New-York tribune., 1918-02-17
Closed Shop
Demand Refused
Raise in the Delaware
Yards a Compromise;
May Be Basis for
New York Scale
[St0f Coivesponde1tcel

w O4N, req. fTeSlQenC
Wilson will undertake personally ad-
justment of the controversy between
the ship carpenters in New York ard
Baltimore yards and the Shipping
Board, which is seriously hindering
progress on the Emergency Fleet con-
structlon programme. Just wha. steps
the President will take is not yet clear,
though official assurances were given
at the White House to-day that The
Chief Executive had the strike situa-
! tion under consideration, and wonld
attempt settlement within the next
few days.
lhe strike situation was pronounced
unchanged by officials of the Shipping
board to-day. Neither the union nor
the Shipping Board, it was said. had
undertaken further exchanges of opin-
ION. W. l.. Hutcheson, national presi-
dent of the Carpenters Union, however.
| appealed to the President to give i'm
lileaia'e assurances OF higher wages
and closed shop conditions.
he receipt OF this message II ;s
understood, mad nothing to do with the
rresldent's decision to undertake the
role OF labor conciliator. Representa-
tlons made to him by Chairman Hurley
ana secretary of Labor Wilson, it is
stated, prompted his decision to act.
End of Trouble Expected
1t is considered doubtful whether
1ne PRESIDENT viii a-ree with the
p,s E:ssss boaa'd Ia iiss suneompronlisi5g
decision ~ifot 10 s.cso> - % 'vfle closed
shop demand of the strikinr car
penters. His entrance into the situa-
ton, it is expected, will speedily settle
the troubles Of the Shipping Board.
nevertheless, for he will be able 10
orlng home to the strikers the full sig
nltcance OF their present unpatriotic
! stand IN blocking the war programme.
mat Will prove sufficient, it is con-
Shlpplng Board, to induce the strikers
TO return to work, despite efforts to
the contrary being exerted by their ma
tlonal president. Mr.. Hutcheson.
ne Labor Adjustment Board o-dav
reported decision on the wages and
conditions of labor in tho delaware
River yards. This. it is expected. will
j further weaken the case of the striking
carpenters. because it grants consid-
cradle increase to the workers in the
Delaware River territory. at the same
time freeing the adjustment board for
an immediate consideration of wages
and conditions in the New York dis
trict.
The adjustment board decision to-
day grants $3.50 a day of eight hours
to the carpenters in the Philadelphia
and Baltimore yards. 1t, however. fiat
ly rejects the demand for closed shop
conditions as follows:
"Believing that in this national
emergency past differences between
employers and employees must be for
gotten in the common determina-
tion to produce the maximum num-
Der of ships. the board Will not toll
crate any discrimination either on
the part of employers or employees
between union and non-union men,"
Award Not Yet Accepted
The rate of $500 a day for both
ship and house carpenters employed in
the shipyards is 81 less than the de-
mands made by the union. Although
the decision covers the Baltimore
yards, the carpenters IN these yards
have not yet agreed to accept the
award. 1t was stated at the Shipping
Board to-day that, outstanding
this. it was believed that the Balti-
more strikers would not much longer
follow the lead of their national pres
ident.
In this connection it was said that
New York and Baltimore carpenters
were practically the only ones on the
Atlantic coast to adhere to the de
mands made by President Hutcneson
for the $3.50 wage and the closed shop.
( Practically all other carpenters local
unions have agreed to accept the deci-
sion of the Labor Adjustment Board
The reported danger of spread of
the New York shipyards' strike to in
a. yrorkarc
dissipated to-day, when metal trades
leaders agreed TO remain at work pend
ing consideration of their wage
claims by the Labor Adjustment Board.
The board has fixed March A for a
hearing in New York on the demands
of the metal workers.
Draft Exemption to Stand
Both " Everit Macy, chairman Of
Meyer Bloomfield. chief of the labor
division of the Fleet Corporation. to-
day positively stated that the Ship
ping Board had no intention of lifting
the exemption from military service
of strikers in the shipyards. 1t was
admitted that the employers If some OF
the yards had communicated sugges-
ton along this line to the provost mar
shall and had in some instances filed a
list Of the strikers eligible for draft
The Shipping Board when it learned
of this situation, promptly notified the
several yards that under no circum-
stances were they to take action in
the premises without the direct order
of the Fleet Corporation. it was stated.
The yard managers were further for
hidden to supply lists of strikers e,igi-
BILE for the draft to any other govern
ment organization, except the Shipping
Board.
1t was made plain that officials do
not believe the time has yet arrived to
. attempt punitive measures against
slackers in the shipyards Rather, it is
their opinion that the active Stacker