Evening journal., 1918-02-13
SAY LABOR HALTS
WORK On SHIPPING
Action by President Wilson
Is Believed to be Necessary
to Advance Building
REPORT STRIKES
IN FIVE YARDS

WASHINGTON. Feb. i5.-The labor
situation. especially as It affects the ma
tions shipyards, has assumed criti-
cal aspect which. It Is believed in many
quarters, demands action by President
Wilson. If the war program Of the gov
ernment is to be carried forward to
success.
Reports from many places, 70 is stat
ed, have shown lack Of cooperation,
and spirit OF Indifference among
many workers which has developed
into serious menace It Is no secret
that negotiations carried on up 10 this
time through wage commissions and
boards OF conciliation have not resulted
10 satisfactory adjustments and o maxi
mum Of efficiency
The strike Of carpenters employed
at Staten Island shipyards because
their demands for wage increases 70
meet the scale on the Pacific coast
were not granted Immediately has
served 10 concentrate attention on the
general situation, with an insistent de-
msnd for a show down, which will
reveal all Of the existing conditions
These strikers, it Is understood. were
asked TO await the decision Of the
shipping Boards Vase Adjustment
Commission. and refused
Reports have been heard In increas-
ing number also Of a tendency on the
part Of some groups of workmen in
the shipyards TO lag at their tasks, re-
fusing 10 drive as many rivets as they
were able to drive IN days work be-
cause less eflcient employees received
the same wage as the laggards. It has
been reported also that in some in
stances rules recognized by organized
labor were not conducive 10 the swift
accomplishment Of maximum results.
There have been increasing demands
also for Congressional action, or open
Investigation IN some -other quarters
which would place the facts before the /
public
Il has been hinted here that Presi- .
dent Wilson's attention has been called .
10 the necessity Of speaking plainly TO
the employees, as well as to the en-
ployers, II a cure for these conditions /
is 10 be found speedily and a satisfac-
tory working basis is TO be reached in
time to avoid a more serious crippling
Of the shipbuildng program.
Almost from the moment that the /
United States entered the war there /
has been an insstent demand by the |
majority Of workers in shipyards and |
other vital government industries for
wage Increases which frequently reach
ed 40 30 60 per cent. In almost every
instance these representations have
been in the nature Of demands and not
requests The shlpbuilding industry
was ~ one time threatened with almost
complete Generalization because OF the
altitude assumed by the men and the
number OF strikes called.
The situation today admittedly still
is not one conducive 20 rapid cOnstruc-
tion Of shipping. and vessels are not
being rushed ahead as had been e1-
pected. Increases which have been
granted have IN some instances been
followed by demands for further con-
cessiOns. According 20 reports, thous-
ands OF workmen have lagged at their
tasks while their demands were ee-
viewed.
Attempts to "coddle" the situation
apparently have not brought about the
desired results, II the present outlook
is any criterion Of what has been ac-
complished Plans TO exempt labor in |
the shipyards from military duty under |
the selective draft law have not proved |
an effective solution Of the problem, !
and from the insistence Of the work /
men apparently have not quieted the
demands for wage increases IN many /
districts.
Wholesale walkouis on the Pacific /
coast were prevented some months ago |
nv an anneal n the rsrn-kars A await i
the decision OF wage adjustment com
mission. formed under the jurisdiction !
~ the Shipping Board. Increases as /
high as 50 per cent. were granted in
some instances There Immediately
began demands for similar adjustments
at the Atlantic and Great Lakes ship
yards
It has been estimated that q would
cost fhe Shipping Board si5oOOO,OO0 an
nually 10 meet the demands for a uni
form scale 10 all the government ship
building yards alone.
There have been many angles 20 the
controversy. Workers ln districts where
wage scales have been lower than In
other districts in the past have held
hat their wages should be raised to
meet the best wages paid There has
been no decision by the government 70
agree to such a course, and discomfort.
with appreciable lowering OF efficiency
has been reported
Pressure has been brought from
many quarters as a result OF the situa-
tion for a definite statement OF policy
TO which loyal workers viii be called
TO respond such a statement. r. is re-
portAd NAV come from fhr p~esidsnf