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Show Shipyard Workers Who- Lay Off Delav Fleet 30,000 Hours PORTLAND, Ore,, Oct 25. Shipyard Ship-yard workers of this city who lay off a day now and thon without excuse except ex-cept over-prosperity, are wasting 12 per cent of the possible amount of labor In Portland shipyards, according to ofllcjals of the Emergency Fleet corporation here. It is estimated that, with 30,000 men in tho shipyards, 30.-000 30.-000 hours are thus wasted dally. "This wastage occurs because John Smith or Bill Jones feels tho jingle of coin in his pocket and decides it is time to take a day off and spend it," said John H. Stevenson, of the Emergency Emer-gency Fleet corporation, in charge of selective service and labor regulations. "This practice Is one of the greatest drawbacks to complete efficiency to be met in our yards. The acute labor shortage permits a man to quit on the slightest provocation and journey to the next shipyard where ho will be at work again the noxt day. This causes an appalling amount of wastage of time just when every minute Is vital In tho completion of ships." Mr. Stevejison said that the layoff among the men averaged between five and ten days a month. Sickness and other legitimate excuses are accepted but tho majority of workmen present no such excuses. It is understook that new selective service lures will tike care of this problem by providing for the removal of men who arc absent from work without good and sufficient reasons or who are enefllcient in the shipyards. Such men, it is stated, will be Induced Into the army. |