Evening star., 1921-09-13
Secretary DENLY Says Ef-
forts Will Be Made to End
Five-Day Basis.
WORKERS TO STAY PLEA
TILL PRESIDENT REPLIES
Cuts Proposed by Wage Board Go
Into Effect September 16
Despite Appeal.

Efforts will be made by the Navy De-
partment to run the Washington and
other navy yards on a six-day week
retary of the Navy DENLY said today.
He did not know when it would be done.
but indicated that the department now
was working on the problem.
When the appropriations for the Navy
for the current year were cut by Con-
gress, in order to keep within them the
the employees out of work for one day.
However, with the cutting OF the en-
ployes' wages in compliance with the
recommendations of the general wage
board after hearing the employees, 1t is
believed that the department will be
able to add another day of work.
This opening for another day each
week will add to the employees earn
ings. and in a way offset TO some extent
the cut in wages, it is believed.
Cuts Effective Friday.
Secretary DENLY said that the rec
concentrations of the wage board viii
be pu: into effect September Is, and
that no action would be taken on the
appeals of the yard employees. includ-
ing those of the Washington yard. for
reconsideration of the case. The
cut is necessary. said the Secretary,
who added that he believed the evil
dence showed that the new scale conf
pared favorably with the rates paid
outside the yards.
No further action will be taken by
the Washington navy yard employees
in fighting the wage reduction or
dered by Secretary DENLY until a re-
ply is received from President Hard
ing, it was said today hy officials of
the International. Machinfsts' Union.
Copies of resolutions adopted by the
navy yard workers at a mass meeting
Sunday. requesting the award OF the
wage board be reviewed and the
present salary schedule continued
until the cost of living has been ''ac-
tuahy reduced" were presented to
George Christian, secretary to the
President, at Atlantic City yesterday.
and Mr.. Christian said the resolution
would be put before the President at
the first opportunity
Nothing to Expect. He Says
"If first-class machinist with the
high degree of skill demanded in the
navy yard service is not entitled to
a wage that will support family OF
five in health and decency when such
mechanic works every day IN the
year who is entitled to maintain that
sort of a standard of living! said n.
p Alffas, president District ~, In
ternational Association of Machinists.
which comprises all machinists in the
government service. IF these ma
chinlStS were given wage no" TIA
would provide them the identical
standard of living they had in 1914.
they would be paid about 80 cents IN
hour.
why are they not entitled to as
good standards as they were then?
These men have practically nothing
to look forward to. Their wages
provide bare subsistence. no al
lowances for saving, the education
of their children or other extras such
as make life worth living. Argu-
ments, facts and entreaties appear
to fell upon deaf ears. The powers
have decreed that wages must drop.
apparently regardless of the facts
and consequences"
Employees in navy yards all along
the Atlantic coast have taken action
similar to the local men. according
to officials of the machinists' union.
Telegrams have been received from
union organizations at the Boston,
BROOKLYN, Philadelphia and Norfolk
yards by union officials here. sta ting
that the employees have adopted reso-
lntions protesting against the wage
cut.