The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-06-25
Facing The Foc+s
With PHILIP PEARL

With PHILIP PEARL
Labor has its war heroes, too They
seldom get honorable mention, let alone
medals. The brass hats have made il
an immemorial practice TO overlook
labor's heroes. That is why we hereby
nominate for national acclaim and
recognition courageous Jules Souza
member of the Seafarer's International
Union.
SOuza, by all the standards of sailors
was IA landlubber when he shipped
aboard a freighter from a Middle At
lantic port last April. 1t was his first
deep-water voyage. He knew about the
coast. But he dared to do his bit for
America.
On the night of April 16, Souza's S
ship was attacked by three of these
submarines in the South Atlantic. The
first U-boat fired an incendiary shell
from close range at the unarmed
freighter, destroying the bridge. A
second shell wrecked the radio room.
Then the two other submarines ap-
peared and toyed with their blazing
and helpless target until it sank an
hour and fifteen minutes later.
Two lifeboats got away with most
of the crew. SouZa was one of the last
men to leave the ship. He was lowering
himself to a life-raft when a machine
gun bullet cut the rope and he plunged
into the sea. Unhurt, he managed to
| climb aboard the raft where he joined
| other seaman.
Thirty-twO Days Oh Il Raft
'We were happy to see the ship go
down. SouZa said in describing the
| tragedy. because the flames lighted
! the sea and we We're in danger every
minute of being shot by machine gun
| fire from the submarines"
The next morning, SouZa and his
| companions sighted the two lifehoars
but those aboard failed to see the raft
And during the next 81 days, that
! tiny raft was tossed and butfeted about
in the open sea without sight of land
or ship. in calm and in storms.
The chief engineer died within the
first week. Just before his death he
became craZed from cold and exposure
and threw half the provisions and
much of the fresh water overheard.
The fireman died Il few days later.
The ensuing days and nights were Il
continuing horror for Souza and his
! last remaining companion. Twice Souza
was washed overheard by high waves
and just managed to climb back on the
raft Sharks followed them for days
waiting for human prey and once ii
whale dived directly under the raft.
The other seaman disappeared only
| the night before the rescue. Souza isn't
certain how it happened.
Il must have been doing" he said.
because | don't know just how or
when it happened. He was in pretty
bad shape anyway, and | doubt if he
would have survived. He kept saying
he was going to see his mother. and l
believe ne jumped oyerboard.'
\ Request for the Future
They had run out of water ten days
before The other seaman. Il younger
man. was so parched that he drank
Seawater. SouZa, too was finally driven
to drinking salt water.
Souza was still conscious when he
sighted the British freighter that res
cued him. He tried to stand up and
I,,t I.iI
to lift him from the raft. He was. bad
| ~ burned from the sun and wind and
his clothes were in tAtterS. When he
signed on for the voyage he had
weighed 100 pounds, but when he was
taken off the raft, he had Shrunl to
40 pounds.
Now we have no wish to minimize
the achievements of Americas daring
fighting men. But we submit that the
herOiSm of Il moment fades into i'll
significance beside the saga of Jules
| SOuZa.
After he was landed and regaincd
some strength, officials of the Sea
International Union asked Souza
whether his experiences had indicated
what means could be taken in the flu
ture to help seamen in Il similar plight.
And he made this suggestion:
Il think the life RATS should be pro-
vided with a prov. OlSo Il ruddcr and
a leg o mutton sail should be laShed
on. The sail would help attract atten-
ton Of passing ships. And, most i'm
portant, it would keep the raft moving.
Nothing is so discouraging as to sit
helpless on one Of those RATS, tossed
around by the waves and tide without
being able to move in one direction.
Any kind of progress toward definite
goal would keep hope alive and IN
many cases the chances of reaching
shore and saving lives would be in
creased
Surely, that isn't too much to ask
Fear Of failure will help you fail just
as faith in success will help you to