The Washington herald., 1913-09-17
navy YARD CUTS
MAY BE OBVIATED
Ways and Means Of Avoiding
Dismissals Are Fully
Discussed.
SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE
Committee Representing Workers Calls
on Assistant Secretary Roosevelt.
Men Needed at Norfolk.
SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Frank
lin ID. Roosevelt is working on plan that
it is hoped will put an end to the pc
riodical necessity of cutting down the
force at the Washington Navy Yard
when work becomes slack.
A committee of three. representing the
men of the local yard. called on As
sistant Secretary Roosevelt yesterday
morning and consulted with him as to
means that might be employed to obvi-
ate the necessity of reducing the force
during the dull periods. This committee
consisted OF Thomas f. Carroll, president
of Columbia Lodge of Machinists; n. p.
Atlas. business agent of the navy yards
along the Atlantic Coast, and William
II. johnson. international president of
the Association of Machinists.
Another development of yesterday that
served TO put the navy yard situation in
a more promising light was the receipt
by the Navy Department from the Nor
folk Navy Yard of information that a
number Of maChinists could be used to
advantage there. This intelligence was
sent to the local navy yard Yesterday
morning. and it is probable that a num-
ber Of men dismissed last week will find
work at Norfolk.
Plan to Bring Work Here.
During the conference between the As
sistant Secretary and the representatives
of the maChinists several suggestions
were made for throwing extra work in
the way of the Washington Navy Yard
during the dun times. These suggestions
were discussed thoroughly. and Mr..
Roosevelt said yesterday he would have
the praCticability of each investigated
and would make his recommendations
accordingly to Secretary Daniels.
nf l.aipr~ sid.
ered.' said Mr. Roosevelt yesterday after
noon. is giving the Washington yard
more torpedo work to do. At present
most OF this class Of work is done at
the Newport plant. 1t has been suggested
that il some of the work could be turned
over 20 the Washington yard during the
quiet season here there would be work
enough to retain all the men.
.'Of course, in doing this il would be
necessary to turn over to the navy ward
only such work as was not particularly
urgent. There are a number of consider
atiOns that will have to be carefully
weighed before the praCtiCability Of this
plan can be decided on. Some sort OF
work would have to be found that could
be held back and for which there was no
urgent need And then this
work could only be turned over to the
local yard il il is found that the Wash
lUEtOn NaFu mas the space 10 be ueNOtgU
TO it without crippling it in its principal
as a gun factory and also if it
is found that there is the proper ma
chincry in the local yard for this work.
To Make InVestiEntiOn.
Il shall have the recommends tiUns and
suggestions that have come to me in
vestigated and sifted thoroughly. II 1
find them feasible ! shall so report to
Secretary Daniels and ne will issue such
orders as he sees fit." said Mr.. Roosevelt.
One Of the contentious OF those who
have urged giving the local navy yard
more work Is that its splendid equipment
fact that. il is claimed, the officials of
the Navy Department seem to have over
looked
The statements OF Secretary Daniels
and Assistant Secretary Roosevelt. how
ever. were highly laudatOry Of the local
yard
The Washington Navy Yard is one
Of the finest gun factories in the United
States. il not the world said Secretary
Daniels ANY criticism of it would be
ridiculous. The work done at the local
ward is Of the finest standard It must
be. il has some Of the best experts Of
the government"
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt said
The work that is turned out in Wash
ington is as fine as any that the govern
ment gets" he said. In fact am
told that the output from Washington
is finer in many respects than that the
I MED States gets from the private plants
that handle some Of the contracts"