Seafarers Log: Vol. 9 No. 6 (1947-02-07)

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Official Organ of the Atlantic and Gulf District, Seafarers International Union of North America

VOL. IX. NEW YORK. N. Y.. FRIDAY. FEBRUAY 7. 1947 No. 6

AFL Offers Unity
MIAMI — A developmeat

of major importance broke
at the meeting of the Ameri­
can Federation of Labor's
Executive Council, when
President William Green an­
nounced early this week
terms of a proposal made to
the Congress of Industrial
Organizations to achieve
"organic unity" between the
two labor groups.

Green stated that the AFL
had already set up a com­
mittee composed of leaders
of its affiliates who are pre­
pared to work with CIO rep­
resentatives. The AFL chief
called upon the CIO to desig­
nate a similar committee to
work jointly with his group
in surveying the prospects
for possible amalgamation of
the two organizations.

UNITY AT POINT OF PRODUCTION SIU Supports Strike
Of CIO Shipbuilders;
Bushey Yard Tied-Up

NEW YORK, February 5—With the strike of the
CIO Shipyard Workers, Local 13, holding solidly as picket­
ing against the Ira S. Bushey and Sons Company shipyard
in Brooklyn enterted its seventh day, lUMSWA interna­
tional representative William J. McCaffrey today an­
nounced the release of three ships from the strike-bound
yard for the humanitarian pur-*-

After the Seafarers International Union joined striking
Local 13. CIO Shipbuilders, on the picketline in front of Ira S.
Bushey and Sons. Paul Hall. New York Port Agent, addressed
the SIU members. Said Brother Hall. "This is a good place to
start maritime unity—on the point of production, and against
the bosses."

Taxi Men Continue Strike
In Tampa Despite Injunction

By SONNY SIMMONS

TAMPA—Nothing that the an­
ti-labor city administration can
do down here seems to be able to
break the back of the Taxi Driv­
ers' strike. With the knowledge
and cooperation of the authori­
ties, the company has imported
gons and strike-breakers, and
still the strikers, members of Lo­
cal 79, Teamsters and Chauffeurs
Union, AFL, are holding out.

Even an anti-picketing injunc­
tion, which prevents members of
the union from picketing the com­
pany office, or talking about the
strike on the streets, has not
coerced the men into giving up
their battle for improved wages
and decent conditions.

The injunction is being fought
out in the courts right now, and

AFL Membership Hits
An Aii-Time Recerd
With Over 7 Miiiien

Membership in the American
Federation of Labor has hit an
alf-time high with 7,505,446 dues
payers listed on the books.

Announcing the collection of a
per-capita tax on that number,
George Meany, * secretary-treas­
urer, pointed out that the new
figure represents a gain of more
than 255,000 since September,
1946.

The new figure puts the AFL
well out in front of the CIO
which claims a membership of
6,000,000 but has not given an
exact tabulation. AFL officials
contend the CIO membership is
closer to 3,500,000.

it is obvious that the injunction
doesn't have much legality be­
hind it. For that reason, the
Judge has had the ruling under
advisement for quite some time,
and this stall is liable to continue
indefinitely.

One thing that this strike has
brought about was not planned
by the labor-haters here, or by
Attorney General Tom Watson,
who is masterminding the union
busting moves of the Company
and the city officials. Labor here
in Tampa has become more solid
now than at any time before, and
that bodes ill for the people who
think that they can bust labor
without a fight.

SIU TAKES LEAD
The Cigar Makers, long a mili­

tant group, and the Boiler Mak­
ers, now being led by a new and
progressive local president, were
pretty much alone until the Sea­
farers took the lead.

Now things are really hum­
ming, and at the State Federa­
tion of Labor convention in
March, plans will be made to
bring labor out on top in this
state.

Unless labor accomplishes some­
thing important, and very soon,
the labor movement will be
forced to close up shop in this
state.

The terroristic tactics being
used by the company and the
authorities to break the strike of
the Teamsters are indescribable.

They have resorted to violence
on more than one occasion, and
they have tried to incite the pub­
lic to take the law into their

(Coniinuei OH Page 4)

Something To See
This issue of the Log car­

ries two full pages of photos
on items which should be of
great interest to Seafarers.

Page five is devoted to the
CIO Shipbuilders' strike at
the notoriously anti-union
Ira Bushey yards in Brook­
lyn. and shows, pictorially.
the picketline support which
the SlU gave the shipyard
workers when the walkout
occurred.

The photos on Page nine
depict one of the most unique
vessels afloat—the MV Gads­
den. operated by an SlU-con-
tracted company. The Gads­
den, which carries locomo­
tives and tenders, is reported
to be the only one of its type
in operation. Its distinction
lies in the fact that it is a
self-contained unit, and can
load and unload its massive
cargo completely unaided by
shoreside facilities.

pose of hauling grain supplies to
needy European countries.

Two of the three vessels re­
leased, the Bessemer Victory and
the Francis O'Gara, are SlU-con-
tracted ships. While none of them
was being repaired, as a result
of the CIO strike which the SIU
is supporting one hundred per­
cent, the action of the Shipbuild­
ing Workers Union is permitting
their departure certainly reveal^
an awareness of the desperate
need of the starving Europeans.

Yesterday, Mr. Ed. Tracy, Mar­
itime Commission labor I'epresen-
tative, flew in from Washington
to confer with both parties in­
volved in the Bushey strike.
However, Bushey representatives
indulged in a little buck-passing
by claiming that everything was
up to the company attorney, Mr.
Devlin.

It later developed that the com­
pany attorney was absent on an
extended motor trip to Floi'ida,
and wasn't expected back for
three weeks. This clearly re­
vealed the outright stalling tac­
tics of this viciously anti-labor
shipyard.

REP. STYMIED
Seeing that he was getting no­

where with the Bushey outfit,
Mr. Tracy flew back to Washing­
ton last night in order to con­
tact President Green of the In­
dustrial Union of Marine and

Shipbuilding Workers of Amer­
ica—CIO, the striking union.

Before leaving, Tracy express­
ed his pleasure over the strikers'
attitude in agreeing to release
the three grain ships.

He also informed the Bushey

(Continued on Page 4)

American Eastern Signs With SIU;
Will Carry RR Rolling Stock t

NEW YORK — Another addi­
tion to the list of SlU-contracted
shipping companies was made
this week when SIU Organiza­
tional Director Paul Hall an­
nounced the signing of a closed
shop contract with the American
Eastern Steamship Corporation.
Representing the union in lining
up this company were Cal Tan­
ner, Earl Sheppard and Bob Mat­
thews.

"In making this announce­
ment," stated Brother Hall, "full
credit should be given to the SIU
volunteer organizers who sailed
aboard American Eastern ships,
and made possible the signing of

a contract for this new company.
The fact that it took only 60 days
to secure the agreement gives
proof to another swell job of or­
ganizing done by the rank-and-
file Seafarers."

The' SIU conti-act covers the
highly technical operation of the
American Eastern ships, which
are doing a yeoman job of re­
building the war-torn rolling
stock of the European railroads
—rebuilding the European lines
with American built locomotives
and tenders.

Each one of the American
Eastern ships has specially con-

{Continiied on Page If)

Marine Firemen
Vote To Reject
CMUBy5-1 Vote

The crumbling Committee for
Maritime Unity suffered its sec­
ond major setback in two weeks
with the announcement early this
week that members of the Mar­
ine Firemen, Oilers and Water-
tenders, an independent union,
have voted overwhelmingly
against affiliation with the com­
munist-dominated marine group.

With more than half the ballots
counted, returns on a national
basis indicate that the MFOW
men opposed to tying up with
the CMU are leading by a better
than five-to-one margin.

As the balloting returns were
being released, Malone stated
that the vote indicated a trend.
Votes for candidates for the
union offices were going much
the same way, he added, -with.
pro-CMU officers being replaced
by those opposing affiliation.

Newly elected port agents will
meet late this month to formu­
late a new policy based on non-
affiliation with the CMU, Malone
added.

Alcoa SS Speeds Up
Caribbean Schedule

A speed up in service from
Baltimore to Venezuela and the
Dutch West Indies has been an­
nounced by the Alcoa Steamship
Company.

Beginning February 21, ships
will sail on a ten-day schedule
instead of the former 14 day in­
terval. Alcoa vessels on this run
call at La Guarira, Guanta, Puer­
to Cabilla, Maracaibo and Vene­
zuela, as well as Curacao.



Page Two THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, February 7, 1947

--SI

SEAFARERS LOG
'Published Weekly by the

SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA
Atlantic and Gulf District

Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor

At SI Beaver Street, New York 4, N. Y.

HAnover 2-2784

i X
HARRY LUNDEBERG ------- President

105 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif.

JOHN HAWK -------- Secy-Treas.
p. O. Box 25, Bowling Green Station, New York, N. Y.

Entered as second class matter June 15, 1945, at tlie Post Office
in New York, N. Y., under the Act of August 24, 1912.

GEORGE NOVICK, Editor

267 .

On The March
The Seafarers International Union is even now pre­

paring for a drive on the Great Lakes that will bring Union
conditions and high wages to thousands of Lakes seamen.
Most of the men up th-ere are unorganized, and as a conse­
quence, poor conditions and starvation wages are the order
of the day.

But the situation is changing. The men on the Lakes
are increasingly eager to be organized, and the SIU is
ready and able to take on the job.

Our Organizing Staff is now geared for a high speed
campaign, the kind of drive that will be needed to do the
job in the time between freezes in that area, and with vic­
tories under their belt, they can tackle that big job with
co.nfidence that all seamen are aware of what the SIU has
accomplished for men of the merchant marine.

During the past few months the SIU Organizing
Drive has met with success on every front. A contract has
already been signed with the American Eastern Steamship
Company, and only NMU stalling has prevented the SIU
from banging on the door of the Isthm.ian Steamship
Company.

In the weeks and months to come, there will be more
contracts won by the SIU, and more seamen protected by
the excellent SIU conditions and wages.

The best organizers in the world can't induce a man to
join a union unless that union has something to offer. Sweet
words can't be used to buy groceries, but actions and results
show up in the paycheck.

That is why the SIU has achieved so much success in
organizing seamen so far, and that is why the Great Lakes
D rive is being looked forward to, both by the SIU organ­
izers and the men on the Great Lakes.

Effective Unity
The cause of trade-union solidarity is far from being

a hopeless one, in spite of the staggering damage inflicted
in its name by the so-called advocates of "unity"—the
communist-led labor groups.

This week, unaccompanied by drum-beating, hysteric-
•al shouting or publicity-seeking fanfare, the Seafarers In­
ternational Union sharply demonstrated that one union can
help another without trying to move and take over under
the guise of "unity."

The AFL Seafarers were out on the picketlines of the
CIO Shipbuilders. Our white-capped men, old hands when
it comes to militancy, were out there in response to a simple
appeal for aid. And they responded wholeheartedly and
enthusiastically.

There was no maze of resolutions, no can-shaking, no
long drawn-out conferences, no jockeying for position to
make political capital of the situation. It was effective
unity at the point of production.

And trade-union solidarity can be as simple as that.
The long-winded, hot air merchants of "unity" might well
learn a lesson from the honest, hard-hitting Seafarers when
it comes to labor solidarity.

Men Now In The Marine Hospitals
These are Ihe Union Brothers currently in the marine hospitals,

as reported by the Port Agents. These Brothers find time hanging
heavily on their hands. Do what you can to cheer them up by writ­
ing to them.

BALTIMORE HOSPITAL

MATHEW CARSON
LLOYD YOUNG
PETER LOPEZ
JOHN DUDKO
FRANCIS O'BRIEN
CASIMIR HONOROWSKI
THOMAS CARROLL
PHILIP BAZAAR
JOHN TILL

GALVESTON HOSPITAL

OLSEN
BENNETT
GALANE
R. V. JONES
HUTCHENSON
STAEINZ
MILKE
FLESHER
AKIN
GRAVES
BREASHAR
KOW LIM

X X X
SAN JUAN HOSPITAL

JUAN OLIVER
WALTER JORGENSON

RAYMOND SAUDERS
R. ARMSTRONG
P. FELICIANO
R. SEIFO

4 J* 4*

STATEN ISLAND HOSPITAL

C. BONAFONT
R. G. MOSSELLER

^ J. S. WOOD
W. G. H. BAUSE
H. BELCHER
L. L. MOODY
E. D. MILLER
C. KOLSTE
R. POWELL
M. MORRIS
L. A. CORNWALL
JOE LEWIS
M. J. QUINN
G. LUETH

XXX
NEW ORLEANS HOSPITAL

HUGO ECHEVARIA
E. R. BUCKLEY
ROBERT MULHOLLAND
M. R. SUTHERLAND
JOHN RETOUR ,
SIR EDWARD CUSTER

Hospital Patients
When entering the hospital

notify the delegate by post­
card, giving your name and
the number of your ward.

Staten Island Hospital
You can contact your Hos­

pital delegate at the Staten
Island Hospital at the follow­
ing times:

Tuesday—1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
(on 5th and 6th floors)

Thursday—1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
(on 3rd and 4th floors.)

Saturday—1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
(on 1st and 2nd floors.)

DAVID McDUFFIE
O. M. STIREWALT
ERNEST COOPER
ALBERT SHULL
J. W. DENNIS
STEVE MOGAN
W. BROCE, Jr.
JACINTO NAVARRO
JOHN O'DONOHUE
JJ. STEFANIDES
CENTRAL MASON
KARL PETTERSSEN

XXX

BRIGHTON MARINE HOSP.

E. JOHNSTON
H. SWIM
G. VICKERY
J. GALA
R. ALBANESE
T. DINEEN
V. RUIZ
R. FIORE
R. LORD
J. LAVASSOR



Friday, February 7. 1947 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Three

By PAUL HALL

The Seafarers have been very fortunate not to have had any
of the inner factional troubles that are splitting the NMU and
other labor organizations. That does not mean that we have not

had differences of opinion in the Union, but it does mean that we
have been able to settle our differences without weakening our

structure.

The shipowners have always known that the SIU was a solid,
democratic Union, and that any attempts to club us through foster­

ing bad feeling among the officials or rank-and-file would be fought

by a solid front of SIU members.

Last week I had the privilege of attending a meeting in Phila­

delphia. It was here that the attitude of the Seafarers was best
exemplified by one of the Brothers who took the deck and re­
marked when a man had a beef in the SIU he had the right and

the duty to hit the deck with it at a Union meeting, and get it off

his chest.

One of the members at the meeting, summed the situation

up very well when he took the deck to say, "The place to dis­

cuss Union beefs is on the deck at a Union meeting. If anyone
comes to you with a damn BS story, tell him to speak his piece

at a meeting and have it thrashed out there."

In the course of the discussion, it came out that certain stories

has been circulated by former Philadelphia officials and others that
smeared some other officials and members of the SIU. This sort of
talk and action can do the organization harm from which it might
never recover.

Differences of opinion are healthy and the open discussion of
thnse differences stimulates the Union. However, when these dif­
ferences are used as whispering campaigns to undermine either
the Union, individual membei'S, or officials, the instigators of such
campaigns then become disrupters and have no place in a true,
democratic Union such as the Seafarers.

Union-Busters Move Fast
The way the Washington hot shots are talking about labor,

you would get the idea that the labor movement is up on the block,
like a pig, waiting to be killed.

One group says, "Let's cut labor's throat from left ear to right."

The other group says, "No, let's cut from right to left."

But all are agreed on the throat-cutting part of the deal.

Even the so-called friends of labor are snapping at labor's

heels, and saying that certain of the rights which labor has fought
for should now be taken away. It is surprising how many Senators
and Representatives, elected with labor's support, are now jump­
ing on the anti-labor bandwagon and trying to outdo the bosses

in thinking up new ways to tie the ball and chain to the United

States labor movement.

There is one lesson to learn from all this, and in the SIU we
have a recent lesson to bear in mind. Economic action is the only
power which the worker has, and which the Washington fakers
can't take away from him. By use of economic action the SIU
threw out the Wage Stabilization Board which set itself up as a
high-and-mighty body to overrule legitimate contracts arrived at
between labor and management.

What we did then, all labor may be forced to do in the future.
And if that times comcSj wc will have a definite part to play.

We must in the future, as we have in the past, assist all unions
in their legitimate beefs. When one 'honest union is in danger-,
then there is danger for all other organizations of workers.

NMU Can't Service Its Members,
Se They Leek Elsewhere Fer Help
Dear Friend:

Do you have money due from
your ship on unclaimed wages?
Disputed overtime? Linen or
transportation money? Federal
Old Age tax over-payment?

We'll find out for you and
notify you as part of our regu­
lar service to seamen. This ser­
vice comprises: 1. Immediate
notice to you that money is
due, how much it is, and where
you can get it. 2. Use of our
facilities as your permanent
mailing address.
The above is part of the text of

a letter being circulated by the
Merchant Seaman's Personal Ser­
vice, a new organization which
offers to assist seamen to collect
money, that is rightfully theirs,
from unclaimed wages or dis­
puted overtime.

The letter goes on to say that
this service is provided for the
nominal sum of $2.00 per year—
in advance.

There is every possibility that
this organization is perfectly hon­
est and will provide the services
it so glowingly advertises, but it
is obvious that these services are
not necessary for seamen who be­
long to a union that works un­
ceasingly for the benefit of the
membership.

NMU NEEDS HELP
That's the rub. Reading the

list of companies paying retro­
active wages, and using the Mer­
chant Seamen's Personal Service

to locate the seamen to whom the
back pay is due, the first thing
that strikes the eye is that not
one of the companies- is under
contract to the Seafarers.

On the other hand, of the
twelve companies mentioned, one
or two are unorganized, and the
others are contracted to the Na­
tional Maritime Union, CIO.

That fact has only one meaning.
For the unorganized companies,
it is easy to see why they have
to advertise to get in touch with
former crew members who have
back pay coming, but for the
NMU contracted companies, only
a complete breakdown of the
union's services could make such
action necessary.

And that is exactly what has
happened.

For a long time it has been
known that the NMU officials'
spent more time on politicking |
and following the communist;
party line than they did on pro-'
viding decent service for the'
members. They also organized
more for the CP than they did
fur the NMU, and this indirectly '
led to the overwhelming defeat'
suffered by the NMU in the Isth-;
mian election. !

In such a set-up, it is obvious
that the elected or appointed of­
ficials just don't have enough
time to settle the beefs of the
membership. The best they can
do is to keep the situation as
quiet as possible, and hope that

New Seamen's Bill Of Rights
Is Introduced Into Congress

A new Merchant Seamen's
Wartime Service Act has been
introduced into Congress by Rep­
resentative Peterson, Democrat
of Florida.

The new bill, made necessary
when the old one died in com­
mittee with the adjournment of
the 79th Congress, calls for prac­
tically the same provisions con­
tained in the old bill.

Our Program Clear
We must continue in our organizing, and to assist other unions

to organize if they need our help. We must continue to take the
lead in winning higher wages and better conditions for all seamen.

In this whole program education will be a major factor. If a
man doesn't know what he is fighting for, there is no real reason
for him to put up his best battle. Education does not mean the
phony political education that some unions have forced down the
throats of their memberships.

It means the education of all working stiffs in the value of
something that Seafarers know well—the use of economic action.

All workers must realize that economic action at the point of
production is what makes us more powerful than the richest boss
who ever lived. Our labor is our stock in trade, and if we with­
hold it, no factory, plant, ship, or money, will be any good to guys
who use their property and money to keep a heel on the neck of
the working stiff. When labor stops—industry stops—profits stop.

H. R. 476, as it has been num­
bered, after its introduction, was
referred to the Committee on
Merchant Marine and Fisheries
on January 6. The Union has re­
ceived assurance for the Chair­
man of the Committee, Fred
Bradley, that he would do every­
thing to secure passage of the
measur-e.

The bill, with its provisions, is
as follows:

H. R. 476 (Peterson) Merchant
Seamen's Wartime Service Act—
To provide aid for the readjust­
ment in civilian life of these per­
sons who rendered wartime serv­
ice in the United States Merchant
Marine, and to provide aid for
their families.

This bill would provide for any
individual who rendered "mari­
time wartime service."

a. Education and Training—
For a period of one year be­

tween September 2, 1948 and
September 2, 1952, preference to
be given to their admission at
maritime schools. The cost of tui­
tion, and other incidentals, not to
exceed $500, will be paid by the
Federal Security Administrator
to the school. A slibsistence al­
lowance of $60 per month, if
without dependents,- and $80 per
month with dependents is pro­
vided.

b. Employment Rights
The maximum employment op­

portunity is to be afforded by the
Federal Security Administrator.
Reemployment rights are extend­
ed from 40 to 90 days after ter­
mination of service.

c. Hospitalization and Medical
Care—

Hospitalization, domiciliary, in­
stitutional and convalescent care
are provided at U. S. Public
Health Service Hospitals and sta­
tions. This service includes arti­
ficial limbs, wheel chairs and
similar appliances.

d. Vocational Rehabilitation—
Any disabled wartime service

seamen would be eligible to the
benefits of the Vocational Re­
habilitation Act of 1920.

e. Disability Benefits—
The benefits provided under

the Act of September 7, 1916 are
made available to wartime serv­
ice seamen who became disabled
or die from injury or disease in­
curred in or aggravated by serv­
ice.

A Division of Maritime Serv­
ice Benefits and a Board of War­
time Seamen's Appeals would be
created in the Maritime Commis­
sion for administering these bene­
fits.

When the bill comes up for
hearing, which is expected short­
ly, the Union will have represen­
tatives present to testify for the
necessity of the measure. Also,
the American Federation of La­
bor Legislative Committee will
put the AFL behind the biU.

While the bill is waiting hear­
ing, President Lundeberg requests
officials of the Union, in every
coastal state to write their Con­
gressmen urging their support
in the passage of the bill.

nobody becomes angry enough to
raise a fuss.

FALSE PATRIOTISM
During the war, by raising the

cry of "patriotism," the NMU
misleaders could get away with
practically anything. They had
free hand to dispose of the mem­
bership's legitimate complaints in
any way they saw fit, and they
did exactly that.

Now with the struggle for pow­
er in the NMU going strong, the
officials are so busy defending
themselves, and looking for a
good place to stick a knife in
the other man's ribs, there does
not seem to be any time to settle
beefs, collect overtime, or check
on retroactive pay.

It is logical to assume that
since the companies can't depend
on the NMU to bring certain in­
formation before the member­
ship, the members of the NMU
can't depend on being informed
or serviced by the union.

AH of the services advertised
by the Merchant Seaman's Per­
sonal Service are benefits which
should be provided by the union.
When the imion fails to do so, the
members look elsewhere. That's
the story in the NMU today.

SIU HANDLES BEEFS

The Seafarers International
Union has always prided itself in
the way all beefs, large or small,
are immediately worked on by
Union officials.

SIU men know that when they
have overtime due them, or linen
money, or transportation, they .
don't need an outsider to repre­
sent them. They are assured of
the services of a qualified Union
official from the moment they
join.

If the Merchant Seamen's Per­
sonal Service looks to members
of the SIU for business, they
might as well fold up shop right
now. But if they expect NMUers
to provide the bulk of their trade,
then they will probably be able
to build up a lucrative enter­
prise.

Canadian SIU
Wins Wage Rise
From Union SS

VANCOUVER, B.C.—The Sea­
farers International Union in
Canada, this week, completed
negotiations with the Union
Steamship Company gaining a
$20.80 increase in wages.

The new agreement covering
wages of all unlicensed ratings
on the 11 ships of that company
went into effect on February 1.

The $20.80 increase brings one
more company into line with the
gains made by the Seafarers, for
the Canadian Pacific Steamship
and Canadian National Steam­
ship Companies recently signed a
similar agreement calling for the
same wage boost.

The gains made by the Seafar­
ers in Canada are the fruits of
long negotiations, and with the
$12.46 boost won last year they
now show a raise in wages of
over $33.00.

Negotiations are continuing be­
tween the SIU and the Union
Steamship Company on hours and
conditions, with Hugh Murphy,
Port Agent for Vancouver, rep­
resenting the Union.

J.; • ij .



"Page "Four THE SEAFARERS LOG • Friday, February 7, 1947

WM4r
iTWIHC.,.

QUESTION:—From time to time, the Log has asked questions on how conditions could be
improved aboard ship, or what could be done to strengthen or streamline the Union. Many of
the suggestions have been put into effect, and again our question is the same: What suggestions
do you have that would increase the efficiency of the SIU, or would better the lives of seamen?

WILLIE EDWARDS, Pantryman:
I have no beefs because I think

the Union is okay just at it is go­
ing along now. We operate ef­
ficiently. and all members get
quick and effective representa­
tion. My only suggestion is that
we continue to build for the fu­
ture, stay strong, and be prepared
for anything that might happen.
If we do that, then we can be as­
sured that the Seafarers Inter­
national Union will be able to
weather anything that comes
along. The AFL Maritime Trades
Department is a big factor in our
present strength.

JAMES A. MacKENZIE, Bosun:
My idea is that promotion of

an AH to Bosun, while aboard
ship, should not be allowed. All
Bosuns should ship through the
Hall, and that would put an end
to disturbances aboard ship. The
system now makes apple-polish­
ers out of some men, and they
buck for Bosun by kissing the
Male's foot. The Union rule of
three years for an AB before be­
ing allowed to ship as Bosun
should be adhered to, and Se-
rangs should come from the Un--
ion Hall, just as they do in the
SUP.

a a

THOMAS DAWES, MM:
The Union should go all out for

the four-watch system. In , my
opinion, that is the most import­
ant objective for us to have in
Ihe coming year. Shipping is on
Ihe decrease, and there will be
plenty of men on the beach,
•while men who do get jobs will
have to work that much harder.
With the four-watch system,
there will be a more equal dis­
tribution of the work, and less
unemployment among the men of
the merchant marine. After all,
there were plenty of jobs during
the war; why not now too?

CARLOS GOMEZ, Wiper:
I think that the Union should

concentrate on the organization
of tankers, and inland waterways
workers, so that more jobs will
be available to the members of
the Union. As long as there are
men who are not organized, they
are a threat to the security of the
Union members. At the same
time I believe that the Union
should start a full scale Educa-
tonal Program, so that organized
and unorganized secimen will
know the score on how a union
fights for its members, and for
all labor.

SEAFARERS SUPPORTS STRIKING SHIPRUILDERS
{Continued jroin Page 1)

Company that the Maritime Com­
mission wanted the strike-bound
docks in steady use, and that the
MC would not place any addi­
tional work there until the labor
dispute with the Shipyard Work­
ers was finally cleared up.

U. S. Conciliation Commission-
. er Stewart and Judge McGuire

• from Mayor O'Dwyer's special
labor committee were both re­
buffed by Bushey representatives
when they attempted to intervene
in the current dispute. Of course,
the company didn't refuse out­
right; they just used the usual
line of stalling tactics and hooey
common to labor haters of the
Bushey variety.

SIU SUPPORT

Last Thursday, January 30,
several hundred Seafai~ers pick­
eted jointly with the CIO Ship­
yard Workers in a demonstration
of maritime solidarity before the

..gates of the Bushey company.

Appearing with traditional
white caps and SIU picket pla­
cards, SIU members marched the
picketlines before the. Brooklyn
shipyard side by side with their
CIO brothers in the maritime in­
dustry. (Pictures of the demon­
stration appear on page 5 of this
issue.)

In line with a pledge of sup­
port which was given the Ship­

yard Workers Union at the N.Y.
membership meeting on January
15, all activities at SIU head­
quarters were closed down until
4 P.M. in the afternoon. This was
done to facilitate the picketing
demonstration, and allow every­
one to get over to the Brooklyn
shipyard.

Leaving the Nev/ York hall
shortly after 11 A.M., the SIU
members arrived at the Bushey
shipyard before noon and con­
tinued to walk the picketlines
until late in the afternoon. "Vari­
ous on-the-spot observers com­
mented on the swell effect creat­
ed by the pickets from both
unions marching together in this
demonstration of maritime soli­
darity.

At the conclusion of the joint
demonstration, SIU pickets held
an impromptu meeting across the
street from the Bushey shipyard.
New York Port Agent Paul Hall
addressed them on the fine job
that they had done in supporting
the Shipyard Workers beef.

He stated, "Real union solidar­
ity is always achieved at the
point of" production by union
members backing each other up
on the picketlines. It can never
be achieved simply by making
motions or passing resolutions.
Direct action is the only solu­
tion."

Two members of the striking

Shipbuilders Union, internation­
al representative WiUiam McCaf­
frey and Nick Lamb, secretary of
Local 13, also spoke, a few. words
to the assembled Seafarers.

Brother McCaffey expressed
the thanks of the strikers for the
SIU support, and pledged the
support of the CIO union for any
future beefs of the Seafarers.

In his remarks. Brother Lamb
also thanked the SIU for their as­
sistance, and declared that the
display of solidarity between
AFL and CIO maritime unions as
expressed by the joint SIU and
lUMSWA action set a mark for
other unions to follow.

At the conclusion of the brief
meeting, Seafarers made then-
way back to the SIU hall confi­
dent that once again the SIU had
shown the way to other maritime
unions.

COMPANY FINAGLING

During the seven days of their
strike, the Shipyard Workers
have maintained solid picket-
lines, and no one has attempted
to cross them—other than the of­
fice workers and supervisory em­
ployees of Bushey.

Lines are - maintained on a 24-
hour basis "With only a few pick­
ets on the scene late at night and
early in the morning. According
to the pickets, they're prepared
for a longer siege than Bushey.

One day this week, a certain
Bushey stooge. showed up with a
bankroll large enough to choke
the proverbial ox. This individ­
ual, who is rather noted for his
tight fistedness, started buying
drinks right and left, and even
went so far as. to loan the boys a
sizeable sum of money. His boast
was, "Drink it up, fellows. It's
all on old man Bushey."

The boys took him at his word.
They drank up and borrowed all
of the dough, and had the pleas­
ure of seeing this guy pass out
cold. They didn't mind taking a
free handout as long as it was
costing Bushey money, and took
the whole thing as a huge* joke.

Certainly, when you look over
the roster of Bushey-owned com­
panies, everyone realizes that he
can well afford to shell out some
of his cabbage. They want to
know why he doesn't invest some
of it in paying better wages, and
building up better labor relations
with the employees.

With the support that the CIO
Shipbuilders Union is receiving
from the SIU and other maritime
unions, even a rich, labor-hating
individual like' Bushey can't ex­
pect to hold out too long. In any

event, they're fully prepared to

battle this outfit to the bitter end
and the SIU will/support them

until the beef is won.

Taxi Drivers
Are Strong In
Tampa Strike

(Continued from Page 1)

hands to run the taxi men out of
town.

But this has reacted against
them, and the public is waking
up more and more to the fact
that an open shop is a wedge
that can be used to grind down
all working people. The attitude
of the city officials and the Com­
pany is not popular with most
of the people here.

GOOD NEWS

Not all the strike news from
Tampa is bad this week. With
the cooperation of the Seafarers,
Local 153 of the Bartenders and
Waitresses Union, AFL, won a
strike at a restaurant called the
Old Fort.

This has been a seaman's hang­
out, and after the waitresses
threw a picketline around the
place, seamen refused to go in,
and pretty soon the owner saw
the light and signed a contract.

The same thing happened at
O'Falk's Tearoom, and a contract
has been signed and sealed by
the management there. SIU help
did not pass unrecognized, and
the branch received a letter from
the Local, thanking the Seafarers
for their assistance. Here is what
the letter had to say about the
SIU contribution to the winning
of their strike:

Dear Sirs and Good Brothers:

Our poor words written or
spoken are inadequate tools to
express our deep down heart­
felt appreciation for your boun­
tiful aid in winning the "OLD
FORT" and the "O'FALK'S
TEA ROOM" strikes. I pray
that we shall continue through­
out the years to enjoy the mu­
tual friendship. We beg to re­
main, your humble brothers.

Sincerely and Fraternally,
Thom Boger, President
Peter C. Leto, Fin. Sec.

Owners of restaurants and
grills here have formed an or­
ganization to combat the Union.
But the first two spots that Local
153 tackled were swiftly put un­
der contract, and that means that
the owners organization will
probably soon fold up.

Danish Sailors Talk
Merger With Firemen
• From Denmark comes word of
a po.ssible merging of the Dan­

ish Seamen's and Firemen's un­
ions. A joint "cooperation com­
mittee" has been set up to test
the plan's practicability.

A management committee -of
three representatives from each
union will deal with day-to-day
problems. A broader permanent
committee will meet at least
twice a year—or when necessary,
as determined by the managing
body.

Under the rules of the man­
agement committee, the coopera­
tion shall not interfere with the
sovereignty or particular inter­
ests of either union. All major
questions and negotiations with
the shipowners, however, will be
dealt with by the joint commit­
tee.

(Internalional Transportworkers
Federation)

U&yr: -r



Friday. February 7. 1947-' THT. SE AT ARERS LOG Page Five

SNI And CIO
In Real-Life

On Picketline
Of Maritime Unity

•J, -. i Z

U ' m

Before fhe strike of Local 13. CIO Shipbuilders, started, a
delegation from the union came to ask the support of the Sea­
farers. This was quickly volunteered, in line with the SIU
policy of backing up the legitimate beefs of honest unions.
Here Fred Mesita. Chairman of Local 13. and Lou Calomine,
head of Local 13's Veterans Committee, tell the story up in the
LOG office.

When the strike broke, and picketing started on January 30, shipping was suspended in the
New York Hall, and Seafarers went down to join Local 13 on the picketline; They gathered at a
central spot, near the Ira S. Bushey and Sons Shipyards in Brooklyn, and then took their
places in the line that had. and still has. the yard sewed up tight. See how the Seafarers white
caps stand out, even on a cold, rainy day.

Business not going as usual inside. This line is impregnable—good union men won't go
through it. and those who would like to would have quite a bit of trouble trying it. Bushey's
long history of bad labor relations brought this strike on. but the CIO Shipbuilders are going to
finish it by winning a victory and forcing Bushey to bargain.

The SIU signs stand out. This close-up of the picketline
shows CIO Shipbuilders and AFL Seamen marching side by
side. That's real unity, not the phony CMU kind.

After the picketing, a sandwich and a cold bottle' of milk really hits the spot. That s what
is 'happening. above.- as Seafarers take time out to refresh themselves, and then back to the line
to show Bushey.that the AFL Seamen and the CIO Shipyard Workers are in this fight against
anti-labor bosses.



Page Six THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday. February 7, 1947

There's More To Organizing
Than Meets The Naked Eye

By EARL SHEPPARD

There is a lot more to organiz- | who wears his union button, car­
ing than merely going aboard an ries his picket cards and paid up
unorganized ship, contacting the union book, and lets the world
crew, passing out literature and know that he is a Seafarers mem-
presenting the Seafarers' pro- ber, and damn proud of it, is an
gram. organizer whether he knows it

All of that is necessary, but be- , or not.
hind and ahead of it is a lot of Every official, every organizer
hard work—work that isn't spec- [ and every employee in any ca-
tacular or even generally known pacity possible comes from the
but which, nevertheless, is abso- membership at large, and it is

Ellis Samia

lutely necessary to success. those members who are most ac-
Before an organizing campaign tive, who constantly work in be-

is launched, every detail must be half of the union arid participate
worked out carefully. Things i" every activity from picket
like the names of every ship's of- , lines to organizing who become
ficer, whether or not he has a known, who learn their jobs and
union background and in what who ultimately become union of-
union, must be determined and ^ f icials.

EDUCATION

A study of the back issues of
taiis'thaTmust be "taken care of'the Log constitutes a good Sea-
in the union offices, carefuUy fai'ers education. In these back
sifted and filed, are the job of issues will be found the story of
the organizing staff and each or-' how the Union grew from a little
ganizer has to learn the opera-' outfit of 500 members to its

carefully filed for future refer­
ence.

The thousand and one little de-

After 11 years in the Navy, El­

lis Samia, Oiler, really started en-
pro- ber, and damn proud of it, is ani . . , . . t.

' joing his sea life in 1941 when he
joined the Seafarers Internation­
al Union.

"Don't get me wrong," he says
with a smile, "but now that I'm
in the SIU, it's hard to believe
that I stood Navy discipline for
such a long time."

Brother Samia went to sea
more than 16 years ago. He was
a young man, in search of adven­
ture, and the Navy offered an op­
portunity to see the world. He
saw the world, and liked sea life,
so he reenlisted and served a
total of 11 years.

By that time, he decided to try
his luck in another direction, so
he became an Oiler on tugboats,
and from there he graduated into
deep sea vessels.

"I've never been sorry that I
left the Navy," he says. "In the
SIU I've met plenty of swell
guys, and I have seen how con­
ditions and wages have improved

I present strength, and the reasons
why it will continue to grow.

In the Log are the stories of
the strikes, job actions and beefs

tion of the system. I
It isn't a very easy job to make

an office worker out of a seaman,
but it is seamen who have done
and are doing this work. It is a
thankless job, with the only re­
ward being the knowledge of a
job well done, but the hands that | Agents' conferences, the action
splice, oil and cook have done an
equally good job at pecking on a

that paved the way to the con- even in the short time since I
tracts we have today—the de­
cisions of the conventions, the

typewriter, running a filing sys­
tem and building an investiga­
tion and research apparatus.

CONCENTRATION

If the organizing staff were to
undertake to organize the whole
industry at the same time, they
would be wasting Union money
and butting their heads up against
a stone wall. For that reason
their work has to be so arranged
that the main effort is directed
against a particular company
such as Isthmian.

While that is going on, how­
ever, the future tasks mu d al­
ways be kept in mind and pre­
pared for by a portion of the
work being against other unor­
ganized companies, probing and
exploring in order to determine

' of the membership on resolutions
and the general knowledge that
is needed to make an organizer
thoroughly conversant with the
subject of maritime trade union­
ism.

In the resarch department of
the organizing staff are complete
files of various trade union
papers clearly proving by their
articles that while others have,
like the rocky mountain goat,
"jumped from peak to peak and
back again," the Seafarers has
maintained a steady, unswerving
progressive line.

This is the knowledge that is
needed to make a good organizer;
this is the knowledge that, when
imparted to an unorganized sea­
man, brings him into the Sea­
farers' ranks.

The staff of the Log has pre­
pared a summarized "Organizers

just where the next main con-! Handbook" which will be off the
centration shall be. press shortly. This together with

For the past year the main at- the other mat^2rial available
tention of the Union has been on • should be studied by every mem-
the Isthmian Line, but all. ber so that all will be able to ex-
through that period forays were' plain, organize and build our
made in other directions. The Union still stronger,
result was that, even before the
end of the Isthmian voting, it had ROUGH. TOUGH. READY

become evident that the unor- The Seafarers has come a long
ganized tankers were the most ways, but there is still a long
logical field, and the Isthmian or- tough voyage ahead. By follow-
ganizing forces were thus able to ing a correct program, using the
swing into action as tanker or- right tactics and being always
ganizers with no confusion and a ready to go to bat at anytime,

the Seafarers has proven itself,
not only to its own membership

tivity depends upon efficient op-1 but to the entire trade union
eration and the proper coordina­
tion and concentration on a de-

came into the Union."

ON THE SPOT

prepared plan of action.
The success of all union ac-

termined objective.

EVERYBODY AN ORGANIZER

By far the most important fac­
tor in organization is the mem­
bership as a whole. Without the
full support and cooperation of
the membership, no organizing
effort could hope for success. The
conversations in hotels, gin mills,
on the docks and street corners,
anywhere and everywhere sea­
men gather, is of vital impor­
tance.

The unorganized man judges
a union largely by what the rank
and file members of that union
think and say about it. The man

movement, as the most militant,
aggressive and democratic Union
in the maritime field.

Hardly a day passes without
ether unions, CIO and Indepen­
dent—as well as AFL- -coming in
for aid or advice. None goes
away empty handed, for the Sea­
farers lives up to the principle
that labor's fight on any front, is
the fight of labor as a whole.

To accomplish this has taken
a hard hitting and alert member­
ship. For that reason, if for no
other, there is no reason to fear
the future. In the days to come,
whatever the job may be, the
Seafarers will tackle it and win,
then as always before — rough,
tough and ready.

Ellis Samia joined the SIU in
1941, and almost immediately he
took part in the 1941 Bonus
Strike. He and his shipmates
tied up the SS Evangeline, East­
ern Steamship Company, in the
port of New York, and then they
all stood picket duty until the
strike was won.

In the 1946 General Strike, his
luck was not as good, and he
was at sea until four days before
the strike ended. But as soon as
his ship pulled into New York
•Harbor, Samia headed for the
Hall and then out to the picket-
line for duty.

During the war period, it was
hard for Brother Samia to tell
the difference between service

Send Those Minutes
Send in th© minutes of

your ship's meeting to the
New York Hall. Only in that
way can the membership act
on your recommendations,
and then the minutes can be
printed in the LOG for the
benefit of all other SIU
crews.

Hold those shipboard meet­
ings regularly, and send
those minutes in as soon as
possible. Thai's the SIU way I

in the regular Navy, and sailing
merchant shipk

"The dangers were the same,"
he recalls, "only the Navy had
more protection and armaments
than we had."

LUCKY CHARM

Samia sailed the dangerous
North Atlantic run to Murmansk,
Russia, at the height of the Na­
zi U-Boat menace. Although at­
tacked from the air on many oc­
casions, Samia luckily escaped
without injury.

Not only that, but no ship he
was ever on was torpedoed, but
there were plenty of near misses.

Brother Samia expects to con­
tinue sailing. He feels that since
the Union has won so many ad­
vantages for seamen, the life of
a merchant seamen has improved
immeasurably.

He recently returned from a
trip to South Africa on the Robin
Locksley, and he is eagerly
awaiting another trip to another
foreign port.

His words of advice are well
worth remembering since he has
had the opportunity to compare
military life with the democratic
SIU way.

He says, "If we let the Coast
Guard rule us it will be the same
as being in the Navy. No mer­
chant seaman wants that or he
would join the Navy in the first
place. It is our duty to fight CG
control. We are civilians and
should be treated as such."

That is the concensus of opin­
ion in the SIU, and with a mili­
tant membership, the Union will
continue the fight against the
Brass Hats, and for civilian su­
pervision of the maritime indus­
try.

Philly Is Out
To Get Bigger
And Better Hail

By EDDIE HIGDON

PHILADELPHIA—After I as­
sumed the Agent's job last week,
the first thing the membership
did was assign me the task of
finding a larger and better hall.
The motion was a good one as
this joint we are in now can't
even start to serve the needs of
the Port.

Finding a new location is an­
other matter, however, but prac­
tically every member in the port
is working as a committee of one.
And with so many sea going
real-estate brokers on the job we
should be able to find something
and get out of this dump.

Shipping has picked up some
and there are indications that it
will continue to improve. Broth­
er Harry Collins, who held this
port down in some of the tough,
lean years, is back on the job
again presiding over the Dis­
patcher's office.

He took hold of things the
same way he takes over the Stew­
ard's job, with the result that
everything is ship-shape and ef­
ficient. Its like old times to have
Harry back on the job again.

Charlie Bush, newly elected
Philly Patrolman, hasn't shown
up yet to assume office so we are
getting along with only one Pa­
trolman, Brother Ernest Tilley.
He and I cover payoffs together
and make the routine daily pa­
trol. The new policy here is to
see that every ship is adequately
covered.

The last membership meeting
here also took up the question of
ports calling one another when
there is a shortage of men in­
stead of issuing new permits. This
is a good idea and should im­
prove shipping all up and down
the coast.

In general, things are shaping
up pretty good in Philadelphia.
The membership as a whole has
cooperated a 100 percent in the
business of taking over from out­
going Agent Truesdale, and with
this kind of good membership
you can't go wrong.

New Address
On and after February 1,

1947, Station "P" Post Office,
located at the Custom House,
Bowling Green and Broad­
way, New York 4, N. Y.. will
be known as Bowling Green
Station.

The official address of the
Union is now P. O. Box 25,
Bowling, Green Station, New
York 5, N. Y.

COMPANY EGONOMY COSTS SEAMAN BROKEN LEGS
By BEN REES

NORFOLK — Penny-pinching
by the big steamship companies
is really funny, except at times
when men's lives are endangered
by that desire to save an extra
cent.

The companies made piles of
money during the war; and even
in peacetime operation, the prof­
its of the shipowners and opera­
tors are exorbitant.

The case I have in mind at this
time, and there have been plenty
more in the past, was the in­
jury that occurred to three SIU
men on the Coastal Advocate,
Bull Line.

These men were hurt when a
heavy sea broke over the bow
while they were stowing lines
that should have been stowed be­
fore tlje ship left port.

But the company was too tight
to pay for an hour overtime, and
so Brother James P. McNeeley is
in the hospital with two broken
legs. He's resting a little easier
now, but that's not due to any­
thing the company did.

NO LONG CHANCES

It's about time that the com­
panies started to realize that
men's lives are much more im­
portant than profits. If the op­
erators won't stop forcing men

to take unnecessary chances just
for big profits, then the Union
will have to step into the pic­
ture.

Last week the men at the Nor­
folk Marine Hospital got a spe­
cial break. The fines that were
collected on the SS Stephen
Beasley were earmarked for the
12 hospitalized Brother?, and
they each received $3.00.

The recipients were: James P.
McNeeley, Brother Manning,
John Harrison, J. Burchinal, Wil­
liam D. Weiss, William Gibbs, W.'
R. ICnight, William C. Scott, J. C.
Smith, Clinton Lester, Orville
Daniels, and Edward A. Dussen-
burg.

mH'it J •



Friday, February 7, 1947 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Seven

Payoff Takes 14 Hours, But Crew
Gets Everything It Has Coming

By JOE ALGINA

NEW YORK—The Skipper of
the Fort Winnebago, Pacific
Tankers, is not too popular with
the New York Patrolmen right
row. At least, he's not at all

popular with Ray Gonzales and

Jimmy Drawdy.

• They hit the Winnebago one
day last week for a payoff, and
since they went on board at
about one o'clock in the after­
noon, they figured on being fin­
ished-at a reasonable time.

•. But they didn't figure on the
Skipper. He had a habit of eras­
ing the overtime claimed by the
members of the crew, and sub­
stituting what he believed to be
the correct amount.

As a consequence, the over­
time sheets were all fouled , up,
and the crewmembers were mad
enough to throw the Captain
over the side.

It took until three o'clock the
following morning before the

Great Lakes Is
Realty For Big
Organizing Drive

By HENRY CHAPPELL

TOLEDO — Seafarers officials
•in this area are busy trying to
improve the contracts for 1947,
and in mapping out our organi­

zational campaign for this com­
ing summer. This summer looks
to be the biggest year for SIU

organizing that the Great Lakes

have ever seen.

When Lakes men see how SIU
freight ships are operated, and
the conditions under which our
men,work, this should turn out
to be a banner year for us in this
area.

The NMU is planning to try
some organizing up here, but
there is little chance that they
will have any success. Their rec­
ord is so foul that few, if any,
seamen will be willing to enroll
under the NMU banner.

Last fall the NMU pulled the
phoniest strike that I have seen
in years of sailing, and then the
seamen were sold out by the
NMU with the poorest contract
ever signed by any sailors' union.
Lakes seamen will not soon for­
get this, and the NMU organizers
will be coming up here with two
strikes against them.

CLEAN RECORD

The clean record of the SIU
will be the biggest single factor
in persuading Lakes seamen to
come into our Union. We are
known as a sincere, honest
Union, and the men up here have
heard, and seen how the SIU
gqes to, bat for its members.

Our contracts are far superior
to any ordinarily won by the other
unions, and what they have now
they owe to the fact that we ne­
gotiated the best agreements ever
.seen, and We stood off the Wage
Stabilization Board when they
attempted to take our gains away
from us.

That will: not be lost oa the
Lakes when the drive opens. This
spring and summer should be
excellent for. the SIU on , the
Great Lakes.

mess was straightened out, and
Ihe SIU crew collected every­
thing they had coming to them.
It will be a long time before that

toPETHey
Gar A f

particular Old Man puts his
eraser to any more use.

ON UPGRADE

Shipping is still on the up­
grade in this port, and we are
continuing to keep our fingers
crossed. There are plenty of jobs
cn the board, and that is a good
sign for the men who come off
ships looking for new vessels to
sign on.

This sudden flurry in shipping
is bringing a lot of the oldtimers
through this port once more. But
this isn't a gossip column, so
you'll have to read "Cut and Run
Hank" to find out who's in town.

Seems like the organizers are
pretty chipper these days, too.
More and more men are coming
in to volunteer for jobs on unor­
ganized ships, and added to the
large group that has already gone
on record to ship unorganized so
as to help out, tfiat makes a lot
of men who are willing to sail
under poor conditions and with
low wages just to bring more
lines under the SIU banner.

That's all to the good, and
shows*the militant spirit of the
Seafarers.

HO NEWS??
Silence this week from the

Branch Agents of the follow­
ing portsr

SAN JUAN
BOSTON
CHARLESTON
HOUSTON
NORFOLK
JACKSONVILLE
BALTIMORE
MARCUS HOOK

The deadline for port re­
ports. monies due, etc., is the
Monday proceeding publica­
tion. While every effort will
be made to use in the current
issue material received after
that date, space commitments
generally do not permit us lO'
do soi

Log-Happy Skipper Throws Them
in Ail Birections, Poor Feiier

By R. W. SWEENEY

GALVESTON — Sometimes it
looks as though the Skipper of

a ship is trjdng to pile a fortune
for the operators by logging all
qrow members. That's what hap­
pened on the SS Milan R. Stefa-
nik. Pacific Steamship Company,
which paid off here this week.

Practically three fourths of the
crew had logs against them, and
it made no difference to the Skip­
per if the man being logged was
on the ship or not. The Bedroom
Utility was hit for 48 days, but
we knocked it down to six days
which the man admitted taking
off.

The others were just about the

Action In Chicago is Confined
To Bull Sessions in Union Hail

By HERBERT JANSEN

Shipping Takes
A Sudden Spurt
In Savannah

By ARTHUR THOMPSON

SAVANNAH—As we predict­
ed, business picked up consider­
ably in Savannah. The SS Joshua
Slocum came in already signed
on, but we shipped one man and
every job counts.

The SS Bienville also came in
with a full crew aboard, and
there probably won't be any re­
placements for her. The SS F. W.
Galbraith paid off and called foi­
ls men.

The SS Cyrus W. Fields also
paid off and will caU for a crew
probably next week. She's off
the cattle run now and will be
stripped of stalls before she goes
out again..

The SS Joshua Hendy came in
and will pay off Monday, and
we've had a few calls from Wa-
treman for some ships- which
are being resurrected from the
boneyard. All of this keeps us
busy, but also makes us very
happy. No big beefs came up
so far and the pay offs were
clean.

We're not sure how long this
will keep up, but we're keeping
our fingers crossed.

CHICAGO—When the SS Rock-
wood pulled her fires this week
she gained the honor of being the
last sand boat to finish the sea­
son. We don't expect her to have
too long a lay-up, as the sand
boats will return to operation as
soon as the ice breaks up on Lake
Michigan.

With the tying-up of the last
sand boat there isn't much else
moving around this port, so the
action for the most part has been
confined to bull sessions in the
Hall.

Hardly a day passes in the Hall
without the SIU members, former
NMU members, and newcomers,
discussing the tactics used by the
NMU in organizing seamen.

The^e seamen are wise to the
tactics of the NMU in using the
seamen as pawns for their own
political ends, and it is easy to
see that the shoe is on the other
foot now.

RECORD NO CREDIT
It took some of the younger

men a long time to see the trend,
but the phony strike pulled by
the NMU last summer showed
their true colors to all seamen
organized and unorganized alike.

Retroactive Pay
Seafarers writing to the be­

low-named companies for re­
troactive pay should address
their communications as list­
ed:
South Atlantic Steamship

Company—Savannah Bank
and Trust Bldg., Savannah,
Ga.

Mississippi Shipping Com­
pany — Hibernia Bank
Bldg., New Orleans, La.

Los Angeles Tankers — 365
West 7th Street, P; O. Box
380, San Pedro, Calif.

Deconhil Tankers—311 Cali­
fornia- Street, San Fran­
cisco, Calif.

Pacific Tankers — 433 Cali-
fornda. Street* San • Fran<-
cisco, Calif.

Their record of commie regi­
mentation has been no credit to
them, for since their inception as
an alleged labor organization
their record has proved to be one
of misi'epresentation. They have
never made any gains in wages
and conditions for the seamen.
Instead, they have always grab­
bed onto the shirt tail of the SIU
after we have won a battle for
seamen.

Their record of always running
to the government bureaucrats
and shipowners to gain an adjust­
ment up to SIU standards is well
known.

It's unfortunate, but their
membership has been time and
time again victimized by the sel­
fish motives of the commie-mind­
ed officials of the union. The
only solution to the muddle the
NMU has created is for all sea­
men to repudiate their efforts to
pull them into their mire.

STRAIGHT UNIONISM

You seamen who will sail on
the Lakes this season who do not
belong to the SIU: When you arc
in port look around for an SIU
organizer. He'll be around to
your ship to talk to you. You
don't have to worry about him
peddling you a line, for he will
talk straight unionism.

The SIU organizer who will
cover your ship will be a repre­
sentative of the only democratic
union on the Lakes, run by the
rank and file. He is an exper­
ienced seamen himself, having
sailed for many years and knows
the score on unorganized ships.

Get the score and join the SIU.
In the coming days all seamen
will have to stand together for
protection. The Lakes Carriers
Association is united in its drive
to break, the wages and condi­
tions of seamen.

So, in the same manner, sea­
men on the Lakes must present
a. united front to combat them.
The SIU is the only union that
can present,that united front to
defend the hard-won rights of
seamen.

same, phony all the way through,
and we had little trouble making
the Captain see the light. The
only way to teach these tough
Skippers a lesson is to fight them
when they try to throw their
weight around.

The crew of the Stefanik col­
lected $70.00 to be turned over
to the men in the Baltimore Ma­
rine Hospital. That was a nice
gesture, and the boys there will
sure appreciate the money.

HUNGRY STEWARD

We had the SS William Cox, of
the Bernstein Steamship Com­
pany, in here for a clean payoff,
but the Port Steward seemed ,to
be under the impression that the
crew would be willing to sail the
ship out of here without enough
stores on board. We checked and
found that the stores were about
30 days short.

What goes in all other ports is
the rule here, and so the ship

ttoW,LET'S
SEE.... ONB
HAM.oME 8AS

OF TOTAXOBS
— riMMM ...
\ CAJOOSH R*
\ TWfteE i

MOATTHS :

did not leave until everything was
aboard. We held up the sign on,
and the stores started arriving
soon after.

The SS Fairport, Waterman,
came in, paid off without beefs,
signed on again, and sailed the
same day for Coastwise ports and'
China. Fast work, eh?

Shipping has slowed up a little
here, but there arc still enough
jobs to go around. Like every­
thing else, it could be better, but
we won't kick as long as it doesn't
get any worse.

This seems to'be about all the
news out of this port unless you
are interested in knowing that
"No Coffee Time" Curran is in
port and is reported to be having
no success in getting his point
across to the party-line piecards
here.

NOTICE!
When requesting informa­

tion regarding your book,
dues record status or retire­
ment, address your communi­
cations to: J. P. Shuler,
Assistant Secy.-Treas„ Sea­
farers International Union of
N. A., 51 Beaver Street, New-
York 4. N. Y.

Never send cash by mail if
you wish to pay your dues,
assessments, etc. Send money
order payable to the Seafar­
ers International Union of
N. A,



Ir

Page Eight THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, February 7. 1947

Tampa Chandlers Crying in Beer:
Nobody Is Buying Their Supplies

By SONNY SIMMONS

TAMPA — The Shipchandlers everything in port, and the next
are crying so loud down here that week turns out to be slow. We
I am sure they can be heard as manage to have a fairly good
far away as Boston. Most of the turnover, but most of it is for re-
beer they drink is half tears, and placements since very few ships
their tales of woe would fill a payoff here,
number of books.

I'll bet that the next time these
. guys see a picketline they will
respect it. At least, that is what
they are promising now. Their
story is that they didn't know
what a picketline meant, and
that they learned the hard way.

The Chamber of Commerce
and the City tried to rig a meet-

C FKLIN'Mf&HrriMv!

ing between the Chandlers and
the SIU, but we told them that
there was nothing to gain by
such a meeting.

Then the Chandlers tried to get

We have an election here soon
for the Central Trades and La­
bor Union. The SIU has been in­
strumental in getting support to
weed out the labor fakers. We
are now backing a young fellow
is on the ball and who will go
down the line against the union-
busters in this town.

Attorney General Tom Watson,
one of labor's prime enemies in
the United States, was elected
with some labor help, and now
labor realizes that they saddled
themselves with a Frankenstein
monster. That will not happen
again.

Strike Clearance
Seafarers who did not lake

active part in the 1946 Gen­
eral Strike, and who have
not yet obtained strike clear­
ance, are advised to do so
immediately. Edward Ben­
der, of the Clearance Com­
mittee at Union headquar­
ters in New York, has issued
a reminder to the member­
ship that Mar. 21, 1947 is the
deadline. The committee's
functions expire on that date.

This advice applies only to
Seafarers whose reasons for
not participating in the strike
require satisfactory explana­
tion.

Men with legitimate rea­
sons for non-participation,
such as illness, being aboard
ship at sea, etc., during the
strike period, do not have to
be cleared by Mar. 21, but
can apply at any time. Ben­
der pointed out.

By JOE VOLPIAN

Transportation Rule On Coast
Is Clarified For Membership

SAN FRANCISCO-

By W. H. SIMMONS

-After be­
ing a tough beach for some time,
the old Gold Coast is coming to
life with shipping picking up i»

j good style. All ratings are ship-
an injunction against us but their ping with few men on the beach
lawyer decided that we hadn't in any departm.^nt.
done anything that could be in- we had the .Ethiopia Victory,
joined against.

Again we want to impress this
on all Stewards' coming into
Tampa; buy your supplies at
some other port. Don't patronize
these men who hit us from be­
hind when we were fighting the
shipowners and the Wage Stabili­
zation Board.

Shipping down here has slow-

Waterman, in for a payoff this
week. At the payoff the crew
was notified, that inasmuch .as
they were getting first-class
transportation, wages and sub­
sistence back to their original
port of sign-on, they would be
required to leave the ship, go
register and clear through the
Hall before going back on her.

ed up somewhat, and it continues | This due to the Port ruling here,
to fluctuate. One week we ship

The Patrolmen Say
Keeping Them Clean

It seems that a part of the
crew of this ship is under the
impression that this ruling was
devised by some individual out
here. But this is not the case.
All members should realize that

NEW YORK—It is very grati- no one man in this entire organi-
fying to see the response from zation can make or lay down any
the membership regarding clean- rule of any sort,
liness of ships and the handling
of performers. I ' CARRYING OUT RULES

Our Union has come a long. As everyone knows our rules
way from a slow beginning, and and by-laws are made by the
slowly but surely, through the membership. Your Patrolmen are
medium of organizing the unor- only representatives of the mem-
ganized, we are improving our bership, who have been chosen
job security. to stay ashore to see that the ^

More and more of our old pre- rules of the Union are properly | the coming meeting of the Mari-
war operators are coming back carried out—which is sometimes Council. The Council is go-

recognize it as being in force out
here.

It is not for me, or any repre­
sentative of the union, to alter
this rule in any way. I have
racked my brain for a solution
to this problem, but there seems
to be no solution other than the
rescinding of this rule at a gen­
eral conference meeting.

I believe that most members
realize that the Patrolmen are
trying to do a job. That job is
to uphold the rules laid down by
the membership. Of course, now
and then a crew will feel that
they were slighted, and not given
proper representation.

If this is the case don't hesi­
tate to let the Patrolman know
your feelings. We are out for
the good of the membership, and
it is not my policy, nor the policy
of any other Patrolman, to give
any one the brush-off.

Due to its importance to alien
seamen I am continuing this
week on the problems created by
the end of wartime regulations
governing alien seamen.

As I mentioned last week, the
peacetime regulations, when they
go into effect on March 31, 1947,
will require that 90 percent of
the crews on government subsi­
dized vessels be American citi­
zens.

Inasmuch as this will create
an unbearable hardship for alien
seamen, a serious attempt is be­
ing made by the SIU to gain
some measure of protection for
these men.

President Lundeberg, aware of
this problem^ has made an an­
alysis of the situation, placing
it as one of the SIU's major prob­
lems. In his report, following his
trip to Washington, he states:

"At the present time, a waiver
is in effect which allows 50 per­
cent of the crew of American
ships to be alien. This waiver
was put into effect during the

sioner's Service, and urged ex­
tension of the waiver.

"We received assurance both
from Admiral Farley and the
Maritime Commission that they
would recommend extension of
the waiver allowing 50 percent

aliens in all American ships to
the end of December 1947.

"There is a good reason for this
to go through, which will give

us some time to work on a Bill
to help our Brothers get their
citizenship papers.

"At the present time, the Im­
migration and Naturalization
Law allows a seaman to apply for
citizenship papers after he has
five years' discharges in Ameri­
can ships; whether he is legally
or illegally in the country; mean­
ing if he has paid his head tax
or not.

"Our organization has been on
record for years to fight for a
Bill which will give foreign sea-

war, because of the shortage of; men, who have sailed in Ameri-
seamen and expires March 31. It
will then revert back to a law
which is very rigid on alien sea­
men, because under this law, it
only allows 10 percent alien sea­
men in the Stewards Department
in Government subsidized ships;
and 25 percent in non-subsidized
ships. This creates a hardship on
a large number of our members,
who are good union members and
also served the American, Mer­
chant Marine well during the
war.

EXTENSION OF WAIVER
"We appeared before Admiral

Farley of the U.' S. Coast Guard,
who is in charge of the U. S.
Steamboat Inspection Service
and also the Shipping Commis-

into the maritime industry. With a very difficult job.
the addition of new operators and For the information of men
contracts, more jobs will be se-' who are in the dark on the trans-
cured for our membership. { portation payment and sign-on,

Under such circumstances we I'd like to quote the report of
must protect our job security the General Conference of the
and honor our agreements, which, SIU-SUP held in Chicago, March
without a question of doubt, are 19i 1945,
the finest in maritime history. Report No. 6, Section D reads:
In order to do so we should ex- "When a man receives transpor-
amine these agreements lation, regardless of the ship,
thoroughly. In that way we w.ill company or district, he must get
be better informed on what is off that ship, and cannot ship

back on that ship until such time
are as he has cleared through the

AFL Council Will Meet In Buluth;
18 Unions Expected To Attend

By EINAR NORDAAS

DULUTH—The big news at the progress for about six months
present in the Port of Duluth is and is still going strong. The

strikers, all girls, belong to the
Clerks Union Local 3, AFL.

The pickets have walked in
front of the store in sub-zero
weather, never missing a day. We
believe that is a record to be

ing to get together February 11

at the Labor Temple in this city
for a series of meetings. We ex­
pect approximately 18 unions'proud of, a record men would
from Ashland, Wis.; Superior, find hard to beat.

and what isn't overtime.
These new agreements

printed in a manner that should Union Hall in the particular port
be easily understood by all. It of paying off."
would be a good policy in my
opinion, if the ship.s delegates;
made a careful study of the, This rule was rescinded • I JLAAAO X WOO X k..O*..XXXVX1^VX ^^1

agreements for the benefit of the May, 1946 on the Atlantic and! report to the Log.
few who do not thoroughly un-' Gulf Coast, but is still a rule on
derstand them. | the West Coast. So, until such

If this was done I'm sure that time as the Seafarers Internation-
ships would payoff with a mini- al Union as a whole can go back
mum of beefs.

Wis.; and Duluth, Minnesota, to
send representatives to the meet­
ing.

Among the items we expect to
discuss is the backing of legisla­
tion to establish Duluth—Su­
perior Harbor as a free port zone.
We expect, also, to discuss sev­
eral other matters important to
seamen and dockworkers in this
vicinity.

As soon as the meetings are
over I'll try to give you Lakes
seamen the highlights through

We ex­
pect to reach some concrete deci­
sions that will be of interest to
all SIU men, so keep your eye
peeled for the results.

into another general conference j A strike at the Glassblock, a
Louis GofSn and change this ruling, we must' department store, has been in

can Flag vessels during the war,
full citizenship papers. This we
feel is nothing but justice, be­
cause an alien who joined the
Army during the war ultimately
received his citizenship after
three months in the army, and
to deny the alien seamen the
same right is nothing but dis­
crimination.

NEW BILL NEEDED

"Last j'ear's Congress intro­
duced a Bill to give seamen full
citizenship rights after three
years service in American ships.
This Bill unfortunately was not
acted upon, in spite of all the
golden promises given us. So
now the Bill is dead and a new
Bill must be introduced. This
is another job we have to do.
We will receive' active support
on this measure from the Amer­
ican Federation of Labor Legis­
lative Committee on this matter.

"Meanwhile, ail alien seamen
members of our organization
should rnake every effort to get
their citizenship papers if they
have five years' discharges. Also,
the ones who have not, should ap­
ply for a visa into the United
States from the American Con­
sul in the foreign country which
he may be in while on an Amer­
ican vessel. They should not,
however, leave their ship, because
then they may not be readmitted
to this country. Also, they Some time ago a bomb ex- , , ,

nloded at the entrance between ^^""^'^^""t jeave this country to
the outside and storm doors f f ^o apply

for a visa, unless they have re-causing some damage. To this
day the damage has gone unre­
paired, because, of course, the
carpenters will not cross the
picket line.

A friend to many SIU seamen
in Duluth, Erick Soder Taver-
over, died suddenly Tuesday,
January 28, Many Lakes seamen
will miss Erick. He was always
ready to give a helping hand
when needed.

I'd like to repeat for the infor­
mation of members living in the
vicinity of Duluth that the Hall
is open and meetings are held
the first and third Monday of the
month at 7 p. m.

ceived permission from the
United States Immigration and
Naturalization Bureau."

Final Departure
Members of ihe Seafarers'

Infernalional Union of Norlh
America join with Brother
Jimmy Slevens. Balfimore
Dispatcher, in mourning the
recent death of his father,
Robert Stevens.



Friday, February 7, 1947 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Nine

RR Elquipment For Europe - Via An SIU Crew

It's a ticklish job lowering railroad engines into the hold of a ship. The above picture was
taken as an engine was being lowered into the h }ld of the MV Gadsden, American Eastern Steam­
ship Company. The engines and cars are consigned to Europe, where they will help to break
up the transportation bottle-neck that exists in the countries across the sea.

4. i i

On the right is the big boom
which is used to lift the rail­
road cars onto the ship and
then lower them into the holds.
This is some piece of machin­
ery, and must be handled gent­
ly so that the load can be lift­
ed and swung without sudden
starts or slops.

Left, the Gadsden as she
lay at the dock waiting for the
loading operation to begin.
Soon this peaceful scene gave
way to one of great activity,
and railroad cars and eiigines
sailed through the air with the
greatest of ease. Below the
picture of the Gadsden is the
sign-off, which took place
aboard the ship. An SIU Pa­
trolman was present to make
sure that all parts of the con­
tract were being lived up to by
the Company. The sign-on was
on Thursday, February 6, and
the crew was then ready for a
trip that will take them to
European ports.

t 4. i

A group of railroad engines and cars was lined up at the
side of the ship, waiting to be loaded. One by one, they were
picked up by the big booms, swung onto the ship, and gently
deposited in the hold. There they were lashed down so that
there was no chance of the cargo shifting while the ship was
on the high seas. Special equipment is needed to do this work,
and it takes a high degree of skill and efficiency to accomplish
the job without injury to the crew or the material being loaded.
The AFL Longshoremen did the job in handy fashion.

d

^ i

• •]
S: SsifSssi

i

Good food is promised to the crew by the above two men.
They must be able to live up to their promises because the LOG
photographer says they are very popular with the rest of the
cre'vlr.

It was too cold^and rainy to take many pictures on deck, so the crew gathered in the mess
room for this one. A typical SIU crew, they made sure that everything was okay aboard before
the sign-off. A Patrolman was also present to protect the interests of the members.



Page Ten THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday. February 7; 1947

SHIPS' MINUTES AND NEWS

Tulane Crew
Hits Topside
Favoritism

Charges of showing favoritism

to "topside" were leveled at the

Chief Engineer and Purser at a
recent crew meeting aboard the
SS Tulane Victory. The playing
of favorites left the crew holding
the bag on two counts, it was re­
vealed;

The charge against the Chief
Engineer originated with the
Black Gang, who said that the
engine officer "deliberately ra­
tioned the water supply, when it
was not necessary." The Pur­
ser's affectionate treatment of the
topside inhabitants involved pre­
ferential sale of cigarettes.

SLICK TRICK

The Black Gang men stated
that the engine officer set the
water valves "at a certain regu­
lation, then sawed them off, so
that they could not be regulated
further by the crew.

"This procedure on his part
worked a hardship on the crew,
whereas the water supply to top­
side was not affected by this ac­
tion.

The meeting, acting on a recom­
mendation by the Black Gang,
voted to refer the matter to the
Union Agent.

While the Purser's pandering
to the topside bunch was not
quite so openly detected, there

MEMBERS OF THE SEAFARER CREW ABOARD THE SS BIENVILLE

Deck. Gang (from left to right): L. Knowles. G. Talley.
W. Ruggie. E. Bauer. F. Litsch. H. Humphrey. P. Lunakis. C.
Wenski. J. Jordan. H. Gawoski. J. Nelson. J. Gates and F. Oliver.

Black Gang (left to right); front row: H. I. Nelson. J. E.
Odomi P. Menkavitch. C. McHugh;. back row: A. Rezende. R.
Cullum. A. Giovanni' and- W.' Beyer.

• was sufficient ba.sis for strong
suspicion. The minutes state
"that the Purser showed a tinge
of favoritism in the. issuance of
certain brands of cigarettes to
topside.

CORRECTIONS URGED

Both the slopchest and the
medical chest were scored as in­
adequate, and the crew urged
that the deficiencies of both be
corrected immediately. The Black
Gang registered another beef with
the complaint that there was an
insufficiency of cleaning mate­
rials for the heads arid showers.

The minutes concluded with
"bouquets" for the Deck and
Stewards gangs. There were no
beefs in either for these two de­
partments.

John Boros was chairman . of
this Tulane Victory meeting, and
Lloyd Stakebrake did the. TCT
cording.

Stewards Department (left to right), front row: J. W. Tingle. I. Brown. L. Coates. V. Brew
and H. P. Ducoux; back row: S. Hunter. T. Sims. O. Thompson. D. B. McKimsey and C. D.. White.

Shoreside Excursions Highlight
Isthmian Crew's Mid-East Trip

(Editor's note:—The follow­

ing article, by Seafarer Larkin
gives an interesting pic­

ture of the. way an Isthmian
crew spent some of their time
ashore, while on a recent trip
to Indian and Arabian ports.
The Log would appreciate simi-

° lar accounts from Seafarers on
other vessels.)

By ED LARKIN

After hearing and reading
about Isthmian ships, I shudder­
ed when I got a job aboard one
of these scows. Well, I had some
tough times during the voyage,
but there were plenty of bright
spots to pick us up when we went
ashore. But here's my story:

The first day aboard several of
us guys from the SIU investi­
gated and found the ship in bad
condition. The ship had been
taken over from an NMU crew,
with whose reputation we are all
well familiar.

We were able ̂ finally to clean
up the scow and we set our
course for Alexandria^ Egypt. Ar-
I iving there a few weeks later,
we took in the town.

In Cairo, we arranged to get a
few, days, off for some of, the
crew after- using some SIU. per­
suasion. If I didn't get to see

Cairo, I would have lost all faith
in Egypt. We got to see King
Tut's tomb (made of enough solid
gold to fill cavities in all the
teeth in the world). In the Cairo
Museum, we saw thousands of
other interesting things, follow­
ing which we had a swell feed
for two bucks.

PAL ALI

Then our guide, Ali Hassan is
the name in case you want to
look him up, took us to several
ancient palaces, the market-

BETtlHA VoysSEF
<30ES «r«AldrtT

r(6\N) \

place, the Dead City, Memphis,
the Tombs, and finally to the
Pyramids and the Sphinx. Ali
was no gyp; he workea for the
American: Express-outfit,: and we
paid a.reasonable fee for hi* seiw-
ioes. We returned to ship ' "ard
truck, with all hands agreeing

that it was a good experience,
and wishing we could have stay­
ed a few days more.

Next port of calls were Port
Said and Suez. We didn't stay
long in either, but I heard some
of the crew speak of the ice-cold
beer they had. On the way to
Jeddah, Arabia, we saw Mt. Si­
nai where Moses received the
Ten Commandments.

We dropped the hook at Jed­
dah one fine hot morning and
waited for the sailboats to come
cut and start uriloading. Jeddah
has a beautiful harbor, but it is
very shallow.

HANDS OFF

We were only a few miles from
Mecca,, the Mohammedans' holy
city, where it is reported no dis­
believer of . the faith is allowed.
Incidentally, the civilians there
are discouraged from stealing by
use of some pretty sharp methods.
For a first offense, the local gen­
darmes will cut . off a hand. An
arm goes for the second offense.
Three strikes and you're out—-
the third steal and the head-
comes off, the. story, goes. After
that, of course, the offender lays
off .stealing.

In Jeddah; we unloaded several
autos for one Prince, and some-

(Continued on Page 11)

Loop Knot
Has One-Man
Deck Dep't.

The shoreside one-man band

now has a sea-going rival for.
honors in human buzz-saw ac­

tivity.
This shipboard phenomenon,

who aspires to be a one-man deck
department, also doubles in brass.
He's the Chief Mate of the MV
Loop Knot, of the Alcoa bauxite
fleet, which wound up her Souths
ern run: in New York Jan. 21.

All went well aboard the Loop
Knot for the first month of the
voyage, following the departure
from New York Nov. 14, accord­
ing: to Seafarer Michael Baal, AB,
one of the crew. The. initial part
of the trip "appealed to all
hands," Baal reported.

"In fact, as far as the crew was
concerned, it was a pretty good
trip. The crew got along well,
and had a good time," he added;

TROUBLE STARTS

But there were some e.xcep-
tions. Brother Baal continued.
The first of these appeared when
the Chief Mate precipitated trou­
ble by trying to make more over­
time than the boys, he said. The
deck department head was on
deck constantly, bouncing around
like a beaver. One minute he was
Chief Mate, the next a Bosun,
then an AB, and finally and OS,
Much of the time, Beal said, this
guy was acting out all roles at
one time.

At one of the island ports, he
called in natives to paint the side
of the ship. Each was given 10
pieces of dunnage for his work:

The Loop Knot's skipper rack­
ed up a spicy litle record, too, it
was pointed out. Brother Baal
himself was the victim of the old
salt's sting.

In Trinidad, Mike Baal had to
make a trip to the hospital be­
cause of a sciatic condition. As
a result, he missed the ship when
it pulled out for Paramaribo. He
picked it up a week, Igter when
the Knot returned to Trinidad.
He learned than that the 70-year-
old skipper had logged him $80
for missing ship.- Meanwhile, the

f(tinvj'/t on Page 11)



Friday, February 7. 1947 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Eleven

Shoreside Excursions Highlight Voyage
Of Isthmian Vessel To The Middle East

(Continued from Fage 10)

other cargo, then pulled out. All
crewmembers had their hands
when we left, by the way.

Karachi, India was our next
call. When we arrived there, the
civilians were dying of the heat,
a Wiper made some overtime, an
AB was rating an entrance to the
romance ward at Staten Island,
and Joe Louis, we heard, had just
beat Conn. We went ashore, got
haircuts, and drank cool beer at
the limey seamen's club. The
usual amount of guys went out
with "hostesses," some bought
souvenirs, a few got plastered,
and some did all three.

Now a place that is a place is
Bombay—our next port. I got off
watch there and went up the
street with a few guys to a local
gin mill, and later we had wash­
ed down Isthmian's grub we
grabbed a few rickshaws and
started to see the sights.

BOMBAY'S CAGES

I've been on Skipper Street in
Antwerp, Pig Alley in Paris, Shan-
ker Alley in Oran, Snake Ranch
in Port Sudan, but a section in
Bombay, called the Cages, is the
most amazing of all.

In this section, stretching over
an area of several blocks, are
thousands of girls peering out in­
to the streets from behind wood­
en doors, which resemble cages.

hence the name. Yes, this is
Bombay's impoverished red light
district, with side streets that
make New York's Greenwich
Village, and Los Angeles' Per­
shing Square look sick. The
Cages cater to the coolies and
beggars, who cannot afford wives,
and prices range from 15 to 50
cents.

All these ladies of easy virtue
raise their voices at once. I felt
like Gen. Eisenhower marching
down Times Square. Our crew
carefully avoided these cages,
which are hot beds of venereal
disease.

LEARNED A LESSON
Columbo, Ceylon, was next.

Expensive is the word for this
town, but we rented some sail­
boats and went for a cruise. I
learned a lesson there, too:, not to
buy stones I don't know any­
thing about. I got stuck. Take
heed, fellows.

A few days later, we hit Mad­
ras, where the movies are made.
We got a riqkshaw and headed
for the English section of town,
where we found a satisfactory
night spot. We didn't blow our
lops because we didn't get any
draw there.

But we made up for it in Cal­
cutta. We were the only Ameri­
can ship in that port, and we
really took the town over, but
now that I look over my money
draws, I think it was vice-versa.

Knot Has 1-Man Deck Dept.
(Continued from Page 10)

skipper had telegraphed to the
States an order to stop Baal's al­
lotment, causing his family ex­
treme financial hardship.

ANOTHER VICTIM
.Baal was not alone, however.

Brother Blackstadt had his trou­
bles too. He broke his ankle in
Paramaribo. Nothing was done
in the way of medical treatment.
Baal reported the skipper's feel­
ings as being that the injury
didn't warrant medical attention.
This the Loop's Captain based on
his own experiences—30 years in

p, • -

MICHAEL BAAL

the merchant service, five years
in the Navy—^which he thought
enabled him to decide when a
man was in need of care.

At St. Thomas, Blackstadt de­
manded to go ashore for examin­
ation. An x-ray revealed a chip­
ped bone.

Crew relations aboard the Loop
Knot were tops. There were a

couple of minor exceptions which
Baal cited: A permit man in the
deck department hurt his finger
while demonstrating how to work
the davits in the lifeboats. Since
the vessel was still in New York,
he was' offered a chance to get
off. He refused, however, and
the offer was repeated in St.
Thomas but it was again rejected.

All this time, this guy stood
no watches. Ball said, adding that
the crew intended to prefer
charges against the man. It was
learned later, however, that this
"thumb rider" had attempted to
retire his permit card.

Editor's note:—As we go to
press, word has just been re­
ceived that Brother Baal's S80
log has been halved. Our Spe­
cial Service Department rep­
resentative succeeded in reduc­
ing the amount of the log to
equal the time Ball was away
from his ship.)

Calcutta has plenty to offer. 'We
visited the Temple, a marble
palace, the Black Hole, and the
burning-ghats, where they burn
the dead, they toss the ashes into
the Ganges River. It was a grue­
some, but educational, neverthe­
less.

LOVELY WOLVES
Souvenirs were cheap in Cal­

cutta. Most Seafarers bought
leather suit cases for five to fif­
teen dollars. We ate steaks and
drank American beer at Firpo's.
We met Anglo-Indian gals, who
just LOVE Americans. Several
of the guys had notes sent to
them while sitting in the movies.
Calcutta is a town where the
dames are wolves, and okay, too.

Swimming at the marble pal­
ace or the Calcutta Beach Club
is okay. Good floor shows can
be seen at the Princess Pat, and
Winter Garden, plus several
ether good nite spots.

Between riots we went out on
dates, and it was the beginning
of a long friendship for this
town. We were in Calcutta two
weeks, which gave us plenty of
time to cultivate a gal. Several
of the guys just came to the ship
to work. They must have found
a home.

We had a good deal in Cal­
cutta, but the Captain evidently
didn't see the "adventure" of it,
because he didn't let the Bosun
decide when we should leave
port. Our fun ended when the
Skipper very nervily set a sail­
ing date. Some guys are always
lousing up the act.

TOUGH TIMES. TOO
I mention only some of the

good times v/e had ashore. We
had our tough times aboard ship,
too, on that trip, but when you
ship unorganized you expect it.
ThtR's our job as Seafarers—to
correct these conditions for sea­
men, and we're well on the road
now with Isthmian.

If you want to see the sights,
and have fun—ship Isthmian. Re­
member this: Just because we've
won the Isthmian election, it
doesn't mean that we still don't
have plenty of work to do. We
have to keep right on sailing
them until we win a contract.

Don't let the SIU down. Broth­
ers, by not sailing Isthmian. If
you don't sail them, you'll be
missing a helluva lot of fun, a
chance to do some good and have
that "Volunteer Organizer"
stamped in your book. Ship Isth­
mian, Brothers!

MINUTES OF SIU SHIP MEETINGS
JANEWAY. Jan. 1—Chair­

man A. Lavoie; Secretary John
Jellette. Deck and Engine De­
partments reported no beefs.
Steward Department reported
more cooperation needed from
night cook and baker. Good
and Welfare: One of Wipers
asked that men refrain from
leaving their old razor blades
in sink as one man received a
severe cut due to this negli­
gence. Agreed that all men on
watch be fed first at mess.
Steward brought out that pitch­
ers now on board made of glass,
are not suitable for use of crew.
This is to be corrected upon ar­
rival in U. S.

4. 4. S.
WILLIAM CLAGETT. Sept.

II—ChairmEui Babkowski; Sec­
retary Tears. Delegates reports.
Deck Delegate reported the
disputed overtime and the tm-
cooperative attitude of the

Mate. Steward Department
okay. Engine Department re­
ported that overtime was being
disputed in direct opposition to
the agreement. New Business:
Motion passed on July 21 per­
taining to fines for neglect or
failure to stand regular watches
be dropped.

4" 4 4-

JOHN LA FARGE, Dec. 22—
Chairman Frank Gages. Secre­
tary Donald J. Bushard. First
order of business concerned two
men who joined ship in Brem­
enhaven. They ask for admis­
sion to union. New Business:
Delegates reported everything
okay. Overtime to be settled at
payoff. Motion carried to hold
beef concerning stores and
shortage of food until Patrol-'
man is contacted at first port.
Motion carried that all men be
sober at time of payoff.

HELP THE SEAFARERS BRIHS
SFCURIlVAfOD CO^/DITIO^IS
Ife-THe UMORGAMI^ED
SEAMAN . -TELL-fflEM WHAT
•TUB SIU HAS DONE' TtJ
RAISE SEAMEN OUT
ECOMOMIC SLAVERY-SHOW/

THEM OUR. CCWTRACTS -ASK
-rDEM TO YOUR MEETINGS,SO,
THEY ON SEE FDRTMEMSELVES.'

CUT and RUN
By HANK

"Mister" Franklin Smith, the oldtimer, just blew in from an
Isthmian trip to the Philippines. Here's what he has to say: "You
guys who happen to hit Manila, don't patronize the New York Bar.
It has changed ownership and become a clip joint. So if you want
to straighten out the roll in your sea legs and have a good time,
visit the Old Manila Gardens on Delacruze Street near the water­
front. There's a lively, jazzy 15-piece orchestra, the best beer flow­
ing for the cheapest price going and the place is owned and operated
by two foi'mer seamen, one of them a skipper. If the island of Cebu
happens to be staring you in the face, then head for the OverhiH
Inn or the Tropical Hut. Beer flows for a buck. I hope to see n^
shipmate, Jack Giller, who should soon be leaving San Francisco
for the East coast" . . . Last week Warren Callahan registered for
shipping just to grab a ship till spring-time. He has successfully
established himself in business up in upper New York, where he,
his wife and daughter are now living. Warren 'nappily states that
his two-month daughter, Patricia, is in fine health and is cutting
her teeth. Well, Warren, drop us a letter while you're out.

4 4 4 4
There's plenty of electricians in town right now. Carl

Wayne is one of them . . . Edwin Edginton, another Chief Juice-
doctor just blew in from a trip from Antwerp where his ship was
kept idle due to a 30-day longshoremen's strike. Are you getting
ready to start patching up those electric bulbs with scotch tape
on your next trip. Brother Edginton? . .. Oldtimer and Assistant
Electrician Marshall Dodge is waiting for a ship with a big
smile on his face , . .

4 4 4 4
Paddy Walsh has been anchored in town for over a month now.

Another trip to Antwerp, Paddy? . . . Thomas "Rebel" Melton said
that he was going to grow another beard while he's aboard his
ship on her four trips between Barcelona, Spain and Buenos Aires
. . . Willie "Bill" Thomas and Bosun Luke Collins are probably still
making a home cut of the SS American Press on her East Coast
run . . . Oldtimer Eddie Parr is visiting New York for a while . . ,
Here's part of letter to us from Alex "Ski" Janowski over in Hono­
lulu while aboard an Isthmian ship: "Read the only Log in Hawaii,
the one that was mailed to the Hall. The editor saj's I have to have
a heart, and after tearing it in pieces, why should I tear it and
leave it in pieces? Well, my wife's heart won't be torn in pieces
because love is grand nowadays if you get the right kind of wom­
an for yourself!"

4 4 4 4
Meet Joe Felton: Cynically anchored in town right now,

waiting for a good trip, this little Bosun of an oldtimer, has
confessed in one of his idle moments of humorous disgust that
because of good living (meaning, of course, this sea life of his)
he has plenty of grass on his skull, regardless of the fedora
covering it. Of course, whenever he has observed or been ad­
vised that a few gray hairs have suddenly sprouted, he goes
right out and gets a short haircut. Remembering the good old
bad days of ships, Joe said that as an AB he got iifty-five dol­
lars a month, never did see fresh fruit more than once or twice
a week (sometimes) and the good meat always went straight to
the deserving hearts and stomachs of Skipper and company.
On one seven-month trip the crew kept wishing for something
svAeet to eat. The cooks finally made cinnamon buns out of
maggotty raisins, molasses, etc. The crew knew the raisins
were maggotty but they ate the buns and were glad to get them.
If Joe had twenty more years to sail SIU ships he would spend
them all with the swell deck crew of oldtimers who paid off
the SS Button Gwinnett before she was laid up recently in
Baltimore.



PagwTwel'rrr T H E' SEAF A R ERS LOa Friday, Febniary 7, 1947

DiRUNKS IMPOSE
HARDSHIPS ON
THEIR BROTHERS
Dear Editor:

Now that jobs are getting
scarce and will, I am afraid, con­
tinue to get scarcer, and the num­
ber of sailors waiting for jobs at
the hall are becoming mox-e nu­
merous, it appears to me that a
thorough housecleaning in our
union is in order.

The hopeless, useless chronic
drunks in our ranks seem to have
an uncanny ability to get them­
selves shipped out in the best
jobs. I have seen, as most of us
have, a steady procession of dip-
somaniacal stewards, electricians,
machinists, etc. The compassion
we usually entertain for drunks
makes UB put up with them.
While they go on happily raking
in their large salaries every
month, the rest of the crew does
their work for them and suffers
from the inability of these indi­
viduals to handle the work they
were hired to do.

Our Union officers have ex­
pounded this very thought at
various meetings, but I believe
that a more energetic executive
policy is in order. Let us rid
ourselves of these undesirables.
It is ridiculous and unfair to have
these drunken sots make our lives
miserable, while capable men are
hanging around the hall until
their finances force them to ship
below their capacities.

G. Schlesinger
MV Moose Peak

This cartoon and the one below were the greetings New
Orl'eans Dispatcher Stephens received one morning as the enter­
ed the Hall.

Brother Stephens took them from the Bulletin Board and
sent them to the Log. (See story elsewhere on this page).

I have been receiving the Log
since Oct. 1945, and I have been
enjoying it very much. It comes
to my home and my parents
either save them or send them
on to my ship.

Now, the reason for writing
this letter is that it just occurred
to me that I've paid only two dol­
lars for all this. I'm short on
funds, so I will ship out next
week, and will send something
for the Log at first chance.

I also wish to express my grati­
tude to the SIU for taking me in
in Sept. 1945. I came out of the
Maritime Service a very mixed-
up lad, but luckily I visited the
SIU Hall and was straightened
out. I first visited the NMU hall
but one look was enough, and after
considerable inquiring I was di­
rected to 51 Beaver Street.

I'm a little confused at pres­
ent as to my chances of getting
a full'or pro book. Any informa­
tion would be appreciated

L. M. Quam
Klamath Falls. Ore.

(Editor's note:—In regard to
your request for information on
pro book possibilities, it would
be difficult to give you an an­
swer on the basis of informa­
tion -supplied. We suggest that
you stop in at the Hall where
you can be answered satisfac­
torily.)

Seafarers Artist Catches
N.O. Dispatcher Off Guard

Brother "Stevie" Stephens,
Dispatcher in the Port of New
Orleans, emerged from a situa­
tion last week with his keen
sense of humor still intact.

In fact. Brother Stephens' sense
of humor passed with flying
colors what we think was an acid
test. If it hadn't, you very likely
wouldn't have had a chance to
see the two cartoons reproduced
on this page. Here's how it came
about:

One bright morning last week.
Brother Stephens, who for a long
time- has been dreaming about
having his portrait painted, step­
ped briskly into the hall at 339
Chartres Street ready for his dis­
patching chores.

As he passed the bulletin board
he froze in his tracks. Tacked up
on the board were two sketches
of "Stevie," by an artist who
signed only "Hal." The sketches
weren't exactly what "Stevie"
had in mind when he dreamed of
sitting for a painting, but he let
out a roar of laughter, neverthe­
less.

This is too good not to be seen by
the membership, Stevie figured.
Forthwith, he took them down
from the board, and sent them
pronto to the Seafarers Log for
reproduction so that all hands
could get a wheeze out of them.

Caps off, then, to "Stevie"
Stephens for his unselfish sense
of humor.

Paralyzed Oldtimer Urges
Young Members Hold Gains
Dear Editor:

I am a wheelchair sailor now,
as a result of an accident aboard
ship , in Casablanca, North Africa,
during the war.

I was injured when an over­
loaded boom broke, crashed down
and hit me in the back. Nine of
my ribs were smashed, and my
back was broken, leaving me
paralyzed from the waist down.

I have -been in bed, flat on my
back, for four years now the first
of this month. As you know I
have no. income, no pension- such
as men I in the armed forces rfe-
ceive for service-connected disa­

bilities. They saw I was in the
merchant marine, and therefore,
not in the "service."

If the merchant seamen were
not in the "service," what in hell
was it that we were doing? We
maintained the food and supply
lines, we carried the men and
their stuff across and brought
them back. Now that it is over,
what do they want us to do—
starve?

Watch your step, and keep her
steady as she goes, or they wiU
have you right where we were
before. I have sailed those rust
pots for $30 a month, and it

"By

'THE /{ay'Dfii-EM's j)is PATCHFR Fc"? FfliLORe
70 PUT Gooo (7(505 UN THE TioAKO. APPROACH MfTH
CAUTION. f^PoMSLV APriEP iH/m iflPGC^cLUA.

wasn't so long ago, either. Even
though I'm no longer sailing I
wouldn't want to see those con­
ditions come back.'

You've got a damned good Un­
ion in the SIU, so keep; it going
ahead. Fight for, and keep whdt
you've won for-the seamen. The

oldtimers like myself started the
advance. Now you younger men
have to pull together to keep the
ball rolling.

Here in Washington, they are
raising hell in Congress, in a des­
perate -effort to 'break -the Unions.
So-, if it comes to a fight let them

A mass of stars hover over head.
Our cares are behind, and our

hearts ahead.
While the thrill that hurries us

along
Is the sea and its lonely song;
Weary at heart and sick at soul.
The star has a story seldom told.

With folded eyes too glad to
weep.

Yet too sad for dreams or sleep.
The blessing cure comes from

above.
Folds around us like arms of

love;
Heaven lent us the stars so bright
To see us through the awful

night.

Out on the seas that send such
fright.

We do not pine for those we love.
For we have the stars that shine

above.
We, who who so loudly praise the •

sky.
Feel akin to its starry comforts
That brighten our way from on

high.
% % %

Me Mudder and Me
By Vic Combs

While walking down the street
one day,

I heard a kiddie say:
"Hey, Jimmie, lemme tell youse,
I'd be happy as a clam
If I only wuz da fella
Dat me mudder tinks I am.
She tinks I'm a wonder

She tinks she knows her lad
Wouldn't mix wid nottin'
Dat was mean or bad.
And lots of times I sit and tink.
How nice it ould be—gee whiz.
If I only was de feller
Dat me mudder tinks I is."

ANOTHER SPOT
WHERE LOG
CAN BE FOUND
Dear Editor:

I have an address to which I
would like you to send copies of
the Log weekly. It is a weU-
known bar in Antwerp, Belgium.
It is the only bar for..several miles
around the docks, and is visited
by a great number of SIU sea­
men.

The name and address of this
spot is:

Charlie's Bar
Norderlain, 1000
Antwerp, Belgium

I know the boys will appreci­
ate finding copies of the Seafarers
Log at this place.

Robert L. Kennedy
SS John B. Hamilton

have both barrels.
I will ring off now, wishing

you all the best of luck; God
bless you all, and steady as she
goes!

Hart G. Bro-wn r.
1330 Queen SU N. E.,
Washington 2,~Di C,



Friday," February 7. 1947 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Thirteen

SEAFARERS OFF THE SS CAPE JOHN

These SIU men were shipmates aboard the Isthmian vessel on a recent trip. Left to right,
E. R. Johnson, R. L. Karns, D. K. Tighe and Ed Bolehala.

Membership Only Can Break The Commies'
Death-Grip On National Maritime Union
Dear Editor:

Looking over last week's issue
of the Pilot reminds me of the
situation in the NMU during 1939.
The difference is that one clique,
who cooperated with the com­
mies in 1939, is today trying to
buck those same master sell-out
artists.

The communist party has a
death grip on the throat of the
NMU today, and don't think for
a moment that they will relax
that grip.' All the cries, struggles,
twisting and squirming of Cur-
ran, Lawrenson, Keith, Dunlavy,
et al, will not shake that grip one
iota. The communist party is us­
ing the same tactics that they
used against so many rank and
file members in 1939.

As a rank and file member 'of
the NMU in 1939, I want to. give
you a couple of examples of how
they worked:

FINE TACTICS
There was a cafe in Texas City

called "Boots Place" that allowed
the SIU, then a newly formed
union, to display its literature in
the place. "When the NMU heard
of it, H. K. Duechare, the present
NMU Galveston Agent (more of
him later) got up on the floor of
their meeting and accused Boots
and his wife, Blanche, of print­
ing the literature.

A motion was passed that any
member of the NMU who was

seen entering or leaving the place
was to have his book taken away
and the member was to be placed
in the "99 year club." An esti­
mated 25 members had their
books taken away for that rea­
son. Yours truly was seen and
reported for leaving the place,
but beat them to the punch by
rushing to Galveston and ex­
changing my NMU book for an
SIU one. I have never regretted
the move.

Another example was the way
in which they put the boot to
"William "Curly" Rentz, our pres­
ent Baltimore Agent. Curly
Rentz has been a rank and file
man for a long time. In 1936 he
was one of the few elected offi­
cials of the ISU who went along
with the NMU rank and file.
When the NMU was formed he
was elected Patrolman in New
Orleans. Running later for Texas
City Pati-olman, he was elected
by a large majority.

CANT STAND CRITICISM

It wasn't long after his election
to the Texas City job that the
commies began to "blast" him.
Curly never made any bones
about where he stood on their
disruptive and sell-out policies so
they naturally did their best to
get something on him. Being an
honest man they were unable to
get the goods on him.

Now it happened that about
this time Curly bought himself a
new pair of shoes. That night he
got his feet wet in the recent
rains and the dye from the shoes
poisoned his feet so that for sev­
eral weeks he was forced to wear
slippers. The charge finally
brought against Curly was for
dressing in a manner unbecoming
to a Union representative, due to
his wearing slippers. And believe
it or not,, that \Vas what Curly
Rentz was expelled from the
NMU for.

At the time Curly was up on
charges with the NMU, H. K.
Duechare, the present Galveston
NMU agent, was hanging around
haranging the membership about
Curly, calling him phony, and
urging them to get rid of him
by any moans. As soon as Curly
was framed, Duechare stepped
into his place as Texas City Pa­
trolman.

When the rank and file men of
the NMU wake up and realize
that they are being used as tools
by the commies to further their
twisting policies, and break away
from them, they will find that
the SIU is right here to give them
a helping hand and to help them
organize into a genuine demo­
cratic union.

John D. McLemore

Galveston, Texas

GI Won't Spare Power Returning To Sea
Dear Editor:

I have received the Seafarers

Log and I certainly did welcome
it. By the looks of things, - the
Union is really going to town

Believe me it is about time some­
body did something for the sea­
men, and the SIU is the one that
is doing it.

We took a lot of guff during

the war about making a lot of
money and all that nonsense. The
people never did seem to under­

stand the seamen's side of the
stoi-y—the risks involved;' etc.

I am in the army, stationed
near Souel, Korea. It's not such
a bad place, but as soon as I get
put—well, you know where I am
heading for, and with no power

spared. Oh, for the life of a sea­
man!

If there is anything you would
like to know about this place, I
Will be glad to send you some
pictures, or negatives—any infor­
mation that you may want.

Well, I hope the paper keeps
coming, and if there js any charge
I will be glad to pay it. Also
let me know if I am behind in
any dues.

Edwin T. Clark
32nd Inf. APO 7
San Francisco, Calif.

(Editor's note: — No charge
for the Log—all members and
former members are entitled to
receive it. We would like to
have some of the negatives you
speak of,. along with all per­
tinent details. Since you are in

in the Army, it is advisable
that you send your book to
Headquarters, attention 6th
floor, where it will be put in
the Armed Forces file until
your release.

ILA Men Join Drive
To Aid War Orphans
Dear Editor:

We all know the terrific effect
the war had on most people who
lived in war areas. Seafarers,
whose jobs bring them into the
war-torn areas, particularly,
know the hardships that exist.
And the worst sufferers of all are
the poor, helpless children who
have been orphaned.

It is in their behalf that we are
attempting to do something to
bring them a bit of relief, and
to ease their suffering. And it is
hoped that individual Seafarers
may find it possible to help. As
Business Agent of Local 1191-1
of the International Longshore­
men's Association, I have had
much contact with SIU as our
Brother Union in the AFL Mari­
time Trades Department of New
York.

An organization, the Torrese
Social Club of New York, is now
in a drive to collect clothing for
the orphaned children of Torre
del Greco, Naples, Italy. These
children lived in an orphanage
which was bombed out in the
war, and their clothing needs are
great. Those children who were
orphaned by the war will also
be aided.

The Club has set up an effec­
tive way to see that the clothing
it collects is legitimately dis­
tributed on the other side. Pietro
Palomba, an attorney, of Torre
del Greco, Naples, heads an au­
thorized committee of foiu:
United States citizens, who were
sent to the town by the club to
see that the clothing is fairly dis­
tributed.

These people will remain on
the other side until their job is
done meanwhile making reports
back to the group here.

VINCENT ERATO

We would be grateful for any
old gear which Seafarers have,
and which could be distributed
as clothing to these orphans. Paul
Hall has said he will have un­
claimed gear made available to
us.

Should any reader have some­
thing wearable he would like to
contribute to the drive, he can
leave it on the 4th floor on the
baggage room of the SIU Hall on
51 Beaver Street. Arrangements
wiU be made for periodic pick­
ups. Or they can be sent direct
to the Torrese Social Club, 107
President St., Brooklyn, N. "Y.

The first shipment is scheduled
for overseas shipment in one
month. After that we intend to
make shipments monthly.

It is sincerely hoped that this
drive will bring some measrure
of comfort to these orphaned war
victims. And we hope members
of the SIU will be able to make
clothing contributions to help us
in that direction.

Vincent Erato, Bus. Agent
Local 1199-1
Intl. Longshoremen's Assn.

DUTCH TREAT

John Clamp (left) and Ray Carroll cool their palates during
a recent stopover in Rotterdam.

Requests SIU Service In A Package Beef
Dear Editor:

I'm writing you for a little help
which I think you can supply.
I was a crewmember aboard the
SS Topa Topa on a voyage that
payed off Jan. 3, 1947, in Phila­
delphia. After the payoff, I im­
mediately went home becau^^e I
received word that my mother
was very. ill.

On the train home, while read­
ing my mail, I found a package
notice from Waterman Steam­
ship Company stating that I had

a package waiting for me in their
New York office.

Upon arriving home I wrote
them a letter explaining the
situation, and asked them to send
the package to the return ad­
dress, my home, collect.

It has now been three weeks
since I wrote and I have had no
answer from them. Would it be
possible for you, or someone at
the Hall in New York to get some
action out of them, so I could get
this package back?

I cannot leave home because of
my mother's condition and I have
postponed my sailing because of
tliis.

Joseph A. Wilksoit

(Ediior's note:—We've turned
your letter over to Freddie
Stewart, who is in charge of the
baggage room, figuring he'd be
the one to give you some SIU

.service. Freddie said he'd turn
to right away, so you should
hear something shortly.)



Page Fourteen THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday, February 7, 1947

By FRENCHY MICHELET

THEY WANT TO ORGANIZE

* *

The following notes are
resume of much that wo have
learned as Steward and Cook on
a slew of ships both large and
small. We pass them on to you
as a sort of valedictory effort for
we shall not pass this way again
in similar guise.

You will find little here to
nourish the inner man. It is all
designed to appease a hunger of
the belly kind. But perhaps it's
an equal service, for we are all
primarily earthly creatures with
earthly appetites.

For every hour that we stumble
down the stony road with poor
blind Lear, wc spend a hundred
mulling over the Betty Crockers'
fascinating concoctions of ham
and eggs.

So pull up a chair, chum, and
list to the lore of bacon and beans.

Give 'em all they want!
Woe unto the Steward who is

yet to learn the wisdom of the.se
magic words. Give 'em all they
want, brother, and you will find
that they will soon want but little
of anything at all.

Pack the refrigerators with
fresh fruits and jam the tables
with ham and jam. It's the psy­
chology of plenty. If you make
the mistake of locking up every­
thing, you will find that you have
succeeded in doing nothing but

. stimulating appetites, for your
looks will last about as long as
a snowball on the hottest hinge
of hell.

WOMEN KNOW
The women know all about this

psychology of plenty. They trade
on it with a psychology of scar­
city. The lock up everything with
the result that simple souls like
you and me hustle around for li­
censes to get at what we in our
lamentable ignorance verily be­
lieve to be the choicer fruit
stashed away inside.

About vegetables and things . .

The books all note that fresh
vegetables should be cooked in
rapidly boiling water just long
enough to render them eatable.

That's stuff for the birds to peck
at. Maybe you conserve the vita­
mins that way, but it makes the
food about as palatable as that
slumgum that Shuler ladles out
to crews silly enough to sail with
him.

A smart cookie will operate on
the supposition that a sailor gets
all the vitamins he needs in his
shoreside beer. When he tackles
a messroom vegetable he craves
something tasty.

All of which brings us to
O'Brien. Ireland hasn't produced
anything to equal things O'Brien
since St. Patrick was chasing the
snakes over her green hills with
a knobby shillelagh.

VARIATION ON THEME
For a tasty variation of the

O'Brien technique take firm
fresh carrots and slice them in
chips. Cut up two green peppers
and four raw onions and add to
the carrots. Slice up plenty of
salt sowbelly and add. Then sea­
son with salt and pepper and
braise on the top of the range,
stirripg occasionally till done.

Raw Irish potatoes may be
treated the same way for an
equally tasty dish. Don't con­

tinually boil all the taste out of
cabbage. Shred it up as for cold
slaw occasionally, season with
salt and pepper and fry in ren­
dered sowbelly.

When you open a can of string
beans, whole kernel corn and so
on, try washing it in a collender
and braising it with a little green
onion and chipped bacon or with
whatever comes to hand.

Then there's chicken and tur­
key ...

There's a slew of ways to cook
them but one of the juiciest and
tastiest of shipside methods is
the simplest of the lot.

Clean the birds, wash thorough­
ly in cool running water, rub
liberally inside and out with a
mixture. of equal parts of salt,
pepper and ginger.

Now rub each with salad oil,
cover with a cloth saturated with
the same oil and roast til a drum­
stick hollers uncle when
squeezed with the fingers. Re­
move the birds and make your
gravy with the drippings.

Don't keep jabbing a fork into
a roast to test its doneness or to
turn it over. If you do this you
will find that it has bled most
of its savory juices and is about
as tasty as something cooked by
the WSA's "experts" in their
Stewards • Dept. Retraining
School.

AND GARLIC
Bone all your roasts. They

cook through better, slice better
and are more economical. Smack
the bones with a cleaver and put
them right into the pan with the
meat if you want the additional
flavor.

Wot, no garlic?

Roasting fresh pork without a
liberal sprinkling of garlic just

Pictured here are three typical Seafarers who came up to the New York Hall and asked to
be assigned to an unorganized ship. Left to right, are Olgerda Blues, Oiler; Bill Hutras, AB; and
Ray Arnold, Oiler. Bill and Ray have been sailing for more than three years, and Brother Blues
has five years of seatime under his belt. None has sailed on an unorganized ship before, and all look
forward to obtaining jobs on one so that they can do their parts in the SIU organizing campaign.

ain't done in the best culinary
circles, chum.

Bone the meat, rub liberally
with a mixture of equal parts of
salt, pepper and thyme. Squeeze
the juice of two lemons over the
meat, throw in the skins, add a
liberal sprinkling of garlic and
roast di'y for 30 minutes. Now
pour off the grease, add a ladle
of hot water and roast in a slow
oven until done.

The following di.sh was taught
us by good old "Shanghai" Char­
lie while we were beachcombing
in Singapore. The old Far East
gang will be pleased to learn that
Charlie survived the war and is
now running a characteristic joint
behind the native bazaar in Cal­
cutta.

Here's the way to make curry
and rice that will make the guys
who never eat the stuff call for
seconds.

Cut up a few old hens as for

(Continued on Page 15)

By JOHNNY JOHNSTON

Although for a long time the

superiority of steam over sail
was an accomplished fact in the
eyes of the world, yet as late as
1895 over 1700 sailing vessels
entered the port of New York.

But that was the last dying gasp
of the sailing portion of the ship­
ping industry.

While gallant square riggers
continued to be sighted on sea
lanes throughout the world, their
number became fewer as the
years went by, and they present­
ed an ever more lonely appear­
ance in a world gone into steam
power, and soon to go into diesel
power.

4" 4, 4-

Donald McKay has been term­
ed the most famous of America's
builders of clipper ships. He de­
signed 16 of the finest and swift­
est of them between 1850 and
1853, and their romantic names
have come down out of an equal­
ly romantic period.

Among them were the Flying
Cloud, the Mastiff, the Westward
Ho, and the last and greatest of
McKay's masterpices, the Great
Republic.

She had a tonnage of 4,555>

was 325 feet long and S3 feet
wide, had four decks, three
square rigged masts, and a
spankermast. An indication of
the gigantic size of this ship
may be gained by the fact that

the main yard was 120 feet in
length, which was twice the

size of the main yard on an
average large merchantmen.

Unfortunately the Republic
never sailed the seas in all her
glory, for she was seriously burn­
ed while lying alongside the dock
in New York ready for her first
voyage to San Francisco. Al­
though the vessel was repaired
somewhat, the upper deck was
never replaced.

Seafarer Parker Skates His Way
To Carnival Crown For Third Time

The Seafarers' crack speed

skater. Jack Parker, continued
with his winning ways last Sun­
day, when he whizzed over the
ice ahead of all competition in
five speed events at the annual
Rome (N. Y.) Winter Carnival.

A record crowd of 3,000 en­
thusiasts saw Parker crowned the
up-state city's senior and open
skating champ for the third con­
secutive year.

Brother Parker, who makes
Rome his home when he isn't
doing Bosun's chores aboard SIU
ships, flashed first across the tape
in the 100, 220, 440, and 880-yard
events. For his fifth win he cop­
ped the one mile open race, fea­
ture event in the carnival's at­
tractions.

MORE MEDALS

Last Sunday's victories added
five medals and one trophy to
Parker's growing collection. In­
cluding the latest additions,
seven trophies and 55 medals now
adorn the Parker home in testi­
mony to Jack's prowess on the
silver blades.

The accomplishments of the
SIU's ice whizz are all the more
noteworthy in view of the fact
that he is unable to train as ef­
fectively and religiously as his
shoreside competitors.

His performances, however,
prove that he has sufficient speed

to offset this handicap.

Parker's string of victories be­
gan when he was 13-years-old,
when he scored his first win in
competition. Now 22, Jack looks
forward to many more years of
racing.

SISTER TOO

Following in Brother Jack's
footsteps is his IJ-year-old sister,
Rosemary, who already cuts a
neat chunk of ice herself. She
has been under her . brother's
champion tutorage since she was
nine years of age.

Among the most recent of Par­
ker's trophy winnings is the
award made to him last year at
the Brooklyn Ice Palace, training
spot for some of the nation's top
speed artists. The Speed Skat­
ing Club there presented Jack
with its Silver Trophy for being
the "most improved skater of the
1945-46 season."

JACK PARKER

N.O. Seafarers
Offer Thanks To
Rev. McDonough

The old adage that "one good
turn deserves another" spurred
New Orleans Seafarers to return
a compliment this week to the
Rev. Thomas A. McDonough, port
chaplain at the Catholic Marti-
time Club on Camp Street.

The youthful priest, who of­
fers the facilities of the club "as
a home and service center for the
use and welfare of all seamen
temporarily in the port of New
Orleans—irrespective of their na­
tionality or creed," has stated
that "merchant seamen are not
only the finest guys in the world,
but also the biggest-hearted."

Seafarers down in New Or-
le§ins think pretty highly of
Father McDonough, too.

"He has never turned down one
of our members, and men go
over there every day to get a
flop and something to eat," says
a note from the Gulf port. And
the lads feel he is entitled to a
vote of thanks for his hospitality.

ATTENTION!
If you don't find linen

when you go aboard your
ship, notify the Hall at once.
A telegram from Le Havre or
Singapore won't do you any
good.^^ It's your bed and you
have to lie in it.



Friday, February 7, 1947 THE SEAFARERS LOG Page Fifteen

American Eastern Signs With SlU;
Will Carry RR Rolling Stock

(Continued frotn Page 1)

structed holds and special gear
for the loading and unloading of
the railroad equipment.

On the present run from Wee-
hauken, N.J. to Le Havre, France,
these new type ships carry 18
locomotives and 18 tenders on
each trip of approximately five
weeks duration.

With competent crews of Sea­
farers aboard those self-loading
and unloading ships, a real ship­
shape job of handling them is
being turned in. No other union
could be expected to do the dif­
ficult job of manning them in the
same competent and responsible
manner as the Seafarers.

Only in a union like the SIU,
where pride in seamanship an'd
job know-how is highly devel­
oped, can the responsible sea­
men necessary to the competent
operation of these new type ships
be found.

NEWSREEL BUILD-UP

Recently, the RKO News car­
ried a feature on the MV Gads­
den, one of the American Eastern
ships. The newsreel covered the
technical operation of the ship
in great detail, showing how the
locomotive and tenders were
lifted by the Gadsden's huge
crane and properly stowed in the
holds.

A commentator described the
rather involved technical opera­
tion of the ship's equipment,
while the SIU'crew provided the
background.

American Eastern expects to
have a fleet of 21 ships eventual­
ly, all of thern engaged in haul­
ing railroad equipment, and all
equipped .with self-contained
loading and unloading gear.

Other runs besides the one to
Lc Havre will be made, and prac

.tically all European countries
will benefit from the American
railroad equipment transported
by the American Eastern ships.

ally, they were discovered and
taken mid-ships.

Later, the two Spanish politic­
al refugees were released and put
to work doing odd jobs around
the ship. On their arrival in this
country, they were picked up by
the Immigration authorities and
confined to Ellis Island. Rumor
has it that they will be taken
back to France on the Gadsden's
next trip across.

Most of the crewmembers are
staying aboard for the next voy­
age, and give full credit for the
good food they've been having
to Chief Cook Pete Gonzales.

According to them, Pete de­
serves a medal for the swell feed
job he's been doing on the Gads­
den. However, SIU oldtimers
have come to expect that kind
of food on the average SIU ship.

For more details concerning
American Eastern and the Gads­
den turn to Page 9 of the Log,
where you can see a full page
spread on this latest addition to
the Seafarers family of contract­
ed shipping companies.

Straight From
The Galley

STOWAWAYS ABOARD

On the last trip of the MV
Gadsden, when she left Le Havre
on January 17, two stowaways
managed to hide themselves
aboard the vessel. They con­
trived to stay hidden for five
days, subsisting on canned milk
and stale bread, and coming out
for air early each morning. Fin-

NOTICE!
All those who witnessed the

accident sustained by E. E. Casey

on July 25, 1946, aboard the SS
Algic, will please get in touch

with Joseph Volpian, SIU Special
"Services Department, 51 Beaver
Street, New York City.

4' 4" t

Viktor Makko, Bosun; Charles
Sonwald, AB; Moussa Talamas,
AB; are requested to get in touch
•with Richard Cantor, 51 Cham­
bers Street, New York. It is in
refei-ence to the injury of John
Novak aboard the Joseph S.
Emery on October 1, 1945.

PERSONALS
ij. C. GUTHMAN

Please write to your • son • Billy
IJack Gtithman, 25 South Street,
'New York City. He wants to
ihear from you.

{Continued prom Page 14)
fricasseeing. Put in a pot of hot
water, feet and all. Add salt,
whole black pepper, a heaping
teaspoon of ginger, three whole
onions, a few bay leaves, and a
few peppercorns.

Let simmer until the meat is
tender. Remove the meat, re­
serving the stock. Remove meat
from bones, dice and fry in but­
ler. Add strained stock. Fry four
large onions in butter until gold­
en brown and add to stock.

Cook a mixture of two heap­
ing galley spoons of curry pow­
der and equal part of flour in
butter til raw taste of flour is
gone. Add to the stock. Simmer
for about an hour. Meanwhile,
wash about a gallon of rice in a
china cup til the starch is gone,
then fry the raw rice in cooking
oil til it starts to get tender. Then
add just a little well-salted water
and cook til done.

Just before serving stir in two
slightly-beaten eggs into the'cur-
ry. It makes as tasty a dish as
any you will serve during the
entire trip.

We didn't get around to tell­
ing you about veal marengo and
Spanish rice and a host of equal­
ly, tasty dishes.' But we gotta
stop now or Ye Editor will give
us a beef about monopolizing
space.

So we'll leave you with this
recommendation: If there's any­
thing that you don't know about
cooking, ask Shuler; he doesn't
know it either, and you will
feel so much better for having
met a kindred soul.

GALVESTON
SS Wm. Cox—$15.00.
SS Milan R. Stefanik—$20.50.

INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS
R. B. Johnson, $5.00.

NEW YORK
SS CITY OF ALMA

J. Piurllinmmi» Sr Crow of .S.S City
of ALMA—$29.00.

W. R. Mcllveen, $1.00; M. Lutzza,
$1.00; j. E. L. Morin, $1.00; S. W. G.
Hale, $100; F. Havard, $1.00; j. C.
Long. $1.00; H. Sharpe, $1.00; J. L.
Chastain, $1.00; J. H. Prudhomme,
$1.00; E. E. Kusgen, $1.00; A. Arvan-
ites, $1.00; H. Faybik, $1.00; G. W.
Vencil, $1.00; B. G. Doda, $1.00; G.
Crisenio, $1.00; G. Bette, $1.00; J.
McConeghey, $1.00; F. Sullivan, $1.00;
J. TozzI, $1.00; W. Graley, $1.00; A.
Mueller, $1.00; M. Gichenico, $1.00.

SS WHITE OAK
11. Tarranl. $2 00; V. Sunguroff,

$2.00; Don Newell, $2.00; W. Hryszko,
$2.00; J. Griffin, $2.00; D. McFadden,
$1.00; F. Landry, $1.00.

SS COASTAL MARINER
W. Newberg, $1.00; C. Munden, $2.00.

SS GRAYS HARBOR
C. A. Anderson, $1.00; J. B. Sher­

man. $3.00; T. E. Freeland, $2.00; J. 1.
Booker, $1.00; C. Zipoff, $1.00; j. A.
Gallagher, $1.00; J. A. Lormand, $1.00.

SS MADAKET
A. T. Arnold, $1.00; E. T. Peterson,

$1.00; R. Strom, $1.00; C. L. Dasha,
$1.00; J. Sanlonzans, $2.00; F. Bura,
$1.00; L. W. Borreson, $1.00; J. Aba,
$1.00; William Jenkins, $1.00; M. Soo-
bramoney, $1.00; Henry Rowe, . $1.00;
H. S. Bonitto, $1.00; L. Reynolds, $1.00;
B. Holmes, $1.00; A. Douglas, $1.00; O.
Lewis, $1.00; S. P. Gondzar, $1.00.

SS PURDUE VICTORY
W. Montalvo, $1.00; J. J. Lawlor,

$1.00; Lee Klapp, $1.00; John Clamp,
$1.00; A. Kubcrski, $1.00; E. A. Fan-
cher, $1.00; T. S. Moller, $1.00; A. W.
King, $1.00; A. P. Maznrick. $1.00;
David Nunnn, $1.00; M. Dodge, $1.00;
J. M. Rogers, $3.00.

SS SIMMONS
J. Brady, $1.00; J. LaaFrance, $1.00;

M. Roth. $1.00; J. L. Crowley, $1.00;
D. A. Meacham, $4.00; J. D. Garvin,

Jr., $1.00.
•SS S. CLARA

L. T. Everett, $1.00; W. J. Tarrant,
$2.00; C. M. Owens, $2.00.

Geo. Washington Bartender
Is A Topnotch Professional

Brother Robert L. Brock, who; He sailed as a Night Cook and
sails on the Alcoa liner George' Baker during the war, and once
Washington as Bartender, is when his ship was docked at a
worthy of Log mention for sev- Belgian port, buzz bombs caused
eral very newsworthy reasons.
Not only does he have the honor
of being the first and only Bar­
tender on the George Washington
since her return to passenger sail­
ing, but he also has the distinc­
tion of being the first Seafarer to
sign on as a Bartender since the
war's end.

Bob came to the SIU well
qualified to sail as a Bartender,
having been a member of the
Bartenders' Union for over 4
years, and also the favorite drink
mixer-upper of John Goodman,
First Vice President of the Bar­
tenders.

Among his many as.sets, he has
an international Bartenders cer­
tificate which entitles him to

it to break loose from its moor­
ings, At the same time, dive
bombers sank another Alcoa ship
docked along side.

During the SIU General Mari­
time Strike in 1946, Bob did his
stint at the 125th St. Pier on the
North River, and also participat­
ed in the work stoppage which
occurred earlier in '46. He reaUy
believes in the SIU, and isn't
afraid to tell any of his thirsty
clients aboard the George Wash­
ington that he belongs to the
Seafarers as well as the Bartend­
ers Union.

Attesting to his bartending abil­
ity is the fact that Brother Brock
has had numerous offers from
passengers to tend bar in various
parts of the country. Not only
does Bob know the numerous
strange concoctions which many
passengers dream up, but his
knowledge of wines — dry or
sweet, chilled or room tempera­
ture, and with what course —•
delights the gourmets' hearts.

SIU HALLS

Send Those Minutes
Send in the minutes of

your ship's meeting to the
New York Hall. Only in that
way can the membership act
on your recommendations,
and then the minutes can be
printed in the LOG for the
benefit of all other SIU
crews.

Hold those shipboard meet­
ings regularly, and send
those minutes in as soon as

BALTIMORE 14 North Gay St.
Calvert 4539

BOSTON 276 State St.
Boudoin 4455

BUFFALO 10 Exchange St.
Cleveland 7391

CHARLESTON 68 Society St,
Phone 3-3680

CHICAGO 24 W. Superior Ave.
Superior 5175

CLEVELAND ...1014 E. St. Clair Ave.
Main 0147

CORPUS CHRIST! ..1824 Mesquite St.
Corpus Christi 3-1509

DETROIT 1038 Third St.
Cadillac 6857

DULUTH 531 W. Michigan St,
Melrose 4110

GALVESTON 305Vi 22nd St.
2-8448

HONOLULU 16 Merchant St,
58777

HOUSTON 1515 7Sth Street
Phone Wehtworth 3-3809

JACKSONVILLE 920 Main St.
Phone 5-5919

MARCUS HOOK 1 Vz W. 8th St.
Chester 5-3110

MIAMI 1355 N. E. 1st Ave.
MOBILE 7 St. Michael St.

2-1754
NEW ORLEANS 339 Chartres St.

Magnolia 6112-6113
NEW YORK 51 Beaver St.

HAnover 2-2784
NORFOLK 127-129 Bank Street

4-1083
PHILADELPHIA 9 South 7th St.

Phone LOmbard 3-7651
PORT ARTHUR . .909 Fort Worth Ave.

" Phone: 2-8532
PORTLAND Ill W. Burnside St.

Beacon 4336
RICHMOND, Calif 257 5th St.

2599
SAN FRANCISCO 105 Market St.

Douglas 5475-8363
SAN JUAN, P. R. , , .252 Ponce de Leon

San Juan 2-5996
SAVANNAH .220 East Bay St.

8-1728
SEATTLE 86 Seneca St.

Main 0290
TAMPA .1809-1811 N. Franklin St.

M-1323
TOLEDO 615 Summit St.
WILMINGTON 440 Avalon Blvd.

Terminal 4-3131
VICTORIA, B. C. ...i«02 Boughton St.

Garden 8331
VANCOUVER 144 W. Hastings St.

Pacific 7824

Bartender Robert Brock shak­
ing up one of his thirst-quench­
ing specials aboard the George
Washington.

serve not only in the U.S., but in
Mexico, Cuba and Puerto Rico as
well.

As a result of winning the top
award given by the Bartenders
Union in open competition with
87 other Bartenders from all parts
of the United States, Bob's bank
account was fattened to the ex­
tent of $775. His prize winning
effort was monickered the "Times
Square Cocktail.

WINNING RECIPE
Recipe for this tempting taste kind of run you want.

New Agent Finds
Port Mobile Is
In Good Shape

By GAL TANNER

MOBILE — It's good to be in
Mobile again and meet so many
old shipmates. The affairs of the
port were in excellent shape, so
the business of assuming office
was narrowed down to hanging
up my hat, rolling up my sleeves
and going to work.

Shipping has been good here
since before Christmas with Wa­
terman taking out a bunch of
ships from the boneyard for the
grain run to Europe.

In fact, it has kept Charlie
Kimball and the other officials
busy hunting up crews. Things
have slowed down some, but it
isn't much trouble to ship on the

titilator is one-half jigger of lem­
on juice, one-half jigger of slo

Whitey Lewis is already on the
job as Engine Patrolman and the

gin, and one full jigger of rum old officials are cooperating 100
bacardi. Ingredients are shaken I percent, giving the port a good
well with cracked ice until the working force,
mixer becomes frosted, and then ^ith the regular Alcoa and
poured into the cocktail glass in Waterman payoffs and most Mis-
Brock s inimitable style, develop- giggippj freighters making this a
ed through years and years of ex­
perience as a thirst quench ex­
pert.

He has also developed an or­
iginal technique in shaking the
cocktail and pouring it without
once banging or cracking the
mixer against the bar. Yes, we
saw him with our own very eyes,
and can vouch for his ability.
Seems as how the technique con­
sists of screwing or twisting the
cap around the measurette firmly
in such a way as not to crack the
glass when losening same. Sounds
quite complicated, but it's really
simple, says Bob!

Among other nite spots. Bro­
ther Brock worked in Cole Port­
er's old place, the 1-2-3 Club.
He's also worked along the main-
stem in other niteries.

Hailing from Birmingham, Al­
abama, Brook is an eligible bach­
elor in his late twenties. He's
been a member of the SIU since
1944, and now resides in New
York when he's in town.

port of call there is plenty of
work to keep the waterfront pa-
ti-ol busy.

The Seafarers has 16 towboats
operating in this port, and the
crews are getting pretty tired of
the run-around the operators are
giving them.

Several times during the past
year they have had to hang the
hook to enforce clauses of the
agreement, and right now they
are out after an iron clad con­
tract with all the vague "Phila­
delphia lawyer" clauses elimin­
ated.

All in all. Mobile is the same
busy Union port it has always
been, and the headaches are
nothing new. One thing every­
one can be sure of is that the
membership down here will con­
tinue to do the same good job
as it has done in the past, and
that as a good Union port Mobile,
will continue to rank second to
none.



Page Sixieen THE SEAFARERS LOG Friday. February 7, 1947

... is more "ttiaix a toord; it is liviK9 #
militont unionism. DuHnq the past
severol montHs the Seofarers Inter­
national Unloin has acttvelc| aided the
:fellou>ing umons, looaliuand nation­
ally , 1p u)m tliedr beefs or the point
of production : The MMeP, ILA.CIO
Shipbuilders, MSBA, Teamsters, and the
MFOWVfV.

IK- HEAFARERS
Ivitsrnortional Union of /Ibirth. America

ifofC

U-'.