New-York tribune., 1918-12-17
Arbitration With IJn;o..
Declared Necessary :
Prevent Harbor Tel,
Troops Need Food
Communicating of Vessel,
Is Alternative Threatensd
it Owners Refuse to A.,
New n. York TrBsns

statement issued tonight. practje,p.
serves notice upon the New York Ro..
Owners Association that it must ..,;
trate the differences that exist betv..-
it and the Marine Workers Afilis.i.s
and thereby avert the general st,;,.
ordered for Tuesday morning.
In its statement the board dec,...
that it is inconceivable that the Am..:
can people or their government. vu
permit any action that viii imperil IL.
movement Of food and supplies 10 4.
100000 troops now in Europe. II ~,
ther says that, the unions hav;s.
agreed to arbitrate everything H.
responsibility for any tie-up must r.,.
with the employers.
May Commander Fleet
Unoficially it is stated that the ho.,a
is prepared, if necessary, to seize and
operate the floating equipment owned
by the members of the New York Rost
Owners Association, though the mem.
bers are hopeful it will not be nec..
sary to take this extreme action. Tb;,
power of the board has been cbs
lenged by the boat owners. who asso,t
that the war is over and the board
therefore powerless to act.
The board does not take this view
Of the law. holding that the war is not
over until peace is proclaimed, and
that rather than have any tie-up in
New York it Will do whatever il NAV
deem necessary and let the boat own.
ers take such court action as they NAV
elect.
Would Avoid Strike
In its statement the board saws tie.
up of New. York harbor at this tims
would involve the gravest of conse.
queEces, both to this country and tbs
Allies.
There still are in the American
armies in Europe over q million and
a half men, and it is inconceivskIe
that the American people or its govern
ment would permit of any action which
would imperil the movement of food
and supplies to these Americans. nov
that their actual fighting is over.
"ln addition to the maintaining oi
our own armies there is the oblgs
ton to feed and clothe the peoples oi
our allies in Europe, in large measure
impoverished and destitute because Of
their long resistance to the German
power.
There is also the nations obgs.
tion to its own citizens 10 bring back
to America, as rapidly as Circumstance:
will allow, hundreds Of thousands d
American troops awaiting transports.
tion on tne other side.
'In the performance of all thess
tasks the government would find tsei
seriously crippled by reason of any
stoppage Of work on the part of harbol
craft operators and employees in New
York Harbor.
"Under all the circumstances"
seems clear that some form of arbi
tration should be mutually agreed up
on. and that all pending issues bt
submitted to such arbitration. Th'
employees have indicated their willing
ness to carry out such plan Failure
on the part of the New York harboI
operators 70 join in such an agree
ment places the gravest responsibility
upon them.
Adjustment Is Possible
Under no circumstances. however
should any of the parties by their &C
ton permit the work in New YORK
harbor, so vital TO ourselves and oul
Allies. to become tied up by a col
troversy which is capable of peaceabt
adjustment
Reports of agents of the board whs
have surveyed the New York situation
indicate that the Marine Workers Al
tlllatlon is not overstating its cast
when 1t declares its ability completsly
to tie up water traffic For the first
time IN many years the Waterfront
workers and those who work on hsrbol
and tide water craft appear TO b
highly organized and working in Gloss
harmony through an efficient centrs
body. The longshoremen as such hsYt
no Individual grievances, having re
Gently been given satisfactorl
schedule of hours and wages.
Would Halt All Shipping
These, however, are bound to wori
with those who serve on foatlnl
equipment, and the employment o
strike breakers On tugs, floats o.
barges would Immediately be FOLLOWED
by strike OF longshoremen whici
would tie up not only harbor and tid'
water shipping, but deep water ship
ping as well.
The situation as regards the rail-
road freight handlers is regarded 81
not SO serious as that Of the marine
workers. 1t IS understood that th'
Railroad Administration is prepared z
concede the justice Of their demands
for the basic e;ght-hour day as sooI
as decision is reached on the &C.
mands of the others.