Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-21
TO COMB SLACKERS
FROM INDUSTRIES
Men Granted Deferred Classihca-
tions Will Not Be Per
mitted to Soldier"
MANY HIDE AT HOG ISLAND
Having Obtained Employment,
They Are Deliberately Shirk-
ing Their Work.

WASHINGTON September @O-The
work or light decree is TO be a SUI
prcme law OF the land through the
promulsstion of regulations by the pro
vost strnarshal- generals Office from this
time to the end Of the war
Men who have obtained deferred clas-
sihcation as essential 10 an essential
industry. and who do not work stead
lily and honestly at their tasks. will he
combcd out OF the ranks of the real
workers, and viii lose their clastin-
cation. This means that they Will have
TO account Tor themselves to their local
draft boards, and probably will have to
serve at useful tasks in uniforms be-
ccause they failed to voluntarily give
their country their best efforts III time
of need.
The facts about the new regulations
that arc being drawn were brought out
the state of affairs Al tho great ship
building plant al Hog Island. where
seriously TO hold do"n production of
ships far below the normal capacity OF
the yard.
Charles picz vice president of the
Emergency Fleet Corporation. told the
committee about the hunt for slackcrs
in the Hog Island yards The slackers
arc OF two kinds. he Indicated. and arc
not confined 10 shipbuiding plants, but
arc present in most OF the essential in
dustries. one class consists OF thos"
who have obtained employment for tho
sole purpose OF escaping the draft. and
arc useless in such employment. and "a
second class. who. having obtained en-
ploymcnt. are deliberately Shirkinc the
work they arc able to do and impair
ing the efficiency OF tho organization.
II is planned TO reach the military
siackcrs through an. examination "t
their ella inns TO deferred clasSitica ion
other than thcn employment in essen
,ial work. The industrial slackcrs viii
..,1,o Il Ia, In I'm
any man employed in war work and
having obtained deferred elias ssitica lion
on that ground; shall lose such claSsi-
work more than three days = month
without good reason. such as persona
illness or other cause affecting the in
dividual and his work.
SI.ACkERS WILL HE SENT
TO ARMY ~ CAUGHT
The Emaraency Elect Corporation"
said Mr.. Piez in operation with
charges Of stacking. and Il they are
we'll founded. Will at once dismiss tho
slackers. who will then be put into the
army. feel certain Nc will take care
OF that situation without any trouble"
Hog Island. with its 10000 en-.
ployeeS: appears TO haN" attracted
more than its share OF shirkers anu
slackers, accordins 10 informntion
given the committee. Baseball play
crs. puciiists. BARRIERS. actors and men
OF like callinSs. together with men who
had never engaged In regular work Of
any kind. have locked To this plant
on account OF tho great demand for
lanor OF all kinds After having cs
tablishcd their status III tho draft rs
in essential employment. these men
have deliberately laid down on their
jobs and are now unrSc than useless
TO the industry. II is This class which
Influences the record OF abscntccism
from work. which runs, particularly
high At the Rcs island yards.
Senator Fletcher said IL was the
duty Of tho government to protect mcn
honestly engaged in essential work
against such Stacking, and the mem
bers OF the committee seemed pleased
TO hear that the provost -marShal-Scn
eral has interested himself in combinS
out the useless from the useful in
essential industry.
Mr.. piez repeated To The committee
the statement that he has made public
before about the prospect for pruduc
tion OF ships AT the Hog Island yards
on account OF the inetlicicncy OF many
OF tho employees. and Stacking. the Of
hcials Of the yard arc far behind their
program.
"Tney will never accomplish wha,
they hope at the present rate OF prog
ress.' said Mr.. Piez They hope for
forty eight ships this year, but with
their labor problem and basinS my
estimate experience with other
yards, ! Will he satisfied if the yards
produce twenty ships this year"