Norwich bulletin., 1918-02-23
I:s. ..s..4-,, ..ss ,--, -'- s
 WELFARE OF LABOR
Why, Norwich Mechanics Should En- roll in U.2s.. y'Shipyard Volunteers.

E roll Tn the United States ohtpyard Volunteers by calling at the office | l of the Norwich War Bureau, which is the local agency of the conhec- ticutaState Council of Defense.
 
 ' sThe welfare of ar labor, both or ganizeds and unorganized. is at stake in sthe .shfpyards. It is only through shipyard labor that relief to labor tl1roughouts the nation can come" These Statements are made by Will liam B,ackman, director of labor for the emergency fleet corporation in a sfi fitajy imA ortant statement on the present labor and sFnpbnilding situa- ton as it affects the business of the country. received: from him by the Connecticut State Council of Defense. The state council of defense is coop rating. with Leo A. Korper, federal director for Connecticut, Of the pub lie service reserve. in the enrolment in this state of men for the United States aShipyard Volunteers.
 Mir. Blackman's statement, in full, follows:
 '.rhis war can be won through the construction this year. by the United States and her allies of s,S08 900 tens 1 of shipping. This amount will not only overcome the submarine losses, bu t ! will also leave the margin necessary | to care for the transportation of" = 1 500, ot0 American troops and supplies overseas
 Partial relief, but in military sense only, is being obtained from the less vital. import trades. Under the presidents order, this work is now be- ing undertaken by joint organiza tion on the part of the shipping board and the war trade board. While raw ma terials absolutely necessary to supply the country's vital necessities will, oi course, ,-he permitted to enter ou1 ports. it is now necessary to reluctant Fly. but drastical1y ctIrtail the impor-
 tatioa1 of supplies for the manufacture of non essentials This to enable thu shipping used for this trade to be re lleased for war. purposes.
 |: Tn spite of this method for obtain ing partial relief. the only real an tsWeri to tfle problem is ship oonstruc ttioH. This construction not only de Epends for. it's success upon labor bu , tthe very life of labor itself depends ol
 the construction. This because 1S, E040, 600 men are, employed in the man ufacturing plants of the United State lteaay, Of whom 6 ,200. 900 are workin: fen war materials and subsidiary in sdustries alone. All Of these men ar threatened with forced shut downs an lthese shut downs, are absolutely in EeVitable unless the ships are built Even the. trades directly manufactur ling war supplies and the munition
 plants themselves face a limitation 0 ltiieir output.
 7; t"This is plain on it's face, for no : touly are the ports and docks jaInme with supplies for overseas. but theT are. in, the seacoast terminals alone : more than 30,e00 freight ears loade : with supplies for Europe-literalI ? naountains of materials for whic tkere is insufficient shipping tonnag' i@ .sNo greater surplus of supplies ca { inossib1y be permitted to accumulat ] in these ports even though the esti ' mated amount of war supplies neede , this year for overseas shipment wi : total $500 ,000 tons
 : ] fss"There is but one thing ahead ? forced showdown in American factor ! les until the ships are built
 j #"Fhe situation is one in which n, q only the nation is vitally iintereste h but one. which strikes at the Wei D heart of, labor itself. 4 Interruptions e i-blisineSS and consequent loss of carr | ings- to the en1ploye will recur. or {
 least production will be retarded-wit : tfhe same fesu1t-until we have shiI e tBfng adequate to the task of clearin r the port congestion g F. "fEor this reason then the welfare ', all labor. both organized and Mnol s fganiZed. to the extent of some 1s,00O . 600 people now employed is at stal 7. Fin the shipyards. .-,-.
 "Tfle coaleSs day, and the. freigl e embargo have already had Q treme, F dous effect upon labor throughout u e 'ccuntry, and the additional force a fthe coming necessary curtailment T raw material importation will also fs n heavily upon labor within the lie Is few. weeks. .-.... .-- .e F Tt is only through shipyard lab
 that relief to labor throughout the n;
 It{on can come. Therefore, uncaile, : for strikes, not only threaten the saf
 ty of our armies in France, but u N very heart of labor itself through u lreduction in employment which 1t, fe eeed bX millions Of men not engas'
 idifectiy in. shipyard work.
 "For this reason, shipyard stri at lis in effect lockout, aimed at all 1 le Dor in the. country, and threatens t e. livery life of. organized labor itself. ,e 'fThe peak load reoItrement f.
 
 r- On these men depend the ability other labor to obtain steady empio to rient. In other words. if group r Ishipyard workers tie up the shipyar ,p or fail to give full days work n "a enly will the resulting stoppage
 each mans work tie up from fifteen ss twenty other yard workers and thrt s5 titSn out of employment but u h stoppage will also effect the direct CT n, iployment of the 6,2G0 900 wal worke ss as well as the employment of the e
 ltire 13,099, ,0e8 workers throughout | country: s+ i, Because of this fact, the labor lea e- CTS. of the country. including Saml 1T, tGompers, president Of the .Amerc r: Federation. of Labor, have entered Q, to an agreement with the navy q 'S tpartment; the shipping board and t ..;a. emergency fleet corporation for t :. prevention of strikeS-aH agreeme " , which has been kept with scrupulo ;s- care by, it's signers. and enforced by I5 board, the very personnel of whi ~ lfnsures fairness
 9I- wish. therefore, now that u president has personally taken acti
 lin the carpenter'sA strike, to point c " to employees and to .he members organized labor throughout the cou th ltry, that: their own interests are Id tally at stkae in this sfiipp.rg matt m that the whole force Of their migf & influence must for their own prote as ton be used to keep the shipyai t. running full timhe. and,A that th ne must block any attempt to paraly at the nations business through strl he and trust the labor adjustment boa d. Ito deal fairly with them" z.