Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-08

tContinued From First Page
made he understood that men abso-
| lutely needed on government work
would not be interfered with. A
large number of men are employed
at this busy plant one of the depart
ments being on three shifts day.
and S. Needs Employees
Robert H. Irons, president of the
Central Iron and Steel Company,
said he had 500 registered men in
his employ. OF this number a large
percentage are married and will
claim exemption on other grounds.
If they fail to get it, an effort will
be made to have them exempted be-
cause they will be needed on war
contracts.
President Irons said he could not
spare good men, and that present
contracts on hand required early de-
livery of material to the government,
and to cut down the working forces
would handicap the work. While it
is understood that the government
will not insist on men who are alb
solutely needed on war contracts.
no official notice to that effect has
been received, The only thing to
do, according to officials, is to wait
the result of the draft call and the
applications for exemption.
The American Telephone and
Telegraph Company, of which the
Bell Telephone Company is a part.
will also apply for exemptions of
employees absolutely needed. This
company has furnished a large unit
OF men for war service and the off,
cials are of the opinion that exemp-
tions requested should be granted.
Exemption will be asked for all
Pennsylvania Railroad employees
who will play an important part in
handling railroad business and
equipment, during the war. This
will include trainmen. firemen,
signalmen. machinists and all skill
ed mechanics. Efforts. according to
reports have already been started by
General superintendent r. V. Massey,
I of Altoona, affecting men subject to
draft east OF Pittsburgh, and en-
ployed on the several divisions COM
prising the Eastern division of the
Pennsylvania Railroad.
The draft list includes a large num-
Der of railroad employees. Officials
claim that all positions that can be
filled by women have already been
looked after. They contend however,
that many young men of draft age
are employed as trainmen, firemen.
signalmen, and machinists, and that
they are all important in the hand
ling of trains and upkeep of equip
ment. He said that to take more
men away not only will the hand
ling of trains promptly be impossible
but that with the present shortage
Of skilled laborers. it is now taxing
the railroad company to keep the
cars and engines in shape, and to
look after the signals, tracks and
other equipment
General superintendent Massey. IL
is said, has notified the exemption
boards in the districts covering the
line between Pittsburgh and Marys~
Vile. As soon as 1t is known posi-
lively how many men now employed
on the Philadelphia division come un-
der the draft call. Superintendent w.
B. McCaleb. of the philadelphia di-
vision, will make every effort to
keep his skilled employees on duty.
While 1t was never announced of
f1cially. it was understood sometime
ago that the employees eligible to
draft, and absolutely needed to keep
the railroads in operation, would be
exempted. With this end in view
many employees when they registered.
II is said. intlmated that exemption
would be asked for on the grounds
that the company would need them
during the war.