Evening star., 1951-10-25
Fighting Breaks Out
In n. Y. Dock Strike;
WaIkout May Spread
BY the Associoted Press

NEW YORK, Oct. 25.-F1ghtlng
erupted on New York's strike
locked waterfront today when
some 100 longshoremen drove
through the strikers picket lines.
The sortie. led by supporter of
Joe Ryan, president of the AFLI
International Longshoremen's As
Sociation broke through and
around a picket line of $50 men at
Hudson River pier where the
liner Coronia had just docked.
Fistfights broke out. There was
a furry of showing, yelling and
souging. No one was hurt seri-
ouSly, police said
The invaders reached the dock. |
but then turned around and left
without unloading the 800 tons of
general cargo from the British
liner. The pickets, who are re-
belling against a recently negoti-
ated contract. watched sullenly
as the group retreated.
DeuOuuCtS NIuCdt StTIke.
Harold Bower, a pro-Ryan man
who led the invasion. denounced
the wildcat strike, but said, I'VE
will not work in a section where
there are pickets" He didn't ex-
plain the action further.
The furry came as rebel leaders,
of the anti-Ryan strikers threat
ened to spread the paralyzing
stoppage to Philadelphia, Balti-
more and Chester. Pa.
Virtually all piers in the big
port of New York. including New
Jersey docks. and in Boston al
ready have been shut down by the
strike.
A total of 122 ships have been
mmobilized, some Of them With
pelishable cargoes rottine in the
holds. Tons of other freight were
piling up on docks at the rate OF
SIS million worth day.
John j. Sampson. leader of the
rebel strikers, said picketS were
en- route to the three other cities.
but there was no word yet of
any action from those points.
viii Respect Pickets.
In Baltimore, Steve Mack,
longshore spokesman. said his men
viii respect pickets from New
York. The CIO Maritime Union
there also said it will honor
plcketing against all cargoes but
military ones
A three-hour heated session be-
tween rival factions of the long
shore union broke up early today
without any agreement.
Federal Mediator Clyde NJ. Mills,
who presided at the meeting, when
asked about the progress of nego-
tlationS to end the 11-day-old rebel
strike, said only:
They got lot of things off
their chests"
Last night, plan to end the
Gripping strike collapsed when
rebel dock workers refused to fol-
low Mr.. SIMPSONS suggestion that
a new vote be taken on a recently
approved contract.
The contract, which upped
hourly pay from 81 to S2.1O. Is.
the main contention in the intra-
union fight. The insurgents want
to scrap the agreement and get
a 25-cent hourly wage raise.
Mr.. Ryan's contention that the
new contract was approved by
tWo-to-one vote among $1,000
longsnoremen from Maine to Vir-
ginia is disputed by the dissident
group.
Appeal to Truman.
Business, civic and shipping
groups yesterday made new ap-
peal to President Truman to stop
the strike" The President as yet
has taken no action.
Nearly half of the East Coasts
$1,000 longshoremen are reported
out.
Railroads have embargoed all
shipments to the New York and
Boston areas. Mail is being re-
routed and luxury liners. such as
the lie De France, are being di-
verted TO Nova Scotia.
An Army spokesman said the
strike in New York has had little
effect on Korean-bound cargoes.
since most of such consignments
move out from the West Coast.