Grand Forks herald., 1918-09-02
ROOSEVELT
DENOUNCES
SLACKERS IN
SHIPYARDS
Such Men are Called Trai-
tors to Country by For
mer President.

Newburgh, N. Y, Sept. .2.-Slack-
ers in American shipyards who loaf
individually and unions of shipbuild-
ers which limit, the output of ships
We're denounced by Theodore Roose-
velt today as traitors to the country.
Colonel Roosevelt delivered an ad-
dress on the occasion of the launching
from the Newburgh slripyards of the
first of ten vessels, each Of 5000 tons
) dead weight which are to be built
here for the United States shipping
board.
Col. Roosevelt expressly exempted
the employees of the local yard from
his denunciation by saying that he
understood that a warm spirit of help
fulness and cooperation had been de-
veloped here Emphasizing the patri-
otic service rendered by shipbuilders,
the colonel said:
"a Stacker in our shipyards is as
shameful a creature as coward in
the army in France, and a good
worker in the shipyards stands honor
ably forward like a good soldier in
the army I have come here to New
burgh largely because my inquiries
have convinced me that here there
has been no organized limitation Of
output and practically no loafing
am convinced that,e generally speak
ing, there is a fine spirit of patriotism
in shipbuilding labor in all parts Of
the country.
"Yet it has been alleged to me that
in certain yards men have loafed in
dividually and that in certain yards
unions have actually limited the out
put SO as to limit the number Of rivets
driven in &. day; or to limit the num-
ber Of days that they work, or in 9TH
er ways to prevent the development
of our iull strength a.ln oar utmost
speed. Such men are traitors to the
country.
"If had my way would take any
such man and any men who. aided or
abetted him, put him in the army at
once and send him across the water
to do the hardest work in the most
dangerous. position; and I would not
give him a rifle until he had learned
the spirit of patriotism. ANY man who
lays off now or scamps his job is a
traitor to his fellow Americans in
France. a traitor to the men who need
all the help we can give them. On the
other hand you, whom l am convinced
represent the enormous majority of
the shipyard workers, you who are do
ing your utmost night and day, week
in and week out, stand on the honor
roll of American citizenship as second
only to our troops in France. and
honor. you. am proud beyond meas
ure that I am your fellow country
man.
.'The army we have in France has
been put there only because the Brit
ish furnished us 60 per cent 6f the
tonnage needed to ferry them across
From now on American shipbuilders
must bear this burden. Therefore any
limitation of output in our shipyards
is crime against the country. Any
union rule or workmens' agreement
to limit the output in shipyards should
be treated as criminal at this time
Pershing's men are not limiting theil
output. Shame and disgrace should be
the portion of any man who here al
home limits the output necessary te
make thel blood and labor of our sol
diers at the front of avail.
'1t is the patriotic duty of men ir
the. less essential industries to leave
those industries and to come to the
shipyards and to place their technica
skill at the service of. their country ir
the way which will best help to wir
the war. Shipbuilding is the neck o.
our industrial bottle so far as this wal