Evening journal., 1918-09-25
.SHIPYARDS DROP
ARMY ELIGIBLES
900 Combed Out Of
Hog Island and Other
Plants
QUICK EXIT IS
GIVEN ALL IDLERS

Since June. 25,OOO men eligible for
military service have been combed out
from among shlpworkers at Hog Island
and other shipyards under the control
OF the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
After November 1, no man IN Glass
OF the present draft, Will be given en-
ployment In any OF these yards.
Plans 10 force every Stacker out Of
the yards within forty-eight hours arc
being made by a representative OF the
fleet corporation. comforting with Pro-
vost Marshal General Crowder.
Foremen OF the various departments
are refusing TO vouch for employees who
loaf on the job. under the plan 10 have
essential workmen exempted from the
draft
Announcement OF these facts is made
by Charles Plez, general manager OF the
Emergency Fleet Corporation, 10 show
that the yards are being made unsafe
for slackers.
The impression that slackers have a
soft" time getting Jobs under the fleet
corporation is a wrong conception Of
the true state OF affairs. Mr.. Plez de-
clared.
we have our representative now at
Washington" said the feet corporation
executive, "and he Is busy with Gen.
eral Crowder getting ready for the plan
to stamp out the slackerlsm In the
yards. and TO drive these men out OF
the corporation. We expect that with
in foriy-eight hours the plans Will
have been completed, and then the
exodus will start.
Here Is a sample Of the manner in
which we have purged the lists within
the last three months. Since June we
have struck or more than 5000 names
from the exemption lists, but have been
compelled 10 add 5000 fore 20 them.
making a net reduction OF 1900 names.
In the shlpyards and plants where
work for the fleet corporation and the
navy Is being rushed there are fully
$1,000 employees. or that tremendous
number there were only 10000 on the
original exemption lists, and these are
divided 5000 in the shipyards and 3d.
600 in the auxiliary enterprises con-
nected with the shipping program OF
both the board and the navy.
And on July there were only 81
900 names OF men in Class on the
navy lists, the shipping boards merch-
ant marine recruiting service and the |
Emergency Fleet Corporations yards |
and plants. Ten thousand OF these were |
in the navy list alone. 1000 I'm the mer- |
chant marine and only 10000 left for |
he yards and plants. And ! have Of /
fetal information that at least 10000 /
OF those last would have been granted |
deferred classification, anyway, by |
their local boards for industrial rea-
sons.
Il cite these figures so that the peo-
pie won't get the general idea that the |
are providing soft berths for |
slackers. We shall clean out Hog Island |
and these other yards as soon as we |
yet down 10 business. We have agreed |
with General Crowder that after the /
lrst OF November no man in Class 4 OF /
he present draft viii be hired at the /
Yards.
"Of course, n some man is an expert
IN a vital line connected with the ship
building program, we may ask that he
De sent TO the shipyards. as that would
le the arm Of the service where his
alents could best be employed. But
lfter November II a man applies for a
OBJ and he says he is in Glass 1 that
will automatically bar him from secur-
ng employment. This agreement how
,ver. is retroactive, but applies solely
o the new draft. And l want TO inn
,ress upon men in the present Glass 4
ist and who are essential TO shipbhld-
ng not 10 rush away and enlist. feeling
hat after November 1 they won't be
leeded at Hog Island and the other
ards.
They want to stay just where they
re. General CrOwder wants the new
after November 10 be con-
Ined to defererd classes, but any good.
decent, industrious workman
low in the yards who is in Glass need
lot fear about the future"