Evening journal., 1896-11-28
GIGANTIC LABOR UNION
Scope OF the Great Combination
Now Being Formed.
TO ORGANIZE IN ALL COUNTRIES.

Va 4uucna
NEW York. Nov. 2s.-The Journal this
morning has the following:
On the principle that the way to fight
fire is with fire, great trust of labor is
being formed. 1t is a movement more ex-
tensive than Gompers Powderly or Henry
George ever dreamed of, as daring as Ma
polcon could have planned United as
one, if the plans arc carried out, there will
he nearly 1000 men. In the army
of the Coifederacy there were never over
that many actively engaged and of the
northern foEces the greatest number I'M
der arms at one time was 1850, 900.
The forces to be allied are the workers
in marine trades Along the water front
of Now York, along the Thames at South
ampton, Edinburgh and every port OF
Great Britain and the continent the great
combination is stretching out. Men OF
Australia's shipping Industries, of the
ports of the Pacific coast, along the At
lantic seaboard from Maine to Texas and
longshoremen of the Great Lakes and in.
terror rivers have heard the first rumcrs OF
the gigantic movement and will learn de-
tails when, at New York and the most i'm
portant ports of Europe, the organization
is firmly established. At the present time
the greatest efforts are being directed to-
ward organizing the longshoremen of this
port, but this body, according to the out
lined plan, is to be only link in the globe
girdling chain.
Strikes Not an object.
For this great alliance there is the com.
prehensive name international Fedora.
tion of Ship, Dock and River Workers
Every man who can properly describe him.
self as a ship, dock or river worker is quail
ified for membership. The representative
in America for the organization at the
present time is Edward AIcHugh, who
came from England recently with the
avowed purpose of forming an interna-
tional body of longshoremen. He has
been feeling the pulse of marine workers,
and now announces his conclusions bv
stating his belief that before many months
all who have anything to do with water
commerce will be allied as solidly as CO.
partners Of great financial institution.
Mr.. McHugh believes that such an or
ganization would never be forced to strike,
because its fair demands, like the fair de-
mands of powerful governments, would
always be granted The leaders do not
deny, however, that it would have the
power to block the commerce of the world
II such power were exercised along the
Atlantic seaboard on outgoing cargoes
alone, business to the amount of So, 5O0,-
600 daily would be checked. OF this, New
York would lose So, 000, 600. At the end of
the week, when accounts are balanced,
New York exporters and shippers by wa.
ter to domestic ports would find THEN
books SIS 600 600 short, because cargoes
that should have been sent out would be
lying on the docks and in storage ware
houses If all commerce between nations
were tied up the restriction to business
fFpnfl - tn T.
ly If, in addition, the interior commerce
on rivers and lakes were stopped, leaving
only the railroads to transports the neces-
saries Of life, stores would be emptied in
IS hours.
skin of Longshoremen.
The longshoremen Of New York alone,
II organized as McHugh is endeavoring &c
organize them, would it is stated, be able
10 tic up foreign and Atlantic seaboard
trade from this port. There are 30 OOC
I afgshorcmen in New York, Brooklyn,
Jersey City and Hoboken, and every one
q them is a skilled laborer To landlub.
r4 it may seem that the loading Of a
lip with boxes, barrels and bales requires
81 Eluaclc They may think that any
an with an hours practice and good
'rms could do the work as well as an OK
ilcnrcd band. But If the work of lOnd
tt'rN g. fN7TNA HAt0tiiu Jt lNAl 10 green men
tie chances are that when in midocean
itwave rolling the ship to one side, would
s'ff the cargo and list the vessel SO that
fic would sink. The danger is so great
t't nlerinc insurance companies keen
1~cr on the watch at docks, and when il
fNp"ars that vessel is being loaded by in
competent hands, either the rates Of insur-
Lrco ore put up or insurance is refused.
Not SO much skill is required in unload
ing, yet green men are, as a rule clum-
sy and damage valuable merchandise. 1t
is argued, therefore, that if the 30. 600
lOngshorcmen Of this port should 90 on q
strike and be loyal to their organization
commerce would be practically tied up
even If new mon could be found willing to
take the place of strikers. The explanation
given for the failure of former strikes is
that the longshoremen were not loyal to
each other, the Brooklyn men taking the
places Of New York men, New Workers
going to Brooklyn and those of the North
river to the East river and vice versa.
scope of the Movement.
Organizer Much says: "The federation
movement started in Rotterdam, extended
to all the other seaports along the line of
the continental seaboard, extending
through the various nations Thus the In
ternational Federation was started The
unions at that time existing in the several
seaports and those subsequently formed
are all now connected with the Interna-
tlonal Federation. In London Liverpool
Blrkenhead, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast and
an other Important ports in the United
Kingdom there are now branches Of the
International Federation. Among the prin-
cipal seaports on the continent of Europe
in which there are branches are HAMBURG.
Antwerp, Stockholm. Rotterdam and a
number Of less important ports In this
country, among the ports in which we
either have branches already or mean to
establish branches, are New York, Phila-
Geiphla, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco,
Providence, Seattle Port Townsend. san
PoGro, San Diego, Nanimo, Eureka, Mil
wa@kee, NewiOrleans and a number c{
other ports
We have branches in Sydney, Dunedin,
New Zealand; Vancouver, British Column
biai and smaller ports 1t is my purpose
TO visit Canada and oroani1a tbo ,,.,.i,,,