New-York tribune., 1919-04-02
President Calls Meeting of
Lighter Captains and the
Head of Local Says 1t
Cannot Legally Be Held
New Proposal of Peace
Boat Owners Make Another
Offer of Advanced Wages,
but With Ten-Hour Day

Whether T. V. O'Connor, interna-
tlonal president Of the Longshoremen's
Association, or James Mcclure, presi-
dent Of the Lighter Captains Union.
represents the sentiment of the strik-
ing lighter captains will be decided
this morning in the rooms of the
union, PIT Court Street, Brooklyn.
O'Connor, as president of the interna-
tional, yesterday called q special meet
ing for this morning to accept an offer
from the boat owners for a separate
peace. MCGUIRE last night said the
meeting would not be held and the
offer would be rejected.
O'Connor wishes the meeting held
that the striking lighter men NAV have
an opportunity to return to work on a
ten hour day basis for less money than
IS now being paid by the railroads and
such private owners as have signed
the Marine Workers Atfiliaton agree
ment. Mcclure insists that the lighter
men gave O'Connor his answer last
FRIDAY, when they unanimously re-
sentcd by O'Connor.
Clash in O'Connor's Office
The two clashed yesterday afternoon
IN O'Connor's office, II Broadway,
where a committee of the union was
invited by O'Connor to meet Joseph H.
Moran, Fl. N. Lee, J.. J. Glatzmayer and
Paul Boynge. representing the boat
owners associations. At this meeting
the men were offered $25, $26 and s27
a week to return to work instead of the
$120, $125 and $3.50 a month they have
been demanding. Mcclure interrupted
the proceedings to declare that the
men would not consider less than the
railroads are now paying, and left the
meeting.
subsequently, it is understood, the
offer was raised to $26, SGT and $2S g
week. This is about SIS month less
than the railroad scale.
After the conference adjourned,
tains' union, said O'Connor had called
the meeting of the union for this
morning and that under the rules it
must be held He insisted, however,
that the committee had not bound it.
self to accept the offer, and that any
action taken would not conflict with
the interests of the other strikers.
Under no conditions, he said would
the lightermen work with non-union
tugs or other equipment manned by
non-union men.
Progressing, Says Bonynge
"O'Connor has no right to call a
meeting" said Mcclure, "and there
will be no meeting. There is nothing
for O'Connor to decide"
Mr.. Bonynge, after the meeting, de-
clared that matters arc progressing
favorably."
Health Commissioner Copeland said
yesterday that garbage would be NOV
ing from the city dumps within forty
eight hours.
"The collection of garbage from
houses were resumed to-day" he said.
sit is the first collecting done in sew
eral days. I told Commissioner Nc
dumps, which we will begin to clear in
day or two. I do not anticipate any
real difficulty in getting tugs. 1t will
not be necessary to commander any"
Only One Vessel Sails
The strike continues to interfere
with transatlantic shipping, despite the
to coal all vessels that may be used for
transports. The Royal George, of the
Cunard Line, was the only vessel
scheduled to sail yesterday that kept
her schedule. She went out at slack
water without the aid of tugs. The
sailing of the Celtic was delayed
through lack Of tugs.
The Touraine, of the French Line,
suffered the most. She was to have
sailed at 3 yesterday afternoon, but a
strike Of coal handlers held her up, and
it was finally announced that she would
clear this morning. Most of the three
hundred passengers spent the night
aboard.
Possibility of New Strike
The possibility of strike of engi-
neers and other union men employed on
tugs whose owners have signed the
union agreement developed yesterday
when notice was served on owners that
If any handled coal barges owned by
individuals that have not signed with
all of the unions making up the attlla-
tion their men would be called off
This is intended to block the efforts Of
the owners to partly break the strike
by the employment of members of the
tidewater boatmen's union, which has
made q settlement with tho oporotor,