The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-10-13

xivet holee N
steel shell
plates or firing
. chipping gun
On 90 q fhe -
hu11o In the noWN
craving docks or q the ways.
Cal miners take 70 chipping ana
drilling liIgo = duck takes TO water.
tchipping h the shipyard me-
ehanic's word for chiselinx, By
msono & . comprssssd Air run
that rams . sharp chisel against
metal - fast ~ 20 men swinging
hammers could strike. The chip
per holds the chipping gun In his
right land funiees he's . SOUTH
paw) and steers the chisel with
his R1ove6 hand. Chipping looks
easy. but when you figure the re-
coil and weight Of the gun--or
better sti1l. try to do q small job
Of ch1pp1ng-you'l realize that II
takes plenty Of muscle and stam-
ina 70 make . chipper.)
oAM 0ETs KISSED
Sam u . clipper. It may have
bean that mine layoff last Thanks
giving that occasioned sam's entry
into shipynrd work--and In fact
gives the lie TO the charge some
times made that miners have been
flocl<ing to the shipysrds for high
or pay. But have . hunch that
Sam and . lot Of fellows like him
are working In fhe shipyards To-
day primarily because they are
Americans On The plus side. Every
thing that means anything 10
them IN life 10 stal<ed On this war.
Sam. like = lot Of other guys
working IN every shipyard craft.
- h potnts out b . world war
veteran
These vets know what Il u TO
be short a ammunition and ships."
says Sam, thinking Of his brother
in-law and six nephsws now in
uniform.
RIDE - MILES, DAILY
IT'S consideration Of this sort
that ceues Sam and five Of his
pals 70 make thu daily s2-mile
ride IN from Black Diamond to
report for duty - dr1llers and
clippers On the swing shift.
! met Sam five or six years ago
when ! was doing . series Of
articles On ths Suspicious uni-
1ormity-and uniform height--of
coal prices hsrsabouts. Nat D.
Moore. president Of the Pacific
Coal company. wanted me to visit
the nsw MACK Diamond mine and
- for myself The conditions under
which coal - produced In this
region Of stseply inclined veins.
And Sam Downey. a president Of
the Black Diamond local Of the
United Nine Workers. was my
escort on that day-long trip.
MILITARY ENTHUgIAGDG
The thing that amazed me about
DownGy. - " hiked through end
less tunnsls wearing lighted hard
hats an1 dropped 1t brsathlsss
sped oown The long slope to the
1,1oo-foot level. was his militant
enthusiasm ever Ill the safeguards
and improvements IN mine oondi-
tons which IL union had brought
about, combined with his willing
nsss to give the company credit
for doing its part
Incidentally. sam d proudest Of
The fact that during the three
years h was president Of the
black Diamond miners local and
ex-officio chairman Of its safety
committse. there wasn't q fatal
accident In New Black Diamond
nina
AL OUT FOR vaCIOkY
In his new capacity ~ one a
the shop stewards Of the boiler
makers and member Of the labor
management committee Of the
yard. lam Il carrying on a. he
I'D q D1Dck Diamond He gets
no sdded pay for either job. neither
% auy q his fellow stewards or
memhezs Il TIE labor-managsmsnf
oomuit1se.
Sam typifiss the determination
q fhs DollermAksrs' union. while
preserving ths status a that or
eanim1fon - Il was IN fhe ship
yards before Pearl Harbor. 70 80