New-York tribune., 1918-09-15
Bridgeport Machinists to
Bow to Wilson's Order by
Tuesday Morning
Skilled Men Plan to
Quit Munition Shops
Meeting Monday Expected
to Order Compliance With
Presidents Letter
.specios Dispatch to The TriOans)


BRIDGEPORT, Conn, Sept. ID
The Presldent's work or fight mandate
has had It's desired effect upon tne
striking Bridgeport machinlats. lhe
backbone OF then offensive is broken.
Tuesday mornlng the Remington
Arms, l. Nj. <. the American British
and ali the other Big pants that tor
the last few weeks have been tied up
for want OF skAled workers VIII once
more resume the business OF producing
ordnance and munitions for the United
States hguting forces overseas.
Although the 4,oUU strAers VIII take
no otncial action until their scheduled
meeting MONDAY a1lernoon. the com
mittee IN charge has left the men free
to answer the Monday morning whlstIe.
if they SO desire.
Wilson's Message Received
The official copy of the Presidents
message to the workers reached the
city this morning. 1t was addressed to
the International Association of Ma
chinists, District Lodge So, and WAS
taken from the postolhce box OF the
union by Samuel Lavlt, the local busl-
ness agent. AT once Lavit CALLED the
executive committee into extraordinary
session.
simultaneously, from the Manufac-
turers' Association, formal conhrma-
tion came of the report received last
night that all strikers would be yein-
stated to their old jobs, at their old
salaries, without prejudice.
The meeting Of the executive COM
mittee, held behind locked doors, lasted
for the better part Of the forenoon.
At its close the leaders had nothlng
new to announce, save that official &C
ton would stlli have to wait until Mon
day, and that IN the meantime no more
men would be provided with funds to
leave town.
"Of course, though" It was added,
''we will not seek to prevent any men
from leaving who care TO do SC as pri-
vate individuals on their own money"
IN the course of the day about fifty
more men decided as private iDdiyid-
uals to leave town, and did so.
Strikers Spirit Changes
The disposition OF the great majority
of the strikers was 10 lie low The hot
counsels that had prevailed at last
nights lodge meeting when 1t WAS de-
cided to advocate d wholesale oAoous
of skilled men from the city and when
v l.,1a Il Il
actually set out-had considerably y
cooled by morning.
But the spirit OF resistance burns on
unabated. They were simply shifting
their tactics. Their return to the fac
tory is largely a sop to public opinion,
respite to enable them to realign
their forces.
"This fight" said Lavit, Cannot end
this way, because it is fight that con-
Germs the whole future of every worker
in the United States"
Even if every skilled man in Bridge
por returns to his pace Tuesday, he
said, the 10000 to 10000 unskilled op-
orators IN town viii have to remain
practically idle while the neglected
"oEk is being made up.
Will Keep Up Fight
Privately, their present plans are
hesiu 10 pc, WINE OStenSlDly OOWlng to
the Pres identIal mandate. to withdraw
the skilled men gradually from Bridge
port, IN SO far as 1t is possible, supply
them with new names and credentials
and send them out to shops in other
cities Within the shops the indica-
tons are that they may, pending such
withdrawals, resort to what is known
IN England as Ca canny" and in Amer
aca as soldIering on the job"
The men stoutly protest their LOYALTY
to TINS country. But "loyalty to
prohteerng biooGsuckers," to use their
own phrase, is another thing. Will
lngly, they still assert, will they 20
into the army if ehat is necessary.
But they Will NOT in any permanent
fashion, they INSIST, bow to their pres.
ent employers. That is the attitude
and resolution that colors all their
secret conferences.
Meanwhile, their feeling against both
president Wilson and William II. John
ston, president of the Grand Lodge Of
the international Association OF Ma
chinists, is not diminishing Mr. Will
sons reference to them as "the best
paid Of the whole body of workers af-
fected' Is constant goad.
1T shows" said Lavit, how little he
really knows about the situation he is
settling. >"
The reference TO them as q 10 per