The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-19
POWDER men
TELL Of SCANTY
WAGES IN NAVY
Claim Rents Are Being Raised
At Indian Head Proving
Grounds at Hearing.

Appearing before the Navy Wage
Board of Review at its hearing today.
l.. A. DeThierry and J.. r. Mason. rep
resenting powder factory attendants,
to protest against the proposed reduc'
ton of 4 cents an hour In their pay.
life in the navy proving grounds al
Indianhead, Nd, a few miles below
Washington.
These employees do not come under
the retirement act. they said. and they
are the lowest rated men outside OF
common labor. They asked that they
be rated and reclassified as ordnance
men, 80 that they could obtain advan-
tage of the retirement act.
Three Killed I'm 1890.
In reply to question by Captain
Robson, chairman Of the board. as
to how many were killed last year.
DeThierry replied that only three
were killed.
He then told OF the conditions I'M
der which the men work, how, they
are compelled to labor in buildings
that cannot be heated during the
winter months on account OF the
danger of powder explosion, how
the men until a short time ago were
forced to eat their lunch in the
cold, which was 80 intense that their
lunches were frozen, and how the
mems clothes were eaten by chemi-
calls. He also told Of how some
mems teeth were eaten away by acid
fumes and how one man died last
year from the effects of inhaling
acid fumes.
DeThierry told in a simple manner,
how the men braved death every
minute they were at work and that
in return they obtained scantv pay.
In the face of the proposed reduction,
he said. the Navy Department, which
owns many Of the houses in which
the men live, has served notice
that rents viii be increased from 81
to 81 month. Added TO this ad-
vance they have been notified that
coal will be increased IS a ton this
winter.
Living Cost Too High.
He said that the cost of living at
IndiAnhead is from rs per cent to
35 Der cent higher than in Washing
ton, and that the employees OF the
powder plant are not able to obtain
lifes insurance.
Hen employed in private powder
plants throughout the country get
hiaher wages and in addition they
haze the benefits of a bonus fixed
uuen the length Of time that they
arx with the company and in every
case are eligible to retirement on a
gttpd salary after they have served
thNir usefulness to the companies.
J.. G. Cleaver and w. #. Rickert,
representing the planners and esti-
majors of the Washington Navy
Yard testified that their work had
reduced the overhead costs Of the
navy yard from l59 per cent to liz
per cent. and denied that any friction
existed between them and the mecha1-
les. Eighteen men now do the work
formerly done by fifty-five men at
the yard. he said, which has resulted
in a saving to the Government Of
about $3.50 a day. They said that
the planners could not be clasSed
as unnecessary overhead expense and
that 1t could only be through malice
or ignorance that the other work
ing men in the navy yards criticized
them.
Suggests They Take Benches.
Capt. Robson said that he believed
It would do a great deal Of good II the
planners and estimators served about
three months every year at their trade
benches in the navy yards. II this
was done, he said, a better feeling