New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-30
STRIKE DELAYS SAILING
OF COASTWSE SHIPS
Union Leaders Say 5000 Men
Have Already Answered
Their Call to Quit.
SHIPPING COMPANIES FIRM
Their Representatives Declare
They Are Prepared for Worst
and Will Promptly Fill
Places of Strikers.


! Coastwise shipping felt the first shock
| Of a strike Yesterday which, if carried
out as proposed by union leaders, will
put 10000 men out Of work. provided
| the shivowners remain stubborn, as
well as cripple the service Of about
! Twenty-Five lines and put dozens OF pas
songer boats I'm the hands Of inexperi-
enced crews.
open shop" the union agitators say,
/ IS the big issue Of the struggle; but
! permitted mutiny" is the way the ship
owners describe the issue. Both sides
stoutly declared yesterday that they
would never stop fighting until the other
/ side was completely beaten.
/ As a result Of the first days contest
/ the shipping men said the worst they
/ had suffered was a slight delay I'm the
sailing OF some of their boats, but that
/ I'm the end every one Of them got away
/ i'm good shape. They had satisfied them
| selves. they said, that their plans to
fight the strike. which they knew would
/ come. were 50 well laid they would suf-
! fer little Inconvenience.
! About Five Thousand Answer Call.
The union leaders saw their signs of
| victory in the fact that by nightfall
about FIVE thousand men had answered
/ their call In this port alone and that
every coastwise ship that undertook to
/ leave her dock yesterday was delayed
/ from one TO four hours, five Of them
being forced. they said. 70 anchor in the
! bav because Of insufficient crews. They
also took comfort i'm the fact that half
q dozen lines fastened 10 sign the agree
mcnt they presented.
! The strike order includes oilers, fire.
men and water-tenders, as well as sailors
on all coastwise ships, river tugs ana
river and Sound steamboats, on the At
ilantic seaboard. Representatives have
/ boan sent. Il was announced, 10 extend
! the strike 10 Cuban, Mexican and Porto
Rican waters and all along the Gulf
coast.
/ The companies and the men have been
working under an agreement since the
I
| terminated last night at 6 o'clock
new agreement, providing for closed
shop" had been submitted TO the own
crs. and several days ago the answer
come from them that they would not
( deal with their men in the future as
unions. on Friday night committee
Of representatives from the eight larger
coastwisc lines prepared resolutions
agreeing To maintain open shop"
/ II was this action which brought about
| the beginning II the strike yesterday.
/ The lines represented I'm this committee
are the Morgan Line, the ocean Steam
ship Company OF Savannah, the Old
| Dominion Line. the Ward Line, the
Texas CITY Steamship Company, the
| New York and Porto Rico Line, the
/ CLYDE Line and the Mallory Line. The
chairman Of this committee is II. II.
| Raymond. vcc-presldent and general
manager Of the clyde Line and presi-
dent of the Coast Steamship Associa-
/ ton.
/ Well. every company represented in
| this committee" said Mr.. Raymond
Yesterday. got its boats off to-day with
| little trouble ! won't say what our
preparations are or how many men we
have In reserve, but the public should be
made 10 understand thoroughly at the
start that this strike cannot succeed. In
| the first place, our arrangements are
| such that as fast as men walk out their
places will be promptly filled and all
| boats will clear as scheduled. In the
next place, their demands are utterly
unjust and impossible.
Want Delegate on Eacn Ship,
For instance. one Of the demands Of
| the union is that they shall have
delegate on board every ship. who should
! see hat the commands given to the crew
! by the captain are in accordance with
! the agreement between the union and
the company, and discuss the same with
! the captain Why, that would be mu-
| tiny, and nothing else. Another thing
| demanded is that men shall not be dis
| charged until their cases have been eX-
| amiucd by the union to see whether or
not the discharge was justified. We
can't give over the operating Of our
boats like that TO our employees
| The strike order included the Sound
steamers going to Boston and Sound
ports and the river and excursion boats
about the bay. such as the Iron Steam
boat Company, operating the Coney ISL
and and Far Rockaway boats. Agree
ments were displayed at strike head
quarters. however, signed By representa-
tiyes OF these companies, So that, it was
said. there would be no trouble on to-
days outing trips.
The issue is, therefore, a clean-cut
contest between the seven coastWise
lines and the union.
The opening hostllities yesterday