The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-10-20
Baker Refuses to Delay
Use of Federal Troops
Supreme Effort Made to Set.
tie Longshoremen's Strike
in New York.
WILD DISORDERS FEARED
"Shoot to KILL" Orders Is
sued by Brig. Gen.
Peter Dawson.

New York. Oct. 2O.--With the ar
rival of 500 United States soldiers
for duty In the longshoremen's strike,
supreme effort was made today to
settle the harbor troubles In the fear
that the presence of the soldiers
| would lead to widespread disorders.
| Following the dispatch OF tele-
gram by Mayor Hylan to Secretary
of war Baker, asking that the troops
| not be used until he had made an
effort to end the walkout, a meeting
! of the conciliation commission, ap-
pointed by Secretary of Labor Will
son. was called for this morning.
1t was stated that the members
| of the conciliaton commission would
get In touch with representatives of
shipping interests and the national
adjustment commission as well as
the longshoremen's union.
The shipping companies had de-
cided to employ strikebreakcrs this
morning under police protection and
military protection also, IL necessary,
in an effort to end the traffic tie-up.
At the request Of Mayor Hylan and
inview of the dangerous new ele-
ments in the situation. 1t was decided
to defer the use OF strikebreakers un-
a settlement
Samuel Gompers president of the
American Federation of Labor, Is
here holding conferences with the
leaders of the strikers.
The 500 soldiers who had arrived
here from Newport News, Va on the
transport George Washington, were
under orders to disembark this morn
ing. 1t was. said that. they probably
would be employed to coal United
States transports. The report that
they were not to be used as strike
breakers exerted a quieting infiu-
ence.
In the meantime however. the traf-
fic was still pressed today with
neither ships nor freight moving.
Baker Refuses HyIan's Request.
Washington, Oct. 20.-Secretary
Baker today refused the request Of
Mayor HyIan, of New York, to post
pone the use Of troops at New York
until further efforts could be made to
settle the strike Of iongshorenen
there.
Mr.. Baker said maintenance of
army transport service out of New
York was a part of the war opera
|
; intended to continue the operation of
the ships. He added, however, he
| was willing to cooperate with Mayor
Hylan In any way possible ito bring
about an adjustment OF the strike
difficulty"
"Shoot to Kill"
The soldiers are under orders to
Shoot II necessary" according to q
statement made by Brig. Gen. Peter
Dawson, chief Of troop movements at
the port of embarkation. "The
troops will aid In moving transports
or whatever else Is necessary" said
; Gen. Dawson.
On Duty Immediately.
The soldiers were landed at Ho-
boken and Immediately transferred to
Governors island preliminary to duty
at the army piers in Brooklyn. They
comprised two battalions Of the
Twelfth regular infantry, First di-
vision.
The troops were in command of
the Twenty-sixth infantry of the
First division in France. He was
greeted at the pier by Brig. Gen. Da-
{ vision, who when asked II more
troops were coming said that men,
t bers of the Thirteenth regiment at
} Camps Upton and Merritt would be
brought here IL necessary.
: Incendiary Circulars.
AS the soldiers were arriving the
police learned incendiary circulars
appealing for the establishment Of a
! workers government like the soviet
republic of Russia" were being dis
{ tributed to the strikers.
The pamphlets read in part:
l "To Striking Lnogshoremen: A
: lamation issued by the communist
!, party of America of lower New York.
"Sixty thousand longshoremen are
f on strike against the bosses, the gov
ernment wage adjustment board and
scab unionism of the A. F. of l..
r Strike means victory. Arbitration
r means defeat.
| Unite with the striking express
, drivers, stevedores, freight handlers.
platform men and chauffeurs for one
? big industrial transport workers
5 union. The government will send
: soldiers to take your places. Some
: are already doing the dirty work and
!. $4,000 are on the way. How can you
1 expect a square deal from the bosses
c government? The government will
/ place soldiers at the piers with rifles
: and machine guns to shoot you down.
"The only way to get rid of the
bosses government is to establish a
workers government like the soviet
/, republic of Russia"
E Pole Arrested.
Frederick Antonchik, a Polls long
= shoreman. was arrested on a charge
of distributing the leaflets. He said
I they had been given to him by dele
a gate of the longshoremen's union.
t Gen. Shanks said no soldiers would
work at commercial piers or do any
thing other than strictly government
I work.
. Vote to Remain Out.
New Orleans, Oct. 20.-Union long
: shoremen voted almost unanimously
2 today to remain on strike until their
= demands for increased wages are
!, met.
The longshoremen, numbering ap-
proximately 5000, white and colored.
met at the suggestion of the New
Orleans Steamship association. The
vote was taken on the question of
whether or not they would submit
r their demands to the national adjust
ment commission for arbitration.
e The strike, which has been In
e progress a week, has seriously inter-
. fered with commerce at this port and
O resulted in many vessels being di-
: verted to other gulf ports where the
n 1ongshoremen declined to quit in
a sympathy with the New Orleans
union. The men demand 81 an hour
t.Nr frrht g. a