New Britain herald., 1918-09-13
Sends Letter to Machinists Informing Them He Must Use Such Means Against Lawless and Faithless Employees.
SMITH & WESSON IN
 SPRINGFIELD TAKEN

1 sept. 1o.-SLr1k1nS n3- 1 chinists at Bridgeport, Conn, have been notified by President Wilson that l unless they return to work and abide 1 by the wage award of the war labor | ployment for a year and draft boards 1 will be instructed to reject any claim 1 of exemption. from military service based upon their alleged usefulness on l war production.
 1 The presidents warning went today in a letter addressed to the machinists, ] replying to resolutions forwarded to him announcing the strike because of dissatisfaction over the war labor l boards award and a later interpreta- 1 tion by an umpire.
 l The letter was addressed to thu Bridgeport District Lodge of the Inter | national Association of Machinists and other striking workmen of Bridgeport Conn.," It follows: "Gentlemen: I am in receipt of your resolutions of September 6 announcing that you have begun a, strike against your employers i'll Bridgeport Conn. You are mem bers of the Bridgeport branches of the International Union of Machinists. As such and with the ap-
 
 | union you signed an agreement to sub init the questions as to the terms of your employment to the national war labor board and to abide the award which, in acordance with the rules of procedure approved by me, might be made.
 "The members of the board were not able to reach a unanimous conclu- sion on all the issues presented and as provided in it's constitution the questions upon which they did not agree were carried before an arbitrat- or, the unanimous choice of the mem- bers of the board.
 Best Paid Workers Prefer Strike
 'The arbitrator thus chosen has made an award which more than 90 per cent. of the workers affected ac- cept. You who constitute less than 10 per cent. refuse to abide the award al- though you are the best paid of the whole body of workers affected and are, therefore, least entitled to press a further increase of wages because of the high cost of living. But what ever the merits of the issue it is closed by the award. Your strike against it is a breach of faith calculated to re- fleet on the sincerity of national or ganized labor in proclaiming it's &C., ceptance of the principles and machin- cry of the national war labor board.
 If such disregard of the solemn ad- judication of a tribunal to which both parties submitted their claims be tenn porized with, agreements become mere scraps of paper. If errors creep into awards tn proper remedy Is submfs- sion to the award with an application for re-hearing to the tribunal. But to strike against the award Is disloyalty and dishonor.
 'The Smith & Wesson Co.,, of Spring field, Mass, engaged in government work, has refused to accept the medi- l ation of the national war labor board ] and has Haunted its rules of decision l approved by presidential proclamation l With my consent the war department ! has taken over the plant and business of the company to secure continuity in l production and to prevent industrial l disturbance.
 'It is of the highest importance to l secureN compliance with reasonable | rules and procedure for the settlement | of industrial disputes. Having exer- cised a drastic remedy with recalci- 1 trant employers it is my duty to use means equally we'll adapted to the end 1 with 1awless and faithless employees.
 Barred From Employment.
 '"Therefore l desire that you re- turn to work and abide by the award. If you refuse each one of you will be barred from employment i'll any war industry in the community in which the strike occurs for 8 period of one year. During that time the United States employment service will decline to obtain employment for you in any war industry elsewhere in the United States as well as under the war and navy departments, the shipping board, the railway administration and all gov ernmental agencies and the draft boards will be instructed to reject any