Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-11-10

OF the strikes In connection with
different cllsscs OF war work, those In
which the closed shop constitutes the
sole or chief demand are increasing. or
the recent strikes on construction
work OF the two shiphuldlng plants at
Newark and on the construction work
at the Wolertown Arsenal, all we're
sympathetic strikes on the part OF GER
tain trades 20 compel the acceptance |
Of a closed shop In all the trades om- /
ploycd on the work.
Without doubt, one OF The chief
causes OF much OF the = ouble that Is
now developing ON war work Is the
I general belief among union men that
/ the Government intends that an such
| work shall be unionlzed and will bring
pressure, II need be, 10 compel the ac
centance OF the closed shop on the
part OF individual employers. While
no etaiement of This kind has been
/ mada by any responsible department
head or Government Official 20 Is being
constantly made by minor Government
agents sent out either as mediatOrs or
/ investigators or In some other capacity
! that brings them In touch with labor
| matters. The union delegates 40 New
ark frankly stated that They were going
20 Washington 10 secure am order 10
compel the complete unionizlng Of the
work.
Tho tremendous incentive on The part
OF labor leaders 30 prccipltate strikes on
war work is at once apparent, and such
strikes are called absolutely regardless
or any grievances on The part OF the
workers relating 10 hours and wages.
Although a general strike on the part
OF the Newark Building Trades Council
was called on the work at Port New
ark Terminal and twcnty-ihrce dele
g0tes went 90 work TO put the order In
effect, no skilled mechanics observed
the order, and out of nearly one thou
, sand men at work ninety ordinary
lohorers were the only ones to quit. In
/ other words the strike was not called
! by or IN behalf OF the men actually at
/ work, nor was the authority OF those
who called II observed. Official Govern
| ment pressure Is now the sole reliance
| OF the union leaders, and this they pub
| licly assert viii be forthcoming.
ides directly encouraging and in
Wiling strikes, this belief In the aiii-
tude 81 The Government has another
disastrous effect 10 leads the union
man. who is ordinarily as loyal and
patriotic as any other citizen. 90 be-
llicye that in ohcying strike orders for
"a closed shop be is working In harmony
with and not against the wishes and
: policy OF the Government lie is led
10 believe that the manufacturers and
z contractors on war work who do mol
promptly adOnt the closed shop, ma
matter what their previous policy mas
have Dcen, are opposing the labor pol
z icles Of the Government We're u madl
possible for the averaee union man u
choose between following his Leaders
In a strike for a closed shop on wa
work and continuing az work In per
Torrance OF his patriotic duty to IN
Government, he would choose ia
Z latter
A situation exactly similar 10 that /
z Newark arose on the construction woi
z at the WatertOwn Arsenal in charge
z Colonel Dickson. A sympathetic stril
Z OF a number OF building trades uniol
z was called 10 compel the unionizing
= the structural iron work. The uni
= officers frankly stated that they q
= pected the strike to be settled by &c
= eminent order cOnceding their {
= mands. Colonel Dickson called In s.
y diers TO prevent threatened troul
y and issued a strong statement, publ.
y ed in the Boston Transcript Of Octol
q %. He said in part:
= The United States Government does
- and cannot. under ita laws, pertaining
- the Civil Service or War Departml
q make any distinction between citi1
= that serve Il as 20 political or religi.
q Affiliations, membership In lodges, ia'
= unions, SC. Similarly the Government %
y not and does not attempt 20 dictate
y contractors who employ their own Me'
V ers as 10 whether these workers WI
y union OF non union men, Nli uN-.
a PrOtestants, Republicans or nsla'e III
y sc Their action m eat..ns an 4
" strike Il nothing more or less tL .r @ond
= tempt 10 take advantage ot N.,iir,enf
lions Ina order TO force the 1eA,.,-aI Con
y hove fhn New England oitue .,.',ion en-
Many discbarre AN ITS n9a n oh On
y iii,'..e n IL q direct W." xriison an
b.vs.C,,,.,,t befween President status tina
y s,.re-s 10 maintain t.n~~,herfnorc,
MY Wy" itf,re the war. N, ne manu-
eAletcl iisasfrous delay tsheIis which
~ caurln- -,,,s carriages anu a fer whic,
= tncturc on s-~-@nfiv needed an ae heading
are mos ,,u--finf 81 even "a" iaud thl
g General III when the PUN hroneh n,
= % rs Luz, workers, VIZ bnxe beer
= loyal union ~ On their part ~ \,
= fault OF e ~ strike by the -.
y, oras a'..,,,ed 10 the Public By the Man