New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-22
L Longshoremen Seek Short
er Hours and Higher Pay
Deny German Intrigue.
MUNITION SHIPMENTS
WOULD BE HATED
Clyde and Mallory Lines First
TO Clash with UniOrS-Men
Dire ed from Hoboken.

New York is threatened with a long
shoremen's strike which may complete
ly tie up transatlantic shipping within
the next week. This prediction was
made along New York's waterfront,
following the refusal yesterday of some
900 Iongshoremen of the Clyde and
Mallory lines to work for the usual
wages. Agitators said to be employed
by the International Iongsnoremen's
Union circulated among the men yes
terdav and urged them to hold out for
union pay.
Many longshoremen here are Irish
men, Germans and Italians. Those who
were employed by the big transatlantic
steamship companies are members OF
the union, which has wage scale OF
35 cents an hour for ten-hour day
and As cents an hour for overtime
The Clyde and Mallory lines have en-
ploved non-union longshoremen, it is
said, and have paid 80 cents an hour,
with no special compensation for over
time.
When the war occurred many OF the
union men were laid off. As the weeks
If idleness passed by numbers of them
gradually accepted work Wherever II
was offered at anv wages. In May a
propaganda was started among them
n demand the payment of union wages.
Incidentally non-union 'longshoremen
were asked TO Join the union. me re-
eult was that almost a thousand long
shoremen have Joined the movement 10
strike for higher wages, which me COM
nanies affected say they will not pay
As consequence Piers SO, 81, 80, 44'
AZ and 65, North River, are Idle. sew
oral ships have been tied up, ana II
the strike spreads there may be an IN,
terruption of all transatlantic ana
coastwise shipping. .,
The greatest difficulties are expert
enced by the Clyde Steamship Com
panv al its piers Nos. 81 and Co. fler
IS was leased by the Clyde Line from
the Hamburg American Line.
The steamship Medina arrived tues
dav morning from Galveston. me was
sent 10 Pier 65, and squad OF non
union longshoremen was sent there 10
unload her. Then they arrived tney
found q strong detachment ot unlVI
ilongshoremen in possession, VINO toIu
+ba ron-union dock workers that there
would be trouble if they were gong TO
,york for non-union wages. After a
conference among the leaders the union
mon Ali marched 10 the Clyde Line pier
but the officials refused to grant the
demand of the strikers, with the re-
erlt that the Medina was stlll ted up
last night with her cargo ABOARD
Various rumors were in clrcuiatloll
smonp the 'longshoremen. One was 10
the effect that German lnfnehce wa
al work among the men to induce tneill
10 strike and thus temporarily ue up
the exportation of arms and ammunh u I
tion 70 the Allies. This was oenled py
some of the men. 4.5 vac.
n was authoritatively stated yes.
+erdav that the Federal governnen
bad ordered an investigation to asceI
tain whether any undue influence VIZ VIZ
bronqbt 10 bear. The report That EeI
man agents had offered any long,
sLoreman who wanted to strike SlO
week as long as the strike lasted was
the subject of particular ih;es'.sa
tion. II was learned last night ma
those responsible for the strike wouII
he prosecuted under the violation o, OF
Neutrality clause, if it was proved tha'
the move was inspired or melted DS
asents of any foreign government.
A mass meeting of the men VIII Dc
held in some hall in Hoboken' ~ D.
mjtbin LIN the next few days. The gen
erai tenor of feeling seemed to be;
1--WE are fighting for our just dues
The companies are making. money
through the war. Why should not We
get our share" -.
Some of the union members au
mitted that they would receive ecI'
tain amount Of money each "eeA l'V"
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