Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-07-11
sEAMEN'S STRIKE
IS NOT PROBABLE
Shipowners in England Declare
Plans Advanced for EnCamp-
ment Are Ridiculous
NO TROUBLE is ANTICIPATED
Recurrence of Newport Agitation
Remote Possibility, Is 0pin-
ion of the Authorities
NO TROUBLE IS ANTICIPATED

LONDON, July 10.-It seems unneces-
sary to take very seriously the report
that a wholesale strike of British sea-
men is likely to occur during this
month 1t is true that an organiza-
ton calling itself the International
Seafarers' union, founded recently IN
the United States, has issued circular
in which it picturesquely refers to the
provision of camps for 10000 seamen
at the principal British ports in the
event of q stoppage of work. 1t may
be doubted, however, whether there
will be any such stoppage, and If there
is it is difficult to see why encamp-
ments should be required. Seamen
when ashore do not usually live under
canvas. Clearly, too they would be
disadvantaged, for the camps would
have to be at some distance from the
docks and "blacklegs" would have
matters pretty much their own way.
Were it not that the talk about the
encampment rather appeals to the
imagination, the announcement of the
International Seafarers' union would
almost have escaped notice. AS it is,
it is stated that the men must sane
ton the program before even the can
vas is ordered, and something is also
said about a conference at Copenhagen
to consider the replies of shipowners
to questions which have not yet been
formulated, much less put to them. All
this seems to suggest rather nebu-
lous scheme, not likely to be helped
by the fact that seamen's organiza-
lions in this country are under a cloud
for reasons which need not be partlc-
ularly inquired into AS might be eX-
pected, the International Seafearers'
union seeks to deprive the shipping
federation of any authority as an emf
ployers organization. No doubt 1T is
intended as some sort of reply to the
International Shipping federation,
which was recently brought into eX-
istence.
For some years past this country
has been singularly free from any
thing approaching a general strike OF
seamen. If the guess may be hazarded,
it has no less to fear from any trouble
of that kind than from disputes such
as that which has arisen at Newport
in connection with the leading of ships
at the Monmouthshire port. AS the
quarrel there may conceivably aHect
the whole of the Bristol channel ports,
the circumstances under which it arose
seem worth nothing.
The practice at Newport has been TO
pay a tonnage rate for the loading of
general cargo. On the ground that this
led to hasty and careless stoWage,
with consequent damage, Houlder
Bros wished to introduce day rate
in connection with the loading of their
steamer Indian Transport. The result
was a strike. The Newport corpora
ton, rather than give police protec-
ton to men brought in by the shipping
federation to do the work, preferred
to pay the shipowners $500 a day as
demurrage. Ultimately the dispute
with the men went to arbitration.
Sir David Harrel, appointed by the
board of trade to act as umpire, found
the complaint established that the pay,
to damage to cargo and decided that
the shipowners should have the option
of paying a day rate. AS the union
leaders had assented to the arbitra-