New-York tribune., 1918-07-29
Conference at Washington
to Decide Wages of
Men Objecting
Hurley Takes Action
Orders Owners Association to
Sign Appeal for Men "as
First Planned''

WASHINGTON, July oS.-Orders
calling off the threatened strike of
seamen and firemen on the Great Lakes
set fcr tomorrow were issued to-day
by Victor A. Olander, secretary of the
Sailors Union of the Great Lakes, and
other union leaders, following con-
ference with Chairman Hurley of the
Shipping Board.
In meeting grievances given by the
men for strike, Chairman Hurley to-
day ordered the Lake Carriers Asso-
citation and all its members tt, sign the
nations appeal for men for merchant
ships "as originally drafted and with
out any changes"
lie also ordered the association not
10 require seamen to register in it's
Shipping offices or assembly rooms
pending further negotiations
Conference is Called
Independent ship owners on the
Great Lakes and the unions were called
upon by Mr. Hurley to send representa-
tIves to Washington next Wednesday
Tor conference on the pending wage
demands OF seamen, tiremen and stew
ards. Both union leaders and officials
of the Shipping Board said that wage
questions cannot provoke a strike, as
employers and men are willing to arbi-
trate.
The decision to call off the strike fol-
lowed a two hour conference between
the union leaders and officers of the
Shipping Board. 1t was pointed out
again to the men that tie-up of lake
shipping would interrupt food ship
ments to the soldiers overseas in addi-
ton to hampering war operations
through interference with the move
ment of coal and ore.
The union men protested against any
modification of the nations appeal,
which the Lake Carriers Association
yesterday had agreed to sign if changed
to apply to the Atlantic and the Gulf.
Mr.. Olander asserted such modification
would exempt the lake ship owners, and
insisted that change would make the
strike situation more serious.
Hurley Takes Action
lnsstence by union leaders that ship
owners and their association sign the
appeal was met by Mr.. Hurley sending
to William Livingstone, president of
the association, the following telegram
United States Shipping Board here
by directs the members of the Lake
Carriers Association and the Lake Car
TlefS ASSOCIATION as an association to
sign the nations appeal for men to
man its merchants ships, as originally
drafted and without any changes"
The other complaint of the men, that
the registration of seamen at the asso-
cations shipping Offices or assembly
rooms permitted the shipowners to dis
criminate against the men and compel
them to join the associations welfare
plan, was met by Mr.. Hurley asking
that the practice be suspended pending
further negotiations.
Strike Is Called OT
At the close of the conference Mr.
OlaAder declared: "There will be nc
strike" He added that it might happen
that the orders calling off the strike
might not reach all locals in time tc
prevent some delay in shipping, but hf
was confident that but few men woulc
refuse to work.
Besides Mr.. Hurley, the government
was represented at the conference by
Robert P. Bass, chairman of the
boards labor adjustment commission
The union representatives were Mr.
Olander, Andrew Furuseth, president o1
the international Seamen's Union;
Thomas Conway, of Buffalo, secretary
of the Marine Firemen's Union, anc
Patrick O'Brien, Of Tonawanda, N. Y.
and John W. Ellison, of Ashtabula
Ohio, business agents Of the sailors
and the fremen's unions.