Evening star., 1922-11-27
navy BOARD SCALE
Of WAGES SCORED
Improper, Declare Workers
Here From Yards All
Over Country.
sLAsHESs IN FORCES HIT
Men Say Living Costs Prevent
Them Standing Further Cuts
in Salaries.

Severe criticism OF methods used by
local navy yard wage boards in gath
ering data on which to base recon-
mendations for employer pay and =
general request by all witnesses for
rs per cent increase In yard en-
ployes' wages were made at the first
session Of the general wage board Of
review when 1t convened today in the
Navy Department.
Representatives of the Washington
navy yard charged improper methods
were used by the board in arriving
at wage scales for the naval gun fac
tory here. They asked for wage
increase of 25 per cent.
Continued recommendations by
wage boards of wage cuts. coupled
with slashes in the working forces.
brought many men from naval sta
tions in all parts OF the country. The
hearing will last about four days.
Labor leaders. including James
O'Connell, president Of the metal
trades department Of the American
FcdeTAJlOH Ol lIdUOLB p0A tASoshA
attention to the extraordinary large
attendance Of working men at the
session.
Four Trades Heard.
After hearing the general state
ments by labor leaders. Admiral
Strauss, after conference with other
members of the board. decided to
hear the men in accordance with the
alphabetical listing OF their trades:
At noon he had heard the boiler
makers. brakemen. buffers and pol
ishers.
Asking an increase OF 25 per cent
in wages OF Washington navy yard
boilermakers as against the l cent
per hour reduction recommended by
the local board. J. w. Osman said the
cost Of living here had increased 4S
per cent and that the men cannot
stand a reduction.
Information Attacked.
George A. wilberton. representing
the buffers and polishers Of the
Washington navy yard. but speaking
in general for all the yards. stressed
the precept under which the local
board operated, in that 1t was in
structed to seek data from the "prin-
cfpal establishments doing work SIM
liar in character and comparable in
volume to the local yard" He
charged that the local board had
sought information from small shops
in many cases where only the owner
worked.
Mr.. O'Connell charged that the data
collected by the local boards were 80
inaccurate, so unjustifiable. as to be
sent out by the wage boards, he
charged, is turned over to a book
kerper. who merely takes the average
and returns it. ItNoes not represent,
he said. a fair statement OF the wages
pal when class of work Is compared.
The information gathered by the men
he asserted. 1s much more
reliable and can be corroborated. He
EXPRESSED the hope that the present
hoard would give serious coRsidera-
tion to the methods used by the local
wage boards in gathering the data.
and would suggest a plan that WouId
cat least be fair.
"0UIO OUOBC D0Ue
The men, he said. want a wage that
v;,, keep them out Of debt. Many Of
them are deeply in debt now, and II
they are not, he went on. it Is because
they are living 80 far below the .Ameri-
can standard that their health will be
seriously impaired.
James Wilson. representing the Pat.
termakers League Of America. asked
the board to take into consideration the
increased cost of living: He said 1t 10
will still 90 up following the new tariff.
The government, he said. should be an
4. Flynn. representing the shipfittsrs
of the Charleston. s. yasd' asd poinssd rs1nssd
information to the mel, but said they
would send 1t in confidence to the local
board. The board would not show the
men the information. He urged all such
should be open and the
He asked a 25 per cent increase.
Gives Boflermakers' Case.
Robert J. Hanna. representing
dificult to obtain information from
firms. They obtained afhdavits from
individual employees concerning pay.
The data collected showed there
should have bee, been an an ,nSreass to
and IS cents for helpers. The board
recommended the same wage. but
he asked for a 25 per cent increase.
Asked by Admiral Strauss il there
was q difference between the figures
sworn to by the men and the figures
furnished the wage boards by tho
Arms employing the men. he said
there wQS
George ]. Thomas, boilermaker. Nor
folk. Va, navy yard, told OF the Diff
fculties of getting correct informa-
ton from the ship yards. He said
that while the arms opened their
books did not show the truth.
Boilermakers Of the Brooklyn. ~ r.
yard, John Francis Doyle testified.
had data which showed that men were
paid as high as 31.12h an hour.
yet firms had sent In information that
they paid 81 cents an hour-the wage
as apprentices.
That there was = plan Of big EN-
ployers to keep down wages was the
charge by J. Davis, legislative rep
Of the International Boil
ermakers. L. D. Elliott. speaking for
ward. asked that their wages be put
on a par with those paid by the rail-
roads. S6,32 . day. ~ against s4.8s.
recommended by the local board.
I. Messenger, representing buffers
ana poliahers Of the Norfolk yard.
aaksd that the workers there be
placed ON the same basis ~ the WASH
ington yard
COL. NAYL0R BECOMES
ASSISTANT TO PERSHING