The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-07-17


 ordinary citizens if they are suf- fering.
 Can Use Troops Under the law the government can use troops to insure the unin- terrupted movement of food SUD- plies. While this contingency was not expected, the army has 13,000 soldiers under arms in the ninth corps area embracing California Many of them are on duty close to San Francisco.
 A wartime law also would allow the government to place the port of San, Francisco under govern ment control. This power was or dered to maintain ferry service across San Francisco bay for fed eral employees in case regular ser vice is interrupted. Fresh developments on the coas, were wirelessed to President Roose. | welt. In manErzQuarters hope con. tinued 70 be expressed that the pres ident would interrupt his vacation l and proceed to San Francisco. Will Not Intervene Dispatch of endorsements for themediation brigade on the coast, however, was taken by many to in- dicate that the president would not intervene.
 Wagner was en route by airplane to Portland, Ore. ,at the request of the board. Sentiment for a general strike there was reported increas- ing.
 Wagner is regarded as the ad- ministration's first rank labor spe- cialist and headed the now defunct national labor board. Two labor conciliators were or. dered to San Francisco. They were Joseph s. Myers, Dallas, Tex. and | F. A. Donaghue, chief examiner o1 the labor department here. l Johnson was in San Francisco conducting unofficial conferences with the special presidential medi. ation board.
 Green Is Powerless
 President William Green of the American Federation of Labor powerless to take action in the strike except insofar as his person al influence is concerned, is also greatly disturbed by developments heading for the coast. Green is he said before leaving here.
 The federation explained it has no executive powers over the ac- tions of local bodies.
 The national labor relations board was watching the situation with concern but maintained il would not interfere. | Two other strikes worried off cials here. One was the truck. drivers strike at Minneapolis o1 6,000 men and the textile strike in Alabama where 22,000 opera tives were under orders to walk out at 10 a. m. today. | Board Works Patiently
 San Francisco. Calif.. July 17- l CUP)-In all the confusion of a general strike, the presidents me. diation board worked patiently along today attempting to bring a settlement of the maritime strike which started May 9, tied up ship ping, and precipitated the presen, crisis. l The board admittedly has made little progress. but it's three mem. bers, Archbishop Edward J. Han. na, Oscar K. Gushing, attorney l and Edward McGrady, assistant secretary of labor, have been un, tiring.
 Last night they reminded the public and strikers thattheir serv- | ices are still available as mediators
 Their task is a difficult one, but it may yet hold the key to the en- tire situation. The present strike grew out oi the maritime strike and settlement l ofthe maritime strike, 1t is assumed | wolud settle the general strike. Employers of longshoremen largest maritime striking group have agreed to arbitrate the long, shoremen's demands, including rec ognition ofthe union and the de- mand for union control of hiring halls.
 But the longshoremen have re- fused to consider arbitration until the same offer is extended to the nine other maritime unions on strike,