Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-12
DEMANDS GROWING
FOR PAY INCREASE
More Navy Yard Workers En-
ter Requests Machinists'
Case Still Undecided.

This was. Washington navy yard day
at the Navy Department.
In addition to the negotiations, still
Incomplete. in relation to the plea of
the 1900 machinists who are asking
for a further increase in wages. two
other delegations representing four
other trades and two other grades of
mechanics appeared before Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt and said that their
pay checks are too small.
In the case of the 1900 machinists.
the findings of facts were today placed
in the hands of Secretary Daniels by
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt. but the
Secretary's time has been so filled with
other departmental matters that he
found it utterly impossible to make
any decision up to late hour TINS
afternoon.
The four trades represented in a dele
cation headed by George l.. Cain of
Boston. Mass, president of the National
League of Government Employees. are
the coppersmiths, tinsmiths, rlggers
and modelmakers. About sixty-five
men in the Washington navy yard
were represented by this delegation.
The mechanics accompanying Mr.. Cain
asked to have their names withheld
from publication.
Also Feel Pay Is Too Small.
The other delegation included ]. H.
Wolfe, w T Hebbard and ]. W. Nc
Connell, representing the lead men and
quarter men of the Washington navy
yard. In other words. they represented
the yard bosses and foremen, who feel
that their pay is too small compared
to the pay of the machinists whose
work they supervise. The delegation
told Assistant Secretary Roosevelt that
ha1l
sible for the high-grade mechanical
work of the yard they receive only
about 81 week more than other ma
chinists.
fixed by a naval regulation and not by
the rulings and findings of the wage
board. Consequently. the regulation
must be amended by the department
desired by the lead man and quarter
men. Also any change would not only
affect the Washington yard, but all
navy yards Mr. Roosevelt told the
to the commandments of all yards and
would act upon the matter upon re-
ceipt Of replies.
Unfairly Treated, Is Claim.
The second delegation. headed by Mr..
Cain, told the assistant secretary he
represented twenty-five coppersmiths.
twenty-five tinsmiths. six ringers and
eleven modelmakers. These trades feel
they have been unfairly treated by the
wage board. The riggers claim they
were recommended for an increase of
"a cents a day last year, but did not
get it. and that this year did not even
get the recommendation. The ringers
are getting $3.50 a day in the yard, and
told the assistant secretary today that
private firms outside of the yard are
paying $3.50 for the same class of
work. The tinsmiths claim that out
side of the yard their trade is paid
from 81 to $3.50 a day, while inside
the yard they are getting only 1892,
which includes an Scent a day raise,
which has just gone into effect
The coppe-smiths received an eight
cent raise also and are paid between
1920 and 81 a day, but claim that out
side work pays more.
The modelmakers told Mr.. Roosevelt
that they were in a peculiar position,
as It is hard to find similar conditions
outside the yard. but that they ought
to get $40 day instead of $4.0S now
paid.
This delegation was told that the
matter would be laid before Secretary
Daniels and that he would decide
whether or not it should be taken up
with the wage board.
Another Increase Granted.
Coincident with the recent increase in
the wages of many classes Of employees
at the Washington navy yard from s
cents to 96 cents a day. which took eff
feet last Monday. the Navy Depart
nent has authorized an increase of As
cents a day in the pay of the master
mechanics and foremen.
The pay of Michael A. Lynch and
Charles G. Robinson, the only general
master mechanics, was increased from
1920 to s9.6s a day. Each is the head
Of one of the two great mechanical de-
partments of the navy yard.
An increase of from 1896 to s7.44 has
been made in the daily pay of Truman
c. yelling. foreman: Harry T. Morn
ingstar, master electrician; Benjamin
W. Aitherson, master pattern maker:
Charles A. Meyer. engineer in charge of
boiler house and of pipe filters, and in
the pay of the following named master
mechanics: John II. Won Hermann.
John p. F. White. Harry Wilson.
Charles NJ Smithson. Edward II. How
ard William !. Hough. William E.