The New York herald., 1921-05-03
ARBITRATION OFFER
REJECTED BY SHIPOWNERS

duction OF wages to meet foreign compe-
tition and methods. Mr.. Marvin, general
manager OF the American Steamship
Owners Association, said that discrimi-
nation against American cargoes by the
English was a very serious matter. He
said, for example. that spinners and cot
ton manufacturers of Lancashire have
declined TO accept cotton from Galveston
unless II was carr led in British slips and
under British insurance
He estimated that the payroll for
an $500 ton American ship is between
$4,000 and $4,000 a year more than
for British ship. Mr. Marvin also
said he wouldn't be surprised IL the
unions exempted mail ships from the
strike order and continued to operate
them without question.
Foreign ships have to meet american
conditions when signing crews in Amer
lean ports. Union heads sold yester-
day they had already tied UP one Brit
ish ship in this harbor when IL sought TO
get crew at the reduced wages. Ma
rlne delegates figured last night tha:
forty-five ont OF $40 ships in this port
had been stalled by the strike.
The American Steamship Owners
went on record as contradicting tae
union assertion that the trouble Is !.
Dispatches to THE NEW York HERALD
yesterday from the important Atlantic
coast ports indicated that the marine
strike had begun to gather force and
that in at least two of the biggest har-
bors the situation was serious. Charles
ton. ;. G.; Boston and New Orleans re-
ported that shipping was being tied up
rapidly and that by to-day the conges-
ton probably would reach the critical
stage. ship operators were optimistic
everywhere
From Portland. ore. came the news
that thus far only four vessels had been
affected. All were of the Shipping
Boards fleet. Seattle reported 1000 men
out. There were non-union substitutes
for ALL
None of the cities reported disorder
Little progress was made by the strike
leaders in Baltimore, Philadelphia and
Savannah. At the latter port only one
ship with crew on board was at the
docks. She is due to leave within few
days. but there was no hint that her
men would quit. Officials or the marine
workers unions in Philadelphia were re-
ported as claiming that sixty steamships
in port yesterday were being swept clean
O. their crews and that by this morning
there would be complete tieup of ali
foreign and coastwise shipping At the
same time ship operators were claiming
that the situation would not become
serious. The unions claimed that 2700
men were on strike in Philadelphia
About 1000 men had quit ships in
Baltimore since Saturday night, the
despa tches from that city said. 1t was
said that the first test of strength would
be delayed until to-day. when the Ship
ping Board will try to sign crew for
the steamship Wildwood. Officials OF
the board said they would have little
difficulty in getting the men. but the
union leaders said none OF the marine
engineers In port would agree to the
wage cut, and therefore would not sign
There were 300 men out in Charleston,
late dispatches said. SO far as could be
learned the unions call for n wailxout
was obeyed by every ship worker in the
Charleston district.
The strike spread rapidly In New Or
leans. according to the reports and at
nightfall ten vessels were without crews
The operating department OF the Ship
ping Board there announced that no
Government vessels would be held up
since there would be no difficulty in
finding men glad to work for the reduced
wages. Crawford II. Ellis, vtce-presi-
dent Of the United Fruit Company. gave
instructions that the places OF the strik-
crs be filled by non-union men as quick
ly as they Were left vacant and that the
steamship Parismina would leave to-
morrow according to schedule.
Only one ship, the Rama, cleared
from New Orleans yesterday. In order
to evade the strike issue her owners,
the New Orleans Bluefields Company,
changed her registry from American TO
Nlcacaguan.
In Boston II was reported that 1000
men were out Of work and that dozen
ships were idle.
The messages from san Francisco the
last Of the big Pacific ports TO be heard
FROM said that fourteen vessels. en-
2ased in all trades, were deserted by
their crews by s o'clock last night ana
frat no ship left with a crew signed on
the reduced wage scale. II was esti-
mated that 1000 men had quit work.
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