New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-01
Harbor Strike
Begins Despite
Leaders Plea
Union Men Say They Will
Attempt to Send Oilers
and Deckhands Back
300 Out on 3 Tug Lines
Marine Engineers Vote to
Abide by the War Labor
Boards Request for Delay

In defiance of instructions OF their
leaders and vote of their union not
to strike in the event that the National
War Labor Board elected to take &C
ton looking toward settling their griev-
ances. 900 members of the Harbor
Boatmen's Union last night quit work
on tugs of the New Haven, PcrMsyi-
vania and Lehigh Valley roads.
Later representatives of the strikers
appealed TO the marine engineers to
strike with them. The engineers, hav-
ing previously voted to abide by the
! request Of the War Labor Board and
delay any action until after Tuesday
next, denied their appeal and instructed
their members to report for duty as
usual this morning.
At midnight, while representatives Of
the strikers were trying to ret Che men
on other boats to strike, F. Paul A.
Naccarelli, business agent of the union
and international weep dent of the
Longshoremen's Association, with
which the local is affiliated, denounced
the action as unauthorized and as the
work of men who were using the har-
Dor boatmen to serve their own ends.
ut was voted" said Naccarell. "at
Monday nights meeting not to strike
ii we heard by o'clock tonight from
the National War Labor Board. We
we're notified before that time that the
board had not only decided to act but
would be in this city next Tuesday Il
take up the matter This. the board
Of the Secretary OF Labor and because
of the national importance OF holding
the port Of New York open al this
time
Not in Mems Interest
81 had this notice posted at union
headquarters. Subsequently an officer
of the union told me he thought it
would be impossible to hold the men
N. ! told this man he was working in
the interest of others than the men
and that he would be held responsible
II anything happened in violation Of
the vote not to strike.
The instructions to the men were
not to strike until after the masters,
mates and pilots quit along With the
engineers and not to allow themselves
to be used as catspaws by the other
employees. who in the past have used
them to pull their chestnuts out of
The Ere. These instructions have no,
been followed by some of the men 1t
IS now up to US to put the men bacs
and We will do the best we can not
only to send those back who are now
out. but prevent any others following
their example"
The decision OF the marine engi-
neers not to strike followed stormy
session in their rooms at &c Park
Place. a small but noisy minority
were lnslstcnt on striking at once and
Ignoring the telegram from the War
Labor Board which Secretary William
a. Leonard read. This telegram was
as follows:
Owing to the failure to FIJI tho
places on the New York Harbor Wage
Adj ustment Board as recommended b.
the War Labor Board. and because Of
the acute situation which has devel-
oped, the Secretary of Labor has
requested the National War Labor
Board. because OF the great national
emergency, to take jurisdiction. 4
hearing Will be held by tho board on
tuesday, January Z, at 10 a. m. in the
Board OF Estimate room in the City
bal in New York. Please be present
N person or by representatives. Ac-
knowledge receipt of this telegram by
wire.
wv. JET LAUCK. Secretary Ma
tional War Labor Board"
Justifies Delay, Says Agent
This telegram, Thomas L. Delahuntv,
buclHSes agent OF the engineers and
president Of the Marine Workers A.
hlation; insisted justified delaying
any strike action until after the meet
ing Of the board on Tuesday ANY Other
actlon, he said, would mean defiance
Of the United States government.
You have stood by the government
loyalty and we'll said he, and at
mis- late day you cannot afford to ion
the boat owners in defyiug it
10 this leonard added his influence,
warning the men that they must not
strike so long as q chance to arbtrate
their grievances or to secure a settle
men through the War Labor Board re
manned
Leonard further reminded the men
that they wero bound to work with
tho Marine Workers. Aailiation and rot
to strike until al hands struck.
This sentiment prevailed. aud as the
meeting was about to adjourn. John
kilcy, heading q delegation Of strik-
'ng boatmen, appeared. He asked for
the support Of the engineers, hut the
ocal stood by its previous vote The
best he could get was the assurance
Of sNmpathy