New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-26
All War Labor
To Be.Put on
Union Basis
Union Conditions Also, but
Not the Closed Shop,
Promised Gompers
Especial Cor-spondencsl

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-By the
terms Of a tentative agreement be-
tween President Wilson and his sd
visers on the one hand, and Samuel
Gompers, representing organized labor,
on the other, all contracts for muni-
tions and other government work dur.
ing the continuance of the war will be
conditional on the payment of union
wages and the maintenance Of union
standards irrespective of the unionism
or non-unionism of the employees af-
fected
The understanding does not call for
the closed shop.
The first hint of this agreement, as
yet to be worked out in all of its de
tails, became public this afternoon
when it was announced that the Navy
Department and the shipbuilding com
mission, together with a representative
of organized labor, would fix the wages
and conditions for the shipyards of
the country.
The first immediate effect will be the
settlement of the shipbuilders' strike
in New York, which has seriously in
terfered with the production of ships
and shipping repairs. These yards, now
clogged with uncomplcted ships and
ships on which repairs have been held
UP, are needed. If the owners Of the
yards agree to operate under the condl-
tions that the special board created TO-
day will lay down there will be no
further friction. If they do not the
government will find other ways OF
operating the yards.
Inasmuch as the government Will
make allowances for the higher ex-
penses union conditions may involve. it
is not expected that there will be serl.
Gus operations on the part of any OF
the operating shipbuilders.
Board Named by Wilson
The board named by the President
to-day to handle the shipysrd situation
consists of V. Everit Macy. Of New
York. president of the National" Civic
Federation: Albert Berres, secretary
of the Metal Trades Department OF the
American Federation of Labor. and
representatives of the Shipping Board
vet to be named. Mr.. Macy is desig,
mated as a representative of the general
public. while Mr.. Berries represents or
ganizeG labor.
This board will be raised automati-
cally to four members in all disputes
where the navy may be involved, AS
sistant Secretary Franklin D. Koose-
Welt becoming the fourth member, the
Secretary Of War. as chairman OF the
Council Of National Defence, having
the deciding vote in the case of any tie
where Mr.. Roosevelt may be voting.
The selection of this board follows
numerous conferences this week be-
tween members of the Council of Ma
tional Defence. the War Industries
Board and the President. In these con-
fercnces Ralph M. Easley, of New YORK,
representing the National Civic Fedora
ton. took 2 prominent part, as did the
representatives Of the various inter
national unions represented in the ship
yards.
All of the latter signed the agree.
ment under which the adjustment board
will act, Edward N. Hurley signing for
the Shipping Board, Rear Admiral w.
I. Capps for the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration, and Mr. Roosevelt for the
Navy Department. The labor repre-
sentatives signing the agreement were
James O'Connell, president Of the Metal
Trades division of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor; William II. john
stone, president OF the International
Association of Machinists; A. j. Berries.
Samuel Gompers, Joseph F. Valentine.
international president of the Moulders'
Union; T. NJ. Guerin, representing the
carpenters; John NJ. Donlin. for the
building Trades department Of the
American Federation; John K. Alpine,
Of the steam and operating engineers,
and Joseph A. Franklin, president OF
the pattern makers.
The main argument underlying the
agreement to insist upon union condi-
tions during the war has been the ne
cessity Of avoiding the mistake England
made in the early days of the war by
excess speeding up and overworking OF
workers in munitions plants. While the
immediate result was increased prodUc-
tion. the gradual slowing up which ex-
haustion forced made q radical change
in the system necessary.
Law Which Controls
In the settlement Of disputes the new
board will take as the basic standard
the scale of wages and hours in force
July 10, 1917, and conditions obtaining
on that date. The agreement further
provides:
Consideration shall be given by the
board to any circumstances whatever
arising after such wages, hours or con-
dtions were established, and which
NAV seem 10 call for changes in wages,
hours or conditions. The board shall
keep itself fully informed as to the re-
lation between living costs in the~sev-
eral districts and their comparison be-
tween progressive periods Of time.
"The decisions OF the board shsl un-
der proper conditions, be retroactive, in
which case accounting such as may be
proper shall be made in accordance
with the directions Of the board. The
decisions Of the board will, in so far a.
this memorandum may be capable OF
achieving such result, be final and bind
ing on al parties, but a: any time after
six months have elapsed following any
such ratified agreement or any such
final decision by The board OF any ques-
ton as 20 wages, hours or conditions IN
any plant, such questions may be re-
opened for adjustment upon the re-
quest OF the majority Of the craft or
crafts at such plant affected by such
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