New-York tribune., 1919-06-29
Organized Labor Content
to Take Second Place in
Building Up a Great
u. S. Merchant Marine
Appeal to Shipping Board
No Conference one Conditions
of Work and Pay Until
This Is Agreed, They Say

Rer -esentatives of the big maritime
, workers unions have served notice
upon the United States Shipping Board
that unless the board and the American
Steamship Association, representing
the privatae boat owners, agree that on
all American ships in foreign trade
American citizens shall have prefer
ence in employment they will not be
parties to q joint industrial council,
proposed by the Shipping Board and ap-
proved by the private owners, for the
settlement of all labor questions.
The unions involved are the Seaman's
Union OF America. of which Andrew
Furuseth is president; the American
Association of Masters, Mates and
Pilots. headed BY John H. Pruett't and
the National Marine Engineers Benev-
olent Association. of which William S.
Brown is president. The unions spe-
clilcally waive the question of union
ism as regards American citizens, but
insist that where no American sailors
are available preference shall be given
TO union aliens over non-union aliens.
That deadlock exists became known
Yesterday following a conference at 26
Park Place. where delegates from the
several unions from points as far south
as Texas, as far north as Portland and
from the Pacific Coast, indorsed the
position taken by the heads of the as
sociations, after Messrs. Furuseth,
Pruett and Thomas f. Delahunty,
speaking for Mr.. Brown, had explained
the situation.
Briefly, as outlined by Messrs. Furu-
seth, Pruett and Delahunty, it is held
that there can be no American marine
worthy of the name until there is
large body of American sailors, that
there can be no large body of American
sailors so long as American citizens
are disseminated against by owners of
vessels flying the American flag, and
that the question as to whether there
shall be an American merchant marine
worth while depends on the extent to
which the sea is made attractive as a
vocation to American boys.
Joint Council Proposed
The conference in this city yesterday
is the result of call issued last
month by the United States Shipping
Board for conference in Washington
OF representatives Of the unions and
the ship owning interests. At this con-
ference, held in Washington on June
and 3, it was proposed by Edward N.
Hurley, of the Shipping Board, that a
joint council be formed, made up of
an equal number or preSentativeS of
licensed ships officers, the sailors, en-
gineers, fremen, cooks and stewards
and OF ship owners with q representa-
tive Of the Shipping Board as chair
man. This council, it was proposed,
should have the settlement of all ques-
tons relating to labor.
This proposition" said Mr.. Furuseth
yesterday, was met with the question
from the unions: Are you willing in
the event of such body being formed
to agree to give preference to union
men on your vessels?'
IF. J. Mooney, president of the
American Steamship Association and
Of the Atlantic Gulf & West Indies
Steamship Co., speaking for the pri-
vate boat owner, said this question had
not been considered by the association
and that its representatives. lacked
authority to bind its members on that
point.
1--WE then took the position that we
could not make the arrangement pro-
posed, as it would be giving control
Of the activities of the unions to a
board not controlled by the unions.
We agreed that if we could come to an
agreement as to wages, working condi-
tions and 80 forth, such board might
be formed to interpret any questions
that might arise under the contract
and settle all disputes. 1t was finally
agreed to meet here last Monday and
take up the matter anew
Objection Is Met
When we met Monday we were in
formed that the steamship owners