The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-18
C[ER|CA[F0RCE
|. Of NAVY To Be
REDUCED SOON
Work Depending on Activities
In Yards Expected to
SIacken Up.

Drastic reductions In the clerical
force Of the Navy Department were
being anticipated today. as the ak
set swinging by the arms conference
threatened to land its next blow on
the employees whose duties depend
largely upon the activities within the
nations navy yards.
The gradual influx Of chief yeomen.
assigned to take over duties OF
civilian clerks because of lack Of
work in their former stations,
brought the general belief that the
transfers would shortly extend to
the lower grades of yeomen, who, az
enlisted personnel. would necessarily
be provided employment In prefer
ence to those not more permanently
connected with the navy service.
Passage of a bonus bill, creating
vast clerical task in the business OF
carrying out the provisions of .
bonus measure. was the only light
OF hope visible to those seeing i'm
pending release from their present
Navy Department positions. Creation
of a bureau to handle bonus business
would mean at least temporary en-
ployment for many. 1t was suggested,
much in the manner the Census
Bureau provided temporary employ
ment for many whose release from
war jobs would have left them I'M
employed.
VIII Reply To Gompers.
What is expected to be the mega
i've reply Of Secretary Of the Navy
DENLY. to the proposals submitted
by President Samuel Gompers of
the American Federation Of Labor
for continuation of Navy Yard
work, will probably be forwarded
20 Gompers and leaders of the Ma
chinists' Union early next week.
here was no indication at the
Secretary's office this morning that
he answer would be made before
that time.
In his reply It is believed the
Secretary win point out that 1t is
contrary to government policy for
a government agency TO do work
now done by private enterprise. and
hat to do some of the things pro
1osed would rob workers in outsid,
'rades Of their Jobs. It probably
will be pointed out also that the
% do the work proposed. despit.
available through cessation Of worl
on capital ships and other projects
Lack Of authority for divertinr
much Of this money. appropriate
for a specific purpose, to othe
work, would prohibit fulfillment {.
this suggestion. II is said.
Union officials declared the stu
ton at the Navy Yard. made mo"
serious yesterday by the addition
"furloughing" Of more than thirt'
workers. was today becoming cr''
cal. The morale Of those retain
at the yard was declared to y
seriously affected by the belief
the part of many that their jo'
are unsafe in the face Of continu'
reductions.
To Cut Clerical Force.
The captain Of the yard today E;
no further reductions Of any e
were at present in sight. thou
occasional individual ''furlough
might be ordered as work in respc
tive divisions failed to warrant
tention. A fairly large cut in II
clerical force is understood to
! anticipated within two weeks. /
view Of the decrease in usual co
respondence relative to work bein
done at the yard. The definite nun
Der of clerks to be released is r.
ported to have not yet been d,
termined.
Gradual release Of employees ir
navy yards throughout the country
would have involved an expcnditur'
OF $780, 900 to 5000 900 a day on use
less work, Secretary DENLY has said
in defending the sudden release of
the men as "a necessary act which
we had to do in q cruel way"
Change Of machinery which would
be necessary to convert the yards
into manufacturing plants for other
governmental needs stand in the
way of taking over other work as
proposed by Gompers' fifteen sug.
gestions, he has pointed out.