The Washington times., 1912-01-16
MACH|N|STS MAY
ORDER STRIKE AT
THE NAVY YARD
Men Not Pleased With De-
partment's Refusal to
Increase Pay.

Following the refusal of the Navy
Department to grant general increase
in wages to machinists of the WASH
ington navy yard. both parties inter-
ested spent an anxious day. Whether
strike will follow will be determined
finally tomorrow night, when a mass
meeting of the machinists will be held.
Sentiment Of the men is overwhelming
ly in favor Of walking out, but by to-
morrow night other counsel may pre-
vail.
When the news passed around the
machine and gun shops this morning
that Assistant Secretary winthrop had
refused the increases prayed for, Pres
ident Thomas e. Carroll. Of the local
union Of machinists, left his lathe and
went to see Capt. F.. E. Beatty, COM
mandant of the yard. Soon after this
,tain Beatty went to the Navy De-
partment, where he spent the morning
comforting with the Assistant Secretary
and the director Of navy yards, Admiral
A. B. Willis.
President Carroll, meantime, went to
consult with President Johnston. of the
International Association of Machinists,
and this afternoon starting at 2 o'clock
Commandant Beatty, of the navy yard,
and the leader Of the navy yard ma
chinists, were again in consultation.
Statement By Carroll.
Carroll this afternoon gave out the
following statement:
I'VE have not seen a copy Of the
finding by Assistant Secretary Win
throp except what has appeared in the
just yet what action will be taken. AT
present the committee Is awaiting Of
fetal confirmation of the action of tho
I'VE shall learn of this in detail this
afternoon when Captain Beatty and
President Carroll go over the report.
A statement Of any measures which
we may adopt would not be judicious
at this time.
"As to the report that a portion only
of the machinists are to be advanced,
the committee states that such an in
crease as outlined would be an injus-
tice to the lower grades. whose lot is
high cost of living and the higher
standards of living required in Wash.
ington than elsewhere.
"There Is no denying the fact that
there is keen disappointment over the
report that there will be no general
increase. High hopes had been built Of
an advance in wages for all classes.
]. w. Mcconnell and Harry Rigby
are on the committee with President
| Carroll.
The Navy Department is standinl
pat on its answer to the men as an.
nounced by Secretary Winthrop, ant
| the next move is said to be up to tho
men. During the noon hour today the
| machinists, talking with one another
spoke heatedly Of the action of th'
| department, and threats to strike were
| rife. Officials at the yard express the
| opinion, seemingly in sincerity, that M
strike will take place. because strikei
against the Government are admittedly
hard to win. The same Navy Var,
officials admit that II an industria
| corporation Of private nature were con
cerned the machinists would have beeI
out long ago. Workmen at the Navy
| Yard struck some time ago and los
disastrously.
Secretary Winthrop's Reply.
Secretary winthrop's reply to the ma
chinists is as follows:
| AFTER a careful consideration of tn
of machinists from the Washington
consider that it would be justified II
| acceding to their request to increas
| generally the pay of the machinist
| hitherto rated as first class.
| at having been found impracticabl
to base any comparison of the pay o
! machinists at the Washington Yard
numbering over 1,500, with the compare
lively few machinists employed in tn
| city of Washington, amounting in mum
| ber in all probability, to less than 2O(
1t was decided. few years ago. to ex