The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-05-19

PlcSetlng was on "a hours Of the
day.
In this manner the strike went on
for a week. From May first to the
9th, the docks we're sawed up tighter
than a base drum The only docks
where the companies claimed scab-
bling was going on. were the Clyde
Mallory and Morgan Lines. And
they had to admit that this was
going on under an armed guard
which was three times as large as
the number Of scabs.
While city and state did not di-
rectly use their police forces during
the strike, due to the nearness of
the elections, the various companies
were allowed a private strike duty
force, armed to the teeth. Machine
guns were mounted on the Southern
Pacific Steamship company docks in
Houston and on the Clyde Mallory
docks in Galveston. On this latter
dock, in Galveston, two pickets were
shot Saturday morning, the day of
the conclusion of the agreement.
One died later.
Millions of Dollars Lost
Millions of dollars were lost by
the shipping companies as a result
of tie effectiveness of the strike.
The N.R.A. officials, called into ac-
ton by the shipowners, were unable
to do thing 1t remained for the
ever trusting friend of the shipoWn-
ers in the ranks of the longshore-
men to see that the men went back
to work with as little gains as pos
sible. Ryan appeared on the scene
after the first five days of the strike.
He carried on negotiations for five
days more as result of which he
reached the following agreement
!. Minimum wage Of aoc and
s1.20 an hour overtime; 75c and
s1.00 overtime for coastwise.
2. 15c per bale of cotton, only 2
certs above the pre-strike rate.
3. This same rate to go for all
ports, including Lake Charles. La.
4. The agreement to expire June
l and not in September.
On the surface there does not
seem to be much of a change from
the original demands of the long.
shoremen. 1t even looks like a VIC
tory. Being that there was an in
crease in the wages for the men
But when considering the fact that
the contracts will expire at different
times for the Sabine River district
ports from the other ports, one can
see that the slight gains do not
amount to much.
What is more, the main coastwise
lines were completely abandoned.
Instead of using all the longshore-
men, as well as the differences
| among the various coastwise ship
, owners in order to make them all
come to terms, Ryan let the four
main coastwise companies go and
settled the strike with only a few
Of them, Those that have been ex-
cluded from the agreement are the
following: The Southern Pacific, the
Clyde Mallory Line, the Southern
Steamship Company and the Moor
Mccormack Company.
For the time being quite few of
the longshorennen seem to be salts
fed with the arrangement. But this
is only until they begin to under
stand how it will work out with
their pay envelope which will not
change very much.
-. O.,4z.L.
This betrayal was possible mainly
because of the lack of activity by the
Marine Workers Industrial Union
and the Communist Party among
the longshoremen prior to the strike.
The little that was done, such as
the issuance of leaflets, did not
change matters much. The revolu-
tionary movement in the Gulf was
on the outside of this strike. The
strikers, especially at Galveston,
read with enthusiasm the leaflets
issued by the Trade Union Unity
] League, but this is as far as it went.
The betrayal of the coastwise men
on some of the main shipping lines
docks gives the Marine Workers In
dustrial Union an issue to get in
among the loagshorcmen in the
future
The basic task of the Party and
Trade Union Unity League. how
ever, at the nrescnt time is TO pen
citrate into the ranks Of the long
shcrenen inside of the LILA. This is
not only necessary but possible, as
the littia that was done in that fii-
rect,cn has already brought results.
Only such systematic work from
rev on, only work planned ahead
Of time and not to be hit By a tl.1s,'-
de-holt as we were this time, will
assure orr participation in ard
future leadership of the coming
struggles.
In this connection the MWIU.
has learned its lesson and is now
taking sters to open UP il various
ports of the Gulf ard TO prepare for
further work.
This is in line with the decision
of the recently held National Com
mittee meeting for district con-
ference to be held July 7-8 in Hous-
ton, Teres, for the mobilization of
sesmen and longshoremen's organ
izations in support of the National
Conference. which will be held at
the end of August in Baltimore.
This conference in the Gulf will
also ley the basis for better opposi-
ton work inside Of the LILA. as well
as among the unorganized long