Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-20
BETHLEHEM co. NEEDS
5000 MACHINE MEN
Shortage of Workers at Steel
Plant Hampers U. S.
War Work
MUST BUILD 1900 HOMES
Housing Up to Government.
Men Say They arc ''Docked"
for Patriotism


Americas shipment of more than
100000 troops to France has so in
creased the demand of the army and
navy on the ordnance departments OF
the Bethlehem Steel Company that
between 5000 and 5000 'machinists are
4 needed at once to keep the work up
to contract requirements. The Gov
ernment, too, must find way to build
q 1890 or 1900 houses here to domicile
the workers who arc expected to ar.
rive in answer to this speed.up plea.
This shortage of men was admitted
by II. T.. Lewis, vice president OF
the steel company at the end OF
q secret session of the national war
board called here to consider the com.
plaints of the disaffected employees in
several Of the machine shops engaged
IN big gun and projectile construc-
/ ton.
Fresh contracts are pouring in on
us every day" said Mr.. Lewis. land
We fHd that the expansion of our labor
force from 5000, the normal number
IN times of peace. to 2S.e0O. the total
employed now, is insufficient to meet
I demands.
Have Kept Work Moving
"We have managed to keep the
work moving along with our con-
tracts. but when you consider that We
are the largest reliance of the army
and navy you see the part we play.
We are building a greater part of the
heavy ordnance for the army and the
nAvys destroyer program is largely in
our hands, too. With these enter
prises you can see that we can absorb
thousands of men easily"
That the War Department is deeply
concerned with the situation here is
shown In the orders which went forth
that the national war labor board.
called here to hear the complaints of
disanected employees. should hold Sc
cret sessions. This is the first sitting
Of the board which has not been open.
Considered even more significant Is
the conference held here by Brigadier
General II. NJ. Dickson. who is the
chief ordnance officer assigned to the
Bethlehem plants; Prof. Henry Schnei.
der, dean Of the school of engineer
Ing of the University of Cincinnati
and the productiCn representative Of
Major General Williams. chief of the
lhnreau OF ordnance, and w. Jett
Lauck, secretary Of the var labor
board.
Protests from Electricians
Complaints came largely from the
| (tcClIlCldIlS eIlplOs Ell Dy tfIe COItllJdlN
/ over working conditions and hours of
labor p. j. Boyle. general organizer
Of the International brotherhood of
| Electrical Workers. conducted the EN-.
ployes' side of the case.
Additional depositions made by work.
ers to the investigators of the war
| labor board were read into the record
today. All denounced the bonus sys.
tenn and many advocated that the steel
: kOompany introduce the Henry Ford
plan into its plants.
Charles Sterner. Jr.. who lives at
kA18, Center street. South Bethlehem
6aid he had worked for the company
for the last six years. lie was en-
ployed on the bonus system in No. 9
machine shop, he said. and Is classified
IN forty-four.cents-an-hou rate
which becomes a fifty.three-cent bonus
rate.
'The speed boss came to me today"
reads the statement, land told me
Was to be changed to piecework.
asked him what the idea was. They
changed it over this week. he said
He told me the next work I was to do
would be piecework with price Of
SSI49. ! formerly made $2.91 at my
hour and bonus rate on the same job
The time rate allows me $I.42 less
than I formerly made, as I cannot do
any more at the piece rate than !
did at the time and bonus rate. On
the other side OF the job I formerly
got $3.50 and now l get 81 under the
piecework system. The piecework
plan works out as a clever device to
cut wages"
waahinEton. June .0.--Payment of
bonuses to workmeu for extraordinary
services in producing war materials was
voted down in the House 205 to 81 de-
feating Senate amendment to the
naval appropriation bill permitting such
payment. The proposal goes back to
conference.