Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-26
White Star Liner Olympic Re-
turns to Southampton.
SEAMEN JOIN STRIKERS
Attempt to Replace Firemen With
Non Union Men Resented.
FACE CHARGE OF MUTINY
Sailors Who Deserted Ship After
signing Up" Arraigned Today.
Passengers Transferred.

SOUTHAMPTON, England, April "a
The White Star liner Olympic which had
been held OF Ryde, Isle Of Wight, since
wednesday by q strike Of her firemen.
today abandoned the scheduled trip to
New York and returned to port This
course was made necessary by the deser-
tion Of her seamen this morning when
the line attempted to replace the strik-
ing firemen with non-union men,
One hundred and twenty-one pas
sengers who were awaiting the Olympic
at Queenstown have been transferred to
the Baltic, which will leave there today
for New York. Fourteen hundred sacks
Of mail which We're to have been for
warded by the Olympic will be held at
Queenstown for the Cunard liner Lusi-
tania. sailing from Liverpool tomorrow
for New York. and due here Sunday.
The Cunarder is likely to reach New
York ahead of the Baltic, and for this
reason the mail will be intrusted to her.
The strike has a serious aspect be-
yond the matter of inconvenience to
transatlantic travel, as the seamen,
having signed for the voyage. have
now laid themselves open to the charge
of mutiny. Immediately following the
walkout the White Star officials ap-
pealed to the authorities with the re-
suit that the Olympic's whole compile
ment OF seamen. numbering fifty-four.
were arrested when they came ashore.
They were arraigned in police court
at Portsmouth this afternoon and
charged with mutiny.
They pleaded not guilty and were re-
manded for trial next Monday. The court
accepted bail for their appearance.
Passengers Volunteer Services.
Three hundred first and second class
passengers Of the Olympic volunteered
to act as firemen. replacing the strikers
The captain thanked them while declining
their services.
Crowds Of seamen and firemen thronged
the docks throughout the day. and many
OF these condemned the action Of the
strikers. The distress In this port Is al
ready great In consequence OF the loss
OF SO many heads Of families with the
Titanic, and today's events VIII psrcep-
tibly add to the hardship .-,s,7l : 4-.af+
Late today 1t was decided that the. xa-
loon passengers OF the Olympic would
proceed by train tonight to Liverpool.
where they will embark upon the LUST
morrow.
ohicials Urge Punishment.
The White Star officials appealed to
the government to support them in
their efforts to obtain adequate pun
ishment for the mutinous crew, adding
that unless firmness was shown now
the company would despair of being
able to restore discipline and main
tain its sailing schedules.
The National Sailors and Firemen's
Union repudiates the action Of the
strikers, who are said to have been ad-
which recently withdrew from the parent
body.
The firemen of the Olympic struck
Wednesday five minutes before the vessel
was due to sail for New York. Their
grievance was the alleged failure of the
company to properly equip the steamer
with lifeboats. Subsequently q deputa-
ton Of union firemen witnessed a test of
the Hfe-saving apparatus and, being sat-
isffed, agreed to return to work
Meantime. however, their fellows had
dispersed. leaving word that they would
not rejoin the ship unless eighteen fire.
men who had renamed aboard when the
others left were DISCHARGED
This concession was refused by the
company. which thated that It would lay
up the Olympic rather than suffer co..
ercion.
Seamen Refuse to Work.
Oficials Of the lire forthwith began IN
recruit a new force Of firemen from Shef
field. Liverpool and Portsmouth. and yes-
terday announced that the Olympic would
sail at daybreak today. This morning
tugs containing go firemen to replace the
strikers came alongside the Olympic and
were putting the new men aboard when
the seamen struck. They declared thar
they would not work with non-unIon men
and promptly clambered over the ah,n.. :.
side into the waiting tugs
Capt Haddock appealed for assista ancs
to the cruiser Cochrane whose COM
mander boarded the steamer and warned
the crew that any of them taking part In
the strike after having signed for ~. trin
would be guilty OF mutiny. This had no
effect upon the seamen, who proceeded 70
shore. Here they were met by a sfrone
force OF police and placed under arrest
on the ground that their presence IN
town under the circumstances miSht lead
to d sorders. Later the strikers were
hailed to court at Portsmouth.
When the helpless condition or The
Olympic became known a steamer wa.
dispatched for Ryde to take Off the sas
loon passengers, who were brought her.
pending arrangements for their transfer
to other vessels.