Evening journal., 1918-02-16

millions in Liberty Bonds and offered
again the wage and closed shop pro-
posal.
Mr. Hurley's reply follows:
Yours OF the nth received. You
were present at the convention Of the
American Federation Of Labor IN Buff
falo on Friday. November %. when by
a unanimous vote a resolution was
adopted stating that 10 is necessary to
the nations protection as well as to
the welfare OF the trade union move
ment that there should be no cessation
OF work, except as a last resort and
after due hearings Do you or do you
rot approve OF this position todayf
You state: I have endcavored to my
utmost TO prevent cessation OF Work
being done by members OF our or
'glni alton on ships
"The facts are as follows: On August
20 last an agreement was signed by
NIr. Roosevelt as Acting Secretary OF
the Navy, by myself as chairman OF
the United States Shipping Board, Nd
miral Capps, general manager OF tne
Emergency Fleet CORPORATION; Mr..
Gcmpers as president Of the American
d. at'on of Labo, and by fourteen
representatives Of organized labor,
mainly international pres dents, whose
r'omba~s ore employed in the construc-
ton Of ships.
Under this agreement a board was
established composed Of a representa-
tive of the Navy Department and Emer-
gency Fleet Corporation, a representa-
tive Of organized labor appointed by
NJ. Gompe-s and the chairman OF the
board appointed by the President OF the
United States The agreement provided
that all disputes as 10 wages should be
submitted to this board for settlement.
"You are the only international presl-
dent Of all crafts working In the ship
yards who ha3 refused to become a
party 10 this agreement Are the other
international presidents less patriotic or
le careful Of the interests Of their
crafts than yourself? It is true, ds you
state in your letter OF the iith, that
YOU have tried to arrange matters dur
ing the past six months, but your ef-
forts have been confined TO demanding
special privileges for your organization
that would discriminate In its favor as
against the other crafts.
"You have known that you could be-
come lfIlF 10 llllo d-l INAiieAt o. 90 :
time and thereby co-orerate with the
Government and the other representa-
iives Of organized labor In preventing
cessation Of work in this hour Of our
national crisis. The members uf your
organization VINO are defending you and
your country in France should have
had assistance.
Il do not question the patriotism OF
your members, and in fact, have reason
TO believe they are as loyal as men,
bers Of other organized craft for when
the shirbuilding labor adjustment board
sat or the Pacific coast and at every
hearing so far held on the Atlantic coast
the loyal carpenters ORGANIZATIONS
when told that their international on
GERS were not parties to the agreement
establishing the board have asked to be
included and have bound themselves to
abide by the decisions Of the board
The members Of your organization have
thus given tangible proof OF their pa
trlotsm by their acts
"Will YOU ask the men now paralyzlna
the shipyard and the nations war pro-
gram TO go back to their work and
trust their Government, to deal fairly
with them as Il has with every other
group Of workers? VIII you helr
now when every days delay may mean
the slaughter Of our boysg'