The Washington herald., 1918-02-18
E1ecutiue
Tells Shipwork-
ers They Must
Either Aid IN
Winning War
Or Obstruct H.

HOIk.
President Wilson. following re-
ceipt Of long telegram from Will
lam L. Hutcheson. general presi-
dent of the United Brotherhood Of
Carpenters and Joiners of Ameries,
who sought an audience with him,
sent a frank telegram to the labor
leader telling the men bIuntIy that
it was their duty in the nations
crisis to further the shipbuildins
program and not obstruct il. Re-
fusal on the part of the men to
submit their grievance to arbitrs-
hon. the President said, wa. "un-
doubtedly giving aid and comfort
to the enemy"
Quick Action ostsiped.
Within twelve hours after this tel
egram was sent TO Mr.. Hutebeson.
the word was flashed hack to W,-,-
ington that the strige had been called
OF.
Mr.. Gompers, Edward n. Hurley
chairman of the Shipping Board. ana
Frank Morrison. secretary OF the
American Federation Of Labor all
expressed qualification that the strike
had been ended
The message sent by Hutchesou 70
President Wilson follows:
Hon. Woodrow Wilson.
president Of the United States:
Dear Sir-Nour telegram requestinE
our men TO return TO work at hand.
In reply. / am telegraphing our rep-
resentstives tonight TO go among the
| men OF our craft and use their in
fiuence to make them return 10 ysorsc
at once.
Il have exhausted every effort IA
reach an adjustment with the shin
ping Board. 1 have no power to SIGN
an agreement which would deprive our
men OF their constitutional right. Be
ing oeslrous OF reaching a conclusion
, Whereby a cessation of work NAV d.
prevented in the future, 1 most re-
spectfully request that YOU notify me
as TO when can meet with Won. as A
feel that is the only way in which 20
solve the question.
WIN. L. HUTCHINSON"
Confidence In President.
The labor leaders took the appeal
OF the President more as an indict-
ment charging them with being un-
patrlotic' explained union men here
tonight They will return TO their
places and will work, il need be.
beside non-union men until such
Tune as their difficulties may be
adjusted.
1t was explained that tn. order
TO return was issued as a respons.
TO the Presidents appeal and as an
evidence of their confidence in him
rather than any giving up the
fight"
Telephones President.
The Presidents telegram was sent
TO Mr.. Hutcheson yesterday morn
ing. Later in the day Mr.. Hutche-
son telephoned from New York 10
Washington and had a long con-
Nersation with one OF the oficiaIs
OF the Shipbuilding War Adjusting
Board. No official of the board
would discuss Mr.. HUtcheson's teIe-
( phone CALL but IL is understood
! that the Presidents telegram had
an immediate saIutary effect.
Draft Threat Banned.
Confidential reports Of tn.
boards agents in New York and
Baltimore, where the shipyard car
penters struck. convinced the board.
IL was said, that. whatever the atti-
tude Of Mr.. Hutcheson or the strik-
ers. there was no danger Of the
! walkout spreading. There was no
| complete tie-up effected or likely. IL
was said, because the idle carpen-
ters constituted only about Z per
cent Of the workers in the yards,
mostly engaged on steel ships, and
that work would continue, however
handicapped.
Meyer Bloomfield, head Of the IN
dustrial service section OF the SbSp-
ping Board, TO whom has been dele
gated the power entrusted to the
Emergency Fleet concerning shipyard
exemptions. said last night that the
strikers were deemed still TO be tech
nically employed. The Eve days idle
ness mentioned in the law as a period
itRultluE report 10 local OrHIt DOaroS
and liability to draft call would not
be applied TO shipyard strikers, he
said
Shipyard employers have been for
hidden by the board to send the
names of the strikers TO the local
draft boards. II is maintained that
the Emergency Fleet, which grants
exemption, is the only channel through
which abridgment of exemption can
and should be made.
The board is particularly desrous
that the draft threat, especially by
employers, be suppressed officially and
thoroughly as a source OF dangerous
potential trouble between capital and
labor. Mr.. Bloomfield said last night
that IL he learned OF any private exec
utive exercising such a dangerous
weapon of coercion he would take I'M
mediate steps TO have the offender re-
moved or disciplined.
Samuel Gompers. president o. ths
| American Federation Of Labor. sum-
!uonad TO his Office yesterdaN all OF
the members of the executiv council
| of the organizaf' a. They then took
| up the discussion of thc shipyaro
strikes IN a conference -ls tinr more
than -four hours. Mr.. Co .pers SAID
cokuxunp o. PAGE IA