The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-09
ASKS ADDITIONAL
APPROPRIATION
Secretary of Navy Wants ST.
10000 More to Build
Battleshlp
HOLDS EIGHT HOUR
LAW RESPONSIBLE
-
Ship toCost Much Larger Sum
Than Sister Ship to be
Built at Newport
News

WASHINGTON, December 9.~-An-
other hornets nest IN the nous. to-
day threatens the plans of Secretary
OF the Navy Meyer In the secretar.s
attempt to discredit the expediency OF
building battleship at navy yards
under the eight-hour law he has
aroused the powerful labor delega-
ton.
Asserting that the present appro-
priation OF congress for the building
of the battleship New York al the
New York navy yard il insufficient
with the yards under the eight hoar
Law. Secretary Meyer has asked the
house for AN additional 100000
Mr. Meyer Is aso@edly an advocate of
using the navy Yards for repair work
bers of the house that he Is raising
the figure on this battieship to An
unreasonabiy high figure simply 10
convince the country that his policy
of private yard building IL best.
Representative i fitzgerald Of New
York. said to-day that secretary Meyer
had included In his estimates for the
cost OF the New tors about ss0o.ueo
for overhead expenses which would
have To be borne by the navy yara
whether a hattleship WAS hullt there
or not He asserted that he helieA ed
that when the figures Of Secretary
Meyer were subjected 10 close inspsf' 9
ton this amount would be greatly tn
creased
Says Meyer Opposes Taft's Policy.
= - oh fAF &.zN%
Jersey. declared that secretary Meyer
in his opposition Ia the eight hour
law for hattleship building. is direct
~ opposing the recommendations oe
President Taft as expressed III his
message,
This In the second fight which has
developed aRains. Secretary Meyer In
the house already this session. The
other In from the house committee on
naval Affairs. where there is opposi-
tion to his methods Of economy.
One of the biggest gains that labors
eight hour demand has made Is III
the building OF battleships, congress
having voted last session that both the
ship built In the government yard and
-thp one To be built at a private yard
were h be constructed under the
eight hour law. The opposition OF
The ship building companies t" this
was 80 great that only ONE company
submitted a bid complying with his
terms this fall.
This is the beginning. declare the
labor members OF congress. OF eight
hour regulations on all government
work and Meyer they allrge, has
placed his objection on II al the start.
The appropriation Tor the eonstrue-
ZION of the dreadnaughts New York
and Texas the former of which Is 10
he built at the Brooklyn navy yard
and the latter of which has been hid
for by the Newport News Shiphnilding
and Dry Dock Company, is $4,000. coo
for each ship.
The bid OF fhe Virginia yard IL
s6775.ooo. in roand sigures quarter
~ million dollars under the arpro-
priation.
According "a the above dispatch
from Washington the same work will
cost the government n million and
one-h half doilare more than the appro-
priation at the Brooklyn yard.
Under the law both ships are tn be
built under the eight hour system.
Radical Change Possible.
1t WAS ruulored in Washington
this afternoon that Secretary Meyer
may recommend that the battleship
New York. ~ well az tser sister ship.
the new Texas. he built at the plant
OF the Newport News Shiphnilding
and Dry Dock Company on account
Of the radical saving that might be
effected thereby. Snch recommen-
dation however, will he bitterly
fought by New York Congressman
In the interest Of the Brooklyn navy
yard.