The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-01-20
BY r. B. HUDSON
Part 1

DECENT developments in the marine industry
IL demand that the entire Party become &C
quainted with the major and immediate prob
lens confronting it in this basic industry.
The role played by the United States govern
ment in the renewal Of the International Long
shoremen's Association agreement require an
analysis of the industry be made in order that
we can fully understand our future tasks.
Hand picked delegates, uninstructed by the
longshoremen, began the negotiations and
September 16 the journal OF Commerce an
nounced Is cent hourly wage reduction, 20
cents for overtime rates and severe speed up
measures. Settlement of the agreement was post
poned until the arrival OF Joseph Ryan, presi-
dent of the lila, who had been in Europe and
whom this organ of Wall Street referred to as
"he has always fought for the men, but he has
won the respect of the shipowners because OF his
fairness. This was shown a few months ago
when number of high officials from American
and foreign lines gave dinner IN his honor"
To Serve as Bulwark Against Rehabilitation.
Ryan upon his return, September %, rejected"
the agreement, admitted that the weekly wage
was Is lit is lower) and walled our men Che
means the officials) have always successfully
fought to keep the Communists out OF the in
dustry". and if the ship owners failed to under
stand their value he threatened 'if this is to be
our reward then let the radicals come in We
have given the ship owners everything they have
asked Of the men and we don't think that adj
vantage should be taken now"
On September "a Ryan began to compromise
and offered to accept reduction of S cents in
overtime rates, but no agreement could be
rived at. The papers announced the possible
ties of walk out but needless to say the masses
were not kept informed of the negotiations and
no preparations were made for struggle.
On September 26 it became apparent that
split, which had its opening wedge two years ago
and which had as its basis conflicting interests
between foreign groups and U. S. shipping inter-
ests, and also an underestimation of the value OF
the association" to the BOSSES developed be-
tween the shipowners A deadlock was reached
and an emergency committee of ten was elected
TO enforce the ShipoWners proposals. The COM
position of the committee was all the large North
Atlantic companies except the United States
Lines and AS of the committee represented for
eign capital 1t is significantly noted in the Jour-
nal Of Commerce that "the tact that the United
States Lines and the shipping board are linked
financially prevented this important line from
remaining in the ranks OF the other owners"
Shipping Board Intervenes.
The deadlock persisted the shipowners we're
determined to enforce the wage cuts and they
began to make preparations for lockout. The
shipping board had never carried on negotia-
tons with the rest OF the shipping interests and
on September 18th, two days before the expira-
ton Of the agreement, the United States and
export lines, private companies with Shipping
Board backing. and all OF the lines OF the ship
ping board announced they were willing to re-