New-York tribune., 1918-12-20
Boat Ow- ers
Defy U. S. War
Labor Board
Spokesman Asserts They
Will Refuse to Arbitrate
the Eight-Hour Question

owners, lclarcd in formal statement
tion of ! ours and would fight to the
utmost any attempt of the government
to commander and operate their
equipment.
"If," says Moran in the statement,
which is an attack on the labor policy
followed by the government since the
beginning of the war, "the National
War Labor Board means to try and
force us into an arbitration of the
eight-hour day, it might as we'll save
its time and the governments money
by staying in Washington.
Owe have no intention now or at
any other time of permitting the gov
ernment to handle this situation
through any of it's agencies"
To do so, he declares, would be to
case in advance.
He charges the government "from
top to bottom" with being "nfected
with the eight-hour heresy," says it
has bankrupted the railroads, and ac-
cuses the Railroad Administration Of
"double-crossing" the boat-owners Of
New York in granting better wages and
working conditions to the men en-
ployed on railroad equipment.
Calls Eight-Hour Day Impracticable
This statement of Moran followed
the making public Of letter from the
boat owners association to Robert P
Bass, chairman of the adjustment COM
mission of the United States Shipping
Board, declaring the eight-hour day to
be impracticable, and asserting that in
| refusing to accede it, the boat owners
are showing a higher degree of pa
triotism than they would by yielding.
Thomas l.. Delahunty, president of
the Marine Workers. Affilation COM
menting on the letter and Mr. Moran's
statement last night expressed regret
that the employers should take such
position.
However" said he, "if Mr.. Moran
and his associates feel that they are
bigger than the government, and that
it is the part of patriotism to defy it
at this time, or for that matter any
other time, l cannot prevent them from
! doing so.
II must, however, give Mr.. Moran and
his associates the credit of being con-
sistent. They have done their best to
bring about a tying up of this harbor,
and fO-nip1$i0 at - g.
and intended to force the men into TAX
ing matters into their own hands. In
this they will be disappointed. Since
the beginning Of the war they have
worked with the government and, so
far as may be privileged to speak for
them, they will continue to do go
Nothing Mr.. Moran or his associates
may say or do will line the men rep
resent up against the government"
Says Moran Attempts Stampede
F. Paul A. Vacarelli, international
vice-president of the Longshoremen's
Association, whose fifty thousand men,
bers in this port will be affected by
any trouble, agreed with Mr.. Della
hunty
Moran" said he, "is trying to STAN
pede our men into striking He will
not succeed. The men are willing to
fight Moran--if they have to. 1t has
been very difficult to keep some of them
in check for long time past-but thew
will not fight Uncle Sam"
Nv
the Moran statement would have a
tendency to make the men more rest
less and that it would be welcomed bv
the hot heads among them who have
been anxious to join issues with the
boat owners.
The statement of Mr. Moran and the
joint letter of the boat owners fol-
lowed another conference of the oper-
ating interests yesterday These con-
ferences have been almost continuous
for several days past. Reports from
them have indicated that some of the
larger operators are not in full accord
with the fighting spirit Of the majority.
One of these said last night that Mr.
Moran's letter had not been submitted
to the members of his own organiza-
ton
Mr.. Moran in his letter says:
We are informed that the National
War Labor Board will come here on
Saturday. If its we'll meaning gentle
men try to force us into an arbitration
OF the eight-hcur day, they might lust
as we'll save their time and the govern
ment's money by staying in Washing
ton.
I'VE have no intention now or at anv
other time of permitting the govern
ment to handle this situation throupb
any of its agencies.
Hints It's Mind Is Made In
washington is infested from ton
to bottom with the eght-hour hersv
and its decision on the question would
be a foregone conclusion. The present
Administration is definitely committed
to the eighthour day as a universal
panacea for all ailments of the BODY
polite from industrial measles to the
Bolsheviki plague. 1t has proved to
be sure vote getter just as certainly
as 1t Will turn out to be q DESTROYER
of business and commerce If the tend
ency is not checked. There must al
WaVG he an end IN pxro n, id;ru ,,l -.