New-York tribune., 1919-01-21
TideWater Men
Drop Demands
For 8-Hour Day
Union Representative Ex-
plains Conditions Are
Such That Workers Can
not Ask for Shorter Time

The Tidewater Boatmen yesterday
withdrew their demand for an eight
hour day
John Brennan, appearing as a wit
ness before the subcommittee of the
War Labor Board now investigating
the controversy between the marine
workers and the boat owners, explained
that the conditions in this phase of
harbor activity were such that the
union, Of which he is the head, could
not ask for shorter hours They
wanted instead, he said, working day
Of twelve hours with wage Of $125
per month
This new stand by the Tidewater
Boatmen. who handle coal, grain and
canal boats, viii not affect the demands
for the eight-hour day made by other
organizations in the Marine Workers.
Atiilation, all of whose requests will
be treated separately by the Labor
Board.
Americans Harder to Handle
Mr. Brennan, in the course of his
testimony, stated that it was a stand
ing rule of the New York Central Rail
road Company not to hire American
citizens for their towboats when for
eigners could be employed.
The railroad officials, he explained
took this position because they felt
that "the Americans were harder to
handle" AS result, he added, when
America entered the war, two-thirds
boats were Austrians and had to be
DISCHARGED as pOpmV aliens
He insisted that the boatmen were
overwoI Iked and underpaid, pointing out
that they had to struggle along with
their families on board their cramped
and dirty craft because of inability to
provide quarters ashore on their
meagre pay. The children, particular
ly, he said, suffered.
He believed that $500 a year was
not too much for family with three
children. The practice of working men
at nights. he said, must be abolished
and the boatmen should get Sundays
Off OF be given proper compensation
therefor when they had to work. 1t
was not absolutely necessary, he said
that work should be done at such
times. He admitted that the boats
were frequently tied up for long
periods, adding, however, that the
owners always got SIS for every day
cargo was on a boat
Want "Real Eight-Hour Day
Joseph F. Stanton, business agent
of the Railroad Port and Terminal
Workers, testified that though the men
IN his union were on basiccght-h hour
day, they actually were working twelve
hours day. They want "a real eight
hour day." he stated, though he could
not suggest how this could be ar
Il JoJ of
S145. Mr.. Stanton added that if the
shorter-hour request was granted. the
compensation would be less than the
men were receiving under present con-
ditions.
Captain Patrick Doran, master of
atugboat on the Lackawanna system
described the duties of boatmen, after
which Stephen j. Condor, secretary Of
the Marine Workers, Affiliation, re-
stated the demand Of the steam light
captains, who he said wanted a
basic cight~hour day with time and Il
half for overtime and double time for
Sundays.
Award Is Objected To
AT the morning session Thomas J..
Delahunty, secretary Of the marine en-
glneers, who declared that the Marine
Workers Atfiliation was "my baby"
testified that he thought the award
made by the Harbor Wage Adjustment
Board June ~, 1918, was now unjust
At first he was inclined to think that
his signature to the document, shown
to him by Paul Bonynge, counsel for
the boat owners, was a Typographical
error"
The award fixed engineers wages ac-
cordlng to the number of cylinders on
their engines.
t'Tbo+ ,rnc c, ,,o,,+l,, o-o
were young and indiscreet, was it?
asked Mr.. Bonynge.
Having signed it six months ago."
returned MIR. Delahunty. 81 was glad
to get that for our men at that time"
"But you disapprove of it now?"
asked Mr.. Bonynge
"Positively," replied the witness.
The engineers are now seeking $225
month regardless of cylinders Mr..
Delahunty said in the course of his
cross-examnation that he always had
regulated by "the size of the smoke
stack and the noise of the boats
whistle"
Fixes Cost Of Living
Despite DR.. Ogburn's testimony that
a family of five could exist upon 81 500
year Mr.. Delahunty thought that
$500 was the minimum. He him self
had augmented his income by $1,4OO in
the last year, he said, and still had
been able to save nothing.
Living costs were taken up also by
the next witness, Paul Vaccarell. busi-
ness manager Of the harbor boatmen's
union For a man and wife, two boys,
ten and four years old, and a baby, he
figured food for a year cost 1884; rent
and heat $3.50; feminine apparel,
$7o.89; clothing for the husband,
$116.4o; for the two boys, $118.2O, and
for the baby, $10.25
These expenditures were for the
bareat necessities, the witness said and
yielded a 1885 gingkam dress, a $40
street dress and an S18 coat for the
woman; two pairs of Sc shoes. three
shirts, d $28 winter suit, a $22 summer
suit, four suits of underwear and four
pairs of ovcralls for the man. The total
was $1,070.66.
Labor Upholds Cuban Strike
HAVANA, Jan. 2O.~-Labor delegates