Evening star., 1933-08-07
Mass Meeting Decides to Go
Over SWanson's Head
in Making Appeal.
LEADERS SAY PRESIDENT
HAS BEEN> >MISINFORMED
Charge Recovery Act Violation in
Ordering Shorter Week With
Reduced Wages.

Washington Navy Yard workers who
go on a 4O-hour week basis today are
making a bold bid for the support of
President Roosevelt in their fight
against the additional 16 2-3 per cent
reduction in pay which results from
their shorter working week.
Going over the head of Secretary of
the Navy Swanson, the aroused and
embittered men decided at a mass
meeting yesterday morning in the Ave-
nue. Grand Theater to carry the issue to
President Roosevelt in the hope he
would suspend the order when the facts
are fully presented to him. Labor lead
ers who addressed the gathering charged
the principle of the national recovery
act had been flagrantly violated by the
Navy Department order putting navy
yards on a reduced working week with
reduced pay. They charged, also, that
the President had been "misled and
misinformed."
Workers from the floor appealed to
their leaders to take a train last night
for Hdye Park, SO as to lose no time In
taking up the matter with the Presi-
dent, but cooler heads prevailed and
the petition will be presented in what
leaders explained would be the regular
manner but nonetheless effective.
$500 Attend Meeting.
What the Navy Yard workers want,
their resolution declares, is 39-hour
week at the>Naval Gun Factory, with
nav for the former 44-hour week. This
can be accomplished legally by working
seven hours a day for five days and
four hours on Saturday pending the
convening of Congress when legislation
may be passed to reduce the work week
of Federal employees without loss OF pay
in weekly earnings.
The meeting was called by w. l.. LIS
brow. president OF Columbia Looge' NJ
ia. International Association OF Ma
chinists. About /, 500 navy. yard men
attended and voiced vigorous approval
of the claims of labor leaders that they
must enlist in their campaign for better
working conditions the support OF Con-
gress as we'll as the support OF business
interests in Washington, which Will SUI
fer from reductions in pay.
Added to the Is per cent cut under the
economy act, the new pay scale put lnto
effect by the Navy Department means
total reduction to every machlnlst ana
skilled laborer at the yard OF 81 2-3 per
cent. or nearly third.
Leaders who addressed the group yes
terday included N P. Allfas. president OF
District A, International Association OF
Machinists; w. A. Calvin. vice presloent
of the International Boilermakers AS
fn SprrptQrV
of the metal trades department OF the
American Federaion Of Labor; E. c.
Dawson, general secretary-treasurer OF
the International Association OF Ma
chinists, and A. o. Wharton, tnterna. :.
tional president of the machinists ana
a vice president of the A. F. OF L.
Resolution Is Passed.
The resolution adopted by the mass
meeting. a CODY of which also Will be
given to Secretary Swanson, expressed
the views of the workers, IN part, as
follows:
"The purpose of the national indus
trial recovery act is to increase purcnaS-
ing power and to reduce working ncurS'
also section 7 of the act provides ior
collective bargaining. Therefore tne
order Of the Navy Department calling
i
not in accord with the purpose Of the
recovery act and the method used by
the Navy Department In issuing the
present order is not in line with the
spirit OF collective bargaining.
I'VE deem it Is inconsistent Tor the
Government Of the United States to
require the private manufacturer to
create and uphold a condition as noted
above and then force their own en-
ployes to accept conditions which are
the reverse and reprehensible in their
effect"
The resolution bears the signature Of
President Disbrow and Secretary Walter
u. Hurley of Columbia Lodge and
President Neil F. Graham and Secre-
tary r. B. Kelso of the Metal Trades
Association, Washington Navy Yard:
I'VE are unable to understand" it
added, "how the Secretary Of the Navy
can advance the excuse that this action
is made necessary because Of reduced
appropriations when the fiscal year has
lust started and additional sums have
been advanced from the national in
dustrtal recovery act to provide for the
enlargement Of the naval building pro-
gram.
Higher Living Costs Cited.
1.-THE cost of living in Washington
Is steadily increasing due to increased
activities under the provisions OF the
national industrial recovery act codes
and the steady upward trend Of farm
prices under the farm relief act: also
the reduction Of our purchasing power,
If put into effect, will injure our credit.
in many cases cause us to lose our
homes and further severely cripple our
living standards"
Wharton declared the navy yard pay
reduction not only violated the princi-
pie Of the recovery act, but also its en-
tire purpose, which was to reduce work
ing hours for greater employment with
out reducing purchasing power.
The labor leaders and workers who
spoke from the floor declared them
selves in entire sympathy with this
intent Of the Government as applied
to industry, but pointed out that the
Government itself, in dealing with its
own employees, is out of line.
IF recovery means anything, 1t
means reduction of hours and an in
crease in purchasing power" Wharton
power of labor is good for industry, why
isn't it good for the Government"
Wharton declared that navy ad-
mirals had "misled and misinformed"
President Roosevelt about conditions
affecting navy yards and repeated the
charges recently made by Chairman
Trammell of the Senate Naval Affairs
Committee that the cost of construct
ing the new ships was excessive
U. S. Horticulturist to Speak.
GLENN DALE, Md, August (Spe-
ciaD r. L. Mulford of the Horticul-
f,,rol Di,isiora of the limited States OH.