Evening star., 1918-02-16
SHIP CARPENTERS
SEEK Mr.. WILSON'S
AID IN WAGE FIGHT
Continued from First Page )

Continued from First Page)
mum wage which the government might
be willing to pay.
tion, Mr.. Guerin said Chairman Hurley
desired to have the carpenters sign an
agreement that they would abide by
any wages which the labor adjustment
board might fix. The carpenters would
not sign such a document, Mr.. Guerin
asserted, at least until they were given
some idea as to minimum wages to be
paid.
Brotherhood leaders today asserted
there were about 5000 carpenters idle
here. owing to scarcity of material, in
addition to the strikers. and that
throughout the country there were ST.
600 carpenters idle who had been en-
ployed on cantonments and who could
be turned into shipbuilding workers
with only little training. These esti-
mates were given out, it was stated,
to show that there was plenty OF labor
ava1iabie Tor carrying out the govern
ment's shipbuilding program if higher
wages were paid
Brotherhood Seeks Representation.
The government has rejected a prop
osition by the carpenters brotherhood
that the shipworkers be allowed to
place representative on the labor ad-
1ustment board Of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation, to settle the present wage
controversy, 1T was announced by Mr.
Guerin.
The ship workers wanted to appoint such
representative with the right to vote
and with powers equal to those held by
government representatives. Mr. Guerin
said he wished to reply to the statement
by Chairman Hurley that the ship workers
were seeking special privileges" detri-
mental to other trades.
conferences We have held with the shin
ping board head, the wage adjustment
board or the Navy Department." he said
70 JUSTIFY such statement The only
sented in writing and they speak for
themselves"
Carpenters Side of the Case.
The decision to strike was made by
the carpenters at a meeting held last
saiurday and the date was fixed for
TINS morning. unless in the meantime
president Hutcheson arrived at an un-
derstanding with officials of the shin
ping board. John Rice, organizer for
the carpenters said
1t is simply question of an adjust
ment of wages" Rice said, TO conform
to what ship carpenters are getting
elsewhere and to what house carpen-
ters. now engaged in ship work were
getting at their regular work, A memo
by the men was drawn up and pre-
sented to Chairman Macy of the federal
wage adjustment committee and to
Chairman Hurley of the shipping
board last week. They refused to con-
slider this memorandum unless the car
penters would first bind themselves to
abide by the decision Of the adjustment
committee. We feel that we cannot do
this in justice to ourselves
The matter has been pending since
December "a, when complaints of the men
employed In the shipyards were brought
before the carpenters district council and
in turn presented by our national officers
to the employing shipyards and officials
of the shipping board
The scale now paid is 1884, $40 and
$4-sS for eight hours work, the three
classes being determined by the employ-
ers in accordance with the experience and
skill of the men This is below the navy
yard scale and also lower than the scale
paid In the west Our men have wanted to
strike before. but have refrained from
doing SO at the request Of our general
president.
We are not unpatriotic: we realize that
the country needs ships for a successful
prosecution of the war and we stand
ready to do our part. We desire, however
to fnd out where we stand in the matter
OF remuneration and working conditions" !"
Mr.. Rice said that there were approyi-
mately 10000 woodworkers engaged in
ship construction in New York and vi
cinlty, and of this number virtually IS
per cent were members of the Carpenters,
union.