Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-09
ADJUST
IIIEV'S WAGE
BIG PROBLEMS
ktine Of Employees to Gain
Higher Pay One Of Many
Troubles

IN National Shipbuilding Labor Adj
IDuent Board. appointed by President
WII1ou to settle labor disputes for the
mcfvency Fleet Corporation In all sec
4 01N1 Of the country. Is now In session
~ this city endeavoring TO adjust the
G1kSronces between tho employers and
4 &11e employed. The various sh.pyards
o1DnG the Delaware River. including
tAooe at Bristol, Philadelphia. Camden,
4 Wilmington and Chester. are under the
Supervision OF the Emergency Fleet Cor
poratIon- In these plants ar. employed
more than 100000 men. with 100000 to
10000 persons dependent upon them.
The board was in session here for q
few days before Christmas and have
been sitting here every day since jan
uary ? for the purpose of studying the
labor problems here. The members Of
the board are v. Everett Macy. chair
man; A. J. Berres and L. A. Coolidge.
with II II. Seager as secretary. Mr.
Macy was for fourteen years the presi-
dent Of the National Civic Federation
and has settled many labor problems OF
Importance. Mr.. Berres represents or
ganised labor on the board and was
named at the suggestion OF Samuel
Gompers. He is secretary and treasurer
Of the Natal Trades Council OF the
American Federation of Labor and lives
IN Washington. Mr.. Coolidge is treasurer
OF the United Shoe Machinery Company,
Of Boston, and was Assistant Secretary
Of the Treasury under Roosevelt. Mr.
SeAgsr IL professor Of economies at Co.
Iumbia University.
WORKERS KEEP ON MOVE
One Of the things the Board will try to
solve Is how to keep the laborers in the
ohipyards In one section. At present the
demand for skilled labor has been SO
great that the shipyards have been
boosting the prices SO that the men go
from yard 10 yard seeking the highest
wages. In many cases where one yard
would pay forty-nine cents an hour
another would pay as high as seventy
hve cents an hour for the same work
The worlsmen have found that in spite
OF this they are no better off because
Of the higher cost of transportation,
rents, etc.
All the trades involved In work in
ehipyards insist on higher wages. and
the board believes there ought to
more uniformity in the wage scale so
that this bidding for help may be cut
to a fainimum. In this connection Mr.
Macy said today:
We expect TO fix minimum price for
all classes OF work. but we will not
name the maximum figure. II the ship
builders want TO pay more than the
minimum. II will probably be necessary
for them to go to the Emergency Fleet
Corporation for permission"
One Of the subjects of contention
among the ship workers is Cramps The
men say that IL they are late the gates
are closed and that II is necessary for
them to wait until the foreman opens
them.
CRAMPS MAN WITNESS
The first witness today was Eugene
smith, an estimator at Cramps. He and
two others do the estimating on each
5ob. figuring on the amount Of money
they can pay for the job. and then q
price is set. All the parts Mt Cramps
A. given to subcontractors. In the
Ssventeen years he has been employed
there. Mr.. Smith said that not once
had the firm told him to decrease the
pay, but in many instances he had been
Instructed to increase the pay. His
own living cost had increased 30 much
that he had been obliged to pay more
than $50 per cent more than a few years
ago and the same thing was true oi
others. He is paid 81 a day. but thinks
the wage should be increased because o,
the higher cost of living.
Harry Smulien. a counter of rivets
was the second witness. He counts tn,
rivets after the work has been done ana
the riveters are paid according to tn,
number driven. He said that the riveter,
were entitled TO more money.
Other laborers will be heard today, bu
tomorrow the employers viii have a,
opportunity Of telling htelr side Of III.
case.