Evening star., 1948-11-13
NoTrucei in Sight
As Strike Affects
All Ports in East
Stevedores Reject
Terms; Railroads
Extend Embargo
BY the Asseeiofsd Press


BY the Asseeiofsd Press
NEW YORK, Nov. Is.
East Coast longshoremen's strike
swelled to full-scale proportions
today, immobilizing large part
of the Nations ocean-going COM
About $1,000 dock workers at ports
along 700 miles of coastline from
Portland, Me-, to Hampton Roads.
Va, were ordered off their jobs, as
of midnight last night. Chances
slim for a settlement.
CAT Baltimore, port activities
were at a standstill after long
shoremen walked out. Several
steamship companies which had
hoped to clear their vessels before
the walkout we're taken by sur
prise. Hampton Roads, Va, was
crippled by strike of 1900 steve
. dores.
(The Association of American
Railroads announced in WASH
ington today that it was EXTEND
ing its embargo on freight in
tended for export to Baltimore,
Philadelphia, Hampton Roads
and Wilmington, Del. An en-
barge on export freight through
the ports of New York and Bos-
ton was ordered yesterday.
(The actions were taken as the
longshoremen's strike, which be-
gan spontaneously in several
major ports four days ago.
spreadD
Ryan Sends Out Call.
The official strike call was sent out
by Joseph P. Ryan, president of the
international Longshoremens Asso-
citation, AFL, after he said members
had voted overwhelmingly" to re-
ject proposed wage terms.
The walkout threatened to par.
alyze the multimillion dollar Allan.
tic shipping industry, and stem the
regular flow of Marshall Plan aid
to Europe. Foreign vessels also were
affected.
Mr.. Ryan, who said the need for
calling the strike was national
calamity" said stevedores would re-
fuse to load or unload any cargoes,
except mail and supplies for Army
ships.
Ordinary mail, commercial freight
and foreign aid shipments will not
be handled, he said, adding:
'As long as we're having a strike,
let's have strike"
West Coast Tied Up.
Start of the strike confronted the
maritime business with a two-coast
shutdown. West Coast ports have
been tied up for more than two
months by strike of CIO long.
shoremen.
However, so far as South Atlantic
and Gulf Coast ports are concerned,
Mr.. Ryan said he had not inten-
tion of calling workers off their Jobs
now. but added that they'll come
out if we need them"
Earlier, union spokesmen said
Gulf Coast dock hands would follow
almost Immediately the lead of
East Coast workers.
The stoppage had repercussious
abroad. The British Cunard Whit0
Star Line, owners of the lineuo
Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and
others, last night notified shippers
in Liverpool that no more cargoes
for the United States could be ac-
cepted until the strike was settled.
John v. Lyon, chairman of the
New York Shipping Association, said
the owners have mo further con-
cessions to make" to the union.
1t was the stevedores' rejection Of
tentative agreement negotiated by
their leaders with the owners that
precipitated the stoppage.
The proposed agreement called for
an increase In the day shift straight
time pay from SITS to $1.85 an hour,
and in the night and weekend over
time rate from $2.621a to $2.77h,
plus other benefits.
AS local after local voted individ-
ually this week for rejection, the
strike started Wednesday in New
York-the worlds largest portland
hop-skipped to Boston, Philadelphia
and Wilmington, Del.
The overall vote was not tailed
until yesterday. Mr.. Ryan did not
disclose the figures, but said rejec-
tion was almost unanimous"
The union originally asked a So
cent hourly boost.
The strike was the first coast
wide stoppage called in the history
of the AFL Longshoremen's Union
since it was formed before World
War I.
Expected Truman to Act.
Mr.. Ryan said yesterday he ex-
pected President Truman to inter-
vene to halt the strike, but as the
day ended, there was no word from
the President, now vacationing in
Florida.
Mr.. Ryan reported the President,
before leaving Washington, had pre-
pared a message and left it with
Cyrus S. Ching, director of the Fed
eral Mediation Service, for delivery
(See MARITIME, Page A-3)
l: H:.I kl:..: