The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-22
PORT FARLEY FAILS,
COAL TIEUP GROWS
Strike Leaders Assure Navy
officials of Transport
and Tug Help.
CITY UTILITIES MENACED
Effort Will Be Made To-day to
Get Relief From Boat
Owners.
CITY UTILITIES MENACED

Thomas l.. Delahunty and the other
labor leaders who are conducting the
strike Of 5000 harbor boatmen stub
bornly refused yesterday to bulge from
their position on the eight hour de-
mands that have been made upon the
private boat owners Of New York and
consequently the conference, which was
held in union headquarters. was fruit
less.
Tho leaders did assure the navy on
Gals who talked over the situation with
them they would allow the strikers TO
man all the tugs the navy needed to
lake care OF the transports entering and
leaving New York harbor.
DR.. Harry A. Garfield, United states
Fuel Administrator. and I. l.. Howe,
secretary to Franklin ID. Roosevelt, As
sistant Secretary Of the Navy. came
from Washington yesterday and met
Mr.. Delahunty, Capt. william A. Maher
Stephen j. Condor and John Brennan
the strike leaders. The meeting was
held in the Office Of Col H. J. Herrick in
the Army and Navy Building. IS Broad
way. DR.. Garfield was particularly In
terested In how much the strikers In
tended to interfere with the delivery OF
coal to public utilities and to the ocean
transports, and Mr.. Howe In the delay
the strike has caused in the sailing Of
liners. The Adriatic. for instance. Mr..
Howe said. was prevented from sailing
for three days. but will leave to-day.
Criticism ON All Sides.
The meeting was not a satisfactory
one from the Government standpoint.
rvxts oil for n
demands OF the strikers in the face Of
the National War Labor Board award
the army and navy found that even the
settlement OF the strike so far as they
were concerned did not alter the situn-
tion to any great extent. The Federal
ofiicials were assured by Mr.. Delahunty
that the strikers would not interrupt
the transport service and would do all
In their power TO expedite the movement
OF ships and conduct of what they de-
scribed Legitimate Government bust
ness" The fact is, however. that de-
spite their assurances Government busi-
ness and transport service was being
interfered with, said the officials. and
they wanted 1t stopped Immediately.
Mr.. Brennan. president OF the Tide
water Boatmens Union, told Dr. Gar
field and Mr.. Howe that the Brooklyn
navy yard would be taken care OF. but
regarding the shortage Of coal for pub
lie utilities Mr.. Brennan said:
Let the companies supplying the pub
lie utilities with coal meet the unions
demands and they will get all the coal
they need"
Consequently the officials left the con-
ference without accomplishing what they
set out to do. namely, to insure a steady
supply OF coal to the marlborough and
ether utilities and to the transports.
Another Effort Planned.
An effort will be made this morning by
Mr.. Garfield and Mr.. Howe to see the
boat owners and see II some relief may
come from that quarter II Is not likely
they will make any moro Roadway with
these men than with the strikers. Lead
ers OF both sides sit In their Offices and
call each other names. and meanwhile
the strikers are walking the streets and
boats Of e32 companies are tied up.
T. V. O'Connor, international president
OF the longshoremen, announced yester-
day that he had a proposal from the
private boat owners for the settlement OF
the strike, and he placed 1t before the
boatmen. 1t was for a ten hour day
instead OF an eight hour as demanded.
The strikers did not accept the offer.
Attempts of the private owners TO
man their boats with non-union crews or
work in strikebreakers on freight ham
ding Jobs was met yesterday by the
union with the order that marine work
ers employed on boats where any MEM
bers OF the crew were non-union, or the
cargo handled by non-union stevedores
leave the boats at once. About 400 of
them did. Practically the only boats OF
the private owners that are operating
in the harbor are being run by the own
ers themselves, who hold pilot licenses.
There are ffty-seven tugboats operated
BY the New York Tow Boat Exchange.