The morning times., 1895-07-10
MERIT RULES VIOLATED
FaVOTtism Still PraCtiSed in the
Navy Yards.
ESPECIALLY AT NEW YORK
Secretary Herbert's Letter to Com
modore Sicard Says at No Other
Yard Has There Been Such Diff
Guilty 10 Protect Labor-Men w ork-
ing Under Assumed Names.

Secretary Herbert has addressed letter
to Commodore Sicard, comInandant of the
New York navy yard, concerning the ir
regularities in the employment OF the men
in the yard. The Secretary says:
Referring to the report of Lieut. j. j.
Knapp concerning the manner in which the
regulations governing the employment Of
labor at navy yards have been carried into
effect and the replies of the various heads
OF departments in explanation OF the nu-
merous inlractious that We're reported, the
Department, after careful consideration
of the statements aud explanations made,
regretfully concludes that in quite number
OF instances il has not had that hearty
and Jealous cooperation in the enforce
ment OF the labor regula tions il had right
to expect from naval officers at the
New York navy yard.
The rules Were intended TO make merit
the sole test for employment, and continu
ance in employment in navy yards, and
especial care was taken to exclude all
opportunities for fayoritism on the part OF
person, aud particularly on the part of
leading men, foremen or heads of depart
ments / the va rds
LABOR NOT FAIRLY DIVIDED.
1T was well known at the Department
that labor at the yards was not fairly di
vided between political parties, and this
was a serious objection TO a continuance
of the system, but ii was hoped that by
the natural mutations which would occur
under Il lair administration of the rules
this objection would gradually disappear.
II certainly was very desirable that favor
itism should not be permitted Ia effect
retention or promotion contrary to the
spirit and letter OF the rules.
AT most of the yards there has been no
difficulty, but SO many were the complaints
coming up from the-New York yard that
the Dcpa rtmcnt, To ascertain the true
condition Of affairs. was compelled to send
an officer there who was many weeks in
veStigating the complaints and irrcgu-
lariUes.
1T is a remarkable fact that three
years after the system was inauEuratcd
the board Of labor employment at the New
York yard and the heads OF departments
were found TO be Persisteutly violating IN
many directions the rules they were ordered
to enforce The additional ard more def
mite instructions sSued November /,
1894, aud the long and painstakinG invcsti
CATION made by Lieut. Knapp into the
affairs OF the yard consequent upon numer-
Gus complaints coming from the outside,
would not have been necessary ( proper
study Of the original rules had been made
No SUCH TROUBLE ELSEWHERE.
In no other navy ward has there been
so inadequate a compliance with and so
total msconstruction Of these regulations
as at Brooklyn, especially in the depart
ments Of yards aud docks and construction
and repair
The rules lying at the foundation of the
system provided that laborers wanted in
a. 81
phcants as made up 10y the board Of
labor employment.
These lists covered applicants for work
in the different trades and the schedule
Of trades, If need be, could be extended
by the department; these provisions,
coupled with the utter want of any rule
authorizing a transfer of workmcn in the
yard from one trade to another, ought To
have made it plain to any one that such
transfers could not be made.
Again, whenthere was no " oTk mec1aniCs
and laborers instead OF being dropped were
suspended and subsequently taken on
again without CertificatiOn by the board
of labor employment in direct violation
of the spirit and intent of the regulations.
Such administration as this has brought
the department numerous complaints to
the effect that favoritism was being con
stantly practiCed at the New York yard
and that the hope held out to labOrerS by
the registration rolls was a delusion.
Investigation shows that the most sat
isfactory answer the departmentcan make
to these complaints is that its officials
could not understand the rules
Officers must understand that the rules
governing labor at navy yards are as inviol-
able as any other regulations issued by the
department
DISCHARGES ORDERED.
The Secretary then gives many individual
instances of Irregularities, naming the
bosses at the yard responsible for them and,
in pursuance OF his policy OF reorganization
of the force OF the yard, approves the rec
concentrations OF the investigating board
and directs that certain of the workngmen
b. discharged and that Others BE- reduced or
suspended for a certain time from promo
ton In conclusion the Secretary says:
. You viii direct ali employees under
| Schedules A and b to present themselves
at the office of the board of labor employ
nent and in the presence of the recorder to
l write their respective names, addresses,
! trades and the department. in which each is
! employed on Navy Yard Orders, Form 3 -
| index card when this has been done the
| recorder OF the board shall compare the
4 names thus obtained with the time books
of the various departments Of the yard and
| report 10 you such persons as are not carried
in the time-bookS in their proper names,
| and have ethenames o such persons corrected.
| If there are any employees who fail TO give
satisfactory reasons for working under an
assumed name, you viii report such to the
| department with your recommendation.
"You will give such directions as may
| be necessary to carry out the details of
this order"
The Passing of Silver.