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MOTION-PICTURE JURISDICTIONAL DISPUTES 2381
a disrupter, because I had opposed his policies in tlie marine engineers.
Mr. McCaxn. Was Mr. Merri^Yeatller a Communist ?
Mr. EoBixsox. Xo. I would not say Mr. Mel'ri^yeatller was a Communist. That I don't know, but he did take his instructions from the Bridges o-roup.
Mr. McCann. Didn't you just tell us you were elected as president?
Mr. RomNsoN. President of the federation, that is right.
Mr. McCann. In San Pedro for 2 years ?
Mr. Robinson. That is right.
Mr. McCann. '35 and '36 ?
Mr. Robinson. That is right.
Mr. McCann. How did they get you out of an elective job in '36?
Mr. Robinson. Just the same as they got me out of my membership in the marine engineers. They went through the simple process of having the executive board cancel my membership in the marine engineers without any trial and without any hearing. In fact, it was done right here in Washington, while Mr. Brown was president of the marine engineers at that time. They just cancelled it.
They found a slight discrepancy that the president of the local in San Pedro had made in my application and they used that as the basis to cancel my membership.
Mr. McCann. Who is the president of the national organization today ?
Mr. Robinson. Today I do not know who the president of the national organization is but Randolph Merriweather in San Francisco runs it. I don't know what his position is today because I have been out of it so many years. I have stayed away from the waterfront, with the exception of twice filing application to see if I could get back and had them reject me again.
Mr. McCann. The national organization has its headquarters in Washington, is that right ?
Mr. Robinson. That is right. They used to be and I presume they still are.
Mr. McCann. What is the name of the national?
Mr. Robinson. Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, better known as the MEBA. I have my own membership card in my pocket.
Here is my honor certificate from the mairne engineers.
Mr. McCann. Mr. Chairman, I will read this into the record. It says:
HONOR CERTIFICATE
^lariiie Engineers Beneficial Association, Inc., No. 79, 605 South Beacon Street, San Pedro, California, hereby extends its expression of appreciation and vote of thanks to our lo.val brother, .Tohn R. Robinson, a member of Marine Engiiieer.s Beneficial Association No. 79' for his valuable services and sacrifice for the order during the 1935 tank-ship trouble.
Edward H. Shea, President. Harry Norman, Secretary. Dated this 18th day of .June 1935.
Now, will you proceed and tell us what you did after you were thrown out of that organization in 1936?
Mr. Robinson. Well, having my membership cancelled in the marine engineers automatically removed me from the Maritime Federation. Several other unions offered me membership in their organizations: the shipyard workers and several of the other organi
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