Evening star., 1939-03-11

Nitt VI topoI OlllCldlS was SCNeO.
uled for $3.50 pm. today to reach
a showdown in negotiations.
The threat of a strike by engineers
and flremen in local hotels-which
might leave the buildings without
heat or electricity-hung over nepo-
tiators as mediation conferences in
the four -day-old hotel walkout
opened at the Labor Department
this morning.
Labor Department conciliators-
who narrowly averted the engi-
neer's strike last night-worked
against time to end the dispute
which hit l3 hotels here this week,
John R. Steelman, director of con-
citation at the department, was
responsible for averting the engi-
neer's walkout yesterday.
He obtained from the strikers a
promise that the engineers and fire.
men would remain at their post dur
ing the day. Members of the Strike
Committee pointed out significantly
that this agreement ended at mid
highland added that they would
make no promises for today.
Harold Levine, attorney for the
Strike Committee, stated that the
engineers and firemen, in addition
10 musicians, would be called of
their jobs if the committee gave the
word. Orders not to pass picket
lines would be given the local men,
he said, from their general officers.
Engineers are under jurisdiction Of
the International Union of Operat-
ing Engineers, with headquarters
here. The flremen belong to the
Firemen and Oilers Union.
Engineers are licensed by the Dis
trict government and operate the
furnaces and electric switchboards.
If they walked out, union officials
said, they would throw electric
switches controlling lights and ele-
vators and would shut off the heat.
The operation of electric switch
boards is not difficult, but running
the furnaces is more complicated
work.
None could say with authority to
what extent the furnace rooms of
the 13 affected hotels were unionized.
Osgood Roberts, spokesman for the
hotels, said he had no idea how
many of the engineers and firemen
belonged to the group. His hotel.
the Mayfower, has no contract with
this group, he said.
Plea Prevents Walkout.
The seriousness of the situation,
however, was apparent from the
actions of DR.. Steelman. 1t was
his earnest, forceful plea to the local
strike committee not to cripple"
the hotels that prevented the walk
out last night.
Local strike leaders kept in touch
with Edward Flore of Buffalo, gen.
eral president of the Hotel and
Restaurant Employees International
Alliance. A. F. of L., which called
the walkout here. 1t was within his
power, the local committee said, to
pull out the furnace room help.
Charles E. Sands, business agent
of Bartenders' Local IS, and mem
Der of the Strike Committee, re-
turned today from conference with
Flore. He would make no comment.
Representatives of the local musi-
clans union said they considered
the possibility that they would strike
against the hotels extremely re-
mote Orders for a walkout, A. c.
Hayden, business agent. said, would
have to come from Joseph Weber Of
New York, president of the Fedora
ton of Musicians.
Mediation sessions took up in the
Labor Department today where they
left off at dinner last night. DR..
Steelman met in his Office with the
operators representatives
In another room, Howard T. Colvin
fCoo CTpIRE Dooa A10N