The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-04-01
With Discharge Slips in
Pocket, MachiniStS Line
Up For Check.
is SAME OLD STORY,
SAYS COMMANDANT
Work Is Not Sufficient to Keep
Men Employed-More May
Go Later.

One hundred and forty men With dis
charge slips in their pockets walked to
the window of the cashiers Office at
the Washington navy yard this morn
ing and received probably their last
check, for services as machinists at
that yard.
The men received formal and somr-
what unexpected notice last night when
they quit work, that their services
would be no longer required
1T is the same old story" said Ad-
miral LeutZe, Commandant of the yard,
this morning. There is not sufficient
work and the men simply had to go.
The one hundred and forty Were 50 ad-
vised last night
More May Follow
Admiral Leutze did not say whether
there would or not be more discharges.
but it is believed that similar discharges
are to follow during the summer as the
work at the yard becomes lighter. The
machinists have been uneasy for sew
eral weeks and every effort has been
brought to bear upon Navy Department
officials and me mberS Of Congress to
devise some means by which the work
at the yard could be kept up 20 the
usual amount and the men retained
during the dull summer months. Nj
n-erouS meetings, secret and open. have
been held among the navy yard en-
ployes, but last nights discharges inGi-
cate they have been in vain.
Served as Warning.
The men became truly alive to the
situation confronting them when few
days ago many of them received notice
Sh al
three-quarters days leave due them up
to the present time. Each machinist
has fifteen days leave during the year.
and no man Is discharged with any
leave due him. At first il was believed
that the order to utilize the leave low
at this period OF the year was for the
purpose OF temporarily reducing the
force More recently, however, il dawn
cd upon the men that this notice was
but tie forerunner of the final notice
served last night that the Government
could not use their services further
rive hundred machiniSts OF Columbia
Lodge, NO. ia held a secret melting at
Naval Lodge Hall last night, and al
thouSf nothing definite was learned as
70 what trdnspired behind the closed
DOORS II Is understood that Dlans were
isld for continuing the fight TO r,reyent
lurther discharges and TO accomDI. sh
-eihStatement OF the employees wherever
possible.
E4ASl OuL OF ear.
The discharge last night is the first
OF the present year, and comes much
In the nature OF the several Of last
summer when about 400 men were drop
ped from the rolls. The wholesa Ie dis
missal is not without its pathetic feat
uTes- It is known that many of those
who were let out last summer have
never been able to secure positions pay-
ing anything like the wages they had
formerly been accustomed to. Men
who have been drawing 800 or more a
month as skilled machinists have been
compelled TO seek work in other fields
at barely more than half the pay.
Anoh6 ihe number discharged last
night, II Is said, are several who have
been at the Washington yard for more
than score Of years Some have
large families and have saved nothing
Tor the prOverbial rainy day. To these,
especially, the discharge last night
comes somewhat in the nature Of a do
nestle tragedy.
Bitterness Aroused.
Considerable bitterness has been
aroused because. il is said that much
Of the Governments work has been
let out 10 private contractors when
IL might have been done more cheaplv
and better at Washington, thus ac-
complishing dual result Of keeping
the men at work and saving money.
IL IS apparent today that the fight
which has been Waged for the Ua 81
two months since the ruomrs of
wholesale discharges again became
prevalent y 20 be renewed all along
the line, with Congress as the ObfeC-
tive center. Practically every mem
her of Congress is being appealed 10
personally and by letter by machinists
sHd unions from all sections OF the
country, 70 devise means 10 prevent
further reductions in the force at this
time. when employment Is difficult to
obtain anywhere