The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-26
ROW AMONG SAILORS.
Radicals Drive Agent HAST
Out of Office.
FAILED TO SEIZE NON-UNlONISTS
Local Union Removes Him Because He
Obeyed Orders of General officers
Story of the Quarrel.
IILED TO SEIZE NoN-UNlONlSTS

There has been big internal row in the
Seattle branch OF the Sailors Union, which was
caused by movement on the part OF some OF
the members TO Dust John Hast, the agent OF
the branch. from Office. The reason for this was
that he insisted in carrying out the instructions
OF the general officers, and refused 10 attempt TO
force non-unioa men off the ship OBrien, at
Port Blakeley. short time ago
Tie OBrien secured five non-union men
from an English vessel while loading at Port
Blakeley, and Hast went over to try TO induce
them to leave the vessel, but was not allowed to
go aboard. A police officer was kept on guard
all the time. and, though Hast made arrange
nents with senmen on some of the other vessels
lying there whereby they were to try to induce
the men 10 go ashore, no opportunity presented
itself, and the non-union men remained on
board. The vessel finally left. and secured the
remainder OF her crew of non-union men at Port
! Townsend. The fact that the agent did not at
tempt 20 get the men ashore by force caused con-
siderable dissatisfaction among the radical ele-
meut
The other question on which the members
based their opposition to Hast arose from an
order from the general officers that the names
OF seamen desiring to sail in steamships exciu-
sfvely should be placed on n separate list, and
not on the general list from which men are
shipped in their turn. 1t had always been the
custom to place all names on the same list, and
the result OF this was that those who could not
ship in sailing vessels were not getting an equal
chance for work with the balance of the mem
bers. They sent a protest to the
general officers at san Francisco
and the order referred to was the result When
HAST started the second list few days ago,
number OF the members took exception TO it,
because man who had just come ashore would
be shipped out Immediately on the whaleback.
Hast insisted on the new rule, however, and at
the meeting Monday evening was severely criti-
cized.
On Tuesday HAST went to Tacoma, and on his
return found a call for a special meeting that
evening, signed by five members.
As soon as he called the special meeting to
order its object was made apparent by motion
requesting him to resign. He told the members
he had no reason to resign, but if they wanted to
get rid of him and assume so much response
biltv, they might declare his office vacant
They did so, and elected J. McDougal as tenn
porary agent, at the same time notifying the
general officers at San Francisco OF the action
taken. On Wednesday they received reply
that Hast was the duly elected agent and the
branch could not declare his seat vacant with
out giving him trial. They then wanted
Hast to remain as agant until the matter could
be settled, but he refused. That night he re-
signed as president OF the Western Central
labor Union and will return to San Francisco
this evening on the steamer Walla Walls.
Mr. Hast has been in the city about six
months, having been appointed by the general
officers of the union at san Francisco to sue
coed August Dahlquist agent OF the Seattle
branch. At the general election short time
ago he was elected to the position by the men,
bers ut large, and at the recent election in the
Western Central Labor Union was elected presi-
dent of that body He is an intelligent gentle
man and an advocate OF conservative methods
in the management of the union.