New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-04
NOn-Unioll Men
Join Strike on
Freight Piers
New Waik-Ouf Starts in the
Erie Yards in Jersey
City and Soon Spreads
Railroads Will Fight
Food for Troops Abroad Re-
routed; City Believed To
BE Facing a Labor War

With the freight handlers strike in
volving every road with terminals in
the metropolitan district, New York is
this morning facing the most serious
labor situation in years. Not only are
the railroad freight terminals blocked,
but there is danger that the longshore-
rem, with whom the strikers are afili-
ted, will take up their battle, and that
other trades. including the team sters,
may be involved Seven thousand men
are now on strike.
To meet the situation created IN part
by the strike here partial embargo
was declared yesterday on Philadelphia
and Boston. These ports, it was OK
planned, are now short of cargo space
for supplies intended for the troops
abroad and for Belgium, and limited
embargo, it was explained, is neces-
sary.
The threat that the $4,000 longshore-
men employed in this sport may quit to
help the freight handlers obtain the
wages from ~ to so cents an hour.
with time and one-half for overtime,
Sundays and holidays, was implied in
the promise made by John F. Riley,
president of the Longshoremen's Dis
trict Council, to a meeting of the
strikers after letter from T. V. O'Con-
nor, international president Of the
Longshoremen's Association, ordering
the men to return to work, had been
read.
Say O'Connor Can't Control Men
Men familiar with the local situation
said last night that in any test Of
strength here O'Connor would not be
able to stand against Riley or F. Paul
A. Vaccarelli, international vice-presi-
cent of the Longshoremens Associa-
ton, and in charge of the strike. AS
proof of this, strikes on the Mallory
ard other docks against O'Connor's or
feIs we're cited.
in addition to this, reports from other
harbor employees were to the effect that
many of these are restless and i'm
patient of waiting until Tuesday, when
the National War Labor Board meets to
take up their grievances. Thomas L.
Delahunty, president of the Marine
Workers Afiliation, said last night
that there was no danger of these other
trades quitting, a statement Endorsed
iy Vaccarelli.
THE danger as 1 see it," said
Vaccarelli, SIS that the railroad
managers will try to use strike break
ers against the men now out. If that
is done, it is to be expected that union
longshoremen will refuse to work with
the strike breakers.
Same Men in Control
THE truth of the situation is that
while the roads are nominally in the
hands of the government, they are
actually in the hands Of the same men
who managed them before the war. and
who expect to manage them when and
if the roads are turned back to heir
owners. These men never h zen
in favor of organized labor; are
against it now and they do not ose,
if they can help it, to make any con-
cession now that they will have to live
UP to if and when the roads go back to
private control"
Naccareli's belief that the managers
OF the railroad would try to break the
strike was based on reports Of efforts
20 obtain new help, of reports that men
had been sought through government
employment agencies, and later con-
hrmed IN formal statement issued by
A. P. Harding. assistant regional d.
rector of railroads, in charge in the
absence of A. II. Smith, now in the
West. In this statement Mr. Harding
declared that unless the men returned
to work at once efforts would be made
70 put others in their places.
Inc announcement Of a partial en-
barge on Philadelphia and Boston. and
the intention to re-route shipments for
the troops IN Europe as well as civil
Ians, was made after a meeting of the
Freight Traffic Committee of the north
Atlantic ports. At this meeting il was
announced that such shipments would
nave TO be routed via south Atlantic
and Gulf ports. In declaring the en-
fargo on food, II was intmated that
this action had been suggested bv the
feaeral Food Administration, on &C
count Of the piling up of food at the
ports named and lack of bottoms in
"nlca 20 transport it,
Vessels promised for food SHIPMENTS.
y vas said, had not been Forthcoming
~hiie seasonal storms had delayed
ether vessels.
Non-l MON Men Strike
The surprising development Of the
day was the strike Of anorQanized men
employed on the Jersey side Of The
river. Starting on the Erie piers this
spread to other yards. The Jersey
STR kers sent large delegations to New
YORK 20 tell the union strikers thew
would stay out until the difficulty was
settled.
Settlement vas no nearer in sight
Last night than when the men first
vent out. During the day, O'Connor,
Mno - also at officer Of the United
Statcs Employment Service, declared
the strike 10 hc illegal, and sent a
"fittr;' demand to meeting Of strik-
err that they call the strike off and
return 20 Work, under penalty Of hav~
hg tneir Charter revoked The reply
Of the meeting 10 this was an an
cDuivocal refusal TO oboy O'Connor.
The effect Of the embargo placed
r lhrrSday night against New York wax
~ dimmlBh The supply Of freight com
ing into the New York terminals. bur
u wag admitted At the Offices OF thc
RHiirazd Adm tsfr ,,.r xt..A 80