Evening star., 1923-04-17
NAVY YARD WAGE
W,LADOR FEAR
Break With Administration
Forecast Unless Schedule
Is Revised "FairIy."

Failure of the Navy Department
to reconsider it's wage schedule Just
established for civilian employees OF
the navy yards and naval stations
throughout the country would possl-
bly, lead to an open break between
the present administration and the
American Federation of Labor, in the
opinion of labor officials announced
here today.
Unless the government consents
to give labor a fair deal in this
Navy Department matter, relations
between labor and the administra-
ton, already strained, will be seri-
ously affected" declared N. P. Alifas.
president of the International Asso-
citation OF Machinists. today. Samuel
Gompers, president of the American
Federation Of Labor. is out of the
city, but 1t is expected that he will
concur with the opinion Of Mr.. Alifas.
The machinists' head stated that
the widened breach betweensthe adj
ministration and labor over what Is
termed IAN almost consistently hos
tile attitude toward the working
man" may result in a political issue
DelnR mace OIL THIS
Appeal to BE Taken.
1t was asserted that, with the re-
turn to Washington in few days or
Mr.. Gompers. an appeal from the
wage decision will be taken over the
head of Assistant Secretary of the
Navy Roosevelt to Secretary or the
discrepancies In the pay rates and
the general unfairness' of the whole
decision will be protested by labor
leaders.
The union officials claim that few
of the trades were given adequate
hearing before the departmental
wage board. and the machinists. espe-
cially. are indignant over what they
regard as "a deliberate ignoring of
their arguments" by Admiral Straus,
chairman of the board
Fear also was expressed today In
labor circles that the Navy Depart
ment may eliminate the first grade of
employees and restore the two lower
ratings. with consequent lowering
of wages Under the ruling of Sep
eiaEs 1921 MI ll alTfa pointsa oue
today. A difference of about 40 cents
per grade exists under the different
| classifications. he explained.
Would Cut Personnel.
Should this move not be taken,
! union authorities believe that, in or
der to offset any increase that might
| have been effected in the Navy De-
| partment's pay roll through "un-
| reasonable" boosting of few classes
| of workers. reduction in personnel
at the navy yards, here and else
where. is contemplated.
Examples of discrepancies" were
cited by Mr.. Alifas to show the 'ab
surdity' of the decision. He said that
! skilled machinists. capable of doing
not only the work of pipe filters. but
! of many other specialized trades. will
continue to receive 73 cents an hour
at the local navy yard. while pipe
/ filters of much less breadth Of skill
will also get 20 cents an hour. In
the Boston navy yard, he went on
machinists will get II cents an hour
and pipe-fftters 90 cents.
In the local yard riggers will re-
ceive 81 cents an hour, reduction OF
6 cents. while In the Boston yard
they VIII get 80 cents an hour. an
increase of 10 cents
Local navy yard painters will re-
ceive an Increase of ~ cents to So
cents an hour, while in Boston they
will receive an increase of cents.
Bricklayers at the local yard will
draw 1924 a day under the new rul-
, ing, while in outside employment
here they are getting twice that
; amount. or about $3.50 day.
Machinists in private employ in
Washington. it was pointed out. are
getting an average of 80 cents ar
will get but 73 cents an hour.