The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-02-18
CARPENTERS ARE
BACK TO WORK
Six Thousand Men in Their
Places at Ship Yards
by Noon
Today.
LABOR HEAD rs SCORED
President Of Union Forced to Yield
Through Pressure Brought
by the Men Them
selves.
LABOR HEAD rs SCORED

NEW YORK. Feb. 18.-Striking ma
r1ne carpenters in the shipyards in
New York and vicinity to the number
of six thousand, will be back in their
places by noon today, according to
John Stuart, in charge Of the local Of
fees Of the marine woodworders' un-
ion.
! "The president having requested
the return to work Of members of our
union, the members Of the local board
are getting in touch with them at their
| different meetings, personally. by tele-
phone and by telegraph and advising
the men to return to work." said
Stuart.
eve are telling them that it is their
patriotic duty as American citizens to
return to the ship yards. There are
about 5000 members Of our union on
strike in Greater New York"
All night the executives of the un-
ion were at work notifying the striking
carpenters to go back to the ship
yards. President William L. Hutch
eson. commenting on the order to the
men to return to work said:
'The situation has been entirely
changed by the telegram from the
president. The workmen who have
been striking for a hearing Of their
grievances now feel sure they VIII get
It,"
T. M Guerin, a member of the
general committee Of the carpenters
and joiners' union, said this morning
that he expected ninety-eight percent
Of the men to be back in the yards
by noon today.
I'VE have sent out seventy-eight
men from headquarters to the diff
ferent meetings in New York, New
Jersey and Staten Island. We were
informed this morning that 700 men
were going out at Perth Amboy, N.
]. We told the organizers to tell the
men to go back to wrok.
"On Saturday night 400 non-unlon
men came over to the union in Staten
Island Representatives of the union
did not see Secretary Daniels as has
been reported. The situation has
been passed up to the president We
did not bother with little men be-
cause we wanted action"
John Rice, secretary of the marine
wood workers union, who presided at
meeting held in Brooklyn today, stat
| ed that there would not be a man on
strike by tomorrow morning.
| According to Rice, all the yards in
| the port of New York will have full
! complement of men for work tomor-
row.
Standpoint Of Labor.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-Ameri-
can labor believes the only argument
Germany now understands Is force.
Labor is willing to go back and glad
to back up this argument with its
heartiest support if it gets decent
place to dwell, If grievances can be
adjusted by fair agencies and If all
wages do not go for bare existence.
That summarizes the labor stand
point of America today as voiced by
the executive council of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor.
No Further WaIkouts.
WASHINGTON, Feb 1s.-While
striking carpenters in eastern snip
wards were returning to work today
under spur of President Wilson, the
government prepared to launch pro-
gram that will prevent future walk
outs.
The government now and hereafter
will act on the principle that no strike
is justified until all methods Of adjust,
ment have been tried to the limit; and
that any action taken contrary to this
principle will be regarded as giving
aid and comfort to the enemy.
President Wilson yesterday struck
at the heart Of the trouble-William
Hutcheson, head of the carpenters and
iointers, in message demanding that
he send the men back to work and end
the strike.
At the same time President Wilson
acknowledged the action of all other
labor organizations in standing loyalty
by the government in the threatened
crisis.
II feel it my duty" the president
wired Hutcheson, "to call your atten-
tion that the strike of carpenters in the
shin wards is in marked and painful
, contrast to the action of labor In other
trades and places"
/, The action of labor as a whole in
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