Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-13
ARSENAL MEN To
STRIKE TUESDAY
ON WAGE MATTER
Machinists Union Submits Letter n
Colonel Burr Telling Him Mem.
bers win Lay Down Tools.
DECIDE RAISE Is NOT ENorGT
Increase in Pay Offered by Secretary
OF War Baker Decided by Trades.
men 10 BE Unsatisfactory.

Union machinists. employed at Rock
Island arsenal will strike Tuesday,
according TO an ultimatum handed to
Colonel George w. Burr. command
ant at the government plant, at noon
today. The announcement that A
strike had been declared followed p
meeting of the union held last night
at Industrial hall al which time mem
hers Of the organization decided that
the increase offered by Secretary of
War Baker was not satisfactory.
Colonel Burr said TODAY that there
are about 500 machinists, tool makers
and turret lathe operators at the ar
senal and that only a part of this
number would strike. Members of the
union say there are 700 workers in
volyed.
The meeting last night was at spec-
ial call to consider accepting or re-
iecting the proposal of the govern
ment. a slight increase was offered
the men. They asked for a raise of
% cents per day in the wages of all
the men. Tool makers get 81 dav
now and machinists $3.50.
The secretary of war, when he an
nounCed an increase would be given,
declared that the prevailing prices
for the same class of labor in the
tri-cities would be paid. The union
men wanted the prices paid in Chi
cago taken into consideration. on tho
ground that they are the local wage
scale.
Present Letters.
At noon today committee repre-.
senting Arsenal lodge, No. 81, Ma
chiniSts' union. called on the COM
handing officer Of the Rock Island
arsenal and handed him a letter read
ing IS follows:
Rock Island, H.. May Is, 1915
Colonel George ". Burr, commanding
officer, Rock Island arsenal. Dear Sir
At a special meeting of Arsenal
lodge No. 81, International Associa-
ton of Machinists, held Friday even
ing, May u. composed of machinists
toOlmakers and turret lathe operators
the wage committee was instructed
TO inform you that the machinists
tOolmakers and turret lathe operators
Will discontinue work at 10 a. m
Tuesday, May 16, 1916, until the gen
eral increase is granted in compliance
with the findings of the department
of labor in the tri-cities, Silyis and
Chicago.
Very truly yours,
e. ]. ASPENGREN,
&C. a. COOK,
"A A GUSTAFSON,
"F. l.. WOODWARD,
&c. G. LYNTNER.
III. c. GUENTHERMAN.
COMMITTEE.
In connection with this letter Col
0nel George W. Burr, the command
ing officer Of the arsenal, issued the
following statement:
Threaten in November.
Some time last November, a COM
mittee representing part of the ma
Chinists. toolmakers and turret lathe
operators of the arsenal asked for an
increase of wages The rule of the
ordnance department is that the ar
senal shall pay the employees the pre-
vailing wages of the vicinity for sim
liar work. The prevailing wages OF
the vicinity are to be determined by
the wages paid in the principal pri-
vate manufacturing establishments OF
the vicinity and the vicinity is defined
as the region lying within a boun-
Diary sufficient to insure similarity OF
conditions Of employment and living
to those at the arsenal.
Immediately upon receipt of this
request the commanding officer of the
arsenal appointed representative
nd ho Tod
representative from among their
number. which two men were TO con-
stitute a committee to determine and
report upon the prevailing wage OF
the vicinity for toolmakers, machin-
lists and turret lathe operators.
This investigating committee al
most Immediately disagreed as to what
constituted the principal private man
ufacturing establishments of the vi
cinity, the arsenal representative
c0ntending for a restricted definition
Of the work vicinity to include gen
orally the immediate vicinity of the
quad-cities. while the representative
Of the employees desired to include GER
tain specified shops in Chicago, which
shops were sufficient in number and II
number of employees TO make Chicago
wages the determining factor in ar
senal wages. The disagreement oil
the committee was successfully ap-
pealed for decision first to the COM
handing officer of the arsenal, sec
ond to the chief Of ordnance and third
TO the secretary of war. The decis-
ion Of the commanding officer Of the