New-York tribune., 1919-03-20
L. S. to Deliver
Coal to Keep
Cars Running
Intcrborough and B. r. +.
Will Get Fuel Despite
Continuation of Strike
Unions Agree to Plan
New Threat of Longshore.
men to Quit; Payment of
Weekly Benefits Is Begun

The government yesterday took over
the coaling of the Interborough, the
Brooklyn Rapid Transit and allied sur
face lines in order to prevent nos
siblc curtailment or shutdown of trac
tion service because of the harbor
strike. The work is to be done by
railroad boats employing union crews.
With the taking over of this work
the government is doing the bulk of
the business of New York Harbor 1t
is now operating all of the railroad
ferries. lighters, tugs, coal and grain
boats, supplying the wants of the army
and navy and coaling such merchant
ships as may be returning to Europe
to bring back American troops.
The. agreement to care for the
transit companies was reached yester-
day after A. H. Smith, regional di-
rector of railroads, asked the strike
committee to waive the clause in the
strike settlement with the roads, by
which they were prohibited from doing
anything but railroad and army and
navy business.
AS Public Spirited Citizens
"Mr. Smith made the request not
as an official but as public spirited
citizen" said Thomas l.. Delahunty,
leader of the strikers "and as public
spirited citizens We granted it. VIC
have been trying to conduct this strike
with n minimum of inconvenience to
the public, and the shutting down Of
the a." the subways and surface
lines~is something we do not desire.
THE railroad administration has
cause the operation of the embargo
against New York has made idle a lot
OF boats. Not much has been said
about the embargo against New York,
but it is effective. Traffic is being
diverted to Baltimore, Galveston and
other ports on the south, and to Port
land, Nc; Halifax and St. John on
the north. Goods arc not being sent
to Philadelphia or Boston because
sympathetic strikes are feared at those
ports"
The threat of a general longshore-
mems strike loomed up again yester-
day, when complaints we're made that
Sandy Hook pilots we're doing work in
the harbor, transferring steamers from
pier to pier at slack water, and gen
orally engaging in .work ordinarily
done by harbor tugs.
Action Will Be Limited
The matter was taken up in confer
ence, but no action taken. 1t is un-
derstood, however, that action will be
Limited to such vessels as are handled
by pilots outside of their regular
work. In such cases, longshoremen
will refuse to load or unload cargo
and fuel also will be refused.
Ten railroad tugs were put to work
yesterday in the army and navy ser
vice in the place Of tugs whose crews
had struck when they found they were
being paid less than the government
rate Of wages. These tugs are all
manned by union men. The strike com
mittee also asked W. B. Pollock, ma
rine superintendent of the local rail
road administration, to use railroad
equipment outside of those boats in
coaling any vessel wanted for transport
service. This latter action was taken
following a request from Brgadicr
General Hines, Of the transport ser
vice, for assistance to bring back troops
now in France
The Marine Engineers yesterday be-
ganA paying strike benefits, to their
members. To all who applied $40 was
given. This sum will be paid weekly
until the end of the strike. The Har-
bor Boatmen's Union, less we'll sup
piled with funds than tho engineers, is
paying its members S. week and sup
plying free board and lodging for those