New-York tribune., 1918-09-14
President Threatens to Put
Bridgeport Workers
on Blacklist
Smith & Wesson
Plant Taken Over
Awards Must Be Accepted
by Employers and En-
ployes Alike
,speciol Dispatch TO The Tribune)


WASHINGTON. Sept. 13.-President
Wilson to-day took drastic steps to i'm
press both employers and workers that
the decisions of the National War
Federal government will not count
onance any attempt On the part Of
either capital or labor to resort to
fcrce TO compel modification or suspen-
sion of the War Labor Boards awards.
The President to-day authorized the
War Department to take over and oper
ate the Smith & Wesson Company's
PLANT for refusal to ACCEPT the War
Labor Boards award, and at the same
time warned the 1000 striking machin-
ists at Bridgeport, Conn, that unless
they Immediately returned to work
they would be barred from employment
in all plants working on government
contracts, and that claims to exemp-
ton from military service on industrial
grounds would be rejected.
The effect of the Presidents inter
yenton was to make clear that labor
disputes would not be allowed to inter
fere with production necessary to the
winning of the war. He pointed out
that the few employers who refused to
cooperate with the government would
be severely dealt with in justice to the
great majority who are working in full
unity with the nations plans.
The determination of the President
to stand squarely behind the National
War Labor Board is clearly expressed
in his letter to the Bridgeport machin-
lists
President Wilson's Letter
The Presidents letter was addressed
10 the Bridgeport District Lodge of the
lnternatiora al Association Of Machinists
and o,hcr striking workmen Of Bridge
port, Conn., 1t follows:
Gentlemen:
u am in receipt Of your resclu-
tons of September announcing that
you have begun strike against your
employers in Bridgeport, Coun. You
are members of the Bridgeport branch
OF the International Association of
Machinists AS such and with the
approval of the national officers of
your union you signed an agreement
TO submit the questions as to the
terms Of your employment to the
National War Labor Board and to
abide the award which in accordance
with the rules of procedure approved
BY me might be made
The members of the board were
not able to reach unanimous con-
clusion on all the issues presented,
and as provided in its constitution
the questions upon which they did not
agree were carried before an arbitra-
'or' the unanimous choice of the
members of the board.
nenects on Honesty of Labor
Inc arbitrator thus chosen has
mace an award which more than 80
per cent of the workers affected
accept You. who constitute less than
~ per cent, refuse to abide by the
award although you are the best
pa'd of the whole body of workers
N"ec'eo and are, therefore, least en-
N''teu 10 press a further increase of
wages because of the high cost of
iVing. But whatever the merits of
.he issue, it is closed by the award.
our strike against it is a breach of
'a''h calculated TO reflect on the sim
verify OF national organized labor in
pfoclalmng its acceptance of the
principles and machinery of the Ma
'ohal War Labor Board.
III such disregard of the solemn
~uluo'casion Of a tribunal to which
So'a parties submitted their claims
vt temporized with. agreements be-
some mere scraps of paper. If errors
.'eep INTO awards the proper remedy
10 submission to the award, with an
dppIlcatlon for rehearing to the tri-
ouhat. But to strike against the
award Is disloyalty and dishonor
Must Enforce Compliance
The Smith & Wesson Comranv of
opringheld, Mass. engaged in GOV. ".
'nAa(