Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06
Britten Offers to Aid Adams
in Obtaining Funds for
Ship Modernization.
WORKERS OVER NATION
WOULD NOT BE SAVED
Manufacture of Ordnance Can Be
Started by Secretary, House
Member Explains.

Most of the 800 men who have been
slated to lose their jobs in the near
future as the result of the naval reduc-
ton policy may be retained, it was
learned last night, as the result of eff
forts that are being made by Chairman
Britten of the House Naval Affairs
Committee.
Chairman Britten, who has confer
red with N. P. Alias, president of Dis
trict No. IA of the international Ma
chinists. concerning this situation, has
offered to lend his assistance to Sec
rotary of the Navy Adams in obtaining
assurance from Chairman Wood of the
House Appropriations Committee that
financial assistance will be provided by
Congress when it reconveneS next De-
cember for going ahead with the bat
tleShip modernization program.
Believes Majority Would Stay.
Mr.. Atlas said last night that this
sort of an arrangement has been made
at least once before. 1t would enable
the Secretary of the Navy to proceed
with the work on the ordnance for the
modernized battleships, which is made
at the Washington Navy Yard. This,
in the opinion of Mr.. Alias, might re-
suit in the retention of a greater part
of the 800 skilled and unskilled work
IlDW oldJCu lOL OLoILIoSdl mere.
All over the country there are about
scheduled to lose their jobs on account
of the reduction program, according to
Mr.. Alias estimate. Some of these
might be retained in case Mr.. Britten's
plan goes through, Mr. Alias thought,
but not very many of them, as they
would be employed chiefly on the bat
tleships themselves. which will not be
taken from the feet and put into navy
yards for this work, under the Navy
Departments program, before next
January.
Chairman Britten explained yester-
day that Secretary Adams, following
precedent, can go ahead with the man
ufacture of the ordnance for the mod
erniZed battleshipS as soon as he gets
assurance from Chairman Woods that
the money will be forthcoming at the
next session. Both Chairman Britten
and Mr.. Alias explained that the Navy
Department is authorized under exist
ing law to spend as much as 100000
on any one project without specific
authorization from Congress.
100000 Would Be Available.
If the plan goes through, about $780,
900 would be available for expenditure
in the manufacture of guns for the
modernized battleships at the Washing
ton Navy Yard and the work could be
carried on between now and next De-
cember when Congress reconvenes, thus
probably saving the jobs of most of the
300 men who have been slated for
early dismissal
The London treaty in the opinion
Of Mr.. Britten, can have no effect,
whether ratified or rejected by the SEN
ate. upon the modernization program,
which is permitted under the Washing
ton arms treaty.
The Navy Department is authorized
to modernize three battleshipS, but it.
has announced that under present con-
ditions, no matter how much money
Congress should appropriate for this
work. 1t was prepared to proceed with
the modernization of only two. The
ordnance work for these, however. would
provide SUFFICIENT work to keep most
of the 800 men at the Washington Navy
Yard busy between now and December.