New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-18
Case or SrRIKE AT CRAMPS SHIPTARD.
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN JOHN F.
KEEGAN. OF THE MACHINlsTs' UNION AND
EDWIN s CRAMP-THE LATTER AT
TEIDITES IT TO ENGLISH SHIP
BUILDING INFLUENCE.


Philadelphia Sept II (SpeciaD-John F. Keegan,
business agent Of the international Association of
Machinists says that Edwin S Cramps statement
that the strike is inspired by English shipbuilding
interests is absurd on its face the employees Of
Cramps DO not desire to force any trade away
from their own centre. The strike is a part of a
general movement in this country for a reduction
10 the nine-hOur system. he says.
Mr. Kcegan asserts that Mr.. Cramps comparison
of wages paid in England and in this country is
unfair inaSmuGh as $40 mas a purchasing P lover
concerning the wages OF English shipbuilding me
Chauics are Inaccurate. For instance English ma
chinists who have been working in Cramps ship
yard received in their native country from IS to -
accord7ng to Mr. Cramps figures. they receive 81 n
a day IS p a week. The English mechanic, Mr..
Keeg4n claims. lives well as II not better than
the American and is able 70 put 10 per cent out Of
his wages I'm the saving funds.
Mr. Cramp this afternoon gave out A supple
mcntary statement to the effect that Mr.. Keegan
attending 10 his interest in this strike Mr. Reagan
says that Mr.. O'Connell IS the president Of the
international Association Of Machinists and is at
tending the British Congress OF Trades Unions at
Plymouth a representative of the American Fed
eratIon Of Labor and not in any way in the in
terest Of the nine-hour movement. which is purely
American, and was settled 50 far as the British
mechanics are concerned, years ago.
Edwin s Cramp quoted in The Pha-
delphia Times" Of Sa urday as saying that the
recent strike the Cramps shpbuildng yard
was part OF a gigantic scheme of English ship
building firms to organize general strike among
employees Of similar firms here. and 10 regain the
ground they had lost in the big English strike
two years ago.
The American shpbuildng industry is the
real objective point of attack" ne said "Our
finn. labor agitatOrs now plying their voca-
ton in this city well know. is being made the
sCapegOat Of the scheme
IF this attempt upon us had succeeded every
American shipyard would have been attacked.
&c nj
the transatlantic building away from this country
and returned II to England
There are At present ten ships OF this class in
the market. and American builders are preferred
as bidders" continued Mr. Cramp "A tieup Of
All the shipyards here would naturally place these
contracts and many others on the books OF foreign
shipbuilders. This is the true nwardness OF
the clever schemG and me american 3, public should
Eleven hundred and sixty men in our employ
the year at least 10 per cent These skilled hands
are distributed throughout the thirty departments
Joiners and carpenters, boiler makers machinists.
case Of machinists; They average from $A to go,
according TO the class of work they are engaged
upon. Where we pay 81 to machinist he gets
The following comparison Of wages received by
| on the clyde average 81 81 for nine hour work
! Sl4 to $50 week. English noulders ayelage s. a
| week, and We pay from SO to 81 ana 81 BLACK
cramps,, blaeksmiths average SEQ week ANGLE
! ON contract work. The same kind Of labor on the
| clyde makes 81 % a day
| This" emphasized Mr.. Cramp. gives the gen
| eral public true notion % existing labor condi-
| tons prevailing I'm England and IN this country.
! The same comparison could just as readily be
| made between woOdworkers abroad and here.
| snip carpenters In our employ get 80 cents an
| hour for hours day. do also ship
! painters Pattern makers receive as nigh a. so a
| week. ON the other side of the Atlantic Ocean no
| such wages these prevail yet labor deitatOrS
| have been hired by foreign labor organizations to
| fomcut strife among American iron ana ship
| Workers
| In answer To further questions. Mr.. Cramp said:
! The company is capitalized 100000. and on
this Investment at ; per cent the stockholders re
! CeiVc $4,000. As 10 other sources OF revenue.
| 100000 Is paid out to our wOrkmen for the labor
| they sell us. 100000 more goes for material. and
| whatever surplus is left IS placed TO the
! credit OF beterments There is also to be taken
into account the extensive Improvements already
| started by our firm When completed the number
OF employees aggregate in the neighborhood Of 800
|