The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-05-10
ENGINEERS SEE
PILOT T0CRUSH
MARINE UNION
Organization Chiefs Claim Amer
lea and Britain Are in Con-
spiracy to Cut Pay.
PROBE By CONGRESS ASKED
Men Want investigation Of Ship.
ping Boards arbitrary Atti.
tude;;" Long Fight Looms.

Congressional Investigation of TIE
marine strike will be asked by tn,
marine workers, Thomas Healy and
Burt Todd, members Of the marine
engineers executive committee. an
nouncd here today.
CONSPIRACY CHARGED.
Heaiy charged that ship owners are
serving foreign interests and are
attempting to disrupt the marine
workers unions and declared that
there is a conspiracy between A,neri-
can ship owners and British and other
foreign ship owners TO reduce wages.
All of these facts win be laid before
members OF Congress and an investi-
cation sought. Healy declared.
Protest VIII -hs-madA to Congress
against the arbitrary attitude taken
by the Shipping Board, Healy an.
| nounced.
WORLD STRIKE SEEN.
Charging that American and Eu.
ropean shipowners are in con-
spiracy to lower wage standards.
union leaders predicted a world wide
waikout of marine workers.
Marine strikes are imminent in
England. Norway and Italy. accord
ing to reports received in labor
circles.
Protest against the employment %
strikebreakers by the United States
Snipping Board and "intimidation''
or strikes by threats to csiI out sub
marines will be made to Congress bv
the committee here representing the
men, members of the COMMITTEES an
nounced.
w. s. Brown, head OF the Marine
workers Union, and Andrew Furu-
seth. president of the International
Seamen's Union. held a CONFERENCE
this morning at which the strike
situation was discussed.
The strike appeared today to have
settied down to test of strength be.
tween the marine workers and the
ship owners.
All efforts at mediation have gone
on the rocks Of the Is per cent wae.
reduction. The marine workers re.
ruse to accept this reduction and the
snip owners and the United States
ShIpplng Board refuse to make any
concessions.
NO FURTHER CONFERENCES.
Secretary Of Labor Davis will not
hold further conferences in an attempt
TO negotiate settlement, unless some
new proposals for agreement are
| made
Both sides claim to be stror~ q,
their positions. Reports which reach
the headquarters OF the marine work.
ers here indicate that ships are being
tied up. while the Shipping Board
maintains that interference with
operation is not great
Should the present controversy be
prolonged, 1t Is possible that II may
lead to an open shop" policy on
American ships and probable further
wage reductions.
Admiral Be nson and representa-
tives of the shipowners both have
claimed that the Is per cent reduc-
tion was not adequate and that fur
ther reductions. were proper because
OF lower living costs. and N the
present crisis is met. there may be
an EFFORT at even further wage re-
ductions.
'Tt is now a hard fght." said W. s.
Brown, head of the marine engineers.
today. I'VE can only walt develop
ments. Secretary Davis has zone as
far as he can. We have gone as far az
we can, and We can only wait for
developments now. The Shipping
Board has asked us to make conce5-
sions. but II has refused to make con-
cessions."
READY FOR LONG WAR.
1--WE are prepared for long war
fare" Healy said We are ready for
a strike lasting from six weeks TO
three months. but I believe the end
will come soon."
On the Pacific coast. hotels have
been secured to house the strikers
and their families, and In Phiiaee'-
phia commisssries have been opened.
lit was announced. ~.
ACCORDING to Hesly, there are n,,v
$50 ships tied up In New York be-
cause OF the strike.
Ernest Pesg. REPRESENTING the pa
lcinc coast marine workers. said that
1.-THE first break In the situation, Oh
lthc const came today. when the Chi
ma Mail Steamship Line signed a con-
tract with the workers at the old vsGs
scale