New-York tribune., 1918-02-15
He Appeals to Ship Work
ers' Loyalty as Trouble
Spreads
Union Expected
To Heed Request
Wage Adjustment Near;
Demand for Closed
Shop Refused
ISiaf Correspondence

New York shlpyards to Baltimore to-
day caused Chairman Hurley of the
Shipping Board to send a virtual de-
mand to William l. Hutcheson, presi-
dent of the United Brotherhood Of
Carpenters and Joiners, to order the
strikers back TO work. pending the
adjustment Of wages in Eastern yards
by the Labor Adjusting Board.
The Chairman of the Shipping Board
admitted that the carpenters strikes
we're the most serious menace to the
war programme that has yet developed.
At The same time he expressed conf
dence that, when the strikers had the
situation presented to them in the Sc
rious light IN which it was depicted
by the message sent to-day to Presi-
dent Hutcheson Of the union, they
would return to work.
In fact, Chairman Hurley ventured
the prediction shat the men would be
again at work in the yards within
forty eight hours. His message to the
union head reads:
While the people of this country are
mourning the loss Of brave young
Americans in the Tuscania horror,
while thousands of Am merican homes are
anxiously waiting the lists of survivors
slowly coming in to make certain that
another precious life has ben sratched
from the Atlantic Ocean, a telegram
comes. and with it the grim announce
mens that the carpenters in the ship
yards are now on strike.
Before any government agency is
given an opportunity to act. and de-
spite the good record of our adjustment
boards prompiness and fairness in
dealing with all labor matters. you
attempt to paralyze the shipbuilding
industry at the Port of New York.
Endangers Troops Abroad
DO you realize that you are adding
20 the fearful danger our soldiers al,
ready face. the danger of starvation
and the danger Of slaughter if food and
ammunition are not sent over in ships
and in many ships at once
do you think the fathers and moth
crs whose sons are making this sac
lllice. viii sit patiently by and permit
this paralyzing of the life line between
Us and the Western front to go on?
will you take my friendly sugges-
tlon and 90 back to work at once? The
machinery for dealing with all YOUR
demands and with the rights Of
labor is at hand. You will be we'll ad-
vised to follow the methods of well
managed and patriotic labor organiza-
tons, and at least until you have test
ed whether or not your government,
for which as shpbuilders you are now
working, can be fair
II advise you to end the paralyzing
of the shipyard work now. am sure
You would not deliberately imperil the
lives and safety of brave fellow citj-
zens. | am sure you believe with me
that those whose sons are now giving
their blood that you and | and our
children may be safe and free will not
long permit either you or me to invite
destruction Of heroic lives and disas-
ter to a great world cause"
Copies Of this telegram were sent to
FRED Herman, secretary of the Brother
mood of Carpenters. Jersey City, and
TO the union officials in Baltimore.
Expect Unions Will Obey
1t is considered unlikely that the
carpenters union will refuse to COM
ply with Chairman Hurleys request.
In the first place, the strike has had no
encouragement from officials of the
American Federation of Labor, who
rave been doing their utmost to pre-
vent It, Then. as Chairman Hurley
points out in his telegram to the union
heads, the government, the Labor Ad-
Justment Board, is expediting adjust
ment of the wage question in the East
er'l yards just as rapidly as it is hu-
manly possible.
,, lhe report of the Labor Adjustment
board on wage schedules for the Della
ware River Yards is expected the lat
Ter part of the present week AS soon
as this is complete the board will i'm
IHedlately undertake settlement of
'hr New York controversy.
While the ostensible cause for III.
carpenter's strikes in the yards at
New York and Baltimore is wage ad-
LahceS to meet the increases granted
oy the adjustment board in the Pacific
ssnlpyards, it is known here that, be-
n'hu the scenes. there is strong
SWNvVement IN progress to compel the
N'lhlpplng Board to recognize closed
"nop agreement. 1t is understood that
ddonsiderable impetus was given to this
ianor leaders who counselled both
american labor officials and the men,
UOtS OF the Shipping Board that the
Used union shop for the shipyards
nsS the only solution for increasing
'"IGr difficulties in the yards.
Vnalrman Hurley. though disposed to
~ eonclllatory toward labor. has def
ry ,nely rejected this proposal. To ac-
egpt IT would involve a continual pro-
ovs avss,on OF labor troubles it is pointed
n.y. n.y. Tor with the expansion of the build
Ing programme during coming months
sI ~ would be necessary to increase the
cmeady cay large percentage of non union
carpenters in the shipyards
Labor's Importance Shown
or nc nc Importance Of the labor phase
vi me shipping problem was empha-
Ss1ed further to-day by public state
mments issued by Fuel Administrator
,na ,naileld and Secretary of Labor Will
ur Garfield said ships were not only
military but an industrial necessity,
@s without them freight congestion
'"nld continue
oeto'is Of the ship strike IN Ne,u
u orh and Baltimore oud the drive