Evening star., 1936-11-03
Time for the Big Stick.


way, regardless of the result, the
President may be forced to take hand
in the shipping strike, already assuming
dangerous proportions. The situation
requires firm handling and the use of
whatever big stick" the Government
may have available.
For this is no ordinary battle of wits
or Drawn between one class of employers
and their employees. The undisciplined
behavior of the strikers and their "out-
law" sympathizers on the East Coast
affects American shipping, which means
the transportation of the mails and the
movement of commerce. Millions of
persons in no way concerned in the
long-drawn-out dispute on the West
Coast over union recognition and union
rights stand to suffer through continu-
ance or spread of the strike.
Regardless of the merits Of maritime
labors contentious on the West Coast,
the strike at this time is unreasonable
and inexcusable. The demonstration in
sympathy which has tied up or prom
iseS to paralyze shipping on the East
Coast is even more to be deplored, in
dicating more impulsive hot-headedness
than any reasoned course of action
What makes these demonstrations un-
reasonable and inexcusable at this time
is the fact that enactment of the new
merchant marine-ship subsidy law at the
past session of Congress, and the Presi-
dents appointment of the provisional
Maritime Commission within the past
month, marked the beginning of an
entirely new and promising chapter in
development through Government aid
in ship building and ship operation, of
an American merchant marine. Fair
treatment of labor, including payment
of adequate wages and compulsory COM
pliance by operators with already high
standards established for American sea-
men, are integral parts of the new
merchant marine policy. Under a strict
law, administered by carefully selected
maritime commission, American mari
time labor had little to fear and much
to gain.
The new Maritime Commission should
have been given all possible cooperation
by operators and the disgruntled ele-
ments on the West Coast. Instead, we
have the picture of a rapidly spreading
strike. joined by men who do not share
the grievances Of their brethren and
acting in defiance of their own leaders
and in violation of agreements. The
opening of conciliatory hearings in San
Francisco by the Maritime Commission
is marked by refusal of the striking
Sailors Union even to participate, de-
spite the courteous assurances by Ad-
miral Hamlet of fair consideration.
One of the reasons for the decline Of
the American merchant marine has been
the disproportionate cost of building and
operating American ships with high
priced American labor. The funda-
mental basis for ship subsidies, paid by
the taxpayers, under the new merchant
marine act is the differential between
building and operating costs Of Amer
lean and foreign vessels. And before
even the machinery is organized for
making that act effective, the bill
footing American public is treated to a
demonstration easily capable of under
mining respect and confidence in the
men who sail American ships at sea.
Edward F. McGrady, Assistant Secre-
tary of Labor. who has worked tirelessly
in a futile effort to avoid the present
strike, very correctly points out that
when any group takes action
endangering the welfare of the Nation
they are assuming position that the
Government must challenge" This
strike, he points out, may Involve, di-
rectly or indirectly, the lives of the
citizens of the whole Nation and its
insular possessions"
When election is over and realities
take the place of campaign speeches, the
big stick-operation of ships by the
Navy if necessary-should be brought
out of the corner.