New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-12

! that if given proper protection by the
government for the decent men who
are. ready and willing to work, the
harbor of New York will be open with
in twenty-four hours"
| The statement follows:
at has been suggested from time to
time that the solution Of the problem
would lie in the government comman-
deering our equipment. When it is
taken into consideration that the gov
eminent now controls large percent
age of the equipment through the
railroad administration, the War De-
partment, the Navy Department and
the United States Shipping Board, in
addition to that controlled by the
municipal government of the City Of
New York, and has not been able to
handle it's own situation, nor to pre-
vent men from going on strike and
Jeopardizing food supply, as we'll as
cutting off the transportation arteries,
we fail to see by what reasoning it can
be assumed that any further govern
ment control viii solve the problem
Dubious of it's Success
ut augurs i'll for the success of gov
eminent effort when, through its rail-
road administration it quietly and
without protest accepts labor's dictum
that 1T will not grant forty eight
hour armistice, and when the lives Of
children and inmates Of institutions
are Jeopardized through denial to the
municipal administration Of the privi-
lege of operating it's vessels bv the. De-
partment of Charities and other de-
partments, and the labor leaders
further refuse to listen to the plea of
the Red Cross to release small num-
Der of men sufficient to carry on its
important work.
This problem never will be solved
until one of two things is done. The
first method would be to prevent a
few unscrupulous labor agitators from
denying the members Of their organza-
tons equal and democratic representa-
tlon IN the decision of questions so
vital TO their own welfare, to say moth
ing of the rest Ct the community. The
majority of our employees are not in
sympathy with their leaders in the
present controversy The New York
Harbor Cancellation Board is now pro-
vidIng and will continue to provide
such an opportunity for the men.
Owners Accuse Delahunty
The other way to handle this stu
atlon would be for some one with
courage and backbone to say to these
NPNAOuo iSducIS CnaC CnGCo mas
been no atmospheric or other change
IN conditions since July 12, 1918, when
an award was made giving them the
working conditions forwhich they asked
at that time, and November s, 1918,
when they made their demands for an
8-hour day, which would warrant
them putting the public of New York
to the Inconvenience and jeopardizing
the food. sand fuel supply of the com
munlty in the manner in which they
have unless it be, as their president,
Mr.. Delahunty, said before the National
War Labor Board, that eve had the
government by the throat" If no one
has the moral courage and backbone to
resist such q threat without first hav-
ing Mr.. Tumulty send message to the
President, then we have indeed reached
very dangerous state Of affairs"
Mr.. Delahunty came out of the con-
ference room at 26 Park Place last night
tor few moments, and was told of
the boat owners charge that he had
said: eve had the government by the
throat" He said:
That is untrue. If we had wanted
TO take an unfair advantage, we should
have gone on strike six months ago,
while the country was at war"