New-York tribune., 1918-09-22

'zer OF the international Brotherhood OF
Boiler Makers. Iron Ship Builders and
helpers, told them their action was
Ill advised, and promised to bring about
Federal investigation of the charges
that baseball players, actors, bartend
ers, pugilists and others forced out OF
so-called non-essential positions hat
taken Jobs III the shipyards that they
were utterly Incompetent to fill to cs.
cape service in the army.
. The strike at Cramps's reveals sit.
uation that the workmen say exists
in all the shipyards.
Hog Islands Laxity
Frederick Holbrook, president of the
American International Shipbuilding
Corporation, contractors for the build
ing of ships at Hog Island, declared
to-day that stacking workmen we're
being dismissed at the rate Of 600 a
day. An equal number were quitting
each day. according to Mr.. Holbrook,
because they were unwilling to obey
Charles Piez, vicc-presidcnt and gen.
cral manager of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation, said to-day that the pro-
grammc at Hog Island was almost so
per cent behind schedule time because
the workmen were not putting forth
their best efforts.
In formal statement issued yes
terday Admiral Bowles, assistant gen
eral manager of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation, in charge of Delaware
River yards, including Hog Island,
said:
"While the large majority of the
men at Hog Island arc doing their best
there are shirkers, and they will be
eliminated"
Strikers Took Admirals Advice
The striking workmen at Cramps's
said that they were simply taking Ad-
miral Bowlcs's advice when they quit
Admiral Bowles said carly in the
week. the workmen declared. "that il
was up to the honest workmcn to
purge their ranks of stacking workers
He reminded us that there was plenty
of red paint and enough hot rivets with
| which to drive them out. We decided
that strike was quicker method"
Ball players who go to work ir
mobiles and dressed in clothes that
would be more appropriate in the lobby
of a 50 day hotel, may not be eff
ticient workmen, but, according tc
some of the shipyard executives, the
ball players can learn much in the way
of stacking by careful observation OF
the "skilled workmcn." The shipyard
executives maintain that the trained
riveters have adopted policy of "go
canny" (denatured sabotage). Resent
tul Of authority invested in men who
have had little to do with the building
of ships, it is said, the workmen arc
keeping themselves on the payrolls by
the least amount of actual work.
League Players at Cramps
Labor leaders pointed to the follow.
ing major league ball players who arc
employed at Cramps: Bill McAvoy
catcher; Rube Oldring, outfieldcr;
Charles Jameson. outtielder, and Johr
Watson. pitcher. all members of The
Boston Red Sox: Sherwood Magee
Wally Schang, Scott Perry. Jake Munich
Erskine Mayer and "Mule' Watson.
Admiral Bowles said that skilled
workers. resentful Of the "dilution O.
labor" in the shipyards. were respons
BILE for much of the trouble. In hi:
formal statement he said:
"Hog Island being in the public eye
the recent discussion of conditions O
I labor there has given rise to a tempes
of isunderstandings Those wht
learn that the production of ships il
behind hand now proceed to ascribe j
to slackers and labor conditions. Thi
is not the case. Hog Island is not tn,