Rock Island Argus., 1901-10-28
FIGHT IS REOPENED,
Machinists Ask President to Look
Into Rock Island Arsenal
Labor Conditions.
0ooENBLL AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Executive Promises to Interfere
it Representations are
Correct.

from Washington:
If you can demonstrate to me
that union labor is being discrimi.
mated against at the Rock Island arse
nal, or that inferior work is being
done on the government vessels now
beirg constructed by the Union Iron
Works at San Francisco. on account
OF the refusal of the company to en-
ploy union labor, will take action at
| once TO remedy the conditions
| 1.-The above statement James o Con-
mel. president of the International
Association of Macbinists. says Presi
dent r Iosevelt made to him at the
| White House Saturday in response TO
an appeal for the riSh of organized
| labor. Speaking of his conference
with the president. Mr.. OConnell
said:
Accompanied by other mem bers
of the executive bC ard of our associa-
ton, L called upon President Roos--
welt TO lay before him the exisiiT q
conditions at San Francisco and Rock
Island 1 told him that 1 had in
formation that inferior work was bI =
ing done on the government vessels
now beng constructed by the L Iion
Iron Works.
The reason for this was the re-
fusal of the company to employ union
men at living wages. further told
linn that repairs on vessels now in
the transport service we're being held
up because the contractors at the
yards in San Francisco had locked out
the men and were unable 10 get
skilled men to do the work. AS a
coDst quence of this repairs ordered
on some of those vessels as far back
as six months Sgo have not been
made thereby endaug ring the lives
of every passenger and member of
the crew.
As TO Local Situation.
% AT Rock Island L explained that
union men had been Disseminated
against by the commandant until now
thtre is not a single union man in
the shops. Before the present pe-se-
Gu ion startt at Rock Island almost
the entire yard was union.
1.-The president told me to lay the
proofs of my assertion before him.
and instructed me to brir Q them in
writing direct to the secretary. so as
to avoid any red tape. II l made cut
a case, he promised that he would a, [
at once to remedy the conditions.
"'This statement / intend to hand
the secretary Monday. Is will con-
tain ali the information have on the
situation at bJth places At San
| Francisco the machinists have had q
long fight to maintain the organiz -
tion. Since the fight began the firms
II q or fnr
sails and repairs have not employed
skilled mechanics. but have pretended
to get along with men who in many
Instances are not skilled enough TO
be admitted into a union where there
are machinists of recognized abil
| itv.'
The criminal carelessness of the
heads of the transport service who
have allowed necessary repairs to go
| unheeded rather than force govern
ment contractors to employ skilled
men will also receive atte tion. The
Union Iron works, when it launched
the Ohio. turned out piece of very
inferior quality, and intend to bring
this case To the presidents attention.
"Mr. O'Connell said that he pro-
posed to push the present matter as
vigorously as possible in hopes of get
ting the president interest ed to The
extent Of taking some action which
will end the strike on the coast
The labor le-ders here hold that
an investigation of the class of work
the government is getting on its con-
tracts will develop The fact that a
very inferior quality of workmanship
is being had. They believe that a de-
mand for skilled labor for the vessels
will force the employers to accede to
the demands of the union and thus
end the strike -
Capt. CrozIer to Get 1t.
The Chicago TIibune's Washington
correspondent IN dispatch to his pa
per yesterday States that President
Roosevelt has virtually promised the
office of chief of ordnance. soon to be
made vacant by the retirement of
Gen Burlington, to Capt. Crozier.
He states that Col Alfred Mordecai is
the ranking officer, and would un
doubtedly have been appointed but
for the storm of opposition that would
come oct of the west on account OF
the position he took during the /
strike of the machinists at Rock Is !
land arsenal, which came under his
direct charge. he insisting on the
treatment OF the men during the pre-
senting of their grievances as though
they were enlisted men.
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