Master Mates and Pilots September 1953
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~, ~ / In This Issue Merger Propos"a} En<lorsed * Hospitals Get the Ax Unclaiuled Wages* Listed '. Captain Strother* Dead VOL. XVI SEPTEMBER, 1953 NO.9 , . Furuseth Fought for Rights The name of Andrew Furuseth, founder of the In 1894, Andy shipped around Cape Horn to Sailors' Union of the Pacific, which later grew Washington, D. C., and made himself a one-man into the Seafarers International Union of North lobby for American seamen. He talked to Con_ America, "should rank high among America's gressmen and federal officials, wrote articles and select company of freedom lovers," an article in letters, and delivered speeches. the September issue of Co,·onet magazine declared. "After 32 years of bitter frustration," the ar. "Furuseth," quotes Coronet, "was a man who dedicated his life to striking off the shackles of ticle reported, "Furuseth won his greatest victory American seamen, and who made ocean-going on March 4, 1915." travel the safest in the world. His is an inspiring That was when President Wilson signed the story of what one dedicated S·eaman's Act, POpular! man can accomplish against known as the La Follette Se overwhelming odds." man's Act after the Wisconsi The author, Andrew Hamil Senator who introduced it. ton, traced Furuseth's early The act abolished arrest life from his birth in Norway and imprisonment for deser in 1854 to the day a brutal tion by American seamen i ship's mate had forced him to any port in the world, and for work until he fainted. It was eign seamen in any America then that young Andy Furu port; provided increased spa seth vowed to help seamen in ships' forecastles; improv band together to do something food; specified an adequa about repeated floggings, number of lifeboats, time cramped quarters, wormy in port, and other bene food and near-starvation both to sailors and passenge wages. It was largely throu ••* Furuseth's and his union's After entering the U. S. at forts that today's internati the age of 29, he began rem al laws for safety at sea W edying the prison-like concH adopted by the League tions that existed aboard Nations. American, as well as foreign, When the "Abraham ships. coIn of the Sea" died in 1 "The odds against him were terrific," the maga poor in worldly goods but wealthy in accomp zine said. "He was poor, uneducated, a foreigner. ments and friendship, Secretary of Labor Fra The men in whose cause he had enlisted had no Perkins ordered that his body lie in state in political power because they were seldom in port rotunda of the Labor Department. long enough to vote. He was opposed by rich and Later his ashes were scattered on the calm, powerful interests." sea which he had made into a decent home In March, 1885, he met with a group of seamen sailormen. on the San Francisco wharf and formed the SUP, which later expanded into the SIU. Becoming an authority on maritime law, the young labor leader went to court time after time to try to get the fugitive seamen's law of 1791 nullified. He argued that the law's provisions forcing a sailor to complete the round trip from the port where he had signed on-sometimes as much as three years later - violated the 13th Amendment prohibiting slavery. But judges and THROUGH YOUR juries always ruled against him, saying in effect COMMUNITY CHEST that the amendment applied to Negroes but not to sailors. ;[ I,II ,I Master~ I, The Mate & Pilot :1 !,I official Journal of tho National Organixation of Masters. Mates and Pilots of America. Published by the Organization on the 15th of each , month at 810.16 Rhode Island Ave., N. E., Washington 18, D. C. i Vol. XVI SEPTEMBER, 1953 No.9 I I Merger Proposal Endorsed HE membership of both the Masters, Mates in favor with 1,181 votes cast against furthering T, and Pilots and the Marine Engineers' Benefi the merger plan. cial Association have given an overwhelming M. M. & P. votes indicated 3,137 in favor and endorsement to the proposal drafted by the Na 627 opposed. tional Executive Committees of the two organiza MEBA votes indicated 3,215 in favor and 554 tions and submitted to the memberships on a joint opposed. referendum ballot which was completed on Au gust 19, 1953. Unity Program The total vote refiected a better than five to one The Resolution submitted to the membership marJ>:in in favor of the program. for vote contained a specific eight-point mutual The combined vote of the two groups was 6,532 (Cantin'lIeel on next page) ~ff~;"·''-'~\--~r~,E:~~'::-~;'N if," ~,~~--~c~:,_, EBA Ballot Committee meets to count joint reie-;endu~--';~-t~~~ Left to right, standing: James O'Kane, - ~Plts. Leon Cohen and Floyd Gaskins, lVIl\'l&P; William Holmes. Secretary-Treasurer MEBA; Capt. H. M. ,~' &P j L. H. Dodson, MEBA; James T. Smith, MEBA. Seated: Benjamin Goodman, C. P. A. First Vice ,C. F. May of l\'1M&P also served on this committee but was out of camera rang'e when picture was tall:en. THE MASTER, MATE AND PILOT Merger Proposal Endorsed (Continued from page 1) Vol. XVI SEPTEMBER, 1953 No.9 cooperation program to be immediately put into Published monthly. Main_ Northeast, WllSbinr,rton 18, effect: tained by and in the inter District of Columbia, with 1. Joint Executive Committee meetings to be est of the National Organi General Bnd Executive zation of Masters. Mates held at least semi-annually. and Pilots of America, at Offices at H20 New York 2. Common Expiration dates of agreements. 810 Rhode Island Avenue. Ave., Washington 5. D. C. 3. Cooperation in formulating contract de. r mands. s Published on the 15th of each month. 17 ~ 4. Mutual support in enforcing contracts and Sworn detailed circulation statement on request. in economic actions. f Entered as second.c1ass matter at the post office at Washington, D. C" n onder the Act of AU&,llst 24., 1912. 5. Cooperation in all organizing ventures. 6. Explore possibility of joint administratio c SUBSCRIPTION: $1.00 PER YEAR FOREIGN. $2.00 of Welfare Plans. [ C. T. ATKINS. New York, N. Y.• Business Mana&er. 7. Cooperation on legislative matters. a JOHN M. BISHOP, Washington, D. C., Editor. 8. Cooperation in mutual interests on the po 1 M. H. HICKS, Washington, D. C., Co-Editor. levels. [ n Recognizing that the ultimate goal in mutu b NATIONAL OFFICERS support and cooperation can only be achiev to C. T. ATKI~S. President. New York, N. Y. when the two marine officer groups are united u CI C. T. MAY, First Vice President. San Francisco. Calif. del' one national banner, the Resolution so e q R. D. LURVEY. National Vice President. Boston. Mass. phatically approved by the membership of the t L. COHEN. National ViCe President, Philadelphia. Pa. groups instructs the national officers to seek de h and unencumbered charter rights from either t H. M. STEGALL, National Vice President. New Orleans. La. P A. F. of L. or the C. 1. O. to cover all deck a ROLLA JOHNSON. District Deputy. Great Lakes Recion. n engine merchant marine officers employed .1 J. A. GANNON. National Vice President. San Francisco. Calit. North American flag vessels. Cl G. HAVILAND. Apprentice Vice President, New York, N. Y. National Secretary-Treasurer John M. Bish tl J. M. BISHOP. National Secretary-Treasurer, Washington, D. C. was successful in his petition to the Executi II H. T. LONGMORE, Diatrict Deputy of the Panama Canal, Balboa. C. Z. Council of the American Federation of La h when on last May 25 the Council extended \1 jurisdiction of the Masters, Mates and Pilots CI COMMUNICATIONS AND REMITTANCES may be addressed and a1 cheeks made paYlI.ble to the National Organization MlI.lIters. ),Inteo America to include licensed marine enginer and Pilota ot America. 810-16 Rbode bland Avenue. N. E.• Wawh_ personnel. b ington. D. C., or 1420 New York Ave., Washin"ton 5. D. C. 11 READING AND ADVERTISING MATTER MUST reach the office not Joint Executive Committee Meeting ScheduI Il later than the 10th of the month preceding publication. b CHANGE OF ADDRESS ohould be received prior to the first ot the The members of the ballot committee repres i month to D fleet the forthcoming issue. The old as well as the new ing both organizations issued a joint recomme II address mUl,lt be eiven and the Local number shown. tion calling for an executive committee mee of the two groups to be held in St. Louis, Mo., prior to the convening of the convention of GENERAL CHAIRMEN REPRESENTING RATLROAD EMPLOYES OF OUR ORGANIZATION IN THE DlFFEHEl";T PORTS A. F. of L. This recommendation has been PORT OF NEW YORK-Capt. C. DeMooy; Capt. M. F. Garry; Capt. ported by national officers of the Masters, Martin A. l'rylta i CapL Lawrence J. Saeo: Thomas Mullally; Capt. and Pilots and a meeting has been set for Sep. P. J. MI"Murrow; Capt. Edwin G. Jaeobllt>n: R. Malpy: Wm. J. O'Connell; Capt. H. Hasbrouck; Capt. A. Striftolino; Capt. C. A. bel' 17 in St. Louis, Mo. '. Steevels. National officers of the M. E. B. A. have. PORT OF PHILADELPHIA-Capt. Clayton B. Dibble. invited to participate in the drafting of pla~. PORT OF SEATTLE-Capt. 14. Fox. affiliation under one parent body. PORT OF NORFOLK-Capt. Harry Marsdm, Capt. J. Ira Hodges, Capt. ~. W. Sadler, Capt. W. K bildwan, Lapt. Eugene Trenkle. PORT OF DETROIT-Capt.