Evening star., 1948-11-12
Picture on Page A-4.)
By the Associated Press

picture on Page A-4.)
BY the Associated Press
NEW YORK, Nov. The
zero hour neared today in a
stevedores' strike that threatens
to spread the length of the At
lantic Seaboard and to the Gulf
coast.
The bottling-up of virtually all
American shipping on three coasts
was feared, since Western ports al.
ready are tied up by maritime
strike that began more than two
months ago.
Ultimate scope of the East Coast
Walkout, which to date has dis
rupted operations in several major
ports, hinged on the final tally to.
day of ballots by about $1,000 long
shoremen.
A union official predicted the vote
will be against acceptance of a pro-
prosed wage settlement.
Thousands Already Idle.
This, he said, would extend the
water front shutdown from Port
land, Me, to Hampton Roads, Va,
and subsequently to South Atlantic
and Gulf Coast cities where work.
ers have agreed to follow the lead
Of East Coast dockhands.
Thousands of longshoremen al
ready are idle in New York, Boston.
Philadelphia, and Wilmington, DEL,
where locals of the AFL Interna.
tional Longshoremen's Association
already have rejected the proposed
agreement. Hundreds Of stevedores
in Albany. N. Y, on the upper
Hudson River voted Iast night to
join the walkout.
The strike, which began here
three days ago and snowballed from
port to port. has immobilized scores
Of vessels. They have remained tied
up at piers. with the owners unable
to unload incoming cargoes or take
on new ones.
Several Ships Rerouted.
Several other ships at sea have
been rerouted to Halifax, Nova
Scotia, because of the strike situa-
tion.
John J. Sampson, head of lila
Local 191, said crews of tugboats and
other small harbor craft, which haul
vital food and fuel supplies to New
York City. probably will quit work
if the longshoremens strike becomes
complete.
Such stoppage in 1916 led Mayor
William O'DWyer to call an emer-
gency and forced closing of some
industries and a dimout of theaters
and many other establishments.
However, Joseph P. Ryan, lila
international president, claimed the
tugboat workers would not strike.
He said there is no need to spread
the strike to craft that are not af-
fected."
Ryan Shifted Over.
Mr.. Ryan originally called the
proposed longshoremen's contract,
which he and other union leaders
negotiated, fine agreement" but
he later shifted over to the side of
rank-and-f1le workers when they
struck Wednesday.
The proposed agreement calls for
an increase in day-shift, straight
time pay from SITS to $185 an hour,
and in the night and weekend
overtime rate from $2.621a to $2.771h.
Mr.. Sampson denied reports that
the New York strike situation re-
suited partly from a long-standins
feud between him and Mr.. Ryan.
Mr. Sampson said the strike is mot
"a fight against Ryan personally but
against the contract.
Want So an Hour.
Demands of the longshoremen, as
outlined by Sampson, are for an
increase in straight-time pay to 81
an hour and in overtime pay to So.
He said they also want provisions
for welfare fund, a guarantee of
a minimum of four hours work
when called, and other benefits.
About the only stevedores report
ed working along the Metropolitan
New York water front yesterday
were those loading perishables or
Army supplies.
The lila estimated 10000 men
were out in New York. About $500
were reported idle in the Phila-
delphia and Wilmington area. The
union said 5000 were off the job in
Boston, but a port authority said
only about 400 had actually stopped
work there since no more were en-
ployed at the present.
Because of the strike, 997 pas
sengers who arrived here yesterday
on the United States Lines luxury
liner, the America, were forced to
lug their own baggage.
The ships master, Capt. John w.
Anderson, said a ASTON cargo
aboard the ship could not be moved
without the longshoremen.
Meanwhile, the liner Veendam,
due here today with 585 passengers,