Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-03-03
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
Peeler

THANKS 10 a series of revela- L.
Il tions in these dispatches
during the last year the Ma
tiona Maritime Union. Of the
Communist Front, has been
forced 10 adopt some Interest,"
ing changes.
II no longer prints in detail,
either in It's publication the
Pilot. or in it's official minutes
OF the meetings held in New
York. the deta1fs OF RS Kangaroo
courts IN which, notwithStand-
ing the shortage of competent
sailors 70 man the transports
and cargo vessels, men have
been put ashore Tor terms rang
ing up 10 90 years for conduct
unbecoming union sailors.
Opposition 10 com nun 5 m
comes under The general head
ing OF unhecomlng conduct and
expressions Of racial or religious
preiuhces are crimes Of equal
gravity.
The reason for thts- retieeHee-
is found in the fact that the
Pilot and the Official minutes
were a regular source of inlor-
nation for outside reporters OPP
posed 10 communism in the
merchant marine which is the
property Of the American people
and is manned largely in grow
ing proportion by young .Ameri-
can sailors who detcst rou7u1u-
niSm and oppose the nonSeago-
ING Sa"S who haunt the Seaports
and claim for themselves credit
for the sacrifices Of real sailors
who do accept the risks OF the
sea in wartime
DROMINENT among these Vi
L carlouS heroes of the deep
are one who calls himself Joseph
Curran. president OF the NMU.
and another who calls himself
II Hedley Stone The treasurer.
The one who calls himself
Curran IS an upcommOniy frag-
lie and hiCh-StrunC hero, for the
only time he has gope 10 sea in
this war was during his sumner
vacation laSl-Aear- ,rheH- IA
actually announced tina, nc was
taking a fair-weather cruise as
vacation outing and he Suf-
fered nervous breakdown
when has wife had a child few
months ago
In particular testimony con-
corning sailors charged with
selling sandwiches from the gal
ley 70 enlisted American soldiers
bound for the war. with trim
.HInE -SdldietS-IH- crap games
through the use Of loaded Dice.
and with -rcniinc lahlnS-tn- sol
dierS for their card games n
eXorbiIant rates was detected
from the minutes.
INiE one who calls himself
Il Eurran also was a. pains
in a recent meeting 10 soften a
previous ScurnlouS and general
denunciation Of young American
army officers sailing for the
war.
This was consistent with a
new policy Of attempting to ap-
peaSe the army and navy men
sailing on merchant vessels in
the hope that after the war they
viii forget The many eXfortIOns
and ndiCnIlles Of which they
were victims a. the hands Of
Communist sailors
The president told the NOM
herShip his abusive remarks re-
ferred only 10 a fcw lleutenants
who were in league with the
ship owners 10 cause trouble
between the Gun crews and SOL
dlers and the civilian merchant
sailors.
Meanwhile, in recent months.
the Communists have been,
alarmed by the arrival on boarc'
the transport and cargo vessels
~ ncW and unfamiliar breed
Of young American merchant
sailors. officers and men, trained
ny the government who appa-
rently intend 70 follow tho sea
as calling after the war These
new men have a high resistance
70 Communist indOctrinatlon and
discipline and do not Weld easily
their right 10 their opinions.
WHERE, year ago tho COM
w munISt sailors Sneered AZ
tho naval uniform AS a monkey
suit and Haunted their pay in
Guiding overtime and bonus
money AZ the enlisted men. both
army and navy. nowadays the
union is running propaganda 10
the effect that the union sailor
IS badly underpaid
This now line conflicts
sharply with the unions prev-
Gus propaganda boaSting Of the
high pay bonuses, insurance
benefits and other gains for
which il was claiming credit
until the contrast with tho en-
listed soldiers and sailors pay
became an irritation 10 The en-
listed mon and an embarraSs-
ment 10 the union.
As an item Of the new propa-
ganda. recent issue OF the
f'rfOt COUtdTncd PICTURE ~ n
group Of licensed merchant ma