Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-16
ARSENAL STRIKE
ISBEINC DELAYED
FOR new OFFERS
Union hachinists. Tool Makers and
Lathe Operators Postpone Walk.
out From Government Plant.
LOON FOR COMPROMISE IN WEEK
Employees in Meeting Decide to CompIy
With Recommendation of Inter.
national President.

The threatened strike at Rock Island
arsenal will be held in allowance for
another week pending further adjust
ment of the wage dispute. according 10
Adhesion reached by union machinists.
tool makers and turret lathe operators
at a meeting held in Industrial hall in
Rock Island last night. Colonel George
". Burr. commandment at the arsenal.
was informed of the decision of the men
al 10 o'clock this morning, at which
time it had formerly been arranged to
walk out.
Decision Of the union men is in def
erenCe to wishes of ". H. Johnston,
Washington. D. C.. president of the In
ternatiOnai Association of Machinists.
Mr.. Johnston in message to the local
union declares he is hopeful of salts
factory adjustment and that the secre-
tary Of labor will reconsider his data.
The telegram from Mr.. Johnston.
which was read at last nights meeting
of the mdchinists, follows:
81 had a long conference with Secre-
tary Wilson yesterday. He will rear
range his data and submit at once |
am hopeful for an adjustment and
therefore direct that final action by our
men he held in allegiance one week, to
give US sufficient time to complete ne
gouauOns-
The message was received from Mr.
Johnston Saturday night. six or eight
hours after the committee of the union
issued the ultimatum to Colonel Burr,
informing him that the men would lay
down their tools at 10 o'clock this
morning.
Al the meeting today with Colonel
Burr the men explained to him that
they will remain at their work until
TUESDAY May %. in order to give the
government further time to consider
the wage dispute. They declared that
if no satisfactory agreement was
reached during the coming week that
they would strike next Tuesday.
Members of the union have stated
that the action taken at the special
meeting last night is entirely in defer
enCe TO the wishes of their interna-
tional officers and that no local inter
ests have modified their stand.
Hear Inspectors Report
At the meeting the report of Inspec-
tor Waite of the department of COM
merce and labor was read Inspector
Waite investigated local conditions on
March l.
He included in his report data on
wages in Chicago. which the local
union men say have always been con-
sidered when matters of arsenal wage
dispute were placed before federal au-
thOrities.
Waite found that in 20 Chicago es-
adjustments with 202 employees an
average wage of S4.34 per day is paid
for tool makers. Nineteen establish
ments in the tri-Cities, employing IS
men, have an average pay of $3.50 per
day. Rock Island arsenal with IS men
pays an average Of 1897 per day. The
general average of tri-city and Chicago
private plants employing $50 tool max
ers is $422. which is the compensation
the union men are asking for tool max
ers
For maChinists the union men say
that Waite found the general average
for Chicago and -tri-city private plants
TO be $3.50 Arsenal machinists aver
age 1888 per day. they say. Twenty
two establishments in Chicago, en-
ploying 1000 men. receive an average
of 1915 per day. Tri-city plants. num-
bering 26. and employing $40 men, pay
an average of 1854.
Union men claim Colonel Burr in a
statement made March "a to them. lists
the number of machinists, tool makers
and turret lathe operators as follows ::
Machinists-Four receive $450; II,
$425; A., 81; 81, $3.75: Sc, $3.50: As,
$5.25; 81. SO; seven, $40; total of
292 men
Tool makers-One receives s475;
three, $3.50; seven. $4.25; 10, 81; 10,
1918; four, $3.50 total of SO men.
Turret lathe operators-One receives
$50. four, $3.25 six, So; nine, $50
SIX, $3.50; total of % men.
Have Rousing Meeting.
(. J. Aspengren, president of the To-
cal union. presided at the meeting last
night, and c. A. Cook, secretary, was
IN charge Of the records. The hall was
crowded to the doors. After voting to
accept the recommendations of their
International president the union men
voted unanimously to invite the press
TO attend the meeting, in order that
their side of the controversy be prop
erly placed before the public.
II was the first time in years that the
machlnlsts held an open meeting. 1t
was explained by officers of the union
that the session was left open to news
papermen because of the exceptions the
union men took 10 Colonel Burr's state
ments in which they claimed that the
situation h. haan y11icranrnCnnfpH
10 what the men are asking for and
what the conditions are at the arsenal.
The men especially resented the in
ference that they are unpatriotic and
showed their enthusiastic regard for
their country in a rousing way at the
close Of the meeting when it had re-
solved itself into d social session.
A number Of patriotic songs were
sung and various members Of the union
gave Rotations. The climax was
reached. however, when America" was
sung. Men stood on chairs waving
flags and singing When the song was
over there was a huge demonstration
IN which the men shouted themselves
hoarse, all the while waving flags.
Indications at present are that the
strike Will now pass over, as a com
promise is looked for within few
days. Secretary Baker based his deci-
sion on the recommendations OF the de-
partment of labor, and as the secretary
Of labor is 10 reconsider the scale he
fixed last week ii is expected that the
new agreement will meet the saisfac-
ton of all concerned.
Il am very greatly pleased that the
men are not going to take any overt
action" Colonel Burr said following
the infervfeU in which the committee