Evening star., 1921-09-15
NEW APPEAL MADE
BY NAVY YARD MEN
Workers Again Ask Support
Of Business Men to Fight
Wage Cut.

Another appeal to the merchants and
bankers of Washington to support the
navy yard employees in their campaign
to prevent the wage reduction recon-
mended by the navy yard general wage
board from being put into effect was
made today by officials of Columbia
Lodge. No. ia, comprising the ma
chinists employed at the local navy
yard.
1t was pointed out in the letters sent
to the merchants and bankers that the
wage cut wilf>mean a loss Of 100000
week in the purchasing power of
the employees of the local navy yard,
which must be reflected in the mer-
camille establishments of the city"
VIII Meet Mr.. Davis.
The legislative committee of Colum.
bia Lodge will hold another conference
with Secretary of Labor Davis this
afternoon to urge that the wage re-
duction ordered to become effective to.
morrow be stayed until review is
made of the general boards award. Al
the same time n. p. Alifas. president
of District A, International Associa.
tion of Machinists. will go. to the
White House with petition signed by
1000 business men in Norfolk and
Portsmouth, Va, protesting against
the cut in the pay of the navy yard
workers there.
The communications sent to tn,
business men were identical; that t.
the bankers read, In part: s~47 > 3+-ii5
'T'or the first time in the history o.
the employees Of the Washington nav,
yard. it has become necessary for u
to- e sppssl os to the sEsssRt tes Dis
a very grievous wrong. which ha.
been perpetrated by the Navy Depart
the employees of the Washington navy
yard.
I'VE will ask your indulgence IL
giving this matter your seriou.
thought and consideration. as it vital.
ly affects the business interests of thu
city Of Washington mere than any
other single ruling that has ever beer
issued by the Secretary of the Navy
and in order that you may have tbs
facts in the case. we are quoting fol
your information the law under which
the board acts, which prescribes tn,
rate Of wages to be paid employees o,
the Washington navy yard.
U. 8. Figures Cited.
1.-The law prescribes that the rat,
Of wages Of the employees in the navy
yard shall conform as nearly as i.
consistent with the public interes
with those of private establishment.
in the immediate vicinity of the re.
spective yard. to be determined by tn,
commandant of the navy yard, subjec
to the approval and revision Of tn,
Secretary of the Navy.
''The United States Department o.
Labor states in one of its reports
oil a tho in Wa chin ytn ~,
D. c., of an exceedingly modest bddge
for workingman's family. consist
ing of husband, wife and three chill
dren, to provide a standard of living
that may be termed standard O.
health and decency. the average
low point mark in the downward
trend in the cost Of living in Is sea
coast cities of the United States
would have been $2.276.6s. this budget
providing absolutely no luxuries
Contemplated no savings and assumed
household goods" The cost of thi.
budget when. reckoned by the houl
for an employe working full timt
throughout the year would be 81
cents. ..-.-- .-
with all of these facts before us
gathered from the departments Of thu
United States government entrusted
this information, we feel that thu
arbitrary position of the Secretary Of
of the Navy has not been to the bes
interests Of the citizens of the Dis
trfct of Columbia.
$1OO,OO Loss Per Week.
"The loss to the merchants of the
District Of Columbia must ref1ec,
itself In losses to the banking inter
ests of the city Of Washington ap-
proximating $16o. 900 per week.
I'VE believe this to be a -conserva.
tive estimate of the losses about to bt
incurred by the business interests o,
this vicinity. Were it necessary Il
incur this loss under justifiable con.
ditions we would have no complaint
to raise, but, when the cost of living
is taken into consideration and thu
workers are facing q reduction in ths
standard of their living of 35 per CEN
below a pre-war condition. and tht
purchasing power of the worker II
decreased approximately 33 1-3 pei
cent, 1t can be readily seen that W.
are facing serious situation, which
must reflect itself in the banking in,
stitutions of Washington. X
1--WE would ask that you use YOU
influence toward having q revision ,ol
a rehearing had of this entire prop
osition, which means so much to thu
workers Of the city of Washington
and which reflects itself in the finan'
cial conditions in this vicinity.
I've would urge upon you to givt
some public expression OF your opin'
ion In reference to this matter. Tht
navy yard workers are interested and
deeply concerned in the welfare of ths
District of Columbia, and q public
expression on your part will serve Il
instill confidence In them"
Expect Cabinet to Act.
Philip King. president of the Mer.
chants and Manufacturers Associa.
ton, yesterday sent an appeal t.
President Harding on behalf of thu
navy yard workers. - -
Belief that the cabinet at its next
session will, take some action to pre-.
vent the enforcement OF the wage re.
duction at the navy yard was voiced
by several members OF Columbis
Lodge at a. meeting last night II
Naval Lodge HALL They based theil
,optimistic opinion on the fact tha'
Postmaster General Hays In confer
ence with the legislative committee
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