The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-04-21
NAVAL MACHINISTS
ASK SET SCALE
President E. [. Adams to
See Secretary of the
Navy.

Emmett L. Adams. president OF Dis
trict Lodge No. "A. International AssO-
citation OF Machinists, being assigned
by the general body 10 look after the
interests Of the members of that orga-
nization employed by the United States
Government IN the navy yards, naval
stations, gun factory and arsenals, IS
preparing to ask the Navy Department
to establish a wage scale board that
shall have control of the fixing of the
scale OF wages for all employees in the
navy yards, naval stations and arsenals.
Recently President Adams made a
complete tour Of all these Government
plants for the purpose Of personally
looking into the matter Of wages. rules.
and the general needs and treatment Of
the men, ana from the data collected IS
compiling a case which he Will person
ally present 10 the Secretary Of the
Navy. He viii ask for the establish
ment Of one general wage scale board
10 fix a unifom scale Of wages and shop
rules that will be satisfactory TO the
army Of men working as machinists for
the Government
Under present conditions there are
wage boards at each OF the navy yards,
naval stations and arsenals with wage
scales in force that differ materially
from each other, giving 10 men OF the
same class IN the washington yard, at
New York and Norfolk different wages
for the same kind OF work. With the
establishment Of one wage board with
general supervision over this whole
matter one scale Of wages would apply,
giving to the men OF each class a stand
arc wage. and this would establish uni
versaI satisfaction among the en-
ployes, where now exists dissatisfac-
ton, by reason Of the fact that the
wages are not uniform
The wage boards meet annually and
| are composed of officers Of the yards
who fix the wages upon a basis Of what
is being paid by corporations and pri-
vate concerns within certain limits of
the yard where the scale is TO apply.
In these considerations sometimes the
immediate vicinity of the yards where
there is practically no work similar TO
that done IN the navy yards and where
there are a few small machine shops
doing small and repair work are con-
sidered. Basing wages on such shops
is claimed TO be unjust and unreason-
able and II Is here that the discomfort
arises. In other cases the boards are
liberal and broad in their views in de-
Gliding this matter and take IN terri
! tory covering over 200 miles. In that
way a fair and reasonable wage scale
can be arrived at This Is true Of the
board Of the Washington yard.
President Adams and the men of his
| organization insist thar in the cOnEider-
alton Of wage scales the board should
/ consider local conditions, Of prices of
| rents, cost of living, and similar OK
! penses and that these things should
have some weight in arriving at the
| scale TO be adopted. and in looking
around to determine what is being paid
/ by corporations and private concerns a
sufficiently broad territory should be
| taken in 80 as 70 include Industrial CEN
! ters where large numbers Of skilled me
l chanics are employed at standard rea-
sOnable wages
President Adams IS Of opinion that
when the case Is presented to the Sec
! rotary of the Navy that official will
| at once see the reasonableness and ne
/ cessity for a central board to fix wages
I and Will readily agree that such an
/ arrangement shall be made. With a
I uniform standard wage scale IN force
E, al cause for discomfort viii have been
removed.