The sun., 1903-10-06
UNIONS KILL A Big BUSINESS.
MORSE IRON WORKS SURRENDERS
TO THE WALKING DELEGATE.

They Can-R They Can't They'll stay
Cl0sed-Strike After Strike for two
Years-Impossible to Keep ContFActs.
The Morse Iron Works and Dry Dock
Company, foot of Fifty-sighth street,
South Brooklyn. closed down yesterday,
victim OF the walking delegate. When
business will be resumed, President z. r.
Morse declared last night, 1t n impossible
to say. He thought the firm might be COM
pelled to dispose OF its property and leave
this part Of the country.
Two years ago the Morse Iron Works
had 1900 men employed with an average
weekly payroll Of $4,000. For months.
owing to the guerrilla warfare practised
by the unions, the works have bsen run
1t q loss, and yesterday It was decided
that they must be closed.
The dry docks Of the company have been
used by ZONE Of the best and largest ships
that enter New York harbor. The advent
OF the walking delegate was the signal for
the ruin Of ths concern. According to the
management and the admissions Of the men
who were glad to work there in the days
when the unions were not In control. the
walking delegates announced that 1t wSs
to be the policy Of the unions to get -
much from the boss a. we can-and work
Just as few hours day a possible
This policy was Immediately put TITO
effect according to President Morse. Nho
was very bitter In his denunoiation Of ,es
walking delegates and the unions. Mr..
Morse said that 1t became impossible for
bis company to contract to do work. Ships
that were put on the dry docks for repair
to be done In q certain time were invariably
delayed, or elss the company was forced
to lose money BY employing extra help
and working nights In order to keep the
contract. This, he declared. was tho result
Of the 'lay down on the boss tactics Of the
unions.
'Just a. soon As The unions discovered
that our yards were full Of work. said
Mr. Morse yesterday. Strikes began. Tho
walking delegates were as familiar with the
terms OF our contracts AZ We were and knew
that they could force US to accept many Of
their demands.
For instance. we found the men loaf
ing-even asleep-on the steamship Styria,
about a year ago. They openly boasted
that they had not lifted hammer during
the day. and their organization was 90
strong that they did not have to work unless
they so desired We removed the foreman
and eot q trusted man to look after our
interests.
"A strike was ordered, not only on that
ship, but in all our works. Forced to give
In because OF tho millions Of capital at
stake, we replaced the foreman and all the
men discharged from the styria. It was
lust there that we made our mistake. From
that time on tho unions have owned the
works-we were simply putting up the
money to run it.
STRIKES have followed ono another In
quick succession. each being more bitter
than its predecessor, until all our work has
been driven away. We are unable to guar
antee when work will be turned out. and
1t Is therefore impossible to hold our pat
ronage.
-The port Of New York Is losing all
It's shipbuilding trade through unionism.
Owners are taking their vessels to Phila-
delphia and other places, where the cost
of labor is 20 per cent. less. the hours are
longer and the men work instead Of going
to sleep on the job. Trade unionism will
eventually close up every shipbuilding
concern In New York II 1t is allowed to 60
on as 1t has been doing for the last two
years.
Notwithstanding the conditions as they
are known to exist, the walking delegate
struts about and declares that the em-
ployers are getting rich, and demands
higher wages for the workingman.
'Iwant to say this. however. II tho work
inRman would do fair days work for tho
money he gets and the employer could de-
pend on the days work being done. con-
tracts could be taken and basis arrived
at upon which the employer could pay
the increased and often exorbitant scale
of wages demanded, and all mako living.
But when a hundred mon are put to work
on a vessel and half Of them arc found
asleep, while the other half declare they
have worked only as they felt inclined,
why 1t is time to close up. We have closed
and shall remain closed. II We can do 20
we shall get away; II not, We will await
developments.
Il have stated these facts TO show why
we have been compelled to close one OF
the finest plants on the coast. which, dur
Ing the last few years, has paid TO the work.
lngmen OF South Brooklyn SEVERAL millions
Of dollars