Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-02-16
STRIKERS LOYALTY
WILL BE APPEALED
ITO BY PRESIDENT
Definite Proposal Prepared
by Executive To Hit Heart
Of Trouble
rrFa
LABOR CONSCRPTON
IS NOT CONTEMPLATED
Detection Of Shipyard Men
Grows RapidIy--WOrkers
Refuse Arbitration

Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
Washington, Feb. 16.-As the walkout
of woodworkers in eastern shipyards
grew rapidly today, President Wilson
prepared a definite proposal to end the
strike.
The president is expected to drive at
the heart of the trouble and appeal to
the loyalty of the men in getting them
back TO work while the government gets
its program for shipworkers on a work
ing basis.
Appeals by Chairman Hurley and
others have proved futile and ali agree
that solution can be brought by the
president alone. There will be no con-
scription Of labor now, it is learned def
initely.
Threats by woodworkers that they
would be joined in AZ hours by from CO.,
600 to 100000 ironworkers were met
with unconcern by shipping board heads
All shipbuilding trades with the single
exception of the woodworkers and in
Guiding the ironworkers, it was point
ed out, are under irnnclad agreement
with the government to submit all con-
troversies to arbitration.
Baltimore ironworKers assured the
government today they would hold fast
to the agreement.
The woodworkers' strike, it was stat
ed today, "came out of a clear shy'',
following refusal of the shipping board
to concede an unconditional closed shop.
The shipping board, according to Will
liam Blaekman, chief of the labor ad-
justment division, agreed to mediate
hours and wages, but insisted also on
mediation of conditions principal
of which was the closed shop demand.
The workers refused pointblank to
submit condition" to arbitration.
Admiral Piez, Chairman Hurley and
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roose-
welt went into conference today to de-
termine what should be done Immediate
ly.
Discomfort of labor-becoming more
and more widespread-is due primarily,
its leaders declare, to inefficiency and
profiteering in some of the big yards
Hog Island, for example.
Wage scales which differ in different
yards and which permit some war work.
ers in the same city to make more than
Others. is another cause for the unrest.
Activity of William Hutchinson, chief
of the carpenters and joiners union, is
held responsible by many labor leaders
for the present difficulty.
The solution Of the problem, labor
men say, is three fold.
One-Let the government establish
wage.
Two-Cut out the profiteering at the
root Getting the Hog island situation as
a leading example).
Three-Discredit such leaders as Hut
ehcnson of the carpenters.
And, in addition, the government, 1t ls
stated should immediately improve
facilities so that mater
ials would be delivered promptly to the
wards. eliminate idleness among the
if this can't be done, see
that the mon are paid if they are fore
ed to idleness by lack of materials,
How these proposals can be best
worked out-and quickly-is the tre-
mendous problem before President VIII
son today.
Conscription of labor is talked of but
NOT seriously considered now.
The president is prepared to go far 70
settle the trouble inasmuch as 1t seems
10 vital a setback to American war
If If cannot be handled otherwise,
government operation is certainty. In
INV event, the president and Chairman
Hurley are determined there shall be no
ong tieup Of this vital portion OF Am
,riean war work But before conserip-
ion of labor comes there viii be sharp
,etion toward employers in some plants
Gravely concerned at the effect the
strike win have on pub
ie opinion, big leaders today started 2
rive on William Hutchenson head OK
he Brotherhood Of Carpenters and Joln-
srs. -. A..
They declared Hutchinson, since the
,pening of the war, has been the only
abor international president who has
blocked the government. He alone, they
.av. refused to sign the agreement en-
erred into between labor and the gov
,rnment, and probably is more closely
n touth with the labor situation than
lnvone tlse, He declared to the United
Press that with the exception of a por-
ion of the carpenters, labor as a whole
s not in sympathy with the present dls-
urbanee.