New-York tribune., 1919-01-11
Mayor Arouses Labor Cir.
cles by Demanding the
Prosecution of Leaders
New Wage Offer
Is Called ''Bunk"
Delahunty Says His Men
Will Not Listen to Board
of Cancellation Proposal

New York enters the third day of
the harbor strike this morning with
peace apparently as far off as when the
$4,000 members of tn, Marine Work
els' Affiliation walked out on Thursday
morning
Both sides last night were awaiting
action by President Wilson, to whom
the case had been presented by cable.
The President is expected to instruct
Washington to take such steps as
might seem necessary to restore the
commerce of this port to normal
Secretary of War Baker, passing
through the city on his way to Montreal,
looked into the situation yesterday
afternoon, comforting with army off
GERS and his special agent, Stanley
King, who had spent the day with the
boat owners and transport officers Be
fore departing for Canada Mr.. Baker
said the situation was favorable
from the standpoint of those sending
supplies abroad and that he had no in
tention of interfering by ordering
boats seized.
Mayor Arouses Strikers
Mayor Hylan aroused labor men by
calling upon District Attorney Swami
to prosecute the strike leaders and
those who obeyed them and quit work
on boats of the public institutions. H.
asked action under the conspiracy law.
interpreting the order to strike on in
stitutional boats as being q conspiracy
to commit acts luxurious to public
health, public morals, trade or com
merce."
Such conspiracy is a misdemeanor.
punishable by one year in Jail. and It
is the Mayors contention that the
strikers and their leaders are guilty
under the law.
Outstanding Developments
Other outstanding developments yes
terday were:
|. Growth of the belief on both sides
that the President would order the
National War Labor Board to take
charge and order the war and navy dc
partments to enforce its orders. Rep
resentatives Of the men frankly stated
their opinion that the strike would be
ended by the government commander
ing all floating equipment in New York
harbor, while representatives of the
boat owners spoke of the time when
we get our boats back"
,. Interference with government sc-
tivities when / 200 members of the
Longshoremens Association quit work
at the Bush Terminal, Brooklyn. aftcr
they were asked to handle SUPPLE
from lighters manned by soldiers and
sailors. In doing this the longshore-
men maintained that Federal uniforms
did not give the wearers the right to
take strikers places or release other
men from their obligation not to work
with strike-breakers.
!. Refusal of the strikers to agree to
the proposal Of A. H. Smith, of the
railroad administration, that an armis-
tice be declared.
4. decrease IN the reserve stocks Of
foods on hand in New York.
though large quantities were brought
in via Poughkeepsie and Albany and
from the Jersey side of the river
through the Pennsylvania tubes. Ex-
perts on the city's food supply estimate
that there will be no real shortage here
i fthe strike is ended within week or
ten days.
,. Improvement in the commuters, s;+-
uation through the regular opera
tlon of few ferryboats on the Staten
Island line by policemen, by more
trains IN the Hudson tubes and through
commuters having better idea of
their problem and starting on their
trips ahead of the usual time.
3. Decision of the Strike leaders to
call mon off hospital and other boats
supplying harbor institutions on the
ground that the police. having shown
willingness to operate the Staten Isl
and ferry, should be given an opportu-
NIFTY to run other city boats.
Z. Continued organization by the boat
owners of the New York Harbor
Board of Cancellation, which, they de-
clare, will settle ali labor troubles here.
The organization was expected during
the day to announce that new wage
scale had been fixed by the board. The
answer of the labor men to this. a.
expressed by Thomas L. Dclahuntv.
was "bunk."
b. Maintenance of perfect order alonr
the docks piers and ferr;os III.