New-York tribune., 1919-10-31
New Offer bv
Longshorenen
Is Rejected
Ship Owners Say They Will
Stand by Award, but Will
Not Add Anything Wage
Scale That Is Decided On
More Men Return to W ork
Four Vessels Sail and Eighty
Others Are Being Worked
On. Say Shipping Officials

The conservative element Of the
striking longshoremen, which still
recognizes" the leadership OF 7. V.
O'Conner but refuses TO return TO
work. made another unsuccessful ef
fort Yesterday to obtain revision of
the 70-cent award OF the National Ad
iustment Commission.
A committee of this faction. claiming
to represent fifteen locals, conferred
with heads of the shipping interests at
80 Pearl Street. and made compromise
proposition similar TO that offered by
the insurgent faction the day before.
They asked for - cents an nOur and
SIS for overtime. They originally
demanded 81 an hour and s. for over
time
The men we're headed by Joseph
Mcguire, Of Local 674, and Hughey
Murphy. of Local 791 O'Couner and
John T Riley, chairman OF the I. L. A.
District Council We're present, but
took no part in the proceedings. Al
the conclusion of the meeting Mcguire
announced that their offer was turned
down.
We were told once and for all, said
Mcguire. that the shipping men would
stand by the award OF the national ad-
iustment commission, and that the de-
cision could not be changed, even # the
snip owners wished TO. We were also
informed tnat the steamship officials
would have no further dealings with
the Richard J. Butler or Naccarelll
Murphy and Mcguire declared the
results Of the conference would be
placed before the various locals to-
day Mcguire believed that 10 per
cent of the men were ready to re-
h.f- -~air ~ sd ~
asitators Murphy. on the other hand.
said he was sure the men of Local 79l,
ne key local, would not 60 back until
hev got some sort of increase.
n vev Of the numerous declarations
or the part Of the ship owners that no
more confe rences with the strikers
would be ueld, special efforts were
made to keep the meeting secret:
Frederick Toppin, vice-president Of
he International Mercantile Marine,
denied 70 reporters a half hour before
the conference that any such meeting
would take place.
Tie situation in the harbor was
declared By United States Shipping
Board officials to De improving steadily
More than eighty vessels Of the boarc
were being worked yesterday. an in
crease of thirty over the day before
/ vas stated that more than 5000 mer
we're now a. work IN the harbOr, abOu'
900 being employed on the Brooklyn
plers alone.
The conditions along the entire East
RIVER. 1t was stated, were almost nor
ma, and hundreds OF men were work
ng on al piers in the harbor except
the Chelsea piers. Here, il was an
nounced, there were about 100 men
or ployed. The longshoremen were re
turning % work so rapidly saic
O'Cou0er, mat he predicted the sit
us-isu would De fairly cleared up BY
tomorrow.
A result Of the improved condi-
TORS four vessels we're able 20 sal
yesterday within an hour Of each other
\ movement to transfer TO other
ports cargo laden ships that have beer
ted I'D here By the strike, vas indi
Gated yesterday by applications 20 por'
officials for the necessary government
authority 20 do so. The Italian
steamer Taormina, which arrived her,
from Genoa last Sunday, was granite
perm.gsi7N % proceed 10 Baltimore K
discharge Applications Of numerous
other vessels are pending.
Conner announced that the execu
iiFe committee Of the l. L. A. sen
hiTn kilograms yesterday sustaining
MS action IN suspending the charter:
~ locals $50. 753 and SI5. Local 86F
= dominated by Richard J. Butler
aead g the insurgent faction; loca
- = re riggsrs' body, which ha:
oeen Instrumental in keeping the
lorgshorenen from working on the
chelsea piers, and 915, said O'Conner
1as suspended because they were :
troublesome bunch OF agitators"