Arizona republican., 1919-03-14
GOVERNMENT I TO '; ;oE|zE CRAF I IN
 HARB0R STRIKE
Army and Navy to Take Drastic Action - Normal Conditions Must Be Re stored - Washington Of ficials Work on Early Set clement of Trouble

NEW YORK, March 13.-Comman- deering by the government Of a fleet of harbor craft, sufficient to restore traffic in New York's strike-bound har- bor to normal conditions, has been de- cided by the officials of the army, navy, and United States shipping board, ac- cording to apparently authentic reports tonight.
 IT the boats are taken over by the agencies, they will be manned by union crews operating under a basic eight-hour day, on the wage scale recently agreed upon with the railroad administration.
 Officials of the New York Boat Owners association, whose refusal to grant boat workers demands, after the workers had refused to abide by a na- tional war labor board award, precipi- tated the strike, asserted that the E. F. Mclean Transportation company had already been informed by govern ment officials that it's boats would be communicated unless they were inn mediately chartered to the government.
 Thomas A Delahunty, president Of the Marine Workers utilization, after attending a meeting of the army, navy and shipping board officials. declared there was no doubt but what that the government will commander the boats of the private owners if they refuse tc charter them.
 To Restore Normality
 James L. Hughes. federal mediator who has been working for 3 settlement of the strike. declared today:
 'The army. navy and the shipping board have resolved to put the railroad administration scale and working con- ditions into effect. and negotiations arc pending favorably towards complete and satisfactory settlement, which vii restore normal conditions and serve the interest of the general public"
 Officials of the government depart ments interested decline to confirm re. ports that they are planning to com mandoer harbor craft.
 The difficulty in obtaining coal fol army and navy ships was solved wher representatives of both branches of tn. service chartered F boats from q pri. vate firm to carry coal to these vessels Union men agreed to operate the boat! on condition that they were used solel, for government work. Secretary of tn Navy Daniels today directed Rear Ad mlral Usher, commandant of the thir, naval district, not to allow the use O navy tugs to tow coal barges for pri-at firms. This was in answer to an appea by Fred Hedley, general manager of tn lnterborough Rapid Transit compan, mat naval tugs be permitted to tow tn Darges Of two. private firms engaged il supplying the. company with fuel.
 See Early Settlement
 WASHINGTON, March 13.-On tn basis of information reaching them to day, officials of the navy departmen and army department believed an earl, settlement of the strike of boat work CTS employed by private concerns il New York was in sight.
 The New York towboat exchange ha guaranteed to deliver all coal require, by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit compan and thus prevent a tie-up of transpor 1 tation in New York City. Officials in terpreted this message as meaning th exchange had agreed to meet the de mands of their employees, as they re SarGed this as the only means open t operate boats to supply the transpor tation company'S fuel needs.
 TWO steps taken by the war and nay departments were expected by the of 1lclals- to hasten the end of the strike One was the refusal today to permi army and navy floating property a New York to be used to move coal int | Manhattan and Brooklyn, and in | other was the decision of the two de partments to give employees on thej l craft at New York. the same wages an | llvlng conditions as provided by th raiiroad administration for it's worker, !