The Nome nugget., 1941-10-01
Navy May Take Over Operation
 Of Vessels

VerSy Tn de aylng the Sa,llng O. the steamship Barsnof for Alas ka and asserted such an episode is definitely a step" toward the I government taking over opera ton of shipping between the con tinental United States and AL i aska,
 The Baranof, which had been scheduled to sail on September Is was held for several days in Seattle because of the dislike of crew members for ships cook.
 Defense Effort Hindered
 Admiral Freeman's comments were unexpected & were among the most critical ever voiced by government official in the Seat ] tie area.
 His statement:
 The fiimsy controversy bet tween the Firemen's and Ste wards Unions aboard the s s Baranof of the Alaska Steamship Company, which prevented the ship from sailing to Alaska, is a clear example of the obstruc- tion to the national defense effort because of~-the selfish desire of certain union or ganizations to place their own convenience and prejudices ahead of the nations security. i The s s Baranof was laden with l,200 tons of freight and 125 ! passengers, bound for military and naval defense projects in Al aska and the Aleutians before winter makes transportation diff cut in that region. Because of a petty quarrel, involving person. alities rather than any sort of valid union demands, the sailing of the ship was postponed.
 Thus far, the business agents of neither union have shown the slightest ability to control their own members so that a ship on which it is admitted all legiti- mate union requirements are complied with may sail on a reg u.arly scheduled cruise The fail ure of these agents to control l their own men seriously Weakens i all union contracts of any sort, If such contracts cannot be perform ed in full by both parties con cerned, there can be no reason for making them.
 "The failure of the Baranof to sail, under the circumstances, is an example of a tendency noted for some time in the Northwest for union organizations to render ! lip service to the nation defense effort, but to fail signally in granting any real concessions to the common good of all patriotic citizens in any matters which affect their own privilege"
 Tt would clearly be a misfor tune for the national government to find it necessary to take over the operation of shipping be- tween the continental United States and Alaska. The present episode, however, in which move ment of vitally important freight and passengers is delayed for only the barest reason, or no req son at all, is definitely a step in that direction" the statement concluded
 The Baranof was scheduled to sail for Nome, St. Michael, Dutch Harbor and the Boring Sea, but the marine firemen re- fused to sign on because of dis like for one of the ships cooks, member of the Marine Cooks & Stewards Association.
 The cook beat one of the fire men in fight recently and the firemen refused to sail with him. The company refused demands of crew members that the cook be discharged.
 On the last trip North, the Baranof was delayed 26 hours in Juneau because of the fireman versus cook controversy.
 Union agents would not an- nounce the names of the princi- pals involved.
 The Baranof sailed Tuesday, September g, and is due to ar rive Nome tomorrow night at II o'clock.