Arizona republican., 1921-05-04
BENSON STATES. SETTLEMENT OF MARINE STRIKE
 LOOKS HOPEFUL
Committee of Ship Owners Will Confer With Repre- sentatives of Men To- day; Two Ships Sail
IRepubIican A. p. Leased wire1

WASHINGTON, May 3.-Reopen- ing of negotiations between the ship ping board and steamship owners and marine workers in an effort to settle the wage dispute which threatens to tie up American shipping was indi- cated today as probable by Chairman Benson. who announced a conference might be held here tomorrow.
 Negotiations to draft an agreement covering wages and working condi- lions ended Friday with the refusal or the men to accept a 15 per cent wage cut, later made effective by the board The men carried their case to President Harding. who turned the matter over to Secretaries Davis and Hoover. The latter have since held conferencAs with union leaders
 Since yesterday, Chairman Benson said, the problem has been in the hands of Secretary Davis. He added that the situation looked hopeful Discussing the possibility of a con ference tomorrow he said a commit tee of ship owners was coming here but all the parties to such a confer cnce might not be here by tomorro N
 Reports of the shipping board to- day, officials said, indicated that as las as ship movement was concerned the situation was generally satlSfac-' tory.
 In New York. however, officials said, some difficulty was being ex- pericnced as strikers were picketing the boards recruiting offices and in Baltimore the situation seemed rather unsatisfactory.
 In Boston. Norfolk, Savannah and Charleston, it was said, reports indi- cated there would be no difficulty in moving vessels. Galveston appeared to be tied up, but in New Orleans the. situation was good.
 On the Pacific, officials said. re- ports showed no difficulties were be- ing experienced at Seattle, Portland or San Francisco.
 Two Ships Sail
 NEW YORK, May 3-Two Amer ican flag steamships. one a passen- ger liner, the other a bulk oil carrier, left today on scheduled sailings. This was the first break here in the strike Of marine workers, called to combat wage reductions
 The ships were the United Fruit liner Sixola. with passengers for the West Indies, and the tanker PoraIine of the Standard Oil fleet for Texas City. Tex On each efforts were made by union representatives to persuade the crews to quit.
 While high union officials and steamkship owners were in Washing ton. awaiting a conference with gov ernment officials, union delegates and organizers here continued their ef- fcrts to effect further tie-ups ir American flag ships. Operators or the other hand continued to recruit new crews
 Two other liners, trans Atlantic passenger vessels were held up a the last minute due to the calling ou of firemen, engineers and member. of the stewards department.
 They were the Old North State United States mail liner, with & cabin passengers, and the Potomac a former German liner, scheduled t. sail for Danzig with 500 passengers The latter's departure was postpone, by the walking out of the engin room crew.
 According to F. J. Pryor, secretar of the Atlantic and Gulf conferenc of the marine engineers, more thal 65.ooe men have responded to tn strike call on ships from Galveston to Portland. Me.
 A line of pickets stretched toda all along the Manhattan, Brooklyn New Jersey and Staten Island wate fronts. Other pickets in motor boat patrolled the harbor.
 In response to a call from Cap Paul Foley. director of operations fo the shipping board, a majority ( operators of government craft met New York today to discuss the strik situation. Reports from Capt. o. w. Parker. marine superintender here for the shipping board, wel that all men needed to man shippin board vessels were available. It als was reported by the operators tn; numerous men with wartime sea e Ir-c1-ca I,ffer-irarc their Ser.X-ice