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Seafarers Log: Vol. 5 No. 11 (1943-05-28)

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Issue Date
1943-05-28
Volume
5
Issue Number
11
Plaintext
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OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF DISTRICT,

r- SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA

VOL. V. 280 NEW YORK, N. Y., FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1943 No. 11

S.I.U. Wins Security Watch Agreement
^ - dj^^- -

A.F.L. Fights Fascist
Connally Labor Bill;
Warns Congressmen

Washington, D. C.—Launching a militant offensive
against the Fascist Connally-Smith anti-labor bill, the Exe­
cutive Council of the American Federation of Labor warn­
ed that the workers of America will vote out of office any
member of Congress who supports this measure.

Immediately following this ac­
tion, seven top Government war
agencies denounced the Connally-
Smith Tiill In a round-robin letter
to Speaker Rayburn. They charged
it would arouse "bitterness, rancor
and labor strife" and impede the
nation's war effort.

. James G. Patton, president of
the National Farmers Union, join­
ed in the onslaught with a message
to both houses of Congress declar­
ing the effect of such legislation
would destroy stabilized labor re­
lations in war industries.

In its declaration against the bill,
the AFL Executive Council said:
"The surest way to hamstring
America's war effort and to destroy
the morale of the nation's soldiers
of production is for Congress to
enact the obnoxious Connally-
Smith Bill.

"This measure, if enacted into
law, will-wreck the war production

program. It will wipe out the vast

benefits that have been derived
from the operation of labor's vol­
untary no-strike pledge. It will be
as unenforceable as prohibition.

"How can American workers

join wholeheartedly in war for
the preservation of freedom when
their own freedoms are being cut
out from under them? How can
American workers believe in the
sincerity of America's war against
Fascism, when Fascist legislation is
being imposed against them?
"The provisions of the Connally-
Smith Bill do hot add up to a just
and equitable law. They constitute
a club—a vengeful weapon aimed
at all American workers in retalia­
tion for the acts of a few. Ameri­
can workers will not and cannot
subject themselves to such
tyranny."

In a conference held in Mobile last week, the SIU won Security Watch Agreements
with the Mississippi, Waterman and South Atlantic Steamship Companies. The agree­
ment becomes effective as soon as it has been approved by the War Shipping Administra­
tion. Security Watches are provided for in all U. S. and foreign ports between 5 and
and on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and holidays, if so ordered by authorities for the
purpose of the ship's safety. Over-^
time pay is provided for all such
watches.

Here is the full text of the
agreement:

WITNESSETH:
This memorandum-of agreement

shall be binding upon the respec­
tive parties upon the same terms
and conditions as set forth in the
preamble of the working agree­
ment. However, it is mutually
.agreed that either party hereto
shall have the right to notify the

NO PROFITS IN
THIS WAR?

The Atlantic Gulf & West In­

dies Steamship Lines has re­

vealed that it made a greater
profit for the first six months

of 1943 than it did for the same

period in 1942. Nor was the in­

crease a piddling 10 or 15 per­

cent—it was an increase of
540%!

The government may techni­
cally operate the ships (and

kick the union seamen around),

but the shipowners get the
gravy.

other party to negotiate extension,
change, or termination of Security
Watches.

For the purpose of Security
Watches a vessel shall be consider­
ed "In Port" at any time the ves­
sel drops anchor or ties up to a
dock in any safe port or harbor
where the stay of the vessel exceeds
24 hours and port working rules
contained in the above mentioned
agreement shall apply.

Security Watches shall be main­
tained in all Lk S. Continental, Isl­
and, Canal and Foreign ports.

The following rules shall govern
respecting overtime payments to
members of the Seafarer's Interna­
tional Union of North America re­
quired to remain aboard vessels in
port (whether domestic or for­
eign) between the hours of 5 P.M.
and 8 A.M. week days and on Sat­
urday afternoons, Sundays and hol­
idays for the purpose of vessel's
security or for the standing of
safety watches required by Federal
Authorities.

Overtime shall be paid to all un­
licensed crew members for all
hours during which they are re­
quired to remain aboard the vessel
by Federal Authorities, (in U. S.
Ports or U. S. Controlled Ports) or
by Foreign Government Authorit­
ies in other ports for the purpose
of vessel's security or for the stand­
ing of safety watches from Satur­
day noon until 8 A.M. Monday
morning and on holidays, except.

CONGRESSMAN HITS
VICTORY TAX LEVY

WASHINGTON, D. C.—"It is
common knowledge that a heavy
toll has been taken of our merch­
ant vessels by submarines and air
attack. "Tlie seamen face the grav­
est perils the enemy can contrive,"
Representative J. J. Capozzoli,
New York, .stated here last week,
when introducing a bill advocat­
ing the exemption of merchant sea­
men serving in war zones from the
Victory Tax, and from the collec­
tion of tax at the source of wages.

Mr. Capozzoli told the House
that seamen should be exempted in
recognition of the contribution
they arc already making to the war
effort.

In spite of the fact that casual­
ty rate in the merchant marine has
been far greater than those in the
armed forces to date in the war, he
pointed out that they are still de­
livering the goods and munitions
and essential supplies needed by the
armed forces.

Therefore, the same considera­
tion extended the members of the
armed forces should be extended
to merchant seamen, he told the
house.

however, if the entire crew is re­
quired to stay aboard for military
reasons or otherwise and are denied
shore leave, then only the ones as­
signed to the security watch are
entitled to pay.

When you are on Security
Watches on Saturday afternoons
and Sunday you are paid straight
overtime from 12 noon Saturday
until 8 a.m. Monday morning.

When you stand .security watch­
es on a straight holiday such as
Armistice Day, Labor Day or any
other holiday you receive straight
oyertime from midnight until mid­
night on that day. From 5 P.M.
until midnight of the day preced­
ing the holiday you receive $3.00.
From midnight until 8 A^M." in
the morning the following day you
receive $3.00.

While on Security Watch it is
understood that no work shall be
done without the payment of over­
time. However, if while on Secur­
ity Watch you are called tipon to
do emergency work no overtime is
payable for such work.

It is understood that while on
security watch you are to be aboard
the vessel subject to call, however,
if you are required to be on deck
or in the engine or fireroom over­
time is payable straight through.

Time accumulated while on Se­
curity Watches when no work
other than emergency work is per­
formed shall not be counted as
consecutive hours of work accrued
under the meaning of Section
of the General Rules, however, if
you are called to work one or more
hours, overtime is payable at the
regular overtime rate in addition
to the $6.00 for security watch.
If you are called upon to work
from S P.M. to 8 A.M. in the
morning you are entitled to
straight overtime.

When vessel is loaded and reaay
for sea and is held at anchor or at
the dock awaiting Naval or Milit­
ary orders to sail in convoy, sea
watches shall be set upon notifica­
tion to the Master by the proper
Federal authorities that the vessel
is to proceed to sea within 24 hours.
Overtime shall be paid for' all such
time on sea watches after J P.M.
aiid before S A.M. week days and

{Con/iiiju'ii OH Pdge 4)

Gets *Shark-Repelleni?'

"Shark-repellent," a substance
which drives away man-eating
sharks is the latest scientific devel­
opment to protect shipwrecked
sailors and merchant seamen, the
Navy said today.

The substance was developed by
the Office of Scientific Research
and Development and the Marine
Studios, Inc., in Massachusetts,
Florida and Ecuador. Its composi­
tion is secret, but it will be dis­
tributed soon to all personnel op­
erating in shark-mfested areas.

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Page Two THE SEAFARERS' LOG Friday, May 28, 1943

SEAFARER S LOG
Published by the

SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION
OF NORTH AMERICA

Atlantic and Gulf District
Ajfiliafed with the American Federation of Labor

HARRY LUNDEBERG ------ President
110 Market Street, San Francisco, Calif,

" JOHN — - - - Secy-Treas.
2 Stone Street, New York City

MAITHEW DOSHANE - - - Washington Rep.
424 1th Street, N. W,, Washington, D. C.

Directory of Branches
BRANCH ADDRESS PHONE

NEW YORK 2 Stone St
Dispeteher'e Office BOwliing Green 9-3430
Agent BOwting Green 9-3437

BOSTON .....330 Atlantic Ave Liberty 4057
BALTIMORE 14 North Gay St Calvert 4S39
PHILADELPHIA « North 6th St Lombard 7651
NORFOLK 25 Commercial PI Norfolk 4-1053
NEW ORLEANS 309 Cbartres St Canal 3336
SAVANNAH ...215 Eaet Bay St Savannah 3-1725
TAMPA 423 Ea«t Piatt St Tampa MM-1323
MOBILE 55 So. Conception St Dial 2-1392
PUERTO RICO 45 Ponce do Leon Puerto de Tlerra
GALVESTON 219 20tk Street Galveston 2-5043
FT- LAUDERDALE 2021 S. Federal Highway..

PUBLICATION OFFICE:
ROOM 213, 2 STONE STREET

New York City BOwIing Green 9-8346

rR€P01?T OI\
^ASHII\GTOtV,

• BV MATT44EW DvSMAMfeeLj

Asks Legislation For
Merchant Seaman
Rehabilitation

The acute problem of rehabilitating merchant seamen
who have been torpedoed and injured mentally of physic­
ally, was laid in Congress' lap this week when the Maritime
War Emergency Board submitted a resolution calling for
legislative action. The resolution asks Congress to establish
competent agencies to deal with^
the problem on a scale necessitated
l»y war casualties.

. The resolution had the complete
approval of the SILI-SUP and sup-

. planted an earlier resolution whicli
was knocked down by the unions.
The SIU-SUP insisted that any
new legislation enacted by Con­
gress^ should not take away any
benefits already enjoyed by the
seamen. The final form of the
MWEB request includes this point.

The text of the resolution fol­
lows:

MARITIME
WAR EMERGENCY BOARD

April 23, 1943

WHEREAS, the seamen of the
American Merchant Marine have
manned United States flag vessels
engaged in the transportation of
planes, guns, tanks, munitions of
war and food to the armed forces
and peoples of the United Nations
with bravery and distinction; and

WHEREAS, the seamen of the
American Merchant Marine have
suffered in the performance of such
duties casualties -and disabilities
proportionately greater than cas-
tulties and disabilities suffered by
any one branch of the armed
forces and

WHEREAS, certain of these
seamen have incurred total disabil­
ity which prevents them for the
remainder of their natural lives
from obtaining useful employment
in the shipping industry, either
afloat or ashore; and

WHEREAS, certain of these

seamen have incurred partial dis­
ability which prevents the con­
tinuance of their former employ­
ment in the shipping industry;

W^HEREAS, the insurance bene­
fits specified by the Maritime War
Emergency Board in the Second
Seamen's War Risk Policy are lim­
ited to a payment for a period of
75 months for total disability and
lesser payments for partial disab­
ility;

WHEREAS, parties signatory to
the Statement of Principles have
stated from time to time that pro­
visions should be made for com­
pensation and rehabilitation of
such seamen;

RESOLVED, that the Board di­
rect the Chairman to call to the
attention of Congress the need for

{Continued on Page 4)

WSA TO OPERATE
NAVY SHIP PRIZES

Under the terms of an agree­
ment recently signed by the War
Shipping Administration and the
Navy Department, merchant ship
prizes captured by the Navy will
be turned over to the WSA for
operation, it was learned here yes­
terday.

The agreement affects all mari­
time prizes of war "when such
prices are brought into ports with­
in the jurisdiction of the United
States, or ports within the jurisdic­
tion of co-belligerent nations, where
such co-belligerent nations have
consented to the exercise of such
jurisdiction over the prize by the
United States."

May H, 1943

Maritime War
Emergency Board:

J. Flanagan, Agt., SIU Balti­
more; Case of the crew of the Ben­
jamin Harrison, who were repa­
triated on the USAT Shawnee and
were required to work on the way
home, is now in the hands of the
Army for final decision. The
Board has ruled that the men are
entitled to wages but not double
bonus. The Army has agreed to
abide by the Board's decision. We
will now sec whether the Army is
going to afiide by the Board's de­
cision or only certain of their de­
cisions.

Louis Coffin, Patrolman, SIU,
N. Y.; SS Kofrcsi was docked at
Eastham. London was bombed.
Board has ruled that the crew is
entitled to an attack bonus,

J.'Hawk, Sec.-Trcas., SIU: SS
Ironclad ran aground in Russia.
Vessel was then towed to the dock.
Vessel was government owned and
was sold by the government to the
Russian government. Crew was
repatriated back to the U.S. and
was not paid the monthly bonus.
Board claims that the crew is not
entitled to the monthly bonus as
the ship was not torpedoed.

If the Board insists that there is
no monthly bonus payable to crews
who are repatriated from vessels
that have not been torpedoed, we
must then chuck the Board out the
window and~ negotiate directly
with the operators. When seamen
are being repatriated back to the
LJ.S. they are going through the
same waters that other seamen are
going through who receive a bon­
us. It is about time that the staff
of the Board stop making decisions
and then saying that the Board has
decided the dispute'.

Wc should demand a showdown
from the Board and it is my idea
that the whole group of agents
that attend -the agents' conference
in New York, go to Washington
and demand this showdown. If no
satisfaction is given by the Board,
then we should throw the State­
ment of Principles out the window
as the Board violates it anytime
it sees fit.

Fishermen:
Hearings were held on HR1766,

May 13-14 and Pat McHugh tes­
tified in behalf of the Fishermen's
division of the SIU and also for
tlie AFL fishermen's Federal
Unions. Under this bill the Bureau
of Fisheries would be transfered to
the Department of Agriculture
and there is the possibility that the
fishermen would lose social security
benefits and the right to care and
maintenance, also the right to sue
under the Jones Act. The Union
is opposed to this transfer.

I was unable to attend the hear­
ing on the 2nd day due to the fact
that I was attending a meeting
with the OPA. They issued an or­
der to the canneries operators that
they could not pay the War Risk
Insurance for fishermen.- The
Unions have a contract with the
cannery operators wherein they
have to pay the premiums on this
insurance. Been advised that the
OPA have changed their order.

Insurance
Congressman Schuyler Otis

Bland, Chairman of the Committee

on Merchant Marine and Fisheries
had introduced HR 26J2. Under
this bill, seamen would be entitled
to $100.00 per month for the rest
of their life if they are permanent­
ly disabled in line of duty due to
war risks or war-liS^^'iff^ity. It
also makes payments of $100.00
per month to the beneficiaries of
Merchant Seamen who are fost or
killed through war risks or war­
like activity. This is" a step in the
right direction to compensate sea­
men for the job that they arc do­
ing if they become disabled.

War Labor Board:
James F. Byrnes, Director of

Economic stabilization has issued a
policy directive clarifying and de­
fining the basis for the WLB
in making adjustments under
the President's Hold the Line Or­
der (9328) of April 8, 1943. This
clarification may be of some as­
sistance to the Union in getting
some increases in the case that the
Union now has before the War La­
bor Board. Although in this case
(NEW ENGLAND SS COM­
PANY) the Board has ruled the
four points of the Union out, we
have a pretty good case for an ap­
peal. The referee who handled the
case used as his argument, figures
that were submitted by the Wage
and Hours Division of the Depart­
ment of Labor and when tliis De­
partment gave the figures to the
WLB, they stated that the figures
were unrcliahle and should not be
used. The referee paid no attention
to the advice that was given to
the WLB by the Department of
Labor and Jic used the figures and
used them as the basis to refuse
any increases.

Bureaucrats:
There are so . many directives

and bills on Legislation being In­
troduced that it keeps me bow-
kggcd humping around trying to
get all the latest dope. It is a hell
of a job trying to keep track on
what's going on here. All the pro­
fessors that are now holding down
government jobs arc trying to line
themselves up into a permanent
outfit for after the War. If these
bozos are to continue to operate
and issue directives after the War,
the American working stiff won't
have peanuts, let alone flop money
and coffee and.

May 22, 1943

Maintenance Men:

regarding food * shortage on ships.
If. no action is given by them im­
mediately wire me here in Wash­
ington outlining the beef.

In the minutes of the headquar­
ters of the SUP of May 17th it was
reported .MPWrad sent in a com­
plaint on the crew of the S.S.
Makua. There must have been 2
mistake made as I did not send in
any complaint rcgardiiig this crew.
Have been advised by Harry
Lundeberg that the WSA sent in
the complaint.

Fishermen:

Harry Lundeberg arrived here
this week and the question of com­
panies on the Pacific Coast carry­
ing maintenance men was taken up
with the WSA. The position taken
by the WSA is that if it has been
the custom of companies on the
Pacific Coast to carry 6 AB, 3 OS,
1 Maintenance man or more, in ad­
dition to the Carpenter and bosun,
the WSA will not interfere with
this custom, regardless of whether
the companies on the Atlantic
Coast do not carry the same com­
pliment of men.

The question of shortage of
foods was also taken up. The WSA
has priorities on all-foods, the mer­
chant marine is in the same cata-
gory of the Army and Navy re­
garding priorities on foods. It is
important to contact the local
WSA representative in the port
wherein there ,are any complaints

The Fish Cannery Worker!
Union of the Pacific (SIU) have
p)etitioncd the Secretary of Labor
for an exemption to executive or--
der 9240. This order prohibits the
payment of time and a half or
double overtime for Saturday af­
ternoons and Sundays, unless it is.
the seventh day. Harry Lundeberg
and myself contacted representa­
tives of the Department of Labor
on this dispute and outlined the
procedure of work practice in the
canning industry.

Wc were advised that the Can­
nery Workers Union, Local No. f,
(CIO) in San Francisco, also made
a petition for the same request, it
seems as though the CIO in San
Francisco are being double* crossed
by a representative of their Wash­
ington International CIO maritime
committee here, as they have no­
tified the Department of Labor not
to grant this exemption. Of course
this is not a new thing for certain
officials of the CIO to double cro-ss
the rank and file.

Victory Rally
The AFL held a Victory for La­

bor rally here on May 21, and
Agent Flanagan of Baltimore had
five SIU members who had been
torpedoed presented at the rally.
Two of the members were colored
brothers who had been torpedoed
more than one time each. They re­
ceived a great ovation by the audi­
ence.

Captain John Mattson of the
Masters Mates' & Pilots, who made
a trip into Batan in the Phillip-
pines at the time that MacArthur
was putting up his last stand, was
also presented. The Coast Farmer
with Captain Mattson as Master,
and manned by an SUP crew,
brought supplies to the soldiers of
General MacArthur, which enabled
them to put up such a heroic fight
and carry on until the bitter end.

Assistant Secretary of War Pat­
terson, Paul V. McNutt, Chairman
of the War Manpower Commission,
Sergeant -Smith of the Marine
Corps who accpunted for over two
hundred men of Tojo's forces and
is now blind, Sergeant Barney Ross
of the Marine Corps, President
Green, and other notables were
there and spoke and praised the
part that free labor is playing in
this war.

It would have been a great joy
to Andrew Furuseth to hear free
labor praised for the splendid job
that they are doing. Old Andy
took up the fight to gain the free­
dom of all merchant seamen, to
him the American Seamen owe
their freedom.

In organizing the Sailors Union
of the Pacific in 188 3, his first job
was to tackle the enormous job of
freeing the seamen, and advocated

{Continued on Page 4)
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Friday, May 28, 1943 THE SEAFARERS' LOG Page Tlurw

WHArS DOMG

Around the Ports
PORT EVERGLADES

I still think that it depends on
which side of the fence you are on.
According to my understanding of
Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg ad­
dress, all men were created equal.
Therefore, one man has the same
rights and privileges as another.
According to the local press there
is a difference in the rights of the
citizens, determined by their color.
K they are white and members of
the Chamber of Commerce, they
can get away with alrfiost any­
thing. If they arc white and mem­
bers of organized labor, they are
considered as members of the Nazi
Gestapo. On the other hand if they
are colored, that is to say Negroes,
they are a combination of the
Geatapo, Sons of the Rising Sun
and Internal Disrupters all rolled
into one.

We base these contentions on the
latest effort of the local Port Auth­
orities to exert dictatorial powers
over the longshoremen in this area.
The longshoremen went out on
strike, or to be fair to them they
failed to report for work. After
our members were asked to do
longshoremen's work I looked into
the case and found that the color­
ed longshoremen were out on strike
because one of their members was
fired, without apparent cause. The
facts of the case were that oiie of
the longshoremen was handling
JOO pound sacks of sugar by him­
self, and some of them fell off of
the truck that was carrying them
from the dock to the warehouse.
According to the orders of the
boss, the longshoreman should have
loaded the sacks that fell off, back
on the truck by himself. Any man
th^t knows how cargo is handled,
knows that this is unfair. The out­
come of this was that the long­
shoreman was fired. The remainder
of the longshoremen went out on
strike (more power to them).

Tlie local press carried a story
that the Negroes in the port were
holding up the shipment of war
materials, and if they didn't go
back to work the local Sheriff
would round up all of the Negroes
in town and offer them the choice
of going to work in the Port as
longshoremen or going to jail as
vagrants.

If this isn't slavery, then I don't
know what is. The order amounts
to slave labor of. the same variety
that, our armed forces are fighting
to stamp out.

It is time that the Constitution
of the United States is enforced.
The vagrancy order is strictly un­
constitutional. But it has remain­
ed on the books because of the in­
fluence of the rotten policies of the
Chamber of Commerce in this

WHO FAIL TO APPEAR 'WTLL
BE SEVERLY DEALT WITH.'

Just to be sure that there is no
exaggeration in this I am enclos­
ing the original notice, which I
took down from the bulletin board.
Needless to say, the crew was up
on their hind legs when they saw
this notice, and they were justly
so.

If any crew ever had a right to
walk off of a ship these men did.
Of course, this was not the fault
of the Company, therefore I took
the case up with Chappdelane and
the Vice President Mr, Donald
Smith. They were both very much
surprised to learn that the Captain
thought he could get away with
such an order, and they required
the Master to have the notice re­
moved from the board. The sailing
board was changed to "the usual
time and everybody was happy
again.

J. K. SHAUGHNESSY,
Agent.

NEW YORK

in

town.
Here is another case of a dicta­

torship in what we are led to be­
lieve is a democratic country. Tlie
following notice appeared on the
bulletin board of the S.S. Seatrain,
New Orleans. "ALL OFFICERS
AND CREW OF TIdE S.S. SEA-
TRAIN NEW ORLEANS MUST
ATTEND A VERY IMPORT­
ANT LECTURE AND MOTION
PICTURE CONDUCTED BY
THE U.S. NAVY WHICH WILL
BE GIVEN BY LIEUT. COM­
MANDER CHAPIN, FORT
LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA. 3:00
P.M. TUESDAY, MAY 4th, 1943.
LIBERTY WILL EXPIRE 2:4J
P.M. TUESDAY, MAY 4th, 1943.
MEMBERS OF THE CREW

Beefs come and beefs go and the
harrassed pie-cards go on forever—
trying both successfully and un­
successfully to solve them.

A Calmar ship hits port after
having shipped a crew from one or
another of the southern ports
Book members were not available
so the ship is filled with raw, fresh,
and by this time, somewhat dilap­
idated graduates of the Maritime
Commission school. They know
little or nothing about the union.
Aboard the ship are legitimate
beefs, beefs that could .be easily
settled if the few old timers
aboard had taken the trouble to
list the facts and have the data
ready for the patrolman, but no
one took the trouble and a bunch
of new members are as a result, a
little confused about it all.

The North Africa' bonus ques­
tion is a headache. One ship comes
in minus her barrage balloons
which were shot down in an at­
tack. The port was bombed, shore
batteries and ships guns were in
action against the enemy but some­
how or other the Master of the
ship failed to make the log and
the facts correspond—whence a se­
ries of letters to Washington, to
the company, to the various local
agencies of the government. Of

course the bonus will be paid but
in the meantime- the crew is scat­
tered' from hell to breakfast with­
out even realizing the trouble,
work and effort that is being ex­
pended to get the one hundred and
twenty-five bucks for them.

Rome wasn't built in a day and
in these days of red tape, over-lap­
ping governmental agencies and
hush-hush, beefs arc not settled in
a day.

The union provides for ship del­
egates in order that this work of
settling beefs may be facilitated.
Good ship delegates can have beefs
prepared so that each individual
case won't be the Agent's headache,
so that the beefs can be settled ra­
pidly and collectively. This is the
way to do things, the union way.

Agreements have been altered,
amended and subjected to so many
government regulations that the
patrolman, agent and office force
have to maneuver like a Philadel-
pliia lawyer to prove any point.
Bear in mind that on each beef
there are a number of interpreta­
tions.

A member of the union cracks
up under the strain and is put in
an English hospital. While he is
out of his mind the Captain pays
him off. He is returned to the
U.S.A. and is shuttled from hos­
pital to hospital ending up in a
State mental institution. His
mother depends upon him for sup­
port and is unable to collect his
wages or any compensation. The
union must take this up and this
means dozens of telephone calls
and letters.

Duke Dushane inherits the ma­
jor beefs in Washington and is do­
ing a fine job. But the main thing
is that the whole organization from
the newest member to the highest
official, must work as one to make
the entire apparatus function
smoothly. It is the members' union
and the meiubers' job to keep it
running.

JOE VOLPIAN,
Patrolvjan

Editor's Mail Bag
{The following letter was sent

to Feretory-Treasurer John Hawk
by Brother Monteverde who was
sunk and is now a prisoner of war
in Germany. Even though this
brother is a prisoner of war, he is
vitally concerned over Bs union
and how it is functioning. All
former shipmates should drop him
a line. Remember all letters will
be rigidly censored, so be careful
what you write.)

March 2J, 1943
Dear Brother Hawk:

This is to let you know that I
was a member of the crew of the
S.S. ( ) which was tor­
pedoed July 1942. I was taken
prisoner on the 28th of July and
am now in a prison camp for mer­
chant seamen. The S.S. ( )
was a Matson line tub. So if there
is any change in the SUP agree­
ment I would like to know.

At present there are 2 other
members of our union here. We
would like any information re­
gards to wages and bonus you
may be able to send. My book
number is Atlantic 516.

Hoping to hear from you soon,
and wishing all the best of luck, I
remain, John Monteverde

Prisoner No. 2998
Marlag und Milag Nord
Germany

Somewhere in Australia

April 16, 1943

Editor, Fafarers' Log

Dear Sir and Brother:

Thanks a lot for those copies of
the Log which are still coming to
me, although they may be several
months old by the time they reach
me. However, that makes it all
the more worth waiting for, es­
pecially when the news strikes so
close to home for me. |

The other sailors here like it a
lot, too, and there's always a
scramble to see who's next on the
line. Please keep them coming and
I hope that you will note my new
address so that possibly they may
arrive here sooner.

I'm glad to see that we retained
most of our experienced officers in
the last election and we'll need
them with the WSA cracking
down with phoney excuses.

Give my regards to the gang at
the hall and when the end of the
month rolls around to payday and
the money orders can be sent, you
can expect something from me
again for the strike fund.

X Yours, •'

Sgt. Dimitre J. Kergis

No. 21070 (retired)

. MONEY DUE

KAISER IS CLEARED
IN NLRB COMPLAINT

SEAMEN FIGHT
CANADIAN WAGE
CHISELING

MONTREAL, Can., May 12^Dis-
satisfied over the "juggling" of
war bonuses and overtime rates,
crewmen of several ocean-going
vessels operated for the . Canadian
government by four shipping com­
panies are refusing to go to sea.

Overtime rates being paid by
these shipping companies arc lower
than those set by the war-time sea­
men's pool, Harry Davis, secretary
of the Canadian Seamen union,
said.

The war-time seamen's pool is
the government-operated agency
which pays seamen while they are
waiting to berth on a ship. The
men are also dissatisfied, Davis said,
because the companies are offering
young men under 21 years of age
only 50 per cent of the wage rate
set by the pool. Seamen over 21
years get the full bonus.

PORTLAND, Ore., April 18-
Robert N. Denham, trial examiner
for the National Labor Relations
Board, yesterday dismissed a sec­
tion of the NLRB complaint
against Henry J. Kaiser.

Kaiser attorneys had moved dis­
missal of the charge that the
Kaiser companies aided AFL unions
to organize Kaiser workmen to the
exclusion of the CIO and Denham
granted the request.

The ruling is expected to short­
en by several weeks the NLRB in­
quiry into CIO charges that three
Kaiser shipyards signed purported­
ly illegal closed shop agreements
with the AFL.

"I am unable to find that the
board has made any showing that
the respondents have engaged in
any unfair labor practices that
have assisted the AFL unions in
establishing themselves in the
yards," Denham ruled.

The principal question remain­
ing to be decided is whether there
were appropriate units of AFL
workmen in the yards when the
closed shop agreements were signed.

Steward's Department of S.S.
West Gatomska have division of
wages due. Collect Mississippi
Line, New Orleans.

» » »
Crew of S.S. Kofresi have attack

bonus coming from Waterman Line,
19 Rector St., N.Y.C.

* e »

Stewards Department of S.S.
Josiah Bartlett have overtime

money due. Collect Eastern Steam­
ship Company, Pier 25, North
River, New York.

K- »

Crew of John Davenport have
$125 port attack bonus due. Collect
at Eastern S.S. Company, Pier 25,
North River, N.Y.C.

* » »
Crew of S.S. Beauregard have

Russian bonus money due from
Amtorg Co., 210 Madison Ave.,
N.Y.C.

Crew of S.S. Jean have 12 hours
overtime coming. Collect at Bull
Line, 115 Broad St, N.Y.C.

• » *
Crew of S.S. William Moultrie

who paid off April 2, 1943, have
overtime money due. Collect at
Robin Line Office, 39 Cortland St.,
New York City.

* » *
Crew which made the last trip

on the S.S. Daniel Huger, have $125
port attack bonus money coming.

Collect at office of Mississippi Line.
* * »

Crew making the last trip on
S.S. Tristram Dalton have $125

port attack bonus money coming.

Collect at Bull Line, 115 Broad
Street, New York City.

» * *
The crews that made the latl trip

on the S.S. Marina, S.S. Cape Hen"
lopen, S.S. Thomas Ruffin and
S.S. William Rawie were paid off
with 40% bonus instead of 100%
for the part of the voyage betweeif
Panama and Cape Horn. They catl
now collect the 60% additional

money from the Bull Line office in
New York City.

e * »
The crew which made the last

trip on the S.S. Joseph Hugos hava
bonus money coming. Collect at
Bull Line, New York City.

Meal money for Stewards Dept.
on Richard Henry Lee, being paid
by Calmar Line, 25 Broadway^
N.Y.C.

* » »
Deck Department of the Alcoa

Polaris have overtime coming. Col­
lect at 17 Battery Place, New York
City.

» » 4-

Crew of Robin Gray can collect
$125 attack bonus money at offica
of Seas Shipping Co., Inc., 39 Cort-.
landt Street, New York. MWEB
ruled Tillbury is within Port of
London.

a It' *

J. S. BULLOCK
H, L. MILSTEAD

Division of wages for missing
man on 12-4 watch. City of St,
Louis, can be collected at Water­
man office. Mobile.

ATLANTIC AND GULF SHIPPING FOR
MAY 3 TO MAY 15

DECK ENGINE STEWARD TOTAL

SHIPPED 306 285 279 870

-REGISTERED 290 301 160 741

O; HAND 200 170 160 530

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Page Four THE SEAFARERS' LOG Friday, May 28, 1943

REPORT FROM

Washington
{Continued from Page 3)

the Brotherhood of the Sea.
Through the efforts and bitter
fight of old Andy the McGuire Act
was the first step in the liberation
of the American seamen from
chattel slavery. The next great
step and the final complete libera­
tion of the American seamen was
the La Follette Seamen's Act. Un­
der this act the American seamen
were then freed from bondage and

"Raised to the equal level of other
American citizens. American sea­
men today are the only free men
sailing the seas who are not sub-
iect to chattel contracts, they owe
their freedom to the old man of
the seas, Andrew Furuseth, rightly
known as the Abr.-'ham Linr,,oln of
the seas. The instrument that this

•great benefactor of the American
seamen used in accomplishing this
great and stupendious task, was the
SAILORS UNION OF THE PA­
CIFIC.

Andrew Furuseth lived to sec

the day that American seamen sail­

ed on American vessels as free men,
he did not live to see the d.ay of
the Brotherhood of the Seas where
all the seamen of the world would
have enjoyed equally the rights of
free men as now fully enjoyed by
the American seamen only. FEs
last wish was that his ashes be scat-

the seas tered over the waves of
that he so fully loved.

American ships built by free
American labor are now carrying
material that was produced by free
American labor, are now plowing
the seas whose bosom now hold the
ashes of the great emancipator.

These American ship are man­
ned by free American seamen, and
are delivering supplies to the arm­
ed forces of the United Nations in
their fight to uphold the ideals of
all freedom loving, people.

This is the answer of the Amer­
ican seamen in showing their ap­
preciation for the faith and confi­
dence bestowed upon them by the
Senators and the Congressmen of
these United States, for the enact­
ment of the "LaFollette Seamen's
Act" which had stricken the last
fetter in the chain of chattle slav­
ery and human bondage of the
American seamen.

We now carry on in the spirit of
the immortal words of Andrew
Furuseth: "UPON THESE
SHORES, WAS THE CRADLE
OF FREEDOM MADE, AS SYM­
BOLIZED IN THE GREATEST
HUMAN DOCUMENT EVER
CONCEIVED BY MAN—THE
PREAMABLE AND THE CON­
STITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES."

Security Watch Agreements

R. THOMPSON, No. 2973
See Patrolman Claude Fisher

next time you are In New York.

* ir #

GLEN W. GALLATIN
Contact draft board No. 64 In

Fall River, Mass.

» * »

WILL HERBERT LAWSON,
JOSEPH GIER

Get In touch with Warren C.
Francis about an accident aboard
the Robin Tuxford, Aug. 6, 1942, in

Suez Canal.
» » »

JAMES ROGERS
Vou passport has been found and

turned Into headquarters - office In
New York.

MICHAEL J. KAVANAUGH
Your book Is in Room 213, 2

Stone Street, New York City.

.I-

EMIL KATRENICH
Get In touh with Richard Cantor,

SI Chambers St., New York City.

In Memory of
Brother

Samuel A. Rennas, O.S.
' ~ 1913 - 1943

Died in Boston Hospital
on May 13, 1943.

{Continued from Page 1)
on Saturday afternoons, "Sundays
and holidays in excess of 24 hours
before actual sailing time. How­
ever, the 24 hours to be subject to
being extended for an additional
time if the vessel is held by Feder­
al authorities.

When it is required that mem­
bers of unlicensed personnel be
aboard at night from J P.M. to 8
A.M. week days for the purpose of
standing security watches he shall
receive $6.00 per night. If called
upon to do work overtime accord­
ing to the Working Agreement
shall be paid for the period worked
in addition to the $6.00. The Se­
curity Watch may be required to
work during such hours between 5
P.M. and 8 A.M. The total com­
pensation for one night shall not
exceed the equivalent of II hours
overtime.

The foregoing provision does not

apply to Deck crew members re­
quired to stand gang-way watches
as per the Deck Department work­
ing rules contained in the Agree­
ment between the Company and
the Union.

Not less than three mernbers of
the Deck Department shall be re­
quired for a &curity Watch.

In addition to the Fireman and/'
or Wateriender standing Donkey
Watch the Security Watch shall-
consist of not less than one oiler
where oidy two unlicensed men are
required to stand a regular sea
watch, however, where three men
are required for a regular sea watch
both the Oiler, The Watertender
and/or Fireman not on Donkey
Watch shall be required for a se­
curity watch.

Upon approval of the War Ship-^
ping Administration this Supple­
mentary Agreement shall be effec­
tive May 12, 1943.

s . ,

• :.l

Asks Legislation For
Merchant Seaman
Rehabilitation

Pratical Suggestions • For Liberty Ships
listed deals with a
for the jobs to be

Each item
safety factor
done.

1. When booms are to be raised
from the cradles it is safer to lead
pennant from bull rope or chain,
through the snatch block through
the boom heel block to the winch
drum. OR

Use runner from the drum tliru
the heel block, thru the snatch
block, and shackle runner to the
bull rope or attached chain. When
topped, shackle to deck.

Using either style puts the en­
tire operation in the hands of the
man running the winch. When
boom is high enough the runner is

,drawn through the gin block with
a heaving line.

Either of above styles is much
' safer than pennant to niggerhead
because the leads arc out of line

Union Reorganized
By French Sailors

Otganization of an American
section of the French Seamen's
Union with headquarters in New
York, and authorization to negoti­
ate with Allied authorities and
French shipowners for a collective
bargaining agreement on wages and
working conditions was announced
over the week-end by the Interna­
tional Transport Workers Federa­
tion.

Nearly 300 members of the
crews of various French merchant
vessels proceeding from North
African ports, and at present in the
United States, have elected an exe-
c u t i v c committee representing
Deck, Blackgang and Steward de­
partments in the ships to seek ar­
rangements "in keeping with the
agreements of the seafarers of
other allied nations."

and the turns pile up with a chance
of slipping off and possible foul­
ing of the job, cracking boom or
injuring one or more men.

2. Once booms are topped and
it becomes necessary to raise or
lower booms, the operation can be
simplified by using runner from
opposite boom — by leading it
down through snatch block and
shackled to bull rope or chain of
boom to be handled.

3. Frequently it becomes nec­
essary to raise booms to a position
close to forward or after end of
hatch. Especially No. 3 and I gears.
Ordinarily when bull ropes are
shackled two blocks to the link on
deck, the booms are not high
enough.

To avoid other means of raising
booms higher, the following will
do the job:

Place snatch block In bottom
shackle of shroud turnbuckle and
use pennant or runner as explain­
ed in No. 1 item. When high
enough then shackle chain to
shackle at bottom of shroud turn-
buckle. To raise or lower the
booms—as outlined in No. 2.

4. There is no uniform style as
to inboard guys for each boom or
a 'midship guy between two
txxims.

The 'midship guys are handier
and booms can be handled more
easily. lai.ad block for 'midship
guy can be shackled to link on
crosstrees or lower on the mast by
utilizing a sling or strop for block.

5. When necessary to stand
booms up against the mast, because
of high deck cargo, they can be
raised to the crosstrees more easily
and safely by using runner from

head of boom and shackling it in­
to link on side of table.

No. 1 and 2—4 and I gears for
point illustration; No. 1—runners
shackled into link on after part of
crosstrees. No. 2 shackled in link
on forward part of crosstrees.

By that method there is a better
lead and less strain as booms are
raised. When bull ropes arc used
there is practically the full weight
of the steam on the head of the
boom because the boom stands
high above the crosstrees when
straight up and down. And then
the boom must be muscled in be­
cause it will be away from the
crosstrees the distance of the link
and shackle holding the block
through which the bull rope is
rcaved.

Using the runners puts the
booms right up against the cross-
trees thus avoiding the chances of
someone stepping off the table in
reaching for a boom raised in the
other manner.

The port or starboard booms can
be lashed in pairs from the cross-
tree table, with 4 01 5 turns of
manila. A short strop around each
boom with a small turnbuckle be­
tween the strops will securely hold
the booms in place.

6. Have temporary wooden lad­
ders built for the bos'n and car­
penter shops up for'd. The wood­
en ladder to lead down into the
shops at an angle so that crew
members can more safely go up or
down. Temporarily secured the
ladders can be moved out of the
way when bulky gear is to be low­
ered into or taken out of the shops.

The present ladders are straight
up and down and UI'^SAFE.

{Continued from Page 2)
legislation which will provide to
seamen disabled in the war effort
disability benefits for the natural
lives of such seamen or during the
period of such disability, such
benefits to be in addition to any
and all benefits to wliich merchant
seamen arc at present entitled by
reason of existing legislation, and
the general maritime laws.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that
the Board instruct the Chairman
to call to the aiteiuiou of Con­
gress the desirability of the Feder­
al Government providing voca-
tioiaal rehabilitation and rehabilita­
tion services, including any service
necessary to make such disabled
seamen fit to engage in a remun­
erative occupation including phy­
sical restoration and physical and
occupational therapy, training, al-
Icfwances for support and main­

tenance during training, assistance
in-securing employment, and other-
appropriate services.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that
the Board recommend to the par­
ties signatory, including the Marir-
time' Commission and" the ^ar
Shipping Administration, the Uni­
ted States Maritime Training de­
vice and the appropriate Govern­
ment agencies, that all practicably
measures be .taken immediately^for
.the vocational training and em­
ployment in shore positions of the
shipping industry of injured sea­
men who, by reason of such in­
jury, are not qualified to return
to sea. V

MARITIME WAR
EMERGENCY BOARD

(Signed)
Edward Macauley, Chairman
John R. Steelman
Frank P. Graham

Seafarers' Log-

HONOR ROLL
CREW S.S. DELRIO
CREW OF S.S. DELSUD

PHILADELPHIA

S. FRIEDMAN

CREY OF S.S. JOSEPH HEWES
J. PARKER

CREW OF S.S. WALTER E. RANGER
CREW S.S. RICHARD BASSETT

CREW S. S. ROBIN GRAY

CREW S.S. ALCOA TRADER

TED NAROVAS

F. MILLER

T. NARVARAS

J. NAYLOR

J. BOREL

CREW OF S.S. CITY OF ST. LOUIS
CREW S.S. MONROE

ANTHONY GUZORSKI

T. J.. JOHNSON L,„ J
CREW S.S. CUBORE ,
ED. PETERSON . ...1;...........,
J. E. NAYLOR ...• 1;.;
HENRY
E.

RUNGE ...
LABADIE

E. E. FLETCHER ...
C. F. EVERHARDT

$125.00
40iK»
2SM
aojoo
15.00

14J)0
.. 12.62

1250
12.00
il.OQ
10.00
10.00
10.00
1050

1050
8.11
850
8.00
850
5.00

550
, 5.00

2.50
~ 2.00

250 H
150

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