Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1918-02-20
THE PRESIDENT AND LABOR.
No Body OF Men Has Right 10 Stike.
Last Resort.

! wilson has telegraphed William l..
Hutcheson, general president of the
brotherhood Of Carpenters and Join
ers, that he can see nothing to be
gained by conferring with him per-
sonaly about the strike Of shipyard
carpenters 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 other method Of
adjustment has been tried to the
limit.
The Presidents message was sent
in reply to one received yesterday
from Hutcheson saying he had beer
unable to reach an understanding
with officials Of the Shipping Board,
but felt that if given an opportunity
to lay the matter before the Presi-
dent a solution could be arrived at
quickly. 1t was made public to-
night as follows:
"William l.. Hutcheson, General
| President United Brotherhood Of
Carpenters and Joiners Of America,
| New York:
| 81 have received your telegram of
yesterday and am very glad to note
| the expression Of your desire as a
patriotic citizen to assist in carrying
on the work by which we are trying
to save America and men everywhere
who work and are free. Taking ad-
vantage Of that assurance, | feel it to
be my duty to call your attention to
the fact that the strike Of the car
penters in the shipyards is in marked
and painful contrast to the action of
| labor in other trades and places.
Ships are absolutely necessary for
the winning of this war. No one can
| strike a deadlier blow at the safety
| Of the nation and Of it's forces on the
other side than by interfering with
or obstructing the shipbuilding pro-
gram.
"All the other unions in this indis-
pensable work have agreed to abide
by the decisions OF the shipbuilding
"oSS DOdlu Hut DOdIQ
has dealt Fairly and literally with all
who have resorted to it. I must say
to yon very frankly that it is your
duty to leave to it the solution Of
your difficulties with your employers
and to advise the men whom you rep
resent to return at once to work
pending the decision. No body Of
men have the moral right in the pres
strike until every method Of adjust
ment has been tried to the limit. If
You do not act upon this principle,
you are undoubtedly giving aid and
comfort 70 the enemy, whatever may
be your own conscious purpose.
.! do not see that anything will
be gained by my seeing you person
ally until you have accepted and act
ed upon that principle. 1t is the
duty Of the government to see that
the best possible conditions of labor
are maintained, as 1t is also their
duty to see to 1t that there Is no law
lessness and conscienceless proflteer-
ing and that duty the government
has accepted and will perform. win
you cooperate or will you obstruct?
= Woodrow Wilson,"
Hutcheson Replies.
New York, Feb. 17.-A message
signed by William l.. Hutcheson,
nroafdant ne tho prot ho rbnoa ne No.,
penters and Joiners, was sent to
President Wilson tonight assuring
him that representatives Of the un-
ion had been instructed to use their.
influence to have the strikers return
to work at oice. The text of the ele-
gram follows:
My Dear Mr.. President: Your
telegram requesting our mambers to
reuurn to wok Is at hand. In reply,
l am instructing our representatives
to go among the men of our craft and
use their influence to have the men
return to work at once. ] have cx-
hausted every effort to reach an ad-
justment with the Shipping Board.
have no power to sign the agreement
of adjustment which would deprive
our members Of their constitutional
rights.
Being dcsirous Of reaching a con-
clusion whereby cessation of work
may be prevented in the future, I
most respectfully request that you