New-York tribune., 1919-09-27
Commission of u. S. Ship.
ping Board Hears De-
mands of Unions and
Answers of EMPLOYERS
Submit Agreement Plan
both Sides Agree to Abide
by Decision II ache d
Regarding Wage Scale

Inc National Commission o. the
united States Shipping Board held the
nrst session yesterday of an inquiry
designed to avert a walk out of lonp-
shoremen which would paralyze ship
ping along the Atlantic coas. The com
MISSION is to nrbitrate differences be-
tween iongshoremen and employers
arising out of wage and other demands.
AT the opening of the inquiry Pro-
lessor William Ripley, of the Depart
ment of Economics at Harvard and
CHAIRMAN OF the commission. exacted
from both sides the promise to ah;da
oy Inc decision OF the commission. Pro-
lessor Ripley's associates or the COM
MISSION are 7. V. O'Conner president
OF the International gshoremen's 5
associations; Joseph P. Ryan, Of the
same =, organization, and Oakley Wood
ana FRANK lappan, the latter TWO rep
resentlng the shipping interests.
ihe commission first took. up con-
slderat'on of the situation at the port
OF New York, regarding it as the
pivotal point of the entire controvers,,
ne first man called was William T..
Dempsey, of Boston, secretary Of the
Atantlc district of the International
ongshoremcn' Association.
Presents Proposed Agreement
Mr. Dempsey presented a mcmoran-
dum of an agreement prepared by the
association, which would be between
the Transatlantic Steamship Company
and contracting stevedores and the (n~
ternational Longshoremen's Associa-
tlon and which embodles the new de-
mands of the men. 1t calls for 2
wage scale of 81 all hour. an eight
nour day and forty ght hour week.
All time over forty eight hours a week
IS TO be paid for at the rate of 50 an
hour, the handling OF bulk cargo, such
as coal and shovelled cargot,s. at si,5
an hour, salvage jobs at double time.
Mr.. Dempsey characterized this AS ex.
trem1ly difficult work. For the hand
ling Of explosives down the bay the
agreement demands double time and
that meals be furnished the workers bv
the company.
Charles Stewart. of Boston, repre-
senting the various steamship inter
ests. followed Mr. Dempsey. He said
he did not see how the companies could
accede to many features of the agree
ment
Loading Cost Too High Nov
Mr.. Stewart said he proposed TO
prove by facts and witnesses that the
cost OF loading was entirely too high as
1T is. He placed the blame for this on
the longshoremen. AS illustration he
cited the alleged fact that whereas
some years ago longshoremen would
load 70 to % tons an hour, the record
has now dwindled to IL and 10 tons
an hour. He said he knew of long
shoremen along the North River who
we're making as much as $50 and $50 a
week
John Brady, of the firm of Brady &
Gloe, contracting stevedores, supported
Mr. Stewart
St. John Webb, of the firm of Hogan
q Sons, stevedores, addressed the com
mission on the question of hours and
wages.
"On the basis Of ten hours a dav.n
he said. "the longshoremen in the wear
1914 earned SlS.55 a week. Since A
year ago, when the eight-hour day went
into effect. there has been d DISPOSE
ton on the part of the long shoremen
TO work ten hours at 65 cents an hour
for eight hours and 81 an hour for
overtime, making their weekly wages
$3.50, an increase of us per cent over
1914. The proposed wages of 81 an
hour for forty y-eight hours a week, with
an hour overtime from until o'clock
IN the morning, and an hour overtime
from 5 until O'Clock in the evening,
Will bring the longshoremen's wages
next year up to $65 a week, an in
crease of 263 per cent over 1914
Says Overtime Not Wanted
Captain Patrick O'Conner speaking
for the 'longshormen, contradicted Mr.
Webb on the question OF how many
hours 'longshoreman actually works
Mr.. O'Conner contended that the men
want to work eight hours, while Nh
Webb asserted that they wanted to
work ten. Mr.. Webb cited another
case Of seventy-three longshoremen
who went down tho bay to unload an
army transport Of ammunition and