The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-10-21
BY wEsTBROOK PEGLER

| NEW YORK; have just received a copy
of e handout from the press agent OF that
sec5oc of the communist front called the Ma
tional Maritime Union reproducing letter
alleged to have been received from a junior
lieutenant of the Naval Reserve, complim ent-
ing the merchant sailors aboard an unidenti-
| fled vessel for their help in serving the guns
against axis planes during the invasion of
Sicily. In just what way this service reflects
credit on the communist officials of the union
who have been hollering for second front
but personally intend to have no part of it,
the dodger does not explain. The letter does
MT even say the sailors were members of
the union but, of course, they could have
| been, either willingly under compulSlon,
and it seems feeble boast to say that lot
of men turned to and helped the enlisted
naval sailors defend their lives.
| However, the union complains that the editor
of the World-Telegram didn't do right in de-
clining to publish the letter and for that reason
thought I would call it to your attention
and then kick the gong around.
| The letter is credited to T. A. Potter, Jr,
1t J.G) USNR, and this prompts me to
observe that although it is all right for any
officer or enlisted man of the Navy, Coast
Guard, Army or Marines to write in praise OF
any merchant crew Of the union, they
don't dare write for publication about cases
in discipline or other misconduct They might
not be court-nartiaed for it, but they think
they would be, SO they are not taking any
chances. However, the NMU has no monopoly
on letters from men in the fighting services
for 1 have had my share, too. The only diff
ference is that l can't give their names.
Here is one on Navy stationery, from an
other J. G. dated cat Sea-" which says he
had part in unloading ships in a south Pacific
base, at very critical time and place. There
were not enough stevedores SO the Army and
Navy men pitched in and did very well with
the first few vessels, which were foreigners.
But they had trouble the minute they tackled
their first American ship.
'It Sunday" he writes so the crew
were not working and they tried to prevent
our bosun's mates from working the Wlnches
That was at time when American Marines
were dying at Guadalcanal for lack OF those
materials which were aboard this snip. Inc
problem was solved by telling the union man
that if he didn't get the hell back in his
cabin and STAY there the officer in charge
would look the other way and anything the
stevedoring sailors did to him would be out
of his control He did go below much TO the
disappointment of the Navy men.
That is just a sample but if the commu-
nists want to start comparison OF mash
notes, I am all for that but, as say, nave
| to protect my correspondents from the wrath
of political administration which would rath-
er shield shirkers and saboteurs provided
they hold union cards, than fighting men who
hold none.
| Another interesting communication comes
from fellow who was drafted by the same
board that granted successive deferments to
my old sparring partner, second-front Joe
Curran, the vicarious commando who is pres
ident of this sector of the communist front
Comrade Curran, you may recall, recently
took a summer vacation cruise to north Afri-
ca, timing the ride, as he said, SO as to
avoid unfavorable weather, and because he
thus violated the requirements of the draft
law, the appeal board moved in and cancelled
his latest deferment, to the great horror of
comrade Curran and the indignation of his
communist executives.
OF course comrade Curran won't actually
be drafted. That will be taken care Of in
Washington
But this fellow who actually was taken by
the same board that declared that Curran's
communist activity was "essential' and wi
TAI TO the war effort, reports that he was
turned down in his application for deferment
al!nough his wife was undergoing an oper-
atlon When he received his order of induction.
nus employer, engaged 100 per cent in war
WORK. appealed his case on the ground Of e.