Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-04-06


prescribe that he shall share with the
lemployes the executive authority
now reposed alone in him and his
military superiors, he must continue
to exercise that authority under such
instructions as he may receive from
these superiors, but without dicta-
ton from employees or from commit
tees representing them.
g. 1t is the privilege of each en-
ploye to accept or decline the work
and compensation offered him, but,
under the laws and regulations now
governing the prosecution of work at
government arsenals, 1T is not his
right to dictate what foremen or work
men shall be employed, what work
they shall do, or what compensation
| they shall receive, what regulations
shall govern concerning records of
work accomplished, or what shop
rules for it's orderly and efficient pros
ecution shall be issued.
All these are matters pertaining I'M
der the law to the officers placed in
charge of affairs at this arsenal; they
have been considered and directions
for the government of employees an
nounced by the commanding officer in
official orders, shop regulations or
instructions to assistant officers and
foremen, and these directions, in no
ways unusual, but similar to those in
force at other arsenals, must in the
future, as in years past, be observed
by all workmen employed at this ar
senal. BY order of
MAJ. BLUNT.
L. l.. AMEs, Lieut.. Ord. Dept, U. S.
A, Act. Adjt.
Maj. Blunt, commenting on the
synopsis of the mems statement pub
lished yesterday, said this morning
that he had never refused TO re-
ceive a deputation of arsenal work |
men or to transmit any statement of |
grievances they desired to make to
the proper authorities. But having
been obeying the orders of his super
Tor officers for over 80 years, he feels |
to continue doing so.
Therefore he cannot raise wages at
the arsenal because that power is not
vested in him; and he cannot discuss
with the employees there the rules
that shall govern their work, for the
government has been fixing those
rules for years, and to give the en-
ployes 4 voice in making them would
be simply the overturning of all pre-
cedent and the Inauguration of an
order that does not exist at any other
arsenal, and ut very few private work
shops, and that would leave the re-
sponsible commandant subject to
court martial. Maj. Blunt is also I'M
able to understand why he is accused
Of refusing to pay extra for overtime
md Sunday work, when the bill pro-
Tining for such extra pay for over
lime during the war rush was
.urned down by congress. Very little
sunday work is being done now. and
my attempt by the post commandant
lere to draw more than regular pay
or the overtime would simply mean
hat his drafts would not be honored.
The press committee today gave
'ut the appended statement for publ
,ation:
mo one regrets the trouble be-
ween the commandant and the ma
,hinists at the arsenal more than do
themselves. Should Maj.
Blunt have received our committee
Tuesday, which he absolutely refused
o do, there would have been no walk
tut. If the government has the right
ulcers to investigate and adjust its
grievances with civilians, as was done
n the embalmed beefquestion. surely
Justice demands that civilians have
he right to appoint "a committee of
ivilians to Investigate and adjust !
heir grievances with military officers. I
Our grievances are not of spon-
aneous but of slow growth, dating Z
hn fr-fN h af tnF1 l..
apt. Blunt attempted to reduce the I
Gale of wages. The attempt proved c
utile owing to the bold stand of the '
nen and the aid of officials at Wash t
ngton. Though defeated at that T
ime, Maj. Blunt has ever since used
hose tactics which have ultimately
rought about the end which he then |
ad in view. Machinists receiving
2. so per day have been removed from
and common laborers who
lake no pretense of being machinists s
ut on the machines at $50 per day. il
hese laborers are thereby forced to r
tempt to do machinists' work, and, Il
cling Incompetent, their work neces- n
lrily is inferior. This move is not only b
isastrous to us as individual ma a
linists, and to the good name of
ock Island arsenal, but to the gov
of the United States as a
hole. Inferior work must bring
bout defective arms. The exercise
economy in national affairs is good. +
ut is the difference in the wages paid =,
the skilled mechanic and the Ia -
'rer sufficient compensation for :,
inning the risk of giving into our -
ave soldiers hands inferior weapons ::
it'll which to meet the enemy on the - =,
Id of battle? :.