New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-05-01

still holding hope that the President
would appoint a commission of three to
go into the whole matter.
Meantime Secretary Davis had loft
Washington for Philadelphia AND vas
not expected to return mere until to-
morrow. After his departure memo
randum which he had sent to the
White House was returned. 1t was
understood that it contained sueges-
tions for appointments to the commits
sion, but whether the President had
approved the names was not disclosed.
Should the union officials hopes for
settlement 60 unrealized 1t was
pointed out that there would be no i'm
mediate general strike, because many
of the crews which might be affected
we're on the high seas and any tie-up
of shipping would come only as it be-
came necessary for shippers to sign
up their crews.
Orders have gone to ali government
per cent wage reduction at midnight to-
night, it was announced late to-day by
the Shipping Board.
Pending the result of Secretary
Davis's recomm endation to President
Harding for the appointment of the
commission, board officials said that
the orders making effective the pro-
posals offered for a readjustment of
the marine workers wages and work
ing conditions would stand unless or
ders were received to the contrary.
As yet, officials said, no instructions
have been received to cancel the wage
cut orders.
Mr.. Furuseth and Mr.. Brown con-
ferred with Secretary Davis at the
Labor Department after they had been
told at the White House that the
President would take the matter up
with his advisers. They laid their
situation before Secretary Davis at the
Department Of Commerce yesterday.
Soon after the labor men entered
ding sent out call for the Labor Sec
rotary and Secretary Hoover to confer
with him at the White House. 1t was
understood that Mr.. Davis told the
President that experts, of his depart
ment had estimated that the strike
would cost the country S1,000.000 day
on the single item of ship values.
While the President was considering
the strike problem Shipping Board Off
Gals went ahead with plans to operate
| the government merchant feet ire
spective of any strike.
There were reports that President
harding agreed with .Chairman Benson
of the Shipping Board that there
should be wage reduction, but Sec
rotary Davis was said to have urged
| upon him that even if the President
held to this view he should appoint a
committee to decide as to working con-
ditions.
The Labor Secretary, it was stated,
told the President that the marine
workers felt that they had not proper
hearing and had simply been asked to
| "sign on the dotted line" without ar
opportunity to present fully their side
of the case.
Neither Mr. Davis nor Secretary
Hoover would discuss the situation
when they came out of the conference
with the President. Upon reaching
his Office the Labor Secretary resumed
his talk with the representatives of the
marine workers unions.
Reports are yet lacking from tn,
different ports, Shipping Board official.
said, as to the probable number Of mer
who would leave the ships, but it was
expected that nearly all marine en-
gineers would quit. Officials did no
disclose their plans to meet the situa
ton.