Media
Issue Date
1939-08-04
Volume
1
Issue Number
15
Plaintext
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The Seafi arers IMS
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, AUGUST 4, 1939
• 446 NO. 15
CONFERENCE OPENS AT SAVANNAH
5 LYKES SHIPS ON STRIKE
IN GULF FOR CONDITIONS
Also Demaiirl SIU Recognition As
Company Refuses Just Demands
LIBERTY BELL SHIPS FINK CREW
New Orleans, La., Aus, 1—The SS Liberty Bell, whieh
struck in Houston last week to keep the watertenders aboard,
sailed Saturday. THE SHIP STRUCK AGAIN FOR WATER
TENDERS AND FOB RECOGNITION OF THE .SEA =
FARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION. This was in Galves
ton. Scabherder K. K. Owens, Galveston NMU Agent, shipped
a crew aboard her, that walked through a picket line, and
worked behind a picket line! The ship sailed WITHOUT
WATERTENDERS, AND WITHOUTCARGO. The Long
shoremen supported the strike by refusing to work cargo
on the ship. —•
THIS BEEF MUST BE WON.
Ships of the same type, on the
same run, operated by the
WATERMAN LINE, carry
WATERTENDERS! IF LYKES
BROS. CAN GET BY WITH TAK
ING THE WATERTENDERS
OFF, WATERTENDERS WILL
SOON BE A THING OF THE
PAST ON ALL LINES!
CREWS HAVE HIT THE
DOCK IN SUPPORT OF KEEP
ING WATERTENDERS ABOARD
THESE SHIPS. SEE THAT THE
WATERTENDERS ARE PUT
BACK ABOARD!
Threaten to Ship Fink.s
The SS JOLEE is tied, up 100
percent in Corpus Christi,. with a
picket line out. THE LONG
SHORREMEN ARE RESPECT
ING OUR PICKET LINES, and
the company is threatening to sail
the JOLEE light, with a FINK
CREW! THIS MAY HAPPEN,
BUT THE FIGHT WILL GO ON!
These two crews refused to ac
cept the NMU watertender sell
out, and STRUCK UNDER THE
BANNER OF THE SEAFAR
ERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION,
WHICH MAINTAINED ITS TRA
DITION OF FIGHTING THE
SEAMEN'S BATTLES! .
Stay Off Ship.sr
If fink crews are shipped aboard
these ships, ,as they said, the
Longshoremen on the Atlantic will
not work the ships.
ANYONE WHO SHIPS ABOARD
THESE SHIPS IS A FINK!
RESPECT THE PICKET LINES
—STAY OFF HOT SHIPS!
FORCE LYKES BROS. TO PUT
THE WATERTENDERS BACK
ON!
BRING YOUR SHIP OVER TO
THE SIU. WHERE YOU CAN
FIGHT FOR, AND WIN CONDI-
TIONS WITHOUT BEING SOLD
OUT BY A BUNCH OF POLITI-
CAL LABOR FAKERS AND
^ELL-OUT ARTISTS! PAY NO
(Continued on Page 3)
Merchants and Miners Unfair
In Dealings with Labor!
Refuse to Issue Passes to Union
And Ignore Existing Contract
COMPANY LONG ANTIUNION
Why does the Merchants and Miners' Transportation
Company persist in refusing, to recognize the Seafarers' In
ternational Union as the bargaining agent for the unlicensed
personnel aboard their vessels? Why do they continue to in
sist that the SIU is not, at least technically, the successor to
the AFL Seamen's Union?? Wliy all this beating around the
bush? Is the M & M Company figuring on starting a Com
pany Union?
Wheh the SIU first came into existence la^t November, the
M & M Company, who had a signed agreement with the
AFLSeam en 's Union, agreed that we were qualified to repre
sent the unlicensed personnel aboard their vessels, and issued
passes to our Agents and Patrolmen. They continued to recog
nize us until about th^ middle of May this year, and then the
NLRB issued a statement to the effect that the SIU was not
the successor to the AFLSU. The M & M immediately seized
(Continued on Page 3)
CREWS STRIKE P&O
SHIPS INJORIDA
Vessels Tied Up In
Three Florida Ports
COMPANY CHISELS
Miami, Fia., Aug. 2—The boys
on the P&O are on stiike again,
to maintain the gains they made
last Spring. Even with a tempo
rary agreement, the company tried
to chisel on us, ,and it was only
through direct action that we
were able to hold them.
When it' came time to sign a
permanent agreement, the com
pany stalled, and beat around the
bush. Their figures on overtime
are not consistent.
When we checked their figures,
they had figured to pay ov(M'time
when men were working straight
time, and in some instances they
figured to pay twice for one hour.
This, to our belief, proved they
didn't want the true facts.
Take Strike Action
The men decided to strike, and
all hands paid off as fast as the
ships hit the dock. We have a
Strike Fund, but would like to
have that as a reserve, when all
else fails.
We have a member, Hyman Pe
setsky. Gulf number 65, who is go
ing up the coast on his own
money, contacting all ships for
donations, and, fellows, any dona
tions will be greatly appreciated.
An injury to one is an injury
to all. With good support from our
brothers, we can hold out indefi
nitely.
John Gunnison, Agent
Hi ^
The SS Florida is tied up at
Miami, the Cuba at Tampa, and
the car ferries Estrada Palmer,
Joseph R. Parroft and Henry M.
Flagler are tied up at Port Ever
glades.
The strike started in Miami on
July 26, when the SS Florida was
struck there. Immediately follow
ing this move, the crews of the
Cuba, and the car ferries also
struck, and tied things up 100per
cent.
The main hitch in the negotia
tions seems to be overtime, the
company wanting to pay only for
DELEGATES FROM ATLANTIC,
GULF AND LAKES ATTEND
Harry Limdeberg Also Present, and
Many Ships' Delegates on Deck
QUICK RESULTS PROMISED
Tlic Constitutional Conference opened in Savannah last
Wednesday, with repre.sentatives from the Atlantic, Gulf and
Great Lakes Districts pre.sent, along with many delegates off
of .ships.
The elected delegates from the Atlantic District Branches
were: From New York, Arthur Kelcey, Waldo Gripe and
George Brown; from Boston, John Mogan, S. E. Bayne, and
V. J. Yakavonis from Philadelphia, J. F. Vandergrift; from
Baltimore, Arthur Wingate, W. H. Elkins, and H. Ohlsen;
and from Norfolk, Fred Sorenson. No delegate was sent
^rom the Providence Branch, due
to the fact that there were not
SIU ENDORSES BILL
LIFTING miMIT
Sen. Barbour's Bill
Highly Praised
New York, N. Y'., Aug. 1—The
following resolution was intro
duced and unanimously adopted,
at last night's regular Headquar
ter's meeting:
"WHEREAS: It has been the
custom of the Federal Government
to prescribe various age limits to
applicants for employment in the
Federal service, and
"WHEREAS: This has prevent
ed experienced and capable sea
men from secr.ring employment in
the Army Transpoil Service, in
the Lighthouse and Geodetic Ser
vice, and other services maintain
ed by the Federal Government,
and
"WHEREAS; Senator Barbour
of New Jersey has introduced in
the Senate of the U.S.A. a Bill,
No. S.890, called a bill to prohibit
discrimination on the accoimt of
maximum age in employment di
rectly or indirectly under the
United States, therefore be it
'RESOLVED: By the SIU of
NA, New York Branch, in regular
meeting assembled on July 31,
1939, that we wholehearedly en
dorse the action of Senator Bar
overtime work performed on Sat bour, and recommend to the other
urday afternoons, Sundays and
holidays. It is tlie contention of
company officials that the Union is
attempting to dictate to them how
their ships should be run, but,
needless to say, such is not the
case. All the men on these ships
want is a decent wage, good liv
ing and working conditions, and
payment for all overtime work
performed.
Soup kitchens have been opened,
and picket lines established, and
everything is being conducted
peacefully. The company has been
cautioned by Agent John Gunni
son not' to attempt to ship fink"
crews to any of the struck ships,
as it is quite possible that con
i, (Continued on Page 3)
Branches to take similar action,
and be it furtker
"RESOLVED: That a copy of
this Resolution be sent to Senator
Barbour and the members of the
Committee on Civil Service."
The Bill itself reads as follows:
"Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in
Congress assembled, that, notwith
standing any provision of law or
regulation to the contrary, no de
partment or establishment of the
United States or the District of
Columbia will make or enforce
any rule or regulation ̂ which
would bar any person from civil
ian employment (whether under
(Continued on Page 2)
were
enough members present to form
a quorum.
At the time of going to press,
we do not yet have the names of
the Gulf or Lakes District dele
gates, nor of all the delegates from
the ships. However, we do know
that among tlie ships' delegates
.are Wra. Mason from the SS
Acadia; Don F. Davis from the
SS George Washington, Stanley
Greenridge from the Evangeline
and Dudley Edwards from the SS
New York.
Lundeberg Piesent
Also present' at the conference
are Acting President of the SIU,
Harry Lundeberg, "Duke" Du
Bhane, Chairman of the Atlantic
Dlstrict Emergcney Board, and
Roland Dean, Chairman of the
Gulf District Emergency Board.
The delegates immediately set
tled down to the business at hand,
with the optimistic prediction that
it would not take them long to
adopt a suitable Constitution and
bylaws.
Although we do not know all of
the provisions of the proposed
Constitution, we do know that the
New Y'ork delegation took with
them a document which would
serve fairly adequately as a work
able Constitution as it stands.
To Be Included
Any Constitution, in order to
be acceptable to the membership
of the SIU, will have to adhere
pretty closely to the style of the
SUP Constitution, assuring abso
lute rank and file control of the
affairs of the Union, and ample
provision for democratic represen
tation. Nor will we allow our
selves to become topheavy with
ofllclals, as is the NMU.
Provision must also be made
for a hospital, burial, and ship
wreck assessment, and the monies
derived from such assessments put
aside in separate funds. The same
thing holds true of a strike assess
ment.
Stewards Repre.sented
We would like to point out that
the steward's department is more
than amply represented at the con
ference, as all of those from the
ships mentioned are members of
(Continued on Page 3)
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I -X.
THE S E A F A R E R S » LOG Friday, Auf{ust
Published by the
i Seafarers^ International Union
of North America,
Affiliated with the American Federation op Labor
I HARRY LUNDEBHRG, Acting President
11 Steuart Street, San Francisco, Calif.
Atlantic District
HEADQUARTERS
Xew York (Phone: BOwling Green 93437) ......2 Stone Street
BRANCHES
Boston 1 1 Rowes Wharf
Providence • . ..465 So. Main Street
Philadelphia 6 Nortli 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 Chartred Street
BRANCHES
Savannah 218 East Bay Street
Jacksonville 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
ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS
PUBLICATION TO:
"THE SEAFARERS' LOG"
P. O. Box 522, Church St. Annex, New York, N. Y.
BOSTON
News Bits
DIMOCRACY: ' N M U STYLE!
Helgho, heigho,
I We'll steal the seamens' dough, —
1 We'll swipe their shoes
\ If they won't pay dues, —
Heigho, heigho!
So sang the top ranking NMU commissars during their
recent "Convention to end Democracy" in New Orleans, as
thej' blithely steamrollered throtigh a motion to raise the
dues to two bucks per month! This, in spite of the fact that
a recent referendum vote oh raising the monthly dues to
$1.50 Tvas turned down by the NMU membership by a very
large margin! That's what is known as rank and file con
trol in the NMU! A large majority of the alleged 56,000
membership of the NMU voted against any increase in dues,
and then a handful of commissars and their .stdoges say, "To
Hell with the membership, — we want more dough, and we're
going to get it by hook or crook!"
We'd like to know whether or not the rank and file o
the NMU are going to sit back on their haunches, and take
this sort of stuff ! Will they pay the two bucks per month
or will they refuse to? Certainly it is not the will of the
inembership, and, therefore, they are not forced to live up
to it.
Why have so many men,, who were militant rank and filers
during the '36'37 strike, in the Gulf, refused to put up with
the highhanded methods of the commissars, and transferred
into the SIU? If they don't adhere to the Communi.st Party
line, they will be framed in one way or another, and be
misted! But they know that they will get a square deal in
the SIU, and will not bo obliged to put up with any totali
tarian control. They know that the control of the NMU rests
in llie hands of a few selfish and avaricious individuals, to
whom the wishes of the rank and file mean nothing! They
know that the only progressive seamen's Union on the Gulf
and Atlantic Coast is the Seafarers' International Union!
What is going to happen when September 30th rolls
around? Will the commissars dare to attempt to call a strike,
after the recent tanker fiasco? If they do call a strike, will
the membership come off the ships? Or will the commis.sars
take the easy way, and subject the strike question to a refer
endum vote ? Whichever way they go, they're licked, — and
they know it! If they .should arbitrarily call a strike, we
Boston, Mass., Aug. 1—Some one
broke into the SIU of NA Branch
oflice at Boston the other night,
knocking tlie knob off the safe,
and breaking the doors of the
office, but failed to open the safe.
Agent Mogan and Patrolman
Bayne went to Savannah, Mon
day, to take part in the Constitu
tional Conference.
''Commander" Alfred Nappi's
Navy (Nantucket Line) is run
ning full blast, and he reports a
good sized income each week.
Brother Bob Roberts was elect
ed Deck Patrolman for Boston,
and we are all glad to see him
back again. Good luck. Bob!
Admiral Byi'd is fitting out his
"Bear of Oakland" for his forth
coming trip to the Anarctic re
gions, but he won't have such an
easy time getting sailors as he
did before. You don't get paid,—
it is all for glory. Some bit for
that before—but not the second
time! It costs you about $300 for
gear, as he won't' get Navy sailors
Baltimore Highlights
As Program of Membership
Irresponsibles and "Wiiios" Unwanted
As Members of Seafarers
"MANUFACTURED" BEEFS PHONEY
Baltimoir, Md., July 25—Shipping turnover has slowed
down considerably out of this pox't, and an influx of mem
bers from other ports has made the lists uncomfortably long.
We are always' glad to see brother members come into this
port to register, and becau.se of that, it is only fair to warn
them that shipping is slow, espeifc———
off the Avenue.
The new ship. Challenge, was in
the other day, and she is a sweet
ship. Two men to a room, large
messrooms and washrooms, plenty
of fans and heat. She has four
messrooms, and an icebox in each
one. Travels at the rate of fifteen
knots per, and will run between
Boston and London, England. She
is a 9000 fon passenger and cargo
ship. This is a nonUnion ship,
and is operated by the American
Hampton Roads Line.
"William (Slim) Love, exquar
termaster, is second m.ate on the
SS Mayflower, and is very well
satisfied with the ship, and is
making the grade OK. Keep up
the good work,"Slim", and good
luck tP you on your voyage.
Shipped about 40 men laist' week,
and registered about 27.
"Tex" Heitzman
"lion't believe that the majority of the membership will pay
any heed to them. If they put the question to a referendum
ybte, the members will vote against it, and the commis.sars
will further lose face!
It's a foregone conclusion that the majority of the NMU
membership do not wish to continue working under the
terms of the phoney agreements they are at present forced
to live up to; but, apparently, the comrats can't get a better
one for them. So what's going to happen ? One guess is as
good as another; bpt we'd like to point out the fact that the
SIU hss better agreements, and better working and living
conditions than has the NMU. Of course, we do not have as
many ships under agreements, hut we do have a sufficient
Headquarters
BRIEFS
New York, N. Y., Aug. 1—Last
night's Headquarters meeting was
well and enthusiastically attend
ed; — all hands being on deck to
vote for delegates to the Constitu
tional Conference at Savannah.
Emergency Board Chairman Du
shane reported that' the new agree
ment with the Bull Line is now
being voted on, and announced
that the result will be made
known just as soon as they are
completed.
A motion in the San Juan min
utes regarding a water cooler for
the SS West Notus was noncon
chrred in, because of the fact that
the ship is under the jurisdiction
of the SUP, and the SIU has
nothing ofiicially to do with her.
Most of the other Branch minutes
(Continued on Page 4 )
dally in the lower ratings;
"Winos" Not Wanted
Talking along these lines. we
note that along with the influx of
bona fide members, the neighbor
hood of the Hall is being used as
a congregating place for "winos'
"gashounds, and others of that
vast fraternity interested only in
easy pickings. How these gentry
ever got into the organization, we
don't know, but we do know that
if fhey keep it up, they won't be
in it much longer. The SIUSUP
membership, with the easy toler
ance of the average seaman, at
first took the antics of the "gas
hounds" as something of a joke,
but there's a limit fo everything,
and, according to the Baltimore
membership, that limit has been
reached.
Any labor organization is only
as good as its membership. If the
individual member has no sense
of responsibility, then it is foo
much to expect the Union as a
whole to have any, and a union
without responsibility, and a will
ingness to live up to its obliga
tions, is like a ship without' a
rudder, cruising around in futile
circles, getting nowhere, and final
ly crashing on the rocks of hard
reality, to become a mildewed,
rotten hulk, with not even a mast
above water to mark it's passing.
Organized Militancy
Militancy, the fightihg, organ
ized militancy of a well tr.oined
regiment, is a powerful weapon
against any foe, but sporadic, un
disciplined, unorganized, unrea
sonable militancy will turn the
regiment into a mob, and you
don't' have to be an historian to
know what happens to mobs when
brought face to lace with organ
ized, disciplined opposition. "We
need oiily point to the Sailors'
Union of the Pacific for a case in
point. No one will question the
assertion that' the SUP stands
second to no other organization
in its militancy, but it stands to
day as the most effective organi
zation in maritime history, sim
ply because its fighting spirit is
an organized and responsible
fighting spirit.
No Responsibility
The memhership realizes that
the "strike" is a powerful, potent
weapon, and they do not abuse
and cheapen i,:s effects by "hang
ing the hook" and violating an
agreement, just because some dis
gruntled member was served
vanilla ice cream when he wanted
chocolate. Those members of the
SIU who have been going out of
tlieir way recently to prove how
militant they are, by "manufac
turing" beefs, in the hope that
they miglit find themselves on the
right end of a piecard, are wast
ing their time. The only thing
they are proving is that they haw
no sense of responsibility, and
tiierefore, are totally unsuited to
be leaders of any type, especially
leaders of the type of men who
make up the membership of the
SIUSUP, whom, in the average,
are the better type seamen, with
a better type education than, for
instance, the membership of the
NMU, who, if they were able to
read the Pilot, would have sick
ened, and given up a long time
ago.
With the arrival of the West
Kyska, first of the four Waterman
ships to arrive here for the new
interooastal run, the boys decided
that now was the time to get hei!
cleaned up a bit. Consequently,
at time of writing, the Agent and
patrolmen are aboard her lining
up the needed improvements to be •
made before she sails, and we
MEAN BEFORE SHE SAILS!
"L'
Get Gfl at Branches
Members aboard Bull Line ships
running to the Giilf should avoid
getting off their ships in out ports >
where it' is hard to get SIU re
pjacements. Practically e.'ery
other Bull Line ship that comes
in here carries a couple of NMU
men, and alttiough that state of
affairs helps the Baltimore ship
ping lists, and doesn't do the Bal
timore NMU lists any good, it is
still not fair to the SIU member
ship in the Gulf. If you get off in
the Gulf,—get' off Jn a port where
we have a Hall.
Interest in Conference
number of ships to .supply jobs for the great majority of the
members, — and a man doesn't have to lay around the beach
for a period of several months before he can sh'ip out! Fur
thermore, the SIU protects its members by setting a limit on
the amount of men to be joined.
The commissars arbitrarily ousted the duly elected NMU
Gulf District officials, without a byyourleave from the mem
jcrship. Then they turn around and install a gang of ,com
mies and f^tooges to carry out their own finky progi'am! "Why
were these legitimate Gulf officials ousted?' Sihiply because
these men refused to he dominated by the Commitnist Party,
and stuck up for the right of the member.ship to democratic
control of the organization!
The day of reckoning is not too far distant, and the com
missars will soon find themselves right hack where they
started from:—South Street! ,
Interest in the coming SIU con
ference was well demonstrated
here the other night, when some
207 members jammed the Pratt
Street Hall to discuss matters
coiiili'ig Up before 11(6 conference
pro and con. There is no question
but that the consensus of opinion
favors the adoption of a consti
tution paralleling as closely as
possible that of the SUP.
i
ENDORSE BILL
(Continued from Page 1)
Civil Seirvlce Act or not) solely
because ' of the maximum age of
such person."
Copies of the Resolution are be
ing sent to Senator Barbour and
the members of the Committee on
Civil Service, and we urge that
all Branches concur in this reso
lution, and take similar action.
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Friday, August '4, 1939 THE SEAFARERS' LOG 3
A*
T r
f A
1 • ' ''
HERE and THERE in the GULF
NEWS/rom NEW ORLEANS
COMMIES ASSUME CONTROL
OF GULf DISTRICT NMU
Houston and Mobile Refuse to Be
Dominated by Commissars
FINK HALL DEAL EXPOSED
Activities of the past week in New Orleans, La., July 25
the Gulf District:
1. The SlU shipped more men ,and showed a larger in
come than the NMU, in Houston last week. Houston is the
largest NMU port in the Gulf.
2. The majority of the picket:^
card members expelled by the
Commies have applied for mem
bership in the SIU.
3. The NMU rank and file con
tinue to issue leafiets exposing
Curran and Ferdinand the Fink.
4. The Lykes Bros, ships con
tinue to refuse payment of dues
to the commissars.
5. The SIU exposed the deal be
tween Curran & Co. and the Mari
time Commission, to cooperate in
opening Fink Halls in the Gulf.
6. Curran returned to Washing
ton, probably to make sure that
A. Thomas takes a ride up the
river. Thomas, who is not a citi
zen, was admittedly fingered by
Curran because he did not follow
the Party Line.
7. The iNMU top faction are ap
pointing known communists to
take over all official jobs in the
Gulf. Those already appointed
are:
James Merrill, Chairman Gulf
District—Communist Party.
Adrian Duffy, Secretary Gulf
District—Communist Party.
Phil. Gloss, Treasurer, Gulf
District—Communist Party.
Eddie Piatt, Sec'y.Treasurer,
Eng. Div C.P.
Clyde "Tex" Drake, Sec'yTreas
urer. Deck Div C.P.
Philip Carey, Sec'yTreasurer,
Stwds. Div C.P.
In Beaumont, Texas:
James Mcintosh, Agent—C.P.
In Galveston, the following C.P.
members were in office, and, of
course, remain:
K. K. Owens, Agent—C.P.
Fred Halestrap, Patrolman—
C.P.
In Port Arthur and Corpus
Christ!, a port committee of five
members were elected to take over
until Ferdinand the Fink and Cur
ranski could find other good, loyal,
finky commies to appoint to the
vacancies.
Houston and Mobile have, so
far, refused to allow any C.P.
artists to take over any official
job.
Red Dean
LYKES STRIKE
(Continued from Page 1)
MORE DUES TO THE LABOR
FAKERS!
Act Now!
Now is the t'im.e to act! We sug
gest that all NMU ships' crews
call meetings aboard their ships
NOW, and get the whole crews
into a fighting ore,anization.
DON'T LET THE NMU LABOR
FAKERS ROB YOU OP ALL
YOUR CONDITIONS! ACT NOW
— TOMORROW MAY BE TOO
LATE!
The NMU commissar leadership
has sold out on the watertenders.
This means three less men on
each Lykes coastwise ship. THIS
IS PART OF A STILL GREATER
^ELLOUT!
WATCH FOR THE LIBERTY
BELL. AND THE JOLEE, —
— THEY ARE NOW "HOT"
SHIPS!
P & O STRIKE
(Continued from Page 1)
Biderable violence would follow
such a move. ,
According newspaper dis
patches, one Claude Wayne, a
steward, who, according to Miami
Seamen's Institute officials, had
been appointed by members of the
National Maritime Union to con
tact ships in the hai'bov, and see
if they needed men, disappeared
one night last week, and the Rev.
Bradley of the Institute has ex
pressed great' concern as to his
whereabouts and welfare.
/'
i
APPRECIATION
... . L-
On Board SS Maine,
Panama Canal,
July 15, 1939.
TO THE "LOG":
We, the members of the
crew of the SS Maine, go on
record to thank the ILA long
shoremen, and the SIU mem
bership of the port of Mobile
for their loyal support given
U.S in a recent walk off for bet
ter living conditions, at the
Alabama State Docks.
We also thank Brother Arm
strong and Brother Kelley for
the business like way they
handled the Maine situation.
It is our deepest regret that
the SIU doesn't have a few
more ArmstrongKelly combi
nations in various ports on the
Atlantic Coast.
Fraternally,
The Crew of the SS Maine,
B. Terrlen, No. 38,
Deck Delegate
O. Sykes, No. 245,
Steward Delegate
A. Betoney, No, 4344,
Engine Delegate
CONFERENCE
(Continued from Page 1)
that department, and three of the
delegates from the Atlantic Dis
trict are also of the same depart
ment. A total of eight in all, ex
clusive of those who may be pres
ent from the Gulf,or the Lakes,
Due to somewhat limited finances,
no representative was sent from
the San Juan, P.R. Branch, but
Agent Moreno has forwarded to
POPULARITY OF SIU
STEAOILY GAINING
• • . i
Rules All Made For
Majority of Members
• Mobile, Ala., July 24—During
the last week in this port things
have rocked along very quietly;
all hands are working in the
groove, all sliips' beefs taken care
of to the .satisfaction of all hand.s,
with the exception of the crew
that laid up tlie Wacosta. These
brothers thought that, as the ship
was being laid up prior to the laid
up rule going into effect, that
they should not be touched by the
ruling. The members on the
beach took the view that, as the
ship was laid up over the limit,
the crew should get off and make
room for new crew members.
Rules for Majority
In regards to this,—a lot o.f
members think that a ruling like
this is a direct slap at themselves.
Now this is wrong, because, after
all, in an organization the size of
tlie SIU, a few members are going
to get the idea that they are being
hurt by some ruling, but in the
long run the best for the majority
is what the Union must' go down
the line for. So, in the future,
think it over, and put yourself in
the place of the men as a whole,
and you will see that all the rules
aje for the majority, passed by the
majority, with no thought of hurt
ing the individual.
Turn Ships Over
Remember the old saw that the
world will beat a path to your
door if you build a better mouse
trap? Well, the SIU is proving to
be the Union, and believe me,
the seamen are beating the walks
to dust, coming in with the same
question: "How can 1 get in the
Union?" The dispatcher fells me
that there is a regular lineup at
times. To protect the members
that we have, we cannot take in
all who apply, so—to you seamen
who see the handwriting on the
wall, and who can't stomach Cu
ranski and Ferdinand the Fink,
ship on one of the sacred agree
ment ("Take oil and sail, we must
protect our agreements," eaid Cur
ran during the .strike. Who asked
what strike?) ships, and then
have fhe crew call the SIU patrol
man, and he will take care of all
hands.
Fight the Bosses
So let all hands get together,
and make an efficient weapon to
fight the boss;—One real Union,
that will go down the line under
control of the members, instead of
a clique issuing orders fliat you
abide by, or else! The SUP has
shown that honest Union men can
hold up under any conditions so
long as they retain control of
their own business. In '35, if we
had taken what the old clique of
the ISU wanted to give us, today
there would have been no SUP, no
SIU, nor no NMU.
The NMU takescredit for im
proving conditions on the East
Coast along with everything else.
I wonder if they are about to take
credit for trying to wreck the
seamens' movement in the Na
tion?
Steady as she goes,
Armstrong, SUP No. 2983
the Conference a brief outline of
the importance of that Branch,
which will suffice, and there need
be no fear that that Branch will
be in any way neglected.
"Whitey" Hawk of the SS Aca
dia left for Savannah shortly after
that ship's arrival in New York
on Wednesday morning. He will
represent the deck department' of
MERCHANTS & MINERS' UNFAIR
(Continued from Page 1)'
upon thi.s loo])Iiuli! provided tliem by the Labor Board, and
pi'oniplly roscindcd all j)ass(;s tliey liad i.ssucd to the SIU.
WHY?
SIU REPRESENTS SEAMEN
Tliere is only one AI'TJ aftiliatc on the East and Gulf Coa.sts
qualified to represent the unlicensed .seamen, — and that is
the Seafarers' Intcrnatioiial Union of North America. Previ
ously, the APL Seamen's Union had enjoj'ed this jurisdie^
lion. Now: — by recognizing the SIU for approximately .six
month.s, the & M (Jomjniny, tacitly at lea.st, agreed that we
were the qualified represcJitatives of the unlicensed personnel
aboard their vessels. Then, why did they immediately .seize
upon the NLRB's "lioh edict", and refuse to recognize us
any longer? There is more to this tlian meets the eye, and
we'd like to find out .just Avliat is behind it.
WANTED CHECKOFF SYSTEM
When iMr. IMerriil, of the Merchants and Miners', fir.st
started negotiations on the tefnis of an agreement with 'the
AFL Seamen's Union, he stated that he Avas strictly in favor
of a cheekoff system, and alrao.st in.si.stcd upon it. He de
clared that he would agree that all members of the unlicensed
personnel aboard the M & M ships'would have to be mem
bers of the AFLSU, and that the company wouid remit a
check each month, at the rate of one dollar per man, to the
Union. The AFLSU officials flatly refused to agree to any
such arrangement. Following this setback, Mr. Merrill then
appeared to be very reluctant regarding the issuance of
passes to any Union representatives to go aboard the 31 & M
ip.s. WHY? Did he fear that the Union representatives
would discover the woeful lack of conditions aboard his rust
buckets? Was he afraid that they would find that many men
with licenses were sailing in unlicensed jobs, and paying dues
to another union, — via the checkoff system? Did he fear
that the Union would discover that many of his men were
being far underpaid? However, he finally agreed to issue
pas.ses, but only to certain stipulated persons. The organiza
tional Avork on these ships never did progress very far, as
the Union representatives found many obstacles in their path,
MERRILL'S WORD LAW
The Merchants and Miners' Transportation Company has
a long antiUnion record, and previous to* the signing of the
agreement with the AFLSU, had never been party to any
contract with any organization representing the unlicensed
personnel aboard their vessels. Many of the men on these
.ships are 100 percent "company men", and the word of
"Admiral" Merrill is law to them! The M & M Company has
built up a little kingdom of their o'wn on tliese shijDs, and
proudly point to the fact that they are like "one big family".
Despite the fact that the other companies with whom the
AFLSU had agreements received the same notification from
the NLRB as did the M & 31, none of them paid any heed to
it, and continued to recognize the SIU as the representatives
of the unlicensed per.sonnel aboard their vessels. "WHY
THEN, DOES THE MERCHANTS AND MINERS' PERSIST
IN THEIR REFUSAL TO DEAL WITH US? They were
notified by President William Green of the AFL that th* SIU
is the only chartered representative of the AFL seamen in
this district, but they choose to ignore this, and point, piously,
to the NLRB ukase!
COMPANY MOVE?
There have been rumors of certain unqualified individuals
being allowed to board the vessels of this company, for the
purpose of eoulficting the members of the unlicensed per
sonnel. By what right does the M & M presume to allow these
persons aboard their ships, and at the same time refuse to
issue passes to representatives of a bona fide seamen's organi
zation? WHY?
M & M UNFAIR TO LABOR
The Seafarers' International Union asks the help of all
Organized Labor in their fight with the Merchants and
3finers' Transportation Company, and request that this com
pany be listed as unfair to Labor until such time as they
come to terms with the Union qualified to act as the bargain
ing agency for the unlicensed personnel aboard theii vessels:
— THE SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF
NORTH AMERICA!
that vessel.
Hope for Short Session
It is the hope of the entire
membership that the Conference
will not be a long drawn out af
fair, as all hands are anxious to
get going on the job of adopting a
Constitution and bylaws of their
own, and are also eager to hold
an eieciion of permanent officials.
The Seafarers' International
Union has made remarkable prog
ress in the approximately eight
and a half months they have been
in existence, and for the first time
in several years the seamen under
the banner of the AFL on the At
lantic and Gulf Coasts will sooa
have a Constitution, and official®
of their own choosing, j
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THE S E A F A R E R S' L O G Friday, August 4, 1939
NEWS and VIEWS from the LAKES
BUFFALO
10 Exchange Street
MILWAUKEE
730 S. Second Street
DETROIT
1038 Third Street
CLEVELAND
1426 Third Street
CHICAGO
8101/2 N. Clark Street
SECORD COMING TO ENO
OF TRAIL ON LAKES
Dues Collecting Racket Flopping
As Crews Refuse to Be Bluffed
STEWARDS JOIN THE SIU
Buffalo, N. Y., July 29—When the 8S South American
docked here this morning gangway watchmen notified Sea
farers' International Union delegates that none but pas
sengers would be permitted to board her. The Master ex
plained that those were his orders from general manager
Hatch of the Chicago, Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit
Company. Mr. Hatch's offices are in Detroit. The vessel was
able to sail on schedule only because Mr. Hatch rescinded his
orders to the captain by long'disj
tance phone conversation. Union
delegates went aboard and trans
acted business with the crew.
Closed Shop Contract
Although discriminatory action
against the Seafarers' Interna
tional and its members was ex
pected from this company, the
exact form it took came somewhat
as a surprise. The S.I.U. has a
closed shop contract for the un
licensed personnel of the deck and
engine departments. Members of
the steward's department have
joined the Seafarers. They are
supposed to be covered by a con
tract signed early this Spring by
John Secord in the name of the
Marine Cooks and Steward.s Union
of the Great Lakes.
Secord's "Union"
This Secord is one of the old
discredited I.S.U. officials here.
For years he has been signing
contracts with these companies
without ever presenting evidence
of bis right to represent the men
who have to work under the
forms of the phoney contracts he
signs. The men In the "steward's
department are forced to work for
as little as $30 per month in
some instances. They never see
a copy of the contract, never at
tend union meetings because
none are held, never get any in
fotnn.qt1on from the union hali be
cause Secord doesn't maintain
halls. Their dues are checkedoff
by the chief steward aboard ship.
Has No Affiliation
When the Seafarers' Interna
tional Union was chartered by
the A.F. of L., its program pledged
a riddance of these fakers. Rather
than wait for the .purge, Secord
jumped like a scared rabbit right
out of the fold of the A.F. of L.
He set up an "independent
union". Such is the nature of his
union that it has no affiliation
with the organized labor move
ment, no elected representatives,
and no membership, its delegates
are key employees of the Chicago,
Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit
Company, its finances come from
tnoney stolen cut of the wages of
men who work for a pittance, and
its only boast is a "contract." It
is hardly necessary to observe
that the "contract" is not worth
the paper it is written on. Se
cord's "union" exists only as a
racket.
Racket Flops
The racket couldn't operate on
the South American because of
the vigilance of Seafarers Inter
kiational Union members aboard
that ship. One of • our members in
the deck d^artment, brother Mar
vin A. Hyde, Lookout, explained
td the boys in the g^^lley the exact
ixature of Mr. $ecord'8 setup. The
jgang in the Steward's department
voted not to give any money to
the chief steward and to join the
Seafarers' . International Union.
Word spread fast to the North
American, sister ship to the
South, and the galley help there
refused to be taken over by the
chief steward. Today all hands on
those two vessels are packing
S.I.U. books, wearing the red
thirdquarter work button of our
union. The galley blooms with
"Seafarers' Roses".
Ooinpany Frantic
The fact that the steward's de
partment has joined the S.I.U.
was not only a blow to Mr. Se
cord, it hits hard at the company.
Anxious to get by the season with
the present wage scale and to
avoid a wage increase until next
season, Mr. Hatch has agreed to
recognize the S.I.U. for. next year
and sign an agreement to that ef
fect' NOW. He is vindictive
against' the man who was directly
responsible more than anyone else
for forcing the issue so early.
That man was brother Hyde. And
the company tried to fire him here
in Buffalo Saturday a week ago
(July 11). Reason given was that
"the man talked too much to crew
members outside his own depart
ment". No fault could be found
with his work. This was a clear
case of discrimination.
Hyde Collect.s
The company was firing brotlier
Hyde for union activities. The
Master was told he would be un
able to ship a replacement, here
in Buffalo. In Detroit Mr. Hatch
was told that the best thing he
could do was let that particular
matter drop. But in Chicago Mr.
Hatch concocted a story for
Agent Hayman there, and brother
Hyde was fired. Back in Buffalo
last Thursday, International Rep
resentative R. D. Thompson heard
the facts and phoned Hatch to
notify him tbat either he took
brother Hyde back aboard the
South American or the ship would
not leave this port. Hatch agreed
to pay Hyde for the season's
work If no action were taken to
reinstate the man. Brother Hyde
collected $218 in wages, covering
the period from now until the
ship lays up.
SS Alabama Lining Up
Only plausible reason Hutch
could have for issuing orders to
keep S.I.U. representatives in Buf
falo oft his ships is to prevent
members of the Steward's depart
ment on the S.S. Alabama—third
ship operated by the Georgian Bay
outfit—from signing up with the
Seafafers. The Alabama Is never
docked together with either of the
other two vessels, so the steward's
SIU FILES PROTEST WITH
NLRB AGAINST PHONIES
Union Takes Up Fight for Men
Fleeced by Secord's Agents
DENIAL BY LABOR BOARD
Chief Stewards aboard the Chicago, Duluth and Georgian
Bay Transit Co. ships have been practicing a checkoff sys
tem. Money has been taken by these stewards from men they
hire. They let the old timers alone for the mo.st part. But
among the men who have .shipped for their first .sea.son these
vultures make their killing. They^ —
have intimidated young em
ployees, some of whom earn as low
as $30 per month, and in some in
stances have forced these boys to
pay as high as $9 for the right 1»
work on the job. This has been
done in the name of the organized
labor movement.
Company Discriminates
Although the company claims
that none of its employees have
been fired because they refuse to
kick in to the chief stewards, it
has been those who objected most
who ^were fired first when the
company cut down on it's person
nel. Last week in Detroit (Sun
day, July 23) Vernon Smith of
Chicago was let go from the S.S.
Alabama. Vernon Smith was one
of the boys on that ship who re
sisted the pressure from the stew
ard there. After finally being
forced to hand over part of his
wages to the steward, he came to
the Seafarers International repre
sentative to see what could be
done to get it back for him.
Letter to NLRB
Protesting against the vicious
checkoff system, the S.I.U. sent
the following letter to N.L.R.B.
director Henry Winters in Buf
falo:
"Dear Sir:
"The Seafarers' International
Union wishes to bring the follow
ing facts to your attention r
"1. The Seafarers' International
Union charges that members of
the stewards departments of the
str. Alabama and the str. South
American have been intimidated
by the chief stewards aboard those
two vessels owned and operated
by the Chicago, Duluth and
Georgian Bay Transit' Company.
Some members of the steward's
departments have been forced to
pay money to these chief stewards
in the amounts of $5 to $9.
"We are prepared to prove
these charges by submitting as
evidence " the following quoted
department on her has been
slower than the boys on the North
and South. Also the chief steward
on the Alabama is a particularly
officious Secord agent, (jollecting
every penny he can from his men.
However, his racket has been
broken up to some extent al
ready. After the S.I.U. agent was
aboard the Alabama today, the
steward agreed not to take any
more money from members of his
department. An effort is being
made to have every nickle col
lected by these vultures refunded
to the men. (See copy of letter
sent to N.L.R.B.)
The three ships of the Chicago,
Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit
Co. are the only vessels from
which Secord has received reve
nue this season. We can say de
finitely now that he Is finished in
that line.
f'Jkv!''
notice posted in the galley of the
str. South American;
"ALL UNION DUES WILL
HAVE TO BE PAID BEFORE
WE ARRIVE AT BUFFALO
NEXT THURSDAY."
(signed) R. R. Swift,
Chief Steward
"Further proof of these unfair
practices will be submitted upon
demand by members of the stew
ard's department on these two
ships. The men have receipts for
money taken from them.
"2. The Seafarers' International
Union claims to represent the
members of the steward's depart
ment, from whom money was
stolen on all ships operated by the
Chicago, Duluth and Georgian Bay
Transit Company. We are pre
pared to substantiate this claim
by presenting in person our mem
bers now sailing on those ships.
"3. The Seafarers' International
Union demands that the practice
of stealing money from members
of the stewards department In
boats operated by the Chicago,
Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit
Company be immediately discon
tinued.
"We further demand that all
money extracted in the name of
a noncxistant "union"—a so
called union represented by key
employees of the Chicago, Duluth
and Georgian Bay Company—be
refunded.
"The money has been stolen
from these men with the backing
of the NLRB, according to a state
ment by Mr. Hatch, the manager
of the company. He claims that
early in the year one Secord was
presented with a certification for
collective bargaining by the
NLRB and that in a letter to
Secord the NLRB asserted that it
is legitimate for key employees of
the company to collect money In
the name of Mr. Secord's "union"
from men whom they hire.
"If such a statement was ever
issued by your office, we request
that it. be reversed."
NLRB Denies Statement
In response to the above quoted
letter, Mr. Winters of the NLRB
denied that he had ever written a
letter to Secord saying , that it is
legitimate for the chief steward
to collect dues. What he did wtrite
is, "the ships' crews could elect a
steward on each boat tcact as the
representative of the union in the
collection of dues and in holding
union meetings," And that doesn't
mean the chief steward.
Elect Ships Delegates
Let all ships elect ships dele
gates! Yet the crews decide what
kind of representation they want.
Let them organize aboard ship to
assure for themselves the proper
representation. When that Is done
the men will know where to pay
their dues. Secord wH! be fini^ed.
Elect ships delegates in the gal
ley! Every man Joint the Sea
Lt Ay'|;
HEADQUARTERS
(Continued Irom Page 2)
were accepted as read, tvith a few
minor exceptions.
.Action on M & M
The Agent reported taking ac
tion on the Philadelphia re.solu
tion regarding the Merchants and
Miners' ships, and stated that
copies of the resolution, as well
as explanatory letters had been
sent to the New York State Fed
eration of Labor, and the New
York Central Trades and Labor
Council, asking for their coopera •
tion, and requesting that' they
take immediate action.
Beefs Settled
The Patrolmen reported settling
beefs on Eastern, Calmar, Water
man, Robin, and Bull Line ships.
Patrolman Stone reported that the
ESSCO had agreed to hire addi
tional help in the steward's de
partment on both the George
Washington, and the Robert E.
Lee. Third Floor Dispatcher Hart
reported that he had shipped 24
men during the week, and has a
total of 34 on the shipping list.
Sixth Floor Dispatcher McHenry
reported shipping 55 men, and
registering 52, and stated that
there are now a total of 171 men
on the three shipping lists.
A letter to President Roosevelt,
from Emergency Board Chairmgn
Dushane, protesting against the
WPA wage slash was read to the
membership, and was, of course,
unanimously concurred In.
Port Conimittcei
Settlement of an overtime beef,
against the Seatrain Lines, which
had been referred to a Port Com
mittee, was reported. The com
pany contended that the overtime
was unjustified, and pointed out
that Section 4, paragraph (b) of
the Engine Department working
rules provided for the performance
of such work. The membership
voted to accept the Port Commit
tee's report, and instruct all mem
bers to abide by the terms of the
agreement.
Resolutions Passed
A Resolution was pasised boy
cotting the Seamen's Institute, be
cause of the fact that they are
employing nonUnion painters, and
are being picketed by the Painter's
Union. Another Resolution, con
curring in Senator Barbour's bill
lifting the age limitations on Gov
ernment employees, was unani
mously concurred in. (See else
where in this issue regarding
the latter Resolution.
NOTICE
James H. Adams, able sea
man, Steamship "Arlyn", who
was injured while the ship was
in Nevv Orleans on the 23t"d
day of May, 1939, requests that
Charles Keliog, Joe Baker and
Howartt, able seamen, who
were working with him at the
time, communicate with Paul
C, Matthews, atornety, of No.
11 Broadway, New York City,
in reference to acting as wit
nesses In Mr. Adams' case.
farers this year! Pay no more
dues to Secord! Out with the
racketeers! Demand all money
stolen be refunded to the men
who earned it! Those are tlie
slogans that are passing through^
the galley these days.
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The Seafi arers IMS
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, AUGUST 4, 1939
• 446 NO. 15
CONFERENCE OPENS AT SAVANNAH
5 LYKES SHIPS ON STRIKE
IN GULF FOR CONDITIONS
Also Demaiirl SIU Recognition As
Company Refuses Just Demands
LIBERTY BELL SHIPS FINK CREW
New Orleans, La., Aus, 1—The SS Liberty Bell, whieh
struck in Houston last week to keep the watertenders aboard,
sailed Saturday. THE SHIP STRUCK AGAIN FOR WATER
TENDERS AND FOB RECOGNITION OF THE .SEA =
FARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION. This was in Galves
ton. Scabherder K. K. Owens, Galveston NMU Agent, shipped
a crew aboard her, that walked through a picket line, and
worked behind a picket line! The ship sailed WITHOUT
WATERTENDERS, AND WITHOUTCARGO. The Long
shoremen supported the strike by refusing to work cargo
on the ship. —•
THIS BEEF MUST BE WON.
Ships of the same type, on the
same run, operated by the
WATERMAN LINE, carry
WATERTENDERS! IF LYKES
BROS. CAN GET BY WITH TAK
ING THE WATERTENDERS
OFF, WATERTENDERS WILL
SOON BE A THING OF THE
PAST ON ALL LINES!
CREWS HAVE HIT THE
DOCK IN SUPPORT OF KEEP
ING WATERTENDERS ABOARD
THESE SHIPS. SEE THAT THE
WATERTENDERS ARE PUT
BACK ABOARD!
Threaten to Ship Fink.s
The SS JOLEE is tied, up 100
percent in Corpus Christi,. with a
picket line out. THE LONG
SHORREMEN ARE RESPECT
ING OUR PICKET LINES, and
the company is threatening to sail
the JOLEE light, with a FINK
CREW! THIS MAY HAPPEN,
BUT THE FIGHT WILL GO ON!
These two crews refused to ac
cept the NMU watertender sell
out, and STRUCK UNDER THE
BANNER OF THE SEAFAR
ERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION,
WHICH MAINTAINED ITS TRA
DITION OF FIGHTING THE
SEAMEN'S BATTLES! .
Stay Off Ship.sr
If fink crews are shipped aboard
these ships, ,as they said, the
Longshoremen on the Atlantic will
not work the ships.
ANYONE WHO SHIPS ABOARD
THESE SHIPS IS A FINK!
RESPECT THE PICKET LINES
—STAY OFF HOT SHIPS!
FORCE LYKES BROS. TO PUT
THE WATERTENDERS BACK
ON!
BRING YOUR SHIP OVER TO
THE SIU. WHERE YOU CAN
FIGHT FOR, AND WIN CONDI-
TIONS WITHOUT BEING SOLD
OUT BY A BUNCH OF POLITI-
CAL LABOR FAKERS AND
^ELL-OUT ARTISTS! PAY NO
(Continued on Page 3)
Merchants and Miners Unfair
In Dealings with Labor!
Refuse to Issue Passes to Union
And Ignore Existing Contract
COMPANY LONG ANTIUNION
Why does the Merchants and Miners' Transportation
Company persist in refusing, to recognize the Seafarers' In
ternational Union as the bargaining agent for the unlicensed
personnel aboard their vessels? Why do they continue to in
sist that the SIU is not, at least technically, the successor to
the AFL Seamen's Union?? Wliy all this beating around the
bush? Is the M & M Company figuring on starting a Com
pany Union?
Wheh the SIU first came into existence la^t November, the
M & M Company, who had a signed agreement with the
AFLSeam en 's Union, agreed that we were qualified to repre
sent the unlicensed personnel aboard their vessels, and issued
passes to our Agents and Patrolmen. They continued to recog
nize us until about th^ middle of May this year, and then the
NLRB issued a statement to the effect that the SIU was not
the successor to the AFLSU. The M & M immediately seized
(Continued on Page 3)
CREWS STRIKE P&O
SHIPS INJORIDA
Vessels Tied Up In
Three Florida Ports
COMPANY CHISELS
Miami, Fia., Aug. 2—The boys
on the P&O are on stiike again,
to maintain the gains they made
last Spring. Even with a tempo
rary agreement, the company tried
to chisel on us, ,and it was only
through direct action that we
were able to hold them.
When it' came time to sign a
permanent agreement, the com
pany stalled, and beat around the
bush. Their figures on overtime
are not consistent.
When we checked their figures,
they had figured to pay ov(M'time
when men were working straight
time, and in some instances they
figured to pay twice for one hour.
This, to our belief, proved they
didn't want the true facts.
Take Strike Action
The men decided to strike, and
all hands paid off as fast as the
ships hit the dock. We have a
Strike Fund, but would like to
have that as a reserve, when all
else fails.
We have a member, Hyman Pe
setsky. Gulf number 65, who is go
ing up the coast on his own
money, contacting all ships for
donations, and, fellows, any dona
tions will be greatly appreciated.
An injury to one is an injury
to all. With good support from our
brothers, we can hold out indefi
nitely.
John Gunnison, Agent
Hi ^
The SS Florida is tied up at
Miami, the Cuba at Tampa, and
the car ferries Estrada Palmer,
Joseph R. Parroft and Henry M.
Flagler are tied up at Port Ever
glades.
The strike started in Miami on
July 26, when the SS Florida was
struck there. Immediately follow
ing this move, the crews of the
Cuba, and the car ferries also
struck, and tied things up 100per
cent.
The main hitch in the negotia
tions seems to be overtime, the
company wanting to pay only for
DELEGATES FROM ATLANTIC,
GULF AND LAKES ATTEND
Harry Limdeberg Also Present, and
Many Ships' Delegates on Deck
QUICK RESULTS PROMISED
Tlic Constitutional Conference opened in Savannah last
Wednesday, with repre.sentatives from the Atlantic, Gulf and
Great Lakes Districts pre.sent, along with many delegates off
of .ships.
The elected delegates from the Atlantic District Branches
were: From New York, Arthur Kelcey, Waldo Gripe and
George Brown; from Boston, John Mogan, S. E. Bayne, and
V. J. Yakavonis from Philadelphia, J. F. Vandergrift; from
Baltimore, Arthur Wingate, W. H. Elkins, and H. Ohlsen;
and from Norfolk, Fred Sorenson. No delegate was sent
^rom the Providence Branch, due
to the fact that there were not
SIU ENDORSES BILL
LIFTING miMIT
Sen. Barbour's Bill
Highly Praised
New York, N. Y'., Aug. 1—The
following resolution was intro
duced and unanimously adopted,
at last night's regular Headquar
ter's meeting:
"WHEREAS: It has been the
custom of the Federal Government
to prescribe various age limits to
applicants for employment in the
Federal service, and
"WHEREAS: This has prevent
ed experienced and capable sea
men from secr.ring employment in
the Army Transpoil Service, in
the Lighthouse and Geodetic Ser
vice, and other services maintain
ed by the Federal Government,
and
"WHEREAS; Senator Barbour
of New Jersey has introduced in
the Senate of the U.S.A. a Bill,
No. S.890, called a bill to prohibit
discrimination on the accoimt of
maximum age in employment di
rectly or indirectly under the
United States, therefore be it
'RESOLVED: By the SIU of
NA, New York Branch, in regular
meeting assembled on July 31,
1939, that we wholehearedly en
dorse the action of Senator Bar
overtime work performed on Sat bour, and recommend to the other
urday afternoons, Sundays and
holidays. It is tlie contention of
company officials that the Union is
attempting to dictate to them how
their ships should be run, but,
needless to say, such is not the
case. All the men on these ships
want is a decent wage, good liv
ing and working conditions, and
payment for all overtime work
performed.
Soup kitchens have been opened,
and picket lines established, and
everything is being conducted
peacefully. The company has been
cautioned by Agent John Gunni
son not' to attempt to ship fink"
crews to any of the struck ships,
as it is quite possible that con
i, (Continued on Page 3)
Branches to take similar action,
and be it furtker
"RESOLVED: That a copy of
this Resolution be sent to Senator
Barbour and the members of the
Committee on Civil Service."
The Bill itself reads as follows:
"Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in
Congress assembled, that, notwith
standing any provision of law or
regulation to the contrary, no de
partment or establishment of the
United States or the District of
Columbia will make or enforce
any rule or regulation ̂ which
would bar any person from civil
ian employment (whether under
(Continued on Page 2)
were
enough members present to form
a quorum.
At the time of going to press,
we do not yet have the names of
the Gulf or Lakes District dele
gates, nor of all the delegates from
the ships. However, we do know
that among tlie ships' delegates
.are Wra. Mason from the SS
Acadia; Don F. Davis from the
SS George Washington, Stanley
Greenridge from the Evangeline
and Dudley Edwards from the SS
New York.
Lundeberg Piesent
Also present' at the conference
are Acting President of the SIU,
Harry Lundeberg, "Duke" Du
Bhane, Chairman of the Atlantic
Dlstrict Emergcney Board, and
Roland Dean, Chairman of the
Gulf District Emergency Board.
The delegates immediately set
tled down to the business at hand,
with the optimistic prediction that
it would not take them long to
adopt a suitable Constitution and
bylaws.
Although we do not know all of
the provisions of the proposed
Constitution, we do know that the
New Y'ork delegation took with
them a document which would
serve fairly adequately as a work
able Constitution as it stands.
To Be Included
Any Constitution, in order to
be acceptable to the membership
of the SIU, will have to adhere
pretty closely to the style of the
SUP Constitution, assuring abso
lute rank and file control of the
affairs of the Union, and ample
provision for democratic represen
tation. Nor will we allow our
selves to become topheavy with
ofllclals, as is the NMU.
Provision must also be made
for a hospital, burial, and ship
wreck assessment, and the monies
derived from such assessments put
aside in separate funds. The same
thing holds true of a strike assess
ment.
Stewards Repre.sented
We would like to point out that
the steward's department is more
than amply represented at the con
ference, as all of those from the
ships mentioned are members of
(Continued on Page 3)
..M,
.• it1
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I -X.
THE S E A F A R E R S » LOG Friday, Auf{ust
Published by the
i Seafarers^ International Union
of North America,
Affiliated with the American Federation op Labor
I HARRY LUNDEBHRG, Acting President
11 Steuart Street, San Francisco, Calif.
Atlantic District
HEADQUARTERS
Xew York (Phone: BOwling Green 93437) ......2 Stone Street
BRANCHES
Boston 1 1 Rowes Wharf
Providence • . ..465 So. Main Street
Philadelphia 6 Nortli 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 Chartred Street
BRANCHES
Savannah 218 East Bay Street
Jacksonville 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
ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS
PUBLICATION TO:
"THE SEAFARERS' LOG"
P. O. Box 522, Church St. Annex, New York, N. Y.
BOSTON
News Bits
DIMOCRACY: ' N M U STYLE!
Helgho, heigho,
I We'll steal the seamens' dough, —
1 We'll swipe their shoes
\ If they won't pay dues, —
Heigho, heigho!
So sang the top ranking NMU commissars during their
recent "Convention to end Democracy" in New Orleans, as
thej' blithely steamrollered throtigh a motion to raise the
dues to two bucks per month! This, in spite of the fact that
a recent referendum vote oh raising the monthly dues to
$1.50 Tvas turned down by the NMU membership by a very
large margin! That's what is known as rank and file con
trol in the NMU! A large majority of the alleged 56,000
membership of the NMU voted against any increase in dues,
and then a handful of commissars and their .stdoges say, "To
Hell with the membership, — we want more dough, and we're
going to get it by hook or crook!"
We'd like to know whether or not the rank and file o
the NMU are going to sit back on their haunches, and take
this sort of stuff ! Will they pay the two bucks per month
or will they refuse to? Certainly it is not the will of the
inembership, and, therefore, they are not forced to live up
to it.
Why have so many men,, who were militant rank and filers
during the '36'37 strike, in the Gulf, refused to put up with
the highhanded methods of the commissars, and transferred
into the SIU? If they don't adhere to the Communi.st Party
line, they will be framed in one way or another, and be
misted! But they know that they will get a square deal in
the SIU, and will not bo obliged to put up with any totali
tarian control. They know that the control of the NMU rests
in llie hands of a few selfish and avaricious individuals, to
whom the wishes of the rank and file mean nothing! They
know that the only progressive seamen's Union on the Gulf
and Atlantic Coast is the Seafarers' International Union!
What is going to happen when September 30th rolls
around? Will the commissars dare to attempt to call a strike,
after the recent tanker fiasco? If they do call a strike, will
the membership come off the ships? Or will the commis.sars
take the easy way, and subject the strike question to a refer
endum vote ? Whichever way they go, they're licked, — and
they know it! If they .should arbitrarily call a strike, we
Boston, Mass., Aug. 1—Some one
broke into the SIU of NA Branch
oflice at Boston the other night,
knocking tlie knob off the safe,
and breaking the doors of the
office, but failed to open the safe.
Agent Mogan and Patrolman
Bayne went to Savannah, Mon
day, to take part in the Constitu
tional Conference.
''Commander" Alfred Nappi's
Navy (Nantucket Line) is run
ning full blast, and he reports a
good sized income each week.
Brother Bob Roberts was elect
ed Deck Patrolman for Boston,
and we are all glad to see him
back again. Good luck. Bob!
Admiral Byi'd is fitting out his
"Bear of Oakland" for his forth
coming trip to the Anarctic re
gions, but he won't have such an
easy time getting sailors as he
did before. You don't get paid,—
it is all for glory. Some bit for
that before—but not the second
time! It costs you about $300 for
gear, as he won't' get Navy sailors
Baltimore Highlights
As Program of Membership
Irresponsibles and "Wiiios" Unwanted
As Members of Seafarers
"MANUFACTURED" BEEFS PHONEY
Baltimoir, Md., July 25—Shipping turnover has slowed
down considerably out of this pox't, and an influx of mem
bers from other ports has made the lists uncomfortably long.
We are always' glad to see brother members come into this
port to register, and becau.se of that, it is only fair to warn
them that shipping is slow, espeifc———
off the Avenue.
The new ship. Challenge, was in
the other day, and she is a sweet
ship. Two men to a room, large
messrooms and washrooms, plenty
of fans and heat. She has four
messrooms, and an icebox in each
one. Travels at the rate of fifteen
knots per, and will run between
Boston and London, England. She
is a 9000 fon passenger and cargo
ship. This is a nonUnion ship,
and is operated by the American
Hampton Roads Line.
"William (Slim) Love, exquar
termaster, is second m.ate on the
SS Mayflower, and is very well
satisfied with the ship, and is
making the grade OK. Keep up
the good work,"Slim", and good
luck tP you on your voyage.
Shipped about 40 men laist' week,
and registered about 27.
"Tex" Heitzman
"lion't believe that the majority of the membership will pay
any heed to them. If they put the question to a referendum
ybte, the members will vote against it, and the commis.sars
will further lose face!
It's a foregone conclusion that the majority of the NMU
membership do not wish to continue working under the
terms of the phoney agreements they are at present forced
to live up to; but, apparently, the comrats can't get a better
one for them. So what's going to happen ? One guess is as
good as another; bpt we'd like to point out the fact that the
SIU hss better agreements, and better working and living
conditions than has the NMU. Of course, we do not have as
many ships under agreements, hut we do have a sufficient
Headquarters
BRIEFS
New York, N. Y., Aug. 1—Last
night's Headquarters meeting was
well and enthusiastically attend
ed; — all hands being on deck to
vote for delegates to the Constitu
tional Conference at Savannah.
Emergency Board Chairman Du
shane reported that' the new agree
ment with the Bull Line is now
being voted on, and announced
that the result will be made
known just as soon as they are
completed.
A motion in the San Juan min
utes regarding a water cooler for
the SS West Notus was noncon
chrred in, because of the fact that
the ship is under the jurisdiction
of the SUP, and the SIU has
nothing ofiicially to do with her.
Most of the other Branch minutes
(Continued on Page 4 )
dally in the lower ratings;
"Winos" Not Wanted
Talking along these lines. we
note that along with the influx of
bona fide members, the neighbor
hood of the Hall is being used as
a congregating place for "winos'
"gashounds, and others of that
vast fraternity interested only in
easy pickings. How these gentry
ever got into the organization, we
don't know, but we do know that
if fhey keep it up, they won't be
in it much longer. The SIUSUP
membership, with the easy toler
ance of the average seaman, at
first took the antics of the "gas
hounds" as something of a joke,
but there's a limit fo everything,
and, according to the Baltimore
membership, that limit has been
reached.
Any labor organization is only
as good as its membership. If the
individual member has no sense
of responsibility, then it is foo
much to expect the Union as a
whole to have any, and a union
without responsibility, and a will
ingness to live up to its obliga
tions, is like a ship without' a
rudder, cruising around in futile
circles, getting nowhere, and final
ly crashing on the rocks of hard
reality, to become a mildewed,
rotten hulk, with not even a mast
above water to mark it's passing.
Organized Militancy
Militancy, the fightihg, organ
ized militancy of a well tr.oined
regiment, is a powerful weapon
against any foe, but sporadic, un
disciplined, unorganized, unrea
sonable militancy will turn the
regiment into a mob, and you
don't' have to be an historian to
know what happens to mobs when
brought face to lace with organ
ized, disciplined opposition. "We
need oiily point to the Sailors'
Union of the Pacific for a case in
point. No one will question the
assertion that' the SUP stands
second to no other organization
in its militancy, but it stands to
day as the most effective organi
zation in maritime history, sim
ply because its fighting spirit is
an organized and responsible
fighting spirit.
No Responsibility
The memhership realizes that
the "strike" is a powerful, potent
weapon, and they do not abuse
and cheapen i,:s effects by "hang
ing the hook" and violating an
agreement, just because some dis
gruntled member was served
vanilla ice cream when he wanted
chocolate. Those members of the
SIU who have been going out of
tlieir way recently to prove how
militant they are, by "manufac
turing" beefs, in the hope that
they miglit find themselves on the
right end of a piecard, are wast
ing their time. The only thing
they are proving is that they haw
no sense of responsibility, and
tiierefore, are totally unsuited to
be leaders of any type, especially
leaders of the type of men who
make up the membership of the
SIUSUP, whom, in the average,
are the better type seamen, with
a better type education than, for
instance, the membership of the
NMU, who, if they were able to
read the Pilot, would have sick
ened, and given up a long time
ago.
With the arrival of the West
Kyska, first of the four Waterman
ships to arrive here for the new
interooastal run, the boys decided
that now was the time to get hei!
cleaned up a bit. Consequently,
at time of writing, the Agent and
patrolmen are aboard her lining
up the needed improvements to be •
made before she sails, and we
MEAN BEFORE SHE SAILS!
"L'
Get Gfl at Branches
Members aboard Bull Line ships
running to the Giilf should avoid
getting off their ships in out ports >
where it' is hard to get SIU re
pjacements. Practically e.'ery
other Bull Line ship that comes
in here carries a couple of NMU
men, and alttiough that state of
affairs helps the Baltimore ship
ping lists, and doesn't do the Bal
timore NMU lists any good, it is
still not fair to the SIU member
ship in the Gulf. If you get off in
the Gulf,—get' off Jn a port where
we have a Hall.
Interest in Conference
number of ships to .supply jobs for the great majority of the
members, — and a man doesn't have to lay around the beach
for a period of several months before he can sh'ip out! Fur
thermore, the SIU protects its members by setting a limit on
the amount of men to be joined.
The commissars arbitrarily ousted the duly elected NMU
Gulf District officials, without a byyourleave from the mem
jcrship. Then they turn around and install a gang of ,com
mies and f^tooges to carry out their own finky progi'am! "Why
were these legitimate Gulf officials ousted?' Sihiply because
these men refused to he dominated by the Commitnist Party,
and stuck up for the right of the member.ship to democratic
control of the organization!
The day of reckoning is not too far distant, and the com
missars will soon find themselves right hack where they
started from:—South Street! ,
Interest in the coming SIU con
ference was well demonstrated
here the other night, when some
207 members jammed the Pratt
Street Hall to discuss matters
coiiili'ig Up before 11(6 conference
pro and con. There is no question
but that the consensus of opinion
favors the adoption of a consti
tution paralleling as closely as
possible that of the SUP.
i
ENDORSE BILL
(Continued from Page 1)
Civil Seirvlce Act or not) solely
because ' of the maximum age of
such person."
Copies of the Resolution are be
ing sent to Senator Barbour and
the members of the Committee on
Civil Service, and we urge that
all Branches concur in this reso
lution, and take similar action.
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W
Friday, August '4, 1939 THE SEAFARERS' LOG 3
A*
T r
f A
1 • ' ''
HERE and THERE in the GULF
NEWS/rom NEW ORLEANS
COMMIES ASSUME CONTROL
OF GULf DISTRICT NMU
Houston and Mobile Refuse to Be
Dominated by Commissars
FINK HALL DEAL EXPOSED
Activities of the past week in New Orleans, La., July 25
the Gulf District:
1. The SlU shipped more men ,and showed a larger in
come than the NMU, in Houston last week. Houston is the
largest NMU port in the Gulf.
2. The majority of the picket:^
card members expelled by the
Commies have applied for mem
bership in the SIU.
3. The NMU rank and file con
tinue to issue leafiets exposing
Curran and Ferdinand the Fink.
4. The Lykes Bros, ships con
tinue to refuse payment of dues
to the commissars.
5. The SIU exposed the deal be
tween Curran & Co. and the Mari
time Commission, to cooperate in
opening Fink Halls in the Gulf.
6. Curran returned to Washing
ton, probably to make sure that
A. Thomas takes a ride up the
river. Thomas, who is not a citi
zen, was admittedly fingered by
Curran because he did not follow
the Party Line.
7. The iNMU top faction are ap
pointing known communists to
take over all official jobs in the
Gulf. Those already appointed
are:
James Merrill, Chairman Gulf
District—Communist Party.
Adrian Duffy, Secretary Gulf
District—Communist Party.
Phil. Gloss, Treasurer, Gulf
District—Communist Party.
Eddie Piatt, Sec'y.Treasurer,
Eng. Div C.P.
Clyde "Tex" Drake, Sec'yTreas
urer. Deck Div C.P.
Philip Carey, Sec'yTreasurer,
Stwds. Div C.P.
In Beaumont, Texas:
James Mcintosh, Agent—C.P.
In Galveston, the following C.P.
members were in office, and, of
course, remain:
K. K. Owens, Agent—C.P.
Fred Halestrap, Patrolman—
C.P.
In Port Arthur and Corpus
Christ!, a port committee of five
members were elected to take over
until Ferdinand the Fink and Cur
ranski could find other good, loyal,
finky commies to appoint to the
vacancies.
Houston and Mobile have, so
far, refused to allow any C.P.
artists to take over any official
job.
Red Dean
LYKES STRIKE
(Continued from Page 1)
MORE DUES TO THE LABOR
FAKERS!
Act Now!
Now is the t'im.e to act! We sug
gest that all NMU ships' crews
call meetings aboard their ships
NOW, and get the whole crews
into a fighting ore,anization.
DON'T LET THE NMU LABOR
FAKERS ROB YOU OP ALL
YOUR CONDITIONS! ACT NOW
— TOMORROW MAY BE TOO
LATE!
The NMU commissar leadership
has sold out on the watertenders.
This means three less men on
each Lykes coastwise ship. THIS
IS PART OF A STILL GREATER
^ELLOUT!
WATCH FOR THE LIBERTY
BELL. AND THE JOLEE, —
— THEY ARE NOW "HOT"
SHIPS!
P & O STRIKE
(Continued from Page 1)
Biderable violence would follow
such a move. ,
According newspaper dis
patches, one Claude Wayne, a
steward, who, according to Miami
Seamen's Institute officials, had
been appointed by members of the
National Maritime Union to con
tact ships in the hai'bov, and see
if they needed men, disappeared
one night last week, and the Rev.
Bradley of the Institute has ex
pressed great' concern as to his
whereabouts and welfare.
/'
i
APPRECIATION
... . L-
On Board SS Maine,
Panama Canal,
July 15, 1939.
TO THE "LOG":
We, the members of the
crew of the SS Maine, go on
record to thank the ILA long
shoremen, and the SIU mem
bership of the port of Mobile
for their loyal support given
U.S in a recent walk off for bet
ter living conditions, at the
Alabama State Docks.
We also thank Brother Arm
strong and Brother Kelley for
the business like way they
handled the Maine situation.
It is our deepest regret that
the SIU doesn't have a few
more ArmstrongKelly combi
nations in various ports on the
Atlantic Coast.
Fraternally,
The Crew of the SS Maine,
B. Terrlen, No. 38,
Deck Delegate
O. Sykes, No. 245,
Steward Delegate
A. Betoney, No, 4344,
Engine Delegate
CONFERENCE
(Continued from Page 1)
that department, and three of the
delegates from the Atlantic Dis
trict are also of the same depart
ment. A total of eight in all, ex
clusive of those who may be pres
ent from the Gulf,or the Lakes,
Due to somewhat limited finances,
no representative was sent from
the San Juan, P.R. Branch, but
Agent Moreno has forwarded to
POPULARITY OF SIU
STEAOILY GAINING
• • . i
Rules All Made For
Majority of Members
• Mobile, Ala., July 24—During
the last week in this port things
have rocked along very quietly;
all hands are working in the
groove, all sliips' beefs taken care
of to the .satisfaction of all hand.s,
with the exception of the crew
that laid up tlie Wacosta. These
brothers thought that, as the ship
was being laid up prior to the laid
up rule going into effect, that
they should not be touched by the
ruling. The members on the
beach took the view that, as the
ship was laid up over the limit,
the crew should get off and make
room for new crew members.
Rules for Majority
In regards to this,—a lot o.f
members think that a ruling like
this is a direct slap at themselves.
Now this is wrong, because, after
all, in an organization the size of
tlie SIU, a few members are going
to get the idea that they are being
hurt by some ruling, but in the
long run the best for the majority
is what the Union must' go down
the line for. So, in the future,
think it over, and put yourself in
the place of the men as a whole,
and you will see that all the rules
aje for the majority, passed by the
majority, with no thought of hurt
ing the individual.
Turn Ships Over
Remember the old saw that the
world will beat a path to your
door if you build a better mouse
trap? Well, the SIU is proving to
be the Union, and believe me,
the seamen are beating the walks
to dust, coming in with the same
question: "How can 1 get in the
Union?" The dispatcher fells me
that there is a regular lineup at
times. To protect the members
that we have, we cannot take in
all who apply, so—to you seamen
who see the handwriting on the
wall, and who can't stomach Cu
ranski and Ferdinand the Fink,
ship on one of the sacred agree
ment ("Take oil and sail, we must
protect our agreements," eaid Cur
ran during the .strike. Who asked
what strike?) ships, and then
have fhe crew call the SIU patrol
man, and he will take care of all
hands.
Fight the Bosses
So let all hands get together,
and make an efficient weapon to
fight the boss;—One real Union,
that will go down the line under
control of the members, instead of
a clique issuing orders fliat you
abide by, or else! The SUP has
shown that honest Union men can
hold up under any conditions so
long as they retain control of
their own business. In '35, if we
had taken what the old clique of
the ISU wanted to give us, today
there would have been no SUP, no
SIU, nor no NMU.
The NMU takescredit for im
proving conditions on the East
Coast along with everything else.
I wonder if they are about to take
credit for trying to wreck the
seamens' movement in the Na
tion?
Steady as she goes,
Armstrong, SUP No. 2983
the Conference a brief outline of
the importance of that Branch,
which will suffice, and there need
be no fear that that Branch will
be in any way neglected.
"Whitey" Hawk of the SS Aca
dia left for Savannah shortly after
that ship's arrival in New York
on Wednesday morning. He will
represent the deck department' of
MERCHANTS & MINERS' UNFAIR
(Continued from Page 1)'
upon thi.s loo])Iiuli! provided tliem by the Labor Board, and
pi'oniplly roscindcd all j)ass(;s tliey liad i.ssucd to the SIU.
WHY?
SIU REPRESENTS SEAMEN
Tliere is only one AI'TJ aftiliatc on the East and Gulf Coa.sts
qualified to represent the unlicensed .seamen, — and that is
the Seafarers' Intcrnatioiial Union of North America. Previ
ously, the APL Seamen's Union had enjoj'ed this jurisdie^
lion. Now: — by recognizing the SIU for approximately .six
month.s, the & M (Jomjniny, tacitly at lea.st, agreed that we
were the qualified represcJitatives of the unlicensed personnel
aboard their vessels. Then, why did they immediately .seize
upon the NLRB's "lioh edict", and refuse to recognize us
any longer? There is more to this tlian meets the eye, and
we'd like to find out .just Avliat is behind it.
WANTED CHECKOFF SYSTEM
When iMr. IMerriil, of the Merchants and Miners', fir.st
started negotiations on the tefnis of an agreement with 'the
AFL Seamen's Union, he stated that he Avas strictly in favor
of a cheekoff system, and alrao.st in.si.stcd upon it. He de
clared that he would agree that all members of the unlicensed
personnel aboard the M & M ships'would have to be mem
bers of the AFLSU, and that the company wouid remit a
check each month, at the rate of one dollar per man, to the
Union. The AFLSU officials flatly refused to agree to any
such arrangement. Following this setback, Mr. Merrill then
appeared to be very reluctant regarding the issuance of
passes to any Union representatives to go aboard the 31 & M
ip.s. WHY? Did he fear that the Union representatives
would discover the woeful lack of conditions aboard his rust
buckets? Was he afraid that they would find that many men
with licenses were sailing in unlicensed jobs, and paying dues
to another union, — via the checkoff system? Did he fear
that the Union would discover that many of his men were
being far underpaid? However, he finally agreed to issue
pas.ses, but only to certain stipulated persons. The organiza
tional Avork on these ships never did progress very far, as
the Union representatives found many obstacles in their path,
MERRILL'S WORD LAW
The Merchants and Miners' Transportation Company has
a long antiUnion record, and previous to* the signing of the
agreement with the AFLSU, had never been party to any
contract with any organization representing the unlicensed
personnel aboard their vessels. Many of the men on these
.ships are 100 percent "company men", and the word of
"Admiral" Merrill is law to them! The M & M Company has
built up a little kingdom of their o'wn on tliese shijDs, and
proudly point to the fact that they are like "one big family".
Despite the fact that the other companies with whom the
AFLSU had agreements received the same notification from
the NLRB as did the M & 31, none of them paid any heed to
it, and continued to recognize the SIU as the representatives
of the unlicensed per.sonnel aboard their vessels. "WHY
THEN, DOES THE MERCHANTS AND MINERS' PERSIST
IN THEIR REFUSAL TO DEAL WITH US? They were
notified by President William Green of the AFL that th* SIU
is the only chartered representative of the AFL seamen in
this district, but they choose to ignore this, and point, piously,
to the NLRB ukase!
COMPANY MOVE?
There have been rumors of certain unqualified individuals
being allowed to board the vessels of this company, for the
purpose of eoulficting the members of the unlicensed per
sonnel. By what right does the M & M presume to allow these
persons aboard their ships, and at the same time refuse to
issue passes to representatives of a bona fide seamen's organi
zation? WHY?
M & M UNFAIR TO LABOR
The Seafarers' International Union asks the help of all
Organized Labor in their fight with the Merchants and
3finers' Transportation Company, and request that this com
pany be listed as unfair to Labor until such time as they
come to terms with the Union qualified to act as the bargain
ing agency for the unlicensed personnel aboard theii vessels:
— THE SEAFARERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF
NORTH AMERICA!
that vessel.
Hope for Short Session
It is the hope of the entire
membership that the Conference
will not be a long drawn out af
fair, as all hands are anxious to
get going on the job of adopting a
Constitution and bylaws of their
own, and are also eager to hold
an eieciion of permanent officials.
The Seafarers' International
Union has made remarkable prog
ress in the approximately eight
and a half months they have been
in existence, and for the first time
in several years the seamen under
the banner of the AFL on the At
lantic and Gulf Coasts will sooa
have a Constitution, and official®
of their own choosing, j
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THE S E A F A R E R S' L O G Friday, August 4, 1939
NEWS and VIEWS from the LAKES
BUFFALO
10 Exchange Street
MILWAUKEE
730 S. Second Street
DETROIT
1038 Third Street
CLEVELAND
1426 Third Street
CHICAGO
8101/2 N. Clark Street
SECORD COMING TO ENO
OF TRAIL ON LAKES
Dues Collecting Racket Flopping
As Crews Refuse to Be Bluffed
STEWARDS JOIN THE SIU
Buffalo, N. Y., July 29—When the 8S South American
docked here this morning gangway watchmen notified Sea
farers' International Union delegates that none but pas
sengers would be permitted to board her. The Master ex
plained that those were his orders from general manager
Hatch of the Chicago, Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit
Company. Mr. Hatch's offices are in Detroit. The vessel was
able to sail on schedule only because Mr. Hatch rescinded his
orders to the captain by long'disj
tance phone conversation. Union
delegates went aboard and trans
acted business with the crew.
Closed Shop Contract
Although discriminatory action
against the Seafarers' Interna
tional and its members was ex
pected from this company, the
exact form it took came somewhat
as a surprise. The S.I.U. has a
closed shop contract for the un
licensed personnel of the deck and
engine departments. Members of
the steward's department have
joined the Seafarers. They are
supposed to be covered by a con
tract signed early this Spring by
John Secord in the name of the
Marine Cooks and Steward.s Union
of the Great Lakes.
Secord's "Union"
This Secord is one of the old
discredited I.S.U. officials here.
For years he has been signing
contracts with these companies
without ever presenting evidence
of bis right to represent the men
who have to work under the
forms of the phoney contracts he
signs. The men In the "steward's
department are forced to work for
as little as $30 per month in
some instances. They never see
a copy of the contract, never at
tend union meetings because
none are held, never get any in
fotnn.qt1on from the union hali be
cause Secord doesn't maintain
halls. Their dues are checkedoff
by the chief steward aboard ship.
Has No Affiliation
When the Seafarers' Interna
tional Union was chartered by
the A.F. of L., its program pledged
a riddance of these fakers. Rather
than wait for the .purge, Secord
jumped like a scared rabbit right
out of the fold of the A.F. of L.
He set up an "independent
union". Such is the nature of his
union that it has no affiliation
with the organized labor move
ment, no elected representatives,
and no membership, its delegates
are key employees of the Chicago,
Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit
Company, its finances come from
tnoney stolen cut of the wages of
men who work for a pittance, and
its only boast is a "contract." It
is hardly necessary to observe
that the "contract" is not worth
the paper it is written on. Se
cord's "union" exists only as a
racket.
Racket Flops
The racket couldn't operate on
the South American because of
the vigilance of Seafarers Inter
kiational Union members aboard
that ship. One of • our members in
the deck d^artment, brother Mar
vin A. Hyde, Lookout, explained
td the boys in the g^^lley the exact
ixature of Mr. $ecord'8 setup. The
jgang in the Steward's department
voted not to give any money to
the chief steward and to join the
Seafarers' . International Union.
Word spread fast to the North
American, sister ship to the
South, and the galley help there
refused to be taken over by the
chief steward. Today all hands on
those two vessels are packing
S.I.U. books, wearing the red
thirdquarter work button of our
union. The galley blooms with
"Seafarers' Roses".
Ooinpany Frantic
The fact that the steward's de
partment has joined the S.I.U.
was not only a blow to Mr. Se
cord, it hits hard at the company.
Anxious to get by the season with
the present wage scale and to
avoid a wage increase until next
season, Mr. Hatch has agreed to
recognize the S.I.U. for. next year
and sign an agreement to that ef
fect' NOW. He is vindictive
against' the man who was directly
responsible more than anyone else
for forcing the issue so early.
That man was brother Hyde. And
the company tried to fire him here
in Buffalo Saturday a week ago
(July 11). Reason given was that
"the man talked too much to crew
members outside his own depart
ment". No fault could be found
with his work. This was a clear
case of discrimination.
Hyde Collect.s
The company was firing brotlier
Hyde for union activities. The
Master was told he would be un
able to ship a replacement, here
in Buffalo. In Detroit Mr. Hatch
was told that the best thing he
could do was let that particular
matter drop. But in Chicago Mr.
Hatch concocted a story for
Agent Hayman there, and brother
Hyde was fired. Back in Buffalo
last Thursday, International Rep
resentative R. D. Thompson heard
the facts and phoned Hatch to
notify him tbat either he took
brother Hyde back aboard the
South American or the ship would
not leave this port. Hatch agreed
to pay Hyde for the season's
work If no action were taken to
reinstate the man. Brother Hyde
collected $218 in wages, covering
the period from now until the
ship lays up.
SS Alabama Lining Up
Only plausible reason Hutch
could have for issuing orders to
keep S.I.U. representatives in Buf
falo oft his ships is to prevent
members of the Steward's depart
ment on the S.S. Alabama—third
ship operated by the Georgian Bay
outfit—from signing up with the
Seafafers. The Alabama Is never
docked together with either of the
other two vessels, so the steward's
SIU FILES PROTEST WITH
NLRB AGAINST PHONIES
Union Takes Up Fight for Men
Fleeced by Secord's Agents
DENIAL BY LABOR BOARD
Chief Stewards aboard the Chicago, Duluth and Georgian
Bay Transit Co. ships have been practicing a checkoff sys
tem. Money has been taken by these stewards from men they
hire. They let the old timers alone for the mo.st part. But
among the men who have .shipped for their first .sea.son these
vultures make their killing. They^ —
have intimidated young em
ployees, some of whom earn as low
as $30 per month, and in some in
stances have forced these boys to
pay as high as $9 for the right 1»
work on the job. This has been
done in the name of the organized
labor movement.
Company Discriminates
Although the company claims
that none of its employees have
been fired because they refuse to
kick in to the chief stewards, it
has been those who objected most
who ^were fired first when the
company cut down on it's person
nel. Last week in Detroit (Sun
day, July 23) Vernon Smith of
Chicago was let go from the S.S.
Alabama. Vernon Smith was one
of the boys on that ship who re
sisted the pressure from the stew
ard there. After finally being
forced to hand over part of his
wages to the steward, he came to
the Seafarers International repre
sentative to see what could be
done to get it back for him.
Letter to NLRB
Protesting against the vicious
checkoff system, the S.I.U. sent
the following letter to N.L.R.B.
director Henry Winters in Buf
falo:
"Dear Sir:
"The Seafarers' International
Union wishes to bring the follow
ing facts to your attention r
"1. The Seafarers' International
Union charges that members of
the stewards departments of the
str. Alabama and the str. South
American have been intimidated
by the chief stewards aboard those
two vessels owned and operated
by the Chicago, Duluth and
Georgian Bay Transit' Company.
Some members of the steward's
departments have been forced to
pay money to these chief stewards
in the amounts of $5 to $9.
"We are prepared to prove
these charges by submitting as
evidence " the following quoted
department on her has been
slower than the boys on the North
and South. Also the chief steward
on the Alabama is a particularly
officious Secord agent, (jollecting
every penny he can from his men.
However, his racket has been
broken up to some extent al
ready. After the S.I.U. agent was
aboard the Alabama today, the
steward agreed not to take any
more money from members of his
department. An effort is being
made to have every nickle col
lected by these vultures refunded
to the men. (See copy of letter
sent to N.L.R.B.)
The three ships of the Chicago,
Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit
Co. are the only vessels from
which Secord has received reve
nue this season. We can say de
finitely now that he Is finished in
that line.
f'Jkv!''
notice posted in the galley of the
str. South American;
"ALL UNION DUES WILL
HAVE TO BE PAID BEFORE
WE ARRIVE AT BUFFALO
NEXT THURSDAY."
(signed) R. R. Swift,
Chief Steward
"Further proof of these unfair
practices will be submitted upon
demand by members of the stew
ard's department on these two
ships. The men have receipts for
money taken from them.
"2. The Seafarers' International
Union claims to represent the
members of the steward's depart
ment, from whom money was
stolen on all ships operated by the
Chicago, Duluth and Georgian Bay
Transit Company. We are pre
pared to substantiate this claim
by presenting in person our mem
bers now sailing on those ships.
"3. The Seafarers' International
Union demands that the practice
of stealing money from members
of the stewards department In
boats operated by the Chicago,
Duluth and Georgian Bay Transit
Company be immediately discon
tinued.
"We further demand that all
money extracted in the name of
a noncxistant "union"—a so
called union represented by key
employees of the Chicago, Duluth
and Georgian Bay Company—be
refunded.
"The money has been stolen
from these men with the backing
of the NLRB, according to a state
ment by Mr. Hatch, the manager
of the company. He claims that
early in the year one Secord was
presented with a certification for
collective bargaining by the
NLRB and that in a letter to
Secord the NLRB asserted that it
is legitimate for key employees of
the company to collect money In
the name of Mr. Secord's "union"
from men whom they hire.
"If such a statement was ever
issued by your office, we request
that it. be reversed."
NLRB Denies Statement
In response to the above quoted
letter, Mr. Winters of the NLRB
denied that he had ever written a
letter to Secord saying , that it is
legitimate for the chief steward
to collect dues. What he did wtrite
is, "the ships' crews could elect a
steward on each boat tcact as the
representative of the union in the
collection of dues and in holding
union meetings," And that doesn't
mean the chief steward.
Elect Ships Delegates
Let all ships elect ships dele
gates! Yet the crews decide what
kind of representation they want.
Let them organize aboard ship to
assure for themselves the proper
representation. When that Is done
the men will know where to pay
their dues. Secord wH! be fini^ed.
Elect ships delegates in the gal
ley! Every man Joint the Sea
Lt Ay'|;
HEADQUARTERS
(Continued Irom Page 2)
were accepted as read, tvith a few
minor exceptions.
.Action on M & M
The Agent reported taking ac
tion on the Philadelphia re.solu
tion regarding the Merchants and
Miners' ships, and stated that
copies of the resolution, as well
as explanatory letters had been
sent to the New York State Fed
eration of Labor, and the New
York Central Trades and Labor
Council, asking for their coopera •
tion, and requesting that' they
take immediate action.
Beefs Settled
The Patrolmen reported settling
beefs on Eastern, Calmar, Water
man, Robin, and Bull Line ships.
Patrolman Stone reported that the
ESSCO had agreed to hire addi
tional help in the steward's de
partment on both the George
Washington, and the Robert E.
Lee. Third Floor Dispatcher Hart
reported that he had shipped 24
men during the week, and has a
total of 34 on the shipping list.
Sixth Floor Dispatcher McHenry
reported shipping 55 men, and
registering 52, and stated that
there are now a total of 171 men
on the three shipping lists.
A letter to President Roosevelt,
from Emergency Board Chairmgn
Dushane, protesting against the
WPA wage slash was read to the
membership, and was, of course,
unanimously concurred In.
Port Conimittcei
Settlement of an overtime beef,
against the Seatrain Lines, which
had been referred to a Port Com
mittee, was reported. The com
pany contended that the overtime
was unjustified, and pointed out
that Section 4, paragraph (b) of
the Engine Department working
rules provided for the performance
of such work. The membership
voted to accept the Port Commit
tee's report, and instruct all mem
bers to abide by the terms of the
agreement.
Resolutions Passed
A Resolution was pasised boy
cotting the Seamen's Institute, be
cause of the fact that they are
employing nonUnion painters, and
are being picketed by the Painter's
Union. Another Resolution, con
curring in Senator Barbour's bill
lifting the age limitations on Gov
ernment employees, was unani
mously concurred in. (See else
where in this issue regarding
the latter Resolution.
NOTICE
James H. Adams, able sea
man, Steamship "Arlyn", who
was injured while the ship was
in Nevv Orleans on the 23t"d
day of May, 1939, requests that
Charles Keliog, Joe Baker and
Howartt, able seamen, who
were working with him at the
time, communicate with Paul
C, Matthews, atornety, of No.
11 Broadway, New York City,
in reference to acting as wit
nesses In Mr. Adams' case.
farers this year! Pay no more
dues to Secord! Out with the
racketeers! Demand all money
stolen be refunded to the men
who earned it! Those are tlie
slogans that are passing through^
the galley these days.
m;:.
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