Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-08-29
XXI INTO UNIONS.
President Proposes to Know Their Re
Iations to Government Work.


Wa hington, Aug. 24.-Secretary
Root. Acting Secretary OF the Navy
Darling and Secretary Cortelyou of the
denartmept Of and labor,
confirmed today the story that an IN
ouiry in regard to the influence OF LABOR
unions on government work had peen
ordered by the president and is now III
progress.
1t was learned at the war department.
that the first inquiry received there
came from the department of commerce
and labor and was based upon instruc-
tons from President Roosevelt. Secre-
tary Cortelyou declined to dlsCuSSS the
subject, but acknowledged that reports
from all the different branches or the
government on the relations or the IA
Dor unions to government work mas
been called for. From other oinclal
sources IL was learned tlat the purpose
of the investigation is to determine
whether labor unions are attempting to
exercise any control ever government
employees.
The report sent to the department or
| by the secretary OF wal ana
| the acting secretary of the navy snow
several instances in which labor Or
panizations attempted to dictate to the,
authorities. The report from the war
deuartmeat disclosed the fact that at
several ordnance factories labor unions
had interfered with the policy of the
officers in charge.
Union Secretary Protested.
At the WATERFOWL arsenal the sec
| rotary of a labor organization pro-
tested against the purchase OF materials
by contract from contractors VINO, 1t
was charged, worked their men more
| than light hours n day. At another
arsenal there was trouble because the
union sought to influence the services
of workmen on piece work.
At the Brooklyn navy yard a labor
union urged that only one class of en-
ployes should put into naval vessels
the small gas pipes through which
electric wires are carried. AS eX-
nlained at the navy department today,
II was a question whether workmen
belonging to the gasfitters' union or
the electrical union should do the work.
The question was settled, however
without any difficulty because the Off
Gals of the navy department deter
mined to do what they pleased IN the
matter and would not be dictated to
by the union.
Roasted" Non-Union Men.
An interesting feature of the efforts
of the labor unions to cause trouble
for non-union men working in shops
with union men is disclosed in Secre-
tary Darling's report. 1t is shown that
while the unions took no direct part in
these efforts as labor organizations, the
union men sought to prejudice the off,
Gals against non-union men by charg-
ing hat they were not capable me-
chanics.
The result of the inquiry made by
the war department indicated that
there had been less interference will
the workmen in the ordnance factories,
armories and arsenais than in any navy
department.
1t was said at the war department
today that one reason why the gov
eminent had experienced little trouble
with labor MO at the a%rsenals was
h a there is In existence an old stat
ute making 1t a punishable offense to
entice workmen from any arsenal OIL
armory.
Adjutant General Corbin was called
upon by Secretary Root to make ar
inquiry into labor conditions at the ma
tional soldiers home, but the reply re-
ceived from the governors showed tina
but little labor was employed and tina
of the workmen abou the home only
a few belonged to any labor organiza.
| ton.