Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-16

". Burr, commanding officer. Rock
Island arsenal, under date of Dec. 9
1915:
Dear Sir: In accordance with the
instructions of Arsenal lodge No. 81.
International Association of Machin-
lists, we, the committee on wages.
wish to make the following requests:
A general increase in wages to all ma
chinists, tool makers and turret lathe
and screw machine operators. Also
The establishment of a minimum
living rate of 1915 per day for all
tool makers, $3.50 per day for all ma
chinists, S. per day for all turret lathe
and screw machine operators
Trusting that you will give the
same your favorable consideration, we
beg to remain.
tSigned by committee)
"Whereupon the commanding officer
designated Major l.. B. Moody - rep
resent the government, in conjunction
with c. A. Cook, who was selected to
represent the employees.
Reject Chicago Rates.
"On Dec. 23, 1915, the above COM
mittee met and proceeded to look over
data of former wage adjustments. 1t
was found that former wage adjust
ments had considered the tri-cities,
Chicago and a number of towns in
Illinois and Iowa. After a great deal
of discussion Major Moody contended
that data from tri-cities and smaller
towns in Iowa and Illinois only should
be considered and excluded the Silvis
shops from consideration.
In general way Mr. Cook stated
that Chicago is the real source of
supply for tool makers, machinists
and turret lathe operators and was
the labor market for the middle west,
and contended that the smaller towns
in Illinois and Iowa should be eXclud-
ed, and Chicago, the tri-cities and Sill
Wis used, owing to the fact that the
precedent had been established, with
the consent of the secretary of war,
and had been used in previous wage
adjustments. With respect to the c.,
r. |, & P. shop at Silvis, Major Moody
believed this shop to be a fiat rate
shop in which the average wage does
not in general vary with the skill of
the mechanic, and that it is therefore
not representative of conditions in the
tri-cities and should not largely affect
the result as it will if considered. Mr..
Cook believed that this is the largest
single employer of machinists in the
trl-cltles and that there is no reason
for not considering the same.
Appeal Is Taken.
i4I i
Mr.. Cook that he would absolutely re-
fuse to consider the Silvis and Chi
cago data The question was then
appealed to the commanding officer,
who sustained Major Moody The de-
ciSlOn Of the commanding officer was
unsatisfactory and an appeal taken to
chief of ordnance, who modified the
commanding officers decision, so as TO
include the Silvis shops with the tri-
cities, under certain restrictions
Not being satisfied with the de-
cision of the chief of ordnance, the
case was appealed to the secretary of
war
Brief Is Submitted.
Through our Washington represen-
tative, \. P Alias, submitted the fol-
lowing brief in support of our con-
tention:
Jan. 26. 1916. Hon. Lindley NJ. Gar
rison, secretary of war, Washington,
d. c. My Dear Mr. Garrison: In re-
Spouse to your communication of re
cent date, which reached my office on
the 25th inst, and in which | am in
vited with reference to the points of
difference between Major Moody and
Mr.. Cook, representing the manage
ment at the Rock Island arsenal and
the machinists employed there. respec-
lively, as to what shops shall be con-
sidered for comparison in the contem-
plated investigation, | desire to pre-
sent for your consideration the follow
ing statement:
1. Tie shops that the employees be
lieve should be considered in the inves-
LEGATION for comparison in setting the
rates of wages at the arsenal include.
"'ta) All shops in the tri-cities and
adjoining towns and suburbs, includ-
ing Silvis.
1.-The list of shops in Chicago Civ
en- on page l in the memorandum
submitted by Major Moody, dated
Dec %, 1913, II of these shops hav-
ing been considered by your depart
ment in the investigation which de-
termined the wage scale set at the
Rock Island arsenal in 1914.
The commanding officer believes
that:
"'tal Only shops in the tri-cities e1-
Guiding the railroad shops at Silvis
should be used.
"'(b1 That in the event that work
men of similar grade of skill cannot be
found in the tri-cities to that of GER
tain workmen at the arsenal the ter
ritory shall be extended to include
other smaller towns in Iowa and I'LL
nois before Chicago is considered
whatever.
"'(c) That Chicago shall not be used
at all unless all OF these other cities
fail to provide what the management
considers data for work of similar
character.
Id That the Silvis shops shall not
be used unless allowances are made
for fiat rate and other conditions of
employment existing there which are
believed to be unusual and contrary
to the law of supply and demand.
"'3. The chief of ordnance rules that
only the tri-cities including the Silvis
railroad shops shall be considered in
the investigation unless it should be
found that this locality does not fur
nish proper comparison for certain
grades of workmen. In that event
| Chicago data may be used.
"a. Believing that the contention Of
| ic oarract n