Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-03-20
PRESIDENT OF TRICKY FEDERATION
OF LABOR COMES TO ROCK ISLANDS
DEFENSE IN LETTER SENT TO BAKER

Charles J. MacGowan, president
OF the Tri-City Federation of Labor.
today came TO the defense of Rock
Island in a letter he forwarded to
Hon Newton d. Baker, secretary of
war.
Mr.. MACEDONIAN advised the cabi-
net chief that conditions in Rock
Island are not as bad as apparently
/ mad been reported to him. He goes
on to say that in behalf of the mem
bership of the federation he pledges
the aid of organized labor in the tri-
cities TO the government in carry
ing out its plans for enforcement of
| the zone regulations in the three
cities.
Mr.. MacGowan also forwarded to
Governor Lowden a copy of the let
ter he sent Secretary Baker. The
letter to Secretary Baker follows:
Rock Island, ILL.,, March 20,
191S.-Hon. Newton d. Baker,
Secretary of War, War Depart
ment, Washington, d. C.-Dear
Sir: The local papers of Mon
day, March is, reproduce a
communication which was sup
posed to be sent by you, to
Governor Lowden of Illinois,
and in this communication you
state that the war department
is in receipt of constant COM
plant regarding liquor and vice
conditions in the city of Rock
Island. You also state that the
efficiency of the army and the
industrial plant is involved,
and so serious has been the re-
duction in the efficiency of the
men employed at the arsenal
! that the commanding officer has
recommended drastic measures,
and you further state that if
! the present unsatisfactory con-
dition continues it may be nee
| essary to remove or transfer
| for the work now being done on
the Rock Island arsenal to some
| other point.
Now, Mr.. Secretary, l am not
I in position to pass judgment
! upon the report of the com
/ handing officer, but in defense
! OF the many thousands of men
! employed on the Rock Island
| arsenal, both in the manufac-
! ture of munitions of war and
! in the construction of buildings,
/ l feel compelled to make a few
statements that | hope you will
consider of sufficient import
| ance to warrant your investi-
CATION
In the first place, the city Of
| Rock Island has received a
| great deal of unfavorable pub
/ licity, during the past few
! weeks, and | might add that in
! my judgment much of this pub
| licity is unwarranted and ex-
! aggerated. While there have
| been many mira ctions of the
! law, in furnishing soldiers in
! uniform with intoXicants, and
I while vice has been prevalent,
! yet, from my experience, L feel
impelled to say that these con-
ditions are no worse than can
/ be found in other cities of the
same size as Rock Island, but
! the point that l desire TO dwell
! upon is this: The statement
/ that these conditions decrease
! the efficiency of the men EN-
/ ployed on the Rock Island ar
! senal, l feel to be somewhat of
/ an aSpersiOn upon the patriot
| ism and the loyalty of these
men. The greater majority of
| these men are members of the
/ trades union movement, and,
as you know, the policy of the
trade union movement of this
! country, as represented by the
| American Federation of Labor,
has been to render to the gov
/ eminent every assistance pos
sible, and to volunteer the sery-
| ices of our Representatives and
! our organizations, to render
| true service, and so in accord
| ance with that policy, the trade
union movement of this district
| stands ready and willing to ap-
point suitable committees TO
cooperate with the representa-
| tives of the United States gov
| eminent. In order that a full
and complete investigation be
made of those alleged alarming
conditions, for if social condi-
tions are as vicious as the re
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