The Washington times., 1916-03-03
MARINE DRAF TSMEN
OPPOSED TO RIDER
Representative Thinks Propos-
ed Action Is Really Reduc-
= ton in Pay.

The members OF the American Society
OF Marine Craftsmen. national body
with thirteen branches In different navy
yards and private shipbuilding concerns
throughout the country, ore opposed "a
the Borland rider.
A member Of the society In this city
enumerated some OF the reasons why
the society Is opposed to the legislation
He pointed out that II would actually
amount to a reduction in pay, and that
as exclusively pointed ont recently In
The Times. the Civil Service Commission
Is finding considerable difficulty in Sc
curing American craftsmen Mt the pres
ent rates Of pay. which have not beer
changed for the past fifty years.
Calls It Class Legislation.
The member of the association, VIII,
wished his name withheld, also condemn
ed the rider as a vicious form OF clas
legislation.
His statement to The Times follows
The employees affected by tho Bor-
land amendment entered the Gov
ernment service with the understand
ing that seven hours would consti-
tute days work; the proposed In
crease OF hours without corre-
| tDOnulUB IHtINdbt ~ N'shApStiooNiNh
equivalent to a reduction In pay OF
| 126 per cent.
The marine craftsmen all over the
country, who would ultimately be-
compelled to work an additional
hour, are now considerably under
puid, as the data at the Navy De-
partment will show. Attention has
. been called to the difficulty the Civil
Service Commission has experienced
in securing eligibles to recruit the
| IL 80 bn NarhniCol fnrr0a nf tho
Navy Department the addition OF
, an hour to the number OF hours OF
labor required at present Will. un-
doubtedly. Increase this difficulty.
The statement or Congressman
/ Byrns that men In private employ.
ment work eight hours day and
. usually more" IL not borne out by the
facts. Newport News :. B: ID. ID.
Co. craftsmen work 3h hours per
week: Electric Boat Company drafts.
men work 43h hours per week Har-
Ian & Hollirfgsworth Steamboat Com
1 pany craftsmen work "A hours per
week. and the craftsmen OF the Lake
l Torpedo Boat Company work ~
bered that in addition to the regular
time, the craftsmen OF the above
concerns receive either straight time
or time and "A half for all overtime
work.
"Act of Injustice"
BY the passage OF such legislation
!. as that contained In the rider, the
r civil service employees would be vic
tins Of an act of injustice which. II
attempted by private employer of
10000 or 5000 persons. would result
in strikes and would cali down upon
I itself universal and immediate con-
: demnation and contempt, II not an
Q investigation by Congress.
'' This amendment Is not measure
J.. OF economy, but Of taxation; ana Is
the most vicious form of class legis'
= lation, as II seeks to levy upon re
l. strIcted class forced contributor
i which is not required of any othel
u class of citizens. The fact that tn
contribution is one OF labor and time
D. Instead of money or goods. does no
change its character. such r. iorce'
I contribution. affecting only one clas
i Of citizens. is abhorrent to the spiri
y; OF our institutions and to the funda
N mental principles OF our constitu
y tIonal law. We do not believe tina
the United States Government Is u
such sore straits that II must resor
~ 10 special taxation of this kind AM
.; sacrifice it's good faith in its conduc
Ell 10 its employees. or violate the prln
le cipleg OF equity on which our Const
* tuition and institutions are founded