New-York tribune., 1918-03-06
Ship Workers
Put New Issue
Up to Wilson
Hutcheson Defiant After
Wage Board Refuses Them
Representation

ASHlNGTON. March 5.-Failing tc
OBTAIN the approval of representatives
OF the navy, the Emergency Fleet Cor
portation and the metal trades unions
1or his proposal to put spokesman of
the carpenters on the wage adjustment
committee in shipbuilding disputes
William l.. Hutcheson, president of the
Brotherhood of Carpenters, announced
tonight that he would appeal to Presi-
dent Wilson.
"lf he does nothing, then we are
through" Mr. Hutcheson declared, "and
it is up to the government to keep the
men in line"
Does that mean strike 2" he was
asked
"How do | know?" was the answer
"They struck last time. and returned
to work only in response to the Presi.
dents appeal, in the belief that the
matter would be adjusted 10 their salts
fact!on.'
$4,000 Men Ready TO Work
Mr. Hutcheson said there were $4,000
IDLE carpenters who colld be put to
work building ships if the work was
available. He indicated some of these
men would find work in Canada by an
nouncing that John J. McGee, of New
York, had been offered the post Of
Director of Shipbuildng in Canada by
the Imperial Munitions Board, which
asked him to furnish 5000 woodwork
crs and 6,O00 ror ship builders.
"Mr McGcc has asked and received
permission to accept the Offer" he add
ed. "and the men he wants doubtless
will be glad to get the work"
Mr.. Hutchinson asked that the exist
ing agreement between the metal trades
unions and the Emergency Fleet Cor
poration be changed to provide for a
representative of the carpenters, in ad-
tive who was declared to be not quail
fled TO deal with woodworking questions
because his experience had been only
in the metal trades. General Manager
Piez, for the Fleet Corporation, refused
to consent to the change without the
of the metal trades unions,
with which it was made.
The conferrccs, including Assistant
Secretary Roosevelt, who appeared for
the navy, discussed the question for
nearly eight hours. then adjourned
without agreement or arrangement for
a continuance of negotiations.
The attitude of the metal trades
unions was expressed by Samuel Com
pcrs, president Of the American Fcd-
Grafton of Labor, who said:
Mr.. Gompcrs's Statement
"Thc carpenters presented a memo
randum for proposed changes in the
agreement between the navy, tho Ship
ping Boards Emergency Fleet Corpo.
ration and the metal trades unions
Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Picz thought
the proposition was unworhable and
the metal trade officers believed it in.
practicable and even if adopted wou.3
prove cumbersome.
"Thc carpenters desire to have q rep
resentative on the wage adjustment
committee in matters affecting them.
# such condition prevailed when each
cons deration they would want each OF
them to sit in and vote, which would
mean a large number. They thought
It was better as it is, with a repre-
tentative cf labor to sit with the COM
mittee an': determine questions affect
rg practically all workers, whether on
ron on wooden ships.
"The metal trades unions arc not
entirely satisfied with the agreement,
out believe it is the best they can do
lnder the circumstances, and will con-
.inue to operate under it until it is
proved failure. Thus far it has not
ocen proved failure
Mr. Gompers dccricd the sharp criti-
cism which he said had been made o.
the carpenters, and which he declared
vas not all justified. He called atten-
ton to patriotic efforts made to re-
cruit union members for war service,
including two pages being printed in
the carpenters official journal, one
page urging men to fill out and mail
TO the general secretary the form on
the opposite page, giving their quail
ications for shipbuiding
Mr.. Hutcheson told the conference
thnt thousands of men had been signed
up for service but had not been given
work because the shipbuilding pro-
sramme was being delayed by lack OF
timber. T. NJ. Gucrn. his assistant,
called attention to the fact that adop-
lion OF the Ferris type of wooden
ships made necessary the use Of heavy
imbers, lsx26, whereas the other
ypes could be built of lumber pur-
'hased in the open market, the heav
est being. SKIP.