New-York tribune., 1919-01-09
E Continued from page /

railroad lines, will cease operations
TINS morning, Delahunty said. Commits
s'onar Delaney, of the Department of
rants and Structures. announced last
night. however, employees of the mu
nlclpai ferries, which operate between
the Battery and Staten Island and
brooklyn, would continue at work be-
cause of "a special agreement with the
city authorities.
Delahunty announced the boats
owned by the Federal government used
TO carry sick and wounded troops from
transports to the various hospitals here
would be exempted from the strike orr
der, as would vessels PLAYING between
Manhattan docks and Wards, Hart.
blackwell and Randall's Island. These
were the only exemptions made.
Inc marine strike order, according to
Lelahunty, automatically will throw
out of work $4,000 longshoremen and
5000 freight handlers who ere mem
bers Of the international Longshore-
mems Association, which is affiliated
with the striking marine workers. T. V
VCcnnor, president Of the Lonrshorc-
mems Union, declared his organization
would meet tomorrow to decide
whether its members should go out on
sympathy strike
Owners Predict Fiasco
While marine leaders forecast this
tremendous tlc-up Of harbor industry
as result Of the strike order, repre-
sentatlves OF the boat owners predicted
tiasco when the walkout vert into
effect this morning.
Joseph Il. Moran, chairman of the
New York Towboat Exchange, issued
a statement declaring the owners could
not meet the demands of the men for
an eight-hour day. He supplemented
this by the declaration that while the
strike undoubtedly would hinder
smooth operation of port facilities. no
such tieup as Delahunty predicted
would be experienced.
lhls talk OF a terrible tieup is non
sense" he asserted. "Delahunty tried
10 do the same thing three wears ago
and failed He will fail again. Of
course, there will be considerable delay
and trouble tomorrow.
but we believe many of the men
VIII ignore the strike order and we pro-
pose to go on with those men who
suck by US until public opinion awak-
what they are trying to do. They will
come to their senses in few davs.
In the meantime the harbor will
suffer some. But as for complete
paralysis of facilities it cannot be
achieved"
L. S. Interference Suggested
Both boat owners and marine work
ers declared yesterday there was pos
slblllty that Federal officials might
step in, seize the boating equipment
and attempt to forestall any tieup of
the port.
NO statement of proposed interfer-
ence could be obtained last night at
the headquarters of Major General
Shanks, commander of the Port of EN-
barkation. Admiral Usher, command
ing the Third Naval District, declined
20 make statement, and it is believed
federal action, If any, will come from
Washington.
Representatives of the Railroad Ad-
mlnlstration were in conference with
roat owners and union leaders at the
Herald Square Hotel last night on the
threatened tieup
railroad men here suggested that
even should ferryboat service cease to-
day passenger traffic between Manhat
tan and Jersey will continue through
the tubes, although, of course, the rush
would overtax their capacity Vehicu-
lar tTafhc, they said, would suffer prin-
clpally by cessation of ferry service.
The transport service has been con-
Quoted by navy tugs, supplemented by
large number of boats contracted for
with the marine workers. The strike
order, it was asserted, would greatly
reduce the number of tugs available
for transport use and retard the land
ing of troops
Strike Vote Was Unanimous
The vote on the strike order WAS
unanimous. Delegates representing
Masters. Mates and Pilots, Local /;
Marine Engineers, Local 33; Stationary
Hosting Engineers, Local 379; Lighter
Captains Union, Local 996; Tidewater
Boatmen, Local SAT, and Harbor Boat
men, Local 80, all connected with the
Marine Workers Affiliation, attended
the meeting in Park Place, which was
called following the War Labor Boards
announcement of it's inability to make
decision in the controversy. Captain
William A. Maher, of the Masters,
Mates and Pilots Union, was chair
man.
Following the meeting Delahunty
issued the following statements:
"At strike meeting called after the
action of the War Labor Board in an
nouncing it could make no decision on
the marine controversy the delegates
OF the Marine Workers. Affilation of
we OH VI NEW 1 OK VOtcQ TO 90 on
strike at 6 o'clock Thursday morning,
January 8, 1919.
"This action was taken by the affilia-
tion after wa had resorted to all gov
ernment agencies Of arbitration and
eliminates discussion which hes lasted
since November 8, 1918, at which time
the marine workers presented their
demands for an eEght-hour day and an
increase in pay. The workers were re-
luctant to take this action, but after
applying to the New York Board of
Arbitration, the National Adjustment
Commission, in Washington, and the
National War Abor Board, and, owing
to the action of the boat owners be-
fore each of these bodies, unsucccss-
fully, it is necessary to resort to the
only method known to organized labor
to bring forcibly enough to the attcn-
tion of the owners our just and reason
able demands.
Fifteen Thousand to Strike
"The affliation has $4,000 members.
The strike will tie every ferry boat,
steam lighter, tow BOAT, barge, coal
boat, grain boat, deck scow, steam
holsters and non-propelled lighter in
the harbor. 1t will tie up the COM
mcrce of the port of New York abso
lutely. Our men do all the transport
docking, and the landing of troops
will be tied up unless the army au
thorities find some means to operate
their own tugboats. Ferries plying be-
tween Manhattan and New Jersey, Long
Island and Staten Island will stop
NnerafirO