"Unthinkable, Intolerable"

In convention at Springfield, Ill. last week assembled the National Federation of Federal Employes, an independent union competing with A. F. of L. and C. I. O. for the nation's 800,000 Government employes. To the N. F. F. E. delegates President Roosevelt dispatched a message, conceding the place of Government unions in the U. S. Labor picture but sternly warning: "Militant tactics have no place in the function of an organization of Government employes. . . . Such action looking forward to the paralysis of Government by those who have sworn to support it is unthinkable and intolerable."

The President's dictum was hardly in print before a group of Government employes struck--not in Washington, not in the U. S., but aboard ship on the River Plate off Montevideo, Uruguay. The crew of the S. S. Algic, a 5,496-ton freighter owned by Joseph Patrick Kennedy's National Maritime Commission, refused to help unload cargo onto a lighter in midstream. Uruguayan longshoremen were on strike against employment of non-union labor. Inspired to a quixotic display of labor solidarity by three rabid unionists, the Algic's seamen swore they would not work with scab longshoremen until the River Plate froze solid.*

Seamen may strike when a ship is docked in the home port. But once a ship has sailed, to strike is mutiny. In Montevideo last week the Algic's Captain Joseph Gainard reported his plight to the U. S. Vice Consul, who went aboard, harangued the mutineers for an hour. Still they refused to unload ship. So Captain Gainard and the Vice Consul shot a cable to the owners.

Back to Captain Gainard from the Maritime Commission went a terse message which looked as if it had had the personal attention of Chairman Kennedy:

"Instruct crew to proceed with your lawful orders. If they still refuse warn crew that all still refusing to perform duty will be placed in irons and prosecuted to full extent of law on return to United States. If they still refuse, place ringleaders in irons. If other crew members still refuse duty, have them removed from ship and replace them with American, if available, and if not, foreign seamen. In case you experience any difficulty, request assistance local authorities. Report developments."

The crew swiftly returned to duty. Meantime in Washington Chairman Kennedy, stealing a phrase from his boss, declared: "The Maritime Commission takes the position that the action of the crew is unlawful. It also takes the position that in this particular case such an act constitutes a strike against the Government. Neither situation can be tolerated."

*It never freezes, even in July or August (midwinter in South America).

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