The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-28
THE EIGHT HOUR DAY
Race Between 4 10. Hour Contractor.
and q Government
Ship Yard.
The Connecticut Is Building in One
and the Louisiana in
the Other,
From The journal Bureau, Room As, Post Build
ing, Washington.

From The Journal Bureau, Room Is, Post Build
ing, Washington.
washington, March 2s.-Within short
time the most interesting race that has
ever taken place between the government
Of the United States and a private con-
| tractor will be inaugurated and to a very
large extent the future history Of the
shipbuildng industry Of the United States
depends upon the outcome Consequently
both sides are straining every nerve.
The contest referred to is that between
| the navy department, which has UNDER
taken to construct in the Brooklyn navy
yard the giant battleship Connecticut In
competition with the Newport News Ship
building company, to which ; has been
given the contract for the building of the
Louisiana. The Connecticut and Louis
lana are sister ships in every respect
down to the smallest detail of their con-
struction-from the massive turrets with
their great 12-inch guns down through
their steel decks to the smallest screw or
rivet which holds in place the steel plates
which form their bottoms-they are to be
alike in every particular. From one
standpoint it is merely a contest between
the government and private parties. But
in reality it is a war between capital and
labor. Capital declared that the govern
ment could not construct it's ships as
rapidly as private contractors nor as
cheaply, owing to the restrictions which
labor has thrown about government work.
Labor replied that although the govern
ment yards were handicapped by an
eight hour system with fifteen days leave
for their men, together with higher
wages, nevertheless the employees OF the
government yards could accomplish more
in their eight hours work per diem than
an equal number of men in private ship
yards working ten hours a day, basing
their arguments on the ground that eight
hours was a proper days work and that
men whose hours Of labor were limited to
eight hours, by working more willingly
and more cheerfully could accomplish
more than equally as good workmen re-
quired to labor ten hours. r..
So insistent were the labor leaders that
the government could construct. It's war
ships, in its own yards for less money
than it was paying private contractors
that congress at it's last session author
Ted the navy department to build one OF
the battleships provided for in the last
naval appropriation bill in a government
navy yard, and allowed the secretary Of
the navy the sum Of $175,000 to equip the
yard for, the cons ructiOn of the vessel.
The act further provided that the secre-
tary Of the navy should keep an accu-
rate account Of the cost Of inspection and
instruction Of vessels provided for in this
act, whether built in government yards
or by contract, and report thereon to
congress. at each session, the progress OF
work and cost thereof, including the in
spection Of all materials going into the
construction of said vessels and, upon the
completion thereof to report a full and
detiled statement showing the relative
cost of the inspection and construction In
government yards and by contract
The Wager Is Accepted. az.
In pursuance of this act the secretary
OF the navy caused specifications to be
drawn for the Connecticut and Louisiana
and advertised for the bids for the con-
struction of one Of them, the Newport
News Shipbuildng company securing the
contract on a bid of s3,990.000, much less
price by congress OF s4,212,OoO. Forty
two months was allowed by the navy de-
partment for the completion of the
Louisiana-the contractors agreed to
complete her in forty-one months, under
a penalty of $500 a day for the first month
and 5000 day thereafter until the vessel
is completed. The terms of the wager
were accepted and the contest was fairly
begun when the secretary Of the navy is
sued the necessary orders to place the
Brooklyn navy yard in condition to con-
struct the Connecticut, that yard being
selected as the best equipped Of the gov
eminent yards for the purpose. f,.c r-~
The Government Handicap. .->...
1.-THE government is greatly handicapped
IN It's cOInpeClIlOn WIN Inc private con-
tractors in the construction Of the Con-
| necticut," said a prominent official Of the
navy department to-day. 'You know, in
the government navy yards we must
operate strictly under; the eight hour sys-
tenn. Only certain number Of men can
be employed in the construction Of a YES
sci at any one time, the number varying
according to- the stage of completion, In
outdoor work Of this, character it is Gus
tomary to take advantage of the long
hours of daylight in the summer to make
| up for the deficiency in that respect dur
ing the winter. At least, that is the Gus
! tom in private ship yards; unfortunately
| for us, we are prevented from following
| this rule. The law arbitrarily provided
| that our workmen cannot be employed
more than eight hours per diem and con-
| sequently we will work only.eigh hours a
| day where the private yards work ten.
| Under such circumstances, it will be al
most an impossibility for us to complete
| the Connecticut within forty one months
| as the private contractors have agreed to
| do in the case of its sister ship, the
| Louisiana. In addition we are further