The San Francisco call., 1906-06-15

Furuseth Seeks to Detain
Vessel by Invoking
Federal Aid.
II the present strike on the water
front continues and the conditions grow
more asgrayating to the owners of the
vessels. they are likely to sail under
the flags of other nations. General
Manager w. S. Pearce of the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company said yester-
DAY that If the unions try to make trou-
bic for him he will sail the Curacao
under the flag of England. Then if
any difficulty arises the matter will be
passed UP to the British Consul to be
passed upen.
Il hate to take this step" said Pearce.
but 1t is about the best way out of this
trouble with this particular boat. !
can easily have her register changed
In Mexico and bring her into this port
under the flag of England. 1 do not
intend to do this unless 1t is absolutely
necessary. as the American flag is good
enough for me-"
The Curacao sailed yesterday shortly
after noon, carrying a full list of pas
sengers and more freight than she has
taken out Of this port in many trips.
Prior to her sailing Andrew Euruseth,
secretary of the Sailors Union, sent a
communication to the United States In
spectors of Hulls and Boilers advising
them of the fact that the boat was car
rying crew that did not understand
the English language.
The Inspectors found that this case
did not lie within their Jurisdiction and
passed the matter up to the Treasury
Department Upon investigation it was
discovered there is no law in the statute
books covering this particular case and
the vessel was allowed to depart by the
Federal officials.
WOULD ARBITRATE TROUBLE.
On board the boat were a number of
Japanese whom the shipping people as
sert are seasoned seamen. 1t was an
nounced the boat had all the men nee
essary to take her out, as well as a
full staff in the stewards department.
The union people, however, say the
Japs were not. good seamen, and that
a number of unskilled Mexicans had
charge of the stewards department
Regarding the outcome of the trou- :
BILE and a possible settlement. Furuseth
said: I'VE want to see the matter arbi-
trated. We are not in favor of having
the city tied up. and are just as anx-
ious as any one else to have the work
of reconstruction go on. Why, then,
will not the owners association submit
this case to ssme fair minded board for
arbitration ?"
For the owners, Captain Harry Good
all made the following statement:
There are four distinct reasons why
this association is opposed to arbitra-
ton. The first reason is that the men
in our employ receive better wages
than any men in the world doing the
same kind of work, and We dc not see
why they should get more.
Second, we consider that the present
agitation and trouble caused by the
unions to be entirely unjustif1ed and
without any cause whatever, and there
fore there is no cause for arbitration.
NO FAITH IN THE SEAS1EN.
"The third reason is that we have no
guarantee that these men will live up
| to the findings of any board of arbi-
tration. In the past they broke faith
with us, and they are liable to do the
same thing again.
The fourth and last reason is that
we have serious doubts as TO whether
cept the rulings of such board. 1t is
a very hard matter to abide by the laws
laid down by an arbitration board, and
we do not think 1t is our policy to re-
sort to such a means of settling the
strike"
The executive committee of the as
ISOLATION yesterday sent messages to
the Mayors, Chiefs of Police and other
officials of Seattle, Portland, Los An
geles, Grays Harbor and other seaport
towns where there has been trouble
asking them to see that law and order
are preserved and that the men on the
various boats are given protection from
the attacks of the union men If such
attacks should happen to occur at any
time during the trouble.
The City Front Federation, at It's pro-
longed meeting on Wednesday night,
decided to pass up the strike for the
next few days at least, and to let mat
ters run along as they have till other
developments occur. Many of the nuem-
bers were in favor of arbitrating the
matter, and to have such an order is
sued without delay, but this resolu-
ton fell by the wayside and nothing
was done, though most of the members
favor this mode of settlement.
CHARGES FALSE PRETENsEs.