The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-06
SHIP ENGINEERS
 HERE ORGANIZE INDEPENDENTLY
Break Away From New Ha. ven Body Split in Na-
 tiona1 Association.

Coincidental with the announce ment today of a split in the ranks of the National Marine Engineers as- sociation, following which the ocean engineers have formed an organ1za- tion of their own, it became known that the Bridgeport marine engineers have also formed an independent or ganization.
 Sub-Association No. 36. of New Ha- ven. has contended that one sub- association in this district is enough, and as a result the charter of NO. l9 the local body, has been revoked and the members were ordered to affiliate with the New Haveners. Refusing to do this, the Bridgeport marine en- gineers have formed an independent association with more members than the New Haven one possesses.
 The new association will be known as the Marine Engineers Association of Bridgeport, Conn. The officers will be elected tomorrow night at a meet ing, and complete organization will be effected.
 The National Marine Engineers association, at it's 42nd annual con- V0nClOn Jan. 22 to Jan. 27, recalled the char ter of No. 99 in New York city on the ground that two sub-associations are not necessary in the same dis trict, which has been the contention of No. 33, composed of marine en- gineers of all classes.
 sThe membership of No. 99 is com posed of ocean engineers only and originated from desire on the part of the ocean men to have their affairs controlled by those similarly employ ed," B. M Roberts of Stratford, past first national vice president of the association, said today.
 Because of this the desire of Local 33 to control the affairs of the ocean engineers, No. 99's charter has been revoked.
 Therefore, the members of No. 99 have reorganized into a separate unit for the port of New York, to be known as the Ocean Association of Marine Engineers, the membership to be linn ited to those holding ocean licenses only. The aim of the new organiza- tion will be to enforce disciplinary and educational measures for the better ment of it's members and to promote better understanding between em- ployers and employees"
 This is the first association of ma- rine engineers limiting its member ship to ocean-going engineers. The news of it's organization will be re- ceived by all steamship men with in terest as it has always been their con- tention that they should have self government and separate representa- tion in the national body, a condition that has been impossible heretofore The headquarters of the. new associa- 'tion is at No. il Broadway, New York. The officers of No. -99 will re- tain their position in the new associa- tion.
 News of the split did not transpire at the time the national convention was held and the first announcement of the changes both nationally and locally is made today.
 One of the reasons given for the Bridgeport engineers action is that the New Haven association, although having been in existence good many years has succeeded in enrolling fo1 membership only a few of the eligi- bles, while the Bridgeport association has more than 75 per cent. of the men employed as marine engineers ir this neighborhood.