The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-07-10
ATLANTIC COAST
CONFERENCE FOR
MARINE WORKERS
Officially Announce
Date, Aug. 17-18
Continued from Page One)

ization of the galley, have practi
cally reduced the status of the sea
man to that of an unskilled worker
The introduction of these labor saw
ing devices has resulted in terrifi,
speed-up and thousands of seame1
are thrown on the beach.
Companies have resorted to rigor
Gus physical examination and it il
becoming increasingly difficult fol
a man around the age of forty tt
get a job.
Hits Longshoremen Too.
This process of naturalization ha;
affected not only the seamen, but
the longshoremen as well. The speed
up and the introduction Of new ma,
chinery (conveyors, etc. has re.
suited in the employment of less
men on dock, deck and hold. Except
for the big passenger docks, casual
employment is the rule with its con-
sequent favoritism, discrimination
bribery, degradation to the point Of
making the workers fight for work
checks.
The workers in the harbor on tow
boats, scows and barges have equal
ly miserable conditions: long hours
low wages and wretched living con-
ditions are the rule among harbo1
workers.
While the marine workers are
facing these abominable conditions
the shipowners are piling up ire
mendous profits. The government
with the passage of the Jones' White
subsidy law has made it possible
for the steamship companies to
draw tremendous sums from the U
S. treasury for the exploitation of
the seamen.
The subsidy law together with the
sale by the Shipping Board of all
its most important lines, at rum
mage sale prices, to private interests
marks the determination of the U.
S. government to build up a mar
chant marine second to none.
War Is Coming.
This is a direct challenge to Brit
ish control of the seas. Commercial
rivalry between Great Britain and
America has never been at a more
intense stage, and will inevitably
result in war. Both countries are
making frantic war preparations IN
der the cover of disarmament
schemes and peace pacts. In Amer
lea, the naval reserve law has been
passed in order to provide trained
personnel available Immediately
upon the outbreak of war. The sea-
man will again be called upon to
face the submarines, the depth
bombs, mines, aerial attacks and
.,oison gases for the enrichment of
their bosses.
In the face of the conditions de-
Ecribed above. the marine workers
are practically without any organ
ization and in no position to protect
themselves or to fight for better
conditions.
The so-called international Sea-
mems Union is nothing but strike
breaking company union.
/. S. u. Obsolete.
Does it organize the seamen
Does it fight for their interests
We know that since 1921 the I.S.U
has decreased from a membership OF
$4,000 to its present 5000, scat
tered in % different branches. Its
very form is based on obsolete craft
lines, its central affiliation being
merely nominal as is evidenced by
the separate branch agreements
Ia misnomer) and at no time in its
history has it ever cooperated with
the foreign seamen's strikes. In fact
it has assumed the role of strike
breaking by carrying scab coal to
break the great British coal strike
1t has openly worked hand in glove
with the late Havelock Wilson, who
will go down in history as the most
infamous of British misleaders OF
labor. In fact the I.S.U. has been
more or less financially subsidized
by Wilson. The president of the
I.S.U., Patrick Flynn, was sent tc
Australia by Furuseth and aided
Tom Walsh in forming scab union
for the purpose of disrupting the
Australian Seamen's Union, which
was too militant character for Viii
con and his ship-owner friends.
The officialdom of the I.S.U
busies itself with preaching craft
skill, efficiency and common Interest
with the ship-owners. II concentrate.
it's activities in Washington trying
to get laws passed. 1t advocate.
abolition Of sea service bureaus anc
fink halls to be supplanted, not by
union halls, but by the shipping com.
missioner. 1t pretends to be against
the blacklist and instead advocates
a government blacklist. It's agents
are merely runners" for shystei
lawyers. One branch agent runs Q
rooming house and "hooch joint
"a veritable crinp)! 1t has advocat
ed the passage of the Naval Re
serve Law and is doing it's utmoc
to herd the seamen into the mex
slaughter.
]. L. A. Also Corrupt.
The same picture is presented /.
the corrupt international Lon
shoremen's Association headed
Ryan. The LILA. is a gangste