Evening star., 1922-02-11
Many of the AZ Forced 10
Take Leave Yesterday
, Veteran Employees.
'tHARD LUCK, NO ANSWER"
OFFICIALS VIEWPOINT
Survey to Determine Availability
of Yard for Other Government
Work Being Made.

Forty-two men were added to the
list of the 1850 already on leave
without pay, at the Washington navy
yard yesterday, and it is understood
today that 100 more employees are to
be placed in this class next week.
Many of the men dropped yesterday
were veterans Of the yard. some OF
them having been there during their
entire working careers.
Oficials at the Navy Department de-
cline to comment directly on the
situation. The general sentiment is:
ITS hard luck, but there's no answer
for the problem"
1t was admitted by an official at
the Navy Department that plans for
a survey of the. availability OF the
navy yard for other work had been
drawn up and the survey partly com
pleted. with view to discovering the
adaptability of the yard for the work
Of other government departments.
Administrative Matter.
1t was said. however. that the entire
project was an administration matter.
for consideration by the President and
the cabinet, inasmuch as other depart
ments of the government were con-
cerned, and that no action. could be
taken along. these lines without the
previous action Of the administration.
Every effort of the representatives
of the 1892 men now out of work is
being made to obtain governmental
approval of the plan to give all de-
partmental work possible to the navy
yard which canoe done there. even
though changes in some Of the ma
chinery might be necessary to accom-
plish this purpose.
President Philip King of the Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa.
tion, in u statement today announced
union in the belief that the machinery
union in the behalf that the machinery
at the yard can be put to other use.
employing a number of men. He said
he felt sure that a survey of the yard
equipment would make this practi-
cable Immediately.
Mr.. King has directed Secretary CO.
lumbus of the association to lay be-
fore representatives OF the employees
of the yard a plan which it is hoped
will result in continuance OF the work
at the yard.
Time to Move Forward
Business, not only In Washington
practical demonstration Of its faith in
the future by not disturbing the per.
sonnel Of its employees" Mr.. King said
"we believe that now is the time to
go forward In everything.
At the Navy Department today sur
prise was expressed that the men
evidently did not know of the coming
of the decrease in force.
AS it was outlined by one official,
the Navy Department stand seems to
be as follows,
those poor people. But there's no
work and no appropriation to care for
the work. - The Navy Department
budget for this year is about $500.
100000 in round figures. whereas 1t
was about Is per cent more than that
in the previous fiscal year. Naturally
a cut in force had to come. But there
has been no real answer for the solu-
tion of the problem submitted thus
far"
The stand of the executive COM
machinist: differs somewhat from
the official view Of the subject.
A resume Of the situation was given
today by union official as follows:
Disputes Lack Of Funds.
Last July. at the behest Of the
Navy Department, the force at the
yard went on a five-day week, with
the assurance that, in this case, there
was ample work and ample appro-
priations to keep it employed until
the start of the next fiscal year.
This action, therefore. was taken
Later on-September Is. to be exact
the w0ges were cut from 80 cents
per hour to 73 cents, and 1t was
thought that this step might save
the jobs of the employees.
only two weeks before this big cut
assurance was given by the assistant
superintendent of the navy yard that
there was no contemplated being
given to any cut in force. AS a re-
suit when the cut came, 1t came with
stunning effect"
The Navy Department, on the other
hand, is understood to take the stand
that the men themselves requested
the five-day week and that the
change was made for the benefit OF
the men, although the Department
preferred the six-day week. The
five-day week therefore, it was stat
ed, did not originate at the Navy De-
partmerit, but among the representa-.
tives Of the men.
Will Announce Plan Monday.
President William H. Johnston o.
the International Association of Ma
ckinists Is expected to make public hi
letter to President Harding on the sit
uation next Monday. In it, it is un
derstood, he will give a plan whereof!
the navy yards OF the country woult
be enabled to keep going at full rat'
through the assignment of work o.
the government now being HANDLED
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