The Detroit times., 1909-04-15
LIVINGSTONE Wilt
IGNORE LETTER
FROM sEAMEH
Says Tart Note Asking Conference
With the Lake Carriers Wasn't
Written With Intention Of
Securing An Answer.
Head of Vessel Owners Organisation
Isn't Worried By Threat That
$4,000 Will Strike At Midnight.

BUFFALO. N. Y, April 15.--Tne
trouble which has been developing be
tween the big freight lines OF the Lake
Carriers association. and the marine
unions. has come to an issue with m
uitimatum which the unions have
sent TO the president OF the associa-
ton. There will be q strike OF sngi-
neers. firemen and seamen II the lake
carriers do not recede from their
stand. They must eliminate the open
shop clause from contracts and give
up the welfare plan. The unions are
talking OF making this fight to Q nm
ish. Nothing but a backdown ON the
part OF the lake carriers now can pre-
vent strike OF $4,000 marine work
ers on the lakes from becoming effec-
tive at midnight tonight.
| II the reply Is received from Presi.
dent Livingstone today II will prob
ably be In the nature of nat refusal
to reconsider the attitude Of the lake
carriers taken last winter. This 10
what the marine leaders are expecting
and they have issued orders for all
union men to stay on the boats.
| The strike order involves engineers,
iremen. oilers. wheelsmen, watchmen.
deck hands. stewards, cooks and por-
ters.
| After the meeting, the letter TO
President Livingstone asking for
conference was ordered sent.
1T Is our ultimatum," said w. II.
Jenkins, of the seamen's union. IL
means that unless we get q hearing
there will be strike and II will be u
| finish fight.
| "All persons afflliated with the sea-
mems union have been instructed not
to take berths on boats of the Lake
Carriers association.
I'VE are well organized and pre-
pared to stick 1t out"
President Stack, of the Firemen, re-
iterated the statement made last week
that the firemen would not work with
tracts.
The ultimatum referred to in the
Buffalo dispatch was received py
President william Livingstone, Of the
Lake Carriers association. Wednes-
day afternoon. 1t was In the form OF
q letter signed by v. A. Orlander,
chairman OF the lake district griev-
ance committee OF the international
Seamen's union, and was couched la
rather gingery terms In 1t the griev-
ances Of the seamen are aired at some
length. and q conference with the Car
riers Is asked for. The continuous
discharge book system adopted by the
Lake Carriers IL characterized as
nothing less than a barbarous black
list" while the welfare plan," So
called, is declared to be a copy OF the
English system, except that the plan
provides for a blacklisting system
more far-reaching and decidedly more
irresponsible than the English
method" Both these plans have
been exploited in the press heretofore.
81 will not reply to the letter." said
Mr. Livingstone. Thursday morning
1T Is perfectly apparent, think, that
the letter was not written In the ex-
pectation that reply would be forth
coming. 1t was In the hands or the
newspapers In Buffalo and elsewhere
before | received II, and my opinion
Is that II was prepared simply TO give
the seamen some sort OF basis for
their contemplated action. So the
I strike talk comes as no surprise"
will the Lake Carriers back DOWN
"I will answer that by another. Have
we shown any such disposition? Haye
we shown any disposition TO recede
one step from the open shop policy?"
And President Livingstone's tone IN
dicated very plainly that tn answer
should be no"
"The so-called ultimatum Is It's
sue of measurements" Mr.. Living
stone continued. 1T would be aston
fishing indeed, IT, In the employment
OF thousands of men, differences did
not arise between employees and en-
Movers. We do not claim that our
vessel masters are saints any more
than that those under them are angels,
hut our doors are always wide open
TO seamen with Just grievances. We
insist that the men who work for US
be well treated, and IT Is fact tnat
employees of the Lake Carriers asso-
citation receive better pay. better treat
ment and greater consideration tnan
the same class OF labor elsewhere. we
will treat with our own men at any
time they see fit TO come to u.s.
7, strike Is declared II will result
IN n tie-up OF practically the entire
hulk freight traffc on the Great Lakes,
for this traffic is controlled by the
Lake Carriers association. II Is es-
timated that about 80 per cent OF the
carriers belong TO the association ana
the independent carriers. therefore,
would cut little figure in case OF
tie-up. The strike. however, would
not AFFECT the passenger and pack
age freight lines or the lumber car
riers.
In this connection II is learned thai
two lumber steamers. the ". t. Greene
and the starke. are preparing TO leave
Detroit during the day. Both boats
are manned by union men and are
paving the full union scale OF wages
The same is true OF all the lumber
boats In the Lumber Carriers' associa'
ton about soc in number. The cues
ton OF contracts has not been taken
up yet. but probably will be later In
the season.
business Agent Pierce. OF the local
seamen's union. has received no In
strnctions from headquarters as yet
relative 10 the threatened strike.