New-York tribune., 1920-04-03

HEnters belonging 20 the railroads
were tied up and about 4,500 men had
walked out. He said as soon as all
,he captains, mates and pilots had
c;,1. ceGn nSuned there would be very few
railroad boats IN operation. Most of
she ferryboats. he asserted. we're
manned by Office clerks "who were
working in kid gloves" and negro
str'keereakers brought from Philadcl-
pha.
More concerted action. he said, be-
tween the various organizations of
naroor workers would result from the
meeting at Webster Hall. For the
nrst time since the split in the ranks
OF the harbor workers last wear, F.
Raul A. Naccarelli. head Of the Har-
Dor Boatmen's Union, not associated
with the Marine Workers Affiliation,
conferred with representatives of the
latter organization with view to
bringing about more harmonious ac-
ton.
Intervention Hinted
The Naccarelli body has a member
ship Of about 1000. the men doing the
same kind of work as the Port and
Terminal Workers. 1t WAS said that
because of differences between the two
bodies large number of the Vac
carelli organization refused to join the
strike.
Mr.. Healey further intmated that
he understood that the United States
government officials were taking steps
20 look into the controversy. and de-
clared that the strikers would welcome
Federal Intervention. When the sug-
gestion was placed before Mr.. Mantell
he replied: "If the United States steps
IN 1t will be only to investigate the
union men as violators of section 3O1
tho Aof 1,,b ;,H
makes it incumbent upon employees and
officers of common carriers to refer
matters in controversy to the Railroad
Cancellation Board. The union men
have made no attempt to live up to
that section of the act
The statement by Mr.. Healey that
Charles R. Stewart, of the Phoenix
Transit Company. the sale to whom
OF thirteen tugs by the Erie brought
about the strike, was an Official of
the Erie Railroad, was denied by Mr..
Manten yesterday.
Healey said the transfer of the
boats to Stewart was a subterfuge
adopted by the Erie to deprive the
employees of the eight-hour day Mr..
Mantell said yesterday that Stewart
was appointed consulting engineer to
the Erie on March l, but had resigned
on March Is.
The tugs were sold to him, Mr.. Man
tell added, at their appraised value.
He maintained the general walkout
was ordered to assist the coastwise
strikers and to help longshoremen
fghtng the United Fruit Company for
a CLOSED shop
Washington Farley Fails
The conference of coastwise shipping
Interests and striking longshoremen
sailed by Secretary of Labor Wilson at
Washington yesterday to attempt a set
tlement of the strikes at Atlantic and
Gulf ports dissolved without having
feached an agreement. Assistant Secre-
tary Post of the Department of Labor
SAID he saw no hope of bringing the two
SIDES together. and could see no other
conclusion than to declare the confer
ence dissolved"
lhe strike against the five coastwise
hnes OF the port was precipitated three
weeks ago when about 1000 EMPLOYEES
quit work after the shipowners refused
TO meet their demands for an increase
IN pay. The coastwlse workers asked for
me same wage scale as the deep-sea
iongShoremen, who are getting S5 cents
an hour and s1.20 overtime. The for
mer dockmen receive 65 cents an hour
ard 81 tor overtime.
The shipping interests claimed they
we're unable TO meet the increase until
they were allowed to advance their
ireignt rates. The resulting deadlock
nl ought all coastwise traffic to a stand
still, and appeals flowed in from South
ern farmers and truck growers com.
planning that their early spring crops
OF fresh vegetables were awaiting ship
ment to Northern points and unless
they were removed soon they would
spoil. Important quantities Of cotton
and naval stores. it was said, were also
ted up. and more than 10000 men had
been thrown out of work at ports along
me coast.
Mr.. Post said that the employees are
unwilling to recede from their demand
for an immediate increase in wages
and the employers refused to grant the
increase because they were already
losing money and cannot add to their
deficit" Representatives. of both sides
announced at the conclusion of the
conference they would stand firm.
The situation was further complicat-
ed by reports that railway freight han
dlers serving docks at New York and
other ports affected by the walkout re-
fused to handle freight consigned to
these points. Director Kerwin of the
Bureau OF Labor Adjustment said his
bureau would take no step toward fend
ing off sympathetic action on the part
q freight handlers until some definite
break" had been made