The Connecticut labor press., 1920-09-04
"OPEN SHOPPERS"
 ENCOUNTER SNAG IN THEIR COURSE
U. S. Shipping Board Answers National Chamber of
 Commerce Challenge.
STICKS TO THE UNION
Going to Make Agreement With International Longshoremen's
 Association Despite Interests.

Washington, Sept 3-Answering the
 challenge of the United States Cham
 Der of Commerce in it's nationwide ref
 erendum of the business interests on
 the question of the open shop and the
 individual anti-union labor contract. the United States Shipping Board an-
 nounces that 1t is going to make unoin
 agreement with the International Long sforemen's Association. The. present
 open-slop furry was kicked up by the
 Galveston shipping interests, who, backed<by a governor and state troops and martial law, were unable to break
 the strike of the coastwise longshore-
 men. When they appealed to the com
 merclal world for sympathy they got 1t.
 Now the Shipping Board delivers a knockout blow to their p1aIis.
 he board, reads its official an- nouncement, will withdraw on October l from the National Adjustment Coml mission having jurisdiction over long shore matters on the@Atlantic and Gulf coasts. A resolution to this effect has been passed by the board and the neces- sary GO days notice has been given to the secretary of the commission.
 The National Adjustment Cornn1is- sion was established at the instance of the Shipping Board during the war in order to maintain close contact in the longshore industry between the shipping and stevedor1ng interests, the Interna- tlonal Longshoremen's Association, and the United States Shipping Board.
 "The Shipping Board is immediately taking steps to set up the machinery necessary for joining with the shipping and stevedor1ng interests in negotiat- ing directly with the International Iongshorernen's Association in refer ence to all matters affecting the long shore industry on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. This method of direct negotia- ton IS in line with its procedure in dealing with the other large groups of labor m its operating departments It has already executed agreements for the , coming year with the Sailors, Bremen. Cooks and Stewards, and Licensed Deck Officers, and expects to do the same with the Marine Engineers and Radio Operators
 By joining the shipping and steve doririg interests Ill dealing directly with the Longshoremen 1t is acting in accord ance with the principles of collective bargaining recognized by the Govern ment, and feels that 1t can in this way best protect the interests of the long shoremen, the American merchant marine, and the ports on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
 Tt IS prepared to consider in a fair and sympathetic spirit all of the ques- tions affecting thi sgreat industry"
 T his decision means that the Ship ping Board is tired of the bullying tao tics employed by Roster and the other chiefs of the open-shop campaign in New York, who have helped to draft the declaration of war against organ ized labor which the Chamber of Com merce of the United States has just issued. ,. As the board has control of the labor policy for its own ships, and as these ships are the controlling factor in the American merchant shipping trade, 1t is the impression here that the mouths of the open-shop shipping magnates have been effetually stopped for while