The Detroit times., 1910-01-21
S[lMEN'S STRIKE
HASN'T HAMPERED
I. VESSEL OWNERS
..nnaM InvINGsrnNE
Boats Put in Commission as Fast
as Needed and Manned Without
Difficulty, Is Presidents Report
at Lake Carriers Meeting.
Welfare Plan Declared To Be Work
ing Well, and IntimatiOn Is That
II viii Be Continued.
-wILLIAM LIVINGSTONE


offered no hindrance in the operation
OK vessels owned by members OF inc
t Lake Carriers association the past
season was the gist OF the annual re-
mort Of the board of directors, eXecu-
tive committee and officers OF the as
ISOLATION, with reference 10 labor con
1.fions. as read by President William
sLivingstone al the opening OF the an
lnual meeting in the Cadillac THURSDAY
moFning. There was no indication IN
f. the report that the association intends
4 20 make any concessions TO the strik-
Deamen. On the other hand. the ON
Gers point with pride 10 the results
accomplished under the welfare plan
and the intimation is plain that they
propose TO adhere TO IL.
In q general way" said Mr.. Living
stone. reading from the report, IT
may be said that all OF the vessels or
4ho association were put IN commits
,Gton during the year as rapidly as bust
mesa demanded. and were manned and
Z i0perated strictly In accordance with
the open shop principles declared by
cur association; and that larger ton
mage OF ore was carried during the
ipast year than has ever been carried
upon the Great Lakes in any proceed
ling year.
Vessels were manned without diff
fculty as rapidly as they were put
. into commission. and but little trouble
was experienced from this strike other
than the annoyance TO which the men
who entered service or the vessels
were subjected by pieketing and as
sanlts.
The welfare plan was the ostensl-
BILE object OF attack. although II was
apparent that the real object of the
Opposition was the policy OF the open
shop Great credit is due to our mem
lbGro for the earnest, loyal. resoluts
manner In which they stood together
10 protect their right TO conduct their
business without interference from
disinteTested outside influences"
The report declares that vessels
were placed in commission as fast as
the recovery OF business warranted
and that little difficulty or delay was
experienced In growing all our vessels
with a full complement of men"
II continues. with reference TO en-
Eineers' contracts returned unsigned
and the failure. in some instances OF
engineers TO report after signing con
tracts
In most instances, however, these
nunoyances were overcome without
delay in fitting out the vessels. The
union policy OF interference was con
tinued In various ways throughout the
season. Pickets were established by
the union at all ports to interfere with
engineers employed upon the vessels
going 10 their ships TO take up their
duties, and efforts were made 10 per-
euade these men to repudiate their
contracts. In many cases where argu-
ment failed OF effect. violence was re-
sorted TO. and throughout the season
assaults were committed upon engiu-
GERS In the service of vessels
Notwithstanding these tactics and
the business depression, 1873 vessels vi
our association were in commission and
many more were ftting out by May l.
every one OF which was manned by
engineers under contract"
From business standpoint. the re-
port declares. the season was on the
whole unsatisfactory, owing to delay
~ the REIMBURSEMENT OF the tariff. the
SLOW movement of coal Qess than IN
1908, lateness in the advance of
Iroight rates, stormy weather and dc
Jays due TO various other causes. The
association sees a very promising out
oNok nor 1910, however. II predicts
with absolute confidence" a record
Yteaking 'business year. in which,
IA with the increase Of freight rates
t1is year over 1909, the vessel inter
petD should and undoubtedly will. re-
Dolve. their share"
M according to Mr.. Livingstone. out
|1ot 1900 men In the employ of the
Inem3ers OF the Lake Carriers asso-
|eiHtion. 9.752 are members Of the well
21le plan, and he expects that the list
VII be augmented during the coming
gear.
AIR Livingstone urged every mem
Der TO Hse his influence with mis- CON
FRESHMAN to secure an appropriation
TOT another lock at the American
500 In addition TO the ono now
building. quoting interesting figures
70 snow that another lock is a ne
cesslty.
The work on the Livingstone chan
mol. he said. Is ahead OF the contract
There he's been used thus far 2G5 00O
pounds or dynamlte in blasting cut
the rock. commission Of the GOV.
ernnent engineering department had
recommended the widening of the
channel to $50 feet, he said. Mr.. Iiy.
IugstOne told the members that the
Canadian government is seriously con.
nidering the widening OF the Fighting
ieland chonnci. which would give
dppble channel from Lake Huron to
Lake Erie