The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-09-26
Stand Pat
On Problem
Administration Takes Firm
Stand in Reducing Wages
at the Washington Navy
Yard.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
LCrpyrlEh; ey The lntetitsenceeo

Washington. S.ct. c5.--UaEes must
com. down. The Harding admiristra-
ton faced with an Issue cf continuing
rrs rrss.n, wax. scales In the navy
ward here. resisted the appeals OF or
Earized labor and made a drastic cut
The controversy vas carried up from
-h~ raIr Gera -tr-ert - 'ha cabinet
uh--A President Harding him-r'e took
= harA Although private industry has
been strCSsilnx with thIS question for
months. tho government has ~ oifed
kivlagary moral suppo-' - either side.
When the navy ra-d dispute aro"s. tho
Issue VAS 'res"a 80 aNd uo7 ttc Nor!
has gore forth Src'r toe administration
thar ~" GuirScs' "ay 10 nCrrd,cy hers
sAoutS - ~ DaSe cuts.
The White Ii""<e walls have. been
ful' ~ '-'."rs FROM tan N2aysrS Grc'nS 4
Girr'rGttou Of En"erurrevt expenditure.
Tre ad:n.r's'-a;lo7 has ccit that wage
cuts especially n cpNe-nueut enter
rrlscs is an i2evi;a5'. and logical an.
sw.- 10 tho A"n,s7 nd 90 economy.
Curious Attitude.
Curiously enough, - business men
OF IN. national capl:al p."Id"G tNr labor
II the sarS~ th3. ~" so' Arnme9t VAS
asked nor u mako no wags cuts s.
drastt. Ths Washington merchants
we-~ ,sA 80 TAXA his action by the ar
ru-r.-t that crt In wages meant a
e1lrtail-neut Of buying po~Sr Labor
t-<ciqra-,"-e aAn',' thar they have c1n-
sts,entlv urged the relationship hetTsrn
rrs s,al' ,'rr' 'rUritv ard wage scales
rut nowhere has .hat thccrr be-r 50
cor spicuouS'y charpioned as here In tha
rational @ RIA. Tia Clea. M" e"sr.
vas urayalliuS. Tire Harding admi0is'
-. .."' r',.ni TIt
Politically speaking. the endorsement,
BY an administration - any Issue that
relates 70 wages S'"ayS has It's dangers
The Wilson ADM 49, alton granted prac-
tically every dcuaTd tor wage Increase
sur g.. 0IlN .,..rri~S ihc frtNn6sh . oF c.
Kantzed Ia ho-. II lost ths support ~
many employers who Insisted thar ~"
government was setting an uncomfort'
able precedent Il Is realized by ad-
rtlr'st-a,ior officials that every ttiHg
the government sa"S on the suhject Of
vaSes viii De the has % discussion hy
both sides Fortunately. for the Ha-,l-
Ing administration the railroad problem
rad been pass-d o".r - their wage
beard. separate institution. and the
roads we're in private hands so that tha
o,.s -, waS. reductions did not fail
- ;r- a7r',r,st-arinu Tr~ situation In
80 ra,, .--dg hnvA.--. IA ons ~
hi~n 'rs administrator tak"T rc~'-
rls's rAsponsrA!ffN. T"s hope. -
curse is mat pai"'u, as tho ?-"'-sSSs :
a, reduced -aErs ray h.. 'rs am l"stt-
=.s ,no .sears and -ha, r.hsn norma Icy
cows ,r- srare ~ living r"s's wi''
hsv. resn adjusted also. that m" cut
IN the cav envelope VIII rot b." 81 much
resented.
Psradoxica Position.
~ NlraG0NiCal
ro-i,,o~ >o~.".r. with respect 70 the
navy yard cuts. LahNr has ,oke" 4
F-,- s,ard for d!Narr,am.n'. TIE 80
:s.. ,iD,, - TIE ~o~L ~ no nay wards
r,~ans cur,ati;rrrt ~ government ex-
rerdi,g-. fc- arr,a mcrt Labor Is "'I'
,husias.Ic tor disarmament and cannot
YER well make much "F an oUtcrS
-s'-St -, aging ofH ~ Uorh1en who
are engaged In tho armament race. IN
'na c'hAr hand - ie re0orted that N.
purpose - :he naE" rHduction ts not
s,nr. co. crrrreT' economy but an et'
,o-t - .r7-scsr ," rrIla:e Interests
r-,irh - ,h- WORK that has heretofore
bear dove - government wards.
IN. government has always paid htSn
r-ade -rR~h~icS scale - wages higher
tnar those IN p-tvat" Yards. TA;s has
k.pt urh'n the navy Yards q ciaSs ot
s,.Hed labor urevcelled outside the So",
eminent Tha drop N pFy may drive
..i.,.r. 'rto ~" rri'ote yards
ar4 enable erAr- 70 DO rrcre government
work ,har h.rsto'cr.. II may he that
'rr ,,,o.e-n.r, fcr 'he ato'!,'or OF GOV
A-rr,~r' Nay Yards Is growing. II Is
ar aE.cld controversy with much 10 "a
said on eo'h sidss Ri' lahor sIsp.cts
rHat ,He private inte-es's will reap an
-A.an.aS. from tho cutting os wage,
srd aii' rathe- IN - many hlsh-g-ad.
workers. as ta enable them 10 got most
Ct ~. rorstr'l~'ior work hereafter.