The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-08-24
MACHINISTS VOTE
 CONFIDENCE IN WAR LABOR BOARD.
Big Gathering Addressed at
 Casino Last Night By Frank P. Walsh.
REAFFIRM INTENT TO
 ACCEPT DECISION
Chairman Walsh Assures Men Award Will Be Re
 troactive to May 1 Last.

This question has been up for nearly two years, and you gentlemen of the War Board have had it under consideration for a period of about six weeks. You surely do not expect my decision in 15 minutes" Frank P. Walsh, joint chairman of the War Labor board, quoted Otto M. Eidlitz as saying to the War Labor board, in relation to the Bridgeport wage con- troversy in the course of an address to the machinists of the city at the Casino in State street last night. Eid- iltz was elected by the board as um- pire when its members could not agree upon a decision in the Bridge port case after protracted delibera- tions, and the remark as quoted by Walsh was made by him when he was urged to hurry the decision, in the dispuate between the workers and manufacturers of Bridgeport. Many of the machinists were disap- pointed at not hearing the award last night from Chairman Walsh, but when a vote of confidence in the work of the War Labor board was called for they passed it unanimously and expressed their determination to re- main at work pending the finel de- cision.
 | Considerable excitement occurred when a radical member undertook to question the correctness of the state ments of Chairman Walsh and shout | ed that the men were fighting for a minimum wage and should remain out until they got it. He was promptly howled down by the huge audience which packed the hall and although the business agent of the union re- quested that the man be heard, he was unable to make any impression upon the crowd.
 Great enthusiasm was manifest when in the course of his speech Chairman Walsh announced that the complete findings of the Taft-Walsh Board would be ready in about five days and that the award would be re- troactive from May l, so that com plete justice would be done to every body Continuing he said: If the award is not acceptable to you men, the union is building up machine whereby you can take action to se- cure a lewiston which will be agree able to all'
 When pressed by another member at the end of his address to say wh6t he thought would be the final out come of the deliberations now being made by the Taft-Walsh Board, Chair man Walsh said: Tt would be indel- icate for me to go into details or pre- dict what the decision of MT. Eidlitz might be at this time"
 At the opening of the meeting the business agent of the machinists' union introduced Frank P. Walsh, with 8 few remarks concerning his trip to Washington and not being satisfied until MT. Walsh returned with him to Bridgeport to address the members of the union.
 When Chairman Walsh arose he was greeted with the most enthustas- tic applause and opened his remarks with an expression of thanks for tse hearty welcome he received and the cooperation offered by members of the union. He then said:
 T have been called upon as a rep resentattve of the government to give you some direct information regard ing the subject which has been placed before the War Labor Board for the last few months, The problems be- lore this poaru are Che greatest lndt have been placed upon a govern mental body in the history of the world.
 ''It is my hope and earnest belief that before five days have passed a decision will be reached in tho famous Bridgeport case. It is decision that will not only affect the workers of Bridgeport. but I am sure will event. ualIy affect all the workers in the United States, and throughout the world the application of the principles of democracy will be promulgated and carried over the telegraph wires not alone to Bridgeport, but to the wait- ing world"