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MARINE REVIEW Weency.J AND MARINE RECORD. LESTaBLISHED, 1878. Published every Thursday at Vol. XXVII 29-41 Wade Bldg by 'the Marine Review Pub. Co. CLEVELAND, O., JAN. 22, 1903. Eastern Office, 1023 Maritime Bldg., New York City, Foreign ; ES 4 Chicago Office, 373 Séertort St. d 2 oS a No. 4 [Entered at Cleveland Post Office as second-class matter.] Subscription $3.00 year. Single Copy Io cents. Reorganization of Lake Carriers' Association. | Detroit, Mich., Jan. 23--The Lake Carriers' Association as a bodv incorporated under the laws of West Virginia, and thus fitted to undertake dealings, in so far as they may desire to do so, with labor organizations, is to be continued 'during the coming year. In other words, the plans of reorganization, upon which active members of the association have been at work for a long time past, have been adopted, and although there is still some doubt 2s to whether the big fleets of the Steel Corporation and J. C. Gilchrist of Cleveland will be represented in the new body, it is hoped that they will come in later on. Even if these two big fleets are not entered it is now more than nrobable that mittee. We desire that the wage scale and other conditions shall | be settled between us and the committee. In meeting with you we have always had unumited power to make the best terms for the men that we possibly could make; we desire that the persons with whom we deal on your behalf shall have the same power. We do not desire a change in the system of handling grain as far as the superintendency is concerned. Our relations with Mr. Kennedy are perfectly cordial; but there are a great many details to be taken up and we believe that your representatives should have unlimited power to settle them. As regards the marine fire- men we had in the past season for the first time in the history of the change will be effected with- out them. It is confidently ex- pected, however, that this will not be necessary; that the manage- ment of these vessels, seeing that all other interests are united, will give their co-operation. Neither Mr. A. B. Wolvin, manager of the Steel Corporation fleet, nor Mr. J. C. Gilchrist were present at the meeting. Of course the Steel Corporation has reason to deal very carefully with the labor problem and undoubtedly has a fixed policy on that score. Its lake fleet of vessels is only a small link in the great chain that is involved in this problem. The opening session of the association was characterized Dv inertia. The members were slow in getting together and_practi- cally did nothing when they did assemble. The members did not want to even hear the report of the board of managers read and stopped Secretary Brown from reading it after he had scarcely begun. The report, however, had been previously printed and dis- tributed to each member so that each might dip into it for him- self. Capt. M. M. Drake moved that the representatives of the va- rious labor organizations, having to do with lake traffic, who were in the city, be given twenty min- utes each at the afternoon ses- sion to express their views. This was carried unanimously and a recess was taken until afternoon. At the afternoon _ session, however, the labor representa- tives decided that their cause should be presented exclusively by Mr. D. J. Keefe, president of the International Longshoremen, Ma- rine & Transport Workers' As- sociation. His talk was, there- fore, the feature of the afternoon session and a_ straightforward, practical, excellent talk it was. In his preface he stated that he was not prepared to speak for the seamen, so called, or for the ma- rine engineers, but that he spoke solely for the longshoremen, for the marine firemen, oilers and water tenders, and for the grain scocpers of Buffalo. the great lakes an understanding between the employer and _ this class of labor. Formerly the ma- rine fireman had no voice what- ever in the matter. His wage and. his station were settled with- out consultation. with him and he was expected to be content. Now we hold that if a worker has any right at all he has a right to be present at the making of a con- tract which he is supposed to car- ry out. I am proud to say that this right was recognized last spring and the Lake Carriers saw the advisability of meeting to- gether to contract for work for a given period. I will. admit that there was considerable violation ' of the agreement so entered into. It was violated by the men; but it was also violated by the em- ployers. I am confident that when a new agreement is entered into with the firemen, oilers and water the letter. It has been not unus- from a lower position to that of used to the old trend of cuffing the fellow under him. It is a satis- faction to know that there 1s less and less of this as the years go by. "The time has come when the employer must deal with the an agreement which he is expec- must meet together so that the worker can feel that he is part and parcel of the business. The relations between workers and employers are more satisfactory today than ever. I have no doubt that the pleasantest relations will exist all round if the Lake Car- riers will treat other branches of labor as well as they have treated the grain scoopers of Buffalo. All these things can be regulated if the ake Carriers will meet with the workers through committees and I am confident that all agree- ments will be carried out both in letter and spirit. "A short time ago we used to come to the conventions of the "My object in speaking for ne. grain © scoopers,' said': he, plunging directly into his talk, "is largely for the purpose of : trying to have our understanding in the future with the com- mittee of the Lak2 Carriers' Association and not with the super- intendent. Don't misunderstand--our relations with Supt. Ken- nedy have always been of the pleasantest character. Yet at the last meeting of the Lake Carriers we were somewhat handi- capped with Supt. Kennedy. He stated that the committee had instructed him that only such and such conditions should be complied with and that if other conditions were insisted upon the whole subject would have to be referred back to the com- _ Mr. Wm. Livingstone. Lake Carriers and were unable to get a hearing. Could make no inroad on the score of dealings with the association. In fact we couldn't so much as squeeze a tooth pick in. But through con- stant effort and untiring labor there was an odd fellow among you who came eventuallv to the conclusion that we ought to have a hearing. I am glad to say that one of the first of these was Mr. J. G. Keith of Chicago. I feel confident that you are satisfied as to the results so far. We have kept our agreements as religiously as any business organization. Whenever a local body attempted to delay the progress of business or to interfere in any manner they were immediately notified to return to work. tenders that it will be fulfilled to . ual for a man to gradually rise - mate, to master and eventually to that of owner; and masters were worker. 'here is no alternative. | The worker must be present when . ted to carrv out is made. They. :