Evening star., 1946-09-07
Seufurers PLANNING
To Ask Support Of
All Labor Groups
BY the Assooioied Press

AL ~ maj lbllllC 1CooClS
threatened to enlist the support
of all organized labor in their
strike against the Wage Stabili-
zation Boards "pay-cut" ruling
as mounting chaos spread
through the Nations far-flung
transport system.
A general strike will be sought.
said Paul Hall, New York port agent
of the Seafarers' International Un-
ion. IF the Government 'finks'
(moves) any of our ships as it has
threatened to do"
He referred to reports that Gov
ernment officials contemplated the
use of armed forces to move relief
cargoeS and troopships immobilized
by the idleness of nearly a half
million seamen and waterfront
workers.
The White House, apprised of Mr..
Halls statement, had no comment" :"
The whole thing is in the hands
of the Labor Department" Press
Secretary Charles G. Ross told re-
porterS.
No Specific Plan Made.
One official in close touch with
the situation said there had been
discussions of what steps the Gov
ernment could take in the event of
a prolonged strike, but that up to
now no specific plan had been
drawn up.
UNRRA Director F. H. La Guardia
was in New York to appeal PERSONAL
ly to strike leaders to free 125 ships
with 250,000 tons of relief cargo for
Europe and Asia.
But Joseph P. Ryan, head of the
International Longshoremen's As
sociation, AFL, said the former New
York Mayor knew the futility of
such move.
La Guardia has had enough ac-
quaintance with longshoremen not
to make such request" he said.
The third day of the strike of
10000 members of the Seafarers and
the Sailors Union of the Pacific
Joined by an estimated 100000 allied
shipWorkers, dock hands and CIO
seamen-found confusion spreading
inland from the Nations idle sea-
ports.
The Association of American Rail-
roads said between $1,000 and 10000
loaded freight cars were tied up be-
cause of the strike.
This added to the shortage of
rolling equipment desperately needed
to move the grain harvest, already
piling up on the ground in some
Midwestern areas for want of freight
cars.
Mr.. Hall explained that an appeal
for a general strike would be
made through various local central
labor councils, should the Govern
ment attempt to move ships.
He said the seamen's strike now
was 100 per cent effective in all
ports" and added: I'VE are in fine
shape and prepared to strike from
here on in"
I'VE believe its effectiveness is be-
ginning to tell and complete tieup
will win our demands" Mr.. Hall
said.
Pier Sheds Dark.
Pier sheds were dark behind
closed entrances and cargo booms
were fixed tight as thousands of
vessels and half million men were
idle in the strike.
This was the picture as the strike
of members of the Sailors Union
of the Pacific and the Seafarers
entered its third day and the sec
ond day of picketing:
Transocean passenger traffic was
suspended; import and export of
raw materials vital to the Nations
mills and factories were halted:
more than 250,00O tons of relief
cargo for Europe and Asia were tied
up in 125 UNRRA ships.
Claim $500 Ships Laid Up.
Officers of the two unions claimed
more than $500 ships lay in At
lantic, Pacific and Gulf ports with
out crews.
The chain Of pickets was expected
to be extended even further today
to all New York harbor tugboats
manned by AFL crews.
Officials of the sailors union said
he picketing extension would halt
all harbor activity in New York ex-
cept for few railway barge tugs.
The tugboats were expected to cease
operation by 3 pm.
The small vessels normally bring
in an estimated 80 per cent of New
York City fuel and half of its food
supplies.
During a tugboat strike last Feb
ruary, fuel oil and coal supplies
dwindled to virtual exhaustion,
leading Mayor William O'Dwyer to
order the shutdown of the city's
BUSINESS and amusement activities.
xcept for certain exempted enter
(See MARITIME. Page A-41