The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-06-08
THE GOVERNMENT
CANTONMENT AT
AMERICAN LAKE

President Marsh of the State Fed
GRAFTON of Labor left the city We'd
nesday night for Wenatchee where
he is billed to deliver fraternal greet
ings from organized labor to the
organized farmers of the state in
session in their annual state grange
convention. Before leaving Presi-
dent Marsh talked to the Journal
man concerning the big government
building project at American Lake
where one of the sixteen big army
environments is to be located. He
said:
"The probability is that the work
of construction Of government build
ings sufficient to house ninety thou
sand men will be Immediately let by
the War Department, as it is I'M
derstood that the men drafted under
the new federal law will soon be
called to the colors. This means
city three times the size of Everett
in population and the number of
buildings necessary to house men
and the vast array of army equip
ment will be large. The report is
that the government will not do
this work directly but will let out
the contract to private contractors,
without even the formality of com
petitive bidding, guaranteed speed in
construction to be the only or main
requirement. If this work goes to
contractors located within the state,
it is certain that it will mean steady
employment for months to come for
every idle building tradesman in this
part of the country. 1t is not so
certain if the contract goes to East
ern contractors. There is no legiti-
mate reason why this work should go
outside the state. There are any
number of contractors responsible
and financially able to take the work
and many building tradesmen avail
able, despite the reported labor short
age. Times have been none too
good with workmen in the building
line and any number of skilled ar
tisans would welcome the chance of
working for the government if the
going wage rate be paid. This state
ment is borne out by the fact that
immigration Inspector Turner listed
over one hundred men through his
office as ship carpenters at the
time some weeks ago when the
government instructed the men in
the federal employment service to
register available ship building la
Dor.
"Another thing that seems to me
important in this connection is the
handling of the labor supply for
this project. 1t ought to be done
through the governments own en-
ployment agency. Secretary Wilson
is working hard to build that up ma
=. into a real service to both
capital and labor and the govern
ment as matter of consistency
ought to patronize it's own agencies.
If it does not, it can hardly expect
private employers to fall over them
selves in utilizing that assistance.
Different branches of government
service in this state have in the
recent past persistently ignored the
federal agency when hiring men.
The navy yard at Bremerton, the
forest service and the Alaska Rail
way Commission were offenders in
this regard no longer ago than last
year.
Commercial bodies and employing
building contractors are taking this
matter up with the War Department
and organized labor is also alive to
what is going on. The State Fedora
ton of Labor has joined with other
labor bodies this week in strong rep
to the War Department
and to our u. S. Senators.