New-York tribune., 1918-09-21
"Slackerism" Doomed
At Hog Island and
All Yards, Says Piez
Especial D;spatch to The Tribune

'Specnt D'spdtch to 1he Iribunc)
WASHINGTON. Sent 2O.-By close
cooperation between Provost Marshal
General Crowder and the Emergency
Fleet Corporation shipyard slackerism
is henceforth doomed, according t.
Vicc-President Charles A. Piez, Of the
corporation. Testfying before the
Senate Commerce Committee this
morning Mr.. Pez said that the
problem of the industrial slackcrs
swarming to the shipyards had been
one of great concern.
In certain yard he said, 1 900 such
slackcrs had been discharged in three
weeks.
Hitherto the slackers often escaped
after discharge from one yard by Sc
curing employment in another, but
steps were now being taken to make
the Stacker appear in uniform prompt
ly following his discharge. The man
who secures exemption by virtue
of working in a shipyard will here
after have to demonstrate; that he is
rot military Stacker by refraining
from being an industrial Stacker. Negli-
gent work or absenteeism will lead to
dlscharge, and discharge will be an
open door into the army
Mr.. Picz thought there was no foun-
daton for the charges of exceptional
and general slackerism at Hog Island
He said that, while the riveters set the
pace for all the work on ship the
number of rivets driven per gang was
not necessarily an index of the rate of
production. The most efficient ward in
the United States, judged by produc-
ton. is the Skinner & Eddy yard at
Seattle, but its average Of rvets per
gang per week is somewhat under the
national average.
mr. ho y c.
er allowed the Shipping Board 10000
exemptions, and the same number is
to be allowed under the second draft,
but Glass ] will be unable to secure
exemptions through employment in
shipyards. The total number Of men
now actually employed in shpyards is
about 100000
The subject was brought to the COM
mlttee's attention by reports that
slackerism of an industrial sort was
prevalent at Hog Island, where it was
found that during a competitive squirt
the rlveting gangs did twice as much
work as under ordinary conditions. Mr..
Plez said that slackerism was not ne
culiar to Hog Island, but that it had
received particular mention "bccause if
is the big thing in Philadelphia" AS
a matter of fact. labor was constantly
becoming more efficient at Hog Island.
as we'll as elsewhere.
Hog Island, he said, on account of its
slzc and the enormous number of en-
p!oyes, had labored under the necessity
or training most of its men and had
been compelled to accept whatever
material offered and to try it out. There
are 5l2 riveting gangs there. These
gangs are not driving as many rivets
by half as the schedule of ship pro
duction calls for. but their ineffi iciency
was to be attributed largely to their
6leenness.
The improved cooperation between
me Emergency Fleet Corporation and
General Crowder is in line with gen
c1ai Tightening of the regulations gov
cfnlng industrial exemptions tn, ougil-
out the country. From now on it IS
not only to be on alternative of work
or night for such men, bu, work well
or hight. II man exempted because
~ the es. :tial nature of his e,Hplov-
ment IS ct good worker the army
Wlll attempt TO make a GOOD soldier Of
ilm