Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-19
STRIKE SITUATION
MORE FAVORABLE
Chairman Hurley, of Shipping
Board, Will Leave for Pa
cific Coast To-Day.
CALLS ON GOMPERS FOR AID
Train Load of Troops Sent to AS
toria, Greg, to Halt
l. w. w. Activities.
CALLS ON GOMPERS FOR AID
lev 4 .snc.a,ed rrc.s l

J
WASHINGTON. September lS.-Thc
government to-day undertook to set
tie tho strike of iron workers at san
Francisco shipbuildinr plants working
on government contracts without
awaiting basic agreement on other
strikes in Seattle shipyards Reports
to the Shipping Board from Captain A.
T.. Pillsbury. the boards agent on the
Pacific Coast. indicated a more favor
able outlook on the situation. which
is interfering with one-eighth of the
governments ship construction
Chairman Hurley. Of the Shipping
Board, expects to leave for San Fran
cisco tomorrow with William Black
mon. Department of Labor concilia-
tor. Before departing he will confer
further with Samuel Gompers, pres
idcnt OF the American Federation Of
Labor. TO whom he appealed to-day for
aid.
Secretary Daniels also has joined I'm
the governments efforts. He conferred
during the day with Mr.. Hurley con-
corning the enec, of wage increases
on navy contracts.
Secretary Wilson has tc!egrapbed w.
Il. Boycc. assistant commissioners Of
immigration AT San Francisco TO ten
der his Offices az mediator or concilia-
tor in settlement of the strike of iron
workers and shipbuilders there.
Mr.. Eoycc has been instructed to
keep In close touch with developments,
and TO advise the Department of Labor
mere promptly concerning them.
Extension OF the strike to mills rro :
ducinE lumber for government ships is
feared by Shipping Board officials.
From Portland and Astoria Oregon.
came reports that striking carpenters
were trying to persuade other work
mo To walk out. and that lumber mills
nigh, be affected.
FAVOR WAGE INCREASE
WITH SLIDING SCALE
Shipping Board officials favor sub
stantial wage increase with s!idiuE e
scale for government participation. The
proportion Of wage raises to be pcid
by the government should depend
Chairman Hurley. of the board. believes
on the profits OF shiphuilders Some
officials have urged that the govern
ment pay 50 per cent of the increases
for companies making 10 per cent protit
or less. and require profits of more
than that amount to go into the wage
grants.
Navy contracts involved in the strike
virtually all are of the cost plus-a
percentage Of profit type adopted to
meet precisely the situation that has
arisen.
When bids for destroyers. cruisers
and hattleships We're opened. private
builders said they could not make fiat
contracts except at an extraordinary
advance in price. since they had no as
surancc as TO what labor might cost
them before the work was completed
Under the plus cost contract, the
government would absorb AT least some
increased wage scales So far. how
ever. no suggestion that the Navy De-
partmcnt authorize increases at the
San rancisco plant has been received
Presumably the builders are not
willing to grant the increase demanded
by the men on commercial work they
have in hand and are hopeful that an
adjustment can he reached without set
ting the precedent Of an advance scale
on the navy work.