Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-15
New Maritime Crisis
Indicated in BRIDGES
Reaction on Contract
BY the Associated Press

Harry Bridges has gone down the
line for unity.
He goes back to San Francisco
embittered. the only union leader in
the Committee for Maritime Unity
who leaves Washington with just
about what he had when he came.
But he says he will renew his try
to- get more when his new contract
expires September 30, so there might
be new maritime crisis this fall.
Holding out until close to the
last minute of the 18th hour, Mr.
Bridges, president of the powerful
CLIO international Longshoremen
and Warehousemen's Association,
finally yielded for two reasons, &C
cording to some of his maritime
allies:
l. To avoid splitting the newly
formed Committee for Maritime
Unity, made up of six CLIO unions
and one independent, and bolstered
by the claimed support of the World
Federation of Trade Unions en-
bracing workers in some 40 coun-
tries.
Wrath of Congress Feared.
2. To avoid bringing down on all
labor the wrath of Congress a major
new strike might arouse. Passage
of the Case Strike-control Act made
organized labor a bit apprehensive
despite its veto by President Tru-
man.
Philip Murray, president of the
C1O, is understood to have advised
moderation and even-according to
reports circulating at the settle
ment talks-to have taken a stern
line with Mr.. Bridges.
This gave rise to conjecture of a
Murray-Bridges rift. The specula-
ton was not discouraged when Mr..
Bridges pointedly omitted to give
Mr.. Murray the slightest credit for
the seamen's gains in his address
telephoned to West Coast workers
Thursday night. BY contrast Joseph
Curran, president of the CIO-Na-
tional Maritime Union and co-chair-
man of the GNU, lavished praise on
Mr.. Murray's work during the ne
gotiations.
Mr.. Bridges originally demanded
$3.50 an, hour, 35-cent increase.
He finally settled for $1.37 an hour,
a 22-cent increase as recommended
by Federal fact-finding board last
month and already accepted by en-
ployers. AS the strike deadline
neared he was fighting for one more
penny
Government Is Adamant.
The Government, after taking the
negotiations away from the employ
ers, refused to grant it. Concilia-
tors said they could not override
the findings of Government-ap-
pointed fact-finding board.
AT the end Mr.. Bridges gave In
AS matters wound up, GNU
emerged not only whole but with
sweeping gains for its member I'M
ions. Mr.. Bridges own gains, al
though virtually in his lap before
the Cancellation started, were so
great that employers had doubted
the Wage Sterilization Board would
approve them. The board did so
Immediately, however.
In his first hint that he would
give in, Mr.. Bridges denounced the
conciliators and the fact-finders
alike. Fact-flnding, he advised all
unions, is "a snare, a delusion and a
sell-out-keep away from it," The
conciliators he charged with doing
everything possible to stall, double
talk and mislead."
( And he served ominous notice
upon the West Coast and the Nation
last night. The new contract lasts
only until September 80 and then
Mr.. Bridges said, he will drive again
for the full $3.50 an hour.
We'll get all the things we didn't
get here he told reporters. GNU
will be summoned to his support. In
other words, new maritime strike
crisis may materialize three and a
half months hence