The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-16
Upheaval All Due to One
Unions Contrary Disposition.
Carpenters Refused To Join
Unions Pact With Govt.
OTHER TRADES OPPOSE MOVE
Hutchinson Only Labor Leader
Who Has Blocked Govt.
All Other Union Heads Agreed
To Arbitrate All Grievances.
By ROBERT ]. BENDER.

Washington, Feb. 16.-As the walk
our of wood workers in eastern snip
yards grew rapidly today, President
Wilson prepared definite proposal to
end the strike.
The president is expected to drive
at the heart of the trouble and appeal
to the ,cyalty of the men in getting
them back to work while the govern
ment gets its program for Shipworkers
on g. working basis. Appeals by
Chairman Hurley and others have
proved futile and all agree that a So
luton can be brought by the president
alone. There will be no conscrlption
of labor now, it is learned definitely.
Threats by wood workers that they
would be joined in a few hours by
from $4,000 to 100000 iron workers
were met with unconcern by shipping
board neads All shipbuilding trades
with the single exception of the WOOD
workers and including the iron work.
ers it was pointed out, are under iron
clad agreement with the governm ent
to submit all controversies to arbitra-
tiOI-.
baltimore iron workers assured the
gov ernment today they would hold
faSt to tine agreement
Demanded Closed Shop.
Che wood workers strike, it was
stated today came out of a clear sky
fCl owing refusal OF the shipping board
TO conc-de an unconditional closed
shop. Tie shipping bG ard, according
to William Blackman. chief of the la
bol adjustment division, agreed to me-
diate hours and wages but insisted also
on medi; ton of conditions"-princi-
pal of which was the closed shop de-
ma nd. The workers refused point
blank - submit conditions to arbi-
tration.
Admiral Piez, Chairman Hurley and
Assistant Secretary of Navy Roosevelt
went into conference today to deter
mine what should be done imme-
diately.
They declared Hutchenson,- since
the opening of the war has been the
only labor international president who
has blocked the government. He alone,
they say, refused to sign the agree
uent entered into between labor and
the government last January.
Labor Not in Favor of Strike
One man today who holds a high
post both in the confidence of labor
and the government and probably is
more closely in touch with the labor
situation than any one else, declared
to the writer that with the exception
of a portion of the carpenters, labor
as a whole is not in sympathy with
the present disturbance.
Labor leaders," he said, "believe
this a crucial time. They feel that
the action of Hutchinson is danger
Gus in that it may we'll cause the peo-
pie of the country to become skepti-
cal over labor's honest intentions to
stand patriotically by the government
in this war. They fear that unrest, if
followed by a crisis in our affairs,
would lose for labor as a whole the
possibility of helpful cooperation by
the nation after the war to reward
workers for their Accomplishments in
winning the great struggle"
Conscription of labor alone will not
solve the shipbuilding problem, Sec
retary of Labor Wilson stated today.
Take Over Plants First.
Il am opposed to drafting labor for
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