The sun., 1919-04-08
HARBOR STRIKERS
SPURN ALL OFFERS
Rejection Of 10 Hour Day and
Pay Raise Ends Hope Of
Early Settlement.
BOAT OWNERS HOLD FIRM
Squabble Between Leader and
Aid Threatens Longshore-
mems Association.

BY vote so Overwhelming as to dispel
all hopes Of an early settlement OF the
harbor strike through tho equalization
OF the unions, the members Of the organ
izations OF the Marine Afflliation who are
still out rejected yesterday the proposal
OF ten hour day and 10 per cent. in
crease In wages which was submitted by
tho private boat owners.
At the request of the private owners
the vote was taken on a secret ballot.
The employers had maintained that the
rank and file of the strikers we're anx-
ious to return to work and were holding
out only at the instance OF the leaders
With this idea in mind, committee OF
the owners challenged Thomas l.. Della
hunty. president. to submit their peace
terms to the members OF the Marine AZ
f1liation on a secret ballot The chal-
lenge was accepted. The Marine Engi-
neers and the Masters, Mates and Pilots
the two principal unions still recalcit-
rant rejected the proposed settlement
by votes OF 135 to 10 and 165 to 20 re.
epectively. The Hsrboar Boatmen's
Union, meeting at their own headquar-
tiers. So West street, unanimously reject.
ed the settlement offered by the owners
gone on record as insisting on the eight
hour day. an effort was made among the
private owners to ascertain the senti.
ment for "sweetening' the raise in pay
which had been offered in lieu Of the
eight hour day, which the owners main
tain would ruin them. 1t Is said thai
some OF the owners were in favor OF
o1ering the men 12I5 per cent. increase
on ten hour day, but their proposal
was overruled by heavy vote.
Delahunty Sees verincation,
Mr.. Delahunty and the other officer.
of the Marine Afflliauon said yesterda,
that the vote on the settlement PROPOSE
only verified their repeated declaration
that nothing but the concession Of the
ei%ht-hour day and other features OF
che Railroad Administration settlement
would induce the strikers to return tc
their posts on privately owned craft.
1T has been freely charged said Mr.
Delahunty last night. that the strike
leaders were misrepresentlng the senti
ments OF the workers. Doesn't the vote
to-day disprove that assertion? Oul
position Is stronger tonight, | believe
than 1t has been at any time since the
strike began. The boat owners are
simply wasting their time trying to in
duce the men to accept any terms o.
settlement less fair than the Railroad
Administration and other agencies O
the Government haze given"
The boat owners received news of tn,
rejection of their proposals withou
comment other than to say II did no
change their position.
''Ths eight-hour day Is impracticabl
and every sensible man who knows har
Dor conditions knows it," said Pau
Bonynge, counsel for the owners. 81
the members of the Marine Aftiiatiol
do not appreciate that fact now the.
will later-some time"
A squabble between T V. O'Connor
president OF the International Long
shoremen's Association, and F. Pau
! Faccarelli vice president OF the sam
organization. is interesting union labo
circles generally and the harbor work
ers' unions particularly. Mr.. Nacclrell
has taken exceptions to Mr.. O'Connor'
efforts to settle the harbor strike on tn
boat owners terms and has limited hi
chiefs activities in this regard Nigh
be made the subject OF an invest igatioi
by the American Federation OF Labor