The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-09-19

A strike of Honolulu stevedOres
which has been simmering a long time,
broke at seven O'Clock yesterday morn
ing, when about 300 men, most of whom
were Hawaiians, did not show up to
work the Matson steamer Matsonia and
other vessels. They were members Of
the newly organized Honolulu local,
20. 1926, of the International Long
shoremen' 8 Association.
No notice was given in the morning.
but, about two.thirty o'cloek yesterday
afternoon, letters were sent. the ship
ping companies, notifying them of the
demands of the men. These are for
fifty cents an hour for O. nine-hour day
and seventy-five cents an hour over
time and for the closed shop.
j., H. Drew, manager of the shipping
depankment of Castle & Cooke, Matson
agents, said that he believed the Mat
sonia would get away on time ut ten
oclock tomorrow morning. Effect Of
the strike on the Lurline is prOblemati'
cal. MeCabe, Hamilton g. Kenny, the
steveaofing firm, had seven gangs,
about ,2l0 men, working the Matsonia.
Coast Assistance Expected
Jack Edwardsen, secretary of the
Sailors Union, who organized the long
shoremen, said that cooperation and as,
sistanee Of the Coast locals Of the long
shoremen was expected. He asserted
that the recent settlement between the
employers and union men on the Coast
provided that union men should be en-
ployed at ports in which locals of the
union existed.
HThere is one here now," he said.
~ believe that the Coast men are
bound to help us. 1 expect to hear
soon. But It. makes no difference what
they do; We are going right ahead. -
If cargo loaded here by non-uniOu
men is declared unfair" Mt San Fran
cisco the effect would be serious.
He said further that ample. time
would be given the Honolulu. steamship
agencies to decide what to do, and that,
until time had been given, perhaps
twenty-four or forty eight hours, cargo
loaded here would not be objected TO by
the Honolulu union as to discharge on
the Coast. sr..-sfI s....rs -
Opinion is divided on the waterfront
US W NOW thO "hi bV upN
to do. Fortunately, from an Island
standpoint. most of the sugar is out,
only the Matsonia, Lurline, Hyades and
the Wilhelmina remaining to take much,
However, there will be hundreds OF
thousands of cases of canned pines for
the Coast and thousands of tons OF
down freight to come.
Hawaiians In Majority
Edwardson said that about $50 men
had paid,up membership in the union
and sixty or seventy were partly paid
up. OF this aggregate of 420 men,
about $50 are Hawaiians, and the re
mainder are scattering as to nationai
ties, there being Russians, Japanese
Scandinavians, part Chinese and Ameri'
cans. To-
Demands Of the men are for greatly
increased pay. The present scale OF
McGabe, Hamilton & Kenny, who work
everything except lumber vessels and
Oceanic steamers, is two dollars a day
Of nine hours, with forty cents an hour
overtime. The men ask fifty cents an
= hour, or four dollars and fifty cents a
day, with seyenty-fve cents an hour
for all work before seven o'clock in the
morning and after five o'clock in the
afternoon and for all Sundays and
legal holidays
The Oceanic scale is three dollars a
day of nine hours for foremen, two