The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-11-13
STRICTER BAN ON
MUNITION PLANTS
|ISC0NTEMPLATEO
Disastrous Fires May Lead to
Revision of Rules for
Permits.

Washington. Nov. 13.-Tha execu-
ton of the plan adopted by the gov
eminent almost from the beginning of
the war to safeguard manufacturing
plants engaged on war supplies Is be-
ing questioned now by owners OF
warehouses and plants where fires
and explosions have occurred under
suspicious circumstances suggesting
the activity Of enemies. The permit
system, 1t is urged, does not work, as
plotters are still able to get employ
ment where they can carry on their
plans to the risk Of large amounts of
property and the hazard of human
lives.
Government officials who are charged
with the execution Of the plan OF
granting permits complain that they
have been made the target for blame
by manufacturers on two counts.
They have uniformly found the en-
ployers, they say, prone to plead for
the retention of old, enemy alien en-
ployes, and as an employer counter
signs the permits obtained from the
United States Marshal of the Judicial
District where the plant is situated
such employees as they desire. For
some reason, it was asserted, they
have insisted that the special faith
fulness of an employee should be con-
sidered, and have retained men who
would otherwise. have been kept out
of war plants.
Many such enemy aliens have been
in the employ of corporations or firms
for years before the war in Europe.
Eemployers cite such cases to back
their contention that it would be a
hardship to discharge such men, and
they are usually emphatic in asking
that they receive permits. When fires
and explosions have occurred II was
said manufacturers in several cases
declared that the government was lax
in enforcing the permit plan and that
had there been strict enforcement the
trouble would not have occurred.
/ 1t is likely that in consequence OF
the New York waterfront there will be
a more rigid inquiry into the antece-
dents and character of men vouched
for by employers and that permits
will not be so easily granted hereaf-
ter. The! government has proceeded
it was said, too much on the theory
that the judgment of the employers In
regard to their men could be relied
on and that their own se1f-interest
was sufficient to safeguard the In.
dustry But officials now admit thai
this view is not conclusive of all con-
tingencies and that a hard and fast
exercise of caution is demanded, Nc
new method of protecting munftion
plants will be employed, but there
will be new regulations bl1t&ressing
the administration of the existing
method. The government will insist
on the view that it's own interests are
paramount and the necessity for the
output of munition plants is SO great
that employers must bend to the rules
to be laid down by the government.
1t was said today that there has
never been carried out in this coun-
try anything like the precautions tax
en- in English and Canadian wal
plants Their uniform practice hai
been to place barbed wire around
their works and employ large and
competent forces of watchmen. Al
employees are subjected to the mos
rigid test Of loyalty. and monitors are
kept in the works during all working
hours to note any suspicious conduc
or any sign of detection that nigh
State government has no present In
tention of going as far as this, bu
the practical cooperation Of employ
ers will be expected, and there will
be more thoroughly organized effor
hereafter to protect munition manu-
featuring plants.