Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-12
Secretary Daniels Expresses
Hope That Navy Yard Men
May Get More Pay.
WILL PRESENT MATTER
TO BOARD IN DECEMBER
Says He Would Hate to See Any En-
ployes Leave for Temporary
Positions Offered to Them.

Secretary Daniels today expressed
hope that. as soon as the law permit
ted, the wage board would fix the scale
at the Washington navy yard so as TO
conform with the prevailing rate OF
pay for mechanics and thus meet tine
threatened competition with private
arms companies. The Secretary was
discussing the situation caused by the
announcement that the Remington
Arms Company would send man here
to look for high grade machinists for
the new Eddystone (Pa.) plant
Il would hate to see any Of the good
mechanics at the Washington navy
yard leave here" he said, because
they are fine men. I suppose none bet
ter in the country could be found. ]
think that if they intend to leave they
are making a mistake, because there is
no assurance, 1 am told, that they have
a contract for one year or two year 8
work
when the wage board meets in De-
cember 1 hope we will be able to enect
q change in the scale to meet the
prices being offered by private con-
Germs. The law does not permit the
changing Of wages at this time OF year.
as the changes must run along with
the calendar year, not the fiscal year.
New Work May Not Last.
"Of course, just at this time there will
be big demands by the various con-
Germs making arms. They will want a
large number Of high-grade mechan-
les, and I understand they are holding
out inducements which look big to the
mechanics at some Of the yards and
arsenals. This rush of work may not
last, however, and that Is why l hate
to see our good men leaving.
"Do you apprehend any difficulty at
the yard II the company gets these
menu" he was asked.
'I have not even contemplated II" said
Mr.. Daniels. I'VE try to pay the men in
than they are paid anywhere else. and
they are very expert and capable set
Of men"
rs this due to the eight-cent reduc-
tion?"
Il think the men would make mistake
to go on account of an etght-cent re-
duction," said Mr.. Daniels.
Officials who are familiar with the labor
situation In respect to navy yards and
arsenals. said today that they mad no
to deplete the Washington navy yard. It
was claimed by men in a position to know
that the arms company really is looking
only for the highest class machinists. the
experts Of the various yards and arsenal%
and that nothing like 900, or even zoo.
men will leave the Washington yard. be-
cause there are only about fifty there that
the arms company want, it is claimed.
Says Machinists Are Plentiful.
A navy Official said today that mas
much as Philadelphia is one Of the larg
est and cheapest labor markets in
America 1t seems unlikely that any plant
to be established there would go scouting
throughout the United States for machin-
lists at a wage mucn higher than they
have to pay in Philadelphia. unless they
want only the few top-notch experts. In
other words, machinists in and near
Philadelphia can be hired at any time,
it is claimed, at wages lower than paid
in the Washington navy yard. and much
lower than so cents an hour, which is
the minimum to be paid by the arms COM
pany now recruiting for its new plant
The deduction from this situation,
according to Navy Department men, is
that the arms company is not seeking
to take away 200 or 900 men, but only
so of the highest skilled specialists. At
the same time these are the men whom
the navy does not want to lose.
~
navy yard are the best paid men in the
navy yard service in the United
States 1t was said at the department
today They work only eight hours a
day, have six national holidays and a
fifteen-day vacation each year. Should
they go to a private plant they proba-
bly, will work nine hours. will not have
the same number of holidays, nor the
Saturday half holiday, and will not
have fifteen day vacation annually"
No Departures for Eddystone.
At the navy yard today it was
learned that no men had left for Eddy
stone and that the expected visit Of
the arms company officer to do the
actual hiring of machinists had not ma
terialized.
WITHDRAWS NOT GUILTY PLEA