Evening star., 1946-10-08
|ShipoWners Delaying
Talks as They Collect
u. 5. Fees, AFL Says

| Lewis q. Hines, ALL legislative
representative, accused West Coast
| shipowners today Of deliberately de-
laying strike settlement negotia-
tions, saying they were content to
| let the ship Stoppage continue while
they collect Government commits
Sions.
Angrily, Mr.. Hines told reporters
in the presence of Marion Plant,
representative Of the Pacific Ameri-
can Shipowners' Association, that
| the Westerners were using minor
differences with Eastern operators
as lever"
The American Federation of La
| Dor representative said we're go
| ing to take this whole issue to Con-
gress,"
Later, Mr.. Plant explained that
shippers serving as agents Of the
Maritime Commission do receive a
fee for their services, as employees.
He could not say whether this was
going on during the strike.
Big Loss ON Rentals Claimed.
| On the other hand, Mr.. Plant ex-
planned to neWsmen many carriers
now rent vessels from the Govern
ment on charter and that those pay
ments were continuing and 'they
are taking heavy loss on that"
East and Gulf Coast operators
who have had contracts providing
for preferential hiring Of union deck
officers and engineers are seeking a
modification of that provision which
would make it more palatable," Mr..
Plant said.
The Pacific representative added,
however, that even the proposed
changes would not be acceptable to
| the West Coast. Union security has
been the chief issue in the current
strike.
The exchange occurred shortly
after principals in the all-coast
strike, working against time dead
line, had gone back into session
seeking agreement on the demands
of AFL deck officers and CIO en-
gineers.
Last Ditch" Conferences.
Director Edgar l.. Warren of the
Cancellation Service began what
might develop into last ditch ef-
fort to reach agreement moving the
strike bound merchant fleet. A
threat by the AFL masters, mates
and pilots to walk out Of the Gov
ernment conciliation conferences If
no agreement is reached by nightfall
had been voiced by Capt. Harry
Martin, union president.
Capt. Martin and his associates
were present when the conferences
resumed this morning. officers of
the CIO engineers were standing by.
There was no indication that
progress had been made toward re-
solving the main issue in the strike
the unions demand for preferen-
tial hiring clauses and maintenance
of union membership.
Longshoremen May Prolong Strike.
! Today's negotiations will be the
first involving all parties since the
Saturdays conference ended In
barrage of recriminations from all
sides.
Meanwhile, on the West Coast
third striking union, Harry
Bridges CIO Longshoremen, threat
ened to prolong the walkout even
If a settlement Of the officers dis
pute is reached.
Mr.. Bridges threat was made
over a seemingly minor issue of
the dockworkers' dispute--one in-
volving only is coastwise lumber
schooners. He demanded sep
arate contract covering unloading
OF the AFL-rnailned boats. He, said
he was sure CIO Marine Engineers
would continue to support him,
even if their problems were set
tied.
Mr.. Bridges and West Coast
waterfront employers have reached
agreement on new contract in
volving a vast majority Of the
members Of the longshore union.
Employers called the continuing
dispute involving the schooners a
jurisdictional dispute between Mr.
Bridges and the AFL Sailors Union
/ -E