The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-12-22

by thirty regular members OF he Ma
Port Locals of the union on the Gull
In addition to the members Of the
National Committee the meeting was
attended by invited ships delegates
and representatives from the Water
front Unemployed Councils, Over
one hundred Seamen and longshore-
men from the Port Of New York at
tended the meeting as spectators.
Ship Delegates Report
The outstanding report Of the Com
nlittee meeting was made by Chair
man Clark, chairman Of the SIS.
Point Gorda ship committee. Clark
told OF the activity of the ships COM
mittee covering q, period Of seven
weeks in which its consistent activity
forced concessions from the company
ranging from improved sanitary con-
ditions and better food to forcing the
ship to abandon the two watch 10
hour system and return to the three
watch g hour system. The militant
action of this ships committee which
began in the Port Of Seattle and end
ed in strike in New Orleans, was
discussed at length by the National
Committee, bringing forth clearly the
lessons and shortcomings Of the &C
ton. In the Ports of New Orleans,
La, and Oakland Cal, the struggle
aboard ship was supported by umem-
ployed picket lines ashore and in New
Orleans the 1ongshoremen stopped
work for short time in support Of
the strike.
Years Work Reviewed
In the report Of other ship dele
gates and secretaries and organizers
from the various locals, the fact was
brought forward that for the first
time in seven years the workers in
the marine industry are struggling
against the increasing attacks of the
Shipowners and that the Marine
Workers Industrial Union is the only
organization actively participating in
and leading these struggles. 1t was
brought out. however. that although
the union has definitely established
itself as the leader of the struggles,
nevertheless it had failed to consoli-
date it's influence organizationally
with the result that the majority of
the marine workers are still morgan
i9ed and that many seamen and
longshoremen are still under the in
fluence Of and being misled by re-
forrnist and reaetionary organizations
in the industry.
National Convention Called
1t was decided to call National
Convention for July IS to 10, 1888,
and to set as a quota for a recruiting
drive a minimum of 1000 members
by the time Of opening Of the con-
Yention. To further accelerate the
recruiting drive, it was decided to
place the union on an open charter
basis for a period Of six months. The
convention will be held in New York
City and will be the Second Ma
tional Convention of the Union, the
first having been held in April, 1880,
when the union was formed. Mem
bership quotas for all locals were de-
cided upon, the New York Port quota
being 300 members by the time Of
the convention.
Support Pledged to Railway Workers
A resolution pledging full support
to railroad workers in their struggle
against the wage cutting program of
the railway bosses was unanimously
passed. Other resolutions demanding
the immediate release Of Tom Moo
ney and the Scottsboro boys were
adopted and kilograms of greeting
were sent to two members Of the
National Committee who are in pris-
on for their activities. They are Law
renee Emery. former secretary of the
San Pedro local who has been in
San Quentin for three years for
leading the Imperial Valley strike as
an organizer of the Trade Union
Unity League, and James Kennedy
who is in the Baltimore city jail, as
a result of his activities in the
strike on the SIS. Walter D. Munson,
last summer.
Stress Unity Of Employed,
Unemployed
The unity Of employed and unem-
ployed marine workers and a joint
program Of action was decided upon,
This program calls for the building
of strong waterfront Unemployed
Councils and dock and ship COM
mittees, with joint action based on
the slogans and demands: Full
crews and full longshore gangs"
Against the workaway system" and
for immediate relief for all mem-
ployed seamen." Not marine work.
er to be without food or shelter.
Longshore Work Improved
In the report Of the longshore sit
uation, it was pointed out that al
though the M.WIU. is as yet basic
ally union of seamen, that at the
same time noticeable progress is be-
ing made in longshore work, par
ticularly in Philadelphia and that the
longshoremen who long since have
lost faith in the international Long