The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-01-11

New York. Jan. 11.-Offlcers Of the
Marine Workers affiliation an
nounced today that they stood ready
to abide by any ruling of the war
labor board made in response to
President Wilson's cabled request for
action to terminate the harbor strike.
To Extend WaIk.Out.
New York, Jan. 11.-With the op-
posing sides in the labor harbor con-
troversy apparently further from a
settlement than ever a nationwide
strike of marine workers is threat
ened. Leaders of the 10000 striking
marine workers also are planning to
extend the walkout to $4,000 local
longshoremen, who will decide today
whether or not to call a sympathetic
strike. Many members of the Inter-
national Longshoremen's association,
upon which the decision rests. are
idle because work has stopped as a
result of the strike Of the marine
workers.
Fears are entertained. by members
of the public service commission that
there may be a tie up. of the suhways
in the metropolitan district because
of failure to obtain fuel
Cables War Labor Board. 4.
Washington, ian. 11.--President
Wilson today cabled request to the
war labor board to take up again the
case of the marine workers strike in
New York and proceed to make q
finding. The president said he was
sure the war and navy departments,
the shipping board and railroad ad-
ministration would use every power
to make the finding effective and that
he was confident also that private
boat owners would feel constrained
by patriotism to accept the boards
recommendations. -
Basil M.'Manly, joint chairman of
the war labor board with William
Fl. Taft, said today the board would
take up the presidents request at
once, but he was not sure a quorum
could be mustered for action before
Monday.
Strike leaders also intimated that
workers on the Hudson and Manhat-
tan tube systems might strike at any
time. making the same demands as
the marine workers. The tubes are
sthe only arteries of transportation
left open across the Lackawanna
ferries. The strikers, falling to call
off the Lackawanna crews, now plan
to stop the boats by calling a strike
of the teamsters operating coal wa
gons which serve the ferries.
Text Of cablegram.
The text of the presidents cable
follows:
Il have been informed by the Sec
retary of labor as to the serious
situation which has developed in the
port of New York, and the strike of
marine workers which seriously Grip
pies the movement of troops and
supplies. Consider this a very grave
emergency, and understand that it
has arisen because the parties to the
controversy failed to make a joint
submission to the national war Ia
Dor board.
Il earnestly request that You take
up this case again and proceed to
make a finding. / appreciate the
honesty and sincerity of the board
in announcing on Wednesday that
it could not promise a final decision
in the controversy without a for
NAL submission of all parties. but I
am sure that the war and navy de-
partments. the shipping board and
other governmental agencies inter-
ested in the controversy will use all
the power which they possess to
make your finding effective, and
also believe that private boat own
ers will feel constrained by every
consideration of patriotism in the
present emergency to accept any
recommendation which your board
may make. Although the national
war labor board up to the signing Of
the armistice, was concerned solely
with the prevention of stopping of
war work, and the maintenance of
production of materials essential to
the conduct of the war, take this
opportunity of saying that it is my
earnest hope that in the present
period of industrial transition aris-
ing from the war the board should
use all means within its power to
stabilize conditions and to prevent
industrial dislocation and warfare"
(Signed) WOODROW WILSON"
Urge Return to Work.
Washington, Jan. 1f.-An official
request has been sent to the strik-
inu harbor boatmen of New York
to return to work pending action by
the war labor board, which Presi-
dent Wilson asked by cable today to
decide the controversy. officials
think the strike will be over before
night.
Letter TO War Board.
Shortly after the eablegrsm from
President Wilson had been made
public, the heads of the war and
navy departments, the shipping
board and the railroad administrs-
tion bv = form letter. Notified The