The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-10

The announcement Of the revised
code for the marine industry, after
three months of secret deliberations"
since the last hearing, clearly exposed
the wage cutting, strike breaking pur-
pose of the National Recovery Act.
The National Board OF the Marine
Workers Industrial Union called for
the sending Of mass delegation to
the hearings where the code was TO
receive a final hearing. Delegates
elected by seamen or longshoremen
in Philadelphia, Norfolk, Boston and
New York assembled in Baltimore
where final vote on the delegations
position on the proposed code was
adopted.
The final meeting before the code
hearing was held in the so-called
"seamen's project" In Baltimore,
where unemployed seamen on relief
are quartered. A few weeks previous
this building, and the whole admins
tration Of relief, was in the hands
Of the charity racketeers Of the
YMCA. Relief had been inadequate,
graft was rampant, seamen were dis
eliminated against and hundreds
blaeklisted for protesting. During
the past year many seamen nave been
beaten up and at least IS arrested
because Of their efforts, under the
leadership Of the Marine Workers
Industrial Union and Waterfront
Unemployed Council, to force ade-
quate relief. Every effort had been
made to suppress organization and
compel submission of the Holy Rack
eteers. But the seamen's hatred
had only grown, the organization in
creased, and as result Of the mill
tant struggles recently, they forced
many concessions, including three
adequate meals a day, clean beds,
clothing, recognition Of their commit
tee and the right Of free speech in
the project" These were the FIRST
victories. Then they forced the COM
plete removal Of the hated Mitchell
Harden and other racketeers. Now
the administration Of relief and the
complete control Of the building is
in their hands.
AL Seamen Present.
m this former fortress" Of the
bosses and their agents, captured by
the organized power Of the seamen,
the final meeting was held. Without
exaggeration every seaman ashore,
and many crews from vessels in port,
were packed into the meeting. The
Ilongshoremen and Seamen from other
ports were cheered. The proposals
Of the Marine Workers industrial
Union that the proposed code, which
contained slight wage Increases for q
few and wage cuts for many be re-
jected and that the delegation insist
upon adoption of the MWIU Code,
was adopted unanimously. The pro-
poSal to reject and repudiate the
strike breaking proposal for the es-
tablishment OF a National Maritime
or Labor Board, originally proposed
by Scharrenberg Of the ISU and
substantially included in the revised
code, was accepted with enthusiasm
By these workers learning to feel the
power Of organized, militant action.
When the chairman called for those
who were willing to back up the de-
msnds In Washington practically the
whole meeting volunteered TO serve
on the mass delegation.
All NationaIities
Six htEs-loads, containing 8 delega-
ton OF 200 seamen and longshore-
men, Negro and white, American,
Chinese, Filipino, Spanish and other
nationalities. Lack Of transportation
alone prevented a larger delegation
Behind this delegation stood not only
the seamen Of Baltimore but the 49,
600 other workers in the marine
industry who have endorsed the code
proposed by the Marine Workers In
dustrial Union, and who in an ever
increasing number Of strikes during
recent months have shown their de-
termination to fight for this code!
When this delegation marched into
the hall where the code hearings
were taking place they were conscious
Of the fact that they represented the
mass Of workers In the industry, who
were determined 10 struggle, who were
united around one code under the
leadership Of the fighting Marine
Workers Industrial Union. When the
Code Administrator Weaver arrived
at article dealing with labor he
stated, I'VE will skip that now and
come back later" The delegation
Immediately protested this maneuver
to drag out the hearing and pre-
vent the delegation from fully pre-
senting their proposals as well as
listening to the entire discussion upon
this point-particularly the stand of
the leaders Of the ISU and LILA. AS
result of their protest the admins
TRAITOR was forced TO agree to take
up the section dealing with labor
Immediately after lunchi
A Wartime Measure
The Daily Worker has already
printed the militant stand of the dele
cra finn in raiacffyYcy tl7p r,ror,oSad rode