New-York tribune., 1919-10-29
Shipping Board Joins
With Owners i'm Deci.
sion to Use Non-Union
Men to End the Tie-Up
Full Protection
Promised Workers
More Men at Work i'm
Harbor Than at Any
Time Since the Strike

Private ship owners and the United
States Shipping Board made known yes
terday their plan to break the long
shoremen's strike and move the 400-cdd
vessels that have been tied up in the
harb Dor for three weeks.
Frederick Toppin, vice-president of
announced that beginning to-day any
man, union or union, willing to work
would be employed at the 70-cent wage
scale awarded by the National Adjust
ment Commission. He was confident
chat under the new arrangement suf-
iicient number OF men would be avail
able to set shipping moving once again.
In view of the contractual relations
that have existed between the employ
era Id organized longshoremen, it has
been customary heretofore to employ
only union men. The present plan
means virtual return. for the present
at least. to the open shop. Both the
independent and Federal shipping Of
ficials felt that in view of the fact that
the union men have refused to come
forgard in accordance with their
sggreement to abide by the decision Of
The commission they can employ such
men as rhey can obtain. 1t is an
nounced. also, that ali necessary
measures have been taken to protect
those willing to work.
Determined to Move Ships
The step was decidad upon at &
meeting of the Transatlantic Confer
ence at SO Pearl Street, with repre-
sentatives present from all of the los
private lines and the United States
Shipping Board.
"We are determined to move our
ships and handle our cargoes," Mr..
TOppin said after the conference. "W e
have decided to employ either union or
non-uHion men. We know there are q
large number of straight and we'll
meaning union longshoremen ready to
go back to work if til J can be assured
Of the necessary protection. We are
prepared to assure that protection. If
the requisite number of union men do
the difference with unorganized work
the strikers"
This plan to combat the psurgent
strikers has the approval of I. v.
O'Conner, president Of the Interna-
tional Longshoremen's Association,
who, when apprised of the step, said:
"If the men do not return to work, of
course the international cannot enter
any objection to the companies en-
ploying such men as they can get"
Threat From Marine Affiliation
1t was suggested in certain quar-
ters that, in order to avoid clashes
taken to piers by tugs and lighters.
1t was declared by Thomas l.. Della
hunty, head of the Marine Workers
Af4iliation, that if this course was
pursued it would mean the extension
of the strike, and that at least the
tugs that carried the men would be
tied up.
He said the firemen on the tugs
would be called out and "the whole
works stopped"
After three hours and half of dis
cussion, Marine Engineers Local, No.
33, voted last night not to carry on any
tugboat or other harbor craft any long
shoreman en- route to his place Of en-
ployment The engineers also went on
record as sustaining the sentiments Of
Delahunty.
United States Shipping Board Off
Gals announced furrner improvement
in the situation yesterday. In Brook
lyn, it was stated, more longshoremen
reported for work than at any time
since the walk-out. Large numbers of
men were turned away at the army
base piers.
Three Thousand Working in One Section
In this section alone about three
thousand were employed Along the
East River and the lower North River
crews we're working everywhere except
on the piers of the Munson Line.
There were few workers here, it was
explained. because II directly across
the street from t.lo headquarters Of
Local 856 of the. longshorcmen.
East River has brought about ;~.reat
congestion of traffic More than ihree
hundred trucks were lined up yester-
day in front Of Pier 13. Some of the
drivers said they didn't expect to get
away before Saturday. Work was also
resumed. it was snid on the Clyde and
Mallory Line piers, at the foot of Hous-
ton Street. At the headquarters of the
strikers, Thirteenth Avenue and
1Wenty-lourth otTeet. IL was SAID that
five hundred men on Staten Island had
quit work again.
O'Conner issued a legnthy reply last
night to the Mayors statement OF his
understanding of the controversy He
takes exception TO many of the Mayors
statements MS Inaccurate. and says:
"lt is regrettablc that the Mayor OF
Il great port like New York did not
have the wisdom TO obtain the facts
from reliable source before he in
iected himself into controversy Of
the magnitude of the present long
shOremen's strike"