Media
Issue Date
1939-06-23
Volume
1
Issue Number
12
Plaintext
arers
Seafarers' International Union of North America
Official Organ of the Atlantic, Gulf and Great Lakes Seamen
BROTHERHOOD
OF THE
SEA
VOL. I NEW YORK, N. Y., FRIDAY, JUNE 23,1939
' 446 NO. 12
TANKER STRIKE A FLOP!
SlU COMES GUT ON TOP
ll^mbers of SIU Gain Concessions
Return to Jobs in Body
"WEST COAST SAILOR" PRAISES
S
It seems to us to be a rather auspitjious time to point ovit
a few pertinent facts regarding the SIU .strike on the ESSCO
ships, and the NMU tanker strike.
First and foremost is the fact that when, we struck the
Eastern .sliips, they Avere 100 percent tied up, and not one of
tliem sailed during the entire strike. The NMU, on the other
hand, could not tie up the .struck tankers even close to 100
.^jercent, and those that they did succeed in tying up eventual
ly sailed anyhow. The ESSCO strike la.sted about nine days,
whereas, the tanker strike was of about two months dura
tion. Now;—although we made no monetary gains in our
strike, Ave neverthele.ss did get a few concessions in condi
tions. The NMU not only failed to gain a thing out of the
tanker strike, but actually came out the loser all the way
around. They don't even have an agreement anymore, and
the men who walked off the tankers are without jobs! On
the other hand the men who struck the Eastern ships went
back to their jobs in a body.
STRIKE WELL ORGANIZED
Tlefore the SIU tied up the ESSCO ships, it Avas bclicA'cd
that these .ships could not be tied up. PIoAvevcr, the SlU
clearly demonstrated that it could be. done, and regardless of
the fact that the member.s in the steward's department on
the.se vessels did not vote to strike, they nevertheless gave it
their eomplete support. Tlie strike in itself Avas AVCII organized,
and Avell conducted, and it Avas very educational to many of
those AA'ho had neA^er'beeti involved in a strike prcvioii.sly.
It also demonstrated that this organization has an abundance
of Tuilitant members Avithin its ranks.
Now,—^the fact remains that we still have a contract Avith
"the ESSCO ships, still have the jobs, and a closed shop. The
NMU, on the other hand, has no agreement, no jobs, and an
OPEN SHOP! Even if we did not succeed in winning our
demands for a raise in wages, we nevertheless gained some
thing. while the NMU lost everything!
WEST COAST PRAISES
To quote the "Wc..t Coast Sailors":—"What impressed
seamen was the disciplined manner in which the Seafarers'
'^struck these ships, which had not been struck in 30 years, and
the solidarity with which the m.en carried out their program.
They walked out in a body and they returned to work in a
body. Comparing this strike with that of the NMU against
^he oil company tankers, it is no wonder the East Coast was
impressed and knows there is a difference in unions."
Yes,the SIU shoAA^ed them that the Eastern ships can be
tied up, and they Avent to town after they tied them ixp!
They hit the picket line, and carried on the strike as it should
be carried on! That the rank and file negotiating committee
did not succeed in gaining all the points demanded cannot
be blamed upon them. They did their best, and exerted every
. effort,, but they Avere practically up against a stone Avail.
The company officials remained adamant in their refusal to
grant any wage increase in the face of the most violent de
mands of the committee. The boys did the best job they
could, and they deserve all credit for their efforts.
BACK ON JOBS
In any event, the ships ar > running again, and,—what is
more important,—THE MEN ARE BACK ON THE JOBS!
They didn't have to sit around and wait an indefinite period
of time to be reemployed, as the NMU tanker men are forced
to do!
As is usual, folloAving the signing of any ncAV agreement,
there are numerous discussions regarding interpretations, and
Ahe ESSCO agreement is no exception. HoAAmver, these dif
ferences will soon be ironed out, and things will be iunning
along smoothly again.. And don't forget that the agreement
• .expires in June next year, instead of in April! That, in itself,
; is. an important point.
COMPENSATION BILL
MUST BE DEFEATEO
— ^
Seamen's Compensation Bill
Passed to Comm. on Commerce
NMU MEMBERS TURN
TO SEAFARERS
Balfimore Reports
Sharp Increase
Baltimore, Md., June 20 —
Shipping continues moderately
good out of Baltimore with the
Dispatcher reporting 90 members
shipped, 73 registered and a total
registration of 194 at the end of
the past week. The end of the
tanker strike fizzle has produced
no great changes in the general
situation here except that the
number of NMU men wantin.ij to
turn over to the SIU has increased
sharply. Most of the.se men are
being turned down, however, be
cause of being unable to prove
tivy flnkiriff durinr,
the recent strike. NMU's efforts
to get their members back on the
Esso ships isn't getting anywhere;
the finky Esso Tanker Men's As
sociation made hay while the sun
shone and are pretty strongly en
trenched in that outfit now. With
the Esso ofilceis in a Company
union, the Avhole fleet is now Com
pany Union dominated, with the
Would Take Away Rights Already
Belonging to Seamen
BILL MUST BE DEFEATED
A Bill, knoAvn as 8.2477, Avas introduced in the Senate
on May 24, 19.39, was read tAvice, and referred to the Com
mittee on Commerce. The Bill, as it .stands, is one of the
most vicious ever introduced, and Avill absolutely take from
the seamen the right to sne for recovery for illness or injury.
It denies him the right to trial by jury, and actually takes
from him what he ali'eady possesses.
All seamen arc, at present, entitled to mainteuanee and
(!ure. and this bill wonld merely substitute AA'hat they term
fnmponRution, and limit the .eea
men to certain set amounts for in
juries.
Longshoreman's Act
The present Longshoremen's
and Harbor Workers Compensa
tion Act is an example of the l.im
I its which Avill be .placed upon the
j .seamen if ,S. 2477''"is allowed to be
I come law. For instance, regard
. I /A • hv.".
exception of the ARTACIO radio
operators Avho showed their true
colors by ignoring the NMUCIO
picket lines and sailed Avith scab
crews. A highlight of the pres
ent situation is to see one of the
scabherders riding past the NMU
Hall in a brand new car and hol
lering to the hundreds of NMU
men on the sidewalk, "Thanks for
the car, suckers."
SS Catlierine
On the annual visit to drydock
here of the SS Catherine from the
int'erisland run, the patrolmen did
their best to make her but were
met by a horde of Avatchmen and
wained off. Everything was done
to try and get the nonunion
crew but they wouldn't even come
dOAvn to the dock to take their
stores aboard while the patrolmen
Avere there. The wage scale on the
Catherine is ten dollars below the
union rate.
Departures
, The Branch regrets to report
the deaths of Brother Walter God
lewski who fell overboard and
was drowned while his vessel was
in port here, and Brother Tom
Hines who signed on for the long
cruise after a short illness in the
hispital. Both brothers were well
known and liked by their brother
members in this port and their
passing is felt with regret.
"Reinembei' the Maine!"
A hurry up call to a local exter-
minator company was made here
last week when the SS Maine,
floating junk heap of th» Robin
Line, broke aVray from her moor-
ings in a squall and crashed
into the dock. The populace
around Fort McHenry learned
later that when the old Maine
hit tlie dock, a regular army
of rats, cockroaches, bedbugs
and other vei-min swarmed over
{Continued on page 2)
ing compensation for disability,
the Longshoremen's Act reads as
follows;
"Compensation for disability
shall be paid to tlie employees
as follows:
"(a) rermanent total disabil
ity: In case of total disability
adjudged to be permuneat 66^3
per centum of the average Aveek
ly wages shall be paid to the em
ployee during the continuance
of such total disability. Loss of
both hands, or both arms, or
both feef, or both legs, or both
eyes, or any two thereof shall,
in the absence of conclusiAe
.proof to the contrary, constitute
permanent total disability. In
all other cases permanent' total
disability .shall be determined in
accordance with the facts.
"(b) Temporary total disabil
ity: In case of disability total in
character but temporary in qual
ity, per centum of the aA'
erage Aveekly wages shall be
paid to the employee during the
continuance thereof.
"(c) Permanent partial dis
ability: In case of disability
partial in character but perma
nent in quality, the compensa
tion shall be 662.^ per centum of
the average weekly wages,
which shall be in addition to
compensation for temporary to
tal disability paid in accordance
with subdivision (b) of this
section, and shall be paid to the
employee as folloAvs:
lost, two hundred
Aveeks' compensa
"(1) Arm
and eighty
tlon.
"(2) Leg lost, two hundred
and fortyeight weeks' compen
sation. "
"(3) Hand lost, tAvo hundred
and tAvelve weeks' compensation.
"(4) Foot lost, one hundred
and seventythree weeks' com
pensation.
"(6) Thumb lost', fiftyone
Aveeks' compensation.
"(7) First finger lost, twenty
eight weeks' compensation.
"(8) Great toe lost, twenty
si.x weeks' compensation.
"(9) .Second finger lost, eight
een weeks' compensation.
"(10) Third finger lost, seven
teen Aveeks' compensation.
"(11) Toe, other than great
toe lost, eight Aveeks' compensa
tion.
"(12) Fourth finger lost,
ECA^en Aveeks' comjiensation."
Compensation Limited
The foregoing is Avhat the long
shoremen are entitled to for in
jury, and it is certain that com
pensation for seamen Avill not ex
ceed these amounts, and will prob
ably be less. Furthermore, under
the Longshoremen's Acl (Section.
14 (m): "The total compensation
payable under this act for injury
or death shall in no event exceed
the sum of ?7,500." In other
words, regardless of how many de
pendents the injured or deceased
has, the total compensation can
not possibly exceed a measly
$7,500 which is a damned cheap
price to pay for a human life!
Wlio Is Beliind Bill?
Senator Overton now proposes
to pass similar legislation affect
ing the seamen, and to take away
from him something that he al
ready has! Just who asked this
gentleman from Louisiana, to
sponsor this ieglsiatlon^ Is some
what of a question; but one thing
Is certain,—and that Is that
NO MARITIME LABOR UNION
ASKED HIM TO DO IT! As a
consequence, we have no other
choice but to assume that the
shipowners and Insurance com
panies are behind the bill, as It
Is a well known fact that they
have strong lobby representation
In Washington.
Letter to Committee
In an effort to forestall tlie pass
age of this bill, a letter has been
written to the Senate Committee
{Continued on page 2)
• m
.'• • .'r m
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THE SEAFARERS^ LOG Friday, June 23,1939
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Published by the
Seafarers^ International Union
of North America
Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG, Acting President
11 Steuart Street, San Francisco, Calif.
Atlantic District
HEADQUARTERS
New York 2 Stone Street
BRANCHES
Boston 1 Rowes Wliarf
Providence 465 So. Main Street
Philadelphia 6 Nortk 6th Street
Baltimore 212 East Pratt Street
Norfolk 307 Eaet Main Street
San Juan, Puerto Rico 8 Covadonga Street
Gulf District
HEADQUARTERS
New Orleans 309 Chartres Street
BRANCHES
Savannah 218 East' Bay Street
Jackeonville 136 Bay Street
Miami 809 N. E. First Avenue
Tampa 206 Franklin Street
Mobile 55 So. Conception Street
Houston 1712 75th Street
Great Lakes District
HEADQUARTERS
Detroit 1038 Third Street
COMPENSATION
ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS
PUBLICATION TO:
"THE SEAFARERS' LOG"
P. O. Box 522, Cliurch St. Annex, New York, N. Y.
ATTENTION: MEMBERS
OF THE S.I.U. OF N.A,
A RESOLUTION
WHEREAS: A certain group of individuals, commonly
known as the "Old ISU phonies", headed by Grange, Gus
Brown, Reynolds, Angle and other.s, are at the present time
making strong efforts to start an independent move, under
the banner of the Tnternatioiial Seamen's Union, and
. AVIffiREAS: All of these persons are known to be labor
fakers of the first water, and have been discredited in the
eyes of all seamen, through their past actions, and
AVHERBAS: These individuals are at the present time
making attempts to get members of the Seafarers' Interna
tional Union to sign pledge cards designating the Interna
tional Seamen's Union as their representatives for the pur
pose of collective bai'gaining, and
WHEREAS: The said International Seamen's Union is
officially on record as favoring, shipping seamen through the
Maritime Commission's Fink Hails, to which we arc unalter
ably opposed, and
WHEREAS: The above mentioned,persons are circulat
ing vicious.propaganda detrimental to the Seafarers' Inter
national Union, and have openly condemned it's policies and
principles; so therefore be it
Resolved: That the member.ship here assembled in regu
lar joint; meeting go on record as condemning this group
heading the socalled International Seamen's Union as being
a dual organization hostile to the Seafarers' International
Union, and be it further
RESOLVED: That any member of the Seafarers' Inter
national Union who signs a pledge card designating the In
ternational Seamen's Union to represent him for the purpose
of collective bargaining, or any member who aids and abets
• y these efforts on the part of these phonies be automatically
suspended from the Seafarers' International Union, upon
the presentation of .sufficient evidence, and be it finally
RESOLVED: That all other branches of the Seafarers'
International Union be instructed to take action on this Reso
lution, and that it be given the widest possible publicity.
:Signed: Anthony Arenella, No. 3284; Isadore Cohen, No.
194; Morris Chertov, No. 2184; John Gahling, No. 1195; Ray
mond, A, Sohults, No. 4584.
Tine. 4>.ove E.esolution was introduced at tke regular j'oint
meeting at New York Headquarters, on June 12, and was
jUNAN;.MpMLY CQNOUBRED IN.
{Continued from page 1)
on Commerce, protegting against
it. The letter reads as follows:
June 13, 1939.
"Committee on Commerce,
United .States Senate,
Wa.shington, D. C.
"Gentlemen:
"Tlie member.g of tlie Seafarers'
International Union of North
America, Atlantic District, wish to
enter a .strong protest against the
passage of S. 2477, introduced by
Mr. Overton, and referred to your
Committer. We urge tliat this bill
be killed in Committe, as there is
nothing in it of benefit to seamen.
"As a matter of fact, this Bill
will actually take away from tire
seamen something they already
iiave. It will deny them the right
to institute legal proceedings for
recovei y because of accident or in
jury, and instead of their cases be
ing considered by an impartial
jury, they will be entirely at' the
discretion of a single referee.
"Seamen are already entitled to
maintenance and cure, and also
have the right to sue for recovery
because of loss of employment
tlirough sickness and injury. What
then has this bill to offer them?
"Just who is behind this bill?
It is certain that the maritime
unions are not fostering it. It is
also a well known fact that the
shipowners and the insurance
companies have very strong lobby
representation. As a consequence,
this seems to us as a move on the
part of the shipowners to deprive
the seamen of their Just, and
legal riahtS:
"We wish to go on record as de
manding a public hearing on thie
bill, and request that yovi advise
us as to the date of the hearing,
so that we may have a represen
tative of our organization present
to protest against the passage of
the bill."
The letter was signed by Mat
thew Dushane, Chairman of the
Atlantic District Emergency
Board.
Letters have also been written
to William Green, President of the
A.F. of L., and to Joseph A. Pad
way, General Counsel of the A.F.
of L., urging that they do all in
their power to bring about the de
feat ofthis vicious measure.
The bill is printed in its entire
ty elsewhere in these pages.
Baltimore Highlights
{Continued from page 1)
the side and made for the dry
dock gate. However, tlie situa
tion is well in hand again as once
it was noted that the only dam
age (lone was tliat to tlie inoffen
sive (lock; the insect mullitudo
flocked back to their longtime
iionie aboard lier. If you sliould
see one of the boys .scratching
himself and shouting, "Remember
tlie Maine," don't take it for
granted tliat he is an American
Spanisli War veteran; he's prob
ably just come off a Robin Line
zoo.
Port Council Working
With every ship coming into
this port closely guarded by
watchmen, new organizing is get
ting to be a tough proposition
here for both SIU and NMU. How
ever, with the Port Council work
ing with the new Watchmen's or
ganization, the situation will be
rectified shortly, that is, as far as
the SIU is concerned. Despite the
refusal of Jim Kelly local ILA
agent to come into the Coun
cil, the organization is working
smoolhly and with the teamsters
backing it up 100 percent, the ILA
holdout is hardly noticed.
wlilch must go down on the rec
ords as the phoniest. fizzle that
was ever pulled on tlie waterfront.
Anyliow, even if the NMU have
lost tlie tankers, tliey still have
their old friends at tlie ^Maritime
Commission, and maybe after
learning liow to fink during the
tanker strike, they will get a lit
tle more used to hanging around
the Government "fink" lialls!
The Catlierine has just' come
port from her semiannual dry
docking, and we find her non
union from top to bottom. The
Company is barring all patrolmen
from her vicinity, but we'll get
her before she sails. Steady as she
goes, boys.
Fraternally,
John Lui
Baltimore, Md., June 13 — All
goes well with the SUP in this
port, with shipping fairly good.
We note that the NMU are voting
to go back to the tanker.s without
an agictmcni; cr anything clno
However, it is extremely doubtful
if they will be able to get back, as
we hear that the .ESSO Tanker
men's Association, a phoney inde
pendent setup to take care of the
finks who scabbed during the
strike, is going great guns, and It
looks like the last ships the NMU
had are gone forever. Abe Lin
coln said that "You can't fool all
of the people all of the time," but
if Abe were alive today be would
have to change his mind about
that when he thought about the
membership of the NMU.
We wonder how long it will
take the NMU membership to real
ize that they are being played for
the biggest suckers that ever ex
isted, by their officials. Especial
ly after this tanker strike fizzle.
DONATIONS TO TOE STRIKE FUND
J. Hall
R. Fetters
L. Garman
L. Burke
W. Behrhorst
S. A. Betony
Steward
M. Nartin
J. Saniardjie
"W. Williams ...
Carlseu
W. Nye
W. Barrett
I. N. ]\reGIencIou
Wm. McVey ...
K. Tiedeman
Schoenburg ....
McCann
M. Ramos
J.^Ieudricksen 1.00
J. Avery 50
J. Powers .50
G. G. Price 50
De Paz .6b
T. Harkins ' .50
J. McKenzie l.OO
Jobn Soones 3.00
F. Velez .50
B. Lagon 1.00
lil.OQ
1.00
1.00
50
1.00
1.00
.50
.50
1.00
1.00
1.00
5.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
2.00
Notice:
Ships' Delegates: Demand
that all replacements produce
a properly filled out assign
ment card from the Dispatcher
at the Union hail.
I
Baltimore, Md., June 12—Ship
ping is fair out of this port', with
14 A.B.'s and 4 O.S.'s shipped dur
ing the week. Twelve SUP men
registered, and we have one bro
tlier in the marine hospital. The
SS Peter Kerr arrived here d'rom
Philadelphia and has gone to the
Maryland Drydock for cleaning
up. The company, who was fail
ing to replace the men who quit
in drydock, was straightened out,
and now a replacement is made
as soon as a man quits.
We note tliat Paddy Whalen,
NMU Agent in this port', has
bought a nice little speed boat
with the excuse that he needs it
to picket tankers that can't be
reached from the shore. Paddy
has, as usual, forgotten to get per
mi.sslon from his membership to
buy such a boat, and register it
under his name. It's about time
the NMU boys were opening their
eyes on their officials, or there
won't be a cent left in the treas
ury.
Like in other port's, the NMU
is trying to blame their dumbness
and phoney sellout in the tanker
strike, one someone else. They've
tried to pass the buck to the SIU
and the IWW, but the NMU mem
bership couldn't swallow it, so
now Whalen, in his daily buck
passing sheet, is trying to bring
the SUP into it.
A recent issue claimed that four
SUP members had been seen
drinking with "Tanker Pete"
(ESSO scabherder) at the Chesa
peake Cafe in Fairfield. The own
er of the Cafe said it was a
damned lie. SUP men did come
into his cafe for a drink occasion
ally, but when they did, it' was
for a drink, and not to talk to
scabherders. Paddy forgets that
the SUP membership, never hav
ing done business or come in con
tact with scabherders, wouldn't
know "Tanker Pete" if he shout
ed who he was! The NMU offi
cials know him pretty well, and,
of course they figure everyone
else knows him; and the reason
Whalen knows him is that it is
Whalen's men who are shipping
through Pete on the supposedto
bestrucktankers.
Suppose, Paddy, you get up at
your next meeting and tell your
members you've never taken a
drink with "Tanker Pete," and
then watch what happens!
All goes well, boys; steady as
she goes.
John Lui
f o
a''. '
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Friday, June 23, 1939 THE SEAFARERS' LOG 3
HERE and THERE in the G1 [JT.F
NEWS from NEW ORLEANS
CURRAN PROVES HIMSELF
THE ENVY O^L RUNNERS!;
Rank and File Give Joe the Well
Known "Get Out of Town"
PANTSPRESSERS NOT WANTED
Now Orleans, La., June 20—Joe
Currau lias been checked in at the
New Orleans Hotel here since Sat
urday morning. Five carloads of
commy beef from New York, and
all the commies chased out of
Texas are here. Curran held cau
cus with his stooges all day Sun
day. Monday at noon, he mustered
the courage to walk into the NMU
hall, attended by an armed beef
squad.
C. H. Applewhite, Gulf District
Chairman pro tern, informed him
that a joint meeting was sched
uled for 7:00 P.M., and demanded
that Curran attend, and clarify
the policies of the Atlantic Dis
trict pantspressers.
Cui'i'an Gels Away
Some of the stooges got snotty
• with the gang, and were dumped.
Curran, however, was too fast. An
aroused rank and nier chased him
across the park into the arms of
the law, who are proficient at pro
tecting rats.
The NMU meeting lasted from
7:00 P.M. until 9:30, and Curran
& Co. w^cre conspicuous by their
absence. After the meeting, C. H.
Applewhite issued a statement to
the press charging that Curran
had been instructed by the Gulf
District Committee to attend the
meeting to clarify statement's
made by him in the Pilot—that
the Gulf was shipownercontrolled.
The Commies had A. Thomas
picked up by the Immigration offi
cials, to get him out of their way.
They have sworn out warrants for
over 50 men for alleged assault
and wounding. Their policy seems
to be to attempt to have all the
militants locked up. Then they
hope to be able to take control.
Storie.s False
The assistant editor of the Pilot
stated in last week's issue of the
Pilot that Thomas, Applewhite,
and O'Donahue were taking orders
from "Red" Dean. That is not
true. Although they are good
friends of mine, they were still
elected by the NMU. So far as I
know, they take i rs only from
their own constituents.
It was also charged that the
.$1.00 per day NMU beef squad was
taking orders from me.
These men are my friends, re
gardless of their present union
affiliation. They have been, and
will remain my friends even
though the Communist party ob
jects. They are tired of being dic
tated to, and that is something
you are a little late in finding
out, comrade Fitzgerald.
,'Red" Dean
New Orleans, La., June 20—The
Great (?) Joe Curransky arrived
in New Orleans on Saturday, June
17, and checked in at the New Or
leans Hotel with his Commy goon
squad.
He went to the NMU Hall
around 12 o'clock noon, Monday,
accompanied by his own beef
squad, and from what I actually
saw with my own eyes, I believe
Joe to be the greatest onemile
racer ever to hit New Orleans. He
really should enter the next Olym
pic Games. Cunningliam, Wooder
Bon, 'Venzke, and tlie others had
better look to tlieir laurels, be
cause I'm sure tiiat Joe could beat
tliem—providing, of course, the
aroused rank and file was chasing
him!
A few of the boys were circulat
ing around the corners last night,
but the great onemile runner
failed to leave his den at the New
Orleans Hotel.
The NMU membership in the
Port of New Orleans is known to
be on record to keep all the pants
pressers out of their meetings, and
it is open season on commies
throughout the Gulf.
I believe that the Great: (?) Joe
knows that he can't do anything
down here, except spend some
Standard Oil money. He will
probably leave in a, day or so, or
else the rank and file of the NMU
will see that he leaves. They are
tired of putting up with his crap
any longer!
Finn Schefstad
New Orleans, La., June 20—For
the next Olympic meeting, the
NMU has a good entry in the
track meet, with Joe Curran as
their man—even if Glenn Cun
ningham, Jesse Owens, and Gene
Venzke are the opposition. "No
CoffeeTimeJoe" can pass them
all, if he shows the speed he
showed when his own membership
was behind him from in front of
the NMU hall,
Joe must know that he is not
very well liked in the Port of New
Orleans, because the NoMore
Union had their regular business
meeting last night, and the Na
tional President did not attend.
He had a conference in the N.O.
Hotel with Bob Meers, who was
dumped here last week for being
a Commy. So I guess Moscow
business comes before Union busi
ness!
Baldy Bollinger, SlU No. 300
New Orleans, La., June 20—The
NMU. membership is fed up with
factional fights. They organized
to fight the boss. Now they find
that, cliques are more interested in
fighting for control of a dues col
lecting agency than they are of or
ganizing opposition to the ship
owners..
Everyone in the NMU who
bucks Curran and his stooges is
called a Lundeberg Dean. ship
owner stooge!
Everyone who bucks King & Co.
is labeled a Communist.
Isn't it possible for the rank and
file to have an honest opinion
which might not conform with
either faction?
In the SIU we have job control
and good shipping. The members
are getting a fair wage and con
ditions. If their opinions differ
from those of the officials, they
are brought up at the meetings.
There is free democratic expres
sion and discussion,.and the ques
tion is voted on. The majority
rules. There is no dumping of
members, as in the NMU today.
From the many NMU men I
MIAMI HAPPENINGS in MOBILE
Crew Brings
FOR ASSE^MENT
Members Want to Be
Assured of Agreement
Miami, Fia., June 20—Tlie boys
in the P & 0 Line have taken a
five doilar strike assessment for
the purpose of backing up their
demands for an agreement. The
temporary agreement which was
signed was a clarification of the
phoney agreement which was in
effect until such time a.s an elec
tion was held.
.SIU Wins Vote
Election was held, and the SIU
received 246 votes out of 251. We
are now certified as the bargain
ing agent for the unlicensed per
sonnel on the P&O ships. Every
thing we have on these ships was
obtained through job action. We
only want the company to sign an
agreement, which is nothing more
than the gains we have already
gotten, and intend to keep. Also,
we would like a little raise, but
the raise will probably be difficult
to get, owing to the fact that the
SS Munargo and the ClydeMal
lory lines, which are now NMU,
have a very poor agreement. This
makes it hard, as the company
claims that they cannot compete
with other lines who do not have
agreements which give the men
what they should be getting.
Beach Cleaned
The SS Estrada Palmer broke
her tail shaft, forcing her into
drydock, and the SS Joseph R.
Parrott took a full crew, cleaning
out the beach once again. We no
tice that men who get off Bull
Line ships here immediately go to
Fort Pierce, a port about one hun
dred miles north of Miami. It is
our suggestion that members get
ting off a ship in any port where
there is not a Union Hall, should
be suspended for' an indefinite
period. And any man who packs
a SIU book should go to a porf:
where there is a Hall, and not to
a port where there is*no Hall.
We are negotiating with the
P&O Company, and everything is
favorable for us to get everything
we want.
John Gunnison, Gulf No. 4
NOTICE
• For the benefit of those mem
bers who are planning on go
ing to the Great Lakes this
year, we print herewith a list
of the addresses of SIU Offices
in that district:
Detroit 1038 Third St.
(Headquarters)
Buffalo 10 Exchange St.
Cleveland 1426 Third Sf.
Milwaukee ..730 S. Second St.
Chicago 810^ N. Clark St.
You are advised to contact
any of these branches for all
information relative to ship
ping, etc.
have talked to, I learn that they
want one union. The majority
seem to think that the NMU can
not cut the mustard. That leaves
the SIU as their only hope.
The problem is how to transfer
while the agreements are signed
in the name of the NMU, Answer
this question, and the Gulf will
have one big union—the Seafar
ers' International Union!
Earl Ward
Tanker to Mobile
Mobile, Ala., June 12—On the
SIh of June 1939, the crew of the
SS Cornelia, a Porto Rico line
.ship, had a little trouble, and the
crew of the vessel made up their
minds that they would not sail
file ship with the steward.
There were plenty of reasons:
First, he wasn't putting out the
way the crew thought he should.
His job went to his head, ap
parently, as he continually rode
all the men under him.
They held the ship up for
around tliirty hours, and the crew
said that they would not sail un
til they had a new steward. In
came one of the boys (Rath
bourne^ I was told), and he told
them to sail the ship, or else—so
to keep in good standing, sail they
did.
Democracy, CIO Style
The SS Halsey, a Mallory tank
er, supposed to be hot, came
into this port for drydock work.
It is one of the biggest jobs that
has come in in some time. Granted
that the shipyard workers need
the work—but rernembor that thc
whole setup of the CIO is built
upon the industrial plan, after
the Maritime Federation when it.
was in its heyday.
• What happened; the finks
brought the ships to the bar, the
CIO Shipyard workers then took
her into drydock, and now they
are working the ship. The mili'
tanf NMU men who got off this
ship and went on the picket line,
are once again left holding the
sack.
THEY ARE TOLD TO WAIT
UNTIL SHE IS READY TO GO
OUT. WAIT, BROTHERS, AND
YOU WILL SEE THAT THE
COMPANY WHO OWNS THIS
SCOW WILL HAVE A CREW OF
FINKS EAGER TO TAKE THE
SHIP OUT OF THIS PORT!
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
FINKS WHO BROUGHT THE
SHIP TO THE BAR?
ARE THEY STANDING BY
WAITING ON THIS O.NE, OR
DID THE COMPANY TAKE
THEM TO WHERE A CREW
WAS NEEDED FOR ANOTHER
SHIP?
"When the Maritime Federation
of the Pacific was functioning, be
fore the commies got hoid of it,
an injury to one was an injury t'o
all—in fact, not in fancy. Remem
ber the POINT CLEAR beef? Ask
about the backing the "WELDERS
got in Oakland; ask about the
MACHINISTS beef in the Union
Iron Works. In fact, look up the
history of the MFPC prior to '37,
when the commies took control of
the Federation, and what the Fed
eration has degenerated into.
THEN STUDY THE NMU,
AND KNOW WHERE THEY
ARE HEADED!
It is a reflection on the mem
bers fhemselves, that they allow
such a thing to take place.
The crew of the SS Cranford, a
Lykes rust pot, refused to take
"hot" oil, and refused to a,bide by
the telegram from the "wrecking
committee," and sailed the ship
without "hot" oil.
CONGRATULATIONS BOYS,
BUT WATCH OUT FOR THE
AXE!
THE COMMITTEE MAY CAR.
RY ON WITH THE PURGE!
NOTICE!
All SIU members who are
confined In Marine Hospitals
arc hereby advised io imme
diately notify their SIU Agent
in the port nearest to where
they are hospitalized, in order
that they may receive regular
weekly benefits.
This does not apply to mem
bers who are already receiving
benefits.
Express AppreciatiDn
The members of the Seafarers'
International Union who did
picket duty in the port of Norfolk
during the recent strike against
the Eastern Steamship Co., wish
to thank everyone for their splen
did support, cooperation and gen
erosity. Through the aid given ue
by many of the business people in
Norfolk we were able to carry on
our strike at a minimum of ex
pense, and their kind assistance
had a very gratifying effect on the
morale of all the men on strike in
that port.
We wish, also, fo thank the
members of the steward's depart
ment for their cooperation in do
ing voluntary picket duty, and
helping us maintain a united
front. Due to a misunderstanding
on the part' of the Strike Commit
tee in Noifolk, many members of
the steward's department were
penalized for missing picket
watches, etc., as we did not under
stand that any picket duty on the
part of the members of the stew
ard's department could be only
NOTICE
New York, N. Y.
June 21, 1939.
TO ALL ATLANTIC AND
GULF DISTRICT AGENTS:
Re: Robert Bowles, Gulf No.
ITS—Stewards.
You are hereby advised not
to register or effect the ship-
ment of the above-named mem-
ber until he has returned to
New York Headquarters and
stood trial.
This brother is charged with
attacking a brother member on
the SS Scatrain Havana, and
of hitting him from behind
with a piece of pipe, or sotne
other blunt weapon. He has,
in fact, already admitted that
he did So.
Upon arrival of the Scatrain
Havana in Hoboken yesterday
(June 20), Bowles teas advised
by the patrolman that he would
have to come off the ship, as
charges were being preferred
against him. Bowles has not
yet put in an appearance at
this Hall, and it is believed
that he left town.
Fraternally,
Matthew Dushane. Chairman,
Atlantic District
Emergency Board
voluntary. For this oversight on
our part we wish to offer our
apologies, and a plea to the men
unjustly penalized to kindly over
look our error. It was not done
purposely, nor with any malice
aforethought, and we are as sorry
as anyone else that it did happen^
Norfolk Strike Committer
By—O. C. Bourne j
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THE SEAFARERS' LOG Friday, June 23,1939
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ISU PHONIES WANT TO
REPRESENT EAST COAST
Grange, Brown and Reynolds Trying
To Hoodwink East Coast Seamen
CALL FOR NLRB VOTE PHONEY
"\Vc have been iiifornied that tlie rampant, I'ancous,
"Rajali of Ronkonkoma", Dave Grange, has been passing the
word around tliat he likes to have us write about him, as it
gives him plenty of publicity. Mebbe so, mebbe so, but it's
a tdnch that the sort of publicity we give him isn't going to
do him a bit of good I We can't truthfully say that we enjoy
writing about Grange, as we can think of much more pleasant
subjects about which to journalize, as we so laugliingly J'efer
to it.
In any event, the erstwhile dictator of the old IMarine
Cooks & Steward's Union is still very much in evidence
aroiTnd the We.st Side waterfront,—although for some reason
, unknown to us, he made himself exceedingly scare one day
last Aveek.
OTHERS AID GRANGE
While Ave are forceil to admit that the Rajah ])lays a
rather cunning game, Ave are neA'ertheless a fcAv jumps ahead
of hym. For instance, AVO knoAv exactly Avhom his chief stooges
are, and are not alloAving them to escape our. notice. One
false move from them, and it's going to be ju.st too bad!
Grange is, of course, aided and abetted by others of his
ilk, but Avith all the conniving they have done,, their ])rogre.ss
is practically nil! It is rumored that the alleged brains be
hind the phoney ISU move are contained in the sconce of a
certain character known as Reynolds. As AA^e don't have the
misfoi'tune to be personally acquainted Avith this bloke, Ave
can only take the. Avord of others as to his general reputation.
We have heard him referred to as a "bellyrobber," a "com
pany stooge", and various other terms of opprobrium. Ac
cording to all the information Ave can garner about Reynolds,
he is hardly the type any sane seaman Avould Avant to repre
sent him.
PHONEY PROPAGANDA
The Rajah has also gone to great, pains to drag out the
old bugaboo of race discrimination, and has told all of those
AA'ho Avill listen to him that it is the policy of the SIU official
dom to drlA'e the members of his race oft' the ships, and re
place them Avith Avhite men. In the first place, such an asser
tion is absurd if only because of the fact that Ave don't have
the membership Avith Avhich to replace them, even if such a
move Avcrc contemplated—AAffiich it very definitely is NOT!
Every man in this organization is entitled to a job, regard
legs of race, color, or creed, and there can be no question of
discrimination in an organization as democratic as is ours.
Grange, so Ave are told, has also made the assertion that all
the colored men Avcrc driven oft" the West Coast ships by the
Union. This is another deliberate misstatement of fact, as
the SUP has never, at any time, had more than a very fcAV
colored members in it.
HCW MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN!
XoAv, there Avould he no use, at this particular time, to
drag Grange's record out of the past, a.s it is only too AA'ell
knoAvn to all seamen along this coast, and Avould only con
taminate the atmosphere anyhoAA^ But, at this particular
time, Ave Avould like to knoAv what happened to those special
made cigars that he used to smoke (At the expense of the
member.ship!) We note him noAvadays dejectedly puffing on
a Avorn briar pipe, and, no doubt, living oA^er the glories of
his past Avhen he AA^TS practically monarch of all he .surveyed.
We Avouldn't say that he has descended exactly to the level
of a panhandler, but Ave do knoAV that he has touched up
quite a fcAV of the boys for needed funds.
RAJAH DOES ABOUT FACE
In years gone by, the Rajah wa.s Avont to declaim that the
SteAA'ard;, absolutely could not get along Avithout the aid of
the Sailois and the Firemen, but today, he has performed a
complete about face, as is .shrieking to all Avho Avill listen
to him that the stewards should have their own independent
union. What caused this sudden change of ideas? The
ansAver is simple. Grange knoAvs full Avell that the great
majority of the membership of the SIU Avill never alloAv him
to be. a member of this organization, so he figures that by
starting an independent SteAvard's Department union he can
once again be kingpin, HoAvever,—let him take fair warn
ing,—and not count his chickens before they are hatched!
As a matter of record and fact, the great majority of the
colored stewards do not want Grange either!
GUS BROWN STOOGES
, Another of Grange's playmates is none other than Gus
JlroAvn of the old Eastern & Gulf Sailors' As.sni There may
S 2477
A Bill to amend tlie Mercliant
Marine Act, 1936, as amended, to
provide compensation for disabil
ity or death resulting from injury
to employees in certain maritime
employments, and for other pur
poses.
lie it enacted hi/ the Senate and
House of Rept esentatives of the
United, iitates of America in Con
press assembled, Tliat the Mer
chant Marine Act, 1936, approved
June 29, 1936, as amended, is
amended by adding at the end
thereof the following new title.;
"TITLE XII
"M.MUTIMK WORKKR.S'
COMVK.V.SATION
"SKC. 1201. (a) Paragraphs (3)
and (4) of section .2 of the I>ong
shoremen's and Harbor Workei's'
Compensation Act, as ' amended,
are amended to read as follows:
"'(3) The term "employee" does
not include a master or member
of the crew of any vessel under
eighteen tons net, nor any person
engaged by the master to load or
unload or repair any small vessel
under eighteen tons net.
"• (4) The term "employer"
means an employer any of whose
employees are employed in mari
time employment', in whole or in
part, upon the navigable Avaters of
the United States (including any
drydock), or on the higli seas on
board a vessel sujbect to the juris
diction of the United States.'
"(b) Section 2 of such Act, as
amended, ii further amended by
adding at the end thereof the fol
lowing new paragraph:
" '(20) The term "vessel" means
anj' ship, boat, craft, or othor
floating structure capable of navi
gation.' ,
"(c) Section 3 of the Long
shoremen's and Harbor Workers'
Compensation Act, as amended, is
amended to read as follows:
'"SIX;. 3. (a) Compensation
shall be payable under this Act in
respect of disability or death of
an employee, but only if the dis
ability or death results from an
injury occurring upon the naviga
ble waters of the United States
(including any drydock), or oc
curring while such employee was
employed on or in connection with
a vessel subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States, and if recoA
ery of the disability or death
through workmen's "compensation
proceedings may not validly be
provided by State, law. No corn
pen.sation shall be payable in re
spect of the disability or death
of
'"(1) a master or member of
a' crew of any vessel under eigh
teen tons net, nor any person
engaged by the master to load
or unload or l epair any small
vessel under eighteen tons net;
"'(2) a master or member of
tlie crew of any A'essel of eigh
teen tons net or over unless he
is employed on (A) a ve.ssel
subject to the jurisdiction of the
United States, or (B) any other
vessel under a contract of em
ployment enterei" into Avithln
the United States while he is a
bona fide resident of the United
States: or
• "(3)an ollicor or employee of
the United States oi any agency
thereof or of any State or for
eign government, or of any po
litical subdivision thereof.
"'(b) No compen.sation shall
be payable if the injury AAUS oc
casioned solely by the intoxica
tion of the employee or by the
willful intention of the em
liloyee to injure or kill himselt
or another.
" '(c) For the purposes of this
section, a vessel shall be deemed
to be subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States if it is—
"'(1) documented or num
bered under the laws thereof;
"'(2) permanently located
within the territorial waters
thereof;
"'(3) engaged in the domes
tic commerce thereof in the in
ternal coastwise or intercoastal
trade; or
"'(4)engaged in the foreign
commerce thereof under tlie
OAvnership, management, opera
tion, or control of a citizen
thcreo.f or of a corporation or
ganized therein.'
"SKC. 1202. Section 5 of the
Longshoremen's and Harbor
Workers' Compensation Act, as
amended, is am.enrled to read as
follows:
" 'SEC. 5. The liability of an em
ployer prescribed in section 4
shall he exclusive and in place of
all other liability of such employer
to the employee, his legal repre
sentative, husband or wife, par
ents, dependents, next of kin, and
anyone otherwise entitled to re
cover damages from such em
ployer at law or in admiralty on
account of such injury or death,
except that—
"'(1) if an employer fails to
secure payment of compensation
as required by this Act, an in
jured employee, or his legal rep
resentative in case death results
from the injury, may elect to
claim compensation under this
Act, or to maintain an action at
laAV or in admiralty for damages
have been a time many, many j'ears atro Avhen Gns BroAvn Ava.s
a good union man,—but tliem day.s is gone forever I He even
Avent to the trouble of riding the Eastern ships betAveen here
and Bo.ston to try to get SIU members to sign pledge cards
for his phoney ISU. "We are certain that he didn't meet Avith
any success, and Ave do knoAV that the deck gang on the
Bo.ston politely told him to get the hell out of the foc'sle!
PHONIES THROUGH
Can't these old line phonies get it through their heads
that the seamen are definitely through Avith them? They re
pudiated them long ago, and they Avill never again be in the
mood to accept them. They sold the seamen out before, and
it ia a foregone conclusion that they Avill do it. again if they
ever get a chance.
IF THE OLD ISU PHONIES ENTERTAIN THE IDEA
THAT THEY ARE GOING TO START ANY SUCCESSFUL
INDEPENDENT UNION MOVE ON THIS COAST, THEY'D
BETTER THINK AGAIN, AND THEN PULL IN THEIR
NECKS!
Grange has made the assertion that if, and Avhen he gets
a sufficient number of pledge cards signed by men on the
ESSCO .ships, he Avill call for a NLRB vote. So Avhat? THE
SIU WILL OPPOSE ANY ATTEMPT. TO CALL A VOTE
ON THESE SHIPS, ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEIR
CONTRACT WITH THE EASTERN STEAMSHIP COM
PANY SUPERCEDES ANY NLRB RULING OR DECISION!
THE SUP DID THE SAME THING IN THE SHEPARD
UNE BEEF,—AND THEY STILL MAN THOSE SHIPS.
THE SIU WILL FOLLOW OUT THE VERY SAME PRO
CEDURE IF SUCH AN EMERGENCY ARISES!
on account of such injury or
death. In such action the de
fendant may not plead as a de
fense that the injury was caused
by the negligence of a fellow
servant.', nor that the employee
assumed the risk of his employ
ment, nor that the injury was
due to the contributory negli
gence of the employee;
"'(2) nothing in this Act
shall be ddemed to abrogate or
otherwise affect the riglits un
der the maritime law of the
master or any member of the
crow of any vessel with respect
to maintenance and cure, but
the reasonable value of any
maintenance iirovided, or caused
to be provided, to an injured
employee by an employer,
whether or not provided on
shipboard, shall, for tlie purpose
of computing the Gompensatinn
payable to sucli master or mem
ber of the crew during the time
maintenance is so provided, be
deducted from the amount de
termined to be the amount of
the weekly wages of such mas
ter or member of the crew.'
"SKC;. 1203. Subsection (b) of
the Longshoremen's and Harbor
Workers' Compensation Act, as
amended, is amended to read as
follows:
"'(b) The Commission shall es
tablish compensation districts, to
include the areas within the
United States to which this Act
applies, and shall assign to each
such district one or more deputy
commissioners, as the Commission
deems advisable. In the case of
injury or death of any employee
occurring outside the territorial
limits of the United States, the
deputy commissioner in any com
nensat.ion district .in ;vhich the
employer is subject to the service
of process shall liave jurisdiction
in respect of .sucli injury or death.
Judicial proceedings under sec
tions 18 and 21 of this Act in re
spect of any any injury or death
occurring out'side of the territorial
jurisdiction of'fne United States
shall be instituted in the district
court within whose territorial
jurisdiction is located the office of
the deputy commibsioner having
juri.sdiction in re.spect of such in
jury or death (or in the District
Court of the United States for the
District; of Columbia if such office
is located in such District).'"
SKC. 2, This Act .shall become
effective sixty days after the date'
of its enactment.
THANKS!
Philadelphia, Pa.
• SS Pan Royal
May 31, 1939.
Seafarers' International
Union •
2 Stone St.
New York City
Dear Brothers:
I have been requested by the
crew of tlie SS Pan Royal to ex
tend their appreciation for your
cooperation and results at Hobo
ken, New .lersey. In the future,
we will endeavor to have all pa
trolmen act as you did. We real
ize your heavy burden in the Port
of New York at the present time,
and wish you complete success.
Yours truly,
S.S. Pan Royal
By Deck Delegate A. Keen,
Book No. 12
NOTICE
S.I.U. Book (Gulf Nc 74) and
papers of Charles E. Rhodes
were found In Tampa, Fla.
This book and papers are
being held by Gulf District
Headquarters in New Orleans
and will be forwarded to any
S.I.U. agency upon request
from the owner.
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Seafarers' International Union of North America
Official Organ of the Atlantic, Gulf and Great Lakes Seamen
BROTHERHOOD
OF THE
SEA
VOL. I NEW YORK, N. Y., FRIDAY, JUNE 23,1939
' 446 NO. 12
TANKER STRIKE A FLOP!
SlU COMES GUT ON TOP
ll^mbers of SIU Gain Concessions
Return to Jobs in Body
"WEST COAST SAILOR" PRAISES
S
It seems to us to be a rather auspitjious time to point ovit
a few pertinent facts regarding the SIU .strike on the ESSCO
ships, and the NMU tanker strike.
First and foremost is the fact that when, we struck the
Eastern .sliips, they Avere 100 percent tied up, and not one of
tliem sailed during the entire strike. The NMU, on the other
hand, could not tie up the .struck tankers even close to 100
.^jercent, and those that they did succeed in tying up eventual
ly sailed anyhow. The ESSCO strike la.sted about nine days,
whereas, the tanker strike was of about two months dura
tion. Now;—although we made no monetary gains in our
strike, Ave neverthele.ss did get a few concessions in condi
tions. The NMU not only failed to gain a thing out of the
tanker strike, but actually came out the loser all the way
around. They don't even have an agreement anymore, and
the men who walked off the tankers are without jobs! On
the other hand the men who struck the Eastern ships went
back to their jobs in a body.
STRIKE WELL ORGANIZED
Tlefore the SIU tied up the ESSCO ships, it Avas bclicA'cd
that these .ships could not be tied up. PIoAvevcr, the SlU
clearly demonstrated that it could be. done, and regardless of
the fact that the member.s in the steward's department on
the.se vessels did not vote to strike, they nevertheless gave it
their eomplete support. Tlie strike in itself Avas AVCII organized,
and Avell conducted, and it Avas very educational to many of
those AA'ho had neA^er'beeti involved in a strike prcvioii.sly.
It also demonstrated that this organization has an abundance
of Tuilitant members Avithin its ranks.
Now,—^the fact remains that we still have a contract Avith
"the ESSCO ships, still have the jobs, and a closed shop. The
NMU, on the other hand, has no agreement, no jobs, and an
OPEN SHOP! Even if we did not succeed in winning our
demands for a raise in wages, we nevertheless gained some
thing. while the NMU lost everything!
WEST COAST PRAISES
To quote the "Wc..t Coast Sailors":—"What impressed
seamen was the disciplined manner in which the Seafarers'
'^struck these ships, which had not been struck in 30 years, and
the solidarity with which the m.en carried out their program.
They walked out in a body and they returned to work in a
body. Comparing this strike with that of the NMU against
^he oil company tankers, it is no wonder the East Coast was
impressed and knows there is a difference in unions."
Yes,the SIU shoAA^ed them that the Eastern ships can be
tied up, and they Avent to town after they tied them ixp!
They hit the picket line, and carried on the strike as it should
be carried on! That the rank and file negotiating committee
did not succeed in gaining all the points demanded cannot
be blamed upon them. They did their best, and exerted every
. effort,, but they Avere practically up against a stone Avail.
The company officials remained adamant in their refusal to
grant any wage increase in the face of the most violent de
mands of the committee. The boys did the best job they
could, and they deserve all credit for their efforts.
BACK ON JOBS
In any event, the ships ar > running again, and,—what is
more important,—THE MEN ARE BACK ON THE JOBS!
They didn't have to sit around and wait an indefinite period
of time to be reemployed, as the NMU tanker men are forced
to do!
As is usual, folloAving the signing of any ncAV agreement,
there are numerous discussions regarding interpretations, and
Ahe ESSCO agreement is no exception. HoAAmver, these dif
ferences will soon be ironed out, and things will be iunning
along smoothly again.. And don't forget that the agreement
• .expires in June next year, instead of in April! That, in itself,
; is. an important point.
COMPENSATION BILL
MUST BE DEFEATEO
— ^
Seamen's Compensation Bill
Passed to Comm. on Commerce
NMU MEMBERS TURN
TO SEAFARERS
Balfimore Reports
Sharp Increase
Baltimore, Md., June 20 —
Shipping continues moderately
good out of Baltimore with the
Dispatcher reporting 90 members
shipped, 73 registered and a total
registration of 194 at the end of
the past week. The end of the
tanker strike fizzle has produced
no great changes in the general
situation here except that the
number of NMU men wantin.ij to
turn over to the SIU has increased
sharply. Most of the.se men are
being turned down, however, be
cause of being unable to prove
tivy flnkiriff durinr,
the recent strike. NMU's efforts
to get their members back on the
Esso ships isn't getting anywhere;
the finky Esso Tanker Men's As
sociation made hay while the sun
shone and are pretty strongly en
trenched in that outfit now. With
the Esso ofilceis in a Company
union, the Avhole fleet is now Com
pany Union dominated, with the
Would Take Away Rights Already
Belonging to Seamen
BILL MUST BE DEFEATED
A Bill, knoAvn as 8.2477, Avas introduced in the Senate
on May 24, 19.39, was read tAvice, and referred to the Com
mittee on Commerce. The Bill, as it .stands, is one of the
most vicious ever introduced, and Avill absolutely take from
the seamen the right to sne for recovery for illness or injury.
It denies him the right to trial by jury, and actually takes
from him what he ali'eady possesses.
All seamen arc, at present, entitled to mainteuanee and
(!ure. and this bill wonld merely substitute AA'hat they term
fnmponRution, and limit the .eea
men to certain set amounts for in
juries.
Longshoreman's Act
The present Longshoremen's
and Harbor Workers Compensa
tion Act is an example of the l.im
I its which Avill be .placed upon the
j .seamen if ,S. 2477''"is allowed to be
I come law. For instance, regard
. I /A • hv.".
exception of the ARTACIO radio
operators Avho showed their true
colors by ignoring the NMUCIO
picket lines and sailed Avith scab
crews. A highlight of the pres
ent situation is to see one of the
scabherders riding past the NMU
Hall in a brand new car and hol
lering to the hundreds of NMU
men on the sidewalk, "Thanks for
the car, suckers."
SS Catlierine
On the annual visit to drydock
here of the SS Catherine from the
int'erisland run, the patrolmen did
their best to make her but were
met by a horde of Avatchmen and
wained off. Everything was done
to try and get the nonunion
crew but they wouldn't even come
dOAvn to the dock to take their
stores aboard while the patrolmen
Avere there. The wage scale on the
Catherine is ten dollars below the
union rate.
Departures
, The Branch regrets to report
the deaths of Brother Walter God
lewski who fell overboard and
was drowned while his vessel was
in port here, and Brother Tom
Hines who signed on for the long
cruise after a short illness in the
hispital. Both brothers were well
known and liked by their brother
members in this port and their
passing is felt with regret.
"Reinembei' the Maine!"
A hurry up call to a local exter-
minator company was made here
last week when the SS Maine,
floating junk heap of th» Robin
Line, broke aVray from her moor-
ings in a squall and crashed
into the dock. The populace
around Fort McHenry learned
later that when the old Maine
hit tlie dock, a regular army
of rats, cockroaches, bedbugs
and other vei-min swarmed over
{Continued on page 2)
ing compensation for disability,
the Longshoremen's Act reads as
follows;
"Compensation for disability
shall be paid to tlie employees
as follows:
"(a) rermanent total disabil
ity: In case of total disability
adjudged to be permuneat 66^3
per centum of the average Aveek
ly wages shall be paid to the em
ployee during the continuance
of such total disability. Loss of
both hands, or both arms, or
both feef, or both legs, or both
eyes, or any two thereof shall,
in the absence of conclusiAe
.proof to the contrary, constitute
permanent total disability. In
all other cases permanent' total
disability .shall be determined in
accordance with the facts.
"(b) Temporary total disabil
ity: In case of disability total in
character but temporary in qual
ity, per centum of the aA'
erage Aveekly wages shall be
paid to the employee during the
continuance thereof.
"(c) Permanent partial dis
ability: In case of disability
partial in character but perma
nent in quality, the compensa
tion shall be 662.^ per centum of
the average weekly wages,
which shall be in addition to
compensation for temporary to
tal disability paid in accordance
with subdivision (b) of this
section, and shall be paid to the
employee as folloAvs:
lost, two hundred
Aveeks' compensa
"(1) Arm
and eighty
tlon.
"(2) Leg lost, two hundred
and fortyeight weeks' compen
sation. "
"(3) Hand lost, tAvo hundred
and tAvelve weeks' compensation.
"(4) Foot lost, one hundred
and seventythree weeks' com
pensation.
"(6) Thumb lost', fiftyone
Aveeks' compensation.
"(7) First finger lost, twenty
eight weeks' compensation.
"(8) Great toe lost, twenty
si.x weeks' compensation.
"(9) .Second finger lost, eight
een weeks' compensation.
"(10) Third finger lost, seven
teen Aveeks' compensation.
"(11) Toe, other than great
toe lost, eight Aveeks' compensa
tion.
"(12) Fourth finger lost,
ECA^en Aveeks' comjiensation."
Compensation Limited
The foregoing is Avhat the long
shoremen are entitled to for in
jury, and it is certain that com
pensation for seamen Avill not ex
ceed these amounts, and will prob
ably be less. Furthermore, under
the Longshoremen's Acl (Section.
14 (m): "The total compensation
payable under this act for injury
or death shall in no event exceed
the sum of ?7,500." In other
words, regardless of how many de
pendents the injured or deceased
has, the total compensation can
not possibly exceed a measly
$7,500 which is a damned cheap
price to pay for a human life!
Wlio Is Beliind Bill?
Senator Overton now proposes
to pass similar legislation affect
ing the seamen, and to take away
from him something that he al
ready has! Just who asked this
gentleman from Louisiana, to
sponsor this ieglsiatlon^ Is some
what of a question; but one thing
Is certain,—and that Is that
NO MARITIME LABOR UNION
ASKED HIM TO DO IT! As a
consequence, we have no other
choice but to assume that the
shipowners and Insurance com
panies are behind the bill, as It
Is a well known fact that they
have strong lobby representation
In Washington.
Letter to Committee
In an effort to forestall tlie pass
age of this bill, a letter has been
written to the Senate Committee
{Continued on page 2)
• m
.'• • .'r m
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
THE SEAFARERS^ LOG Friday, June 23,1939
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Published by the
Seafarers^ International Union
of North America
Affiliated with the American Federation of Labor
HARRY LUNDEBERG, Acting President
11 Steuart Street, San Francisco, Calif.
Atlantic District
HEADQUARTERS
New York 2 Stone Street
BRANCHES
Boston 1 Rowes Wliarf
Providence 465 So. Main Street
Philadelphia 6 Nortk 6th Street
Baltimore 212 East Pratt Street
Norfolk 307 Eaet Main Street
San Juan, Puerto Rico 8 Covadonga Street
Gulf District
HEADQUARTERS
New Orleans 309 Chartres Street
BRANCHES
Savannah 218 East' Bay Street
Jackeonville 136 Bay Street
Miami 809 N. E. First Avenue
Tampa 206 Franklin Street
Mobile 55 So. Conception Street
Houston 1712 75th Street
Great Lakes District
HEADQUARTERS
Detroit 1038 Third Street
COMPENSATION
ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS
PUBLICATION TO:
"THE SEAFARERS' LOG"
P. O. Box 522, Cliurch St. Annex, New York, N. Y.
ATTENTION: MEMBERS
OF THE S.I.U. OF N.A,
A RESOLUTION
WHEREAS: A certain group of individuals, commonly
known as the "Old ISU phonies", headed by Grange, Gus
Brown, Reynolds, Angle and other.s, are at the present time
making strong efforts to start an independent move, under
the banner of the Tnternatioiial Seamen's Union, and
. AVIffiREAS: All of these persons are known to be labor
fakers of the first water, and have been discredited in the
eyes of all seamen, through their past actions, and
AVHERBAS: These individuals are at the present time
making attempts to get members of the Seafarers' Interna
tional Union to sign pledge cards designating the Interna
tional Seamen's Union as their representatives for the pur
pose of collective bai'gaining, and
WHEREAS: The said International Seamen's Union is
officially on record as favoring, shipping seamen through the
Maritime Commission's Fink Hails, to which we arc unalter
ably opposed, and
WHEREAS: The above mentioned,persons are circulat
ing vicious.propaganda detrimental to the Seafarers' Inter
national Union, and have openly condemned it's policies and
principles; so therefore be it
Resolved: That the member.ship here assembled in regu
lar joint; meeting go on record as condemning this group
heading the socalled International Seamen's Union as being
a dual organization hostile to the Seafarers' International
Union, and be it further
RESOLVED: That any member of the Seafarers' Inter
national Union who signs a pledge card designating the In
ternational Seamen's Union to represent him for the purpose
of collective bargaining, or any member who aids and abets
• y these efforts on the part of these phonies be automatically
suspended from the Seafarers' International Union, upon
the presentation of .sufficient evidence, and be it finally
RESOLVED: That all other branches of the Seafarers'
International Union be instructed to take action on this Reso
lution, and that it be given the widest possible publicity.
:Signed: Anthony Arenella, No. 3284; Isadore Cohen, No.
194; Morris Chertov, No. 2184; John Gahling, No. 1195; Ray
mond, A, Sohults, No. 4584.
Tine. 4>.ove E.esolution was introduced at tke regular j'oint
meeting at New York Headquarters, on June 12, and was
jUNAN;.MpMLY CQNOUBRED IN.
{Continued from page 1)
on Commerce, protegting against
it. The letter reads as follows:
June 13, 1939.
"Committee on Commerce,
United .States Senate,
Wa.shington, D. C.
"Gentlemen:
"Tlie member.g of tlie Seafarers'
International Union of North
America, Atlantic District, wish to
enter a .strong protest against the
passage of S. 2477, introduced by
Mr. Overton, and referred to your
Committer. We urge tliat this bill
be killed in Committe, as there is
nothing in it of benefit to seamen.
"As a matter of fact, this Bill
will actually take away from tire
seamen something they already
iiave. It will deny them the right
to institute legal proceedings for
recovei y because of accident or in
jury, and instead of their cases be
ing considered by an impartial
jury, they will be entirely at' the
discretion of a single referee.
"Seamen are already entitled to
maintenance and cure, and also
have the right to sue for recovery
because of loss of employment
tlirough sickness and injury. What
then has this bill to offer them?
"Just who is behind this bill?
It is certain that the maritime
unions are not fostering it. It is
also a well known fact that the
shipowners and the insurance
companies have very strong lobby
representation. As a consequence,
this seems to us as a move on the
part of the shipowners to deprive
the seamen of their Just, and
legal riahtS:
"We wish to go on record as de
manding a public hearing on thie
bill, and request that yovi advise
us as to the date of the hearing,
so that we may have a represen
tative of our organization present
to protest against the passage of
the bill."
The letter was signed by Mat
thew Dushane, Chairman of the
Atlantic District Emergency
Board.
Letters have also been written
to William Green, President of the
A.F. of L., and to Joseph A. Pad
way, General Counsel of the A.F.
of L., urging that they do all in
their power to bring about the de
feat ofthis vicious measure.
The bill is printed in its entire
ty elsewhere in these pages.
Baltimore Highlights
{Continued from page 1)
the side and made for the dry
dock gate. However, tlie situa
tion is well in hand again as once
it was noted that the only dam
age (lone was tliat to tlie inoffen
sive (lock; the insect mullitudo
flocked back to their longtime
iionie aboard lier. If you sliould
see one of the boys .scratching
himself and shouting, "Remember
tlie Maine," don't take it for
granted tliat he is an American
Spanisli War veteran; he's prob
ably just come off a Robin Line
zoo.
Port Council Working
With every ship coming into
this port closely guarded by
watchmen, new organizing is get
ting to be a tough proposition
here for both SIU and NMU. How
ever, with the Port Council work
ing with the new Watchmen's or
ganization, the situation will be
rectified shortly, that is, as far as
the SIU is concerned. Despite the
refusal of Jim Kelly local ILA
agent to come into the Coun
cil, the organization is working
smoolhly and with the teamsters
backing it up 100 percent, the ILA
holdout is hardly noticed.
wlilch must go down on the rec
ords as the phoniest. fizzle that
was ever pulled on tlie waterfront.
Anyliow, even if the NMU have
lost tlie tankers, tliey still have
their old friends at tlie ^Maritime
Commission, and maybe after
learning liow to fink during the
tanker strike, they will get a lit
tle more used to hanging around
the Government "fink" lialls!
The Catlierine has just' come
port from her semiannual dry
docking, and we find her non
union from top to bottom. The
Company is barring all patrolmen
from her vicinity, but we'll get
her before she sails. Steady as she
goes, boys.
Fraternally,
John Lui
Baltimore, Md., June 13 — All
goes well with the SUP in this
port, with shipping fairly good.
We note that the NMU are voting
to go back to the tanker.s without
an agictmcni; cr anything clno
However, it is extremely doubtful
if they will be able to get back, as
we hear that the .ESSO Tanker
men's Association, a phoney inde
pendent setup to take care of the
finks who scabbed during the
strike, is going great guns, and It
looks like the last ships the NMU
had are gone forever. Abe Lin
coln said that "You can't fool all
of the people all of the time," but
if Abe were alive today be would
have to change his mind about
that when he thought about the
membership of the NMU.
We wonder how long it will
take the NMU membership to real
ize that they are being played for
the biggest suckers that ever ex
isted, by their officials. Especial
ly after this tanker strike fizzle.
DONATIONS TO TOE STRIKE FUND
J. Hall
R. Fetters
L. Garman
L. Burke
W. Behrhorst
S. A. Betony
Steward
M. Nartin
J. Saniardjie
"W. Williams ...
Carlseu
W. Nye
W. Barrett
I. N. ]\reGIencIou
Wm. McVey ...
K. Tiedeman
Schoenburg ....
McCann
M. Ramos
J.^Ieudricksen 1.00
J. Avery 50
J. Powers .50
G. G. Price 50
De Paz .6b
T. Harkins ' .50
J. McKenzie l.OO
Jobn Soones 3.00
F. Velez .50
B. Lagon 1.00
lil.OQ
1.00
1.00
50
1.00
1.00
.50
.50
1.00
1.00
1.00
5.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
2.00
Notice:
Ships' Delegates: Demand
that all replacements produce
a properly filled out assign
ment card from the Dispatcher
at the Union hail.
I
Baltimore, Md., June 12—Ship
ping is fair out of this port', with
14 A.B.'s and 4 O.S.'s shipped dur
ing the week. Twelve SUP men
registered, and we have one bro
tlier in the marine hospital. The
SS Peter Kerr arrived here d'rom
Philadelphia and has gone to the
Maryland Drydock for cleaning
up. The company, who was fail
ing to replace the men who quit
in drydock, was straightened out,
and now a replacement is made
as soon as a man quits.
We note tliat Paddy Whalen,
NMU Agent in this port', has
bought a nice little speed boat
with the excuse that he needs it
to picket tankers that can't be
reached from the shore. Paddy
has, as usual, forgotten to get per
mi.sslon from his membership to
buy such a boat, and register it
under his name. It's about time
the NMU boys were opening their
eyes on their officials, or there
won't be a cent left in the treas
ury.
Like in other port's, the NMU
is trying to blame their dumbness
and phoney sellout in the tanker
strike, one someone else. They've
tried to pass the buck to the SIU
and the IWW, but the NMU mem
bership couldn't swallow it, so
now Whalen, in his daily buck
passing sheet, is trying to bring
the SUP into it.
A recent issue claimed that four
SUP members had been seen
drinking with "Tanker Pete"
(ESSO scabherder) at the Chesa
peake Cafe in Fairfield. The own
er of the Cafe said it was a
damned lie. SUP men did come
into his cafe for a drink occasion
ally, but when they did, it' was
for a drink, and not to talk to
scabherders. Paddy forgets that
the SUP membership, never hav
ing done business or come in con
tact with scabherders, wouldn't
know "Tanker Pete" if he shout
ed who he was! The NMU offi
cials know him pretty well, and,
of course they figure everyone
else knows him; and the reason
Whalen knows him is that it is
Whalen's men who are shipping
through Pete on the supposedto
bestrucktankers.
Suppose, Paddy, you get up at
your next meeting and tell your
members you've never taken a
drink with "Tanker Pete," and
then watch what happens!
All goes well, boys; steady as
she goes.
John Lui
f o
a''. '
http://www.pdfcompressor.org/buy.html
Friday, June 23, 1939 THE SEAFARERS' LOG 3
HERE and THERE in the G1 [JT.F
NEWS from NEW ORLEANS
CURRAN PROVES HIMSELF
THE ENVY O^L RUNNERS!;
Rank and File Give Joe the Well
Known "Get Out of Town"
PANTSPRESSERS NOT WANTED
Now Orleans, La., June 20—Joe
Currau lias been checked in at the
New Orleans Hotel here since Sat
urday morning. Five carloads of
commy beef from New York, and
all the commies chased out of
Texas are here. Curran held cau
cus with his stooges all day Sun
day. Monday at noon, he mustered
the courage to walk into the NMU
hall, attended by an armed beef
squad.
C. H. Applewhite, Gulf District
Chairman pro tern, informed him
that a joint meeting was sched
uled for 7:00 P.M., and demanded
that Curran attend, and clarify
the policies of the Atlantic Dis
trict pantspressers.
Cui'i'an Gels Away
Some of the stooges got snotty
• with the gang, and were dumped.
Curran, however, was too fast. An
aroused rank and nier chased him
across the park into the arms of
the law, who are proficient at pro
tecting rats.
The NMU meeting lasted from
7:00 P.M. until 9:30, and Curran
& Co. w^cre conspicuous by their
absence. After the meeting, C. H.
Applewhite issued a statement to
the press charging that Curran
had been instructed by the Gulf
District Committee to attend the
meeting to clarify statement's
made by him in the Pilot—that
the Gulf was shipownercontrolled.
The Commies had A. Thomas
picked up by the Immigration offi
cials, to get him out of their way.
They have sworn out warrants for
over 50 men for alleged assault
and wounding. Their policy seems
to be to attempt to have all the
militants locked up. Then they
hope to be able to take control.
Storie.s False
The assistant editor of the Pilot
stated in last week's issue of the
Pilot that Thomas, Applewhite,
and O'Donahue were taking orders
from "Red" Dean. That is not
true. Although they are good
friends of mine, they were still
elected by the NMU. So far as I
know, they take i rs only from
their own constituents.
It was also charged that the
.$1.00 per day NMU beef squad was
taking orders from me.
These men are my friends, re
gardless of their present union
affiliation. They have been, and
will remain my friends even
though the Communist party ob
jects. They are tired of being dic
tated to, and that is something
you are a little late in finding
out, comrade Fitzgerald.
,'Red" Dean
New Orleans, La., June 20—The
Great (?) Joe Curransky arrived
in New Orleans on Saturday, June
17, and checked in at the New Or
leans Hotel with his Commy goon
squad.
He went to the NMU Hall
around 12 o'clock noon, Monday,
accompanied by his own beef
squad, and from what I actually
saw with my own eyes, I believe
Joe to be the greatest onemile
racer ever to hit New Orleans. He
really should enter the next Olym
pic Games. Cunningliam, Wooder
Bon, 'Venzke, and tlie others had
better look to tlieir laurels, be
cause I'm sure tiiat Joe could beat
tliem—providing, of course, the
aroused rank and file was chasing
him!
A few of the boys were circulat
ing around the corners last night,
but the great onemile runner
failed to leave his den at the New
Orleans Hotel.
The NMU membership in the
Port of New Orleans is known to
be on record to keep all the pants
pressers out of their meetings, and
it is open season on commies
throughout the Gulf.
I believe that the Great: (?) Joe
knows that he can't do anything
down here, except spend some
Standard Oil money. He will
probably leave in a, day or so, or
else the rank and file of the NMU
will see that he leaves. They are
tired of putting up with his crap
any longer!
Finn Schefstad
New Orleans, La., June 20—For
the next Olympic meeting, the
NMU has a good entry in the
track meet, with Joe Curran as
their man—even if Glenn Cun
ningham, Jesse Owens, and Gene
Venzke are the opposition. "No
CoffeeTimeJoe" can pass them
all, if he shows the speed he
showed when his own membership
was behind him from in front of
the NMU hall,
Joe must know that he is not
very well liked in the Port of New
Orleans, because the NoMore
Union had their regular business
meeting last night, and the Na
tional President did not attend.
He had a conference in the N.O.
Hotel with Bob Meers, who was
dumped here last week for being
a Commy. So I guess Moscow
business comes before Union busi
ness!
Baldy Bollinger, SlU No. 300
New Orleans, La., June 20—The
NMU. membership is fed up with
factional fights. They organized
to fight the boss. Now they find
that, cliques are more interested in
fighting for control of a dues col
lecting agency than they are of or
ganizing opposition to the ship
owners..
Everyone in the NMU who
bucks Curran and his stooges is
called a Lundeberg Dean. ship
owner stooge!
Everyone who bucks King & Co.
is labeled a Communist.
Isn't it possible for the rank and
file to have an honest opinion
which might not conform with
either faction?
In the SIU we have job control
and good shipping. The members
are getting a fair wage and con
ditions. If their opinions differ
from those of the officials, they
are brought up at the meetings.
There is free democratic expres
sion and discussion,.and the ques
tion is voted on. The majority
rules. There is no dumping of
members, as in the NMU today.
From the many NMU men I
MIAMI HAPPENINGS in MOBILE
Crew Brings
FOR ASSE^MENT
Members Want to Be
Assured of Agreement
Miami, Fia., June 20—Tlie boys
in the P & 0 Line have taken a
five doilar strike assessment for
the purpose of backing up their
demands for an agreement. The
temporary agreement which was
signed was a clarification of the
phoney agreement which was in
effect until such time a.s an elec
tion was held.
.SIU Wins Vote
Election was held, and the SIU
received 246 votes out of 251. We
are now certified as the bargain
ing agent for the unlicensed per
sonnel on the P&O ships. Every
thing we have on these ships was
obtained through job action. We
only want the company to sign an
agreement, which is nothing more
than the gains we have already
gotten, and intend to keep. Also,
we would like a little raise, but
the raise will probably be difficult
to get, owing to the fact that the
SS Munargo and the ClydeMal
lory lines, which are now NMU,
have a very poor agreement. This
makes it hard, as the company
claims that they cannot compete
with other lines who do not have
agreements which give the men
what they should be getting.
Beach Cleaned
The SS Estrada Palmer broke
her tail shaft, forcing her into
drydock, and the SS Joseph R.
Parrott took a full crew, cleaning
out the beach once again. We no
tice that men who get off Bull
Line ships here immediately go to
Fort Pierce, a port about one hun
dred miles north of Miami. It is
our suggestion that members get
ting off a ship in any port where
there is not a Union Hall, should
be suspended for' an indefinite
period. And any man who packs
a SIU book should go to a porf:
where there is a Hall, and not to
a port where there is*no Hall.
We are negotiating with the
P&O Company, and everything is
favorable for us to get everything
we want.
John Gunnison, Gulf No. 4
NOTICE
• For the benefit of those mem
bers who are planning on go
ing to the Great Lakes this
year, we print herewith a list
of the addresses of SIU Offices
in that district:
Detroit 1038 Third St.
(Headquarters)
Buffalo 10 Exchange St.
Cleveland 1426 Third Sf.
Milwaukee ..730 S. Second St.
Chicago 810^ N. Clark St.
You are advised to contact
any of these branches for all
information relative to ship
ping, etc.
have talked to, I learn that they
want one union. The majority
seem to think that the NMU can
not cut the mustard. That leaves
the SIU as their only hope.
The problem is how to transfer
while the agreements are signed
in the name of the NMU, Answer
this question, and the Gulf will
have one big union—the Seafar
ers' International Union!
Earl Ward
Tanker to Mobile
Mobile, Ala., June 12—On the
SIh of June 1939, the crew of the
SS Cornelia, a Porto Rico line
.ship, had a little trouble, and the
crew of the vessel made up their
minds that they would not sail
file ship with the steward.
There were plenty of reasons:
First, he wasn't putting out the
way the crew thought he should.
His job went to his head, ap
parently, as he continually rode
all the men under him.
They held the ship up for
around tliirty hours, and the crew
said that they would not sail un
til they had a new steward. In
came one of the boys (Rath
bourne^ I was told), and he told
them to sail the ship, or else—so
to keep in good standing, sail they
did.
Democracy, CIO Style
The SS Halsey, a Mallory tank
er, supposed to be hot, came
into this port for drydock work.
It is one of the biggest jobs that
has come in in some time. Granted
that the shipyard workers need
the work—but rernembor that thc
whole setup of the CIO is built
upon the industrial plan, after
the Maritime Federation when it.
was in its heyday.
• What happened; the finks
brought the ships to the bar, the
CIO Shipyard workers then took
her into drydock, and now they
are working the ship. The mili'
tanf NMU men who got off this
ship and went on the picket line,
are once again left holding the
sack.
THEY ARE TOLD TO WAIT
UNTIL SHE IS READY TO GO
OUT. WAIT, BROTHERS, AND
YOU WILL SEE THAT THE
COMPANY WHO OWNS THIS
SCOW WILL HAVE A CREW OF
FINKS EAGER TO TAKE THE
SHIP OUT OF THIS PORT!
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
FINKS WHO BROUGHT THE
SHIP TO THE BAR?
ARE THEY STANDING BY
WAITING ON THIS O.NE, OR
DID THE COMPANY TAKE
THEM TO WHERE A CREW
WAS NEEDED FOR ANOTHER
SHIP?
"When the Maritime Federation
of the Pacific was functioning, be
fore the commies got hoid of it,
an injury to one was an injury t'o
all—in fact, not in fancy. Remem
ber the POINT CLEAR beef? Ask
about the backing the "WELDERS
got in Oakland; ask about the
MACHINISTS beef in the Union
Iron Works. In fact, look up the
history of the MFPC prior to '37,
when the commies took control of
the Federation, and what the Fed
eration has degenerated into.
THEN STUDY THE NMU,
AND KNOW WHERE THEY
ARE HEADED!
It is a reflection on the mem
bers fhemselves, that they allow
such a thing to take place.
The crew of the SS Cranford, a
Lykes rust pot, refused to take
"hot" oil, and refused to a,bide by
the telegram from the "wrecking
committee," and sailed the ship
without "hot" oil.
CONGRATULATIONS BOYS,
BUT WATCH OUT FOR THE
AXE!
THE COMMITTEE MAY CAR.
RY ON WITH THE PURGE!
NOTICE!
All SIU members who are
confined In Marine Hospitals
arc hereby advised io imme
diately notify their SIU Agent
in the port nearest to where
they are hospitalized, in order
that they may receive regular
weekly benefits.
This does not apply to mem
bers who are already receiving
benefits.
Express AppreciatiDn
The members of the Seafarers'
International Union who did
picket duty in the port of Norfolk
during the recent strike against
the Eastern Steamship Co., wish
to thank everyone for their splen
did support, cooperation and gen
erosity. Through the aid given ue
by many of the business people in
Norfolk we were able to carry on
our strike at a minimum of ex
pense, and their kind assistance
had a very gratifying effect on the
morale of all the men on strike in
that port.
We wish, also, fo thank the
members of the steward's depart
ment for their cooperation in do
ing voluntary picket duty, and
helping us maintain a united
front. Due to a misunderstanding
on the part' of the Strike Commit
tee in Noifolk, many members of
the steward's department were
penalized for missing picket
watches, etc., as we did not under
stand that any picket duty on the
part of the members of the stew
ard's department could be only
NOTICE
New York, N. Y.
June 21, 1939.
TO ALL ATLANTIC AND
GULF DISTRICT AGENTS:
Re: Robert Bowles, Gulf No.
ITS—Stewards.
You are hereby advised not
to register or effect the ship-
ment of the above-named mem-
ber until he has returned to
New York Headquarters and
stood trial.
This brother is charged with
attacking a brother member on
the SS Scatrain Havana, and
of hitting him from behind
with a piece of pipe, or sotne
other blunt weapon. He has,
in fact, already admitted that
he did So.
Upon arrival of the Scatrain
Havana in Hoboken yesterday
(June 20), Bowles teas advised
by the patrolman that he would
have to come off the ship, as
charges were being preferred
against him. Bowles has not
yet put in an appearance at
this Hall, and it is believed
that he left town.
Fraternally,
Matthew Dushane. Chairman,
Atlantic District
Emergency Board
voluntary. For this oversight on
our part we wish to offer our
apologies, and a plea to the men
unjustly penalized to kindly over
look our error. It was not done
purposely, nor with any malice
aforethought, and we are as sorry
as anyone else that it did happen^
Norfolk Strike Committer
By—O. C. Bourne j
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THE SEAFARERS' LOG Friday, June 23,1939
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ISU PHONIES WANT TO
REPRESENT EAST COAST
Grange, Brown and Reynolds Trying
To Hoodwink East Coast Seamen
CALL FOR NLRB VOTE PHONEY
"\Vc have been iiifornied that tlie rampant, I'ancous,
"Rajali of Ronkonkoma", Dave Grange, has been passing the
word around tliat he likes to have us write about him, as it
gives him plenty of publicity. Mebbe so, mebbe so, but it's
a tdnch that the sort of publicity we give him isn't going to
do him a bit of good I We can't truthfully say that we enjoy
writing about Grange, as we can think of much more pleasant
subjects about which to journalize, as we so laugliingly J'efer
to it.
In any event, the erstwhile dictator of the old IMarine
Cooks & Steward's Union is still very much in evidence
aroiTnd the We.st Side waterfront,—although for some reason
, unknown to us, he made himself exceedingly scare one day
last Aveek.
OTHERS AID GRANGE
While Ave are forceil to admit that the Rajah ])lays a
rather cunning game, Ave are neA'ertheless a fcAv jumps ahead
of hym. For instance, AVO knoAv exactly Avhom his chief stooges
are, and are not alloAving them to escape our. notice. One
false move from them, and it's going to be ju.st too bad!
Grange is, of course, aided and abetted by others of his
ilk, but Avith all the conniving they have done,, their ])rogre.ss
is practically nil! It is rumored that the alleged brains be
hind the phoney ISU move are contained in the sconce of a
certain character known as Reynolds. As AA^e don't have the
misfoi'tune to be personally acquainted Avith this bloke, Ave
can only take the. Avord of others as to his general reputation.
We have heard him referred to as a "bellyrobber," a "com
pany stooge", and various other terms of opprobrium. Ac
cording to all the information Ave can garner about Reynolds,
he is hardly the type any sane seaman Avould Avant to repre
sent him.
PHONEY PROPAGANDA
The Rajah has also gone to great, pains to drag out the
old bugaboo of race discrimination, and has told all of those
AA'ho Avill listen to him that it is the policy of the SIU official
dom to drlA'e the members of his race oft' the ships, and re
place them Avith Avhite men. In the first place, such an asser
tion is absurd if only because of the fact that Ave don't have
the membership Avith Avhich to replace them, even if such a
move Avcrc contemplated—AAffiich it very definitely is NOT!
Every man in this organization is entitled to a job, regard
legs of race, color, or creed, and there can be no question of
discrimination in an organization as democratic as is ours.
Grange, so Ave are told, has also made the assertion that all
the colored men Avcrc driven oft" the West Coast ships by the
Union. This is another deliberate misstatement of fact, as
the SUP has never, at any time, had more than a very fcAV
colored members in it.
HCW MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN!
XoAv, there Avould he no use, at this particular time, to
drag Grange's record out of the past, a.s it is only too AA'ell
knoAvn to all seamen along this coast, and Avould only con
taminate the atmosphere anyhoAA^ But, at this particular
time, Ave Avould like to knoAv what happened to those special
made cigars that he used to smoke (At the expense of the
member.ship!) We note him noAvadays dejectedly puffing on
a Avorn briar pipe, and, no doubt, living oA^er the glories of
his past Avhen he AA^TS practically monarch of all he .surveyed.
We Avouldn't say that he has descended exactly to the level
of a panhandler, but Ave do knoAV that he has touched up
quite a fcAV of the boys for needed funds.
RAJAH DOES ABOUT FACE
In years gone by, the Rajah wa.s Avont to declaim that the
SteAA'ard;, absolutely could not get along Avithout the aid of
the Sailois and the Firemen, but today, he has performed a
complete about face, as is .shrieking to all Avho Avill listen
to him that the stewards should have their own independent
union. What caused this sudden change of ideas? The
ansAver is simple. Grange knoAvs full Avell that the great
majority of the membership of the SIU Avill never alloAv him
to be. a member of this organization, so he figures that by
starting an independent SteAvard's Department union he can
once again be kingpin, HoAvever,—let him take fair warn
ing,—and not count his chickens before they are hatched!
As a matter of record and fact, the great majority of the
colored stewards do not want Grange either!
GUS BROWN STOOGES
, Another of Grange's playmates is none other than Gus
JlroAvn of the old Eastern & Gulf Sailors' As.sni There may
S 2477
A Bill to amend tlie Mercliant
Marine Act, 1936, as amended, to
provide compensation for disabil
ity or death resulting from injury
to employees in certain maritime
employments, and for other pur
poses.
lie it enacted hi/ the Senate and
House of Rept esentatives of the
United, iitates of America in Con
press assembled, Tliat the Mer
chant Marine Act, 1936, approved
June 29, 1936, as amended, is
amended by adding at the end
thereof the following new title.;
"TITLE XII
"M.MUTIMK WORKKR.S'
COMVK.V.SATION
"SKC. 1201. (a) Paragraphs (3)
and (4) of section .2 of the I>ong
shoremen's and Harbor Workei's'
Compensation Act, as ' amended,
are amended to read as follows:
"'(3) The term "employee" does
not include a master or member
of the crew of any vessel under
eighteen tons net, nor any person
engaged by the master to load or
unload or repair any small vessel
under eighteen tons net.
"• (4) The term "employer"
means an employer any of whose
employees are employed in mari
time employment', in whole or in
part, upon the navigable Avaters of
the United States (including any
drydock), or on the higli seas on
board a vessel sujbect to the juris
diction of the United States.'
"(b) Section 2 of such Act, as
amended, ii further amended by
adding at the end thereof the fol
lowing new paragraph:
" '(20) The term "vessel" means
anj' ship, boat, craft, or othor
floating structure capable of navi
gation.' ,
"(c) Section 3 of the Long
shoremen's and Harbor Workers'
Compensation Act, as amended, is
amended to read as follows:
'"SIX;. 3. (a) Compensation
shall be payable under this Act in
respect of disability or death of
an employee, but only if the dis
ability or death results from an
injury occurring upon the naviga
ble waters of the United States
(including any drydock), or oc
curring while such employee was
employed on or in connection with
a vessel subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States, and if recoA
ery of the disability or death
through workmen's "compensation
proceedings may not validly be
provided by State, law. No corn
pen.sation shall be payable in re
spect of the disability or death
of
'"(1) a master or member of
a' crew of any vessel under eigh
teen tons net, nor any person
engaged by the master to load
or unload or l epair any small
vessel under eighteen tons net;
"'(2) a master or member of
tlie crew of any A'essel of eigh
teen tons net or over unless he
is employed on (A) a ve.ssel
subject to the jurisdiction of the
United States, or (B) any other
vessel under a contract of em
ployment enterei" into Avithln
the United States while he is a
bona fide resident of the United
States: or
• "(3)an ollicor or employee of
the United States oi any agency
thereof or of any State or for
eign government, or of any po
litical subdivision thereof.
"'(b) No compen.sation shall
be payable if the injury AAUS oc
casioned solely by the intoxica
tion of the employee or by the
willful intention of the em
liloyee to injure or kill himselt
or another.
" '(c) For the purposes of this
section, a vessel shall be deemed
to be subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States if it is—
"'(1) documented or num
bered under the laws thereof;
"'(2) permanently located
within the territorial waters
thereof;
"'(3) engaged in the domes
tic commerce thereof in the in
ternal coastwise or intercoastal
trade; or
"'(4)engaged in the foreign
commerce thereof under tlie
OAvnership, management, opera
tion, or control of a citizen
thcreo.f or of a corporation or
ganized therein.'
"SKC. 1202. Section 5 of the
Longshoremen's and Harbor
Workers' Compensation Act, as
amended, is am.enrled to read as
follows:
" 'SEC. 5. The liability of an em
ployer prescribed in section 4
shall he exclusive and in place of
all other liability of such employer
to the employee, his legal repre
sentative, husband or wife, par
ents, dependents, next of kin, and
anyone otherwise entitled to re
cover damages from such em
ployer at law or in admiralty on
account of such injury or death,
except that—
"'(1) if an employer fails to
secure payment of compensation
as required by this Act, an in
jured employee, or his legal rep
resentative in case death results
from the injury, may elect to
claim compensation under this
Act, or to maintain an action at
laAV or in admiralty for damages
have been a time many, many j'ears atro Avhen Gns BroAvn Ava.s
a good union man,—but tliem day.s is gone forever I He even
Avent to the trouble of riding the Eastern ships betAveen here
and Bo.ston to try to get SIU members to sign pledge cards
for his phoney ISU. "We are certain that he didn't meet Avith
any success, and Ave do knoAV that the deck gang on the
Bo.ston politely told him to get the hell out of the foc'sle!
PHONIES THROUGH
Can't these old line phonies get it through their heads
that the seamen are definitely through Avith them? They re
pudiated them long ago, and they Avill never again be in the
mood to accept them. They sold the seamen out before, and
it ia a foregone conclusion that they Avill do it. again if they
ever get a chance.
IF THE OLD ISU PHONIES ENTERTAIN THE IDEA
THAT THEY ARE GOING TO START ANY SUCCESSFUL
INDEPENDENT UNION MOVE ON THIS COAST, THEY'D
BETTER THINK AGAIN, AND THEN PULL IN THEIR
NECKS!
Grange has made the assertion that if, and Avhen he gets
a sufficient number of pledge cards signed by men on the
ESSCO .ships, he Avill call for a NLRB vote. So Avhat? THE
SIU WILL OPPOSE ANY ATTEMPT. TO CALL A VOTE
ON THESE SHIPS, ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEIR
CONTRACT WITH THE EASTERN STEAMSHIP COM
PANY SUPERCEDES ANY NLRB RULING OR DECISION!
THE SUP DID THE SAME THING IN THE SHEPARD
UNE BEEF,—AND THEY STILL MAN THOSE SHIPS.
THE SIU WILL FOLLOW OUT THE VERY SAME PRO
CEDURE IF SUCH AN EMERGENCY ARISES!
on account of such injury or
death. In such action the de
fendant may not plead as a de
fense that the injury was caused
by the negligence of a fellow
servant.', nor that the employee
assumed the risk of his employ
ment, nor that the injury was
due to the contributory negli
gence of the employee;
"'(2) nothing in this Act
shall be ddemed to abrogate or
otherwise affect the riglits un
der the maritime law of the
master or any member of the
crow of any vessel with respect
to maintenance and cure, but
the reasonable value of any
maintenance iirovided, or caused
to be provided, to an injured
employee by an employer,
whether or not provided on
shipboard, shall, for tlie purpose
of computing the Gompensatinn
payable to sucli master or mem
ber of the crew during the time
maintenance is so provided, be
deducted from the amount de
termined to be the amount of
the weekly wages of such mas
ter or member of the crew.'
"SKC;. 1203. Subsection (b) of
the Longshoremen's and Harbor
Workers' Compensation Act, as
amended, is amended to read as
follows:
"'(b) The Commission shall es
tablish compensation districts, to
include the areas within the
United States to which this Act
applies, and shall assign to each
such district one or more deputy
commissioners, as the Commission
deems advisable. In the case of
injury or death of any employee
occurring outside the territorial
limits of the United States, the
deputy commissioner in any com
nensat.ion district .in ;vhich the
employer is subject to the service
of process shall liave jurisdiction
in respect of .sucli injury or death.
Judicial proceedings under sec
tions 18 and 21 of this Act in re
spect of any any injury or death
occurring out'side of the territorial
jurisdiction of'fne United States
shall be instituted in the district
court within whose territorial
jurisdiction is located the office of
the deputy commibsioner having
juri.sdiction in re.spect of such in
jury or death (or in the District
Court of the United States for the
District; of Columbia if such office
is located in such District).'"
SKC. 2, This Act .shall become
effective sixty days after the date'
of its enactment.
THANKS!
Philadelphia, Pa.
• SS Pan Royal
May 31, 1939.
Seafarers' International
Union •
2 Stone St.
New York City
Dear Brothers:
I have been requested by the
crew of tlie SS Pan Royal to ex
tend their appreciation for your
cooperation and results at Hobo
ken, New .lersey. In the future,
we will endeavor to have all pa
trolmen act as you did. We real
ize your heavy burden in the Port
of New York at the present time,
and wish you complete success.
Yours truly,
S.S. Pan Royal
By Deck Delegate A. Keen,
Book No. 12
NOTICE
S.I.U. Book (Gulf Nc 74) and
papers of Charles E. Rhodes
were found In Tampa, Fla.
This book and papers are
being held by Gulf District
Headquarters in New Orleans
and will be forwarded to any
S.I.U. agency upon request
from the owner.
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