Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-10-19
|SH|PyARD LOAFERS
| WONT Be TOLERATED
District Draft Board Gives
Notice of General
Housecleauing.

House cleaning time is at hand for the
local shipyards, the result of which will
be the sweeping-out of loafers. military
service dodgers and those who are work
shy. This is clearly indicated in statement
issued by Charles Warner, chairman of
the District Draft Board and tate
Director of the u. S. Public Service
Reserve, which says, in part:
What is the condition IN the ship
wards OF Wilmington? From extended
reports in our hands, there are unQuestIOn
ably q very substantial number Of CON
scicntious. patriotic and experienced
workmen now at Harlans and Puseys
These workmen arc in the res-blooded.
Worthwhile citizen class, who realize
their duty as men to their government
in this great crisis Our hats are of To
them and we want to support them to
the limit
There are. however, IN the ship
wards another lot of men who are very
close to the undesirable citizen class,
who have hustled To get into the shipvards
since the war started because they looked
On these wards as slacker's haven where
thew could take the rest cure. Man ot
this latter class have been protected by
the special privileges granted the Elmer
gency Fleet Corporation whereby It can
issue special exemption cards which
supercede IN authority the power of the
draft boards.
From the extended reports received by
the District Draft Board OF the work
being done in the shipyards, Il is evident
that many men, lacking the patriotic
spirit and not approaching the need OF
the hour. have become habltual ldlers
bv regularly working less each week
than the minimum hours of the plant and
OF further loafng frequently on he Job.
ARoMINABLE WASTE.
From reports. these tendencies are
found not alone in many Of the workmen.
but in some Of the gang leaders, who are
actually encouraging loatinG and lost
time Il would he hard TO believe some
OF these reports Of American citizens at
this critical period but for the fact that
they check up at many points with other
reports Experienced observers state that
less than eight thousand men, II working
persistentlv and honestly. COULD do as
much work in the shipyards OF Whining
ton rs the twelve thousand men nov on
the payrolls Of these yards This Is an
s.bomlnabie waste Of manpowcr at thus
critical time.
II have discussed these conditions With
my associates on the District Board of
Delaware and we have decided upon the
following plan We have requested the
local shipvards 70 promptly remove all
the Emergency Fleet Corporation exempt
ION cards issued to men coming under the
jurisdiction Of the District Board OF
Delaware The local ShIpvaTds have agreed
10 this step
The shIpyard arrangements have
fully indicated TO me that they will meet
this request Of the District Board
As these steps are now concluded, the
District Poard is requesting b regular
report ~ least once a month from the
shipyard covering he working hours
Of each enpluyc between the draft ages
of Is to 4t1 who has IN more than one week
during the preceding month lost actual
working hours below the minimum ot the
plant Il such lost time is due 70 illness
Of the workman or IN his family requiring
his attention, Or other entirely JuSt1habie
causes, then proper statements from
doctors or Others should accompany the
report II not rYplaunhe on any reason
able grounds then il would appear that
the workman was idllng voluntarily and
III, responsibility would he uJrun Iim TO
dIspruyt such loahing. when called he
:ore he District Draft Board for evidence.
This monthly report tom shipyards
to the District Beard must also contain
any reports Oh the individuals as 10
loahing on the joh Shooting crap back
OF building. or taking Z nap III . dark
corner. won't build ships nor win tins war
and the shipyards vii be requested to
inaugurate pcrsiste M Inspection and re-
ports on individuals addicted 70 such prac-
ticrs. 70 he included in the monthly
statement Of labor
With these regular reports n the
hands OF the District Board. II IS en-
powered to act on industrial cases.
Where the deferred classification tempo
rary exemption Is withdrawn, the re-
gistrant is then subject TO General
Crowder's draft orders. and when called
must entrain for camp,
ANY worker who is honest with hlm-
self and honest with his government IL
this emergency. who has reasonable
experience in any lines of Importance IL
the shipyards 1T this time. If engaged II
necessary work Of class that cannot
lie readily filed by an inexperienced hand
need have no concern as to his future
But the man who is not doing his part
must look forward TO early army service