New-York tribune., 1921-05-23
Decide to Keep Up Strike,
Despite Offer to Cut
Proposed Reduction of
Wages to Is Per Cent
Secretary Davis
Asks Referendum
Cabinet Member Still Has
Hopes of a Settlement; {;
Harbor Men to Stay On

Proposals for settlement OF tha
marine workers strike, involving 12O.-
GOO men on American ships on the At
lantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts, were
rejected by the unions at mass meet
ing held yesterday at Cooper Union.
Acting on tentative agreement
reached at Washington on Saturday be-
tween representatives of, the Marine
Engineers Benevolent Association Sec
retary OF Labor Davis and Admiral Ben
son, chairman of the United States
Shipping Board, that the strikers ac-
cept compromise reduction in their
wages of 10 per cent instead of the 30
per cent originally demanded by the
ship owners, the meeting voted to stand
pat on their contention that their wages
for another year should continue the
same as for the year ending May /.
secretary Davis, who came to New
York accompanied by j. S. Jenkins, of
the Bureau of Industrial Relations, and
Dr. Fred G. Davis, Commissioner of
Cancellation, in the hope that a settle
ment might be effected at once, said
last night he was still hopeful that ne
gotlations would be successful. He
conferred with II. II. Raymond, presi-
dent, and Wilthrop l.. Marvin, general
manager, of the American Steamship
owners Association, and obtained their
consent to recommend that the ship
owners wage committee continue ne
gotlatlons in Washington tomorrow.
Benson Would Compromise
1t is understood that Admiral Ben
son, representing the governments in
terest in about $500 ships, consented
to sign q wage scale for & 15 per cent
reduction to continue for one year,
thus waving any prospect for further
reductions during that time. The ship
owners, on the contrary, hold that a Is
per cent reduction in wartime wages
would not be sufficient to enable them
to compete with the rates of foreign
shipping.
Reports were submitted to the union
that the ship owners would be disin-
cllned to continue negotiations after
next Tuesday, especially in view of the
unions refusal to accept the tentativ
agreement, on the ground that the ship
owners thought they detected weak
ening of the strike. 1t also was re-
ported that Shipping Board officials re-
effective, so far as the governments S
ships are concerned.
Despite reports which some union
officials regarded as unfavorable, the
Cooper Union meeting voted unani-
mously to reject any compromise on a
basis Of wage cut of Is per cent.
Two strong elements were present at
the meeting. one favoripg and the
other disapproving of compromise
settlement, but when the vote was
taken it was without dissent. Opposition
to any reduction in wages came We
hemently from Thomas B. Healey,
chairman of the unions conference
committee, and Ernest Pegg, chairman
of the Pacific Coast council. Mr..
Healey urger the rejection of any kind
of compromise, asserting that the
stand taken before May l should be
upheld by the men. so Is not to set a
precedent for any future cuts. Mr.
Pegg reported that the Pacific Coast
the ship owners expired a month
earlier than the Atlantic coast con-
tract, were unalterably opposed to ac-
cepting lower wages. He threatened
that If the Atlantic coast workers ac-
cepted the cut the Pacific Coast men
would continue the fight on their own
account.
Declares War to Finish
"We intend to carry out the fight on
the Pacific Coast until we VIM" said
Mr.. Pegg. "The ship owners have en-
tered into an agreement that they will
beat US, and we have entered into an
agreement that we will not be beaten"
Another strong eIement opposed to
a compromise settlement appeared in
the presence of the harbor men, who
are not on strike but who have vote
in the union. They contend that any
reduction in wages would eventually
affect them. They were advised TO re-
frain from striking in sympathy with
the oceargoing workers on the ground
that they might be enjoined by court
order from quitting work.
Those who urged the men to Join in
the negotiations looking to settlement
on the basis of the tentative agreement.
it is understood were w. s. Brown,
president of the National Marine Work
ers' Association; Bert L. Todd, head Of
the seagoing engineers in New York;
George N. Willeys, of Boston; c. E.
Thurston, of Norfolk; James L. Dukes,
of Philadelphia, and William Hyman,
of Baltimore. All of these men were
at the conference in Washington which
resulted in the tentative agreement.
They are said to reflect. sentiment in
ports other than New York where the
workers are eager 70 return to their
ships.
After the Cooper Union meeting it
was announced that no vote had been
taken directly on the tentative agree
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