The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-09-04
T. R. r.ENouNcEs sLAcKERs
Says shipyard Workers That Limit
Output Are Traitors.

New Durgn, n, r.. sept. z--oidcktIS
in American shipyards who loaf in
dividually ana unions of shipbuilders
which limit the output Of ships were
denounced by Theordore Roosevelt to
day as traitors TO the country Col
onel Roosevelt delivered an address
on the occasion OF the launching from
the Newburgh Shipyards OF the first
of ten vessels. each of 5000 tons dead
weight which are to be built here for
the United States shipping board.
Colonel Roosevelt expressly exempt
ed the employees Of the local yard
from his denunciation by saying that
he understood that warm spirit of
helpfulness and cooperation had been
developed here. Emphasizing the pat
ri0tic service rendered by shipbuild-
ers, the Colonel said:
"A Stacker in our shipyards is as
shameful a creature as a coward in
the army in France, and a good work
er in the shipyards stands honOrably
forward like good soldier in the
army. have come here to New
burgh largely because my inquiries
have convinced me that here there has
been no organized limitation of out
put and practically no loafing am
convinced that, generally speaking,
there is fine spirit of patriotism in
shipbuiding labor in all parts Of the
country
yet il has been alleged to me that
IN certain yards men have loafed in
diyidually and that in certain yards
unions have actually limited the out
iput so as to limit the number of riv.
cts driven in a day, or to limit the
number Of days that they work, or in
other ways to prevent the develop
ment Of our full strength and our ut
most speed. Such men are traitors to
the country
If had my way would take any
such man and any men who aided or
abeued him, put him in the army at
once and send him across the water
TO do the hardest work in the most
dangerous position; and would not
give him a rife until he had learned
the spirit OF patriotism Any man
who lays off now or scamps his job is
a traitor to his fellow Americans in
France, a traitor TO the men who need
all The help we can give them. On
the other hand you. whom ! am con
yinced represent the enormous ma
iority Of shipyard workers, you who
are doing your utmost night and day
week in and week out, stand on tho
J honor roll Of American citizenship a:
second only to our troops in France
: and | honor you. am proud beyond
measure that ] am your fellow coun
tryman
= The army we have in France hai
! been put there only because the Brit
/ ish furnished us 60 per cent Of thl
I tonnage needed to ferry fhem across
+ From now on American shpbuilder
+ must bear this burden Therefor
o any limitation OF output in our shil
i yards is a crime against the country
Any union rule on workmens' agree
k ment to limit the output in shipyard
g. should be treated as criminal at thi
II time. Pershing's men are not lim
II ing their output. Shame and disgrac
n should be the portion Of any man VIII
p. here at home limits the output neceI
( sary 10 make the blood and labor c
u our soldiers at the front of avail.
O "lt is the patriotic duty OF men !
q the less essential industries to leay
D. those industries and 10 come to tn
rs shipyards and to place their technici
lf skill at the service Of their country
W the way which will best help to wi
" the war Shipbulding is the neck
h our industrial bottle so far as III
ie war is concerned. Let every man I
u to work in shipyard go to the shi
ny yard nearest to him to help out in OF
IS great need for skilled labor
s. Colonel Roosevelt declared that /
X pr0hteering whatever should be q
in lowed out Of war industry In askir
n labor to do It's utmost, capital shou
iiy be held by the government to Il
ne same standard