Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-21
GUNMAKERS EXCITED
Stirred by Proposal to Take
Work Elsewhere.
MANY MEN NOW IDLE HERE
Contracts to Private Concerns Would
Mean More Discharges.
HOLD MASS MEETING TONIGHT
Members of Navy Yard Machinists
and Chamber of Commerce
to Take Part.

The matter of determining whether
| certain sum of prosperity shall be trans
ferred from the District OF Columbia to
the state of Pennsylvania was put up to
the Navy Department today.
Representative Brodhead of Pennsyl-
vania, in whose district the Bethlehem
steel works is located. called upon Presi-
dent Roosevelt Monday. accompanied by d
delegation of Bethlehem people and 9TH
ers. and requested him to order that some
of the naval ordnance work now being
done at the Washington navy yard be
given to private concerns. meaning the
Bethlehem steel works. it is said
President Roosevelt. after hearing the
statements of the petitioners, referred the
matter to Secretary Metcalf
When the news of the purpose OF the
Pennsylvania delegation became known to
the thousands OF workers at the naval gun
factory it caused considerable apprehen-
sion and some excitement. Washington
business men who are patronized by the
machinists. helpers and others in the navy
yard became interested. did real estate
men and property holders and others.
Mass Meeting Tonight.
AS result mass meeting has been
called for this evening at o'clock in
VIC A>oN a. t<OoSC OuIIOIlSs ftIl otIcSl dIo
Pennsylvania avenue southeast. Emmett
L. Adams. business agent of Columbia
Lodge of Machinists. and district presi-
dent. and other members of the machn-
lists organization. will be present to ex
plain the status of the proposition of
Representative Brodhead. The meeting
is called by business and professional
men Of the District of Columbia in the
interest of the navy yard employees, A
delegation of members of the Washington
Chamber of Commerce will be in at
tendance and represent atives of some of
the patriotic organizations Of the District
of Columbia will also take part.
Representative Brodhead pictured to the
President the suffering of the unemployed
mechanics about the Bethlehem works
owing to the scarcity of work.
Members of Columbia Lodge said today
that the representative indicates that he
would shift the suffering to the District
of Columbia by taking much of the ord
nance work from the navy yard here and
giving it to the private concern at Beth
lehem and elsewhere. Such move would
mean a reduction in the force at the
washington navy yard and a consequent
discharge and suffering on the very verge
of what promises to be a hard winter, To-
cal machinists stated
Hours of Work Elsewhere.
According to Mr.. Adams the taking OF
work from the navy yard here and giving
1t to private concerns in Pennsylvania or
any other states does not mean work for
more men. but for a less number. as
workmen in the navy yards are employed
but eight hours a day. while those n
private employ work ten hours.
Another point brought out by Business
Agent Adams was that when a machinist
or helper is discharged at Pittsburg. Phil
adelphia or any other large city, he can
find hundreds Of shops in which he can
seek employment. In the District when
a workman IL dismissed 1t means in q
vast majority Of cases that he will have
to break up his home. pack his goods
and depart for some other field.
The further statement was made that
the citizens of the District do not see any
Of the suffering and distress that was
brought about by recent discharges at the
washington navy yard owing to the scare:
ity OF funds and work. Columbia Lodge
Of Machinists thus far has taken care of
its own. There is no law which COM
pels the organization to care for the
members in distress. but the machinists
feel that 1t Is a moral obligation upon
the membership. 1t was explained that
Columbia Lodge spent much money in the
direction indicated in the past year to
maintain its policy of caring for its in
digent members.
Letter to Secretary Metcalf.
President Adams wrote a letter to Secre-
try Metcalf today in which he set forth
the views of the association affirming
| that the Washington navy yard can do
all the ordance work provided for in the
naval appropriation bill without the ad-
dition of single man to its present force:
that 23O men were discharged from the
Washington navy yard on July l Of this
year because Of lack Of work. and that
the city. having no encouragement to look
for work in other localities. and that the
problem of these unemployed is as acute
in the District of Columbia as it is in
| any other center.
The letter continues:
IF the department contemplates the
placing of more work In the private
plants. it must be done at the expense
of the workmen now employed in the
navy yard, and would mean that after
years of faithful services to the govern
ment and many sacrifices and denials to
establish their homes they must seek
! work in other cities where the opportun-
ity for the industrial worker Is greater.
and undergo the distress that would be
| occasioned by such a policy and its con-
seouent results"
Outside Work Inferior.
The statement was made on authority
| today that the naval ordnance work exc
| cuted at private establishments does not
begin to compare with that done at the
naval gun factory here, either in work.
manship or quality of material. Also
that much of the big and little gun work
received at the Washington navy yard
| from private gun factories has to be
"gone over and defects remedied at the
government esta blishment. From a stand
| point of economy. it was pointed out. the
| ordnance work should be given to the
| gun factory in this city with Its $500
| skilled employees.
| 1t was asserted that all the gun work
provided for in the last naval approprla-
| ton bill can be executed here without an
| increase in the force of workmen.
Ice Cream and the Flag.
| From the New York World.