New-York tribune., 1919-07-11
10000 Obey Order Voted by
Firemen, Water Tenders
and Oilers on Coasters
and Deep-Water Vessels
Shipping Board Exempt
Preference for Americans
Is Issue; Meeting To-day
Hopes to Avert Spread

The seamen's ~strike, threatening
since the failure last month of the
United States Shipping Board and the
American Steamship Association to
agree on conditions of employment,
broke yesterday, when the Marine Fire
men,. Oilers and Water Tenders or
dered walkout on all coastwise and
deep water vessels owned by individ-
uals and private corporations.
The order affects shipping from Port
land, Me, to Galveston, Tex, and is
automatically expected to take out not
only the boiler foom crews, but the
engineers, masters and mates and the
men before the mast. Last night Off
GERS of the International Seamen's
Union, with which the strikers are
affiliated, estimated that $4,000 men
were a lready out. The American Steam
snip ASSOCIATION, in a formal state
ment, admitted vessels were being tied
up, put would give no figures as to the
NUMBERS or vessels and men affected.
Calls Situation NASTY"
Andrew Furuseth. international
president of the Seamens Union,
speaking over the long distance tele-
phone from Washington last night, de-
scribed the situation as "nasty."
1.-The men," he said, "have done ex-
actly as we were fearful they would
do when the shipping interests de-
cined to discuss with us the Question
of giving preference to Americans first
and after them to union men. We
were then fearful that the men would
take the bits into their teeth. This
they seem to have done.
'The situation is worse than seri
ous--,lt is nasty. l do not know where
it will stop '''7'
Furuseth, with Carl Olson and G. H..
Brown, local leaders of the seamen.
together with committee of the In
ternatlonal Seamen's Union at large,
VIII meet with the United States Ship
ping Board in Washington this morn
ing in an effort to prevent the strike
sPrcaolng 10 vessels OF the board and
to bring about some settlement with
the private owners.
Strike Voted in Morning
The order to strike was voted yes
'eruay morning Just before notice was
received that this meeting would he
held to consider all questions in issue
between the shipping interests and the
men these include the question of
Preierence to union aliens after the
available supply Of Americans ire
spectlve Of their un onism is exhausted
AND revision of the wage scales.
ordinarily wage scales are made in
May and run from year to year. This
year an attempt was made to form an
industrial council which would not onlv
arrange all wage scales, but nave power
TO dispose OF all questions relating to
employment. en- This scheme, put forward
by the United States Shipping Board,
was declined by the unions on the
ground that they could not surrender
their functions TO any body however
created. They agreed, however, to the
formation of such a body for the de-
termination of all questions that might
ARISE as to the Interpretation of wage
scales. Conditional to this, however.
the unions demanded that preference be
given to American citizens irrespective
OF their unionism or lack OF it on all
American ships, after which union
aliens were to be given the preference.
Inc representatives of the private
owners declared they had no power to
make such an agreement, and The CON
ference adjourned that they might
take the matter up with the associa-
ton, the representatives of the unions
waiting here for several days for a
oecision. None coming, they adjourned
last week.
The Shipping Board, which is the
largest owner OF ships flying the
American flag and whose boats are for
the present at least exempt from the
operation of the strike vote, at that
Time was inclined to agree to the de-
mands Of the men for preference for
americans, and after them union card
holders, but the private ship owners
would not agree.
Sixteen Vessels Tied Up
Previously the new wage demands
had been put in by the several unions.
which agreed to stand together or ali
demands. The scale of the tiremcn,
oilers and water tenders called for an
increase of SIS month, making the
wages Of the former 800 month and
the latter classes S05.
wv e ask recognition of the union
as wei! as more money" said Oscar
Carlson. speaking for the men. Chou
sands of men already are out and more
will follow. no one has been called vet
from the ships Of the United States
Shipping Board"
Among the vessels vhicl. Carlson
said were affected were the Crcola, of
the Southern Pacific Line, due to sail
Tor New Orleans tomorrow, and the
FL Monte, of the same line. a freight
er, also due to leave Tomorrow. These
were the first vessels affected, all
hands obeying the orders of strike
committee to quit. The City of St.
Louis, of the Savannah Lime. due to
sail this afternoon. likewise was tied
up In all, according to the unions.
the crews Of sixteen vessels had Quit
by nightfall
The strikers were orderly, and while
extra details of police were on duty
along South Street and the water front,
no disturbances were reported
III the formal statement issued bv
the American Steamship Association
Yesterday afternoon the private boat
owners declare that the issue is the
closed shop"
ITO this" said the statement. "the
snip owners would not agree. as it
would not only deprive of employment
large number of men who had
loyalty stood by the nation in keeping
American ships on the seas during the
war, and who were not members of
any labor union, but would also prevent
other American citizens obtaininf en-
In the statement the association saws
[he wages demanded by the several
unions are so high as to make the
operation of ships improbable ir view
81 changing conditions in the trade
he tremen and sailors, it asserts. did
not even wait to have their demands
considered before declaring a strike.
Tornado Kills 2, Races
)S D~o JrI ID ~