "arbitration" is clearly just an attempt
to smear the Union. It is an attempt to intimidate the Union
That attempt is a complete fizzle.
By refusing to meet the Union on an equal footing, the
operators and the Maritime Commission forced the Union to take
strike action. The Union relea.sed the ships in July on a pledge
of the Maritime Commission and the shipowners to settle by nego
tiation. ' Two and a half months later the issue remained where
it was in July. The Union is out to get a settlement this' time.
It will not allow itself to be hornswogglcd again.
lit;*-:.
SlAMiN!
James Monroe Cooper
Please get in touch with the
following or your lawsuit will
be vacated on October 3, Mr.
Shaw, Clerk of Court, Room
210, Post Office Bldg., New
Orleans, La.
(Continued from Page 1)
The Maritime Commission has "requisitioned" the ships,
and it is believed that they will hand them rig;ht badk to
their real owners simply making those owners "opefating
agents."
Of course that is nothing but a subterfuge to break this strike.
It has been stated that members of tlie National Maritii]g(e
Union will man these ships because the Seafarers' contract
"broken." . >;
We. are giving yon these facts because we know that i(/
you knew the real facts, nothing in the world can make yK'^
scab on us.
SIU STBiKiS OOMMITTEE, NEW YOBS.
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SPECIAL STRIKE. ISSUE
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SPECIAL STRIKE ISSUE • Ki '
The Maritime Commission Acts as Chief FinkHerder
On Thursday afternoon, the Maritime Commisssion threw all discretion
to the winds and openly discarded its veil of "impartiality" to appear in
full l^ew as chief strikebreaker in the maritime industry.!
It "seized" three Alcoa Company ships in the name of the' Government
and proceeded to organize their manning with scabs. At the same time,
the Commission announced that this procedure would be followed on all
the struck ships. The Government is going to run the ships, they an
nounced, under emergency powers granted for National Defense.
O, National Defense, what crimes are committed in your name!
Here is how these actions of the Government agency will work out,
according to the New York Times on Friday:
"How the operation will work out was not clear as it has no prece
dent. It is possible that the government, having possessed the ships, WILL
ALLOCATE THEM TO PRIVATE INTERESTS FOR OPERATION ON
THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT. IN THIS CASE IT IS LIKELY THAT
ALCOA WILL RECEIVE THEM.
"THUS ALCOA WOULD BE OPERATING ITS OWN SHIPS AS
AGENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT, WITH THE DIFFERENCE THAT
THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE DICTATING TERMS TO ANY SEA
MEN THAT WISH TO SIGN."
In other words, THE SHIPOWNERS WILL RETAIN ALL THEIR DEM
OCRATIC RIGHTS TO MAKE ALL THE PROFIT THEY CAN. On the
other hand, THE GOVERNMENT WILL DICTATE TO THE SEAMEN
WHAT WAGES THEY WILL RECEIVE!
What is this but the crassest kind of strikebreaking by a govern
ment agency acting as the cats' paw of the employers? What kind of democ
racy" is this which acts for the employers and DICTATES to the workers?
The seamen who man the ships carrying lendlease and national defense
materials are asked to risk their lives in order to get through aid to the
"Democracies" in a war against "Dictators."
Are these same seamen to be deprived of their own democratic rights at
home? What kind of a sham and mockery is this?
It is clear that we are facing an open and avowed strikebreaking
move. The Seafarers have no other recourse but to stand firm on their picket
lines and meet this move like all other finkherding moves!
OFFICIAL ORGAN OP THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA
VOL. Ill NEW YORK, N. Y., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1941 No. 18
lOLD FRIIII.SPREAD TEUP
<$>
S.U.P. JOINS THE FIGHT
Members of the Sailors Union of the Pa
cific joined the. strike of the SIU for a
higher bonus at noon on Thursday, Septem
' ber l8, 1941, after coastwise meetings of the
SUP decided on such action upon a vote
called by SecretaryTreasurer H. Lundeberg.
In New York the SUP tied up the S.S. Min
nesbtam the S.S. Oklahoman and the S.S. Sea
thrush at once and prepared to follow suit with
any other foreign run SUP ships coming into
port.
The SUP was joined in this action by the
New York branch of the Marine Firemen, Oilers,
Wipers and Watertenders of the Pacific. The
blackgang on these three ships walked off to
gether with the sailors.
This step towards greatly strengthening the
strike called by the Seafarers International
Union took place at the deadline set by the U.S.
Maritime Commission for the requisitioning of
the previously struck vessels unless, the Union
agreed to compulsory arbitration.
Labor solidarity was the seamen's answer to
this threat of the Government agency to inter
vene and break the strike on the shipowners'
terms. West Coast and East Coast seamen are
now bound together, pledged to obtain the just
demand for a higher bonus to the men who sail
the ships and take the daily increasing risks.
In action, under pressure, in the very
midst of a crucial situation, the seamen on
both coasts have demonstrated practical
unity. The action of the SUP and MFOW
gave living evidence of the old warcray of
the seamen: "An injury to one is an injury
to all!"
Marine Cooks
Smash Move
In a smashing blow to the
misleaders who head the Na
tional Maritime Union, the
membership of the Marine
Cooks and Stewards of the
Pacific overwhelmingly de
feated affiliation to the NMU
in a coastwise referendum.
The vote as announced in
^sn Franciseo was l,2fi6 to 89.
(Continued on Page 4)
SEAMEN!
Your fellow American seamen, who are members of the
Seafarers'^Intemationai Union and the Sailors Union of the
Pacific have gone on strike for larger war bonuses and larger
life insurance.
For many months, ever since the S.S. Robin Moor was tor
pedoed in midAllanlic and an SIU crew had to spend three
weeks in lifeboats before they were fortunate enough to be picked
up, we have attempted to use the regular machinery of negotia
tion, mediation, and what have you to raise these bonuses. We
have met with no success, and have been forced to the conclusion
that the Maritime Commission and the shipowners were merely
kicking us around.
We are now engaged in a great strike. The Maritime Com
mission has decided to test whether these unions or any other
unions can exercise the ordinary rights and use the common wea
pon of shore labor to secure what is plainly theirs in justice.
.(Continued on Page 4)
Calls for Coastwise
Ballot for General Strike
In Reply to Intimidation
Meeting in special session at 11 A.M. on
Thursday morning, September 18, 1941, the
New York members of the Seafarers Interna
tional Union on strike for a higher bonus voted
to authorize their officers to conduct a coastwise
poll of the Union declaring a General Strike on
all ships!
This action of the striking membership came
in reply to an ultimatum given the Union by the
United Stataes Maritime Commission to submit
the dispute to arbitration by noon that day, or
else sec the ships requisitioned by the govern
ment.
A telegram from Admiral E.
S. Land, Chairman of the Mari
time Commission (printed else
where in this issue), which in
corporated the ultimatum, was
read to the mefiobership by John
Hawk, Secretary Treasurer of
the SIU.
Immediately there was an
uproar from the assembled
strikers and cries of "No,
no!" "Thumbs Down," etc,,
echoed throughout the hall.
Speaker after speaker got up
to state the case of the strikers.
Negotiations had been going on
for more than five months with
no results, spe^ikers said. That
is why they finally took action.
They had no agreement to
abide by an arbitration award,
others stated, and consequently
(Continued on Page 2)
New York Strike
SIDELIGHTS
Picket lines are holding tight.
More than 650 strikers are regis
tered. Each man is assigned to
4hour watches. No one fails a
watch, with three to ten men to
a picket line coristantlv. At Pier
18, West Side; Pier K. Weehaw
ken; Pier 3, Brooklyn and Pier
10, Staten Island, pickets are on
the march, watchful against ^ny
and all forms of finking. Not a
fink has gone through! The ships
are,tied up tighter than a door
nail.
* * *
The strike hall on the third
floor is teeming with pickets
changing watches. Steaming hot
coffee and sandwiches refresh
them to take up their task of
(Continued on Page S)
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THE SEAFARERS' LOG Friday, September 19, 1941
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Published by the
ATLANTIC & GFLP BISTRKJT
of the
Seafarers International Union
of North America
'Affiliated toith the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG, Acting International President
110 Market Street, Room 402, San Francisco, Calif,
ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS
PUBLICATION TO: .
"THE SEAFARERS' LOG"
P. Q. Box 25, Station P, New Vork, N. Y.
' PA'OWI^: BOwling'Greeh 93437
"Arbitration"
Cry Used as
k
Meeting Calls for Coastwise
Ballot for General Strike
to Intiniidation
THE PINKY NMU OFFICIALDOM
True to Their Cplp/s
Some people are under the impression that Curran's color
is Red. To us 'it looks mofe like plain ordinary'YELLOW,
The Yellow that usually is associated with scabbery.
Curran and Company's attitude toward tiie crucial strike of
the Seafarers International Union for a hi^ylier bonus, faced with
Maritime Commission strikebreaking in favoj: of tlie shipowners,
is iiotliing but aid and comfort to tlie strikebreakers. The NMU
top officialdom are just true to their colors.
In an editorial in the current issue of his "Pilot," published
at the very time when the Maritime Commission in collusion with
the oiJerators are carrying through their finky seizure of the Alcoa
ships, Curran dubs the SIU strike as a "bum beef" and a "flukey
strike" and furnisJies the enemies of the strikers with "argu
ments." As usual, he aids the bosses and stabs the fighting workers
in the back, which is about what can be expected of the yellow,
tyeacherous and doublecrossing hangerson of the Stalinite Com
munist Party ̂machine.
"Just to up and call a general .strike over a secondary,
issue," says the "Pilot" editorial, "looks like a hum beef
to us."
To the hardened bureaucrat in the swivelchair of his
oflace, a higher bonus and adequate war risk insurance for
seamen who are ready to lay dp^ their lives ip dangerous
"Mlers'.is j"ust''a "secoiadiry igpe'*! " ' • '
What do the National Maritime Union rank and file, who face
the risks of death on the high seas and whose families face the
prospect of insecurity, say to this craven jiiece of skullduggery
put out by their leaders as an argument against a strike when
these same people admit tlie SIU men are "out fighting like hell
to win.?"
In its previous issue, the "Pilot" carried an article by Joe
. . Curran charging the SIU with a .sellout, The strike followed.
So Curran calls this a bona fide strike "flukey." Apparently the
determination of the SIU to strike for its dcihands on the war
bonus i.s the "sellbut" Curran was referring to. Tlie NMU rank
and file can now judge for themselves as to who is really sell
ing out.
On the one side stands the strildng SIUSUP member
ship. On the other side stand the employers, the Maritime
Commission and the finks. Curran and Company have ranged
themselves on the side of the latter and against the striking
seamen. The NMU rank and file will also take sides in this
struggle. We, for one, do not believe that the militant sea
men iu the ranks of the NMU will range themselves on. the
side of Curran in this dispute.
In our last issue weasked: "In the case of a strike on SIU
ships for an adequate bonus, will it be too much to ask Curran
and Co. to refrain from their usual raiding and strikebreaking
activity against the SIU? Or will these apostles of "Unity" con
sider plain, common, decent labor solidarity with .the striking sea
men as also 'pulling the 5lU's chestnut.s out of the fire'?"
Curran has given an. indication of his apswer. He is al
reiady arguing oh the side of the shipowner^ Will he go a
step, further how. andf actually attempt to supply scabs on
the struck vessels which are being seized, by. the. Maritime
'Commission? Is that what the Stalinist C. P. policy of "All
A « ̂ ^ A ^ A M ̂ ' 1 A J Xia.' '^TH/TTT X
Ready to meet the Govern
ment anxiety to get defense
materials to West Indies
bases and bauxite for air
plane almunium back fropi
the islands, the Seafarers In
ternational Union made a sep
arate proposal for a settle
ment of the strike on the Al
coa Line ships.
The Union offered to sail llie
ships upon agreeynent on a mini
mum $.30 a month bonus at once,
with a more permanent figure
ranging between $.30 to $(50 to
be left to arbitration after
wards.
Captain Theobald of the Al
coa Company agreed that this
was a fair proposal and told
the Union committee meeting
with him that he would take it
'up with his superior officers.
Later on, he called up to in
form the SIU that this proi^osal
was unacceptable. "The offer
was 'efused by the company,"
we read in the New York Times
of Friday, 'Sept. ' i it, "on the
ground that it >ras not an offer
of ARUI'TR^TION but an
other demand for a war bonus."
1
A Strange Reason
What an astounding rea.Son!
In the case of the Robin, the
Waterman, the Calmar and the
South Atlantic Lines, the ship
owners claim that they have an
agreement with the Union which
binds it to arbitration, referring
to the agreement on the basis of
which their tied up ships were
released on July 8 th. What
claim does Alcoa ba.se it.self on?
(Continued from Page 1)
arbitration would only mean
more delay and the possible need
to go out on strike again later.
They wanted to settle this issue
once and for all, this time! Tliat
was the import of one speech
after another.
New ships have been raided
since the strike began, rank and
file seamen stated. And the dan
gers to shipping were increas
ing daily with the application of
the Government's policy to
shoot Nazi raiders on sight.
"Now is the time to decide
the issue of the war bonus."
That • • sums up the sentiment
of the men expressed at the
Thursday meeting. Later on
theii civil rights may be
"bla,cked, out" by further
war measures of the govern
ment, the men felt.'
After nearly an hour of dis
cussion along these line.s, the
membership voted to reaffirm its
I with the committee that the
West Indies were war zone
and that a bonus would prob
ably have to be paid. The
Committee thereupon made
the following proposal to
Alcoa:
To sail the Alcoa Company's
ship,s provided that a" $30 a
month bonus was agreed upon
at once as a minimum, with a
permanent rate between $30 and
.$00 per month to be left for set
tlement by arbitration.
I Captain Theobald stated that
he regarded that as a fair com
promise and said that he would
take it up with the President of
the company and the other offi
cials.
Just before the Special Meet
ing opened. Hawk declared,
Theobald called him to tell him
that the jjroposal was "no soap"
and that the Company would.be
guided by the Maritime Com
mission's ultimatum..
The Alcoa companv was
NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST
INVOLVED DURING THE
TIEUP IN JULY, NOR WAS
IT A PARTY TO THE
AGREEMENT SIGNED
THEN.
This action on Alcoa's part
merely shows up the whole
scheme of the shipowners in
their cry for arbitration as a
pure and simple racket.
UNION
LAND'S WIRE
WASHINGttiN, iJ.C.f^SEPTEMBER 17, 1911
.roHN BAWR
SECKETAHYTKEASLUlSIt, SEAPAKEltS INTL.
ATIANT^O AN1> lit/lip bisTiUcts
STGNE ST.. NEW YORK '
BE ADVISED THAT, THE POUIiOWINf; DECISION HAS
BEEN MADE BY THE'UNITED STATES MABITIME COMr
MISSION: THE MARITIME COMMIS.SION WILL REQUf
SITION POR USE VESSELS NOW BEING HELD IN PORT
UNLESS AN AGREEMENT TO .STTRMIT TO ARBITRATION
THE MATTERS NOW UNDElt DISPUTE HAS BEEN MADE
BY NOON EASTERN STANDARD TIME THURSDAY SEP
TEiMGER EIGHTEENTH.
E. S. LAND, MARITIME COM.MISSION.
original stand to remain out on
strike until concrete counter
l^roposals for higher bonus pay
and more adequate war risk in
surance were offered by the
shipowners.
Brother Hawk reported to
the meeting that the negoti
ating committee had met ear
lier in the morning with Cap
tain Theobald of the Alcoa
Steamship Company. He re
pprted that the. Union tlom
niittee had submitted a spe
cial offer to the Alcoa people.
Captain Theobald had agreed
Opt Aid to Britain apd Russia" will lead the NMU to?
Win the NMU rank and file allow this indecent attack
oh labor solidarity to go the full length.
With Curran's finky pdlicy, the resulfs of the "Unity" cam
paign are already becoming more and more apparent. La.st
month the West Coast Marine Firemen voted overwhelmingly to
defeat a proppsa) to, affiliate with the NJMUCIO. That was a
telling blow.
This week a still more powerful blow has been dealt Cur
ran's phoney "Unity" by the West Coast Marine Cooks and
Stewards, who followed the MFQW lead and likewise de
feated affiliation to the NMUCiO by a vast majority. The
Marine Cooks were qonsidered as "practically in the bag"
by the Stalinist wreckers in control of the, NMU. Their ac
tion, like that df the Firemen is only the beginning of a
mighty protest wave against Curran and Company !s disrup
tion and outright support of the shipowners and their agents
in the government, agencies.
These signals from the West Coast and Curran's latest bit of
finky behavior in the SIU strike show that unity of the .seamen
can be achieved only despite and against the fakers at the head
of the NMU.
In the course of. strike action, unity is more significant than
ever. The sincere NMU rank, and file whp want, unity will show
it in the course of the strike by blocking Curran's scab moyes
and by rangirg themselves in solidarity on the picket lines of
tlie Seafarers International Union and, tbe Sailors Unipn of the
Pacific.
This report aroused resent
ment in the crowded hall. The
men felt that the Maritiipe
Commission and the govern
ment were interfering, with
a settlement favorable to the
Union. Without the Commis
sion's ultimatum^ the. consen
sus of opinion was, the A,lcoa
beef would already have been
settled that morning.
In an additional move to
counter the openly strikebreak
ing action of the Maritime Cora
mi.ssion, a motion Avas put be
fore tlie meeting ordering that
a General Strike A'ote be taken
up and down the coa.st, if the
Commi.ssion went through Avith
its intention of requisitioning
the struck ships.
A tremendous roar of "Ayes"
went up Avhen a vote AvaS called
for on this motion. Not a sin
gle di.s.scnting voice came, for
Avard in opposition.
A holiday spirit pervaded the
meeting. The men backed up
their negotiating committ:ee .Ayith
great enthusiasm and interrupt
ed calls for the spread of tjie
strike Avith repeated cheers.
After the meeting was coiiclnd
ed, the men 'literally swarmed
arpnnd the dispatcher's des^_. to
volunteer for picket duty.
Not a single struck ship must
10 moved. That summed up tHe
.spirit of the strikers.
• >
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http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Friday, September 19, 1941 THE SEAFARERS' LOG
What Is the Maritime
Commission Game ?
Now that the shipowners have been shown by strike ac
tion that the seanien mean business, the United States Mari
tinie Commission steps into the picture.
The stipovmers cannot inbve the tiedup ships scheduled
for the war ̂ hes because they have no seamen to man them
at the'present bonus rates, which the men regard as pure
and simple robbery.
So the hlaritime Commission issues an ULTIMATUM!
Whom is tlie ULTIMATUMS
directed at? Not the shipown
ers, of course! They are not
asked to change their tune by as
much as a wliisper. Their an
swer to the seamen's demands
was arbitration! The Commis
sion ultimatum demands: arbi
tration !
Sings Same Tune
The Maritime Commission is
a government agency. It is sup
posed to stand "above all
^ cesses." It is supposed to be
"impartial" ! Here is a dispute
between operators and working
men. The, jattev ask for a
higher bonus. The former say:
Just a Stooge?
In whose interest is the Mari
time Commission acting? Is it
just a pure and simple stooge
of the shipowners who have
been out to wreck the Unions
and beat down seamen's wages?
The Seafarers Internationa
and the Sailors Union of the
Pacific once before had occasion
to fight a Maritime Commission
move in the interests of the
shipowners. That was when the
Commission attempted to rein
troduce the government run
Fink Fliring Halls. The Sea
men's unions then did not hesi
tate to counter that strikebreak
Sail the ships under the present move with picket lines
' conditions and submit to arbitra'
tion. So the Maritime Commis
sion shows its "impartility"—it
takes no sides in the dispute,
not at all. It strikes a happy
"compromise" and only asks
the seamen to sail the ships and
submit to arbitration!
If the issue were not so cru
cial and so tragic in its impli
cations, tlus display of alleged
disinterestedness by a govern
ment agency would be funny
enough to make the Gods roar
with laughter.
Eiit the dispute is serious en
ough. The lives of men are at
stake on foreign runs as never
before. They merely ask for
added protection and care for
their families in keeping with
the growing risk. That's what
the bonus issue amounts to!
New Bisks Admitted
Does the Maritime Commis
sion or the government it rcprc
^sents deny that risks have been
increased, as the shipowners
have all these months of nego
tiation? Why, the government
itself is the loudest to annoiinec
the increased danger to Amer
ican ships in the foreign zones!
Tjiat's why convoys are being
organized! That's, why the
President has ordered the Navy
to shoot Nazi raiders on sight!
Does the Maritime Commis
sion or the government hold that
no bonus is; necessary for the
seamen? Why, the Maritime
Commission itself pays IpO^
bonus on the Panamanian flag
ships operating to war zones un;
der its directiori!
Or, is the Commission's game
to reduce the average pay on
V^erican ships to the $5.'5 it
pays on 'the "foreignflag ship
vessels it operates ? Is an agertdy
of the United States government
out to break down the American
tgtahdard of living fought for; so
t)rig by American rnaritime la
5or?
around the Maritime Commis
sion offices. They stopped the
move to place them back in the
sliackles of the Fink Hiring
Hall.
Eemember the Fink Hall!
Tbe Unions will not shrink
back this time either. They will
answer the strikebreaking move
of the Commission to requisition
the struck ships and man them
.with finks. They will face this
njove with the same spirit as in
the fight against the Fink Hall.
if the Maritime Commission
is out to act as a stooge of the
shipowners, if it is out to do the
strikebreaking which the oper
ators at present don't dare un
dertake, the Unions will react
as they do to all. strikebreak
ing, from any source: With a
fighting and determined picket
line!
The demand for a higher
bonus is a just demand. Not
only the seamen, but all the
world which reads of new sink
ings of American merchant
craft every day, knows that. The
strikers are fighting for justice
to the seamen.
Niew York Strike
SID£LI(SKTS
Ono Cop Who's
On Right Side
Pier 3 in Brooklyn Is not
too damn close to strike head,
quarters and some of the
strikers^ flOt_ lost on the way
there to do a trick on the
picket line. After wandering
around in the wilds of Brook
lyn for a while, they suddenly
discovered they didn't have
the carfare necessiary to com
plete the trip.
"Why not ask the cop on
the corner there for the
dpugh," Qrie of the strikers
suggested.
It sounded screwy but they
trl^d It:' • "
The cop not only gave them
the carfare but asked the boys
In "Tor a cup" of coffee, so
they'd keep warm on the pier!
(C'oiiiinued from Paye 1)
holding the lines solid. Galions
of coffee and hundreds of sand
wiches are turned out under able
direction of Steward Department
men, Bill Atwood and ' Walter
Fisher.
• • •
Strike meetings on the Sixth
floor are packed to the rafters.
Six hundred crowd into the hall,
scores are in the hallway, many
more wait downstairs. Fifty to
sixty men take the floor, many
of them men who never spoke in
public before. Every speech ex
presse.s the same determination
to carry the fight on to a success
ful conclusion.
» • «
"Let the Government take
over the ships," says one striker,
"we can't get a much rawer deal
than we have already gotten
from the shipowners. We are en
titled to a bonus that will cover
the risks. All we are asking for
is justice. We're out to get jus
tice. That's our right and no one
can take it from us." Cheers and
a round of applau.se follow from
all over the hail.
* • *
Crews of ships that have not
yet been struck Join the battle
with the contribution of fighting
funds to the strike. Heading the
list are the S.S. Francis Salmon
crew with $10.50 and the crew of
the S.S. Comet with $l5.95. Sea
men who cannot participate in
the strike because of work
ashore, likewise send in their
contributions.
• • •
A circular addressed by the
Strike Committee to the NMU
men on the S.S. Caribqueen
(printed elsewhere) is met by
the crew members with "Atta
boy, we're right with you." Sev
eral of the men declare that they
will "see" Curran and Co. about
the NMU's official stand on the
beef.
• * *
A leaflet addressed to "Amer
ican Seamen" asking them to
join in support of the SILJ action
is distributed by strikers at the
NMU hail on Eleventh Avenue
and gets such a good response
from the rank and file sailors
there that several of them post
it up on their official biiiietln
board in the hall!
• • •
Word comes through by wire
that the SUP has voted to join
the strike at noon Thursday.
Pandemonium breaks loose in the
strike hall.
« » •
On the picket lines, grim and
determined faces show the spirit
of the men who pace up and
down to see that the ships stay
tied up tight until the strike is
won.
* * *
A number of men from the
army transports have shown up
at strike headquarters and volun
teered to Join the picket lines. A
decent b,pnus sounds good to
them,' too!
» • *
At pier 15, West Side, a Navy
truck pulled up to take a load off
a struck shlpi The gob driving
the truck took one look at the
picket line and didn't wait for
sbrfie admiral to give him orders.
He turned the truck around and
drove back to the garage.
* * *
Brothers from the Marine di
vision of the IBEW (Electrical
Workers) have also volunteered
to Join our lines. The shipowners
may have the rnaritime Commis
sion on their side, but there Is"
no question about which sjde all
good:union men have chosen.
SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic & Gulf District
• • hh
. SecretaryTreasurer^s Office
Room 213 — 2 Stone Street, New York City
P. O. Box 25, Station P Phone: BOwliag Green 93437
DIRECTORY OF BLANCHES
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE
NEW YORK 2 Stone St. BOwllng Green 93437
„ ^ Dispatcher's Office ..BOwling Green 93430'
BOSTON 330 Atlantic Ave. ...LIBerty 4057
PROVIDENCE .. 465 South Main St. ..Manning 3572
BALTIMORE ...14 North Gay St. ...Calvert 4539
PHILADELPHIA .6 North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 25 Commercial PI. .. Norfolk 41083
NEW ORLEANS 309 Chartres St MAgnolia 3962
SAVANNAH .... 218 East Bay St Savannah 31728
JACKSONVILLE .136 East Bay St Jacksonville 51791
TAMPA 20G, So. Franklin St. .Tampa M1323
MOBILE 56 So. Conception St. Dexter 1449
TEXAS CITY ... 105 4th St., N Texas City 722
MIAMI 1348. N.E. First Ave.. Miami 22950
SAN JUAN 8 Covadonga St 'San Juan 1885
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
' • • • ' . 5 , ,J T
WASHIXGTOxV, D.C., SEPTEMBER 17, 1941
JOH.V HAWK
SEOKETAliyTKEASURER, SEAFARERS INTL. UNION
ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICTS
2 STONE ST., NEW YORK
WE ARE IN RECEIPT OF A LETTER FROM FRANK
.1. TAYLOR PRESIDENT AMERICAN MERCH.ANT M.ARINE
INSTITUTE DATED SEI^E.MBER FOURTH ADDRESSED
TO THE UNITED ST.ATES DEPARTME*NT OF LABOR RE
QUESTING THE APPOINTMENT OF AN ARBITR.VTOR
ON W.4R BONUS ISSUE IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN
AGREEMENT DATED JULY 8, 1941, E.^ECUTED BY THE
SEAFARERS INTERN.ATION.4L UNION OF NORTH AMER
ICA AND THE SEAS SHIPPING COMPANY, THE SOUTH
ATL.ANTIC STEAMSHIP LINES AND THE WATERMAN
STEAMSHIP CORPORATION. IS IT TOUR UNDERSTAND
IxNG THAT THE SECRETARY OF LABOR SHOULD NOW
APPOINT AN AltBlTRATOR AND THAT HIS DECISION
IS TO BE BINDING ON ALL PARTIES. PLEASE lyiBE
REPLY.
J. R. STEELMAN, DIRECTOR OF CONCILIATION.
J. E. STEELMAN, DIRECTOR OP CONCIIAATION
DEPT. OF LABOR, WASHINGTON, D. C.
The Seafarers Iiiternatlunal Union of North .America
takes t!ie position that the agreement signed on July 8,
1941, with the South Atlantic, Seas Shipping, Waterman and
Caluiar Steamshii) Companies was bioken by these compa
nies, and ne have so informed the companies and the Alari
time Commission. Under these circumstances the Union
does not feel inclined to submit this niatter to arbitration.
The agreement states a meeting will be chlled as soon
as possible to include all interested unions and companies.
This was not complied with. First the Licensed Officers iiiet
seperately with the companies. The Seafarers' representa
tives were barred from this meeting. Second, one week lat
er, .iugust 19, 1941, all the unlicensed unions met with the
companies, and the ctniipanies allowed this meeting to break
up under the protest, of all the maritime unions except the
National Maritime Union. The Chalnuan acting for the Ma
ritime Commission allowed this meeting to adjourn to re
convene at a later date knowing that on the record several
tmions stated their unions Avould not be represented at tliis
conference again.
Third, the Seafarers attended several meetings with the
operators of these companies in New Y<uk in an elVort to
reach an agreement satisfactory fo both parties. The com
panies refused to negotiate under the subterfuge that they
were waiting for th.e confei'ence to leconvene. Fourth tliei'e
is nbthiiig in the agreeiiu nt which states the decision of the
arbitrator shall be final and binding to both parties.
JOHN HAWK.
STRIKE FUND HONOR ROLL
Tiie following brothers have made voluntary contributions to
the Strike Committee:
CHEW OF THE S.S. FRANCIS SALMON—J. Deppner, $1; M.
Noble 5bc, E. Carlton $1; B. Lupton .$1, O. Dover $1, K. Rain
,$1, F: S. Jonslon .$1, R. Corey $1, E. Adams 50c, B. Pullen 50c,
H. Bridges .$1, R. Tjpzkowski ,$1—,$10.50.
CREW OF S.S. COMET—A. Pato $1, V. Fernandez $1, J. Paz
$1, H. Beiendt $1, W Chadder 50c, A. Anecros 50c, A. Lopez $JL,
J. Gomez $1, J. Vicza 50c, M, Otero .$1, WN Christ of erson SOc,
M. Mgchadq 50c, Ni Kraljio 5bc, M. Zefric 50c, G. Berube 50c,
D". hladison ̂ Oc^G.' Peterson 50c, J.' Ozga. .50c. J. Joimson 50c,
J. Pacliecd JiOc, W. Kalier .50c, pj Wise .50c. T. Moran 25c, M. Cor
ria 2.5c, J. Sylvia 50c, J. Rivers 2,5c—.$1.5.7,5.'
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THE SEAFARER S ' L O G Friday, SeptemBer 1^, 19'
'What^s Behind Alcoa's Ciy
W "Holding Up Dofenso"
As could have been predicted, one of the companies
struck in the bonus tieup of the Seafarers, the Alcoa Steam
ship Company, immediately came out in the newspapers with
the cry: The strike is holding up the defense output of
aluminum!
It's not the reluctance of the
greedy shipowners to pay the
seamen a few dollars a mont
in war bonus, but the insistence
of the seamen on this bonus
which is holding up "defense
output."
According to these public
spirited gentlemen, the shipown
ers are apparently pious patri
ots, not out to make a nicke
on the transport and production
of aluminum. Greed and avarice
and lack of concern for national
welfare—that's something the
seamen are guilty of!
That this cockeyed "argu
ment" gets any mention in the
press at all is due to the ship
owners' and their pals, the
newspaper owners' reliance on
the ignorance of the reading
public. An acquaintance with
the facts explodes the altruistic
claims of the shipowners and
the Aluminum trust at once.
The Facts
What are the facts?
1. The Alcoa ships carried
the raw product which is essen
tial to the production of what
as now the No. 1 defense mate
rial—aluminum for war planes
—long before the present war
jperiod started. Its major cargo
was bauxite then. It is bauxite
mow.
2. The Alcoa company
Jonght the American stand
ard of wages and working
conditions for seamen before
the war on its foreignflag
• ships. It is doing the same on
• Americanflag ships now. All
that has changed is that they
now can resort to "national
defense" as a subterfuge for
their antilabor policy.
3. The Aluminum trust, of
which Alcoa is merely a sub
sidiary, was so patriotic that
a recent investigation by a
Congressional Committee re
(Vealed an alleged deal on re
:stricting production and set
• ting prices for aluminum,
• concluded between it and the
German trust in the same
field, which remained in ef
:fect long after the present
rantiNazi and proBritish pol
:icy of the U. S. Government
Jiad been declared oflacial ad
oninistration policy.
4. A recent congressional in
"vestigation into the subsidizing
• sof Government contracts with
ithe Aluminum trust (see the
• Jl^oumal of Commerce, Sept. 17,
3941, front page) disclosed the
^following facts:
' The Company, in order to
meet Government production re
• quirements, forced the govern
ment to subsidize the construc
tion of additional production fa
cilities to the tune of $62,009,
000. The Senate National De
fense Investigating Committee'
counsel made the following find
ings in this connection:
Tricky Contract
"... Alcoa is protected all
the way in each provision,
the govenrment is not .
there were no provisions in
the contract to enforce com
pletion of the construction of
the plants within any stipu
lated time . . . Further, if
power contracts are not
forthcoming, he said, Alcoa
can sidestep the contract and
be reimbursed by the govern
ment for all time, labor and
expense incident to the proj
ects up to the time." (See
'Journal of Commerce" of
above date.)
That's the kind of "sacrifices"
these patriots are willing to
make for that "national de
'en.se" which'they use as a club
over the seamen and their other
workmen.
Enormous Profits
5. The same investigation re
vealed that the Company had at
first put the price of completed
aluminum at. 17 cents, which
Marine Cooks
Smash Move to
Join N. M. U.
{Continued from Page J)
Balloting returns were made
public last Wednesday.
The misleadership , of the
NMU had counted on a com
plete victory in the Cooks' ref
endum, after conducting a
months' long campaign for
"unity" with all kinds of money
spent to swing the vote. Also in
their favor was the fact that
Stalinist C.P. influence was as
strong in the leadership of the
Marine Cooks organization as it
is in the top oflicialdom of the
NMU. Despite their Stalinist
leaders, however, and in spite o
all the pressure from their ma
ehine on the East Coast, the
rank and file defeated this move
in sensational fa.shion.
What About This
Arbitration^^ issue?
Phoney "Unity" on Ice
The referendum vote of the
Cooks, following the equally dis
astrous defeat that their cam
paign suffered in the recent ref
erendum of the West Coast
Firemen, definitely places Cur
ran's phoney "Unity" drive on
ice. The.se actions can only be
interpreted as powerful jjro
tests against the antilabor poli
cies of the C.P., which domin
ates the NMU officialdom, as
well as rank and file resentment
against the unionbreaking tac
tic.s of Curran and Co.
It is to be expected that these
most recent moves on the West
would have given them _a net ^^ast will serve to stir up the
smoldering revolt against the
Curran misleadership on the
East Coast.
profit of cents a pound. In
the course of negotiations with
the government, during which
they obtained the abovemen
tioned contract as a sop, Alcoa
graciously consented to reduce
the price to 15 cents. This stll
gives them a net profit of from
to ^2 ^ cent a pound. Their
schedule calls for the produc
tion of no less than 1,500,000,
000 pounds of aluminum a year,
which would give them a net
profit "on production alone of
something like $4,750,000 a
year!
Aside from this cool $5,000,
000 profit, approximately, the
Aluminum trust also reap.s huge
profits from the mining of the
bauxite, carried on with cheap
native labor in Dutch Guinana
and a fortune in the transpor:
tation of this same product on
the ships of the Alcoa Steam
ship Company, all of which is
controlled by the same little
clique of greedy men.
And these men can't afford to
pay a bonus of $1 or $2 a day
to the seamen who move the
ships in all kinds of weather
and brave the risks of bombing
or shelling or torpedoing! These
are the men who berate the sea
men for lack of "patriotism"
when they stand up for their
right to some protection against
dangers and to some compensa
tion for their risks! What is al
leged concern for "national de
fense" worth when it comes
forth from the mouths of such
antilabor profiteers, as these?
And He Kept
A Straight Face!
Capt. Granville Conway, New
York District Manager of the
Maritime Commission, has
been talking big these past few
days. In an interview with the
press he thundered at the SIU
and warned that if we didn't
reach an agreement with the
owners (accept the boss
terms), he was going to take
over all the ships and break
the strike.
"We will accept anyone who
has a seaman's certificate,
whether he is a union man or
not," he said.
This amounted to a left
handed invitation to Joe Cur
ran to help him break the
strike.
When reporters asked the
Captain what his policy on
bonuses would be if he took
over the ships, he made a very
funny crack (though he meant
it seriously):
"Seamen know that the
Maritime Commission Is 'al
ways fair," he said with a
straight face.
A great hullabullo has been raised around the question
of arbitration. Any time you talk to a shipovirner about an
answer to the strikers' demands for a higher bonus, he an
swers you: "We abide by the agreement to arbitairte.** "
What agreement do they refer to?
What the Agreement Actually Called For
It seems that on July 8th, when the SIU released the ship.s
then unofficially tiedup for a bonus, an agreement was signed
with the Robin, Calmar, Waterman and South Atlantic lines. That
agreement was also countersigned by a representative of the
Maritime Commission. It called for a conference in Washington,
participated in BY ALL UNIONS and all the operators, in order
to settle the bonus issue. In case of an unsatisfactory settlement
at the conference, all parties agreed to' consider arbitration,
• without stating that they 7vould abide hy an arbitration award as
binding. We repeat, all parties agreed to this. v:
These are the facts.
The Truth of the Matter
Now what is the charge? The charge is that the Union! is"
breaking the agreement by refusing to arbitrate. On the other
hand, the shipowners claim that they are abiding by the agree
ment in agreeing to arbitrate. What is the truth about this at
tempt to becloud the issue and to make the Union appear as the
culprit in the case?
The truth, is that the agreement signed in July was vio
lated by the operators and the Maritime Commission whea
they failed to hold a conference participated in. by ALE
UNIONS! It was they who called a separate conference of
ships' officers unions! It was they who called a separate con
ference of the radio operators' unions! It was they who
called a seperate conference of the unlicensed personnel's
unions! .
If that wasn't violating the agreement, it was a pretty good
NOTICE
imitation of it.
Next, at the conference with the unlicensed seamen's
unions, when the National Maritime Union walked out, the
SIU, together with other upions represented, insisted on Con
tinuing. It insisted on abiding by the agreement of July 8.
Again, the shipowners and the Maritime Commission took
he NMU's walkout as a pretext for breaking up the con
'erence. Again it was they who violated the agreement!
After these experiences, can the Maritime Commission and
shipowners say with a straight face that the July 8th agreement
remained in effect?
What is this but unmitigated brass?
The Shipowners Broke the Agreement/ '
The agreement called for a conference of ALL UNIONS to
lay down terms of a higher bonus, then to arbitrate, if necessary.
If the shipowners do not abide by the first part of the agreement,
what justification can they possibly have in demanding tliat tKe
Union abide by the second part?
The hullabulloo about "arbitration" is clearly just an attempt
to smear the Union. It is an attempt to intimidate the Union
That attempt is a complete fizzle.
By refusing to meet the Union on an equal footing, the
operators and the Maritime Commission forced the Union to take
strike action. The Union relea.sed the ships in July on a pledge
of the Maritime Commission and the shipowners to settle by nego
tiation. ' Two and a half months later the issue remained where
it was in July. The Union is out to get a settlement this' time.
It will not allow itself to be hornswogglcd again.
lit;*-:.
SlAMiN!
James Monroe Cooper
Please get in touch with the
following or your lawsuit will
be vacated on October 3, Mr.
Shaw, Clerk of Court, Room
210, Post Office Bldg., New
Orleans, La.
(Continued from Page 1)
The Maritime Commission has "requisitioned" the ships,
and it is believed that they will hand them rig;ht badk to
their real owners simply making those owners "opefating
agents."
Of course that is nothing but a subterfuge to break this strike.
It has been stated that members of tlie National Maritii]g(e
Union will man these ships because the Seafarers' contract
"broken." . >;
We. are giving yon these facts because we know that i(/
you knew the real facts, nothing in the world can make yK'^
scab on us.
SIU STBiKiS OOMMITTEE, NEW YOBS.
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