The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-27
EXPECT SETTLEMENT
Of NORFOLK STRIKE
Navy Ward Employees Numbering
1900 Are Dropped From Pay
Boil Automatically.
Especial to The Richmond vireintan

Especial to The Richmond VjrRinian)
Norfolk, Va, September 27.~-Thirty-
seven hundred navy yard employees we're
dropped from government payroll at
noon today. their positions were auto
maticslly forfeited through the opera
tions OF the navy department rekula
tion ordering navy yard officials TO
drop all men. who failed six times 10
answer roll cali The call today at
noon was the sixth since a score OF
crafts forced a lockout at the local
yard
Indications here tonight seem to
point 10 sttiement befor daylight.
Lab leaders are holding conferences
IN portsmouth tonight. They expect on
the strength az information from in
ternational heads at Washington to be
able TO issue an order before morning
that will bring a settlement OF the
NEST serious situation that has ever
confronted the navy department IN tie
Industrial operations since war was de-
clared only one trade returned IN a
body today. IT was the pattern max
ers who numbered only comparatively
few AS individuals. however. several
hundred men disreg arded union orders
and returned to their work this morn
ing.
Tuesday night the Industrial man.
ager of the Norfolk yards reported 400
men out In discussing the situation he
said It was virtually unchanged. the
number returning TO work being only
small portion of those affected by
the lockout.
Asked II the government action would
neeessitare a permanent lcck Q u I
against men who had failed to answer
TO their names by noon. he replied that
no definite announcement had been
made on this point. but that for the
next few days at least men who volun-
tarily came back 70 their work would
be allowed 70 resume their places.
In unofficial naval circles there seems
TO be a conviction that the department
is planning decisive measures to pre-
vert a reoecurrcnce Of difficulties with
civilian labor. although Il Is known
that the navy department has taken no
active steps in this direction. 1t Is
rurnored that men seeking employment
In the navy yard will be required TO
enroll In the naval reserve force. I'm
der such a requirement they would not
he called to active duty while working
at their trades Should they. however.
force another lockout or attempt to
block the administration in it's efforts
10 bring the Atlantic feet to full eff
cheney they would be called TO active
service and made 10 perform the same
work as enlisted men at enlisted mems
pay that they had been performing as
civilians on a union scale.
The men in conference hare tonight
have refused TO make any staten emit
for publication. They admit. however
that they are expecting at any minute
10 receive from Washington tuforma-
ton that will enable them TO announce
a satisfactory settlsrnent pending
mediation.
In outside labor circles II seems to be
generally believed that international
heads are not in syn psthy with actions
taken by the navy yard employees Men
prominent In these circles seem to feel
that the national organization will not
sanction any action that ~ iRht tend to
enbarrass the administration. OF to
hold up work that IS regarded as of
extreme Importance In prosecuting the
WAS