The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-05-08
20 SHOPS IN CITY LOSE ARMS
 co. CONTRACTS
(Continued from Page f.)

prevent the labor troubles belnS TO- mented by Samuel Lavit, not alone in the factories. turning out contract or ders for the Browning machine gun, but in the shops of the Remington Arms itself.
 It was impressed upon the repre- sentative of the Bridgeport Times, that the only shops affected by the redict of the Remington Arms, are plants which have been turning out parts for the manufacture of machine guns and pistols, and which owing to strikes are idle.
 The following is a partial list of the plants affected by the transfer of or ders to the mia He West:
 Anderson Die & Machine Go,
 Bradley Machine Go.
 F. G. BreuI.
 Bridgeport Gun Tool Co. Feeney Tool Co.
 Electric Compassion Go. Harris Engineering Go.
 LindstzOm Die, Tool & Guage Co. Modern Mfg. Co. Model Tool & Guage Co. PedersoM Bros.
 Precisio Tool 6 Guage Go.
 W. l.. Smith Mfg. Go. F. S. TrumbuII Go.
 Dozens of machinists that have been ordered to stop working by Business Agent Lavit, have spoken rather loud ly about the mistake which has been made and have even gone so far as to predict trouble, but say that they will not be here to see it. As a conse- quence many machinists aEe leaving Bridgeport and it is no uncommon sight to see score of them at the railroad station with their tool boxes leaving Bridgeport for points in the Middle West.
 Manufacturers seem to be helpless as they find it impossible to meet the constantly growing and unreasonable | demands made by Samuel Iavit, who has gained a record for picking out factories engaged on important gov ernment work in which to start a strike or some other trouble which holds up the production.
 At the beginAning of the present strike there was a strong bid made to gain the public sympathy by the bus mess agent of the union and it was loudly and broadly circulated that the shops that were effected were only the small factories which were trying to hog all the profits out of the Rem ington contracts which they had se- | cured.
 When this propaganda was being spread it vas not told that the work which these small shops were engaged upon was of the most vital importance to the manufacture of the machine guns and other arms for which our men in France are loudly calling.
 On the other hand the public was led to believe that the small plants were paying small wages and that in proportion to the profits on work which was of no great importance tc the conduct of the war, the money they paid skilled labor was not suffi- cient.
 The same methods were used by Lavit, according to statements made by people in a position to know the in. side facts, when he called strike after strike in plants engaged in manufac turing arms and other munitions fol our allies before America entered the war. There has not been single instance of where he has started la bor troubles in any plant other thar one engaged on government work ol doing work, for one or the other O. our allies.
 The transferring of the contracts let out by the Remington Arms tt auto factories and other plants in thu middle west will be a loss to thu commercial interests of Bridgeport
 There is talk now of the govern ment taking a firm hand in the labo situation and it would not surpris many if a labor draft was enforc ed.
 This could very easily be done con sidering the powers entrusted to tn President and his cabinet, and a sit uation brought about similar to tha which almost rocked France som years ago when a. general strike wa called upon all the railroads with . view of paralyzing commerce of ev , cry kind.
 sThe French government at tha time ordered the army mobilized, tn strikers were called to the colors an were then assigned to duty operatin the railroads at five cents day, tn pay of French soldier, instead o the union scale with which they wer