New-York tribune., 1919-03-16

James l.. Hughes. Mr.. Hughes tried
yesterday to secure meeting to-day Of
joint committee representing owners
apd strikers, but was informed by Paul
Bonynge, counsel for the boat owners,
that his clients proposed to "respect
the Sabbath"
Two of the more important employ
ers in the port yesterday signed the
agreement of the unions, and the men
resumed work last night These two
are the Jay Street Terminal Company
and the Bush Stores in Brooklyn. The
former operates four tugs, four light
ers and twelve barges, largely in the
service of the Arbuckle Sugar Re-
iinery and the Charles Williams Stores.
The Bush Company has two tugs and
considerable number of car floats
and lighters.
The detection of these companies
was followed yesterday by the agree
ment of seven private owners to agree
to the governments request that they
charter coal barges without crews. In
all, ten barges were given over by the
Knickerbocker Ice Company, George
Scott, John Kennedy, Terminal Transit
Company, Michael Neville, J. & w.
Wilson and Patrick Doherty. John
Brennan, of the Tidewater Boatmen's
Union, at once put men aboard, and
last night the barges were towed to
South Amboy to load fuel for army
transports. Between these and other
boats now moving under government
orders, the army and navy will have
all the coal it may need for some days
to come.
Mr.. Bonynge took the matter of
communicating boats up with the
Navy Department in a telegram to
Secretary Daniels. In this he offered
the department equipment "for lawful
government purposes"
eve are informed" he went on,
that it is the intention of your de-
partment to commander the equip
ment Of our members for the purpose
of compelling the private boat owners
to adopt an arbitrary and confiscatory
wage scale and put into effect imprac-
ticable working conditions. The fact
that much equipment under charter to
the government is now lying idle. here
lends color to the suggestion. In or
der that the situation may be clarified,
we invite your telegraphic denial, at
our expense, of any intention of your
department to commander equipment
tor the purpose of compelling COM
pliance by the boat owners with the
demands of their striking employees.
A clear declaration from you that the
seizure of equipment for this purpose
would be outside the legitimate func-
tlons of the government would go far
TO ailay mlsapprehension now prevail
ing"
No reply was Forthcoming, for Mr..
Daniels, at the time Mr.. Bonynge's
message was sent, was about to board
the Levathan for Brest.
Mr.. Deiahunty, for the strikers, is
sued formal statement with refer
ence to this and other statements from
the boat owners, in which he said:
I'm justice to ourselves, to President
Wilson and to the War and Navy de-
partments, Mr.. Bonynges -slurs on the
President and the Federal government
should be answered. He says the pri-
vate boat owners rest on the Presi-
dents promise to make effective the
findings of the War Labor Board. Here
are the facts:
There are no findings of the War
Labor Board which apply to Mr..
Bonynge's clients. The private boat
owners were not before the War Labor
Board in the case which resulted in
the Macy award. The owners, repre-
sented by Mr.. Bonynge, at all times re-
fused to submit their case to the War
Labor Board or any other government
tribunal. They issued a formal state
ment saying the War Labor Board
might as we'll stay in Washington and
save it's valuable time.
They refused to obey Mr.. Taft's or
der to reconstitute the local harbor
wage commission, which had been set
up by joint agreement to which they
were parties, and they announced at
the outset that they would not be
bound by any decision or finding that
the War Labor Board might make.
There has been no finding or recon-
mendatlon from the board that applies
to the private boat owners, with the
exception of one company, the Red Star
loving and Navigation Company.
Mr.. Bonynge is an adroit and IA
cetious gentleman, but he would be
more convincing if he kept his facts
on straight. We wonder how long his
clients will continue to sacrifice their
business and the interests Of the pub
lie in order to give him an opportunity
to make faces at the Federal govern
ment."
Mr.. Bonynge said, when his atten-
ton was called to the firms and cor
porations which had signed the union
agreement, the "3st Of names was i'm
posing, but meant little" No action,
he said, had as vet been taken against