The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-03-01

hGDlNlUR W d statement ~ wv
ernor Withycombe in which he is
quoted as having said that the work
ers in the shpiyards in this vicinity
are satisfied, the Metal Trades Coun-
Gil at it's meeting Thursday evening,
(Feb 21st), authorized the following
statement:
We notice with great deal Of in
terest a statement appearing in the
Oregonian on the morning of Feb
ruary 20 by Governor Withycombe
under the heading, death to All
Who Harm Ships Urged"
He started his statement in the fol-
lowing manner: "Any man guilty of
being responsible for putting defec-
tive steel in ships should be placed
against the wall to face the firing
SQUAD; also any person found guilty
of putting ground glass in candy to
sell to our soldiers and sailors" We
/ heartily endorse a statement of this
kind, and the writer's of this article
would gladly accept the job of the
firing squad.
On reading this statement we come
to part where the Governor de
clares that the whole fate of labor,
organized or unorganized, depended
on their progress of work in the
shipyards.
Now, we fail to see where the
whole fate of labor should be COM
mcnted upon and the fate of the
employing shipbuilders be left Sc
verely alone, as we believe that the
fate of the capitalist and the en-
ployer of labor should be at stake
as well as that of the worker.
Governor Withycombe also said:
This state is in good condition and
there is no dissatisfaction among
shipyard workers as far as l know,
either as to hours of labor or
wages" We are very glad to see
the governor state "as far as he
( knows" and we are using this means
to let Governor Withycombe, and
the public generally, know that
there is, at this time, a great deal
of dissatisfaction among the ship
yard workers, and the principal /
cause Of dissatisfaction is the most
vital one; and that is: considerable .
number of the workers are not re-
ceivirg the wages as handed down ,
by the Labor Adjustment Board.
The classification of craftsmen in
almost every yard in the Columbia
River District is being practically .
ignored We have mechanics, or men /
doing mechanical work, receiving
from 25 cents to 50 per day less
than the award of the Labor Ad- .
iustment Board,
We are not making these state
ments at random. We have absolute
proof and statements over the sig /
natures of the men who have re-
ceived less wages than the govern
ment decides is fair to compete with
the present rate Of living and which
the government is prepared to pay
through the shipbuilders as the
agents of the government.
The governor states that our duty
is to build all the ships possible. We
realize it is our duty, and we are
going to continue to build all the
ships possible, but we feel it is
also our duty to demand the wages
for building these ships that our
government is prepared to pay-but .
which the shipbuilders refuse to
pay.
1t would seem from the attitude Of .
the shipbuilders, on these matters
being taken up by the committees
and the representatives of the work
ers, that they are endeavoring to
use the award of the Adjustment
Board as the maximum and reserve
to themselves the right to set the
minimum. There was no intention on
the part of the Adjustment Board
to create a maximum. and distinctly
made it understood that the wage
scales set was the minimum in all
cases.
We note with a great deal of in
terest the statement that at this
time we should insist upon 100 per
cent Americanism both from capital
and labor This, in our opinion, is
the best sentiment of the whole
statement-Capital and Labor.
We claim that the 100 per cent
Americanism is standing out vividly
so far as labor is concerned, but we
shudder to think of the less than l
per cent Americanism that is notice
able from some of the capitalists in
the Columbia River district, so far
as dealing with their patriotic en-
ployes is concerned.
The governors statement also says