ABSTRACT
In 1925, the Russian government began accelerating its campaign for capture of the world’s seamen. An International Seamen’s Club made its appearance in New York City in 1926. Seamen were shoved back into the “glory hole” forecastle, with bunks crammed together, no space for gear, insufficient room for freedom of movement if more than one of the gang came below, inadequate sanitation, and wretched food. The Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union (I.W.W.) Marine Worker, similarly, dismissed the Interclubs’ claim to status as a legitimate seamen’s organization. The I.W.W. suffered continued internal pressure from the Communists, as revealed in an article, titled ‘Anarchy and Decentralization” published in the I.W.W. Marine Worker in 1926, under the signature of William Pettersson, M.T.W. secretary treasurer. In February 1930, the Communist marine organization, while viciously attacking the I.S.U. and I.L.A., suddenly instructed its cadre to form nuclei within the two A.F.L. unions.
