The mate aft started to chop the spring line, but the axe was so dull he had to take the lines in aft, then the ship run ahead a little, and the bow lines were thrown off the deck and left hanging in the water. But before the bow lines were let go, the missing men were on the dock. The captain hollered down that the company would not be responsible for getting the men aboard, so they rented a launch and caught the ship out in the stream. The captain's words to the quartermaster at the wheel were, "I have a case against them now." So you can plainly see that he is trying to bring about trouble between himself and the crew. (The letter referred to was marked "Exhibit 7.") Mr. TRUITT. Here is a letter signed by three officers of that ship relating to that same incident. The CHAIRMAN. Let us complete the record on that, then. Mr. MANN. This letter is signed by three officers of the ship-- Mr. MANN. To Mr. Joseph P. Kennedy. It reads [reading]: In the belief that your Commission is founded upon fairness and equal treatment for all, which should include equally officers entrusted with the responsibility of operating American vessels as well as drunken irresponsible crews carried thereon, we the undersigned officers of this vessel respectfully request that you designate some member of your organization to conduct an investigation tending toward the punishment, and curbing in the future, the conduct and actions of certain members of the unlicensed personnel such as took place at the morning of September 16th, the present voyage. The CHAIRMAN. What is the date of that letter? Briefly, the facts of the incident are as follows: Vessel scheduled to sail at 1 a. m. on arrival and notices so posted. At sailing time some 8 or 10 members of the crew were still on shore including 2 who were being held in jail by the local police for drunkenness and assault. At 1 a. m. with towboat, canal pilot, and dock force all standing by in readiness to sail, the deck force refused to let go the lines until their union brothers returned to the ship. Many of the men in all three departments were intoxicated, and much arguing and brawling was going on about the ship and in the vicinity of the gangways. When being ordered by the master to let go the lines, the crew retorted that they would sail the ship when they felt like it. Orders were then given to clear the after lines by any means possible including cutting them adrift if necessary. The two stern lines were hove aboard by the chief officer assisted by four ordinary seamen whom the balance of the crew had not as yet been able to coerce into refusing. The spring line was cut adrift by the first officer in order to prevent it fouling the propeller. Ship was worked ahead by the towboat and the bow lines cast off and left dragging in the water. We backed clear of the dock and turned around in the harbor and then served notice upon the crew that unless they turned to, a charge of mutiny would be placed against them. It was our intention to, if necessary, tow the vessel out through the breakwater onto the high seas. The assistance of the engineers below, however, made this unnecessary. and we proceeded under our own power. After the usual discussion among the crew they turned to and prepared the ship for sea, the missing members having been placed on board by canal zone launches. Word had evidently reached them in the "gin mill" where they were hanging out that the ship was backing away from the pier. Thus we added one more disgraceful sailing of an American passenger ship to a list that is far too long already. We believe that if your commission would, after a fair investigation, suspend or revoke the certificates of such members of the various unions as instigate these affairs and such members as are habitual drunkards, brawlers and users of filthy and obscene language about passenger decks and gangways at sailing time, equally as an officer would be treated under like circumstances, much could be done to curb and improve conditions which are fast becoming intolerable aboard American passenger vessels. (The letter referred to was marked "Exhibit 8.") Senator VANDENBERG. What does the Maritime Commission do when it receives a complaint of that sort? Mr. TRUITT. Under the law, Senator, we had no right to do anything except to receive it. All that Congress said we should do was to fix minimum wage scales, minimum manning scales and reasonable working conditions. To carry out that order the Commission held extensive hearings, assigned a commissioner to hold hearings at the principal ports of the United States, Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific. Following those hearings we had a full commission hearing in Washington and listened to the men and their lawyers and other representatives argue for 2 days on what standards should be set for manning scales, minimum wage scales and reasonable working conditions. In addition to that, realizing that the ships in a great many instances were old and will be obsolete in the statutory sense of the word within a few years, and the fact of technical advancement which has taken place since these vessels were constructed, the Commission appointed a separate and independent committee made up of experts to investigate each one of those ships to determine what changes should be made in the crew's quarters, and all these other things, to bring about more satisfactory working conditions on board vessels. That committee is reporting daily, and the Commission's orders are going out very frequently as to changes that shall be made on specified vessels. The legal responsibility for the handling of such things as these letters refer to is in the hands of the Marine Inspection and Navigation Service. They have jurisdiction over things of that character with respect to seamen and officers. Senator VANDENBERG. You refer complaints of this sort to the Marine Inspection and Navigation Bureau? Mr. TRUITT. I have no doubt a copy of that complaint went to the Bureau. The CHAIRMAN. I have in my hand a letter from a Captain whom I happen to know. It is dated at Houston, Tex., October 30, 1937– Senator VANDENBERG (interposing). May I interrupt you before you start, Mr. Chairman? I should like to have the secretary of the committee inquire of the Marine Inspection and Navigation Bureau whether they ever heard about this complaint, whether they got this letter and what they did with it if they got it. The CHAIRMAN. We will have a representative here. Senator VANDENBERG. This is so specific that I think it would be interesting to find out whether there is any system now working in a situation of that kind. The CHAIRMAN. I will read this short letter from the Captain whom I know [reading]: No doubt you are familiar with the existing conditions aboard American ships of late. They have now reached such a point where we are unable to discipline the crew in any way. As chief officer of this vessel I cannot but feel ashamed to think that we have to apply to you for support in an attempt to remedy these conditions, but such is the case. Since it is practically impossible to fire any of the men without the permission of their union, we have to keep the men we have in spite of their disrespectful attitude toward the officers. We have no choice in selecting men. Regardless of the opinion of the officers the men are considered competent since they have a certificate. In my opinion the men should be compelled to use the discharge books instead of the certificates and in the book there should be a space to comment upon character and ability. I understand Mr. Kennedy of the Maritime Commission is endeavoring to remedy present conditions. Will you please give him your able support. I have the greatest respect for that man as an officer and as an American. Here is another letter which came from a sailor [reading]: The Wagner Labor Relations Act gives labor the right to organize, but the law does not give the union organizer or the members of a union the right to use coercion and intimidation to force men into a union. As an American seaman, I strongly protest against the unlawful tactics of National Maritime Union. Í have sailed in ships for 25 years, several years in British and Belgian ships, and for 20 years as engineer on American ships. So I know what I am talking about when I say that the conditions which now are prevalent on our ships would not be tolerated by any other maritime nation, Russia included. On all American ships, where there are members of the N. M. U., meetings are held to discuss union policies, grievances, and new demands. The ship's delegate, one of which is elected from each department, presents the demands to the master of the vessel, just before sailing, under threat of a "sit down" if not granted, so in order not to delay the sailing and incur heavy loss for his owners, the master is compelled to give in. We happen to have in our record some of the minutes of meetings which have been held. [Continuing reading]: This way the union has been instrumental in forcing nonunion members off the ships, and in several cases officers too who have shown no sympathy for their communistic activities. On the vessel on which I am sailing now as chief engineer, the ship delegate told me that as soon as the crew was 100 percent union they would force three officers off the ship. The representative of the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association told me personally, that if and when the unlicensed members of the crew are fully organized, they will use them as a lever to force all officers into the union. Even today the right to hire or discharge a member of the crew is taken away from the master of the vessel, by the ship delegate, under threat of sit-down strike. The crew takes the power to fine or discharge a member for drunkeness, or inability to stand watch. It is impossible to discharge a union man today no matter how incompetent, because the man will claim that he is discriminated against on account of union activity, consequently discipline and morale on board suffer, and interfere with the operation and safety of the vessel. I believe every individual has the inalienable right to join or not to join any union, and by such tactics as I have described the N. M. U. has forced thousands of unwilling seamen into the N. M. U. As an American and veteran I protest strongly against such methods used by the N. M. U. and with thousands of other American seamen ask you as chairman of the Senate Committee on Merchant Marine Affairs to propose the necessary laws to stop the N. M. U. from its present tactics. In closing may I also add that the N. M. U. by its unlawful methods has caused great loss to crews in unearned wages, to ship operators in idle ships. But more serious is the loss of good will from the shippers who have supported our American flag vessels patriotically in the past, and if present conditions are permitted to continue will certainly transfer their business to foreign flag ships. Then there won't be any American Merchant Marine worth worrying about. This letter was written October 23, 1937. Mr. TRUITT. I might point out, while we have not got them here this morning, we have seen resolutions that the crew adopted on the Algic at the time the Algic sailed for South America. The crew informed the officers that they were sailing on probation. Senator GIBSON. Was that resolution in evidence in the Baltimore trial? Mr. TRUITT. I doubt if it was. Mr. RING. I doubt if it was, Senator. Senator GIBSON. Has the jury returned its verdict yet? Mr. RING. No. They are summing up in their arguments now. Senator THOMAS of Utah. You mean that the judge ruled the letter out? Mr. RING. Yes, sir. 32437-38-pt. 5- -2 The CHAIRMAN. I wrote to this man whose letter I just read and asked him if I might make his letter public, and he replied [reading]: In response to your letter of October 29th, I am very sorry to inform you that I am forced to decline your request to make my letter of October 23rd public. If the National Maritime Union discovers my identity my job would be jeopardized. I know the methods of the M. N. U. would use to force me off the ship and I am well aware of the power they have at the present time. They might even discriminate against the company which employs me, since the company business is dependent upon the good will of the public to a certain extent. Conditions on the American ships are certainly in a sorry state of affairs when a radical union by its lust for power can coerce men into their organization, and by its impossible demands make it difficult not only for the ships officers but to ship owners also. All officers on this ship look for Congress to do something about it. Surely conditions as they are at present cannot continue and so forth. Mr. MANN. Here is a report from the American consul, Havre, France, dated November 20, 1937, Mr. Chairman, in which it is stated that the crew voted a sit-down strike unless the captain opened the slop chest by a certain time. The report says [reading]: The slop-chest is placed under seal by the French Customs authorities and can only be opened with the authorization of the customs authorities and by customs officials who come on board the vessel to break the seals and supervise the distribution of tobacco, cigarettes, and other articles taken from the slop-chest. Under French customs law the customs authorities have no obligation to authorize the opening of the slop-chest and it is only done as a matter of courtesy. In the present case application for authorization to open the slop-chest and a request that customs officials be sent on board to break the seals had been made several times by the master of the vessel. The master of the vessel had no means of forcing the customs authorities to come on board and had he opened the slopchest without the authorization of the customs authorities and the presence of customs officials on board the vessel, would have been liable to a fine amounting to many thousands of dollars. Fortunately the customs officials appeared early in the afternoon of November 15 and authorized the opening of the slop-chest. However, if these officials had not seen fit to authorize the breaking of seals and opening of the slop-chest, the members of the crew would have declared a sit-down strike for causes which the master of the vessel had no power to remedy. It may be remarked that the demands from the slop-chest were confined to cigarettes and tobacco which could have been purchased ashore and included no necessities. There is a resolution of the crew attached. It says [reading:] Reason for meeting: To set a dead line as to when captain will be able to open slop chest. Motion made that steward order sufficient amount of fresh milk while in port. Carried. Motion made and seconded that the crew set a deadline at ten o'clock a. m. November 15, 1937, for opening slop chest. Carried. The crew to sit down after 10 a. m. November 15, 1937, upon failure of captain to open slop chest. (The report referred to was marked "Exhibit 9.") The CHAIRMAN. There is a well authenticated case that happened in San Francisco where a ship was to sail from. The captain lived in San Francisco. He went home because he had some work to do, and several big, stout fellows visited his house one evening and went in and told the captain's wife, "You have a beautiful home here. Your husband looks healthy. He ought to live for years, but he might not live 2 weeks." That frightened her pretty nearly to death. They said to the captain, "You never joined the union?" He said, "No." "Well, you are going to join it now." They took the captain down and made him a member of the union, and then put him on the picket on his own ship. The captain of the picket line was a steward, and the steward in due time said, "Go down and get some wood and build a fire; it is cold here." And they forced this captain to act as picket on shore. I suppose we have nothing to do with that if they want to act like that on shore. But apparently that is the way they act on board ship, too. Mr. TRUITT. Here are 3 pages of minutes which were turned over to the Maritime Commission by one of our agents which report meetings of the crew of the S. S. Vincent at sea on August 8, 1937 [handing document to Mr. Mann]. Mr. MANN (reading): Joint meeting all departments called to order at 1:00 p. m., 26 men present. Hogan, black-gang delegate, elected chairman. The CHAIRMAN. The "black-gang" are the men in the engine room, the firemen. Mr. MANN (continuing reading): Moved, seconded, and carried that anyone disparaging the Union or attempting to sabotage union objectives be recommended for disciplinary action by the union and that his book be taken up by shore delegate on return to New York. Discussion regarding time off in port; then moved, seconded, and carried that the three ships delegates discuss with captain question of all hands being given 24 consecutive hours off in Le Havre and Dunkirk. Discussion regarding crews messroom and quarters, and desirability of obtaining at least one more messboy. Moved, seconded, and carried that deck delegate see first assistant about having some member of black gang take engine room soundings which now are being taken by deck department. Moved, seconded, and carried that crew back up steward if difficulty is encountered in securing milk, fresh vegetables, and incidentals in France. Deck, engine, and stewards department delegates to go over and approve, and if necessary add to Stewards requisition, and to indicate their final approval of such requisition by signing it. Moved, seconded, and carried that coffee percolators be ordered for both deck and black gang, and that sufficient coffee, milk, and sugar be supplied to night watches. Discussion regarding oiling winches while winches are running. Moved, seconded, and carried that all crews quarters and toilets and messrooms be cleaned, chipped, and painted as soon as possible. The next is [reading]: Joint meeting all departments called to order at 6:00 p. m. Twenty-six members present. E. Baker elected chairman. Minutes previous meeting read and approved. Deck delegate reports overtime O. K.; stewards stores inspected at Havre and Dunkirk and found satisfactory; some lack of cooperation in arranging day off in Dunkirk. Stewards department delegate reports much trouble about overtime and friction between stewards department and captain. Engineroom delegate states questions of overtime and time off being handled satisfactorily. Moved, seconded, and carried that if any member of crew is discharged upon arrival at New York, master or proper department head be asked to state to union delegate his reason for such discharge. Discussion regarding stewards department overtime, and general attitude of master towards stewards department. Moved, seconded, and carried that all departments refuse to accept their money in New York until question of stewards overtime has been satisfactorily adjusted. Discussion regarding delay in pay-off on previous voyages. Moved, seconded, and carried that if ship is held over until Friday, and money paid too late to allow a night ashore after pay-off, then action be taken to secure one night in port after pay-off. Amended to read "that if union delegate, backed by union headquarters, advises against such action, then no action be taken." Heated discussion regarding improvements asked for, and promised by steamship company, but not made. Moved, seconded, and carried that crew refuse to |