New-York tribune., 1919-07-19
Ship. Owners
Confer With
Union Heads
Meeting Called in Order
That Employers Can See
i'm Full Detail Demands
Made by Seamen Now Out

What may be the beginning of the
end of the seaman's strike developed
yesterday afternoon, when, at the re-
quest Of the American Steamship AS
sociation, made up Of private boat
owners, a committee of the Interna-
tional Seamen's Union called at the
rooms of the association to present
and explain their demands. The con-
ference adjourned, without agreement.
to permit the owners committee to ex-
anime the demands and confer with
their principals.
While no arrangements were made
for another meeting. it is expected
than Monday, when it is thought the
owners will present counter propo-
sition.
G. II. Brown, leader of the striking
seamen, said after tho conference that
it was most amicable.
II would not go so far as to say that
it is the beginning of peace negotia-
tions," he said. "But will say that
we were glad to meet with the own
ers, that the meeting was marked by
no i'll feeling, and the door is left
open for another meeting.
Object to Union Preference
"The chief objection of the owners
is to giving the union men preferences
There is nothing really new in this,
for, as matter of fact, we have had
preference ever since the war broke
out. We toldNhem they should be
consistent, and let it go at that"
No statement was made from the
offices of the American Steamship
Association.
Men who have been following the
strike closely declared that yesterdays
meeting was significant in that officers
Of the Atlantic, Gulf e. West Indies
Company, who have hitherto dominated
the committees representing the asso-
citation, were conspicuous by their alb
sence. Edward Ward, of the Standard
Oil Company of New Jersey, presided
over the conference. Others on the
owners committee were Messrs Parks,
of the Clyde line; Mccarthy, of the
international Mercantile Marine Com
pany; Hebbell, of the Southern Pacific,
and Osborne of the Munson line. G.H.
Brown headed the strikers committee.
Next to the meeting of the two
sides, the important development of
yesterday was the declaration of an
embargo against New York, Atlantic
and Gulf ports of all shipments in
tended for export or for transfer by
water to other domestic ports. This
has been threatening for week and
has been made necessary by the piling
up of freight on docks, piers and rail-
road sidings. Railroad administration
officials, in placing the embargo. ex-
pressed the belief that it would remain
IN effect until the strike is over, or at
least sufficiently broken to permit
movement of freight in large volume.
More VeScoIc T;od Tvr
The number of vessels tied up in
this port was increased slightly during
the day. reports from other centres in
dic:ating that the same conditions pre-
vailed there. There was some move
ment of shipping by firms which have
signed up with the union.
There was some excitement furnished
during the day by reports of raids on
waterfront shipping Offices and piers
by strikers. At the most these were
wordy rows, easily disposed of by the
police.
The one serious affair of the day de-
vveloped far from the waterfront
through the establishment of an office
on the Bowery by Bergoif & Waddell,
who specialize in strike breakers, to
recruit men for the ships. There were
about two hundred men in and about
the place, when crowd of seventy-five
strikers kicked in the plate glass win
dows, drove prospective seamen to
flight and distributed their belongings
about the street. No arrest was made.
No one was seriously injured
The situation as regards the engi-
neers and the deck officers is un-
changed. The engineers committee
which has been in Washington in con-
ference with representatives of the
Skipping Board have thus far failed to
reach an agrcemnt 0 wages and
working conditions.
The declaring of an embargo on
ocean freights will serve to throw large
numbers Of longshoremen out of en-
ploynent,. as we'll as a considerable
number of freight handlers. According
to officers of the various unions, there
are almost as many longshoremen and
teamsters made idle by the strike as
there are seamen. Teamsters are also
affected, but not to so large an extent.