Evening star., 1933-08-10
NAVY YARD ISSUE
UP TO COMMITTEE
Swanson Says He Is Ready
to Abide by Any Code
President Gives.

Secretary Of the Navy Swanson L
willing to have the question of how
long Navy Yard workmen shall work
submitted to the new labor dispute
tribunal, headed by Senator Wagner
Democrat OF New York, and the Navy
stands ready to abide by any decision
on a code the President shall promul-
gate
This was made plain today. when
Mr. Swanson was ON record as saying
I'VE will leave it entirely to this COM
mittee to determine the code, and we
will abide by it," Navy Department Of
f1cials said that Gen. Hugh S. john
son, the National Recovery Admins
traitor, may bring this matter to the
attention Of the Wagner committee.
The Secretary pointed out that If the
Navy Yard workers work less than the
present 40 hours, constituting the five-
day week that became effective Mon
day morning, 1T will take more
money" The shipbuilders' ccde for
private industry, promulgated by Presi-
an average of 80 hours will be worked
Equal to Wage Cut.
The Washington Navy Yard workers
IN common with those throughout the
Nation, say that placing them on a
40-hour work week basis has the effect
of slashing their pay an additiona
1921 per cent, constituting total wage
cut of nearly one-third. They say
this is against the spirit of the nationa
recovery act, which seeks to reduce
working hours and increase purchasing
power What they want, they say, /:
a 39-hour week at the Naval Gun Fac
tory, with pay for the former 44-houl
week.
Secretary Swanson was asked about
the problem of having the Govern
ment conform in its navy yards to the
requirements of the code placed upon
the private shipyards. being submitted
to the Wagner Committee. He replied
II am willing for it to be. I don't
know whether it has been submitted
or not Under the law, we have te
have eight hours day on work done
under the regular funds fixed by Con.
gress. This other matter is left to the
President and the President has this
committee named We think the Gov
ernment ought to be a model employer
of labor that 1t ought not to preach
one thing and practice another"
The cabinet officer declined to am
plify this statement. He said that the
Navy Department itself will not submit
a proposed code for its navy yard
workers.
As informed officials at the Navy
Department now view the problem. il
is presented thus:
The Bureau of the Budget, in &C
cordance with the Presidents economy
policy, has Topped of $55,000, 900 from
the Navy Departments regular appro,
priations for the current fiscal year
The navy yard workers, as well a
other branches of the naval establish.
ment, must share in this saving. The
men have been placed on a five-day
work week Of 40 hours in order tt
avoid furloughing without pay, as Il
done in other Government depart.
ments.
Additional Money Need.
If Gen. johnson submits to the Wag.
ner committee the problem, suggesting
that the navy yard workers be brought
under the private shipbuilders' code Of
80 hours. with some increases in wages
additional money for this pay roll ad.
dition will have to be found for the
Navy. The Navy seems perfectly will
ing to shorten the hours and increase
the wages Of its navy yard workmen
if additional funds are forthcoming.
Under the economy act, however. the
Navy cannot increase the pay OF any
of its workers without the authorize.
ton of the President. Should the
Wagner committee decide that tht
Navy Department must have its nav
yard workers conform to the private
shipbuilders' code. and the President
ratify this finding, this the of1ciak
assert, would have the effect OF over
coming the present limitations Of thu
economy act, dealing with wage IN.
| creaSes.
Should President Roosevelt do this
there would still remain the problem
of where the money is coming from
but this might be overcome by havint
the Bureau Of the Budget relax its re
strictions and permit some OF the I'M
pounded $55,000, 900 to be spent for tn
| increased wages.
President Roosevelt's statement from
Hyde Park. N Y, yesterday. that tht
40-hour work arrangement Is but tenn.
porary and the problem probably vii
be settled In September, In the opinion
of observers here, points the way to {
relaxation Of the stringency on funds
Navy Department ofi1cials said TO-DAY
| that the 40-hour work week Is but {
temporary arrangement to conserve
funds, until a code is adopted for Nav.
| vard vorkerR