Franklin D. Roosevelt letter to the Busch-Sulzer Brothers Diesel Engine Company - February 13, 1917

Transcript

10107-274:5 S/N/P [stamp] B.S.D.E. Co GEN. MGR. [February] 16 1917 to Ans. Noted Ans. [Navy Department letterhead], February 13, 1917. Gentlemen: Referring to your letter of November 29 last replying to the Department's request for an expression of your views as to whether the Diesel engines you are building for submarine boats of the L class are covered by the provisions of the act of June 19, 1912, the so-called eight-hour law, I would say that it is immaterial whether work to which the applicability of said law is to be determined is done by a contractor with the Government or by a sub-contractor of such a contractor and that consequently the question in issue would not be settled by the fact that you are not building said engines under orders from the Department. On the other hand neither does the mere fact that the engines are destined for a naval vessel determine the question. With a view to a comprehensive consideration of this matter the Department would be please to receive the names and addresses of shipbuilders of manufacturers, other than those named in you letter, to whom you are furnishing Diesel engines of your standard types M and Ma. Very respectfully, Franklin D. Roosevelt Acting Secretary Busch-Sulzer Diesel Engine Co., St. Louis, [Missouri] [stamp] J.R. Harris [February] 27 1917