Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-02
LEADERS DENY LABOR
DELAYS SHIPBUILDTNG
Inefficiency of Efficiency Ex-
perts Pointed to as One
Cause
CONTRADICT STEEL MAN
Workers Patriotic as Any, Declares
Unionist, and Willing to Push
u. s. Work

Representatives of labor organizations
in Philadelphia took exceptions today to
statements made by j. W. Powell, vice
president Of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding
Corporation. before the Commerce Com
mittec of the Senate in Washington
yesterday in which Mr.. Powell said that
labor generally was responsible for tho
delay in shipbuilding operations.
The gist of Mr. Powells remarks was
that labor, aCtuated only by commercial
cain. assumed dictatoria, attitude and
that the workingmcn were doing loss
work now than in normal times. lie
called upon labor to bc patriotic
John watt, business manager Of the
Pattcrmakcrs' Association, whicd has
Headquarters in the Parkway Building,
said the real cause of tho delay was due
to "so-callcd efficiency experts III some
Of these experts would devote more time
tn real efficiency and less 10 trying ."
make goats of tho workingmen thelc
would bc murh moro progress IN Gov
crnment work generally he commented.
THE trouble" said Watt, "is that
the men do not begin at tn" toundatoh
C things. They do not pay any attei-
tion TO the housing or transportation
conditions, which the workmen must en-
durc. and then add no end OF unroasoh-
able regulations which arc almost I'M
possible to abide by.
ON many instances executive POSI-
tious are filled by amateurs. Conditions
at the Philadelphia Navy Yard make
a good example Of .his sort Of efficiency
In charge of the aircraft division there
they have placed IA man VINO Is a wool
manufacturer. and | understand ne lS
an expert. The most inefficient system |
ever heard Of may be found at the navy
yard"
Watt said he had complained to Sec
rotary Daniels about the system there
many months ago, hut received no reply
as striking illustration OF condl-
lions at the yard" he added, 81 cite this
condition: \ few days ago GOO men
were locked out for an hour because
they were Il few minutes late through
bad trolley service. In this case alone
the Government lost 600 hours time. Ut
fact, tho loss was really greater than
| that, for n large number of tho men
became Indignant and did not report for
work at all, hut remained Off for the
/ day. II is next TO impossible for them
/ to reach the yard on the minute on
account Of the dcplorable transit facili-
/ ties and during the last few weeks the
cold spell and storms have added TO the
difficulties"
I Many Of the men travel long dis
tancos in order to be on time and yet
they are held up through the ineficicncy
of the car system. Then after their
effort they are locked out although
those in charge of the navy yard must
certainly know that lateness in report
ing to work cannot be helped
The same thing applies to some OF
the new shipbuildlng plants At tho
old established plants the conditions are
moro reasonable"
Among others who denied the state.
ments made by Powell was W. r. Allen
secretary and treasurer of the Phila.
delphia District, Council of the United
Brotherhood ot Carpenters. This or.
Ganization ha- 10000 members in Phil
adclphia alone. of which nearly 400C
are engaged in the shipbuilding indus
try.
The assertion OF Powell that "labo
has come TO believe II can get anythint
it wants." and was Indifferent to tn,
cause of the country, was untrue, sale
Allen.
The shpbulderS III his organization
he said, were now working for fifty
eight cents AN hour. An agreement ha
been made with the Master Builders o
Philadelphia and Germantown. he added
for seventy cents an hour beginnin.
May /, and if the shipbuildinG concerns
will pay the same figure the men will
work fer them.
"Ou account of the increased cost o
living" said Allen. "thc men must ge
as much as they can. and like other
they work where they can obtain TN
most for their services. We are per
feCtly willing to abide by the decision
Of the Wage Adjustment Board. witt
whom We conferred last week. We hav
Il membership of 10000 III Pennsylvania
and can bring many shlpbuildcrs her
! from all sections