The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-02-18
wilson ENDS
BIG STRIKE
AT SHIPYARD
Head of Carpenters Union Or
derS Men Back to Work
at Once.
GRANTS PRESIDENTS PLEA
Executive in Telegram to Hutcheson
Said Strikers Were Aiding Enemy
unable to Meet Their
Representative.

Representative.
New York, Feb. 1S.-The Shipyard
strike, which threatened to tie up the
entire shipbuilding program of the
United States on the Atlantic coast,
has been ended, at least temporarily,
by the personal appeal of President
Wilson.
President William Hutcheson and
the officials of the Brotherhood of Car
penters and Joiners telephoned to all
local officials, asking them to have the
men under their jurisdiction back at
work today and wired union officials
in Baltimore and other places that
he wanted the wish of the president of
the United States complied with imme-
diately.
Mr.. HutchesOn refused to make any
comment. t. L. GueriG, executive COM
mitteeman, said he was entirely conf
dent that the great majority of the
strikers would be back at work by
noon and that the strike would be en-
tirely at an end by nightfall.
This decision followed a direct ap-
peal from the president to Mr.. Hutche-
son, in which the president said the
action of the strike leaders in refuS-
ing to order the men back laid their
patriotism open to some question.
Wilson Sends UItimatum.
Washington, Feb. 1S.-President
Wilson has telegraphed William l..
nf + ha
Brotherhood of Carpenters and join
ers, that he can see nothing to be
gained by comforting with him person
ally about the strike of shipyard car
penters until he has accepted and
acted upon the principle that in the
present circumstances of the nation
no body of men has the right to strike
until every method of adjustment has
been tried to the limit.
"Giving Aid to the Enemy"
IF you do not act upon this prin-
ciple," said the presidents message,
you are undoubtedly giving aid and
comfort to the enemy, whatever may
be your conscious purpose"
The presidents message was sent
in reply to one received from Hutch
eson saying he had been unable to
reach an understanding with officials
of the shipping board, but felt that If
given an opportunity to lay the mat
ter before the president a solution
could be arrived at quickly. 1t was
made public, as follows:
William L. HutchesOn.
General president United Brother
hood of Carpenters and Joiners Of
America
"New York.
II have received your telegram of
yesterday and am very glad to note
the expression of your desire as a pa
triotic citizen to assist in carrying on
the work by which we are trying to
save America and men everywhere
who work and are free.
"A Painful Contrast"
Taking advantage of that assur-
ance, l feel it to be my duty to call
your attention to the fact that the
strike of the carpenters in the ship
yards is in marked and painful con-
trast to the action of labor in other
trades and places. Ships are abso-
lutely necessary for the winning of
this war. No one can strike a dead
and of it's forces on the other side
than by interfering with or obstruct-
ing the shipbuilding program.
"AlI the other unions engaged in
this Indispensable work have agreed
TO abide by the decision of the ship
building wage adjustment board.
That board has dealt fairly and lib
orally with all who have resorted to
it. | must say to you very frankly
that it is your duty to leave to it the
solution of your present difficulties
with your employers and to advise
the men whom you represent to re-
turn to work at once pending the de-
cission.
No Moral Right to Strike.
mo body of men has the moral
right in the present circumstances of
the nation to strike until every
method of adjustment has been tried
TO the limit. If you do not act upon
this principle you are undoubtedly
giving aid and comfort to the en-
.emy, whatever may be your own CON
SciOuS purpose.
81 do not see that anything will be
gained by my seeing you personally
until you have accepted and acted
upon that principle. 1t is the duty
of the government to see that the
best possible conditions of labor are
maintained, as it is also its duty to
see to 1T that there is no lawless and
constituencies DrOfiteerinp and tha,