The sun., 1918-02-18
Twill You Cooperate or Oh
Struct?" President Asks
Carpenters Head.
PUTS ISSUE PLAINLY
Serves Labor Notice That
Ship Construction Must
Not BE- Delayed.
OUTCOME IS UNCERTAIN
Organizers Sent Among the
Men to Urge Them T."
Return To-day.
OUTCOME IS UNCERTAIN
SIec,0I DeApQfch 10 TIE S, \


wAeHrScroN. Feb. ia stinsins re-
buks 10 the men Who have let. their jobs
at the shipyards was administered to-
day by President Wilson in an answer
he sent to the Telegram, OF William l..
Hutcheson. general president Of the Car
pentsrs and Ioiners Of America. asking
for IN opportunity to lay the shipyara
conditions before him. The Presidenr
not only refused ;t SEQ Mr. Hutchesoh
until he had advised the men nov oui
at the shipyards TO ~eturn TO work pend
ing the efforts OF the wage adjustment
bonrd TO deal with the matter. but Ne
practically scrved notice on labor'nv
men generally thai the strike weapon
should be laid aside az least until ever
method Of adjustmc,. has been tried t"
the limit
The President has put i, IN squarel'
to the head OF the carpenters union to
decide what the future attitude or tho
men IL to be. will you cooperate or
will you obstr,,ct?" his telegram con
cluded, the inference rom its genera
tone being that an immediate answer II
expected AT tine White House
viii Not let Matter Rest.
! The Pre.ide..t does 10, intend to e'
/ ,he situation res, with his Telegram, io
NJ Hutchinson to-day lie has bee.
swing the labor problem. and nnr'!oI
, 'srly the spirit NANTES ed by the st,i
ing shtpyard workers, the sravest Co
s;dera tiop. and has had talks vi. n e,,!la
OF his closest sdv!sers on the subject. II"
, regards some decisive action at this ,!rn'
imperative not alone 10 head on firthe"
ahipyard etrikss but to make the indus
trial CLASSES see where their duty Lee
Unless the alstpy1res- AtuatioH e
cleared up tomorrow. II 20 intimated. ne
VIII take further action ikely 20 h. ir
tns form Of come nationwide appea'
The Pres dent .s understood 70 feel tla
/ a large proportion OF The membership a:
, the labor unions is VITA hiln and Is ra
Z tr.o5ic. hut that selfish element is ee'
! .ng TO obstruct and ure Tho present situ
! ton for its owN purposes.
4; Piece Work Prol,nble solution.
, solution OF constantly recurring lano .
I 'roub,es In the shipyards il believed sc
! lie In a national piecework scale. uni
! form throughout the United States ard
! guaranteed by the Government. in the
, opinion OF Chairman Hurley OF the Ship
ping Board. V. Everitt Macy. head o.
:he Labor Adjustment Board. and otfe
; officials Of the Emergency Fleet CorDo-
ration.
The Labor Adjustment Board viii
, work progressively toward genera adop
zion of mis- system under its close suue' e
vision, For this reason pece WORK rates
fixed II tho Delaware Rive" scale are
OF tine highest importance Tho' trar
. will b. used as the basis fnl unifo y,
scale for tho entire United States
In the past union lnbnr has imsi
output nnde" the piece rate system. T2l'
Limitation was done h. local unions. il -
heoa,Me when men earned more t's0
employers thought 10 be Fa,r wage ~
pi-C. rate was reduced
Rate Guara ant-ed Sor N~sr.
Under the national ur form piece u ,
scale the rate will be guaranteed b. 'tr
Gov erNinent for the pe-.od Of the ~.
on at least against any change 70" =
period 81 year /; a man makes 500
a week under the scale il WIFI stand
Such q wage arrangement, II is is
lieved. will solve the problem of -prehi =
up the workers and end wha, lns hes
dubbed IN Washington the ia Dor hoe
back, the unwllingnesR ~ c~r'air q
tn" wage earHers 20 sNeed r-odur,' p'
wher only the builders got the oensit,
mother source OF complaint tas bee
the honue system uade! Niurh bu.io"'
~ certain instances are 20 get 4 hu'.'.
f., speed while workers Who could hr,ar
the bonus got nothing Consideration
be.re given 10 the question Of spltt'rY
bonuses 40 ths. the ne7 n. well n. ~
yards WITH u"neh'