The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1918-12-27
WORK At STITHTON
HAS been STOPPED
Labor Strikes Reported
As Reason For End
Of Work

Workmen needed by government
in speeding up its shipbuilding pro-
gram are being recruited In Louisville
by representatives of the Hog Island
shipyards. who are here in an effort
TO enlist 10000 men from the ranks
of soldiers who are being demobilized
at Camp Taylor and Camp Knox.
The wages at Hog Island are quoted
at 40 cents an hour for unskilled la
Dor, while skilled labor may be ex-
pected to receive considerable more.
The fact that thousands Of soldiers
are to be demobilized at the two
camps and that the John Griifiths e.
Son Company is to abandon the work
of building the cantonment at Stith-
ton has attracted the attention of Of
ficials in charge of Hog Island ship
yards. At recent conference in
Washington. held between John Crit
fiths, of the firm of John Griffiths &
Son Company, War Department Of
ficials and representatives of the
Louisville labor organizations, It was
agreed as result of the strikes at
Camp Knox that the work there
should be discontinued.
Suspend All Work.
The government plans to suspend
all work at Camp Knox at this time.
except small jobs which may be com
pleted by civilians or by soldiers sta
toned at the camp. Mr.. Griffiths
stated last night that the buildings
for three of the six brigades-1st,
Bird and 4th-- have been practically
completed, while those for the 5th
Brigade are under roof. The lum-
Der for the buildings for the 2nd and
9th Brigades is on the ground.
Discontinuance of the work by the
government was attributed by Mr..
Grifiths TO the strikes, which have
greatly hindered the work there of
late. He said that first the steam fit
tiers and plumbers went on strike,
and that electricians, sheet metal
workers and others soon followed.
Frequently, he said, the soldiers have
helped to unload the cars and do con
crete work.
The trouble, Mr.. Griniths said, was
due to the fact that after the signing
of the armistice the government in
. sisted that men should not work over
time and that the men wanted to
work ten hours, two hours overtime.
The men, he said, also wanted three
hours travelling time and SO cents ad-
ditional for railroad fare between
Louisville and Stithton. However,
he said some of the men had return
ed to work and that all had expressed
y a willingness to return at the old
wages.
Continue Only Needed Work.
Only such work as must be done
TO save buildings under construction
will be completed by the government,
in the opinion of Mr.. Grifliths, who
said he was not authorized to speak
for the government, but that 1t was
his opinion that only a few minor
Jobs and possibly the work on the
hospital was all that would be con-
tinued.
Major Radcliff, construction quar-
termaster at Camp Knox said he was
not in a position to say what the gov
eminent would do with regard to
completing the work at Camp Knox
at this time. He said that all kinds
of rumors were afoat but that moth
ing definate had been decided on so
far as he had been informed.
A special from the War Department
yesterday announced that work at
Camp Knox would be abandoned.
There are now two artillery brigades
in the camp, 10th and Gath, and they
occupy areas two and five in the big
cantonment. The 10th is now be-
ing rapidly demobilized as are the
420th Ammunition Train and the
card and 29th Trench Motor Bat
teries.
When this rehabilitation has been
completed it will leave about 5000
men at Camp Knox in the Gath Bri-
gade, commanded by Brig. Gen.
Charles F. Blakely, and composed of
the 10th, list and 73rd regiments.
1t is reported that no artillery divi-
sion under No. 20 will be demobilized
at present, and the Gath Brigade is a
part of the 18th Division and may re-
main at the camp indefinitely.