The New York herald., 1921-05-31
HEALEY HOLDING OUT
END OF STRIKE SEEN


Fall Into Line With Ship
ping Boards Policy.
Marine engineers are expected to ac-
cept Admiral Benson's terms in Wash
ington to-day and call off their strike
70 far as vessels Of the United States
Shipping Board are concerned. APP
parently a majority of the men in
Sundays union referendum voted in
favor of the Benson proposals.
If the engineers go to work the
Shipping Board will still have TO
reckon with the sailors and unlicensed
mariners generally. Andrew Furuseth.
president of the international Sea
mems Union and father OF the sea
mems law who was in New York
Yesterday. said that no matter what
the engineers did his union would not
yield. He talked to four meetings of
Lis flock in this city and advised them
u hold fast, as whatever the proposed
HSFttHleul HllSnI 90 lot OIneTS IL nelu
nothing of benefit for the sailor
However il the Shipping Board can
strike peace with the engineers 1t be-
lieves that steamships will move freely,
the engineers being closely organized
body Of skilled workers, whose general
obedience to the strike order is mostly
responsible for whatever effectiveness
the strike has had. 1t had been sup
posed that whatever the engineers did
about a settlement the seamen would fol-
low suit. but such. says Mr.. Furuseth, is
not the case.
HExpect Private Owners to Yield.
Shipping Board vessels constitute
kbout four-sevenths of the American
merchant marine. 1t was indicated at the
Department of Labor in Washington yes
terday that the private ship owners
would probably ratify the agreement pre-
dicted for to-day between the Shipping
Board and the engineers. II they do, It
VIII be contrary to all their pronounce
ments. The members OF the American
Steamship Owners Association have
said all along that they would not enter
Into a years agreement or pay for over
time work aboard ship. both OF which
features are in the proposal of Admiral
Benson.
Union engineers say they suspect that
when their compact with Admiral Ben
son Is made the private owners. in order
to get crews under it without themselves
ratifying IL, will try to lay up their own
.~vesses and take over for operation ves-
els owned by the Shipping Board. many
ks%hich are idle for lack OF cargoes.
The union men say that IL this is not
made impossible by agreement with the
board they will refuse to handle any
vessel which the private owners may
take over
committee of six chief engineers.
elected at a meeting in Webster Han
yesterday, left for Washington last
night to oppose ending the strike on the
basis proposed by Secretary OF Labor
Davis and approved by Admiral Benson.
They represent a large element OF bitter
enders among the New York engineers,
the leader Of which is Tom Healcy. busi-
ness agent Of Local 33 and chairman
Of the Atlantic and Gulf Council Of the
union.
The Webster Hall meeting intensified
the scrap between Healey's followers and
those Of Bert Todd. business agent OF
the other New York local and secre-
tary Of the council Of which Healey Is
chairman The ma ajority of Todd's men
are deep sea, blue water engineers. The
majority Of Healeys are harbor en-
gineers. Todd is for accepting the Ben
son agreement: Healey for rejecting It.
fteAtfN CHtitu inc NEDbLtT Ftdll meeting.
X was supposed TO be a gathering OF
both unions. but comparatively few Oh
Todd's boys were there.
Won't Sign, Says HeaIey.
Tho Irish question was raised early
and debated conscientiously. 1t got IN
because Healey's men are predominantly
Irish. and Todds are not. Healey pre-
sided The six chief engineers selected
to go to Washington arc three from each
local, the three from Todd's local be-
ing dissenters from his view OF what
should be done. Pro-Todd members OF
the strike committee said this committee
could only represent Healey's local in
Washington
Healey, who left for Washington at
midnight. said he would not sign the
Benson agreement. Others said that w
8. Brown, national president Of the
union. had full authority from the ex-
ecutive committee. given him in writing
on May IS, to settle the strike, and he
will he guided by the majority vote in
tne referendum taken on Sunday.
san Francisco on Sunday voted
against the Benson proposals. Healey's
friends say Boston and Norfolk did too
The Todd faction insisted that Boston
and Norfolk were among the ratfiers.
as well Seattle. Portland and Bath,
Me: New Orleans Mobile and Balti-
more. and that IN Norfolk the vote "yes"
was unanimous.
Tho proposals about which these men
differ have not been made public textu-
ally. It Is understood that III addition
to cutting wages Is per cent for all
classes Of men it provides for pro rata
Overtime payment. at whatever hourly
fatc an average eight hour days pay
come 10 over the period of q month.
The old agreement allowed time and \
half for overtime The extra engineer
FOR night duty Il eliminated There Is
to be contract FOR one year. but ap-
parcntly not with the Unions as such.
Tho subsistence allowance for chief en-
ginecrs ls cut frofl $3.50 ~ SO q day.
but The present rate for assistants is
continued.
Strike leaders who arc for accepting
the terms fipuro that tlc engineers
really iose little or nothing by them.
Hcsley's principal objection Is that they
are "oren shop Tho matter or rein
efatcmeut 81 strikers IL 10 hr settled in
fairness "a all parties ADMIRAL Ben
son r1x repeatedly sald tnc men who dld
tNite tf.I tdcar .hn replaced
strikers would be protected. The agree
a, oU,a .fut gN tde engineers the ten
day vacation with ray which they asked
Aea.
rrdiew Furusetb said Yesterday that
slc tihious WORE winning the strike. as
II evn by an average ~ twelve Amer