Arizona republican., 1919-01-11
Secretary Of War Shows
 No Concern-Big Port Is
 Paralyzed-Railroad Of ficials May Take Hand
fRepublican A. P. Leased WIre1


 WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-Further government action to end the strike of marine workers which has tied up ship ping in New York harbor awaited word tonight from President Wilson in Paris.
 Urgent reports on the situation were sent to him by the department of labor and the executive officers of the White House, after government representa- tives in New York had failed in efforts to compose the differences between the boat owners and their employees It was said that the presidents personal influ- ence with the workers was counted on to induce resumption of work, pend ing 8 settlement of the questions aJ issue.
 Secretary Wilson and Hugh L. Ker- win. chief of the division of conciliation of the department of labor. were in close touch all day with department representatives at the scene of the strike.
 Blame for the present crisis was placed on the boat owners by the war labor board in a telegram to Governor Edge of New Jersey replying to his re- quest that the board make another ef- fort to adjust matters. Basil NJ Men ly, joint chairman of the board, as serted that the marine workers have offered to arbitrate. but that the boot owners consistently refused and had abrogated their agreement, thus plac- ing themselves in an "untenable po- sition.'
 Hope that the strike, at least so far as It effects railroad craft, would be ended within 4S hours was expressed tonight by railroad administration off, clals, who declared that unless it was ended within that time drastic" action would have to be taken to insure the movement of food and other supplies to New York City and overseas.
 Walter D. Hines, assistant director general, was in communication today with Director General McAdoo. who was travelling through New Mexico en- route to California.
 NEW YORK. Jan. 10 0-No hope of al, early settlement of the strike which has paralyzed the port of New York for two days was apparent tonight. Leaders or the 16,000 workers on tugs. lighters and ferry boats declared emphatically tha. they were prepared for a finish fight. Their employers, members of the New York Boat Owners association, were equally emphatic in their assertion that
 
 for an eight hour day.
 The visit to the city late today of ! Secretary of War Baker led to the hone that his influence might result in an adJustment. but the hope was short lived. When the secretary left tonight ! for Ottawa, he had given no intimation that the war department would take a hand in the controversy On the con- trary, he said the strike had not re- suited in serious embarrassment to the department. Returning troops were be- ing debarked without delay, he stated. and there had been no interruption to the flow of supplies to the army over seas. Enough navy tugs are available for this work, Mir. Baker said. A. H. Smith, regional director of rail- roads apparently has failed in his eff
 forts to arrange an armistice of frorr.
 4S to 72 hours in the belief that if op-
 erations were resumed the differences
 could be composed by conciliation. No
 reply had been received by MT. Smith
 to letter sent by him to leaders of the
 unions, but the strike committee an-
 nounced earlier in the day that they would not agree to any armistice. . The most serious development of the |, day was the decision of the strike com mittee to revoke all exemptions pre- viously made. This action called out
 men employed on fire boats and thos. running to islands on which are located
 municipal charitable and reform insti tutions.
 , There was no actual shortage today of either food or coal because of the , strike but it was realized that the situ-
 ation might result in complete paraly- , sis of subW - elevated and surface
 lines.
 After a meeting of the boat owners
 at the maritime exchange it was an nounced that they were prepared to of fer their men an average wage increase of approximately twenty per cent Un- der this scale N""tains of the larges . tug boats would receive S190 a month 2 engineers s170, mates s160 and second engineers $50. They insisted however l that working conditions should con i tinue until further notice as fixed las ] July by the department of labor de Q partment of commerce and the United States shipping board.