The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-04-27
BENSON DENIES
DEMANDS FOR
CONTINUANCE
OF SEA WAGES
Says Seamen Must Ac-
cept Fifteen Per Cent
Reduction Denies
Six Points Of Unions
Demands and Ex-
plains That Il o w e r
Prices Render Wage
Reduction Necessary.

Washington. April 27.-A reduction
of not less than Is per cent of the
present wage scale is the basis on
which the shipping board must and
Will act, Chairman Benson told the
conference of marine workers and
owners and operators of Americas
steamships, called here today in an
effort to avert the threatened strike
May l OF the season, through the
adoption of new agreement covering
wages and working conditions.
Present economic conditions fully
warrant Il reduction in Marine wages,
the chairman declared. adding tina, he
had weighed the matter long and
carefully, taken advice freely and
come to a mature and we'll consider
ed conclusion.
In addition to the wage reduction
the chairman declared there should
be virtual elimination of overtime
discontinuance of night deck and en-
gineer officers, substantial redur-
ton in the subsistence allowance and
other such modification Of the work
ing rules as would MAKE for efficiency
and economy Of operation. These, he
adjustment of the matter
The shipping board, i the chairman
said. does not desire arbitrary wage
reductions based solely on the pres
ent industrial depression, which
might except the seafkgers from the
higher standards of ffvTng. In MAX
ing readjustments. he added, it pro-
poses TO stress the same factor which
was so largely considered in making
increases--the return of the purchas-
ing value of the dollar toward its nor
nal worth as reflected in the percen-
tage drop in the cost of living.
Il have given much thought to this
matter" he said II want to be fair
to the interests Of the men and OF,
ficers who are manning our ships; TO
the operators and owners who are
running them, and to the people Of
the United States who are looking to
the shipping board who are looking
after their interests in the Merchant
Marine All of us should consider
the interests of the private owner in
foreign trade who is manfully carry
ing the burden of competition unas-
sisted by the government.
Rapidly changing economic condi-
tions resulting from the war, Chair
man Benson, continued, have caused
tremendous decline in ocean freight,
the tying up of many ships and the
unemployment of many men. Wide
price revision has been brought about
too, he asserted, by the pressure of
reconstruction in land industry. Cen
eral liquidation is taking place, he de-
clared and as far as labor is concerns
ed substantial reductions in wage
scales are reported daily.
Six points on which the Marine en-
gineers asked favorable assurance be-
fore discussing wages in the present
negotiations were rejected by the
chairman. The board, he said, could
not give it's consent to the abolition of
the sea service bureau, which place,
American seamen on .Imerican ships
Nor can it consent he continued,
"as government institution to
points five and six involving union
preference. The shipping board as
government institution must stand
for that equality in it's relations to
the government which is guaranteed
to every citizen by the constitution of
the United States"
Points two, three and four. which
referred to Interpretation of the Sea-
mems Act, he said, must he rejected
as long as the law was in force.