New-York tribune., 1920-06-24
Merchants Say
HarbOr Strike
Has Collapsed
Grip of Unions on Life of
n. Y. Port Broken, De-
clares William F. Morgan
at Rail Club Luncheon
Will Not Take Men Back
Committee to Continue Two
Years and $4,000, 900
Fund Raised, He Asserts

Failure of the strikes which crippled
operations Of the port and waterfront
was celebrated yesterday by gather
ing Of representative railroad and bust
ness men at joint luncheon of the
Citizens Transportation Committee
and the Railway Business Association
at the Railroad Club yesterday. An
nouncement that the unions controlling
the life of the port have been defeated
was made by William Fellowes Morgan,
chairman Of the Citizens Transporter
tion Committee, and w. G. Besler
president of the Central Railroad of
New Jersey. The presidents Of several
of the large railroads entering New
York were present and were among
those who cheered the announcements
"The strike of the longshoremen and
truckmen on the coastwise piers has
petered out" was Mr.. Morgan's tri-
umphant declaration "'The strikers
have dispersed and are not in evidence
and work is going on at the piers"
Grip of Unions Broken
"The grip of the marine unions, the
Masters, Mates and Pilots and En-
gineers', on the harbor craft of this
port has been broken said President
Bes Ter. Their strike, begun April 1,
is absolutely lost. 1t is a complete fail
ure. The railroad boats are operated
by the men who have replaced the
strikers and are maintaining a normal
service"
Mr. Morgan, after reciting the efforts
of the Citizens Transportation Com
mttee to cope with the freight tie-up
on the coastwise piers. said the strike
$ virtually ended. complete relief of
the freight congestion is near at hand
and the unions have been eliminated
from the situation.
The Citizens Transportation Com
mittee has made up its mind" said
Mr. Morgan, that in the interest and
protection of the public it will keep
itself intact for two years"
Mr. Morgan followed this statement
with the announcement that the COM
S5.000,00o, originally contemplated for
tho establishment of an Independent
trucking system, to $4,000 900 if
necessary. The fund will be raised
by popular subscription, he said.
Must Wage Legal War Now
The fight of the committee has been
won,' Mr.. Morgan concluded CAS- far
as the physical part of the work is
Now there is legal phase Of the
situation which we must wage" Mr..
Morgan referred here to action planned
by the Citizens Transportation Com
mittee against any steamship COM
panies which allow themselves to be
intimidated by unions into discrimina-
Ji0n in the acceptance of freight.
Mr.. Besler asserted, emphatically:
we don't need the services of the
men who are still out on strike, and
we will not reemploy them"
The unions, he said, were successful
in winning four strikes under govern
ment administration Of the roads, but
have been broken in their attempt at a
of the unions in the previous strikes to
''unjustifiable surrender on the part of
the government" New York Harbor he
said, is now operated on practically
an open shop basis.
"The men have struck for the fifth
time" said Mr.. Besler, "and this is
their last strike. They cannot call an
other strike because the unions on the
boats are out of existence and the men
would not obey them. The strikers
have walked away from their jobs and
we have replaced them. Those who
think they can come back are only
being deceived by the propaganda OF
their leaders,"
Mr.. Besler charged that twenty mer
were responsible for all the trouble
and again emphasized that the striker:
Will not be taken back "Seniorit,
rights are thing of the past" he
added
While the Citizens TRANSPORTATION
Committee and the railroad men wer,
meeting at the Railroad Club, Walter
Gordon Merritt, counsel for the com
mttee, and II. P. Williams, presiden
of the Queens Chamber of Commerce
addressed a meeting at the Martini,
Exchange. Mr.. Williams explained tn,
work of the Citizens Transportation
Committee and declared that it woulc
be disaster II the unions represented
in the Transportation Trades Council
were able to put through their polio,
Of alleged discrimination against The
movement of non-union freight.