The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-08-23
Seamen Picket Ship
in ROwbOat AS SCab
Crew Mans Steamer
Union Mobilizes Men
in New York, Philly
to Boycott Ship
By r, B. HUDSON

BALTIMORE, Maryland, Aug. a.
The strike of the Diamond Cement,
in the port Of Baltimore, which Is
of historic Importance in the marine
industry, continues. after three days
Of militant action, on the part Of
seamen, officers, longshoremen and
unemployed, the ship barely crept
out of the port Of Baltimore with a
scab crew of six men. The Marine
Workers Industrial Union is mobi-
lizing the seamen and longshorenen
in New York and Philadelphia to
continue the strike in these ports
for boycott Of the ship.
The strike began on August 81.
The strike committee presented the
demands for $40 increase in wages,
better food, recognition of the ships
committee, and no discrimination.
The captain refused to consider the
demands, the crew quit work and
stayed on the ship, and with the
arrival of the police to drive the
crew off the ship the crew dropped
both anchors and shut off the steam
making sure the ship would not
leave the dock.
When the crew walked of, the
officers came also and then the long
Shcremen came out soma With the
scanen. The longshoremen were
members of the LILA. who gave full
support to the strike despite the
strikebreaking efforts of the local
offlcialdom.
Picket in Rowboats
Within a few minutes of deciara-
ton of the strike there WIS ire
mendous response on the part Of
the unemployed seamen who mobi-
lized for mass picketting. Mass
picketing went on all day and when
the ship was taken out into the
stream, row boats were commandered
which kept up a constant picketing.
The spirit CT the crew remained solid
despite efforts to smash it by the
arrest of four of the strikers.
Failing to recruit scabs in Balti-
more, despite the fact that wages
as high as SIS were offered, efforts
were made by the shipowners to get
strikebreakers in New York. The
Seamens Church Institute shipped a
crew of 81 men. When they were
getting on the train patrol of the
New York Branch of the MWIU
threw them leaflets warning that a
strike was en-. When this crew ar
rived in Baltimore a gordon Of cops
was at the railroad STATEN and
herded them into a bus. Despite
this these men demanded and forced
the police to allow Union dele
gate to speak to them and then
voted to refuse to ship, even at an
increase in wages.
three professional Scabs joined the
ship. The other eighteen seamen
Joined the picket line in tee fight
for higher wages. Protesting against
the scab herding Of TIC Institute a
seaman smashed q window of the
Joint. The Captain of the snip
finally came to the Union hall and
offered to grant the demands fer in
crease in wages providing that he
would not have to hire the same
crew back. Recognizing that this
was an attempt to prevent organi-
cation the proposal was voted down
by the crew and unemployed.
On Sunday morning, only able to
steam three knots, the ship got I'M
derway, with skeleton scab crew OF
six. AS she went down the harbor
the picket boat was still following
her.
For the first time in 10 years a
strike for higher wages in the marine
industry hes taken place. The ire
mendous response CT the secmcn in
ell ports show that they realize the
Importance Ct the strilic as being
the opening gun for MACS struggled
to increase wages. The United Front
of Sesmen, longshorencn and eff
cera-and especially the solidarity CT
the unemployed--show the growing
influence Of the MWI.U. end the
correctness of the policy worked out
at It's National Convention.
The Neticnal Buro CT the M,Wl.U
calls upon all OF It's branches to
intensity sheir woIa. especially tc
further develop the struggle against
the SIS. Diamond Cement.