New-York tribune., 1919-03-30
Port Strikers
Agree to Haul
City Garbage
DR.. Copeland Says They
Willingly Pledged to Do
This When Told That
Health Was in Danger
To Receive Union Wage
Tugs To Be Brought From
Another Port, as Owners
Here Refused to Lease

Health Commissioner Royal S. Cope
yesterday, when, in announcing that
arrangements had been made with the
strikers for disposing of the city's
refuse matter, he denounced the boat
to use their boats in removing what he
termed a menace to the public health.
By the arrangement entered into yes
terday the Marine Workers. Affiliation
two tugs which on Monday will begin
hauling out to sea the garbage and
ashes which have been piling up in
scows and on piers since the beginning
Of the strike. The tugs, it is under
stood, will be brought from another
city and operated by union crews under
the union scale of wages.
The arrangement with the Health De-
partment restores to work five hundred
members Of the ongshoremen's as
sociation who have been out Of work
since the first harbor strike, on Janu-
ary 8, their places having been filled by
"emergency men" taken from the civil
service lists. These men are employed
on the dumps in Manhattan, and are
members of Local 1888, the senior long
snoremen's unit in this city. Il also
Il ~ Il n
five hundred union men on dumps in
Brooklyn and Queens hitherto worked
by non-union men.
OConnOr Does Nothing
Beyond declaration that he would
see to it that contracts of the Long
shoremen's Association with stevedores
would be carried out, and that he
would issue a statement to-day cover
ing his position, 7. V. O'Connor, inter
national president Of the Longshore-
mems Association, did not figure in
yesterdays strike proceedings. No
one but he, according to O'Connor, will
hereafter order 'longshoremen to quit
work.
Commenting on this statement,
Thomas L. Delahunuy. president of the
Marine Workers. Affiliation, declared
he was not interested in what Mr..
O'Connor might say or do.
"O'Connor has come in here and has
had it demonstrated to him that the
members of his organization are loyal
union men who are standing by and
will stand by their fellows who are
battling for their rights" said Della
hunty. "The longshoremen have sup
ported the strike movement in every
respect and their support is a splendid
factor. SO far O'Connor has been un-
able to get any of the locals to agree
with him when he has appealed to them
to take less than the men are asking.
This should satisfy even the boat own
ers that Mr.. O'Connor's power in New
York, at least, is very limited"
According to f. Paul A. Vaccarelli, in
ternational vice president OF the long
shoremen, there are $4,000 members of
that organization now out of work
here as a result of the strike, with the
others ready to quit at the word.
DR.. Copeland's Statement
DR.. Copeland, in announcing the ar
rangements to dispose of the citys
garbage, contrastcd the position taken
by the strikers with that of the boat
owners.
because of the fine spirit Of CO.
operation shown by the strike leaders, ,
said he, the city has been placed in g
position to dispose of an accumulation
OF garbage that might soon have become
a distinct menace to health. In tn,
last forty-eight hours have made re.
peated appeals to the civic conscience
OF the leading boat owners in an etfort
to relieve the city of serious situa
ton. | told them that the health OF
the community was endangered ant
that the garbage must be moved
asked them to let the city hire two o.
their tugs and told them we would nay
the price if they would let the cit1
operate the craft. The boats woul1
SIMPLY have been under charter to tn,
City OF New York, and the owner,
would not have had to sacrifice one bi
or "nat they termed their principles
They would have conceded nothinr Il
the strikers. But in the face of all This
the representatives of the towing com.
panles remained stiff necked and hatl,
refused to give this assistance to ths
city officials.
Later in the day I met two of the
strike leaders in the Office Of the Com,
missioner OF Street Cleaning. an,
placed the matter before them in the
same manner. Within. thirty minutes
thcy mad called meeting of their mer
ana ana WITHIN an hour | had their word
that the strikers were willing to Law
ASIDE all personal opinions in the in.
terest or the city and operate two hoo+c
under the conditions demanded NV tbe
owners until this danger to the citv e is
passed" WY iS
,Je,Uish WeIf0re Roord