The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-03-02
SHIPYARD Will
Be OPERATED BY
SWEENEY-RUM0R
John NJ. Sweeney and Paul Stew.
art Former Vice President and
General Manager in Charge.
OFFICERS FIRED
BY LONG TELEGRAM
New Orleans Office of Emer-
gency Fleet Corporation Wires
Discharges-Many Leave.

John NJ. Sweeney and Paul Stewart
are to head the re-organized Pensa-
cola Shipbuilding company. according
to Information announcedr last night
by Mr. Sweeney and a representative
OF the Emergency Fleet Corporation
who arrived here yesterday.
telegram was received yesterday
from the New Orleans Headquarters
of the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
| which requested A. C. Keller ard
over a score OF his assistants to get
out OF the company, 1t Is said. 1t Is
understood that number OF the men
who have been discharged are not to
| be allowed the liberty of the shipyard
| hereafter. The reason for this action
was not explained by officials OF the
| company.
J The number OF workmen released
| from the employ of the company was
| increased yesterday, in the big shake
up. which is being staged by the
Emergency Fleet Corporation. Off
cials say the move has been made to
cut down the overhead and put the
plant on a peace time footing.
Some Charge Trickery.
Rumors flew thick and fast about
the lobby of the San Carlos and the
OsceoIa Club yesterday. where most
of the officials, active and retired,
gathered By some, the move was
charged to trickery. and by others to
a move of the L. S. Steel Corporation,
to get control Of the yard. These ideas
are declared to have little foundation
in fact.
Officials of the company said yes
terday that every man who had been
laid off would be allowed to re-enter
the employ of the ship plant, IL he or
she was able to do work which would
place them in the productive end OF
the yard. Otherwise. the big lop OFT
the payroll would stand.
Some of the discharged officials de-
clare that the outburst has been
smoldering for weeks and that such
stunts as an attempt to hold the Hay
roll, have been used in the past Few
weeks, in order to discredit Mr.. ket-
Ter. BY most of the released Officials.
Mr. Keller is eulogiZed as self-made
man. who erected modern ship plant
where a pine forest grew but rev
months ago. Mr.. Keller himself is
said to have expressed surprise q.
the action of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation, because of some OF tho
men who have been released.
Believe Plant Safe.
Confidence is growing that the ship
plant is here to stay and that its per-
manency is assured, once the excite
ment Of the unexpected action by the
federal bureau has subsidized. Although
rumors of cut in wages at the plan-
were circulated on the street last
night, no confirmation could be foiird
for the rumors among officials OF the
plant.
Just what Mr.. Keller will do Is not
announced. A number Of the men
who were let out of the official fam
ily at the ship yard, began last night
to dispose of their personal holdings
here. and preparing to return to their
former residences
The cut was felt most in the cierf-
cal. special service and engineering
1t is said. Capt. O'Brien,
head of the police at the plant, Is said
to be among those discharged 1t was
rumored that some Of the officers dis
charged were responsible for the fail-
ure to launch a ship at the yard, since
started. No official an
has been forthcoming,
which may be taken as the facts or
tho case as vet.