Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-13

arsenal on this point was rejected by
the employees. The decision of the
chief of ordnance was likewise re-
jected by the employees and for some
time past the matter has been in the
hands Of the secretary of war for
decision.
The secretary of war referred the
question to the secretary of labor for
investigation and an investigator of
the department of labor, charged with
the investigation of this subject, Wis
tied the tri-cities and the city of Chi
cago about six weeks ago to look into
conditions and submit report. This
representative of the department OF
labor was a man skilled in such in
vestigations. He looked into the class
Of work done by the employees of the
arsenal who had made the appeal and
compared it with the class of work
done by similar wOrkmen in the tri-
cities and also in the city of Chica
go. Apparently, as result of this
investigation and a consideration of
the subject by the secretary of labor,
in conjunction with the secretary OF
war, decision has been arrived at to
the effect that in determining wages
for this class of employees at the Rock
Island arsenal the wages of the en-
plOyes of the principal manufacture
ing establishments in the immediate
vicinity of the quad-cites only should
be considered. According to informa-
ton received. this investigation further
.I,at eI1 -h in
wages will be justified.
Announcement is now made that
these increases will be made.
This decision is not satisfactory
to the machinists' union and notice
of intention to discontinue work. that
it, to strike at 10 a. NJ, May 16, has
been served on me by a committee Of
that union.
There is no law that compels en-
ployes of the arsenal to continue their
employment if they are dissatisfied
with conditions and they are all free
to quit their employment at any time
and accept employment elsewhere and
presumably they will do so if they are
dissatified and can better themselves
by working elsewhere. l do not be
lieve that any considerable number
of the employees are thus dissatisfied.
| have too much faith in the good
sense and reasonableness of the en-
ployes of this arsenal as a whole to
believe that any number of them will
lightly quit their employment for any
reason that has been so far advanced.
The secretary of war in the cabinet
of the president of the United tSateS,
assisted by the secretary of labor
has considered the request Of this
small body of employees and, after
thorough investigation, has arrived at
a decision. Fair minded men must
admit that any decision arrived at by
these two eminent gentlemen after
investigation must be equitable. | can
not but believe that the employees after
consideration will accept it as such.
Pay for Eight-Hour Day.
"In this connection emphasis should
be laid on the fact that in determining
wages. the arsenal pays for eight
hours work the wages paid in the
shops of the vicinity for nine and ten
hours work In other words, the ar
senal eight-hour day wage is intend
ed to be the same as the longer day
wage paid in the vicinity. In addi-
ton. the arsenal employee is given 10
working days leave with pay, pay for
seven legal holidays and pay for Sat
urday afternoons for three months
in the summer time each year. This
leave and holiday pay amounts to
exactly 10 per cent Of his time and this
10 per cent leave pay is ignored in
the determination of the rate of pay
for employees. Therefore, while the
rule of the government is to pay the
prevailing wage rate per day Of the
vicinity, actually as the number of
hours worked by the employee and his
leave pay are compared with the
number of hours worked by the en-
plove of the private concern in the
vicinity and the latter's leave priv
ileges. it will be found that the ar
senal employe receives from % to 3712
per cent more pay than the employe
of the vicinity. When such facts are
taken into consideration, the compare
tive advantages of employment at the
arsenal are quite evident.
1T is most unfortunate that at this
time when the citizens of this vicin-
itv who are interested in the develop
ment and expansion of the arsenal
are attempting to secure COMPRESSION
al action for the arsenais further de-
yeIopment any publicity of controver-
sizes of this nature should have been
given. If the people who are talking
strike on account of a decision made
by two cabinet officers after investlga-
,ion of an arsenal wage question were
in the employ of the opponents of the
arsenal. they could not do these OPP
Moments more service or furnish them
better arguments than they are now
doing and it is to the credit Of the
great majority of employees at the ar
seual that they thoroughly disapprove
of the unwelcome publicity thus
brought upon the institution.
1T should be stated that the total
number of machinists, toolmakers and
turret lathe operators employed at the
arsenal is approximately 300 out of
about two thousand employees of the
arsenal and that only a portion of
these three hundred profess allegiance
TO the organization which is threat
euing to stop work"