Seafarers#Log Official Organ of the Seafarers International Union • Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District • Afl-Cio
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
:-i-55S«^a»s5KSE5r.:- Vol. XXX No. 1 SEAFARERS#LOG OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE SEAFARERS INTERNATIONAL UNION • ATLANTIC, GULF, LAKES AND INLAND WATERS DISTRICT • AFL-CIO 11 ^J^UE continuing massive buildup of the the Soviet Union's ambitions, since they pre Soviet merchant marine is a carefully cal sent no obstacle to its growing ocecai-going culated, long-range bid by the Kremlin to gain strength. Already virtually independent of dominance of the world's sealanes. While the West in the carriage of its import-export U.S. government officicds consistently main trade, Russia is making full use of its own tain that this Russian goal is not to be taken resources—and those of its satellites—to seriously, the continued deterioration of the attain a superior globe-encircling shipping American fleet and lack of any constructive Complex, This looming Communist threat is IJ,S, maritime policy can serve only to further examined in a. LOG feature on Page 9. Govt. Revives FDL Ship Plan |U1CT^5036R^^ •> Despite Congress Rejection As U.S. Ship Upgrading Block Storyc#nr%/ PaaePage 3 story Page M House Minority leader Ford Ise of Foreign-Built Ships II"'-'- On Coast, Gted by PeHey Hits Govt MarHinie Failure Story Page 2 Story Page 2 —U'- '''JL Page'Two SEkFAR^RS Ld(f Jandary 5, 1968' House Mmority Leader Ford Raps Report of Govt. Failure on New Maritime Policy International President by Paul Hall WASHINGTON—The House Minority Leader today eharged the Johnson Administration with failing to deliver in its promise to give "the nation a new maritime policy aimed at rebuilding our The new guideline rates for participation by U.S.-flag ships in the commercial sea power.' carriage of this government's foreign aid cargoes, issued by the Mari Representative Gerald R. time Administration in December, are further graphic proof that the be satisfied with the status quo participants of the dire need for Administration either doesn't understand the economics of American Ford (R-Mich.) said that Presi • 'titude of the Administration as a viable maritime industry and shipping or intends to deliberately allow unsubsidized U.S. operators dent Johnson made this promise ' -r as maritime is concerned. That said "that America cannot exist to starve to death hy depriving them of their due priorities under the three years ago, but, "we are still rttitude is not enough for a na without a strong and growing cargo laws of the land. waiting." tion that must be on the move," merchant fleet." "Fair and reasonable rates" as stipulated in the Cargo Preference He added that, 'The plight of Ford said. Calling for an independent Act and applied to the first such guidelines set forth in 1957, have the American merchant marine Ralph Casey, President of the long since ceased to be either fair to unsubsidized U.S. carriers or continues to worsen under the maritime agency outside the aegis American Merchant Marine In of the Department of Transpor reasonable in the light of increased operating costs which are con Johnson - Humphrey Administra stitute, also spoke at the seminar sistently underestimated hy the Maritime Administration. tion." tation, Wilson said that "the death and said that, "the coming months knell for our merchant marine When a temporary across-the-board increase in the rates was The House Minority Leader nre crucial" for the maritime in granted last November 16, the 10 percent allowed was just the bare made his charges at the Maritime was sounded when the Maritime dustry. He stressed the importance Administration lost its indepen minimum designed to make it possible for companies who were pre Trades Department monthly sem of getting a maritime program viously losing up to $50,000 on a single ^federal aid cargo of surplus inar. dence," and . "the most impor tarted. "If we miss the next op tant thing that maritime needs in grain to India to break even. At the time MARAD assured the indus U.S. Shiv Decrease portunity . this dying indus this country is to regain its inde try that a comprehensive "in depth" study of the rate problem would Ford said that "It has been esti try will, in fact, be dead." pendence." be conducted on the basis of data and cost figures supplied by the mated that under the present Ad SIU President Paul Hall, who operators and a more equitable permanent rate schedule determined. ministration's ship replacement '"s also President of the six-mil- Criticizes Report Only 35 days later, however. Acting Maritime Administrator James program, the number of U. S. lion-member AFL-CIO Maritime In a seminar address, Edwin Gulick announced an arbitrary adjustment in rate ceilings under merchant ships of all types will Trades Department, predicted in M. Hood, president of the Ship which unsubsdized carirers with vessels in the intermediate range of decrease from 917 in 1968 to 355 an address to the seminar that builders Council of America 15,600 to 30,000 tons cannot possibly hope to operate at a profit. in 1979 and that the number of the coming national elections sharply critized a recently pub While the new ceilings raise the rates for ships under 15,600 tons U. S.-flag "dry bulk" carriers will "are of paramount importance to lished government study which by 12.5 percent above the November rates, they limit the middle range drop from 71 to nearly zero." the success of the fight to revit concluded that the Soviet Union's vessels to rates 26.2 percent lower than those of the smaller type, and The Michigan Republican as alize the maritime industry." Hall rapidly expanding merchant fleet put them in a position worse than they were in in 1963 when the serted that the "Johnson-Hum said that Maritime Trades De- poses no threat to the United differential was only 20 percent. Such determinations by the Mari phrey Administration is virtually nartment will be active in every States and the free world. time Administrator are surely not the result of careful study. writing off the American mer Congressional district across the He charged that "the report MARAD's high-handed disregard for the rights and very survival chant marine in favor of airlift nation, in behalf of a strong mari was an ambidextrous booklet of this important segment of the U.S. commercial fleet is typical of and is gradually reducing this time policy. which contains not only self-con the Administration's negative attitude toward our merchant marine nation to the status of a minor Representative Charles H. Wil tradictory statements but source and reflects its continuing refusal to heed warnings, from both Con maritime power in terms of its son, (D-Calif.) told the seminar material of questionable validity." gress and maritime labor and management, on the conditions of our merchant shipping. merchant fleet. "The American people and HaVhfg^ Vdit^a in Vain for years for a national maritime policy which maritime labor deserve a better fiep. Pelley Urges Covt Probe would upgrade the fleet with federal backing, unsubsidized American deal than they are getting from shipping companies are still being hamstrung by departments of their the Johnson-Hiunphrey Adminis own government who would prefer to assign U.S. aid cargoes to tration" . "The nation cannot Use of Foreign-Built Ships on Coast foreign-flag ships-than raise rate ceilings to a point where American- WASHINGTON—^Representative Thomas M. Pelly (R-Wash.) flag vessels can compete for them profitably. ^ , has demanded that the U. S. General Accounting Office investigate Not only are these carriers being forced to operate at a deficit— SIUCrewsSave13 a waiver of United States navigation laws allowing two German- or not at all—by these unrealistic foreign aid guideline rates, they are built hydrofoils to carry pas being penalized for whatever modernization of their fleets they ac vessels to and from Morocco. The complished under financial duress. sengers in.San Francisco Bay. Fishermen Adrift GAG, which uncovered the viola Such blatant lack of understanding of maritime affairs and the The veteran member of the tion of law, charged at the time requirements of modern commercial shipping procedures—on the In Typhoon Freda House Committee on Merchant that it had "resulted in excessive part of an agency charged with the maintenance and supervision of Marine and Fisheries cited a nav transportation costs to the govern the merchant marine—is one of the best arguments I can cite for the Two SlU-contracted vessels, igation act which bars the trans ment." The SIU, in protesting the prompt establishment of an Independent Maritime Administration. the Minot Victory (Burbank) and port of passengers and cargo by incident, called it a classic exam It has become increasingly clear over the years, that without such the Delaware (Oriental Exporters), foreign vessels between any ple of how the American merchant an independent agency, those who man and operate the U.S. mer combined to rescue 13 Formosan American ports. He described the marine is being destroyed by the chant marine will be forced to continue existing on the scraps left fishermen, on November 7 after waiver as "just one more example refusal of government agencies to over after disinterested gpvernment departments have taken care of their vessel was battered by of the Johnson Administration respect federal regulations. their own specialized projects first. typhoon Freda approximately 200 circumventing the will of Con miles from Manila. gress and the law to build Ameri f The Delaware responded to a can ships foreign and avoid using Sea-Land Los Angeles Wins Company Safety Award call for help from the fishing American labor." vessel No.