Evening star., 1938-02-07
PUERTO RICO CRISIS
is BELIEVED PAST
Arbitration Board Acts on
Maritime Strike CHOKING
Food Supply.

action today At San Juan, Govern
ment oficials in Washington declared
themselves confident the crisis has
passed in the flve-week maritime strike
that has reduced Puerto Rico to . To-
day food supply by the closing down
of all commercial shipping.
DR.. Ernest Gruening, director of
the Division Of Territories and Island
Possessions. said he. was confidently
awaiting . report from Gov. Blanton
Winship later today on the results
Of the first session of the arbitration
board. He had reason to believe, he
added, the situation was more hope
full of settlement" than at any time
during the last five weeks.
]. L. Bernard, experienced Labor
Department conciliator, who was
hastened to San Juan at the request
OF Gov Winship, has arrived there
and was taking part in the arbitration
proceedings, 1t was announced. Om-
cials in Washington had not been ad-
vised Of the terms on which the arbi-
tration board is seeking to negotiate
q settlement of the maritime strike,
which is now entering its sixth week.
Terms Acceptable.
Associate Justice Martin Traveiso
OF the Supreme Court, had worked out
new articles Of arbitration over the
week end. but onicials here said the
important point is that these terms
were acceptable to both the shipping
interests, and the striking stevedores
affiliated with the c. I. o. DR.. Gruen-
ing saw in this decidedly ENCOURAGING
sign.
The complete tie-up of all American
shipping in San Juan, DR.. Gruening
said. has made the food situation criti-
cal.
There will be no attempt on the
part of Gov. Winship to use Govern
ment forces to load or unload ships
50 long as there is any hope for q set
tlement." he said If the food situa-
ton grows worse and the negotiations
reach deadlock, then there is no tell
ing what the Government may be COM
PEELED to do
The island government has been
saved the necessity for stern measures
thus far by an absence of any dis
orders growing out Of the strike which
has brought practically all the indus
tries of Puerto Rico to a standstill
Gov. Winship Is fully prepared to
maintain peace. A police and national
guard force totaling some 5000 WELL
disciplined men was said to be stand
ing by in the event of any emergency.
Conciliator Killed.
Gov. Winship called for a Labor
Department conciliator late Saturday
night. Mr. Bernard was at Miami.
Fla. and was to have been joined
there by Charles L. Richardson. an
other conciliator, who met his death
yesterday when the Army plane in
which he was passenger was forced
down in Georgia swamp lands.
1t was unnecessary to designate an
other conciliator, it was said, as Mr..
Bernard was thoroughly competent to
deal alone. He is one of the most
experienced conciliators in maritime
matters and has been successful in
negotiation settlements and numerous
Gulf port controversies.
The Labor Department had been
standing by 10 days. it was said, in
expectation Of being called in on the
Puerto Rican strike situation. DR..
Gruening requested the dispatch of
the conciliator to San Juan late Sat-
urday night after conferring with
Gov. Winship. The latter was said to
feel that the situation was getting
out Of control.
Unoff1cial reports from San Juan
said the negotiations would start on
a basis of 40 cents an hour for the
striking stevedores. this having been
the term previously proposed by the
ship companies. Restoration of Jobs
to c. I. o. organized striking clerks
and roustabouts also was said to be
involved.
DR.. Gruening had received no in
formation as to the personnel of the
board beyond the fact that Justice
1raveiso was one OF the impartial
abritrators.