Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-11
u. 5. Agencies Study
Measures for Relief
Of Idle Seamen
RooseveIt's Proposals
Endorsed by Curron
After Conference
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Government agencies worked to-
day on measures to relieve the I'M
employment of ships and men re-
sulting from the Neutrality Acts
prohibition against American YES
sells entering belligerent ports.
The Maritime Commission still
withheld final action, meanwhile, on
the intensely controversial proposal
to place eight United States Lines
ships under the flag of Panama so
they could ply waters closed to
American flag vessels.
The flag-transfer proposal drew
from Representative Rayburn of
Texas, House Democratic leader, the
fiat statement I'm opposed to it,"
Senator Pittman, Democrat, of Ne
vada, chairman of the Senate For
eign Relations Committee and leader
of the fight for the new Neutrality
Act, asserted yesterday that "our
Government should be supercautious
in subjecting itself to any criticism,
or even suspicion, of evasion of neu-
trality."
"A definite indication" that the
transfer would be made eventually,
though opposed also by Secretary of
State Hull, was reported by Joseph
Curran, president of the National
Maritime Union &C. I. o., after a
conference with President Roosevelt
yesterday.
Ryan Attends Conference.
Others who attended the confer
ence to discuss maritime relief were
Joseph P. Ryan, president of the
International Longshoremen's Asso-
citation GA. F. L., and Matthew
Dushane, chairman of the Interna-
tional Seafarers' Union "a. F. L..
Approval Of the Presidents relief
proposals was expressed by Mr.. Cur
ran. The status Of the proposals
was reported as follows:
/. Regarding the Presidents sug-
gestion that some of the unem-
ployed seamen be absorbed into the
Maritime Commission Coast Guard
training schools, the commission dis
closed that the schools were fairly
full" but that extension would be
easy enough"
The schools have a capacity of
300 licensed officers and 5000 I'M
licensed men. Mr.. Curran has esti-
mated that the Neutrality Act would
force 5000 to 5000 to quit work at
once and 5000 to 10000 eventually,
though the Maritime Commission
puts the final figure at 5000 to 5000.
New School Being Built.
In addition to existing schools at
Hoffman Island, N. Y; New Lon
don, Conn, and Alameda, Calf, q
new school is being built at st.
Petersburg, Fla, where $50 green
men" have just been recruited from
c. c. c. camps for training aboard
ship, and another Is contemplated
at Gallup's Island, Boston. The men
receive wages and their keep.
2. On the Presidents proposal to
ask Congress to extend the unem.
ployment compensation system to
sailors, the Social Security Board
observed that creation of a Federal
agency would be necessary for that
purpose, and that it already had
recommended such an agency to
Congress.
Unemployment compensation for
other workers is administered by
the States, which are unable to COL
lect taxes or pay benefits for sea-
men who may be in New York today
and San Francisco tomorrow.
BY act of the last Congress, it is
estimated that 125, 900 seamen will
be admitted to the old-age benefits
program January I.
w. p. A. Considers Program.
3. The w. P. A. reported by the
President to have some plans, said
1t was considering a seamen's relief
program, not yet ready for an
nouncement.
Chairman Bailey Of the Senate
Commerce Committee, who has an
nounced he would introduce ship
ping relief legislation, said he wanted
aid for seamen, land not on any
w. P. A. basis"
From Senator Wheeler, Democrat
OF Montana, came proposal that
the Federal Government reimburse
ship owners for losses suffered as q
result of the Neutrality Act and COM
pensate seamen losing their jobs al
q result Of the tie-up of ships. In
New York to address the Keep Amer.
lea Out Of War Congress, Senator
Wheeler opposed the plan to transfer
United States Lines ships to the
Panamanian nag and raised the
question whether American war.