New-York tribune., 1920-06-09
{ Palmer Ruling
Likely to Open
HarbOr Monday
Attorney General Holds
Workers on Boats Used
by Railroads Must Be
Given an Eight-Hour Day
Strikers Voting to Return
Clean Sweep of All Labor
Troubles of N. Y. Port
Now Believed Imminent

that have been throttling the business
o. the port for more than three months
and threatened to bring On an indus
trial war is expected to result from two
developments in the harbor situation
last night.
From Washington came the report
that Attorney General Palmer had len-
dered a decision or the eight-hour
day question. This dispute caused the
walk out of more than 5000 marine
workers on the floating equipment of
the railroads running into New York.
The decision was favorable to the
workers and held that private craft
doing work for railroads were equally
9menable with the companies TO the
Adamson eight-hour law. AS this was
the sole cause of the strike, union
leaders say that minor questions will
is cleared up immediately and the men
sent back to work, probably by the end
o. the week.
Another Vote Here
Al the same time, it was learned that
longshoremen fxom Boston to Calves
ton, who had gone out in sympathy
with the local coastwise strikers, we're
voting on the question Of returning to
work, despite the recent unfavorabe
action taken by the workers here. Sew
eral' of the Southern locals, it was said,
strike. 1t was explained that if a
majority of these unions do likewise.
the local men will have to abide by
their decision and go back.
Union officials declared, however,
that the New York strikers would be
given an opportunity to reconsider
their action and vote again on the
question at meeting to be held prob
ably next Friday, when they were con
fident the men would decide to call off
the coastwise strike. Such step, it
was said, would go far toward prevent
ing the industrial war that threatened
to grow out Of the sympathetic action
of truckmen and other unions in con-
nect:on with the coastwise controversy.
The pending settlement of the
marine strike was particularly crafty
ing to government and business heads
here, who asserted that the partial tie
up Of the railroad equipment was in
& great measure responsible for the
present congestion at the railroad
terminals.
While the railroads were claiming
that they were able to operate about
60 per cent of their river craft since
the beginning of the walk out on April
/. b. c. Craig, of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, declared that the
small movement of cars across the
river because of the strike was the
chief cause of the freight jam in the
port.
he walk out was ordered, according
TO the strikers, because of an alleged
attempt on the part of the railroads
he n.l, Is
hour Gay by disposing Of their craft
to private owners, who compelled the
men to work ten and twelve hours. The
Erie had sold to the Phoenix Transit
Company seven lighters and five tugs
and the enforcement of the longer day
on these craft. which were employed to
do the railroad work, was declared to
be in, violation of the eight hour
agreement with the railroads. Union
leaders also professed to see in the
transaction eae first move of the rail
roads generally to deprive the marine
men of the eight-hour schedule. The
strike was called April l. about 5000
captains. engineers, tiremen, pilots,
cooks. deckhands and other workers
leaving the ferry boats. floats, barges
and tugboats of the railroads.
Use of Equipment Governs
Inc matter was taken up with Attor-
ney General Palmer by Ex-Governor
Folk. of Missouri. who was acting as
counsel for the harbor workers. Long
distance telephone messages from Will
lam A. Maher. of the Masters, Mates
and Pilots, and Thomas Hea.y, Of the
Marine Workers Affiliaton, to local
union headquarters reported that At
torpey General Palmer sustained the
contention of the workers that private
craft doing work for railroads were
subject to the Adamson eight-hour law
While the Erie officials contended that
they had sold the equipment to the
the law could not apply, the Attorney
General held that, under the law, it
was the use of the equipment and not
its ownership that governs.
Ii. l.. Jauss, chairman of the strike
committee OF the marine strikers, de-
clared that negotiations for clearing
up minor questions were now going
forward at Washington with railroad
heads there. Among these questions
he said, was the nsistence of the work
crs that they be taken back with full
seniority rights. The question of pay
Tor the workers for the time they
have been out is also being considered
lauss thought, however. that all these
points would be cleared up in a few
days and that the men would be back
by the end Of the week or not later
than Monday.
The vote Of the coastwise longshore
men, 1t WIS said, was taken in accord
ance with an order of T. " O'Connor
president of the International Long
snoreman's Association, shortly after
the seven locals here rejected the pleas
o Governor Smith TO return to work
Anthcsg j. Chlopek, vice president OF
the association, who has taken CHARGE
OF the local situation in the absence OF
oConnor at the A. +. Of l.. convention
at Montreal, yesterday called the dele,
gates OF the locals affected into con
terence at ]. l.. A. Headquarters. II
broadway. and informed them of O'Con.
nor's action.
IT was said that the vote taken last
Wednesday. 37l to 26e. was not renre-
sentative OF the 5000 men affected and
mat a wider canvass of sentiment
would have TO be made The delepatcs
were >urther told that in any event the
bylaws OF the organization provided d
mat II majority Of the other coast.
wIse locals decided to return the local
unions would have to do likewise I,
was also learned that a mass metino
of the workers will be called. probably
Friday night, and, as one of the union
men expressed it, "the riot act Will be
read TO them" II was generally be-
.teved that the local strike would then
be called off.
Merchants Stand Pat.
The threat Of John Riley president