The Washington herald., 1918-03-09
BOARD IGNORES
ULTIMATUM OF
SHIP AGITATOR
W. L. Hutcheson, of Car
penters to Be Snubbed
by u. S. Officials.

The ShipHng Board last night had
an ultimatum from William L.
Hutcheson. president of the United
Brotherhood Of Carpenters and
Joiners, promising to furnish caul-
kers, the lack of whom is holding
up wooden ship production, only on
condition that his demands be
granted.
The ultimatum will be ignored,
according TO Shipping Board OFF,
cials. who take the attitude that
Mr.. Hutcheson was eliminated from
the shipbuilGinG situation three
days ago by the action of the
American Federation Of Labor.
which rejected his demands.
Defends Patriotism.
Instead of considering this otIer.
the Shipping Board will make an ap-
peal over his head to the men them
selves.
As a defense against the critics
of his patriotism, Hutcheson, in his
letter to the Shipping Board. speaks
OF his having gathered from his
union members the same sort of
voluntary service applications as
were sought by the campaign for
shipyard volunteers. He has not
however turned over these appIica-
tions to the government.
Strikers to Return.
POur thousand carpenters. who
struck yesterday in Philadelphia,
with twenty-five machinists and lOl
electrical workers, are expected to re-
turn to work in the morning. The
machinists and electrical workers re-
turned after a few hours. on asSur-
ances from Rear Admiral Bowles. as
sistant general mnger of the Emer-
gency Fleet Corporation. at Philadel-
phia. The carpenters, however, held
out till Admiral Bowles had COM
municated with the Shipping Board.
The strike, II was said. was due
to a misunderstanding concerning
overtime on construction work. The
recent wage Secision for the Della
ware-Chesapeake district did not
carry the specific overtime provision:
subsequently,, however, agreement
was made by common assent of those
concerned.
There was no intimation at the
Shipping Board last night that Mr..
Hutcheson had anything 10 do with
the Philadelphia strike. although it
was said that he had been working
at various yards. trying TO make
agreements individually with each
shipbuilder TO effect his demanded
union control.
Will Advertise.
If the situation concerning the Broth
erhood of Woodworkers is not cleared
within forty-eight hours, says a Ship
ping Board authority last night. wen
advertise-and the men will heed
patriotism instead of Hutchesonism.' -
There are go wooden ships on the
Pacific Coast, says this official, that
cannot be turned out in time because
there are only 1S5 caulkers in the
Puget Sound district union. and the
coast is strongly unionized. These men
get 81 an eight-hour day, and are ask
ing for SO. The board has decided to
waive all restrictions, get the men and
finish the ships. Caulkers are lacking
mainly because the calling fell of with
the pre-war scarcity of wooden ships.
The Pacific Coast is asking for more
wooden ship contracts. J. H. Bloedell,
OF Seattle, and others are to appear
before the Senate Commerce Commit
tee today to urge these contracts. The
board says a total of 400 ships could
be built there, II there were caulkers
There are go on the coast now, p
per cent finished, and held up. The
program calls for 162 to be launched
before the end of the year.