The New York herald., 1921-05-02
9 US. SHIPS SAIL,
|DODGING STRIKE OF
| 5000 MEN TO-DAY
Vessels Leave Port With
Full Crews and Operators
Are Confident.
ENGINEERS TO RESIGN
Union Chief Says Walkout
Coming To-day Will
Paralyze All Work.
OWNERS IN FIRM STAND
800 Ships to Be 'i4ed Up in
New York in "a Hours, La
Dor Leaders Predict.
OWNERS IN FIRM STAND

| The strike of marine workers which
went into effect yesterday morning
failed to prevent ships from clearing
port. All ships which were scheduled
to sail yesterday got away without the
slightest difficulty and with their
crews virtually intact. Steamship
| operators declared that if the first day
is fair example the strike will have
| little effect upon shipping.
Officials of the unions, however, dis
cussing what they termed the "lock-
out" said that the Atlantic, Pacific
and Gulf coasts would be tied up
within twenty-four hours and that un-
less the operators decided not to put
into effect arbitrarily the 10 per cent
reduction in wages the fight would
prove serious and costly.
Developments which will decide the
power Of the unions are looked for to-
day. The engineers on some Of the
ships scheduled to leave port to-day
have resigned, but the operators say
that there will be little trouble in fill
| ing their places. The operators also
| assert that the places of the firemen,
ltoilers, water tenders, seamen, cooks
and stewards can be filled from the
large number of nonunion men who
are seeking employment
Nine ships flying the American flag,
et,,nL L~1I1 ca.
ping Board left this port yester-
day with regular crews. according
to reports given out last night by
the companies operating them. There
was a rush to get these ships away
before the full force of the strike could
be felt. and as a result only three Ameri-
can freight carrying ships are due to
leave to-day. -Four ships are due here
| to-day. but the men on them are signed
for complete voyage and the strike
will have no effect on them until the
time comes to make another sailing.
| Fl. II. Raymond, president OF the
Clyde and Mallory lines and OF the
American Steamship Owners Associa-
| tion, has called a meeting OF the asso-
| citation for 10:3 o'clock this morning
at IL Broadway. The owners and OPP
! orators have moved their headquarters
there from II Battery place. where all
the negotiations leading up to the cut in
wages were held. The eighty members
of the association are all expected TO be
present and hear the report Of what
happened In Washington at the confer
ence with Admiral William S. Benson
chairman OF the Shipping Board.
Asserts Cut Is Too Small.
| II don't know what we can do at the
meeting that will change the presen,
| situation in any why said Mr. Ray
mond last night. Certainly there win
b no change I'm our attitude. All the
operators. without exception. are stick
ing absolutely together on the cut OF Is
per cent. In wages and the adoption OF
the new rules governing working con-
ditions. The only disagreement among
the owners comes from the fact that
many believe the committee In Washing
ton never should have agreed to as little
cut as IL per cent"
The unions also will meet this morn.
| ing at their various headquarters. Mem
bers OF the Marine Engineers Associa.
ton met yesterday afternoon at 26 Parh
place to hear a report from Thomas b
Healy chairman of the joint council OF
the Atlantic and Pacific districts, on the
conferences In Washington. The Are.
/
street. at 164 Eleventh avenue and al
29s Van Brunt street. Brooklyn. The
seamen met at 50 Front street
Mr.. Healy said after his meeting with
the engineers that 5000 designations
either had been handed in or would bt
| within a very short time. clause IN
/ the licenses prevents engineers from
striking. SO they resign. He estimated
that 400 ships In this port are affected
/ by the strike order and that they will
be tied up. When the engineers quit, ht
explained. the ships cannot feave por
and the other workers may as vel
strike.
May Cost sI.ooO.ooo a Day.
But this thing" he said, ls NOR,
| of a lockout than anything else. w,
are locked out because we did not ac
cept wage reduction which the ship
owners say Is Is per cent, but which
really amounts TO from 20 to 80 pei
cent. The new working conditions which
eliminate overtime. made the reduction
much more than IL appeares on the face
I'VE have tried TO maintain good con
ditions on board the ships and hav'
stood out firmly against a cut in wages
We simply could not accept the condi
tions offered us"
| Healy and other union OFFICIALS salt
that tho action OF the Shipping Boarc
| In advising a reduction. thereby bring
/ ing on tho present conflict, would cos
s.. 100000 a day. This high estimate
he explained. was based on the state
ment of the Washington Labor Bureat
that a stoppage OF all shipping would
cost that much. USion men said thai
Congress should do something to stor
this profiigacy on the part OF tho United
States Shipping Board"
| Neither the workers nor the owners
expect further action from Washington
| Admiral Benson's letter instructing op
orators 20 cut wages 10 per cent. effec.
tive yesterday, was the last word. The
owners have gone ahead and made tn.
cut and are prepared TO fight to the last
to maintain the new wages, even though
Continued on Fourth Page.