Evening star., 1946-02-07
'BroWnoui' in Effect,
Union Leaders Agree
To End Tugboat Strike
BY the Associated Press.

= :
NEW YORK, Feb. 7.-"Brown-
out" and a drastic system of
fuel rationing went into full eff
feet in New York today in a state
of emergency proclaimed by
Mayor William ODwyer after
striking tugmen voted against
returning to work despite Gov
ernment seizure of the towboat
industry.
Meanwhile, representatives of the
union, employers and the city an
nounced early today after an all
night meeting that they had reached
a proposal for settlement of the
dispute which would be submitted to
a referendum meeting of the union
tomorrow.
Details of the proposals were not
disclosed.
Union to Get Proposal.
At the end of the cor .erence, Ed
ward G. Mcguire, labor adviser to
Mayor O.Dwyer, said in a state
ment:
"The union and employers met
and as a result of deliberations a
proposal was arrived at which the
union negotiating committee is
prepared to recommend to its mem
bers at referendum meeting be-
tween 8 am. and pm. Friday"
Mayor O'Dwyer. declaring the
strike had cut the city off from
IS per cent of its coal supply and
95 per cent of its fuel oil supply
also ordered all schools closed to-
morrow and held in readiness for
possible use as hospitals for pneu-
monia cases resulting from lack of
heat. The schools will be closed for
at least five days.
The new measures, which also
turned off all electric outdoor dis
play advertising and ended heating
OF transportation systems, were even
more stringent than the require
ments set for the city during the
war.
Moving Of Supplies Ordered.
The Office of Defense Transports
tion, which seized th> 81 towboat
companies operating In New York
Harbor and conti~. aous waters early
yesterday, ordered As Army and
Navy tugs to begin moving fuel sup
plies into the city today.
The action came after a request
by Lawrence c. Turner of the
Waterways Transport Division of
the ODT, acting as Federal manager
OF the properties, that the Army and
Navy man the tugboats.
Approximately $500 tugboat work.
ers, members of the AFL Interna-
tional Longshoremen's Associations
United Marine Division, struck Mon
day morning in a wage-hour dispute
with the New York tugboat ex-
change.
The men voted. 451 to 25s, yester-
day not to return to work.
Capt. William Bradley, president
OF the LAS marine division, yester-
day voiced opposition to the plan to
use Army and Navy tugs.
Aoo ANuCh ITCSSuTe, ne says.
There has been too much inter-
ference already" he said. I'VE
would like to straighten it out our
selves. think the men feel that
too much pressure is being put on
them"
Other union leaders said an at
tempt to operate powered fuel
barges might lead to serious acci-
dents.
Mr.. Turner said the purpose of
moving ships with Army and Navy
tugs was "to try to supply fuel oil
and coal to those places greatest in
need, placing the tugs where they
can do the most good" s.
Mayor ODwyer's emergency dec
laration, made in two proclamations,
barred coal deliveries to dance halls,
night clubs, theaters and other es-
tablishments mot directly related
to the public health or safety" and
directed that in no event should
more than a weeks supply of fuel
be furnished any consumer.
He also ordered that all interior
temperatures be kept no higher than
go degrees except on buildings de-
voted to the care of the sick and in