The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-11-17
LABOR NOTES

Homer L. Ferguson, president Of the
Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry
dock Co., has told the Engineers club
| that the government should take over
| absolute control of every shipyard In
the country. Government contrel,''
he said, sis one solution of the prob
lem of shortage of skilled labor.
There are $4,000 artisans employed in
the shipyards of the Chesapeake bay
and the Delaware river now and in
nine months G0,000 will be needed. Or
ganized labor says an apprentice shall
not do master mechanics work no
matter how he may be skilled, or alSa
outsider become an apprentice, and /
say that system, is wrong" Mr.. Fer
guson said the wooden ship is 'fallacy"
and the submarine chaser ''ridiculous.v
Women employed in railroad car
shops and roundhouses do not come
within the provisions of the women's
eight-hour-day law, according to q rul-
ing of the WashiL gton state attorney
generals office. The question was
raised under the provision in the law
which forbids women employed in
mechanical" trades to be employed
more than eight hours per day. The
ruling of the attorney general is to
the effect that the work of Wiping en-
gines and other work assigned to the
women by the railroads does not come
under the strict Interpretation of the
word mechanical"
The decision of the executive board
OF the Brotherhood of Railway Train
men, in session on charges preferred
by Vice President James Murdoch of
Chicago against Assistant President T.
r. Dodge of Cleveland, in connection
with the calling of strike of Chicago
yardmen last July, has been announced.
The board found Assistant President
Dodge guilty on four out of five speci-
fic charges preferred by Vice President
Murdoch, but that Dodge's action was
injudiciOus rather than q willful viola-
ton of any laws or principles of the
brotherhood, and unanimously agreed
to censure Dodge.
AS the result of recommendations
of its labor committee the United
States Brewers association, in exc
cutive session recently decided to in
crease the wages of employees in all
branches of the industry. Approx
mately 100000 workmen will benefit,
The increase, it was stated, becomes
operative within a few weeks.
At meeting of the engineers, fire.
men, conductors and trainmen of the
Allegheny division of the Pennsylvania
railroad, it was decided not to take
any definite action on strike in sym.
pathy with the operators and dispatch
ers on the division who walked out
some weeks ago.
The Mt. Clemens (Mich) Pottery
company's plant was shut down and
200 hands are out of employment. The
strike order voted on by the pottery
workers national association, demand
ing an increase in wages of Is per cent,
became generally effective throughout
the country.
Increases in wages, which ultimately
will amount to $S000,00o year, were
announced by the Curtis Airplane and
Motor Corporation. A 5 per cent adj
vance, applicable to all employees, be.
comes effective at once. President
William A. Morgan will distribute as
premiums $150,000 In Liberty Bonds.
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation tf Labor, sait
point blank with some heat, "There
will be no conscription of labor fol
navy yards and munition plants. The
men are all working. What more d.
you want? What more can there heY
he added.