New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-28

the Clyde and Mallory lines and an
official Of the Southern Pacific. repre-
scnting the steamship companies.
The union leaders proposed arbitra-
ton. They declared the coastwise
longshoremen, now getting IS cents an
hour and 81 for overtime, want the
same wages as the deep sea longshore-
men, who get 80 cents an hour and
$1.20 for overtime.
The steamship owners countered
with the proposition that the men be
ordered back to work at once and that
their grievances would then be taken
up and considered, but that no definite
promises as to an increase in wages
could be made until there were as
surances that the steamship companies
would be permitted an increase in
freight rates by the Interstate Com
merce Commission. The owners had
already agreed to give the employees
substantial increase if the higher
freight rates were allowed.
T. V. O'Connor then announced that
the proposition would be placed before
the longshoremen at a meeting, prob
ably tomorrow, at Veronica Hall, and
he intimated he would advise the men
to accept. The matter, however, he
said. would be in the hands Of the men
themselves, and he was hopeful that
an agreement would be reached.
He declared, however, that most of
the steamship owners were willing to
arbitrate, but that E. P. Richardson,
of the Ocean Steamship Company, still
held out, asserting that he was salts
fed with conditions at his piers, where
strikebreakers were employed. eve
may tie his piers up at Boston to-mor-
row." he commented.
Conference Very Friendly
"The conference was very friendly"
explained Mr.. Harling. Both sides
were frank, reasonable and fair and
wanted to reach a conclusion just to
both sides. Our committee has en-
phasized the fundamental Importance
Of the interests of the public, that
irrespective Of the rights Of the COM
panies or the rights of the unions or
other private parties involved. the
paramount interest is that of the
public.
"In discussing the local situation we
have reached definite conclusion as
to certain principles which we believe
should govern. That declaration is
OH0C WuStUCI VIC uldI VA q L1uCh Oc-
longs to union or not, and whether
his truck hauls union or non-union
goods, the public is entitled to free
passage of the goods.
"Our feeling is that those principles
are so important for the interests of
the publis, not only for the present,
but for the future, that we intend 10
stand by them. 1t is the right of every
man to join a union if he wants, or
not to join if he doesn't want. In
any event, the public has the right
to the free passage of its goods,
whether handled by union or non
union as ncies. There must be free
inflow and outflow of goods irrespec-
tce of whether the agency is organ
lied or unorganized.
1.-THE independent trucking system
which we are organizing will be con-
Quoted on the basis Of these prin-
ciples." Mr.. Marling added that it was
possible that a member of the trans
portation committee might address the
longshoremen at their meeting to-
morrow.
In a statement Of yesterdays activi-
ties Of the Terminal Committee, or
gained under authority of the Inter
state Commerce Commission to help
relieve the railroad freight congestion
in the vicinity of New York, Alfred M.
Barrett, deputy public service COM
missioner, announced that railroad Of
ficials with whom he conferred we're