The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1946-02-12
Non.essentidI
Activities


the international Longshoremen's
Association CAFL) called out $500
members Of its Local S33--captains,
mates, deckhands and other lie
censed and unlicensed personnel
Feb. 4 on demands for higher wages,
q A0-hour week, and improved
working conditions. The union
twice voted down return-to-work
proposals but yesterday voted to go
back while submitting the dispute
to an arbitrator. The offer was
contingent on the operating COM
panies also agreeing 10 arbitration.
The operators--52 representatives
Of companies which run rs percent
Of the tugs--refused last night to
place the strike In an arbitrRtor's
hands.
ODT Operates Tugs
At that point, O'Dwyer clamped
on the fuel-savlng emergency shut
down.
The once Of Federal Administra-
tor Lawrence G. Turner said It
would have So tugboats plying the
harbor today, manned by Navy per-
sonnet and by city employees.
The big towns industries, the
aters, places Of amusements, depart
ment stores, business houses, schools
libraries and museums were closed.
Managers we're directed to maintain
building temperatures sufficiently
only TO prevent loss Of life and dam
age TO property.
The impact Of the shutdown did
not reach most Of New Workers I'M
til they started to work this morn
ing. Police details at subway en-
frances informed them that only
employees Of priority industries need
report for work. They advised the
others to go back to bed. Subway
service was 20 percent curtailed.
No Place 70 Celebrate
Placards at subway entrances
read:
Reduced service until further no
tice-or account OF coal shortage"
A great many businesses we're
closed because Of the Lincoln's
Birthday holiday, but those who
normally were on work had no place
to go to celebrate the holiday. All
sports events in the city were can
celed or postponed. Bowling alleys
were closed. Movies and bars were
locked.
Newspapers and radio stations
were exempt from the closing.
At ferry terminals on Staten Is
land, across the harbor from Man
haitian and Brooklyn, police used
loudspeaker systems to inform COM
nIuters Of the situation.
Only public utilities, transporta-
ton and communication services,
hospitals, clinics, institutions caring
for infants, the aged and the in
hrm," and milk and food plants
were permitted to operate under
drastic order issued by Mayor Will
liam O'DWyer to combat a critical
fuel shortage resulting from the tug
strike.
Precedent In u. S.
ODwyer took the sweeping action,
unprecedented in any American city
even during the war, after Federal
seizure and pleas from officials con-
cerned with the health Of the city
failed to bring settlement Of the
strike.
The striking tugmen sought in
creased pay and shorter hours. The
operators baked at submitting the
dispute to arbitration. Strikers and
operators were In conference until
a. m. this morning and reported
progress toward ending the strike,
but ODwyer said his orders would
not be rescinded until fuel stocks
had been replenished.
Every phase Of life in the city was
affected by the decree. It closed
every department store, every ONCE
and every industrial establishment.
Doors were closed against every
ONCE worker from the president OF
the stock exchange to the lowliest
clerk.
Nothing to Do
Blase New Workers found them
selves with nothing to do, and no
place to 60 but home.
ODwyer told them to stay OIL
public transportation vehicles unless
their movement was necessary to
the welfare Of others.
Subway service was curtailed to
reduce the consumption Of electrical
power.
Closed by the order were all places
OF assembly and all amusement
places including theaters, bars and
nightclubs. Schools had been closed
by ODwyer last Friday.
Churches Remain Open
The disaster control board met at
q. m. to ferret out any unauthor-
lied drain on fuel and electrical
power-from steam generators eat
ing up coal stocks. 1t was backed by
q city ordnance providing for a $500
fne and year in jail for wilful
violation Of its orders. and $50 and
80 days for unlawful violation.
The board was bombarded for rul-
ings on borderline cases.
Churches were allowed to remain
open as places of worship but not
as places Of assembly.
Laundries were closed in a ruling
which reversed a previous interpre-
tation which had held they would
be permitted to remain open.
Places serving food and liquor
continued to feed their customers
but were forced to close their bars.
State and Federal ofSices were not
affected.
II the crisis continues the Federal
Reserve Bank viii be the only finan-
cial house to open tomorrow. All
banking houses were closed today
because Of Lncoln'g Birthday.
Subway service was reduced 20
percent. This was accomplished on
two divisions (IRT and BMT) by
lengthening the interval between
trains and on the third lIndepend-
enD BY reducing the number OF cars
q train.
Operators Balk
The emergency order was issued
at 10 p. m. last night. only q few
hours after the o. operators of the
400 idle tugs rejected a union-ap.